Do I Know You From Somewhere?

[Deleted]

Tess Walker

It was one of his rare days off and Joel wanted to take full advantage of it. He spent what felt like 99 percent of his time rushing, going full speed and not sparing a thought for himself. He loved adrenaline, thrived on it in fact, but even he needed a break sometimes. However, even when he relaxed, he still needed that rush, which was why he was here today. He had been coming to this gym for about two years now, and was well known to the staff. They greeted him each day when he entered and he ignored them for the most part, never going past a slight nod in acknowledgment. He had too many things to do and did not want to waste time on time wasting pleasantries. Because of this, he was known as a cold unfeeling person and that was just the way he liked it.

He had a routine here. Every time he came, he did the same thing. Change in the locker room, half hour of cardio, and a half hour of various weight lifting. He changed what parts of his body he worked each day, but other than that, the routine was the same. Just the way he liked it. He was halfway his run on the treadmill when something caught the corner of his eye. Instantly, he was on alert. It was a old habit bred from being constantly on edge on one deployment or another. Normally, he did not put much thought into it, but today was different for some reason. He gave it a few minutes, and when it happened again, he decided to investigate further. 

Stepping off the treadmill, he wiped it and himself off with a towel and turned his head in the direction of the object or person he had seen. Upon further inspection, he ascertained that it was in fact a person, and a familiar one at that. Walking closer, he became more and more sure that he knew who she was, but was not totally sure. Still, he ventured a guess. "You wouldn't be Tess Walker would you"?

[Tess Walker]

Training, even the word sounded like more than she wanted from that day though Murphy’s was the one place that she felt reasonably comfortable trying to raise her game. Ever since the explosion she had barely scraped by on her physicals, her movement in her hip and leg was a little off at times and that hadn’t changed for years. No matter how much she worked it simply didnt want to play ball which was why she was back at the gym trying to make sure that she could at least get a fraction better for any impending physical she had.

Tess usually kept to herself when she was working out, she kept herself fully covered in the long sleeved gym shirt and zip top, the long gym trousers and combat gloves that served as her boxing gloves. It hid the burn scars from any prying eyes when she didnt want to have to go through the usual stares and explanations as she threw several punches at the bag. Light on the feet, tough on the knuckles she thought trying to stay as much on her toes as possible though the more she practiced the more tired and tougher it became.

She tried to get to the gym as much as possible but her hours changed, her shifts varied and there hadn’t been a week recently where she had managed to make any kind of schedule to go by. It was more a, ‘ohh look, spare hour’ sort of plan. It was while she was busy trying to tiptoe around the punching back with a slightly lopsided jumpy action she saw a guy looking at her, oh great just what she needed she thought as she punched the bag a little harder wanting to ignore the man. He would go away she figured until he walked closer as she tried to keep her eyes away until he spoke.

Great plan Tess, great it really worked as she stopped what she was doing out of breath as she looked at the guy. She was about to tell him where he could go when he said her name. “Urm... yeah, Hey that is my name yes.” She said as she studied the guy for a moment, her gun was where again she thought. Yes in her locker like she always did as she wondered how good of an idea that was if people knew her name at the gym. It wasnt exactly random as sure her name was available if you knew where to look but still.

“Hang on don’t I know you?” She asked trying to figure out where from as it wasnt recent or she would have placed a name or a face straight away. “Wait you’re a doctor right? Military?” She asked still not one hundred percent but if this was who her head was telling her it was they had worked together a while ago. At least their units and they had done she thought though what were the odds of the same city, same gym she thought.

Tag: @joel

[Deleted]

Looking back on it, Joel had to admit to himself that his actions could be looked at at borderline stalking, and cursed himself. This was not the kind of behavior he condoned much less took part in, but still there it was. However, as it turned out, he DID know this person, so that made it better, if only a little. It was almost amusing to watch her face go from annoyance to recognition, and yes, he did take some kind of pleasure in her discomfort, it was just the kind of person he was and he was not ashamed of it. 

His amusement increased  when it finally clicked with Tess who he was. Smiling, he crossed his arms in front of his chest, he did not like shaking hands. "Yes, I am a doctor. ER doc to be exact, and yes, I was in the military. In fact, I am certain that is where I know you from. If I am not mistaken, you were injured in a pretty significant blast not long before I was hurt myself and sent stateside. I was the one that worked on your in that joke of a hospital set up on the FOB (forward operating base) in Afghanistan. Glad to see you recovered". Surprisingly, he meant what he said. She had been one of his more difficult cases and if he could be so humble, some of his best work. It was good to see that not everyone he had worked on either dead or missing limbs.

This was still an awkward situation though,and he wanted like hell to get out of it. Thinking fast, he gestured to the indoor track they were currently standing next too. "I don't know about you, but I still need to get a bit of a workout in. Would you mind if we continued this conversation on the track?" He really did want to continue the conversation with a fellow vet, someone who could at least understand him at a basic level. But he really did need to get his heart going again.

Tess Walker

[Tess Walker]

Realising that she actually knew the guy at the gym put to rest a lot of the things that circled in her head. Sometimes being a cop had her jumping to the worst conclusions about everything instead of the good ones. Then again seeing the amusement over her lack of recognition at first was well had she know straight off who the guy was it might have gained him a sarcastic remark or at least a roll of her eyes but her lack of familiarity with him lead to the stare she chose to give him.

Tess withdrew her hand when he crossed his arms in front of his chest, “ER now, well that must be fun I mean you were always the action sort of guy from what I saw.” She said as she listened to him and nodded before she picked up on the fact that he mentioned being hurt himself. “Thanks for your work doc, that joke of an FOB and you saved my life so thanks for that. I’m glad to be recovered in whatever way I am, glad that you’re recovered from it too. You’re a great doctor, I’d hate to see your talents lost. Sorry to hear about you being hurt. How are you doing now?” She said sincerely, doctors and nurses were the guys who moved heaven and earth to fix people up.

It always stung when one of them were hurt or injured, after all saving lives wasnt taking them. In the beginning Tess thought her world had ended, especially at the FOB where most of it was a blur still. There were things she remembered, the smell mostly along with faces which included Joel’s. It felt like a life time ago and yesterday at the very same time. Tess knew she was lucky to get him that day or she was sure from what she had heard the results she got might not have been as good. Awkward it was she thought as she was glad when he spoke.

“Yes same here, I mean what would me new doctor think if I skipped my work out.” She said grinning, oh she had that conversation as many times as she had slept. “Sure lead the way to the indoor track.” She said as she made to follow him to the track. “So how are you finding stateside?” She asked knowing it could be difficult to adjust, she had her own issues in coming back so she could only imagine what it might have been like for him. The one thing about vets were sometimes only someone else who had been through similar could understand what was going on.

Tag: @joel