Doc groans laying in bed. he's in so much pain, he can barely move. he's miserable.

"I have court in 20 minutes." Doc mumbles. Lightning smiles slightly at his husband. he <i>looks</i> miserable. Lightning pats his hand gently, before kissing it.

"just hold on Hud, me and Sheriff are working on it." Lightning assured softly, leaning over him to attach a phone holder to the head of their bed.

"watch it." Doc hissed quietly with a wince. Lightning pulled back a little.

"sorry Hud." Lightning says. "okay its all set up." Lightning nodded. he looked at the cell phone on the night stand and crouched in front of it. "you get it set up Sheriff?" Lightning ask.

"I think so." Sheriff muttered. Lightning nods and clicks the phone into place. "alright Doc can you see anything?" Sheriff ask.

"just your big head." Doc snapped. Sheriff moved out of the way. "clear view of the whole court room." Doc mumbles.

"good. I'll get the room set up." Sheriff said walking off. Lightning crouched and paused the view smiling at Doc.

"see I told you everything would be fine." Lightning assured.

"shut up. everything is <i>not</i> fine!" Doc snapped. he hissed and moans lowly, eyes clinched shut tightly in pain.

"just stay still Hud." Lightning murmured, walking out of the room. Doc had been like this for three days, ever since he threw his back out. he was aching so bad he couldn't even get out of bed. Lightning had been doing his best to keep him comfortable. there was a bottle of pain relievers on the nightstand along with a cup of water, a lumbar pillow under his back, and he kept him from moving. Lightning came back in. "got your heating pad." Lightning murmured. Doc winced and took it, shoving it under his back the best he could before turning it on.

"thank you." Doc muttered through clenched teeth.

"you going to be okay?" Lightning ask.

"eventually." Doc winced. he sighed in relief after a moment, relaxing into the heating pad.

"here. I got these from the clinic for you." Lightning said setting a bottle of Bayer's back and body on the nightstand.

"thank you." Doc muttered, wincing. Lightning smiled, kissing his cheek.

"you take care of me. kinda nice to be able to return the favor, though I hate the fact it hurts you." Lightning said softly.

"m'okay. just old." Doc muttered.

"somethings get better with age." Lightning smiles.

"my back doesn't." Doc huffed. Lightning sighs a little, kissing his hand.

"you're on." Lightning murmured, turning the video feed back on.

"all rise for the honorable Doc Hudson." Sheriff called. Doc looked around, before his eyes settled on someone.

"Chick Hicks, why am I not surprised?" Doc ask. "Sheriff what are the charges here?" Doc ask.

"B&E, 2 counts of assault and destruction of private property." Sheriff said.

"boy you're in a lot of trouble." Doc glared. he looked over at Lightning. "let me see that file." Doc said. Lightning holds up the file and lets Doc look through it.

"aren't you supposed to be in here?" Chick snaps.

"boy if I were in there I'd be scarier. hold the attitude." Doc snapped, reading the file. he winced softly, reaching for a picture. immediately Lightning held it out to him. Doc grabbed it and looked it over. "who got hit?" Doc ask.

"he hit Red with a bat." Sheriff said. "nearly broke his leg when he cracked him in the knee with it." Sheriff added. Doc nods, Reds file from the hospital was in Lightnings hands.

"Reds okay?" Doc ask.

"yeah on crutches but he's fine." Sheriff assured.

"who else got assaulted?" Doc ask. Lightning looked away.

"kid did. saw Chick hit Red with a bat and came flying out of no where. lucky Chick didn't break a rib when he hit him with that bat after the kick cracked him in the head with a rock." Sheriff said. Doc turned his head to give Lightning a dirty look.

"mmhmm. I'll deal with that later." Doc muttered. Lightnings cheeks turned pink and he stared down at the file silently. "where did he break in?" Doc ask.

"Flo's. he hit her car with the bat and broke the front windshield." Sheriff said.

"where's your lawyer?" Doc ask looking at Chick.

"don't need one." Chick huffed.

"unacceptable." Doc snapped. "call his lawyer up." Doc said.

"I'll get on the phone with them." Sheriff said.

"alright, until I hear from his lawyer, throw him in a cell and wait." Doc said, reaching up to shut off the video. he turned to glare at Lightning, pulling the cell phone down.

"hi Hud." Lightning mumbled, ducking his head and grinning nervously, his cheeks turning a soft pink.

"do not 'hi Hud' me." Doc glared. "why am I just now hearing about this?" Doc ask. Lightning shrugged.

"happened night before last when I was on my way back over here from the clinic." Lightning mumbled. "he hit Red in the knee with the bat and I heard him scream. so I ran over and threw a rock at his head. he turned around and caught me in the ribs with his bat. Red used his good leg to trip him and then Sheriff arrested him and sent Red off to a hospital." Lightning shrugged.

"you didn't go?" Doc glared.

"you needed me." Lightning said. Doc sighed, rolling his eyes and dropping his head back into his pillow.

"baby, I threw out my back. you could have a broken rib or two." Doc said.

