Twenty-Ninth Gate

[forsometimenow]

Okay, so... since my clinic is stubbornly remaining medieval, it looks like I'm in the castle clinic until this blows over.

That said, I know privacy was one reason some of you liked coming to the town clinic, so I'm tentatively thinking about offering housecalls. Just filter to me on the journal, or ask for Dr. Keller at the clinic, and I'll see what I can do.

[Jennifer then filters the next part to Joel... then, after some hesitation, Tess as well. Maybe Tess could talk some sense into him.]

So, Joel, when were you planning on seeing me about that little injury you have?

No big deal, just wanted to make sure your broken bones were healing okay.

Comments

Jennifer, Joel

[dog_eat_dog]

[Men are so stubborn. Dryly:]

I think he's getting spoiled, with me have to do everything for him.

Jennifer, Tess

[focusrighthere]

[ Yeah, it had nothing to do with being in hiding. He resists the urge to roll his eyes at Tess, but it-- didn't go as poorly as he expected, with Cassie, and Jennifer is the only doctor he trusts. Men are stubborn though.

Give him a second to confirm this up. ]

You're offering?

Filter forever

[forsometimenow]

No, I'm only asking out of idle curiosity. Of course I'm offering.

Unless Tess wants to keep doing everything for you. Somehow, I'm going to say that's a "no".

[dog_eat_dog]

[She knows what you're thinking, Joel. She reaches over to poke at his hands, to make sure they're splinted properly. She's gentle, but that doesn't mean she's not intrusive. She smirks at him in a way that's teasing, the lines of her face deepening and her eyes narrowed. The past few weeks have been shitty and she is so ready to move past them.]

Nope. I don't have much use for a right-hand man without hands.

[Just kidding, boo, she'll always have a use for you :')]

[focusrighthere]

[ For her poking, her teasing and her phrasing, Tess gets narrowed eyes in return. He's amused, though. It shows. She can be real damn cute sometimes. ]

My partner's got a point. [ Hem. If there's one thing he's learned about Jennifer, she's sincere. And a bit of a smartmouth, surprisingly. ] I'll, ah, take a housecall, then.

[ Privacy if possible, please. ]

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer sorely wants to make a smart quip about guns (or his lack of ability to fire them), but holds her tongue. No use tempting fate.]

Yeah, I thought as much- both that you wouldn't want to be out of action longer than you should be, and that Tess wasn't going to want to keep waiting on you.

I'll be along in a bit. Can't guarantee that I won't want to bring you in for X-Rays, but I'll do what I can.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She knows how cute she is, she just knows it.]

I don't wait on him for everything, at least. The little neighbour girl helps out, too.

[That's just about all she has to say on the matter. Joel can sort out the details of the housecall on his own.]

[focusrighthere]

[ Joel doesn't know why he's been reluctant to get his goddamn hands fixed, other than the practical reasons that involved keeping away from people until he was sure it was safe to poke his head up again. Complicated and muddled reasoning behind that, squaring things out with Cassie, but he can't find pragmatism in prolonging it any further.

It's well past time. She's the doctor, he's surely not; it's time. ]

Whatever you think is best.

[forsometimenow]

Well, you're lucky you have people looking out for you while you're being stubborn, then.

How bad is it?

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess stops her prodding, sitting back in her seat, far enough from Joel's journal that she sounds like she's in the background. To Joel, amused:]

I didn't know there was a scale for that sort of thing. One to ten, how broken are your broken hands?

[focusrighthere]

A layman's opinion? Ten.

[ He is lucky. Joel reconsiders his first request. ]

If it's easier for me to come to the clinic, I'll do that.

[forsometimenow]

Well, knowing those kinds of things can make a difference in treatment. Which bones are broken, how many...

[She hesitates.]

Only if that's what you want.

[dog_eat_dog]

[She just glances at Joel. His call, but Tess knows they can bully Jen here with ease if they want to.]

[focusrighthere]

[ Another moment of consideration before he nods at Tess, prompting her to come with as he moves to the door. He's sure not going alone and once they decide to do something, they're on it. Jennifer's not a threat. This'll make the whole thing quicker, he thinks. ]

On our way.

[ Yay, Jennifer, your favorite patients are swinging by. ]

[forsometimenow]

I'll have a room readied for you, then.

[Whoop-de-freaking-do, she adds silently.]

[dog_eat_dog]

[They're at the clinic shortly after, Tess opening the door for Joel and standing back for him to enter.]

Honestly, if you'd said no, I would have dragged you down here anyway.

[focusrighthere]

[ You're the one who offered, Jennifer. Joel manages to look more unenthusiastic than he normally does, but he drags himself through the open door. ]

Had a feeling about that.

[ And here he is, with his sad-ass broken hands in splints, but he's not eager to stray from Tess' side. He looks all around the clinic room before nodding in greeting to Jennifer, almost in passing. ]

I, ah, I do appreciate this. [ Awkward. ]

[forsometimenow]

[Jennifer ushers the two in to the exam room she'd prepared, closing the door and immediately taking a look at Joel's crushed hands, probing, her face the professional mask she usually wore while working.]

I just wish you'd come to me about this sooner. You know I don't bite.

[focusrighthere]

[ To his credit, Joel allows Jennifer to take the lead without putting up a fuss. He follows and allows his hands to be inspected, grimacing. He's completely disabled. Anyone or anything could take him out, if not for his partner.

You sure about that? ]

Had people who wanted me dead. [ Dark, but dryly entertained. It's the only way to get used to scenarios like that. ] If I led one of 'em right to you, what would that do to our truce?

[forsometimenow]

["Truce". Right. Jennifer might have considered their odd arrangement a truce if she didn't still sometimes feel like a captive of theirs- if she was able to trust that they wouldn't pull a gun on her again if she were to even think about refusing. Going along with them willingly was preferable to bring threatened or bullied into it, after all.]

Mmm. Somehow that doesn't really surprise me. But it's not really my business how it happened, either.

[She scoots the X-Ray over.]

I'm going to see what the damage is and how it's healing- then set them properly.

[dog_eat_dog]

[Tess has taken a seat and made herself at home, or at least as "at home" as she can be in the clinic –– all the hours she's been in and out of the clinic for check-ups and medications and drug addicts has made the place both familiar territory and a truly haunted place.

On the note of business, though:]

That's exactly what I like to hear.