For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

(warnings: sexytimes. also, panic attacks, brutal violence, attempted murder, discussion of suicide and actual murder... )

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[theodorelasso]

Ted nods a bit and smiles at Joan, grateful for her comfort and... Well, grateful for her.

"It's alright, you know," he reassures her quietly. "I've broken stuff before, I can deal with that part." He knows she's worried about him, but there's a limit to how much worry she needs to carry.

[formersurgeon]

"I know," she says, smiling a little at his concern. "I'm not worried about that part. I just want to make sure you know you're safe. If you'd rather I give you more space, that's totally fine."

Part of her just wants to hold him and keep him safe, the part of her that wishes she could have protected him from the start and stopped this from even happening. But she also recognizes that he might not want her to be so protective.

[theodorelasso]

He shakes his head a little. "No, I like you being here," he answers and smiles softly.

Eventually he'll probably be alright being left on his own, but for right now at least, knowing that someone he knows and loves is looking out for him really helps put him at ease.

Part of him hopes that she's not just doing it out of guilt, but no, he knows that's not the case. Whatever Turner tried to convince him, he knows that Joan loves him.

He eyes shine a bit as he looks at her, with that same affection and admiration as he often does, and he leans in and kisses her softly.

[formersurgeon]

She smiles back. "I like being here," she answers softly. He had said that the man who kidnapped him had told him that nobody really cared about him, and she wants to reinforce what he probably already knows: that what the man said was a lie, and Joan cares about him very much.

She wonders if he remembers her telling him she loves him. It's possible he doesn't, in which case Joan doesn't want to complicate things. He's going to live, and she wants to preserve this comfortable affection for now, so she doesn't have to risk creating a rift in case he doesn't feel the same way for her and cannot say the words back to her.

Her own eyes are full of love, however, as she gazes back at him, seeing that affection and admiration of his shining back at her. She closes her eyes as their lips meet, and kisses him back, just as softly.

[theodorelasso]

When the kiss ends, he doesn't pull back, instead just leaning his forehead against hers, eyes closed. Just resting there for a moment, feeling much more at peace.

After a few moments there's a gentle knock on the door, and Ted opens his eyes to see Beard.

"Sorry for disturbing," he says.

"No, it's alright, what's up?" Ted reassures immediately.

"I, uh, called Michelle and let her know you were in the hospital. Her and Henry are flying over as soon as they can."

There's an immediate relief apparent in Ted's body. The thought of getting to see Henry again was one of the things that kept him going. "Thanks, coach," Ted says softly and smiles at him, and Beard smiles back.

"Anything I can get for you guys?" Beard offers, looking at Joan as well.

[formersurgeon]

That moment of their foreheads resting against each other, just breathing together, is beautiful, and Joan's heart is so full it almost hurts to not just say what she's feeling. She reaches up to touch his cheek...

Then Beard's knock breaks her out of the reverie and she looks up to see him there. She gives him a faint smile, maybe a touch sheepish but only a little.

Then he gives his news, and Joan sees how relieved and happy Ted is that his ex-wife and son are coming. A tiny seed of doubt buries itself in Joan's mind. She knows it's silly, because of course he's going to want to see his family, particularly his son. But there's still that tiny bit of doubt, that maybe he loves them more than he cares for her, and would be happier with them.

She brushes the thought away easily as silly.

This time.

"I'm fine," Joan says, and gives Beard a smile. "Thank you."

[theodorelasso]

"I think I'm good," Ted agrees.

"Alright. Rebecca went home while you were asleep, to try to make sure the media don't get hold of this yet," he informs them. "I'm gonna head out too. Call any of us if you need anything, alright?"

Ted nods. "Oh, wait, I don't--"

Before he's even finished the sentence, Beard's walked over and handed him a replacement phone - just a cheap one till he can get a proper one. "I put all our numbers in there," he says.

Good ol' Beard. "Thanks, coach. I'll see you later," Ted answers, smiling gratefully.

Beard smiles and gives a small wave to them both before he heads out.

[formersurgeon]

Joan hadn't even thought of the press. She's glad Rebecca is on it. She can't imagine how hard it would be for Ted if this whole incident was splashed across the tabloids for everyone to see.

Joan waves back at Beard, watching him go.

"He's amazing," she says when he's out of sight and earshot.

[theodorelasso]

"Right?" Ted agrees, laughing a little, then wincing mildly, though it doesn't quite stop him smiling. Yeah, these painkillers don't make him completely unable to feel it. (Which is probably good, cause then he might get careless.) He's just going to go ahead and lie back down properly.

"Him and Rebecca will make sure everything runs smoothly while I'm gone," he adds gratefully. He feels kind of bad for not being there for the team, but he knows that's silly. They wouldn't blame him, and they'd want him to get better.

"Wonder what they're gonna tell the team..." he muses. Surely at least that he's in the hospital, but beyond that? If they're trying to make sure it doesn't leak, it might be foolish to tell a few dozen people, a few of whom - bless them - aren't the brightest knives in the box.

[formersurgeon]

She lies down with him, careful to position her head against his shoulder and arm across his abdomen so she doesn't hit any sore spots.

'They'll miss you," she says with a smile, "but they're in good hands."

The question of what to tell the team draws a slight frown, though. It's a good question. She knows that group well enough to know telling them the truth would definitely ensure it got out to the press.

"Accident?" she muses. "Appendicitis? Bar fight?" She chuckles softly. "Nah, they wouldn't believe that one."

