Irukandji plot || January 30th

[more_flexible]

He'd been near the dock since he was feeling kind of lazy about dinner. Pulling mussels off the pilings was an easy compromise. Food for Helen and hardly any work for Jack. He was surfacing when he felt a sting against his ribs and he looked but didn't see anything. The jellyfish he normally saw were out near the reef and were definitely big enough to see and avoid. It didn't even really feel like a sting. More like a bite. Maybe something he'd disturbed as he filled the mesh bag.

He broke the surface and the sunlight was incredibly bright. His head hurt a little and he looked down to see a small welt, but nothing else. He dried off and dressed and started back toward the compound. By the time he was halfway to the Hamlet, his head was pounding. Every heartbeat, every step made him want to curl up in the dark. His eyes felt like they were being pushed out of his skull. It hurt bad enough that he headed for Logan's to see if he'd take the shellfish the rest of the way.

The bag never made it to Logan's. Jack dropped it when a wave of nausea hit him so hard he doubled over. It seemed like it took forever to get to the familiar hut and he ignored Linus's low growl and sharp barks as he stepped through the door and fell to the floor. Another wave of nausea hit and his back ached, too. He had enough sense to roll onto his side and he retched, sea water spilling from his mouth across Logan's floor. He hadn't even been able to call for the other man or check to see if he was home, but the way he felt, all he could think of was how much it hurt.

Comments

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Snippets of Rollie's words cut through the pain. At that moment, Jack didn't care if what they might give him for pain happened to be made of lead and fired at a high velocity, as long as it made this unbelievable pain end.

"Nothing," he gasped. "No allergy. No diseases. No...please just kill me." It was sickening to hear that tone in his voice, the pleading. He was so much better than this, except this? Was so much more than he'd ever experienced. He couldn't be still but every movement hurt. His stomach rebelled and his head was pounding and he could hardly breathe. Every time he thought it couldn't possibly get any worse or hurt any more, a new wave crashed over him.

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan stopped listening, all his attention focused on Rollie, waiting for the other man to tell him what to do. He couldn't help it, he just couldn't hear Jack talk that way. Couldn't watch him suffer. not without becoming completely useless.

So he simply blocked it out, eyes fixed on the doctor and voice oddly calm as he spoke.

"Are we going to take him to the compound clinic?"

[dumbassbastards.livejournal.com]

"No," says Rollie, shaking his head as he proceeds to do exactly what he said he was going to, as quickly and efficiently as he dares. "Not yet, anyway. We don't want to move him any further than we have to right now." It's extremely unlikely he's going to be able to take any oral painkillers and keep them down right now, but despite his obvious agony he seems reasonably stable. "You're going to have to help me carry him, Logan."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, yeah, of course," Logan replied quietly, watching Jack a moment longer, and then bending over carefully and slipping one arm carefully under the other man.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "We have to move you. You're gonna be okay though, Jack. I'm here. I'm gonna take care of you. I promise."

[captainjack.livejournal.com]

Jack whimpered softly as he got to his feet, holding on heavily to Logan and Rollie. Walking, just the thought of walking, was torture. Every step was agony and on the way he jerked and twitched, nearly falling more than once. He was trying, though. Even in his state he could tell Logan was scared and he knew he should have gone straight to the clinic. He should have realized how bad off he was. He should have spared the other man from having to watch him die.

"M'sorry," he whispered, over and over like a mantra. He was sweating and trembling even though he was trying to keep it together. The pain came in waves and he had to stop more than once to retch, then he pressed on, apologizing instead of caving and screaming in agony.

He had never been so relieved as when he saw the building they were going to.

[dumbassbastards.livejournal.com]

"We'll have you on a bed before you know it," says Rollie, and then doesn't say anything else until they do. It's probably not much relief for Jack at this point but it's relief for Rollie, who can now actually treat him as best he can. "Logan, I need you do... do you know Dr. Crusher? Uh, Bev. Beverly Crusher. She won't be at the clinic right now, she'll probably be close to home."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

"I- Yeah, kind of," Logan said quietly, fairly sure he could pick her out of a crowd if he had to, but clearly reluctant to leave Jack's side for even a moment. "I- Should I get her?" he asked, looking down at Jack with mixed feelings of guilt and helplessness.

[dumbassbastards.livejournal.com]

"She can... she has access to stronger painkillers than we stock here," says Rollie. "It'll be all right. Jack, hang in there, I'm just going to make sure the toxin's neutralized and we'll have you feeling better soon. The sooner we get those into him the better, Logan."

[echolls-cursed.livejournal.com]

Logan didn't need any further prompting, and he whispered something softly to Jack before reluctantly leaving Rollie to do his job while he went off the find the woman who would hopefully be able to help.