Work Text:
Title: Treatment
Author: Jen lmr
Rating: NC-17
Category: Slash
Pairing: Starbuck/Apollo
Feedback: jennylmr@yahoo.com
Summary: Starbuck spends some time in the life center.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
'All these mundane ship to ship survey missions must really be getting to me,' Starbuck thought sourly as he popped another stomach tablet into his mouth.
"You about finished there?"
Starbuck jumped. "Don't sneak up on me like that," he snapped.
"I didn't sneak up on you. You did look a little lost in your own thoughts though. Something wrong?"
"Nah. My stomach's just a little upset, that's all."
"It's probably your eating habits. My stomach gets upset just watching you," Apollo teased.
"Very funny. Where are we headed off to next on this lovely little adventure?"
"We're slowly moving our way towards the back of the fleet so our next stop should be the Allyssus."
A few days later they were still doing surveys and working their way towards the ships in the back of the fleet.
Starbuck's stomach was feeling even worse and he'd practically been wearing a permanent pained look on his face lately.
Currently, they were doing equipment checks on the Florenatia.
"Maybe you should see a doctor, you really aren't looking too well," Apollo suggested with a concerned look at his wingmate.
"I'll be fine. I probably really do just need to start eating a little healthier. I'll be glad when these surveys are over and things get back to normal."
"It shouldn't be more than another secton or two. Try not to die on me before then, okay? I'd really hate to have to finish this stuff up by myself."
"Your concern for me is just so very touching."
"What can I say? You're my best friend," Apollo grinned impishly.
They continued working but by late afternoon, the pains that had been shooting through Starbuck's abdomen earlier were so bad that he could hardly stand up straight.
Apollo had been shooting his wingmate worried glances all day until finally he insisted, "That's it. There's a life center aboard and you're going whether you like it or not."
Starbuck wasn't feeling well enough to argue at this point. He allowed his friend to lead him off without protest.
Upon entering the life center, they were greeted immediately by a med tech who quickly ushered Starbuck off into one of the examining rooms.
Seeing nothing else he could do for the time being, Apollo returned to work, vowing to check on his lieutenant at his earliest opportunity.
*****
In the examining room, Starbuck was quickly hooked up to an IV and given a strong dose of painkiller through the IV line. After sending him for X-rays and performing several other tests, he was returned to the exam room where he was met by a doctor.
"According to these tests so far, we see that you have an inflamed pancreas. There are several things that can cause this. We need to go in.
This sort of thing is pretty serious," the funny looking doctor said abruptly after looking at the chart in his hand a for a moment.
"IN?! What do you mean in?! You want to operate?!"
The doctor looked at him oddly. "No, we need to admit you in the life center for a day or two so we can run more tests." He said slowly as if speaking to an imbecile.
"Oh. Okay. I guess that'd be alright," Starbuck reluctantly agreed.
Not long later, Starbuck was settled somewhat comfortably in bed in a private room, given more painkillers and told to rest.
*****
He awakened sometime the next day, his head feeling rather fuzzy. The doctor from the day before was standing by the side of his bed along with two other men that Starbuck assumed were also doctors who were standing directly behind and to the sides of 'funny looking doctor'.
He was asked a series of questions that he really couldn't seem to process very well. Mostly Starbuck was feeling a little too out of it to make much sense of anything they were saying until it appeared they were done talking and asked him if he had any questions.
"Could I have some water? My throats really dry," he croaked out.
"No. No water. No nothing. We can't have you putting anything in your stomach just yet. We need to run more tests, just as we were telling you a moment ago. The IV will be all you'll need for now. In another day or so we can start you on water."
"But, but, I'm only supposed to be here for a day or two."
'Funny looking doctor' shook his head at him impatiently. "That is simply not possible, it will be at least another few days at least." His two shadows nodded their heads in agreement.
The threesome abruptly left the room. A med tech entered a few moments later, checked his vitals, withdrew some blood, refilled his IV and gave him another dose of painkillers through the IV line. This pattern repeated itself throughout the day.