[theodorelasso]

Ted chuckles gently, trying to make sure he doesn't laugh too much. "They might believe it if they say I was in the middle trying to stop the bar fight," he suggests, taking her hand that's across his abdomen and lacing their fingers together.

[formersurgeon]

She smiles and squeezes his hand. "You're right," she says, amused. "That's totally something you'd do."

They'd believe it, too, because his team knows that Ted is a good man who cares about people and would do anything to help someone in need. Joan notes that that's pretty much exactly how he walked into this incident, too. Getting the worst of a barfight he tried to stop would have been a million times better, though.

[theodorelasso]

"I've had to stop a couple fights in the locker room," he shares, thinking back. "Back in the premier league, we had two players who were at each other's throats a lot. Took a lot of work to get them to play nice."

[formersurgeon]

"I can imagine," she says. "Testosterone and egos are frequently an explosive combination." She smiles at a memory. "Do you know anything about cockfighting?"

[theodorelasso]

Ted blinks curiously at that question. "Only that it's when you make roosters fight," he answers. He gives her a look. "At least I hope that's what you're referring to," he adds jokingly, smile slowly creeping onto his face.

[formersurgeon]

She laughs softly. "Wow, there's one hell of a visual. No, I mean the roosters. It's a terrible thing, because they train the birds to kill each other. When a cockfighting ring is busted, they usually have to euthanize the animals, because they've been so conditioned to be violent toward each other that they can't be around other chickens. It's generally thought that a fighting gamecock can never be rehabilitated. A couple years ago there was a ring in New York that was broken up, and Sherlock got two of the roosters to see if he could de-condition them. Teach them how to co-exist. It took a while, and some very careful exposure to each other, but he did it. He named them Romulus and Remus, which was too clever by half, and we had chickens living in the brownstone for a few weeks until a farm upstate could take them."

[theodorelasso]

Ted doesn't usually go blue with his jokes, but how's he gonna pass that one up?

He listens to the story with interest, and gets an increased fondness for Sherlock from it. He's got the impression it was just as much about the challenge that made him want to do it, but it's a very good and lovely reason to take that challenge.

"That's so cool," he answers genuinely. "Hey, I didn't get to thank Sherlock, make sure you tell him thanks when you go back there, alright?"

[formersurgeon]

Sherlock is prickly and hard to get along with, but he truly hates it when people or creatures are exploited, especially when they're physically harmed.

"I will, but you can thank him yourself the next time you come to the brownstone, if you like." Sherlock is still wary of Ted, the same way he's wary of anyone who gets close to Joan, but even he has begun to grudgingly accept that Ted's friendliness and optimism are not subterfuge nor stupidity, and that Joan is truly happy with him in a way that she has not been happy in a long time.

[theodorelasso]

Ted nods, and he definitely plans to. He just assumes Joan will see him first. Presumably she has to go back there to shower and change at some point, maybe get some sleep in an actual bed of her own. He loves the company, but he doesn't need constant supervision, thankfully. Besides, he assumes he'll get some other visitors too who can keep him company.

"Alright, I think I'm gonna try the sleep thing again," he says, actually yawning a little. Hopefully this time he'll be out longer, especially since this time the painkillers won't run out.

[formersurgeon]

Joan will definitely want to go home at least for a little bit in the morning to shower and change. Hopefully someone else will be there to keep Ted company at the time. So much of what happened to him involved isolation, so at least at first Joan thinks its probably a good idea that he not be alone for too long.

"Okay," she says, and yawns as well, catching it from him. "I'll probably fall asleep for a bit too. I'm right here if you need me."

[theodorelasso]

"I know," he answers warmly, kissing her hair and then settling in to sleep. He doesn't pass out immediately this time, but it doesn't take too long before he's fast asleep. And maybe it's the combination of the painkillers and Joan's embrace, but this time there's no nightmares either.

He does wake up some hours later, while Joan is still asleep, and he thinks it's the middle of the night. And he really has to pee. He's pretty sure he can't actually manage that without waking her.

He looks over at Joan and gentle shakes her a little. "Hey..."

[formersurgeon]

Joan sleepily opens her eyes, and when she sees him she smiles. "Hey," she says softly, obviously just happy to see him in her half-asleep state.

Then she blinks as she starts to remember where they are and why, and her forehead creases in concern. "Is everything okay?"

[theodorelasso]

He loves seeing her when she's asleep or recently woken up. So peaceful, and so happy to see him.

"I need to go to the bathroom," he answers, with a smile that says he's aware this is probably the most benign emergency they've had in the past few days.

[formersurgeon]

"Oh!" She sits up and climbs out of bed. "Okay...hang on..." She goes over to the pole where the IV drip is hung, and sure enough it has wheels. "Okay," she says. "It's always awkward working with these things, because their wheels are often only slightly better than the wheels on shopping carts." She looks at him. "With your broken leg and your knees, do you think you can make it to the bathroom if I help you? Or should I call a nurse?"

[theodorelasso]

"Let's find out," he answers, already sitting up and carefully swinging his legs out of bed.

Even just bending his knees is pretty uncomfortable, and he puts a hand on a shoulder and holds onto the bed with the other as he tries to stand up. The cast on his leg actually prevents him from having much problem with the broken bone. But his knees don't seem very willing to hold him without significant discomfort, which is probably not good for him, so he sits back down.

"Nope, probably a bad idea," he answers with a mildly annoyed sigh. "Think you could get a wheelchair?" he suggests.