womanofvalue | doctor's orders

Peggy suspects that jumping right to dinner with Daniel might be a little too much for them, but there's nothing against lunch. Certainly, not when Peggy is also trying to avoid certain appointments so that she's not told something that she already knows -- she's healing slowly because she's pushing too fast and it will never fully feel the way it used to. Still, with her phone on the table, she gives Daniel a brief smile as she excuses herself from the table to freshen up, once she's finished eating. "Order me a tea, please," she says. "Tell them it's for me, they'll prepare it right."

She slides away, but leaves her purse and phone with the knowledge that Daniel will keep them safe. There are still the case files she'd brought for them to discuss and she has high faith that he won't simply leave.

However, what she hadn't anticipated was a very irate nurse sending Peggy a text to the number on file with a very curt message: Ms. Carter, you have missed two appointments. Please be at our offices for 2PM today for your follow up. The tone is angry enough, but the two follow up messages reminding her are no less firm, the last giving a long (as long as possible) explanation of the complications that might arise.

Peggy returns, blissfully unaware, and settles back in her spot. "Did they come by to take the order?" she asks hopefully.

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From:

womanofvalue

She doesn't roll her eyes, but it's a close thing. She can't imagine he would ever give Thompson this lecture, but then, she also can't imagine Jack Thompson allowing himself into the field in such a manner. She brings Daniel with her to the check-in and informs the nurse that Peggy Carter is here, much to their surprise. "Daniel is coming in with me," she informs them, in a tone that brooks no argument. She won't have it any other way and the challenging, stubborn glint in her eye also demands that no question be asked.

"You can come this way," the nurse says, offering Peggy a gown. "There's a place to change beside the room, then the doctor will be with you." Peggy takes the awful blue thing and waits, patiently, for the nurse to leave. "Have a seat, I'll come in shortly," she says. "I have to change into the newest fashion."

From:

ssrsousa

He hadn't expected her to tell the nurse that she wanted him to come in with her, and he nearly objected in front of the nurse, but decided to have the conversation privately instead of in front of the entire waiting room. He looked like he should be the one visiting the doctor to most of these people, probably.

Once they were in the exam room (which looked a lot like all the other exam rooms he'd been in, although there hadn't been a computer in any of his), he resumed their conversation.

"Peggy, you don't have to have me in here for this. I can wait in the waiting room. I know what it's like to feel a little exposed and vulnerable at the doctor. If you tell me what the doctor says, that's enough for me."

Even if the other version of him had patched her up and maybe even held her hand while she bled all over everything, he wasn't going to presume that he had the right to be here.

From:

womanofvalue

Perhaps it might be seen as an intimate gesture, but though Peggy has been repressing those feelings, she also knows that there's a far more practical reason for her insisting as she has. "I don't want to have to repeat everything secondhand while you stare at me as though you don't believe what the doctor has told me," she says, calling over from the curtain as she trades her dress for the large blue wrap. It covers much the same as the dress, but hugs far less than before.

She settles in stocking feet on the bed, knowing that he's seen her through worse. Besides that, if he ever does catch up and wants more, he's going to have to get used to a scratch here and there. "If you're feeling uncomfortable..." she trails off, as if giving him the out.

From:

ssrsousa

The level of trust Peggy was showing him was like a punch to the gut, especially when he'd just recently accused her of treason and sleeping with Howard Stark, at least in his time. And now she was having him sit in on a doctor's appointment while she wore nothing except her underwear and a flimsy blue hospital wrap. He'd always felt pretty damn exposed in those and had tried to avoid wearing them as often as possible. Hers actually covered everything it should cover and even opened in the front instead of the back, but it was still a hospital wrap.

"Alright, yeah, I'd probably do that," he admitted. "You and that stiff upper lip, you know?"

He was sort of proud of himself for even managing to tease her a little. He really did want to hear how she was, though, and he had gotten good at interpreting doctorese too. He knew when a doctor was hedging or trying to just be soothing instead of telling the truth.

