OOC: collaborative post with [@sail3695] The scan showed the bullet hadn’t penetrated all that deep, thankfully, and Alana reassured Abby removing it would be a quick procedure. Though, from what she’d learn thus far about the young deckhand, Alana didn’t need to pile on the words of encouragement simply for the sake of it. Abby was brave, and she admired her for it. She helped Abby lie belly down for optimal comfortableness, as that’s where she’ll remain for the foreseeable future. Abby’s layin’ in her least favored spot on any boat...the Doc’s exam table. Her right hip n’ cheek was hung out through an open square of them surgical sheets Alana set down. Things hurt pretty bad, but by far worst had come when she heard the doc cuttin’ off her jeans an’ unders tah git the fix started. [i]Aunt Lupe tole me,[/i] she thought all remorseful like, [i]”never wear yer ‘goin’ tah town’ jeans afore touchdown.”[/i] Now, for her foolishness, weren’t just socks she was in need ‘o’ buyin’ this stopover. “I’m going to administer a local anesthetic, get you nice and relaxed. The extraction will be quick, so I reckon you’ll be alright with that?” “Yes, ma’am,” the girl answered. “Local? That mean jest somethin’ they use here on New Melbourne?” She couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's comment. It'd honestly caught her off guard. "No, not at all; it just means you won't go night night before I pull the bullet out..." Her gaze shifted downward accompanied by a slight smile. "Unless you want to? It'd take you a bit longer for you to come to, so you'll be groggy and the likes but nothing some rest can't put a fix on." Abby shrugged. “Long’s I’m numbed up down there, don’t rightly need tah be put under.” "Alrighty love, I got you." Things was warmin’ up well enough under these sheets, ‘cept fer where cool air raised goosebumps on her [i]pi gu[/i]. Doc had give her a pillow; Abby tucked arms underneath of it an’ lay her head down. Afore now, she really had no idea of Alana. Met her once, then agin when she come seekin’ dramamine fer him what shot her. She knew some docs. Ones worked on Mariposa over time was kinda straight up no nonsense types who jabbed needles an’ rushed stitches afore pushin’ her out with a handful ‘o’ pills. But Alana was...diff’rent. Somethin’ ‘bout her voice, an’ the way she touched Abby. [i]Gentle...kind,[/i] she conjured. [i]How I reckon a mother would.[/i] For the remainder of the time, Alana worked in silence. Not because she didn't want to engage Abby, but she'd much rather let her simmer down some instead of forcing her into conversation. Alana prepped the gear to have it set up adjacent to her. She double checked to make sure she had what she needed before moving forward. "This just be me giving you the anesthetic, hold tight," she whispered as to not catch the girl off guard. The minor discomfort from receiving the anesthesia was rather brief, something so quick it barely registered in the moment. Alana then put that down, momentarily waiting for an adverse reaction but thankfully there was none. You never knew with some people...given the job, she'd seen it all at her age. The lights were dimmed, Abby seemed to be alright, and Alana carried on. She shone the overhead light directly into the wound and took a closer look. "Huh..." Them needles jabbed alright, but how Abby conjured t’was like pokin’ about the edges of a hornets’ nest...not even enough tah raise a flinch. But jest like the doc promised, sting began droppin’...like Penelope’s dialin’ a knob down on her console. Abby liked thinkin’ on it that way...picturin’ tha pilot, that grin bright as the deckhand’s hurt cycled right down tah zero. Got all quiet in Medbay. Ever’ now and agin she heard a tool clink soft against the tray, or rustlin’ of Alana’s operatin’ gown when she moved. Abby got all relaxed...even took drowsy under tha dim light. Her mind wandered...past him what shot her. There’s jest too much happened last three days tah stick on that sumbitch. She thought on her new boat. It’s kinda weird, everything’ bein’ almost exactly like her home on Mariposa, but still jest a touch diff’rent. [i]Like a dream.