Entry tags:

apollo, hecate

Bite into the onion
Who: Kate [Hecate] and Lucas [Apollo]
What: Kate doesn’t feel well.
Where: LA County Hospital Clinic, then Kate’s apartment
When: April 3



I knew I should have thrown away those shrimp, Kate thought for the fifteenth time as she hopped up onto the examination table. She had purchased an Argentinean type for the first time, wanting to try to recreate some of the cuisine she’d had while abroad. The smell should have been her biggest warning, but she had given it the benefit of the doubt that it was just a characteristic of that type. After all, why would any supermarket sell bad seafood?

So she’d cooked and eaten it, the taste much better than the smell, and thought she was fine. Within an hour, the symptoms started; she’d had to run to the bathroom and stay in there a while while Scilla and Carrie scratched at the door in concern.

Finally, feeling weak and shaky, she’d poured herself a large glass of water and gone to bed, assuring the dogs she was fine and hoping a good night’s sleep would make that statement true.

It hadn’t.

Which is how she found herself at the clinic, concerned at the length of time her stomach was remaining upset when surely nothing was left in it from her time in the bathroom, her legs swinging over the side of the examination table as she waited for a physician to see her.

Lucas was at the nurses’ station, making notes in a chart for his last patient, a kid who broke his wrist playing soccer at school, and then picked up the next chart in the pile. Chief complaint - nausea/vomiting. He glanced over the patient intake form and nodded, then headed to the exam room.

His brows rose in surprise when he saw who it was waiting for him, and smiled brightly at the woman sitting on the table. “Hey,” he said brightly, though he subdued his reaction a bit once he noticed that she looked pretty pale and not at all well. “Kate,” he added, remembering her name from the file, “I guess it’s no good to ask how you’ve been since the party; sounds like you’re having a bad morning. You wanna tell me what happened?” As he spoke he turned to a nearby drawer, pulling out a digital thermometer and a mouth guard, waiting for her to respond before turning it on.

Kate blinked in surprise at seeing a familiar face on the physician who entered. Her mind worked to merge the new friendship/co-tenant and doctor identities, the mental process slower while she was still sick. “Oh, hello, Lucas. Or, um, Doctor?” she said, unsure. “I think it’s food poisoning. I did what I could at home, but it’s lasting longer than I expected.”

He smirked with a nod, “everyone's a doctor,” he joked, motioning with the thermometer for her to open her mouth and then sliding it in under her tongue. “Have you eaten anything different lately? New restaurant? Sampling a friend’s cooking?” he asked, taking the thermometer from her after a few seconds when it beeped. He looked at it and nodded, putting it back and disposing of the mouth guard.

Kate moved her tongue and jaw muscles around to remove the strange feeling left from the impression of the thermometer. “I bought some shrimp that smelled fishy but tasted fine, so I didn’t think...well, I guess that’s the problem, isn’t it?” she said sheepishly. “I didn’t think.” She sighed and slumped down, letting the weariness take over. “It was an Argentinian shrimp I hadn’t cooked before in the states but wanted to try again.”

Lucas smiled sympathetically, “we all do it once in a while,” he said. “Well at least you don't have a fever, so it's not as bad as it could be,” he told her. “Have you been having any headaches, weakness, dizziness, dry mouth or muscle cramps?” he asked her. “The most common result of food poisoning is dehydration from all the unpleasant symptoms, and that can get pretty bad if it's not kept in check.”

Kate shook her head. “Just the upset stomach and weakness from throwing up,” she replied, glad that her body had behaved long enough for her to get to the clinic. “I’ve made sure to drink a lot of water, though it seems most of it comes back up.” She smiled weakly. “I tried training my dogs to make me ginger tea, but that hasn’t produced any results.”

Lucas laughed. “Well I can definitely help you with the tea if you like, I'm only a few floors away.” He turned and made a few notes in her chart, and then wrote her a script and handed it to her. “Here, this should help with the nausea, it's a little stronger than gravol and is usually well-tolerated by weak stomachs. This is enough for a week, which should be more than enough.

And I do want you to keep drinking as much as you can, it does help.”

