However, later that day, while she was busy cleaning a five-year-old girl’s cut knee, there was no avoiding Scott when he strode unannounced into Clarke’s exam room.
“What do you want?” Clarke asked, not bothering to hide her irritation. It was one thing for him to strut down the halls like he was Chancellor of the corridors. It was another for him to barge into her exam room when she was with a patient.
He waved a bruised and swollen finger in front of Clarke’s face and smirked. “You won’t believe it, but that bitch actually bit me when I was cuffing her.”
“Watch your language, please,” Clarke hissed, shooting a glance at the little girl staring at Scott wide-eyed from the exam table.
He laughed unpleasantly. “I’m sure she’s heard worse. She looks like a Waldenite.”
Clarke narrowed her eyes. “Aren’t you a Waldenite?” she asked, doing her best impression of Glass and her snooty friends.
He ignored the jab and took a step closer. “I’m in need of your services, Doctor,” he said in a voice that somehow managed to be both mocking and vaguely threatening.
“If you’ll just take a seat outside, I can look at that for you after I’m done with Cressida here.”
“Well I’m sure little Cressida”—he tilted his head in the girl’s direction—“would understand that a member of the guard suffered a painful injury while subduing a threat to the Gaia Doctrine this morning. And that I am in a hurry to get back to my work protecting this ship.”
Clarke fought the urge to roll her eyes. She just managed to keep her expression neutral while she sprayed a skin regenerator on Cressida’s knee, gently affixed a bandage over it, and patted the girl on the leg. “You’re all set. Just keep it clean and dry until tomorrow, okay?”
Cressida nodded and hopped down from the table, running out the door to her mom, who waited just outside.
Clarke turned to Scott and held out her hand. He placed his wrist in her palm and winced as she uncurled his swollen finger. “You’re going to need to see the actual doctor for this,” she said, releasing her hold and stepping back.
He raised his eyebrows and gave her a humorless smile. “Who? The old guy you follow around all day? No thank you.”
“Dr. Lahiri is the most respected doctor on the ship.”
“Yeah, well, he’s not who I want checking out my other injury.”
“What are you talking about?”
“That piece of Arcadian trash also tried to kick me. I knocked her down, but she managed to knee me in a rather sensitive area, if you know what I mean.”
Clarke sighed. “Is there bruising?”
“I haven’t had time to look,” Scott said with a smirk. “Don’t you want to do the honors?” He reached for his belt buckle as he stepped toward Clarke.
“I should call a nurse,” Clarke said, moving toward the intercom.
“Now, just hold on a second.” Scott grabbed Clarke’s arm with his good hand and pulled her back. “I don’t need a nurse. I just need you to do your job… Doctor.”
Before he could utter another word, the door behind him banged open, and Wells strode in, looking even taller than usual in his officer’s uniform. Scott snapped to attention, his gaze locking on the floor. Clarke couldn’t help but smile at Wells over Scott’s shoulder.
“I’m sure you’re not preventing this medical apprentice from getting her work done, are you?” Wells asked, his voice stern, but his eyes playful.
“No, sir,” Scott said stiffly.
“Glad to hear it, Guard. Carry on with your rounds.”
“Yes, sir.”
Clarke stifled a grin until the door clicked shut behind Scott, then stepped over to Wells and wrapped her arms around him. He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly on the lips.
“Thank you, Officer Jaha.”
“You’re welcome, Medical Apprentice Griffin.”
Clarke was exhausted. She hadn’t eaten anything since the previous evening, and all the food they’d taken to the crash site had gone to the survivors. The team had taken turns leading the survivors back to camp, and there were only a few injured left to deal with. She had put it off as long as she possibly could, but there was no way to avoid treating Scott. He sat on a log at the edge of the clearing, looking up at her as she approached.
“I thought you’d never get to me,” he said, his lips pressed together into something resembling a grin.
“I’m sorry about the wait,” Clarke said, hoping that maybe he wouldn’t recognize her after all the months she’d spent in Confinement and her weeks down on Earth.
“It’s okay, Doc. It took me this long to come to Earth just so you could finally show me your bandaging skills. I believe we were interrupted last time.”
Clarke’s heart sank. Scott knew exactly who she was, and he hadn’t grown any more charming since she’d last seen him.
“Let’s see what’s going on here.” She gestured for him to show her his wrist. He held out his hand to her, and she took it, her stomach churning in protest as she made contact with his clammy skin. She turned his hand over, moving it gently back and forth and from side to side.
“So you’re a real doctor finally?” Scott said. “I guess that means you can’t afford to get all squeamish during examinations now.”
“Not exactly,” Clarke replied without looking up. “I never finished my training, but I’m the closest thing we’ve got down here.”