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Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 22nd April 2019
Series: The Wingleader's Surgery

Characters: Jeyme, D'hol, Urlene
Description: Jeyme checks on D'hol the day after surgery.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 26 of Turn 9

Jeyme

D'hol

Urlene

---

"Alright, up you go." Urlene gestured to D'hol as he sat with a
grimace by the bed. "You need to be up on your feet and walking,
Wingleader." She stood beside him as he rose, but when his legs
buckled, caught him and let him lean on her as he straightened. "It
happens, so don't glare. "

"Need some help?" Jeyme offered. She had been standing by the door
waiting for the right moment to knock but it had never came.

"I might."

"I'm fine."

Both spoke at the same time, but Urlene eyed the bronzerider before
waving Jeyme over. "He needs to walk and be up on his feet. He
shouldn't stay in bed much longer."

D'hol frowned at her. "Jeyme can't hold me up. You shouldn't either. I
just need a moment."

Urlene nodded at his other side. "Just get his other side would you?
He's still a bit weak, but he should be fine enough to at least start
moving."

Jeyme moved to his side and put his arm around her shoulders. "I could
hold you up just fine," she muttered in his ear. She would have given
him a playful pinch but he didn't like like he could handle even that.

"In bed, sure." He returned her mutter with one of his own. He sighed
and took a careful step forward, then another.

"I'm sure you do very well in bed, Wingleader." Urlene replied dryly.
"But you can't have any strenuous sexual activity involving your
abdomen for at least four sevendays. You need to heal."

"What?" He stared at Urlene as though she'd just told him that he'd be
unable to drink water in the middle of Igen Weyr.

Jeyme rolled her eyes and said in a dry tone, "Oh no, D'hol. Whatever
will you do with all of that free time? I have some knitting supplies
I can share." The corners of her mouth twitched the effort of
suppressing her smile.

His eyes narrowed at Jeyme, not seeing Urlene's mouth quiver with an
almost-smile. "Don't you dare laugh at me, Jeyme. I know how to put
your mouth to good..."

He was interrupted by Urlene's snort. "That's quite enough of that.
Keep walking, Wingleader. There are of course other options if you
absolutely _must_ take care of needs, but I suspect that you'll
survive four sevendays."

Jeyme's eyes met D'hol's. "Oh, he'll want to know about those
options," she laughed.

As they walked him forward, bearing only a bit of his weight, Urlene's
reply was smooth and cool, showing no mercy to her patient. "I believe
he has two hands that will work just fine." She ignored the
disgruntled grumble from the man. "But oral activities are fine as
well. Just no abdominal strain. You'll be on light duty; no riding, no
going /between/, no throwing firestone. The surgery was difficult
enough. I don't want you doing _anything_ that might risk tearing any
healing muscles or stitches." She peered up at D'hol sternly. "You
went into shock and could have died, D'hol. You _will_ relax for four
sevendays or I'll have you grounded and in the infirmary the entire
time."

D'hol's jaw set at the reminder of how close he had come, and he
glanced at Jeyme before looking back at the Healer. "Fine."

The healer's words sobered Jeyme, and the smile dropped from her face.
She didn't like to think about D'hol's surgery or his proximity to
death, because when she did she also thought of the evening she'd
spent with Ma'din, which now was causing her some anxiety. Would he
tell D'hol? **It's Ma'din, of course he will,** she inwardly cringed.

"Good." Urlene nodded, then pulled away. "Can you help him walk back
to his cot? If you need someone, just call, but I think he'll be
strong enough to keep going. He'll stay another night here, then he'll
go back to his weyr. _No_ riding, D'hol, not until I've cleared you."
She nodded to Jeyme. "Thank you."

D'hol looked back down at Jeyme and spoke softly. "You don't have to
help, Jeyme."

"I know, but I am," she replied, her arm wrapping around his waist in
the absence of Urlene's.

"Thank you." He did have to lean on her a bit as they walked back to
the cot; his legs weren't entirely steady, but he managed to make it
without stumbling or getting weak-kneed. As they approached he let her
go, then sat gingerly, hand pressed to the bandage. He sighed and
rubbed his face, then looked up at her. "I keep waiting for you to lay
into me. Why haven't you yet?"

"Lay into you about what?" she asked, taking the chair that had
clearly been placed nearby for visitors.

"Everything." He replied simply. "What I was going to do, the letter I
wrote you. I've already gotten yelled at...and slapped. I didn't know
if you were waiting on your turn."

"I'm not a slapper, you know that," she replied. "I don't have
anything to yell at you about. The letter meant a lot to me and I
understand why you felt the need to do what you did. I used Dheymin
against you with Kieyla so you would have the surgery, so I think that
makes us even."

He studied her face. "I'm not keeping score, Jeyme. I understand why
you and Cyradis did that. I don't like it, but I understand it. Turns
out, you were both right and I wasn't. I'm thankful....now." He
grimaced a bit. "I hope you know that I meant everything I wrote in
that letter. "

"I know you did, you wouldn't have taken the time otherwise." Jeyme
said, noticing the pained expression on his face. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." He straightened to take some of the discomfort. "It's
supposed to be a bit painful, and I've been told no more fellis, so
I'll have to deal with it. It's been much worse, so it's not as though
I can't handle it."

"Should I go so you can lay down?" Jeyme stood.

"You don't have to go. I wouldn't mind the company, actually. " He
did slowly lay down though, but was propped up in a recline.

The greenrider pulled her chair over to his bedside and sat down.
"Well, you made plenty of plans when you thought you were dying. Now
that you're not, what are you going to do?"

He looked at her, surprised by the question. His brow furrowed as he
considered it. "Honestly, I don't know. I suppose things will just go
back to the way they were. As soon as I'm healed, I'll go back to
leading the wing and carry on doing what I was doing."

"Just like that, huh? No, 'new lease on life'?"

He tilted his head at her, then chuckled softly. There was a lighter
quality about him, not as brooding, and certainly not as tense or
angry as he had been in the past turns. "That is my life. It's what I
do." He arched a brow. "Why? Would you suggest something else?"

"Just do whatever makes you happy, D'hol. You deserve that." Jeyme
said. "Even if it's boring old Wing work, I suppose," she grinned.

"Hm. Do I?" There was a wry lift to his lips. "Wing work doesn't
exactly make me happy, but it is necessary." He gestured to his
bandage. "It's difficult admitting that I was wrong, but this time,
I'm glad I was. I don't know that it's really sunk in yet and yes,
there've been changes in some matters, but over all, I don't know how
things will really change or if they will."

"Well, you've made peace with everyone in your life, it seems like.
This is kind of like a new page for you."

He thought about it, then slowly nodded. "Perhaps." He gave a brief
smile. "Well, I'm sure the old pages will turn up eventually. I think
that perhaps I can find some measure of contentment with where I am."

"That's all any of us can hope for."

Last updated on the May 3rd 2019

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