A Good End to a Bad Night
by Judith Freudenthal
2001

    Before long Nick's keys were finally clean and he rinsed out the steel
container and put it with the other stuff awaiting sterilization in the
autoclave.

    "How about I buy you two dinner?"
    "What about Schanke?"
    "What about me?" Schanke asked as he entered. "Anyone up for some grub?"
    Natalie chuckled. "Nick just offered to take us out."
    "What a guy," Schanke said with a grin. "Where shall we go?"
    "How about the Oriental place down the block?"
    "Natalie, you always pick that," Schanke said, not a big fan of Japanese
food, and liked Chinese but not as often as Natalie did. "How about the
Italian place?"
    "It'll take too long."
    "How about the diner? It has a little something for everyone and is
pretty quick," Grace asked.
    "Sounds good."
    The foursome headed out.

    They arrived at the diner, were seated and handed menus. After a moment
to look it over, the waitress took their order. The food came promptly.
    "Nick, did you ever find your keys?" Schanke asked. He was surprised when
everyone else started to laugh.
    Natalie told Schanke the story, which caused him to laugh as well. And to
agree that it was best to leave that mystery alone.
    "You might want to keep a closer eye on them, Partner," Schanke teased.

    Meanwhile across town Lacroix was getting ready for his nightly
broadcast. A stray thought crossed his mind, causing a small grin to form on
his usually grim lips. *I wonder if he's found his keys yet?* Lacroix didn't
have time to ponder the subject any deeper as it was show time.  He had been
curious to see how long it would take for his errant son to locate the
missing keys. It had been fun hiding them in the one place no one would look,
at least not until they were forced to.

    After dinner, the foursome returned to the morgue where Natalie handed
the box to Schanke.
    "Bunny slippers?"
    "Yes. According to Grace, the last pair."
    "Thanks, ladies. Jenny's been upset since the washer chewed up her last
pair. They were her favorite ones."
    "Glad we could help," Grace said.
    "What do I owe you?" Schanke asked?
    "Nothing. Just tell her they're a gift from Grace and I."
    "She'll be thrilled. Thanks again."
    Nick and Schanke headed out, as there was still half a shift to get
through.

    Natalie had two hours left in her shift when she headed down to retrieve
some test results. An orderly in a rush plowed right into Natalie sending
her, his files and himself tumbling to the floor. He quickly helped her up
and then started to gather his files.
    "Dr. Lambert, I'm so sorry. These were supposed to be ready three hours
ago but they got backed up. Captain Crawford is about to rip everyone
involved a new orafice. I'll be more careful. Are you okay?" He asked
realizing he'd forgotten to ask that.
    "I think so. You better get those files to the Captain. And take it
slowly. Better to take an extra minute or two than have another collision. 
Are you okay?" Natalie said as she helped him pick up the files.
    "I'm okay. Thanks for asking and helping."
    The orderly headed on his way, as did Natalie.  She absentmindedly rubbed
her wrist.
    Natalie picked up her test results and returned to her office.  She set
the file down on her desk and noticed the wrist which had taken most of the
impact was starting to feel sore. It was also a little stiff.  She didn't
think it was anything serious and exercised it a little to loosen it up. She
wet a cloth hand towel and stuck it in the freezer.
    A few minutes later she got up from her paperwork and retrieved the towel
from the freezer. She wrapped it in another towel and then wrapped it around
her sore wrist. She didn't see any sign of swelling or bruising, but it was
definitely sore.
    The cold cloth did help. She finished up as much of her paperwork as she
could, dropping the towel into the sink when it warmed up.
    On her way out she decided to drop by the x-ray lab and see if anyone was
in there. She didn't think anything was wrong, but decided to play it safe.
It was easier to check it out here than to wait at the emergency room for
hours. She was pleased to see the room empty and entered. She slipped a film
into the plate and had it in position when the tech came in. *Damn! Okay,
think fast Lambert.*
    "Natalie, is everything okay?"
    "Everything's fine, Brian. I do need your help with a research project.
It's related to a case I'm working on."
    "How can I help?"
    "I need you to take an x-ray of my arm so I can compare it with one I
took of a victim. There's something odd in hers but I can't quite pin it
down. Since she's my size, I thought it might help to have a normal one to
compare it with." Natalie hoped he bought it. It did sound reasonable, if a
little strange.
    "Oookay. Right or left?"
    "Right."
    Brian handed her a lead shield which she put on, then positioned her hand
flat on one side of the film, palm side down.
    "Will there be one picture or two?" He asked.
    "Two."
    Brian took the first picture and waited for Natalie to position herself
for the second one. When he saw she was ready the took the second shot, this
one had her hand on it's side on the other half of the film.
    "Do you want me to deliver it? Would you rather wait for it?" Brian
wondered if there was some other reason she was doing this. She'd always been
nice to him, and didn't seem hurt so he wasn't going to ask. He knew her
request could be totally legit as she did sometimes have strange cases handed
to her.
    "I'll wait."
    A couple minutes later he handed her the film and an envelope. She talked
with him for a couple minutes and then headed back to her office, glad Grace
wasn't around. She knew Grace would not be as easy to fool.
    Natalie stuck the film up on her lightboard and turned it on. She
carefully studied the x-ray film and saw no clear signs of an injury. There
was one place she wasn't sure of and decided to take the film to a friend to
read. Since her name wasn't on it, there wouldn't be too many questions.
    Natalie stopped by her friend's office on the way to Nick's loft.
    "Hi, Michael."
    "Natalie, hi. What brings you by?"
    "I need you to read an x-ray for me. It's for a case."
    "You're usually pretty good at reading those."
    "I know. Thanks. This one's a little trickier."
    "I'll be happy to take a look at it."
    Natalie handed him the x-ray and he stuck it up on the light board and
read it with the practiced expertise of an orthopedic surgeon.
    "Let me guess, it's this little shadow here that you're wondering about."
    "Yes. I couldn't tell if it was just a shadow or a hairline fracture."
    "It's hard to tell. This is a tricky one, indeed. I would say that it
might be hairline fracture, but I can't be certain. If I had to give my
medical opinion I'd say there was a good chance it is one."
    "Thanks," Natalie said keeping her face and voice neutral.
    "How's the knee?"
    "It has its good and bad days. It's about the same as it's been. Yes,
I'll come see you if it gets worse."
    "I'm glad to hear it isn't any worse. You know you should do something
before it gets that bad. You know it's easier to fix it now, rather than
later, right?"
    "I know. I'll think about it. We're understaffed right now. Maybe in a
couple months."
    "Okay." He knew Natalie would probably wait to have it fixed when it
either bothered her too much or it had reached that point where she had no
choice. He hoped she didn't wait that long.
    "How about dinner one night next week? I'll see what nights I have off
and give you a call."
    "Sounds great."
    Natalie left and started for the nearest fast food place as she was
starving and knew Nick most likely wouldn't have any food in his loft. She
debated what to do about her wrist. She knew there was really nothing that
could be done for it, other than to watch it and make sure it didn't get any
worse, and that it healed. She didn't see any reason why it wouldn't heal
without any help, or getting worse.
    She pulled into the parking lot of a medical supply store and entered.
She picked out a removable splint that she could wear to sleep in and when
she wasn't working. And if it started bothering her she could wear it while
doing her paperwork or at a crime scene.
    She popped into the grocery store a few doors down as it was just as easy
as take out, and was more nutritious. She picked up a few other crucial items
before checking out in the express lane.
    She debated slipping into the splint knowing Nick would pamper her upon
seeing it, but she also knew he'd ask a lot of questions and want her to take
time off from work. She picked up the grocery bag wrong and the answer was
obvious.

