Murphy waited for Tim McManus to reach him on his way to his office. "You got my note?" Murphy's expression was enough answer and Tim nodded. "You know? I'll sure be thankful when you decide to rotate back to days."
"I told you, Tim; a good manager works the second shift once and a while-"
"I know, I know." Interrupted Tim. "You need to know which people are best suited for what hours. I know that...I'm just saying that I miss having you around when I'm here."
Murphy cocked his head to one side, suspicion thick in his expression, his smile routed in his eyes. "You mean to tell me you're missing your ol' lunch buddy?"
"And my beer buddy, and the friendly nudge you give me every so often when I drift off at staff meetings, yes. I admit it. I miss you."
"Buck up. This too is temporary."
McManus rolled his eyes, obviously not convinced. "If I invite you over to the house to watch the game and barbecue this weekend, you're not going to show are you?"
"Are you asking?"
"I'm asking."
"Then I'm there. I even promise to be awake."
"Good."
"So is it just the guys?"
"Just us guys."
"You know if Gloria wants to come-"
"No." cut off Tim quickly. "Gloria and football, not a good mix. She talks all the way through the game."
"Asking stupid questions or, couples stuff?"
"She's more of the gives her opinion type."
Recognition sparked behind Sean's gaze. "Knows the game better then you do does she?"
"Yeah." Murphy could not help but laughing. "You and me, some steaks and booze. It'll be a time."
"You hate that she's right more then you, don't ya?" Tim glared and the two were about to part when Sean addressed Tim once more. "You lifting the lock today?"
"Maybe. I have to assess the repentance of the participants first. Why?"
"With O'Reily in the infirmary, Cyril," Murphy paused wondering if he sounded as concerned as he felt. Subjective interrogation was not his strong suit when it came to the O'Reily brothers. "The kid needs supervision."
"If Ryan's not up to it, I'll ask Beecher." Murphy nodded. "Anything else happen last night?"
"Couple of fights, nothing you'll need to say anything about."
"Good." Tim thought to ask Sean about their prior conversation and get an update on the aching heart front, but decided against it and the two went their separate ways, Sean to his home and Tim to his first residence: Em City.
Opening his eyes, Ryan took mental inventory of his body. His head wasn't throbbing like it would explode whenever he breathed. He pushed himself onto his elbows slight vertigo caused his vision to twitch, yet it was the thunder crash of the instantaneous nausea that floored him. Holy fuck! Sitting up the rest of the way and breathing deeply the sensation eventually subsided, leaving Ryan pale and sweating. He felt someone at his bedside and gazed up into Gloria Nathan's light brown face.
"You going to need this?" she placed a rubber pan in his lap to catch his vomit. Ryan groaned in immediate response and Gloria examined the bruising upon his forehead. "The swelling's gone down some. You'll need some Advil for the inflammation and the pain, and I think another ice pack couldn't hurt."
"I don't wanna puke."
"I'll give you something for that as well. Dr. Tate didn't note much on your chart. Everything go okay last night?"
"The guy's a dick. He even GO to medical school?"
Sympathetically Gloria smiled, amused by Ryan's surly nature. "Not every doctor has a first rate bedside manner, Ryan."
"I need to go back to Em City today, Gloria."
"Fine. But you're still going to be suffering from the concussion for a few more days. You did a number on yourself." She searched his features. "Tim told me this morning that Beecher is looking after Cyril."
"Lockdown's over?" She nodded as excitement flared within Ryan's gaze.
"We'll medicate you, and probably by lunchtime you'll be back to the pod. I'm taking you off of work detail until the vertigo stops; that should only last a couple of more days; IF you don't go bashing your head into any Plexiglas walls." Gloria touched Ryan's arm. "Sit tight, okay?"
