Page 53 of The Alien's Major Dilemma

"I'll watch her," Cooper said.

"You need sleep, too," Doc said.

"We've already set up a rotation," John told him. "Concussions suck but this isn't the first time we've dealt with someone on the team having one. And we don't like the fact that Doctor Johnson attacked Marissa."

"She said she didn't mean to," Cooper said. "And I believe her. But I also think I know why she did it and she's not the only one walking around with the problem. Unfortunately, I don't know how to stop them until they attack me."

"So we set up the rotation with people we trust, two men at least, and keep you guys covered until they get the experts in."

"What kind of experts?" Cooper asked, curious and amused.

"No idea," Doc said. "But I know we're getting a mess of visitors and a couple aliens in a few hours."

"Any idea when we'll be able to get my ship back?"

John shook his head. "Not without going hot in a couple places where we'd really rather avoid that. We wouldn't have been able to go in after you as quickly as we did without the Orvax and that little shuttle of theirs isn't going to work to get your ship."

"I should talk to the shuttle pilot and find out what their capabilities are. They may be able to get me close enough to get to my ship, at least."

John looked uncomfortable and Cooper had to fight back a sigh.

"Yeah, the Orvax aren't exactly happy with you right now," John said.

"Well, if they want their device back, it's in my ship. Or was. If they didn't strip the interior and take all my stuff, I'll be very surprised."

"And right now, all of that is out of our hands," Doc said. "Get Marissa a shower and both of you lay down and sleep. We'll take watch."

"I'm awake," Marissa said. "You can talk to me, too, you know."

"And you're tracking about as well as expected with a head injury," Doc said. "You'll feel better soon and we'll get you in for scans as soon as we've got someone there were can trust."

Cooper had a dozen more questions he wanted to ask but he nodded. "Alright, shower, then sleep."

He stood with Doc and John watching him, then turned and lifted Marissa.

"Are you sure you're good to carry her like that?" Doc asked. "She's not exactly light and you're still not walking right."

"I balance better holding her," he said and started slowly down the hallway to the showers.

One of the other members of her team was already standing outside the showers and held the door for him to go in. John followed him in with a bag that he set in the shower and left.

He set Marissa on a folding chair that had been left in there, pulled her soaps out of the bag, and helped her out of her clothes. When he started taking his off, Marissa put a hand on his arm, and blinked up at him.

"Can you take a shower like this?"

"I can hold you under the water while I clean you," he told her. "I'll be fine."

"It won't hurt your skin?" Her hand trailed up and down his arm and he shivered.

"If we take too long, I will be uncomfortable," he said, trying not to concentrate on the delicious feeling of her hand stroking lightly over his skin. "But It will not hurt me to take care of you like this."

"Okay," she said. "If you're sure."

"I'm sure I would like it less if anybody else helped you with this instead."

Marissa gave him a small smile. "I understand that part."

They didn't have much time to spend in the shower and Cooper could feel the effort it took for both of them to stay standing. Thoughts of how they could spend the time when they were both feeling better drifted through his head and he had to clamp down hard on his reaction.

---