"my ribs are fine. I'm just bruised. I know what a broken rib feels like Hud. I promise I'm okay." Lightning assures. Doc frowned and hissed when his back spasmed.

"fuck." Doc hissed.

"are you okay? did you take the Bayers?" Lightning ask.

"no." Doc hisses through gritted teeth, face contorted in pain. Lightning frowned and grabbed the bottle, opening it.

"take this." Lightning said. Doc dropped back into the bed and winced, taking the pill and popping it into his mouth. he dry swallows it without a second thought. "don't worry about me. I'm okay. just some bruises." Lightning murmurs, grabbing his hand and kissing it. "come on Hud, if it were me laying in that bed with my back aching or maybe a cold or something, you would've beat Chicks ass, not caring if you got hurt, and then came back to me. you would've brushed it off and came back to take care of me with absolutely no mention of it." Lightning frowned. Doc sighed at him and shook his head, knowing Lightning was right. he groaned and immediately held his head still, wincing.

"I better not have to hear about it from Sheriff next time something like this happens. no matter what. even if I'm laying on my death bed, which I'm not so stop worrying over me, I don't want to have to hear it from someone else." Doc warned.

"okay." Lightning said, smiling a little. he stretches a little. "lunch?" Lightning asks.

"only if you're not cooking it." Doc muttered. Lightning huffed at him.

"jerk." Lightning glared. Doc smirked at him slightly. "do you want lunch or not?" Lightning glared.

"sure." Doc mumbles. Lightning nods and grabs his shoes. he's just about to head out the door when Doc grabs his arm. Lightning looked over at him. "thank you baby. I make a better doctor than a patient." Doc murmurs. Lightning snickers.

"yeah, you can say that again." Lightning teases, kissing his cheek. Doc snorts and pats his hand.

"go. I can hear your stomach growling." Doc said. Lightning laughed, getting up and heading for the diner. "bring me coffee." Doc said.

"of course, Hud." Lightning smiled. he hated that Doc was laying in bed in pain, but he liked it at the same time. he'd rather Doc be in enough pain he <i>couldn't</i> get up and make it worse. he walked into the diner.

"hey kid. Sheriff said you almost got murdered by Doc during court today." Flo said.

"yeah, Sheriff should learn to keep quiet about somethings." Lightning sighed. " m'lucky Doc can't get up." Lightning mumbled. Flo laughs softly, handing him a bag of food.

"just wait until he can. he'll beat you." Flo said. Lightning snorts and shakes his head.

"honestly, hope he gets back up soon. bothers me when he's down like this." Lightning frowned. Flo nods.

"I think it bothers everyone when Docs down, and we don't live with him." Flo said.

"yeah try waking up next to him at 6 AM, when he's purposely waking you because he's bored." Lightning chuckled.

"Doc? bored? now thats something I find hard to believe." Flo laughed. Lightning smiled and carried the bag out of the diner and back to his and Docs shared house.

"hope thats you kid." Doc called from their room.

"its me Hud." Lightning chuckled. he walked into the room and smiled. "think you can sit up or should I get the lumbar pillow?" Lightning ask.

"don't get that stupid thing." Doc hissed, glaring. he slowly sat up, wincing. Lightning watched him carefully.

"take it easy old man." Lightning murmured.

"I have been, for three days." Doc muttered. Lightning was careful as he sat on the bed.

"on the bright side you haven't just been utterly alone for three days." Lightning smiled.

"with you in town kid no one is ever utterly alone." Doc assured.

"thats true." Lightning shrugged. he folded his legs and handed Doc his food.

"you should eat at the table." Doc mumbles, taking it with a wince. Lightning passes him a fork.

"why so you can be alone?" he asks. Doc huffed.

"so you don't make a mess on the bed." Doc said.

"I'll wash the sheets. they need to be washed anyway. you hurt your back the day before we were supposed to wash them so they haven't been washed in over a week." Lightning says. Doc nods a little, wincing. "could get you up so you could go relax in the bath for a few hours. give me a chance to change them." Lightning added.

"probably wouldn't hurt." Doc mumbles.

"its what you'd tell me to do." he smiles.

"okay. you're right." Doc murmurs. "just let me eat. you're going to have to help me though." Doc mumbles, sounding almost guilty.

"okay." Lightning shrugs with a small smile. he takes a bite of his food and shakes his head at Doc. "when are you gonna get it through that head of yours that I don't mind helping you when you need it. you help me all the time. you've done this for me. remember when there was that like, 12 car pile up on the track and I spun out. I managed to avoid the pile up, but I hit one of the barriers and like had whiplash so bad I couldn't move for two weeks." Lightning ask.

"of course I remember. thought you were gonna end up dead." Doc glared.

"aren't you the one who told me to take is easy? relax and let you help. my neck hurt so bad I almost cried and you threw me in a hot bath, then helped me get dressed and carried me to bed once it was done." Lightning said. "may not be able to carry you, but I can help in other ways." Lightning murmured, smiling at him. Doc sighed a little. "I didn't marry you for no reason. I love you Doc." he adds softly.