"Yeah." Ryan's stare fixated upon the tile floor and he hoped that the medication would cure the rest of the fall out from his stupidity. If he wasn't dizzy, or could at least give the illusion he wasn't, and if the nausea abated, then there would be no reason why sex with Murphy wouldn't be a reality. The thought gave Ryan pause. Normally he didn't question his anxiousness to have sex; then again, his partners had always been women. What WASN'T there to get excited about? Equal parts of nervousness and anticipation circled around Ryan's stomach constricting the muscles into a rigid knot. "I want this." Whispered Ryan to himself, the discovery warming his insides. Ryan swallowed and wiped a hand back through his hair to clutch at the nape of his neck. Jesus, how the fuck had THIS happened? Ryan chained his thoughts before wonder could transform into fear. No, it didn't matter how he felt about Murphy, only that he DID feel. Relaxing, Ryan lowered his hand from his neck as a nurse brought him his medication.
Cyril hugged his brother tightly, relieved to see him back in Em City. "Ryyyyan!"
"Hey, Cyril." Soothed Ryan of the man-child's nearly painful embrace. "You been good?" Cyril assured him that he had, and motioned to Beecher and Keller who remained seated at the game table. Ryan interrupted his sibling's blow by blow description of the hours they were separated, and Ryan met Beecher's gaze. "Thanks."
Toby nodded, then motioned to Ryan's injury with the playing cards in his hand. "Nice."
"You've had worse. I'm going back to the pod and get some things taken care of before diner. You stay with Cyril a little bit longer?"
"Sure." Accepted Toby sitting forward in his chair. Ryan left, Toby's stare fixated upon his back. A brush of a hand upon his left thigh caught his attention and he looked at his Lover. "What?"
"You're not sticking me with babysitting detail-"
"Just for a couple of minutes. I'll be right back." Promised Toby upon laying his cards on the table and standing up. Not wishing to field anymore protesting, Toby abruptly followed Ryan's departure. He caught up with the Irishman on the stairs leading up to the second tier. "I've been meaning to ask you something-"
"Beecher, not now okay?" Ryan pressed the fingertips of his left hand to his temple and clutched the railing with his right hand. "I got the mother of all headaches I just need to clear, and I can't think right now. Whatever it is you want'll only distract me, no offense but fuck off."
"Fine." Declared Toby halting on the next to the top stair as he watched Ryan continue walking. "We'll talk later." Ryan did not like the tone of Toby's voice, or the determined expression on his face. Alarms went off in Ryan's head at the words, his gait slowing and weighted with dread. He didn't have the energy right now to care. Everything he had needed to be focused on healing himself. He needed to be with Murphy tonight.
"Hey, Dr. Nathan." Greeted Sean upon entering the staff lounge. Gloria smiled at him, pausing beside him as he poured his first of many cups of coffee. He offered her one, which she declined. "How's O'Reily? Heard he bunged himself up pretty good last night."
"He did." Gloria crossed her arms and leaned back against the counter ledge. "I released him this afternoon. He's stable, going to be suffering for a few more days but, he'll mend just fine."
Sean frowned. "Yeah? He got vertigo still?"
Gloria nodded. "Some nausea. As long as he takes it easy the next couple of days he won't suffer much." Carefully she studied Murphy's features. "You know that Ryan is a perpetual motion type of man, right?"
"I've observed, yeah." Murphy threw the stirring stick he used to mix the sweetener with the coffee in his mug, and lifted his rich stare to Dr. Nathan's. "Did you get any new guys on the roster today?"
Gloria shook her head. "Thankfully, no. They're all yours."
"Gee, thanks, Gloria. You got yourself a heart of gold."
"Don't let Tim hear you say that. He might think I actually love him."
"Don't you?" The smile from Gloria's face vanished as the conversation took a serious turn.
"I-" Gloria paused, dropping her arms to her sides then placing her hands into the pockets of her over coat. "I do, actually." She raised her head and stare, looking at Murphy as if he held the answers to every question she had ever asked. "Has he mentioned-I know it's not fair of me to ask but-"
"No, it's not, but for the record? Yes, he has."
"And?"
"And, that's best friend privileged information. You want to know how he feels, you should ask him and not me."
