The Other Shoe

by Diane Farnsworth Kachmar



Lee's restless pacing of the sub brought him once again to Sickbay. Crane sighed. Jamie wanted him in his cabin, asleep. Only the incident had him too wound up, too worried, to even think about that.

Crane sidled quietly around the door, letting his eyes adjust to the dim lighting. None of the pharmacist's mates remained on watch, which made him feel a bit relieved.

Lee lightly stepped into the room, moving carefully around Jamie's desk and dispensary to the patient area. He didn't want to rouse Doc and get thrown out a second time.

Crane stopped beside the rack, gazing down at his sleeping Exec. Chip still looked too pale, and Lee could see the outline of the bulky bandage under the sheet that covered his friend.

He should have insisted Chip stay below. Crane smiled in spite of his worry. Morton never argued with him. As always, he agreed with all Lee's objections and came topside anyway.

Lee closed his eyes as he once again heard the staccato burst of machine gun fire, and felt the hard push that sent him staggering. He had crashed to his knees. Reacting instinctively, Lee had thrown himself behind the nearest cover. He heard shouting, then the deeper roaring of Seaview's deck gun. The machine gun fire suddenly stopped. That's when he noticed Chip was no longer beside him.

Lee rose slowly. Around him, he saw the other members of the detail raising their heads cautiously. Then he saw Chip sprawled beside the gangplank.

He had run to his friend, ignoring Sharkey's warning hiss. He had grasped Morton, turning him over. Chip tried to say something. Then his eyes rolled up, and he went limp in Lee's arms. A bright crimson bloodstain covered the bottom third of his khaki shirt and was spreading.

Even as his mind recoiled from the shock, Lee's training took over. Tearing out the knot in his tie, he had wrapped the fabric around his hand and pressed it firmly over the wound. And he held it there until Doc had arrived.

Jamie had assured him it looked worse than it was. Lee had remained in Sickbay until Chip was out of surgery. Then Jamieson had thrown him out.

Worry over his friend, lying there so pale, so still, drew him back.

Chip stirred restlessly in the rack beside him. Lee opened his eyes, then reached down, gently tucking the sheet over Chip's shoulder.

Morton's eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Lee fuzzily, and smiled slightly. "You going to hover all night?" he asked, sleepily.

"No," Crane answered. "Be quiet before I get thrown out."

"The damn bandage itches."

"Let me take my own bullets next time."

"Can't," Chip replied.

"Why not?"

"If anything happened to you, I'd get command. You know that's a fate worse than death."

"Don't joke, Chip, it's not funny."

Morton reached out a hand. Lee took it in his own.

"I'll heal."

"I know."

Chip smiled. "Do you think I like it when you're lying here?"

Crane grinned ruefully. "It's no fun, is it?"

"Didn't Doc tell you to go to bed?"

"I couldn't sleep."

Morton raised an eyebrow. "Somebody has to mind the store tomorrow, and it isn't going to be me."

"True." Lee squeezed his hand. "Go back to sleep, Christopher."

Morton scowled. "I can't sleep when you hover."

"Time to make myself scarce, eh?"

"Come back for breakfast. You can watch the IV drip with me."

Crane chuckled softly. "That sounds really exciting."

Chip rolled his eyes. "You've called this place many names. Exciting was never one of them."

"You know how it is."

"Yes, I do." Chip looked up at him again. "Now, quit worrying about me. I didn't move fast enough."

"They were aiming at me."

"They missed."

"No, you shoved me out of the way."

Morton smiled crookedly. "Guilty. And I'd do it again."

"You do it again, and so help me---"

"Lee," Chip gripped his hand hard for a moment. "You can't stop me. Don't even try."

"It's not right."

"Maybe so, bud, but you're the skipper. That's the way it is."

"I don't like you ending up hurt."

"Neither do I. Believe me, I didn't plan it this way."

Crane smiled at his friend's chagrined words. "Do you need anything before I go?"

"No, I'm all right. Really."

Lee gripped his friend's hand hard once more, then released it. "You scared me when you passed out like that."

"It didn't feel so hot from this end, either."

"I owe you one."

"Good. Tell the State department to send their own guys in next time."

"The Admiral already did."

"Man, I would have loved to have heard that call."

Lee grinned. "He was pretty descriptive."

"Blistered an ear or two, I imagine." Jamieson's voice came from behind him. "I told you to go to bed."

Crane shrugged. "I wasn't sleepy."

"Well, find someone else to talk to. Chip needs his rest."

"You would have woken me checking my pulse, anyway. Give him a break, Doc."

Lee moved aside so Jamieson could do his examination. Doc quickly checked Chip's pulse and respiration. "You're pretty alert for a guy who's been gutshot."

Chip shrugged. "It only grazed me."

"I wish," Jamieson replied. "You're as bad as him."

"Rubs off."

"I noticed. Now, you are going to sleep, and you---" Jamieson turned to Crane.

"---are leaving. I'll see you in the morning, Chip. Sleep well."

"You, too."

Lee caught his best friend's eye and winked. "I will now."



©Diane Kachmar, 2003. All rights reserved.