More?

As Katie gets up, Jason sighs a little, watching her leave. Shaking his head, he tries to focus on something else, tired of this subject. It was wearing him out physically and emotionally, and it wasn’t a good feeling.

Rick gets up from his chair and goes to the door, opening it just a little. “Hey, Scott. Katie will be right out.”

Scott quirks an eyebrow, wondering why he wasn’t being invited in, but he shrugs it off. “Alright…tell her I’ll be at my desk.”

Rick nods and turns back inside. Going to Katie, he hands her a small towel. “Take your time, Hero. Settle down. It’ll be okay.” Giving her shoulder a pat, he goes back to Jason. “How’s the knee.”

“You don’t want to know.”

“Actually I do.”

Jason rolls his eyes. “Hurts like mad.”

“Mm…” Rick frowns and goes around to take off the brace and bandage. Jason’s knee is red and swollen, proving the infection has indeed set in. “Well, this is nice.”

Jason grimaces at the sarcasm. “I’m sure.” He looks up as Katie finishes cleaning up, and catches her eye one last time as she leaves, trying to convey that he knew things would be okay.

His concentration quickly returns to his knee, however, as Rick starts to poke and prod. “Aw, sheesh, take it easy,” he complains.

“Well I’m sorry.” Rick shakes his head. “This isn’t looking good, Jase.”

“Obviously.” Now that Katie is out of the room, Jason finds himself slipping into the emotional state he really wanted to be in…miserable. He didn’t care about appearing strong or in control in front of Rick.

Rick quirks an eyebrow. “I may have to go back in.”

“Oh, come on,” Jason groans. He flops his head back further into his pillow. Not only did his brain have to be screwed up, why did his leg have to be too? He’d hardly been in this infirmary at all, and already he felt caged in.

“That attitude won’t help things,” Rick chides. “I’m afraid your body might be rejecting the type of metal that pin we used is. I can shoot you full of antibiotics, but my gut tells me that the source of the problem will still be there.”

Jason grits his teeth, his irritation growing. “Great. How long will that delay me getting out of here?”

“I don’t know. Depends on how easy you take it.” Rick looks at him sternly. “I’ve heard you’ve been up several times you shouldn’t have been, and that does you no good.”

“Well I can’t just sit here and rot!”

“No, but you can stay until you heal!” Rick turns around to clean some things up. “I want to get into that knee of yours today.”

“What are my chances of having full use of it back when you’re through?”

Rick turns around, his arms folded across his chest. “For the average person? Fifty percent mobility. For you? Seventy-five percent.”

“But never one hundred,” Jason grumbles.

“Look, be grateful you can walk at all.”

“Easy for you to say!”

“Jason, I’m just trying to help!”

“Maybe I don’t want your help!” With everything that had happened last night, this morning, and being in so much pain, Jason’s irritation and anger just seemed to get the best of him. He had no where and no way to release this pent up frustration, especially when he wasn’t releasing it to Katie.

Rick shakes his head with disapproval. “Cut out the attitude, Jase.”

“Would you please quit telling me what to do? I’m not a child.”

“You’re acting like one.”

“And who are you to tell me that?!” Jason throws an arm in the air. His frustration had reached its limit with the news of his knee, and all at once it just boils over. “You’re not the one sitting here with a screwed up brain, uncontrollable emotions and the need to stay chained to someone you’re trying to separate yourself from! You’re not sitting here in a bed, stuck here for who knows how long with a knee that wont work, and in enough pain to throw up! How can you tell me what to do?!” Like a shotgun going off, his anger is flung carelessly about through his eyes and words, his gaze shooting across the far counter.

Without warning, a glass vile bursts, sending pieces of glass in all directions.

Rick jumps to the side and raises an arm to shield his face as the glass flies. Jason’s heart skips a beat as he stares at the shattered pieces all over the counter and floor. Stunned, he just blinks.

Rick straightens up and looks at the mess, then to Jason, his eyes full of concern. “Please don’t tell me you just did that.”

Jason’s face pales, his anger suddenly replaced with fear. “I…I don’t…I….”