"You're a good man, Sean."
"Flattery huh? You trying to date me too?"
Gloria leaned forward and placed a hand upon Sean's shoulder. "Maybe I should have dated you instead."
Murphy shook his head. "I snore like a buzz saw swallowed by a bear, I leave the seat up, I can bleach my socks for ten hours and they won't ever be white again, and I'm EXTREMELY territorial about my beer, no, Gloria. Tim's your guy."
Gloria's smile widened. "That's nice to hear."
"Well," replied Sean toasting her with his mug as she withdrew her touch. "That's all you're getting out of me, Missy."
"I'll see you tomorrow."
"Drive safe." Murphy watched her exit the staff room, the pleasantries draining out of his manner instantly. Ryan was going to be pissed that he was going to enforce Dr. Nathan's treatment course, but he would just have to get over it. There was no way that Sean wanted to hurt the younger male in anyway, just because his libido had been craving the inmate's touch since he had first laid eyes upon him.
Murphy was relieved to find Ryan in the pod alone. He was seated on Cyril's bunk, staring at a magazine. Every few seconds his body would sway just a little, his eyes opening and closing in an exaggerated fashion. Murphy remembered concussions well from his boxing days, the Kid was trying to ensure that his vision would stay focused and the nausea wouldn't surface; a losing battle if ever Murphy had ever known one. "Sport fishing that interesting to ya?"
Ryan lit up like star burst at the sound of Murphy's voice. His enthusiasm caused the older man's heart to ache with the news he came baring. "Murph." Ryan rose to stand and dropped the magazine back onto the mattress, not caring if it landed on the floor or the bunk. "You're early. Counts not for another-"
"I know. I wanted to talk to you." Murphy crossed the distance that separated them, careful to keep his hands near his belt and off of Ryan. "Tonight you're just gonna sleep. Cyril's missed you, you've got the concussion and all-"
"Sean, I'm FINE." Ryan was not certain if panic was present in his tone, but he was assured that his anger lay there in spades. "It's almost been two fucking nights since you and I have talked to each other. My head is not gonna keep us apar-"
"Listen," soothed Murphy extending a hand out between them. "Just give yourself another night. You'll be better off for it. You sleep, and tomorrow night you and I will talk."
"Just 'talk'?" suspicion rolled across Ryan's features, and Murphy nodded.
"After that though? We can get friendly."
Ryan looked away from the CO, his sneer prevalent, his demeanor sour. "Fuck."
"Ryan-"
Ryan silenced Sean's cohering by looking him straight in the eye once more. "What about me? I need our talks, Murphy. We don't get horizontal, fine; but Jesus Christ; you said I could lean on you, and right now I need to."
Genuine concern rose in Murphy's tone, alertness to Ryan's possible manipulation of him be damned. "What's going on?"
"My fucking game is off. I can't think straight anymore." Ryan lowered his tone and clenched his teeth, looking quickly around to see if they were being observed by anyone. "I NEED to see you." Murphy felt himself weakening. "Please, Sean."
Murphy ran a hand down his face and rubbed his mouth for a few seconds as the pros and cons of his potential decision raced through his mind. "All right." He surrendered lowing his hand and motioning to Ryan. "But this is a conversation only meeting. And it'll be short, because I want you to rest. Understand?"
"Yeah." Smirked Ryan as he relaxed, relief washing over him. "Thanks."
"I oughta turn my fucking balls in, I don't deserve 'em after that play, O'Reily."
"I wasn't taking advantage." Assured Ryan sincerely. "I need to fucking see you, okay?"
"Okay, yeah, sure. Fine." Murphy took a couple of steps towards the pod door. "Remember what I said though; short. And no crying when I say we're done, all right?" Ryan used an extended finger to draw an X over his heart, then lowered his hand. Sternly Murphy glared at him, then exited the pod, not witnessing Ryan's sly beam of pleasure. Maybe his game wasn't that 'off' after all.
