unfriendly bedside manner

Who: Brett, Danny, and Janey
Where: The hospital
When: Morning

While Danny had stopped by the night before, he’d been ushered out not long after he’d made sure his partner was still breathing. There was chatter of it being a ‘family only’ time, which was quickly put away with the flash of his badge, but there was nothing he could do about Brett being knocked out on morphine and mostly unconscious. At least he wasn’t unconscious in an almost dying way and Danny had left with the intent on returning in the morning. Bringing Janey wasn’t part of his plan originally, but with his name in the papers again (which he was less than amused about) he wanted to make sure she made it to the school in one piece, which meant she was with him as he knocked on the door to Brett’s room, letting himself in after. It was for the best probably. He had no bedside manner and Janey would be perfect for this thing. Or at least balance out his constant gruffness.

Danny hadn't tried to hide his concern or come up with excuses for why he didn't want Janey going out alone, and while her appreciated her husband's honesty she was, of course, alarmed by the prospect of herself being some sort of target for revenge on Danny. She was trying not to think about that though, trying to focus on something other than worrying about herself, which was surprisingly easy considering the state Brett was in. She was glad to be able to go with Danny to the hospital, not only because she would be able to see Brett but also because she knew Danny wasn't exactly at ease when it came to situations like this, and she was. Providing comfort was one of the few things she felt she could do well. She grabbed Danny's hand firmly as they entered the room, wanting him to know that she was there if he needed it.

The overnight stay hadn't eased Brett's opinions of hospitals in the least. He still hated and loathed them and he still hadn't quit asking anyone who came near him when he could go home. He simply hadn't received an answer yet. So when he saw Danny and Janey enter the room, he fixed his eyes on the man and spoke -pretty much growled, "Tell these fuckers to let me go home."

“I’ll get right on that,” Danny said shaking his head. “Though if you were close to dead my guess is they’ll keep you through the rest of the day. You looked it last night.” He gave Janey’s hand a squeeze back before letting it go.

“Besides,” Janey added, eyeing him, “you don’t look like you’re in much of a state to be taking care of yourself.” His leg was wrapped in bandages and elevated in a sling, keeping it immobilized. “How are you feeling?”

"Like I'd be a hell of a lot better if I wasn't stuck in here," Brett said, unamused.

That got a humorless laugh out of Danny, shaking his head a little. He gave his wife space to get closer to Brett, holding back himself. “She has a point. Who’s gonna take care of you when you get out of here anyway? The brunette who was here last night?”

Brett raised an eyebrow at that. "You were here last night?" He asked, not answering the question.

That earned Brett a scowl from his partner as Danny shook his head. “No you got shot and I just stayed at home afterward. Of course I came by last night. You were wiped out on morphine and other than ensuring you wouldn’t die overnight there was little I could do.”

"Fuck you. It's bad enough that I'm stuck in this fucking place, without you coming in being all damn sarcastic," Brett growled, not bothering to watch his language in front of Janey. A charm school graduate he certainly was not.

“What you want me to cuddle you too?” Danny asked, shaking his head. “Try again Trent.”

Janey wasn’t surprised by Brett’s language. Although Danny tried not to swear around her, he slipped up sometimes, and she knew it was part of the job. She also knew how miserable it was being in the hospital under any circumstances, and with the temper that Brett seemed to be in, she knew she’d have to choose her words carefully. “Have you seen a doctor yet today?”

Brett glared at Danny, and when Janey spoke, he looked at her instead. "No, I haven't seen a damn doctor today. Just those damn nurses. I figure they think if they let a doctor in here, they're gonna have to actually justify why I'm still here."

“Sounds like you need something stronger for the pain,” Danny pointed out but fell silent, letting Janey take over. Maybe she could soothe the guy some.

“I know how miserable it is being stuck here,” Janey replied. At least when she’d been there during and after the miscarriages, she’d had Danny by her side. As far as she knew, Brett was pretty much a loner; though Danny had mentioned another visitor last night, it seemed like a sore subject. “Is there anything I could bring you that would make you more comfortable while you’re here?”

Neither approach worked. “I don’t need anything more for the pain, and I definitely don’t want to be more comfortable. Because I’m not staying,” he said, raising his voice slightly for the clear benefit of the staff outside - who were used to the bitching by now.

Danny wanted to laugh but Brett was bordering on intolerable. It was no wonder they’ drugged him up the night before. “I’m guessing if you keep that up? They’ll throw you out before too long.” He held out his hand to Janey, already thinking they’d overstayed their welcome. “Call me if you need someone to pick your ass up from out front where they’ve left you.”

Janey hesitated before taking Danny’s hand. She felt bad leaving Brett alone when he was obviously so uncomfortable, but there wasn’t much they could do and she did have to be at work. “If you need anything, while you’re here or when you get out, let me know. I’ll be praying for your recovery.” She wasn’t sure how Brett would feel about that last part, but she was nothing if not honest and open about her faith.

Brett didn’t answer either of them, just gave them a long look. He didn’t want prayers. He wanted what Danny had said - for them to throw him out. Better out than in here. And he wasn’t going to pretend he was something he was not. He wouldn’t hold court and tell everyone it was all okay, just because that was what people wanted to hear. He’d never needed anyone before, he refused to need anyone now.

Danny nodded at Brett’s lack of an answer and led his wife out of the room. He’d only come by to check in on Brett and Brett didn’t seem to want him. That wasn’t a surprise really, they’d never gotten along in the first place. Stopping by the nurse’s desk he suggested Brett could use something else to calm him down and left his card for them to call when the dark haired woman showed up again.