“I will. Thank you.” Kate nodded as she took the paper, so relieved to have something that would help that she almost missed his first comment. “Oh, well you’re welcome to come over anytime, of course, though I won’t be much company for a few days, obviously. I don’t have much to offer by way of food either.” She shuddered, her stomach doing an unpleasant flip at the thought of the cookies and other snacks she usually offered guests, but she knew she’d have to eat at some point. “What would you recommend to eat in the meantime? When I was younger, my caretaker would make me chicken broth when I had a cold. Would that work?” The thought of hot broth didn’t make her stomach tumble as much, which she took as a good sign.

He nodded, “broth is good if your stomach allows it,” he agreed, “the salt and fluid and nutrients are a good mix for someone battling an illness. Keep your other food relatively bland...I usually recommend the BRAT diet,” he said, counting the foods off on his fingers, “bananas, rice, applesauce, toast. Baked skinless chicken is good for protein if you think you can handle it.”

He smiled a little and checked his watch. “I can't do much about lunch, but I'll be home tonight around dinner time, so I could probably bring you a care package if you're not up to cooking. In the interest of keeping you healthy, of course,” he added, in case she thought at all he was trying to insinuate himself on her. He was her doctor, she was a patient. But also a neighbour and, he hoped, a friend.

“Of course,” she said, smiling and not at all averse to having some company while she recovered. Percy had been kind enough to walk off some of Scilla and Carrie’s energy that morning, and having the help had relieved much of the burden of daily routine from Kate’s shoulders.

Lucas seemed genuine in his offer, so she gratefully accepted. “Thank you. Bananas might be good, and the company even better.”

She half jumped, half slid off the examination table. “Is there anything else I should know before I leave? Any questions I haven’t asked that I should have?” Her mother had taught her to pose that question at every doctor’s visit, never knowing what piece of information could be overlooked otherwise. It also worked in law client consultations, though Kate herself didn’t participate in that context.

Lucas put out a hand to gently grip her arm, steadying her in case she fell. He released her once he was sure she wouldn't topple over and smiled, glad that she seemed relatively happy with his advice. “I think you did pretty good, unless you're having any other symptoms you're not telling me about. I promise, I've seen it all, you won't shock me.” He thought about the sense he'd gotten from her earlier, at the party and again here, that she was...unhappy. Missing something. It of course wasn't related to her current complaint, but it was enough to catch his attention.

But Kate shook her head. “No, that’s it,” she replied honestly. “I’m sure this-” she waved the prescription “-will get me through the rest of it. Thanks.” She smiled and walked to the door. “Have a good afternoon.”

---

Kate had gotten her prescription filled and picked up some cans of chicken broth at the pharmacy before heading back home. She took a dose, grabbed some water, and, exhausted, snuggled into bed with Scilla and Carrie for a nap.

She woke up a few hours later feeling more energetic than she had in the past 24 hours. The medication definitely seemed to have numbed the nausea, and Kate was amazed at how quickly she had forgotten what it felt like to be healthy (well, almost healthy).

After taking a refreshing shower, she debated if she wanted to get dressed fully in case Lucas actually did come over that evening. Ultimately, though, she put on fresh pajamas, wanting to feel comfortable and figuring (hoping) Lucas would understand and not mind.

Relaxing into the evening, she had just poured a can of broth into a mug and popped it into the microwave when she heard a knock at the door. Perking up again, she went over to open it.

Lucas was on the other side, holding a warm foil pan in strawberry printed oven mitts and a smile. “Hey,” he greeted her with a slight hint of concern on his features. He could already tell from looking at her that she was feeling a lot better, but that she could definitely use some food. “You’re not vegetarian, are you? I forgot to ask…”

“Hi, Lucas.” She stepped aside for him to enter. “Come on in. No, I’m not vegetarian.” The dogs came to the door, faces eagerly looking up at the newcomer. “This is Priscilla and Carrie. Other than some vicious tail wagging, they’re harmless. Come on, girls, let him in.” She shooed them to the side to clear a path.

Lucas grinned at the dogs, though didn’t make a move to pet them, his hands occupied as they were with food. “I brought you something a little more substantial than the BRAT diet, if you’re feeling up to a little protein.” He stepped into her apartment so she could close the door, feeling slightly out of place in a patient’s home, but consoling himself that she was also a neighbour, and maybe a friend. “You’ve got some colour back, that’s a good sign,” he observed.