Murphy glanced at his wristwatch; it was almost two-thirty and therefore safe to rendezvous with Ryan. Reaching toward the control panel Murphy opened the O'Reily pod, his gaze longing for signs of Ryan. In the Beecher and Keller pod Toby rubbed his stiff neck. He had dozed off; his seated position on the toilet the perfect vantagepoint to test his theory. Keller had been successfully kept out of the loop, exhausted with sexual overtures and lay asleep in his bunk. The temporary crackdown on enforcement of the no fucking rule in Oz was still fresh in their minds. Weariness cleared instantly from Toby's mind the instant he saw Ryan O'Reily approaching the pod. Leaning forward he waited until Ryan passed, then Toby rose and moved to the front of the cell, his gaze sweeping from Ryan to Murphy at the control desk.
"Son of a bitch." Toby's whisper of disbelief went unheard by anyone, the sound remaining in his throat more then upon his lips. The two males met at the bottom of the second tier staircase, and they exited the main chamber side by side. Toby leaned his left wrist against the Plexiglas and pressed his forehead against it in turn. What in the HELL was going on? Dread twisted in Toby's veins as he hoped that the only honest CO in Oz wasn't involved in some illicit activity from the depths of Ryan O'Reily's depravity. Shit...
Before Murphy could reach for his radio, Ryan did. Surprised, yet cautious, Murphy allowed Ryan to strip him of both radio and utility belt and tried to mute a smile while he watched Ryan place both items upon the shelf. Finished, Ryan pressed himself against the CO, lay his head upon Sean's shoulder, and encircled his arms gently around him. Stroking one hand down Ryan's hair, the other down his back, Murphy embraced the inmate in return. They stood like that for several seconds of silence, until Ryan severed the quiet with his honey like tone.
"When I was with Shannon, I thought that I had everything y'know? I thought that being with her I had everything my dad never could with my Mom. I was going to be the best husband, and a father-shit; I even thought about kids." Ryan paused and stroked his cheek upon Sean's shoulder. "I thought that I could do it right. That marrying her would fix everything. But it didn't." Ryan raised his head slightly and turned it to face the hollow of Murphy's throat, his breath and lips barely touching Murphy's flesh. "I was still broken inside. No matter what I did, I still felt empty. I ran the streets, I screwed around, I got into trouble-and then I came here." Ryan closed his eyes and settled fully into Sean's arms. "Now the hole's gone."
Nothing more was said, the need for words had passed. One kiss; what would that hurt? Sean knew damn well that when he agreed to see Ryan that the end of their meeting would be punctuated by a kiss. How could he not? Ryan's lips were willing, his body aching to be comforted and loved. One kiss, just one, sweet, soul searing kiss. Like their first, only better. This time Sean knew for a fact that whatever Ryan's crimes were in the past, he was not manipulating anything now, but merely asking to be loved. Loved? Oh yes, and Ryan loved him in return, the fact more then obvious in the taste of his kiss.
Not more then ten minutes they had been gone. Toby paced until they returned, and skulked in the back of the pod until Ryan had passed and Toby was certain the Irishman was once more secured in his pod. Daring to risk exposure Toby returned to the pod face, and looking down saw Murphy kicking back in the console chair, clipboard in hand, the job on his mind. So what business had the two males discussed? Murphy raised his head, his stare upon the O'Reily pod as the gears in Toby's mind slipped into overdrive. Maybe Murphy had discovered Dr. Nathan's dirty little secret and had confronted Ryan about it. That probability seemed quite in character with the CO's reputation. Handle it quietly, effectively, and the innocent wouldn't be harmed. But if Dr. Nathan was involved with Ryan, she was far from pure. Perhaps he would confront her in the morning? Or maybe the situation was far worse, something more deviant then Toby wished to ponder. Sighing in frustration Toby extracted himself from his vigil and returned to the top bunk. He would just have to wait until the morning when he could question Ryan directly. While there were no guarantees he wouldn't be bullshitted, at the very least he would have a direction of suspicion to follow.
Go to next part.