Recheck

Posted on Sun Aug 23rd, 2020 @ 3:24pm by Lieutenant Avery Paxton III & Lieutenant Scott Hayes

Mission: Deep Space Nine
Location: USS Wayfarer - Sickbay
Timeline: MD-01

It had been one week since Avery had last been to sickbay after being involved in an EPS conduit eruption and although she had wanted to protest it, she had agreed to return for a recheck. On the plus side, they had recently returned from the year 2160 after having recovered the NX-09 and were now docked at DS9 for some repairs and R&R. So perhaps, she thought, this was her chance to finally convince Scott to get that drink.

“Hey Doc, Hayes, Lieutenant…..what do you prefer to go by anyways? I’ve been here enough at this point that I should probably know, but I don’t.” Avery inquired with a smile as she entered sick bay.

"Smiling as you enter sickbay? Who would have thought that was possible," Scott began as he was milling about his duties, "I'd settle for Doc, but Scott is much preferred. I'm not one for rank and station. In for that check-up before security come and drag you here?"

Avery chuckled, “Since most of security is off on DS9 taking in some R&R I figured I’d save them the trouble. Besides, I vaguely remember saying that I would try to be better about accepting medical orders. Which was clearly the drugs or the concussion talking, but I can’t go back on it now,” she said with a smirk as she shrugged. “Where do you want me?”

"Up on the biobed, as usual, please," he gestured, "Oh yeah, I forgot we were docking at DS9 for some downtime. I'm guessing the ship is practically empty then. I may finally be able to get into the gym or get some good runs in." Scott smiled as he returned with his scanning equipment and went to work. "I'm guessing you are headed there yourself then when you get the all-clear?"

“Wait a minute, we’re docked at DS9 and you’re going to go to the gym or for a run? I’m pretty sure you’ve given me at least one lecture about working too much or not relaxing enough. Sounds like you should take some of your own advice. You could come with me to the station when you get off duty. You did say we’d talk about that drink after a few days of not working too hard, and it’s been at least a week of no overtime. So...drinks? On the station? After your shift?” Avery inquired, hoping that for once he’d give in and accept her offer.

"The gym and running are relaxing for me," Scott replied, continuing to smile as he also continued to scan, "a body like this doesn't just happen on its own." He looked down himself and his stomach which wasn't quite as flat as it had been in the past few days, "Anyway, the last time I was in DS9 and this bar called Quarks, some silent guy at the end of the bar kept putting his hand on my butt, it was not a particularly fun or relaxing time." Scott put his scanning equipment away, "You will be pleased to hear, you are clear! Also, you have been resting, so well done on listening to the advice."

Really?! Why is it so hard to convince him to get one drink?! She thought to herself. “Quarks isn’t so bad, and no one will grab your ass this time because you’ll have a wingman! Wingwoman, whatever. Besides, I happen to know that there’s a hot bartender who’s shift happens to start in about an hour. Do you really want to miss out on that?” Concerned that he didn’t look entirely convinced, Avery decided to try another route. “Or if you won’t grab a drink, how about some holodeck time? We could relax on a beach, or run from a pack of dinosaurs if you really want to get that run in.”

Scott glared quite blankly at the suggestion of the addition to the run, "I still have several hours until my shift ends. I could be convinced to come for a drink when I am done and have freshened up." He started putting his scanning equipment away, he really did just finish in an hour himself, but there was no way he was missing a workout and had a feeling he would have a harder time convincing Avery otherwise.

It seemed unrealistic to Avery that he had several hours left until his shift ended, unless he was putting in some overtime. However, this was the closest she had ever gotten to him agreeing to a drink so she decided not to push it. “That's fine, I can wait! It’ll be a good excuse to get in a workout and give me time to check out the latest engineering reports from the USS Lexington before we head out. Pick a time and I’ll meet you at the docking ring.” She said with a grin, happy that her persistence had finally paid off.

Work out. He had been rumbled. "I need an hour here, an hour in the gym then a half hour to get ready. So around then?" Scott replied with a slight tone of defeat and acceptance in his voice.

She stopped for a moment, and gave him a puzzled look as she picked up on his reluctance to set a time and the fact that he had lied about having several hours left on his shift. Avery knew she could be really persistent and she loved a good challenge, which is how she had begun to view Scott. A challenge to get the most stubborn person she knew to grab a drink with her. But what she really wanted was someone to hang out with, someone that might eventually become a friend, and dragging him to do something that he didn’t really want to do wasn’t usually the best way to start a friendship.

“You know, if you just don’t want to get a drink, workout or go to holodeck with me, you can just tell me. It won’t hurt my feelings,” she said sincerely, concerned that maybe she had pushed too far.

"It's not that," Scott began with a sigh, "I'm a stickler for my routine, it helps keep me balanced, especially after a hard day," he pointed up to his head. "Plus, being the Chief Medical Officer usually means having to keep a level of distance from people until I get an assistant, I can trust. I can't have conflicting feelings when working on a friend. Add this to always getting put from one assignment to another, I will admit, I find it hard forming onboard friendships. I could be posted to another ship by the time we get back from drinks," he paused, "and here ends the counselling session of the evening before we even have a drink."

Avery raised an eyebrow and laughed, “That’s what you’re worried about? First of all, I have a hard time believing that in a crisis you would let your feelings get in the way. I’m guessing what would actually bother you is not helping out a friend because someone else needs help more? We’re both Starfleet officers, it comes with the job. You can’t let that keep you from having a friend. I’ll even promise that if we’re ever in a dire situation and I see you helping me when someone needs it more, I’ll refuse treatment, or smack you, or something.” She said with a laugh.

“As for starship postings, that comes with the job too. It’s hard at first, but you’ll get used to it, trust me. I’m a marine brat so that’s basically been my life. Losing friends when you have to move ships is heartbreaking, but what’s worse is never having had a friend to say goodbye to.”

"I'm a diplomatic brat, obviously we don't find all of this as easy," Scott retorted, "and its more losing people because of a lack of focus you worry about. Emotions cloud the clinical nature of things." He was now seriously regretting his decision to go for a drink, the gym, his bed and a good book were sounding more appealing as each second passed in the conversation.

“I didn’t mean to imply that it was easy. None of this is ever easy.” She sighed, feeling defeated as it was clear that she hadn’t gotten through to him. “Well, the choice is yours. If you tell me that you aren’t interested in hanging out then I’ll stop pestering you about it.
But if you're willing to give it a shot, I don't think you'll regret it.”

Scott nodded and returned to his duties, unclear in his own head what he thought he would do next.

Avery slid off of the biobed and made her way towards the exit. Before walking through the doors, she turned and looked at Scott. “I’ll be at Quarks in 2.5hrs with a drink and a deck of cards. You’re welcome to join me. If I don’t see you there, I’ll assume you’ve made your decision and I’ll leave you alone unless you tell me otherwise. Whatever you decide, I hope you have a good shore leave.” She said, filled with both despair over the way the conversation had gone, and also hope in that he might show up at Quarks later.