Some time in what Starbuck figured was late evening the bedside comm unit in his room went off, waking him from a drugged sleep. He leaned over and fumbled to answer it.
"'Lo."
"Starbuck? Is that you?" He heard Apollo's concerned voice.
"Mmhm."
"Did I wake you up?"
"Mmhm."
"I talked to your doctor. He told me about your condition and that you needed to stay a few days."
"Yuh hum."
"You sound kind of out of it."
"Mmhm."
"I tried to comm your room last night but you must have been sleeping. I'm glad I got a hold of you. I've really been worried. How are you feeling?"
"Been better." Loud yawn.
"Do you want me to come over and see you?"
"Nah. I just feel like sleeping right now." Another yawn.
"Okay, if you're sure." Apollo really did sound kind of worried.
"I'm fine, Pol," Starbuck assured. "Just really tired."
"Alright. Don't worry about anything at work, I took care of everything. You just work on getting better, okay?"
"I will. Don't worry." Another yawn.
"I guess I better go let you get some sleep now. You sound really tired."
"Mmhm."
"I'll come by tomorrow and see you."
"Mm kay."
"See you later."
"Mm." Starbuck hit the end button on the comm, rolled over and went back to sleep.
*****
Throughout the rest of the night and on through his third day there, a med tech would come in every couple of centars, check his vitals, take some blood, refill the IV and give him another dose of painkiller through the IV tube.
Starbuck mostly slept, but sometimes stayed awake long enough to watch IFB for awhile. 'Frankly, I don't know why I bother, the IFB makes me as sleepy as the painkillers.' He thought sourly to himself.
He got another visit from 'funny looking doctor' and his two shadows, who finally graciously allowed him the privilege of being able to drink water.
"When do you think I can actually have something to eat? I'm starving!"
"Your stomach can't handle food yet. In another couple of days we'll start you on clear liquids, then if you handle that well, we can think about something more solid."
"Another couple of days?! How long am I supposed to be here for?!"
"As long as you need to be. We still have some more tests to run also."
"What tests? All you do is take blood."
"That's for the tests." 'funny looking doctor replied impatiently.
The trio abruptly left the room.
Sure enough, in came the med tech, and the routine began all over again.
*****
The bedside comm awoke Starbuck the next day.
"Mmmph," Starbuck answered after making an awkwards lunge to answer it.
"Starbuck? It's good to finally catch you awake. I stopped by last night to see you but you were sleeping so soundly I didn't want to wake you." Apollo said. 'I really did want to wake you but the med tech kept hovering around giving me dirty looks so I didn't think I'd better
chance it.' Apollo amended silently to himself.
Starbuck struggled up into a more comfortable sitting position.
"You could have woken me up. I really haven't been doing much of anything lately besides sleep, that and watch the IFB. I've been bored out of my skull."
"I'll bet," Apollo laughed. "It's been pretty boring around here too without you around to liven things up."
"Its nice to know that I'm missed."
"You are," came the enthusiastic response. "When do you think you're getting out of there? I asked your doctor but he seemed awfully vague."
"He's pretty good at being vague." Starbuck answered sardonically. "I'm not really sure when I'm getting out. I feel better. I'm not even sure why I'm still here."
"So it probably shouldn't be too much longer then?" Apollo asked hopefully.
"Lords, I hope not. The med techs have been taking so much blood out of me that I'm not sure I have any left. They wake me up to give me painkillers, and I'm not even really in pain anymore. To top it all off, they're still not letting me eat!"
"Sounds like the life center to me. At least you're feeling well enough to start complaining. I guess I can stop worrying so much."
"I'm glad my suffering was able to ease your mind."
They chatted for a while about things that were going on back at the Galactica until Apollo had to go get ready for his duty shift. Starbuck was feeling in much better spirits by the end of the comm.
With nothing else to do besides watch IFB, he opted to roll over and go back to sleep.
