glyfic

Title: Welcome back
Author:

malurette
Fandom: Star Trek: Deep Space 9
Characters: Julian Bashir, nurse Jabara
Rating: PG / K+
Disclaimer: Paramount's

Author’s note: ESL author with no beta-reader – if you spot any mistakes please do correct me.

Prompt/Continuity: end of Distant Voices yum h/c
Word count: 400+

**
‘Welcome back doctor.’
‘You’ll never believe where I was.’

‘…‘were’? You haven’t moved from… or was your conscience transported-’
‘Ah, no, at least I don’t think so- I was trapped inside my own mind.’
Without missing a beat, Bashir goes on;
‘We’ll need to do a case review about that experience! there might be an article to write, maybe a possibility of treatment for other patients.’
‘Once you’re better.’

The ‘once’ flies over Bashir’s head. As soon as Sisko and Dax leave, he tries to sit up and swing his legs off of the biobed, stiffling a grunt.
Jabara catches him, suddenly very stern.
‘What do you think you’re doing?’
He winces, sheepish.
‘Taking a quick trip to the refresher.’
‘Not with this blood pressure you don’t. You have a catheter on anyway… or do you need a bedpan?’
‘I need to keep my dignity intact!’
‘Well I’m sorry but no, no refresher privileges yet. You get a privacy curtain and I’ll step out for a moment. I’ll trust you to be reasonable. I don’t want to have to use restraints on you, Doctor. ‘

Julian sits back and groans, mortified.
It’s not long before he complains again.
‘Uh. My breath tastes like acetone.’
Jabara confirms his fears:
‘I’m afraid your body started dying around you in the last hour.’
‘That would explain why my muscles are so stiff, it shouldn’t get that bad just from a day of forced bed rest…’
Jabara hands him a PADD with his own scan results.
‘Cellular degradation has stopped, metabolism seems on the mend, it just needs a bit of help getting back together though.’
‘You’re getting nutrients, anabolic hormones, plenty of rest, and progressive remobilization; starting with soft, easy foods. Like non-spiced pudding-’
and before he evens gets time to groan in frustration she goes on,
‘Remind me your favourite drink of choice?’
‘Tarkalean tea, extra sweet.’
‘OK, none of that while you’re ill. You get second choice for now… and real pampering begins
when you’re convalescing. You should totally be good for cake at the ‘surprise’ party lieutenant Dax is planning for you ‘in secret’.’
‘Oh come on! One, I don’t feel nauseated, I can totally drink Tarlalean tea without ruining it; two, I do not need pampering-’
By now the nurse is outright smiling a very wicked smile. Give them a sudden flick of power over their boss…
‘You wrote the protocols for recovering coma patients, they apply to you too.’
She’s saying that very fondly, sincerely, and somehow that makes it worse.

‘I wish Altovar’d killed me after all,’ Bashir mutters, defeated.
‘And we’re glad you’re OK, Doctor.’