    She slipped into the splint after she'd settled the groceries on the
passenger side floor and shut her door. She had to make a few fine
adjustments to get it tailored to her as best as she could. She was surprised
that it was pretty comfortable and didn't limit her movment too much, just
enough to keep her from reinjuring herself.

    About twenty minutes later she pulled into the garage at Nick's loft. She
grabbed the bag with her left and and entered the elevator.
    "Nat, what happened?" Nick asked as he saw the splint as soon as he
opened the door. He took the grocery bag from her and started to unpack it.
    "I was knocked down at work by a speeding orderly. It seems that Captain
Crawford is on the warpath again." She saw him start to say something. "Yes,
I had it checked out. Yes, I'm okay."
    Nick wasn't sure if she was telling him everything.
    "The splint's to make me more comfortable. To keep me from reinjuring
myself as I work. Yes, I'm going to work. It's not sprained so I can continue
to work." She knew it was wise to leave out the hairline fracture part if she
didn't want to spend the next hour explaining why she can still work, and why
she only has a splint.
    "Nail polish?"
    "I saw it and thought it was pretty. I do wear it sometimes you know."
    "I know. Why don't you eat, and then I'll paint your nails for you. "
    "Sounds good. Did you get the movie?"
    "It's all set. Just waiting for you."
    Nick unpacked her dinner and got her a drink. They headed over to the
couch.
    Natalie ate while watching the movie, and Nick sipped on a mug of cow
blood.
    When Natalie was finished eating, Nick handed her a pillow for her lap so
she could rest her wrist on it.
    After the movie he grabbed the nail polish, and returned to the couch.
    "Fingers and toes or just fingernails?"
    "Both," she said cheerfully. She hated doing her toenails as it was a bit
of a pain, but if he was willing to do it, who was she to say no?
    Nick started with her toenails, after removing her shoes. After he
finished her toenails he started on her right hand, carefully painting them,
not wanting to accidentally hurt her. He was working on the left hand when he
felt a presence.
    "How cozy," Lacroix said with his usual sneer. "I see the good doctor has
hurt herself."
    "I'll be fine," Natalie said.
    "I was just helping her out. With her injured wrist she couldn't paint
her nails well enough."
    The domestic scene before him totally nauseated him so he took off.
    "That was odd." Natalie said.
    "Not really. He likes to pop in from time to time just to bother me. When
I don't take the bait he gets bored and leaves."
    Once her nails were dry, Natalie removed the splint to check out her
wrist. There was some bruising and a little swelling but not too bad. It was
sore and stiff, but that was to be expected.
    "Would you like an icepack?"
    "That would be nice," Natalie said. She knew the more she kept the
swelling down the faster it would heal.
    Nick fixed her an ice pack and handed it to her. She positioned it for
maximum effect.
    About twenty minutes later she removed the ice pack as it was melting,
and refastened the splint.
    "Do you have to keep that on?"
    "No. I figure the more I wear it, the less likely I am to accidentally
reinjure myself. I'll probably take it off only to shower and do autopsies."
    They watched another movie together. Nick noticed she was sleepy so he
suggested she stretch out on the couch. She did so and fell asleep a few
minutes later.

    The next evening Grace was quite surprised to see Natalie was injured.
Natalie ha to explain what happened and why she's wearing the splint, and
that she could work. She'd just have to be careful lifting stuff for a week
or so. *A month or so* she thought, knowing that was the real answer. Grace
wasn't sure what to believe, but knew she couldn't persuade Nat not to work
if she was determined to. And Nat didn't seem to be in much pain, so she
figured Nat was telling the truth.

The end.