He was next awakened by the doctor trio standing by the side of his bed. They asked him a couple of routine questions, but mostly conferred quietly amongst themselves as if he weren't even there.
As they headed out the door Starbuck stopped them and complained again about not being able to eat. After an argument that grew increasingly heated as Starbuck grew increasingly irate, the 'funny looking doctor' finally agreed that he could start having clear liquids starting with the next meal period. Starbuck thought to argue that since he hadn't eaten anything in four days now, that he shouldn't have to wait until meal period, but decided that it just wasn't worth the effort.
The med tech came in shortly after they left and the vitals, blood, fill IV, give dose of painkiller cycle continued on.
At the evening meal cycle he was brought some soup broth and some clear jiggly stuff. 'Not really all that appetizing, but I'll settle for anything right about now.' Starbuck thought to himself as he made himself comfortable to eat his 'feast' and watch the IFB.
He was a more than a little disappointed that Apollo hadn't called to check on him again. He knew he was busy and all, but he missed him too.
He hoped Apollo missed him as much as he sounded like he did over the comm.
*****
The fifth day brought yet another daily visit from the weird doctor trio. When Starbuck asked them again about when he could get out of the life center the 'funny looking doctor' acted like he should just be grateful that he was getting clear liquids and the trio abruptly left.
'I really have to try to remember his name', Starbuck thought absently. 'He's probably just so irritating that I block it out.' Then he decided on sleeping again as opposed to watching more IFB.
Apollo commed him late that evening. "So how's it going? Any news on when they're going to spring you?" his friend asked him cheerfully.
"Not a thing."
"You're kidding? You're not *really* dying, are you? Is there something I should know?"
"I certainly *hope* not. I feel fine. I really do. All they do is take blood, give me painkillers, and I just lay in bed and rest. Did I mention my daily visit from my weird doctor trio?"
"Weird doctor trio? I think I would have remembered that."
"They're creepy, Pol. There's this funny looking head doctor who does all the talking, then he always has these two others with him, I think they're doctors anyway. They stand just behind him on both sides. I tell ya, it reminds me of the formation in a Cylon fighter. They even have that strange vacant way of staring at you. When they come into the room I keep wondering if we're about to go on alert! Can you imagine waking up to that every day?"
"Normally I would laugh at that, but I met them that night I came over to visit you. I hadn't thought of them in quite those terms, but I did think they were pretty odd."
"Tell me about it. Last night I had a dream that they were harvesting my organs and selling them on the black market. At least I think it was last night, its so hard to tell anymore. I'm pretty sure it was just a dream too."
This time Apollo did laugh. "You keep that sense of humor."
"What sense of humor? I wasn't trying to make a joke," Starbuck deadpanned.
"I'm really sorry I haven't been able to get over to see you more this past secton. Things have been absolutely hectic around here lately,
but I absolutely swear I'll come over to see you tomorrow. I'll even break you out if I have to."
"I hope you really mean that part about breaking me out. I think you just might have to. Isn't the commander or anyone asking about me or anything? I mean, someone higher up has to be wondering when I'm coming back to work."
"Well, I'm higher up and I've been wondering about you a lot," Apollo responded in a mock wounded tone.
"You know what I mean."
"Actually, quite a number of people have asked, but as long as your doctor has you out on sick leave, there really isn't anything more they can say about it."
"He's not really my doctor, couldn't I be transferred to the life center on the Galactica? At least Dr. Salik doesn't give me the creeps, he's also capable of walking into a room all by himself."
Apollo chuckled, "Those are always good traits in a doctor. I'm afraid it's not usually procedure to transfer a patient to the Galactica unless his condition is critical. Although considering how long you've been there already maybe I can work something out. I'll see what I can do. I just hate the idea of you being sick and so far away."
"I'm not sick," Starbuck insisted.
"You're far away."
"Awww. You do miss me."
"Oh, shut up. I'll see you tomorrow. I promise."
They said their good-byes and ended the comm.
The med tech continued the vitals, blood, fill IV, dose of painkiller cycle.