"I know kid." Doc smiles slightly. "doesn't make me feel any less guilty." Doc said. "especially since you've been sleeping on the couch to keep from hurting me, bringing medicine to me and food. I owe you kid." Doc murmurs. Lightning raised an eye brow.

"owe me? you're crazy old man. eat your lunch." Lightning chuckled. "you don't owe me anything Hud. I think we're even actually. you love me and I love you so, even." he smiles.

"I'd hug you if it wouldn't kill me." Doc said. Lightning smiled at him. it was quiet as they ate.and once they finished, Doc seemed almost nervous to get up.

"I'll go start the water, I'll be right back, if you can, go a head and take those pants off. it'll be easier to get them off now than it would be in there." Lightning said heading for the bathroom. Doc watched him go before sighing and wiggling carefully out of his pant, wincing and stopping to hold his back. Lightning walked back in. "hips huh? you got further with those than I thought you would." Lightning chuckles.

"back hurts so bad my head hurts." Doc mumbled.

"nah you just wanted me to take your pants off for you." Lightning grinned. Doc snorted softly.

"if I wanted that all I have to do is ask." Doc smiles slightly. Lightning chuckled and helped him out of his pants and boxers before helping him up. it took them a few minutes to get him off the bed and once he finally got up he gripped Lightnings shoulder hard and let out a slow breath.

"you okay old man?" Lightning ask.

"not entirely." Doc mumbled, letting the younger help him to the bathroom. he helped Doc into the tub before helping him out of his shirt. the shirt was half way over Docs head when he yelped softly. "stop. <i>stop.</i>" Doc said quickly. Lightning immediately let go.

"sorry!" Lightning said nervously.

"no you." Doc winced. "back spasmed." he added after a moment. he relaxed slightly after a moment.

"you okay?" Lightning ask hesitantly.

"yeah help me get this off." he mumbles. Lightning nods and carefully, more carefully than before which he wasn't sure was actually possible. they got his shirt off and Lightning tossed it into the sink. he'd throw it in the washer with the bedsheets in a bit.

"just relax a little. I'm going to go strip the bed down and change the sheets and all that fun shit, so just shout if you need anything." Lightning said, shutting off the water.

"thanks kid." Doc mumbles. Lightning nods at him and leaves the room, taking Docs soaked shirt with him. Doc watches him go silently, sinking into the tub. he's lucky to have someone like the younger around to help him. he was even luckier to have the man as his husband. he let himself relax into the warm water. '"hey." Doc called after a few minutes. Lightning poked his head in.

"yeah?" he ask.

"let me see your ribs while I'm in the light." Doc said. Lightning rolls his eyes and disappears around the corner, before coming back. he took his shirt off and crouched in front of the tub. Doc hadn't seen the younger without a shirt since before he threw his back out. he reached out gently, feeling the bruise across the youngers chest carefully. Lightning flinched under his touch. "sorry." Doc murmurs.

"its fine." Lightning assures. "just a little tender." he said. Doc nods and drops his arm back into the water.

"okay. I just wanted to see how bad he hurt you." Doc murmurs. Lightning smiled a little and grabbed his shirt as he stood. he wented back to their room and finished making the bed. he started the laundry then came and sat on the floor beside the tub, watching Doc. "you don't have to just sit in here and be bored." Doc murmurs.

"not bored. I've got you." Lightning smiled, looking down at his lap. "brought your crossword. you haven't been able to do it for a few days so, figured I could right answers." Lightning shrugged. Doc laughed a little dropping his head back against the tub.

"I don't deserve you kid." Doc smiled.

"hmm. too bad they're not asking for a three letter word meaning stupid, cause the answer is you." Lightning murmured. Doc smiled watching him. together they filled out the puzzle, letting Doc soak until the water cooled. Lightning easily helped him out, he was moving easier now so the bath seemed to have work, and helped him get dressed. he chuckled a little as the younger helped him into bed.

"thanks kid." Doc murmurss softly. Lightning smiles at him. "come lay with me a bit." Doc said.

"but it'll hurt you." Lightning said.

"I'll be fine. I have my heating pad and my Bayers. I'll be fine. I just need you." Doc murmurs softly. Lightning smiles a little and cuddles up with him. "thanks for taking care of me kid." Doc says, kissing his head.

"you do the same for me all the time. it's nice to be able to return the favor." Lightning smiles. Doc chuckles a little and holds him, settling into the bed and his husband. "just don't hurt yourself." he adds.

"I won't hurt myself. just let me hold you." Doc said. Lightning smiles and cuddles him.

"m'kay but no promises I'm not going to fall asleep... its been a few days since I've been able to curl up with you." Lightning said.

"its been three days." Doc said. Lightning shrugged a little, laying his head on Docs shoulder.

"yeah but I missed you." he murmurs quietly. it makes Docs heart hurt just little when he thinks about how much the younger actually loves him.

"I missed you too Monty." Doc murmurs softly, kissing his head. "missed you too." he repeats and holds slightly tighter.