"I'll stay," he decided, but turned the extra chair a little more towards the wall before he sat down in it. He wasn't quite facing the wall, but he wasn't facing her directly either.

From:

womanofvalue

Peggy can't help the way she ducks her head and smiles for the response, but luckily any follow up falls away when the doctor enters and immediately pins Peggy with a sharp look that she returns in spades, not wanting to be shamed for her missing appointments. "This is Daniel Sousa, he's a friend," she cuts off the doctor before he can ask him to leave. "He's staying."

"Ms. Carter," the doctor sighs. "You were meant to come and check in two months ago. Have you been feeling any pain?" He gestures for her to lie down, which she does slowly, lifting her head to avoid ruining the curls of her hair.

"Only in the bitter cold," she notes as he pushes aside the gown enough to push his hands and palpate the skin around the wound. She winces at the pressure, given that of course it was going to hurt if you pressed it. "I thought my last scans were fine."

"Your last scans were fine, provided you continued to rest. You had significant trauma, especially given the additional strain you put on it," he says. Peggy glances sideways to Daniel, knowing she'll have to explain that part too, but not yet.

From:

ssrsousa

He'd expected the doctor to object to an unrelated man being in the exam room with an unmarried woman. Times really were different. Instead, Daniel was pretty sure the doctor had just decided that even though Daniel had been described as a friend, he and Peggy were keeping company.

After that, though, they got into the actual examination and Daniel turned a little more away even though the doctor was keeping everything covered. He wasn't pleased to hear that Peggy had skipped two months of follow up visits, but now he knew why the office had been so curt on the little telegram.

The reference to additional strain and that little glance told him he was involved in whatever had happened, and he was going to be asking about that.

He didn't feel it was his place to ask questions or comment on any of it, so he just sat quietly and listened very carefully.

From:

womanofvalue

Peggy gives a brief noise of discomfort as she shifts, the doctor's cool hands pressing on the wound again. She winces, feeling a bit like meat, but soon he's allowing her to wrap herself up again. "I'm writing another requisition for an x-ray, just to make sure it's healing the way we want it to," he warns, his gaze sliding to Daniel.

"Your friend, he the kind of person you listen to?"

"Absolutely," Peggy says instantly, even though it's half a lie because she listens to Daniel when it suits her purposes. Apparently, the doctor seems to distrust her, but she doesn't falter at all.

Still, the man glances at Daniel. "She needs physiotherapy. She needs to rest and not be running around. Most of all, regular diet and no more coming in looking like it's been aggravated."

From:

ssrsousa

That definitely wasn't healed, no matter what Peggy had tried to say. Healed wounds didn't usually hurt when they were pressed, or at least healed wounds of that kind didn't usually hurt, as far as he knew. He'd never actually had a rebar hole through his abdomen and he was happy to keep it that way.

As for whether Peggy listened to him, he raised as skeptical an eyebrow as the doctor did. Peggy Carter listened to anyone only as far as she wanted to. Beyond that, he could be speaking Portuguese for all she'd pay attention. He nodded when the doctor gave him instructions, though. He didn't actually think he could make her rest unless he tied her down, but he could and would try.

"Got it, doc. When's her next appointment going to need to be?" He'd developed a habit of carrying a little notebook and pen in his pocket in the SSR and had never stopped, so he pulled it out to write down the instructions and timelines.

From:

womanofvalue

Peggy glares as she yanks her gown shut, inhaling sharply as she tries not to let this feel like she's somehow incapable of doing anything. "I'd like to see her when the results come in," the doctor says, though Peggy clears her throat to remind them both not to talk about her as if she isn't there. "I can prescribe some painkillers. Are you having trouble with sleeping, due to pain?"

"Not particularly worse than before."

The doctor frowns and begins to write a prescription. "If you're the reason she finally came in, then keep on being stubborn," he says, to Daniel as Peggy heads off to change. "She needs to take care of herself."