*****
When the doctor trio showed up the next day Starbuck was absolutely adamant on finding out when he could be expected to be released.
"You're not ready to be released yet," 'funny looking doctor' said. "You're not even eating solid foods yet."
"Because you won't give me solid food. Give me some solid food and I'll eat it."
"You're not ready for solid food."
"Why not?"
"I'm the doctor here. It is my call to make as to when you're ready for solid food. You are not ready for solid food."
"The hell I'm not! I haven't eaten in a week! I'm ready to start chewing on the furniture!"
At this moment Apollo arrived. Starbuck shot him a beseeching look.
"Doctor, er, Doctors, can I speak with you outside for a moment."
The doctors abruptly left the room, following after Apollo.
After a few moments Starbuck could hear what was beginning to sound like a heated argument going on outside the door. After another few moments, his curiosity got the better out of him and he crept out of bed and headed over closer to the door so that he could hear better.
When he was almost to the door, it suddenly opened and Apollo strode in, nearly knocking his surprised friend over.
"What's going on?"
"Let me get that IV tube unhooked," Apollo told his very puzzled best friend as he unhooked the tube and taped a gauze pad over the wound.
"Get dressed. We're leaving."
"What?!"
"Don't you want to leave?" Apollo asked giving him an innocent look.
"Yeah, but...what did you do?"
"I simply told them that they weren't doing anything for you here that couldn't easily be done for you back on the Galactica."
"You got me transferred to the Galactica's Life Center?"
"No. Not exactly."
"Then what?"
"You're on clear liquids and bed rest. That's nothing I can't do for you myself."
"And they were okay with that?"
"They were when I told them that Commander Adama ordered it."
"He did?"
"No. So hurry up and get dressed and lets get out of here already."
Starbuck burst out laughing. "You are an evil man."
"I told you I'd break you out if I had to. Now hurry up."
*****
Starbuck was full of questions on the shuttle ride back.
"Aren't you going to get in a lot of trouble for this?"
"No. Who's going to tell on me? You?"
"The weird doctor trio."
"I don't think they'll say anything."
"Why not?"
"Because they're obviously incompetent doctors and won't want to call attention to that fact."
"Good point. Won't people wonder why I'm suddenly back?"
"I'll just tell them the doctors released you into my care."
"How will I be able to go back to work without the doctors signing off on me?"
"Dr. Salik will sign off on you. I never said you weren't going to see any more doctors."
Starbuck looked at him sideways, "When did you get so devious?"
"I've always been able to be devious with the proper motivation."
"So I motivate you, huh?" Starbuck grinned at him wickedly.
"Shut up," Apollo fairly blushed.
*****
The landing bay was fairly unpopulated as they docked, and they passed few people on their way back to Apollo's quarters.
Upon entering, Starbuck noticed how quiet it was. "Where's Boxey?"
"I sent him to Athena's for a few days so I could concentrate on taking care of the patient."
"Won't you have to go to work?"
"Of course. You're not completely incapacitated, are you?"
"Funny."
"Get in bed, I'll bring you some soup."
"I'm not really sick."
"You haven't eaten for at least a secton now. You're not exactly in top form either, are you?"
Starbuck considered arguing but the idea of Apollo serving him food in bed was pretty appealing so he did as he was told.
A short while later Starbuck was happily ensconced in Apollo's bed, with Apollo playing the role of the doting nursemaid.
'It's like I've died and gone to heaven', Starbuck thought happily. 'Wait a centon, these things never happen to me. There's gotta be a catch.'
"Pol?"
"Hmmm." Apollo answered from his comfortable position, reclined on top of the covers next to Starbuck.
"Why are you doing all of this?"
"You're my best friend."
"I would've settled for you just getting me transferred out of that hellish life center and onto the Galactica's life center. You don't need to put yourself to this much trouble."
"It's no trouble really. Besides you've been sick and I've been worried about you."
"I was getting kind of worried about me too," Starbuck joked, then continued more seriously, "But this is really above and beyond. You don't have to do this."