“Oh, thank you,” she said, touched by his thoughtfulness. Nevertheless she had to hide a wary expression as she eyed the covered dish, wondering if her only recently behaving stomach could handle whatever was inside. “Go ahead and set it anywhere on the counter. After a dose of the prescription you wrote for me and a nap, I’m definitely feeling better than this morning. What did you bring?”

He put the food down where she said to and peeled the foil back. “It’s baked skinless-boneless chicken breast, with steamed cauliflower and potato. All lightly salted, but no spice or fat, so it should be gentle on your poor stomach,” he said with a kind smile. “I know, it sounds kind of bland, but protein and carbs and vitamins will be good for recovery,” he added, meeting her eyes. “Did you manage to keep anything else down?” he asked her, taking the opportunity to have another look at her under the slightly brighter light in the kitchen.

She relaxed at the sight of the bland but currently appealing food he uncovered. “I haven’t had a chance to eat anything other than water.” She moved over to the microwave and hit the quick-minute button to warm up the chicken broth she had almost forgotten about. “I was about to have some chicken broth, but I think I can add some solid food to the menu. Thank you.” She patted Scilla’s head absentmindedly, both dogs having parked themselves underfoot.

“Are you staying for a bit? I’m sure that bland dinner isn’t nearly as appealing to you as it is to me-” she gave a small laugh and then opened the fridge door “-but I can see what real food I have, or I could order in something for you...oh!” She shut the fridge door and shuffled over to the stove, opening cabinets and taking out mugs and other items. “I’ll make you some tea while you decide.” The microwave beeped, but she paused her tea preparation only long enough to press the button that would make it stop blaring a reminder.

Lucas smiled at her fussing and tried to still her movements with a wave of his hands. “Don’t go to any trouble, I’m here to feed you, not the other way around. Besides, there’s enough for both of us, if you want me to stay that is,” he added hesitantly. He hadn’t wanted to presume she wanted company, but he also sort of wanted to make sure she ate something. “Tea would be nice though, thank you.”

Kate smiled at him as she set the kettle to boil. “Yes, please do stay if you’d like. Here, help yourself.” She took out a couple of plates and some silverware and handed him a set. “I’ll be just a few minutes. Make yourself at home.” She motioned to one of the kitchen chairs, then resumed getting the teapot and mugs warmed. “How was the rest of your day? Do you always make house calls?” she teased.

He smiled and started dishing out the food he’d brought, dividing it into two portions (maybe putting a little extra on her plate than his). “It was pretty good,” he said, thinking about how domestic this was. He was fixing dinner and she was asking about his day. Where’s the white picket fence? “I finished my rounds in the clinic and then went back to my regular patients. One got released today, which was great; she was very very sick only a few days ago, so everyone is very relieved.” He picked up the two completed plates and brought them over to the nearby table, sitting in one of the offered chairs and waiting for her to join him.

Kate brought out her trusty Pu-erh tea leaves and measured some into an infuser, working around Lucas at the counter as if they had an established pattern. She was used to and fond of her usual solo rituals, but she was finding she didn’t mind the current situation at all. “That’s wonderful!” she said as she held the kettle of boiling water off the heat for a few moments before pouring it into the teapot and adding the leaves. She brought the pot to the table and set it on a round metal trivet, the earthy aroma of the tea already seeping out from the spout.

The entire preparation had only taken a few minutes, but she found she was getting winded again. She sat down in relief and picked up her fork, hoping the protein would give her some energy back. She nodded to her plate. “Thanks. So do you need to work as many hours as television leads me to believe?” She took a bite of chicken, the simple flavor with a hint of salt heavenly on her tongue, and best of all, no outcry from her ravaged stomach.

He watched her like a hawk, while she prepared the tea and then when she seemed to tire and sat with him at the table and ate. He smiled a little more when he felt the food was well received, and only then did he cut into his own dinner and take a bite. “Sometimes,” he nodded, “I have the privilege of setting my own hours though, for the most part. I head my own department, so it’s up to me when I work...I get my underlings to pick up the slack,” he added with a grin. He tried to split the hours up evenly though, so that nobody got overworked and exhausted. As much of a trope as the constantly working doctor was, tired doctors made mistakes, and he didn’t think that was something any doctor could afford.