[/i] An’ tha folk. The Cap’n. Penelope. Hook. Ms. Baker...Marisol. Alana. It’s like someone give her a whole shelf of books all at once. New ways ‘tah talk...new ways tah think. Fer all her years, Uncle Bob an’ Aunt Lupe tole her ‘bout tha world she’s in...an’ that become her take on life. Now, layin’ here gettin’ a bullet yanked, Abby commenced tah wonderin’ about tha truth of things… “Huh.” So caught up was she, that’n almost got by. Doc said “huh” same way Marisol did when she found somethin’ weird. Same way Cap’n did when he seen all them Lucky Cats… “Huh?” Abby asked. “Yew say somethin’, Doc?” "I did...because I saw something." Alana regretted her words instantly. She was thinking out loud again, despite her discovery not being all that grave. There was no use in hiding anything from Abby though as she'd gotten around to figuring out something was not all there, and she was right. "The bullet's lodged in there a little deeper than I originally thought. Nothing to worry about on your end, I simply have to be a little more careful, that's all." There was nothing but honesty in Alana's words, and she could only hope some form of reassurance was conveyed to the young girl. "I got you, Abby, you have my word." “It’s [i]ku,[/i]” the girl said. “Long’s tha bullet didn’t hit nothin’ important, it’s all shiny.” Had been moons since she’d looked over pitchers of a woman’s innards. Abby couldn’t conjure up anythin’ major down there…’cept fer mebbe one thing. She reckoned if the bullet did any harm tah that, the doc woulda tole her straight up. Shame tah conjure losin’ somethin’ afore she ever...Abby put it from her mind. [i]Gittin’ way ahead ‘o’ yerself, girl.[/i] Alana wiped her brow with her forearm, and she looked over the tray of instruments off to her left. A moment later she reached for her trusty pair of forceps, the very same one that had gotten her out of one too many binds in the past. Well, not so much her really, but her various patients. Alana let out a slow breath and went in. Her hand was steady, maybe from years of practice or maybe from the fact that despite not knowing Abby for all that long, she truly cared about her. Or in all honesty, a combination of both. As she guided the instrument down, she was met with some resistance. Yes, that would happen more often than not, unfortunately. Alana narrowed her eyes just the slightest. She was nearly there, though she wasn't deep enough just yet, or so she thought. Her eyes widened in surprise when she had the bullet within grasp. She held her breath and shifted the forceps to align with the bullet and a moment later, she had the intruder tightly grasped. The extraction was successful, that much was evident when a [i]clank[/i] interrupted the silence as the bullet landed on the tray. Next up was sewing her up, though that was the easy part. "See, what did I tell you? Easy as pie." Abby let out a happy sigh. “Didn’t hurt none,” she agreed, but she felt that tool reachin’ in deep, a feeling tah put a body right off. She looked over her shoulder. “Thanks fer gittin’ it outta me, Doc.” [i]Worst part’s done,[/i] she reckoned. [i]Now come the stitchin’.[/i] She settled in, her head down on the pillow. Uncle Bob would talk ‘bout folk meetin’ up with their bullet. “These ain’t mine,” he tole her one time when he unloaded. “Each one’s got a name on it. Name of a man, Chick Pea. I jest carry if fer a spell...til I send it to its’ owner.” [i]So that’n had my name on it,[/i] she pondered. [i]Should I keep it? Don’t much want to.[/i] Uncle Bob never had advice fer that. [i]Mebbe,[/i] she thought as her eyes got heavy, [i]if I do keep it….[/i] Abby yawned, snuggled into the pillow. [i]...won’t come ‘round looking’ fer me no more…[/i] Closing her on up didn't bring about any burdens. Alana was fast and efficient while she worked, just as she'd done so in the past many times before. "Well that just about does it," she whispered, cutting the last bit of thread. She'd noticed Abby had gotten nice and comfortable, and she wouldn't wanna disturb that. "I suggest you stay here for a bit and rest, though it ain't required of you if you so wish to up and go. I can always grab some water for ya too, or anything else you may need. I don't have much going on out there either way." “Wouldn’t mind,” Abby drowsed, “layin’ here fer a spell…thank yew, Alana.” She closed her eyes. “Yer so nice…” The girl went quiet, but for the sound of deep, even breathing.