From:

ssrsousa

"You should talk to her, not me. She's the one with the injury," Daniel pointed out when the doc spoke to him instead. He'd been talked over as he lay in a hospital bed or sat on an exam table. He didn't like it any more than Peggy, and he hadn't meant to do that to her.

He did catch that bit about not sleeping worse than before, and he added that to the list of things to maybe ask Peggy about at some point. He also doubted Peggy would be taking those painkillers or sleeping pills, no matter what the doc prescribed. Daniel had tried to avoid them whenever he could. Some nights were worse than others and he didn't have a doc here to prescribe for him, but he'd made it work.

"I can't take all the credit. Your staff has a way with threatening words," he pointed out as he shifted to get his crutch within reach again.

Edited Date: 2017-03-04 09:46 pm (UTC)

From:

womanofvalue

Peggy's fastening the last of the buttons on the back of her dress and smooths it out as she wanders back in, heading back to Daniel in order to help him to his feet. Unfortunately, the doctor is still watching with keen eyes and has seen this. "While we're here, do you want me to take a quick look?" he asks, gesturing to Daniel.

Peggy's affronted, instantly, at the implication that he needs help. "He's fine, thank you," she replies, clipped, as she takes the prescription from him and shoves it in her purse. "I'll call about the tests," she says, trying to give Daniel a silent signal for them to go.

From:

ssrsousa

"There's nothing you're gonna be able to do," Daniel said easily. Peggy was trying to hustle them out of there, and he didn't really disagree with that, but he also knew it sometimes headed more medical questions off at the pass if he was just straightforward about the situation.

He glanced up at Peggy standing beside him and ready to defend him from all comers, then leaned down. At least as far as he knew, she'd never seen his prosthetic. Very few people had and he liked to keep it that way. All the same, he lifted his pant leg enough to show the doctor a few inches of metal above the top edge of his sock.

From:

womanofvalue

Peggy knows that this is a great leap forward as far as Daniel's trust in her and she tries not to let it show how much she appreciates the gesture. She keeps a steady, unmoving face as she watches him, resting a hand on his shoulder both to help keep him even keeled, but also to squeeze lightly and offer her support.

"You know, we could definitely get you something a little more modern," the doctor appraises and Peggy's not sure that she likes how intrigued he looks, but she is a touch relieved the focus is off her. "Where'd you get that thing?"

From:

ssrsousa

"Walter Reed," he answered as he let his pant leg settle back down. The prosthetic he had was courtesy of the new Prosthetic Appliance Service and he'd gotten the most modern one he could, but he didn't doubt that the same thing that made telephones small and light could make his leg small and light.

"Unless you're asking where I got the need for it in the first place, in which case the answer is a Granatwerfer."

He was focused on the doctor, but that didn't mean he wasn't intensely aware and appreciative of Peggy's warm hand on his shoulder. This probably wasn't helping the doctor's assumption that they were keeping company.

From:

womanofvalue

It's not the first and only injury Peggy has seen and it's certainly not the worst, but she still frowns when he speaks with such detail about how he got it. She doesn't think that Daniel is any less of a man for the prosthetic, but there are parts of her that hates what he'll miss out on because of it. She always did want to go dancing. "We can definitely do better than that," Peggy's doctor notes wryly, though there's the strangest look of befuddled confusion, like he doesn't understand how someone in the city could be fighting in that kind of war.

"We'll come back, if we decide to," she says, because she also still wants to solicit Tony's help to see what he can come up with. Fetching her purse, she gives a clipped, 'thank you, good day' before pushing Daniel to get out before any more can happen.

From:

ssrsousa

He hadn't exactly expected to be urged to his feet and nearly pushed out the door in what had seemed like the middle of a conversation, but fortunately he'd had his hand in his crutch already and was able to keep up. Once they were in the corridor outside the room, he glanced over at Peggy with a little smirk.