“I do rotations in the ER and the Clinic too, as you saw, but mostly because I like to do it. Simpler puzzles, to balance out the more difficult ones I get upstairs.” He took a bite of potato and swallowed, gesturing to her with his fork. “How’s your stomach?” he asked, though he could see already that she was tolerating the food well.

She nodded appreciatively. “It’s good. It’s strange how in less than a day I’d forgotten how good food tastes.” She poured some of the now-brewed tea into two mugs. Carrie had wandered off to the living room, tired of being ignored, but Scilla lay at Kate’s feet, and feeling generous, Kate offered her a tiny piece of shredded chicken. Scilla gobbled it up and licked Kate’s hand, either in thanks or looking for more. Kate laughed and pulled her hand away.

She turned back to Lucas and speared a piece of potato. “I promise to make you a tastier meal when I’m feeling better,” she said, waving the forkful of bland food toward him before eating it. “But this is just what I needed today.”

Lucas smiled. “I’m glad,” he said, though his smile faltered just a little. He got this feeling just then that things weren’t okay. Not completely. “You seem...troubled by something,” he said. The idea that he might be prying into something deeper, something not to do with her current health, didn’t occur to him. But he couldn’t help himself from voicing his intuition. “Maybe...upset?” he prompted.

She blinked at the sudden change in the conversation’s tone, her forkful of cauliflower lying forgotten on her plate. She had been feeling good, better now that her stomach wasn’t heaving, and was happy to ride that wave. But at his words, feelings from last night when she had cooked a dish to try to recreate her memories of Argentina (carelessly ignoring the smell of bad seafood, she could now admit) came rushing back. “That’s...quite perceptive,” she said, somewhat wary now that she was projecting far more than she realized. She picked up her tea mug and took a fortifying sip to hide her discomfort, starting to close herself off as instinct had taught her from being raised among a bunch of lawyers. “I’ve just been thinking about my time abroad back in college.”

Lucas smiled warmly, “It’s my job to be perceptive,” he said softly, “don’t feel bad.” He watched her sip her tea, and he did the same, his brows rising slightly at the unexpectedly deep flavour, nodding slightly in approval. “You studies abroad? Where abouts?” he asked casually, giving her a chance to talk, or if she’d prefer not, to keep the conversation superficial. “You must have had a good time to miss it after all these years.”

“Argentina. Hence the Argentinian shrimp.” She smiled weakly, still holding her tea. He echoed her smile with one of his own. “It was only a semester, but I made a really good friend. I’ve always been happy at home, it’s all I’ve known and needed, but lately…” She trailed off and looked around her kitchen, her eyes slightly unfocused as if seeing past what was actually there.

He watched her closely, letting his fork dip down to his plate, forgotten. “You should go then,” he said, his smile was soft, encouraging. “If you miss it that much that you’re giving yourself food poisoning over it, it would be worth the trip.” He gave her a little grin at that, hoping she’d see the joke for what it was.

At the sound of his voice, Kate snapped back to attention and out of her reminiscences. “Sorry, I must be more tired than I thought.” She put down her tea and picked up her fork again, ruminating over his suggestion. “Maybe I will,” she said slowly, the idea taking root and becoming increasingly appealing. She'd have to email Emilia to make plans, find someone to take care of the dogs, maybe Isobel since they got along well with Hanni, or Percy if he was willing to take that on...Kate stopped the preparatory train of thought and stored it for another day. She looked up at Lucas and smiled. “You've helped me out today in more ways than I can count, Doc.”

He smiled back, truly happy with her words. “Just doing my job,” he said, though he knew it was much more than that. He didn’t know why, but he knew she’d made her decision, and that gave him the unmistakable feeling that his work here was done.

She put more chicken on her fork and asked, “Have you ever been abroad?” before eating it.

He nodded, “When I was in college, still trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life, I took a bunch of art classes and traveled to Italy one summer to see the work of masters,” he said with a little smile. “I wasn’t bad, but I was no Da Vinci.” He finished the last bite of his dinner and then settled back, taking a sip of tea. “How about I let you rest,” he said, “sleep will do you a load of good now that you’re fed. And feel free to give me a call if you feel worse, any time.”