Apollo looked at him. "I know I don't have to. I just want to. Okay?"
"Okay."
"How about we watch a little IFB before you go to sleep?"
His answer was to be hit in the face with a pillow.
"On second thought, how about a game of cards?" Apollo laughed.
"Much better."
*****
The next couple of days began to take on kind of a routine. Apollo would bring the morning meal in to Starbuck and they would both eat in bed before Apollo headed off to his duty shift. He'd leave something already prepared in the fooder so that all Starbuck had to do was heat it up for his mid day meal. Then they'd have the evening meal together in the bedroom when Apollo got off duty. They played cards and talked, sometimes they would just sit together in comfortable silence. When it got late Apollo would say good night and go off to sleep on the longseat.
It was enough to make Starbuck crazy. He hadn't gotten so many mixed signals since the last time he encountered a Cylon frequency jammer.
By the third morning, Starbuck just had to do something. Over breakfast he asked, "Apollo, aren't I supposed to go see Dr. Salik and get cleared for duty?"
"Yeah, why?"
"I think I can safely say I'm fit for duty now. I'm fit for just about anything. I could even go a couple of vigorous rounds of triad."
"I didn't want to push you. If you think you're ready, I'll talk to Dr. Salik today and make you an appointment."
"Sounds good."
"Alright, I'll do that then. See you when I get back from duty shift."
"Bye."
Starbuck didn't know exactly what he had been hoping for, but it was certainly more of a reaction than that. Maybe he was hoping Apollo had brought him here with some dark ulterior motive, one that was hopefully sexual in nature. He should have known better. Apollo just thought of him as his best friend and he was simply worried about him. Frack!
'Oh well, may as well try to find something to fill the empty day.' He'd pretty much done everything there was to do in the empty quarters, including relieving some of the frustration of being so close to Apollo every night, then having him get up and go sleep on the longseat.
He supposed he could try to make the first move. Maybe Apollo was just being shy. Maybe Apollo would be absolutely horrified. Of course, if that happened he could always blame his actions on his recent illness, fake a relapse, then pretend it never happened.
Throughout the day Starbuck came up with one plan after another, discarding each one before settling on one he liked.
When Apollo returned home that night from duty shift as usual, he called out a greeting, and set about preparing their evening meal. He entered the bedchamber to find it completely dark. Alarmed he quickly set the food tray on the floor and turned on the light, only to find a huddled shape buried underneath the blankets.
He rushed over and pulled the covers off of Starbuck's head to make sure that he was okay and found that he was just fast asleep. He sat down on the edge of the bed, relieved. Then began wondering if Starbuck was all right after all. He'd never slept at this time of the day before.
He was always awake and anxious for company by the time Apollo returned home.
He leaned closer, pulled the covers back further and checked his breathing. Did it sound a little labored? He felt the skin on his face and along his throat and chest. Did it feel a little warmer than usual? He decided he better try to wake him.
His climbed onto the bed along side of him and whispered his name. "Starbuck?"
No response.
He gently shook his shoulder.
Starbuck responded by moaning softly, shifting slightly and moving his arm to rest across Apollo's chest while his head nuzzled into his shoulder.
Apollo groaned and leaned his head back against the pillow. 'Now what? Maybe I'll just lie here a few moments before I try to wake him again.'
Starbuck shifted slightly again and began murmuring softly in his sleep. Apollo couldn't make out the words but the feel of Starbuck's lips moving lightly against his arm was really doing things to him. 'Did Starbuck think he was made of stone? Oh yeah. He's asleep.'
He leaned down close to Starbuck's face so he could hear what he was saying when Starbuck suddenly leaned forwards and captured his lips in a kiss. Apollo was stunned and delighted at the same time. He knew he should definitely redouble his efforts to wake Starbuck up at this point but this just felt so good that before he knew what he was doing he was returning the kiss passionately.
Eventually, he pulled away, breathless and shaking. He looked down at Starbuck who was looking back up at him with passion filled eyes.