"Never thought I'd meet anyone who liked doctors less than I do."

From:

womanofvalue

"Yes, well, I was perfectly capable of working with the pain, I don't see why a doctor has to prod and poke me," she says, her guilt in this matter worsened by the fact that she's fine but for the pain. No internal organs damaged, no reproductive issues. Peggy can't say the same for poor Ana Jarvis, who will never have children because of a situation Peggy had orchestrated.

She gives an impatient, dubious look. "Would you like to go back? We always could."

From:

ssrsousa

"Because pain usually means something isn't healed yet, at least for most injuries," he pointed out a little irritably. She knew that and she still wasn't taking care of herself and it made him worry about her. Some things always hurt, but this wound probably wasn't supposed to be one of them.

"Let's go see when they want you to come in for your X-ray. I'm not gonna drag you, but I will remind you."

From:

womanofvalue

"It is a fairly large wound through my body. Even if it were all the way healed, I imagine I might get the ghost of pain every now and again," she retorts, sighing as she concedes to him with a nod. "Only if you consent to coming back for your own follow-up to see if they've got a better prosthetic for you." Her negotiation skills aren't really rusty, exactly, but Peggy is always grateful for the chance to use them.

From:

ssrsousa

He didn't actually want to come back and be poked and prodded any more than Peggy had wanted to be, nor did he want to go through the whole chain of events that had led to him having half a leg and sometimes feeling like half a man. If he didn't agree, though, Peggy probably wouldn't agree to go to her appointment, and they both knew that.

"Only if you agree to make your appointment on the same day as mine so I can be sure you're actually going," he replied, which he thought was a pretty good upping of the ante.

From:

womanofvalue

He plays a mean game of poker, she sometimes forgets, what with him calling her bluff like this and making it so that she's going to have to go to her appointment in order to make sure he went to his. Reaching out a hand, she offers it to him to shake, even though she knows that she doubts that she's going to like it, but knows that he won't like it any more than her. "Fine," she allows. "You've got yourself a deal."

"Both on the injured list, so it's a good thing Thompson isn't here to lord it over us," she notes wryly.

From:

ssrsousa

Daniel shook Peggy's hand and managed not to look satisfied or smug about making sure she took care of herself. It meant he had to do the same, but he'd deal with that. He let go of her hand and continued down the hall back to the front of the clinic. Every medical office or hospital was a warren of rooms no matter where he went, apparently. He wasn't sure whether that was comforting or not.

"You remember what I said right after that stuff hit the theater and everyone went nuts?" he asked. It wasn't long ago for him, but it was for Peggy. She might have forgotten what he'd said about Thompson.

From:

womanofvalue

"I'm afraid I don't," she confesses bluntly, as it's been a great deal of time for her between her time in Darrow and in Los Angeles, not to mention all the intervening events. "You'll have to remind me," she says as she slides her coat back on, gently adjusting so that she doesn't appear to be walking with any particular trouble or concession to her wound being poked and prodded at.

From:

ssrsousa

It was probably a good thing she didn't remember, because that had not been one of his better nights. He'd woken up shackled to a hospital bed, wearing only his undershirt, with Peggy staring at him. He'd hit her that night, which he still felt bad about sometimes.

"I'd come down from whatever was in that canister and you asked if I was feeling more like myself. So I told you I still wanted to kill Thompson, but no more than usual," he reminded her wryly.

From:

womanofvalue

Peggy smiles ruefully at Daniel as they walk. "I don't know if I should tell you this or not, but in the course of an investigation, we brought in Dottie Underwood through lack of any other choice and at one point in the evening, it was all the both of us could do just to scream at her not to kill Jack. I'm afraid he turned out to be a rather good ally," she notes, even if that's not the word she'd give to Jack so easily.

"With his own troubles and frustrating qualities, of course. You can't stop him being Jack Thompson, it turns out."