Awake, passion filled eyes. Apollo took a closer look at his friend and burst out laughing. "You sneaky little bastard."
"Mad at me?"
"Not a chance," he said before diving in for another kiss, then quickly divesting himself of his clothing.
Dinner lay by the door, cold and forgotten as they hungrily devoured each other's bodies, lazily licking at each other, stopping for the occasional nibble and bite. Teasing each mercilessly with their tongues. Each trying to get the other to cave in first.
Eventually the overload of sensations became too much.
"Pol! Stop!"
Apollo grinned evilly up at him from his position between his new lover's spread legs, "Had enough?"
"No! No! I want... ," Starbuck stopped and turned his head away.
"I'm not going to do it unless you ask," Apollo said breathlessly to him as he took another lick along his engorged shaft.
"F-f-f-frack me!" Starbuck managed to finally stutter out.
"My pleasure. Oh no! I don't have any lube. Maybe we could just..."
Starbuck scrambled frantically over to the bedside drawer and produced a jar of multi-purpose gel that he'd found in the turbowashroom earlier, before promptly going down on his hands and knees and wriggling his bottom suggestively.
Apollo chuckled, "Very inventive." And proceeded to begin stretching his writhing lover's opening with his fingers, toying with that sensitive inner spot until Starbuck screamed again, "Pol! Stop!"
Apollo grinned and began easing his length slowly into his lover only to have his slow progress suddenly interrupted by Starbuck's forceful backwards thrust. Since he had barely been holding onto his self control as it was, he went with it and began pounding into him with ever increasing speed and intensity.
He reached around his lover and began pumping his throbbing cock in time with his thrusts until he heard Starbuck's muffled cry of release and felt the hot fluid running down his hand.
The resulting contractions around his own member were more than he could take and he soon climaxed, calling out his lover's name.
After lying collapsed on top of Starbuck for a long while, a place he had wanted to be for some time now, he reluctantly got up and went to get a cloth to clean them both up.
Starbuck groaned at the loss and rolled over. Apollo returned with a wet cloth and began cleaning him up. "You don't have to do that. I'm not sick you know."
Apollo laughed. "I figured that out. Now just let me do this. I've recently discovered that taking care of you is one of my favorite things to do." Apollo finished with a leer.
"Okay. But sooner or later you know you're going to have to let me out of this bed."
"I hope its later, rather than sooner." Apollo tossed the cloth onto the floor and snuggled up close to Starbuck. "You want me to heat up the food? You haven't eaten."
"Neither have you."
"I'm not hungry."
"Neither am I."
With that they snuggled up closer and each fell into an extremely satisfied sleep.
*****
The next morning, Apollo didn't wake Starbuck up with his morning meal in bed as usual, but rather with a close repeat of last evenings meal.
Starbuck had no complaints whatsoever.
The lay together basking in the afterglow. "We better get dressed, we're going to be late."
"We?"
"Yeah. Me for duty shift, you for your doctor's appointment."
"Ahhhh! Not the doctors!" Starbuck pulled the pillow over his head.
"Oh, knock it off."
Starbuck pulled the pillow back off of his head. "I let you have your evil way with my innocent self and now you're throwing me out in the cold," he said with an overdone sad sigh.
He received a big grin and of wiggle of eyebrows in response as well as, "As much as I'd love to keep you right where you are forever, if you don't show up somewhere soon, I'm going to be court marshaled. God forbid they come looking for you and find you in your current state."
"You do have a point." Starbuck concurred as he got up and headed towards the turbowash.
Apollo couldn't resist the temptation and follow his new lover into the turbowashroom to help him wash. 'He hasn't been cleared for full duty yet now has he?'
*****
They shared a leisurely morning meal after they had both washed and dressed. Talking happily and sharing kiss and carress.
As they headed out the door Starbuck commented, "You know what Pol?"
"If I had had even the slightest inkling what an excellent doctor you make, I would have keeled over ages ago."
Apollo just laughed and shoved him out the door.
The End