Chapter Text
"Did you know about them?"
"No," Michael answered truthfully, holding the fence between them as a lifeguard.
Stress was building within as time ran through his fingers, from the transfer to these look alikes, everyone would be watching them now extra carefully because of it.
"Then where the heck did they come from?" Lincoln demanded, not from Michael but from the damn universe. "This is seconds away from being some creepy horror flick, pod people extravaganza coming to fuck with our lives."
"You think mom and dad had children before us?"
"No, what reason could they then have to hide them away from us? And it would have come up in some paperwork or something."
"Then I don't know Lincoln..."
"Will they be a problem?" Lincoln question after his brother grew silent. He could almost hear the gears going full speed in the other's head.
"Don't know that either but time is becoming one," Michael confessed, looking down to the gravel by their feet.
"What you mean?"
"The schedule is off but I'll handle it, working on a idea."
"See that you do Michael, going on borrowed time here."
---
The yard was filled and many were side glancing or full on starring them down with wide eye looks while whispers or talking loudly. Some even shouted at them for amusement, commentary or questions. All which was smartly ignored.
Would be stupid to cause a altercation so early in the game.
Shifting on the bench and leaning back, Mick tilted his head slightly to the side where the other stood beside the bleacher and remarked with a scoff "So much for blending in with the crowd, boss."
"It's not a problem," persisted Snart glancing to the tearful looking moment by the death row yard. Seems Mick's double have done something really bad or pissed off the wrong people.
"So what's the plan?"
"The first thing on the to-do list is currently: one, find the people with pull-" Showing one finger and adding as he went along-" Two, scope out the place and three, find out if they're metas or clones- because I rather keep my face to myself- and four, set up a meeting with my lawyer. But not necessarily in that order."
"Lawyer?" Mick repeated with a cocked brow and earned a telling smirk.
"Mhm, she's great at springing a fella out of a tough situation."
As realisation dawned on him, Mick gave an understanding "Ah."
"Exactly.. As for our wandering look-alikes, who knows, they might become handy to us."
---
"Still can't believe it."
Sara said it with disbelief, eyes roaming the pictures in the open files spread out on her desk of what must felt like a tenth time in the span of 5 minutes. "I mean they're identical in almost every way."
"Except for age," nurse Katie remarked unhelpful from behind the doctor's shoulder. "And last name, not that that mattered much with the confirmed brothers."
"But how can they not all be brothers or at the very least the look alikes not be?" Sara question while picking up Scofield's mugshot along with Snart's to compare. "I feel like I'm on Hidden Cameras or something and this is all just a big joke."
"Don't we all," her coworker nodded and leaned over to take one of the pictures to study the inmate's face. "I mean if they are, it's very unfortunate that they all became criminals but if they aren't then maybe it's just their faces that pulls in the bad influence."
"It's amazing that they don't know of each other thought. With a criminal record for most of their lives, there had to be a mix up with their images at some point.. Right?"
"Or they're just lying themselves blue and do know each other, prisoners do lie."
"But for what purpose would they get from this?" Sara asked baffled.
"Don't know but no one said there had to be, sometimes inmates do the strangest of things for no visible reason."
"You're right when you're right.. Still it's so surreal."
Leaning against the desk Katie asked with sympathy "You know what you gonna do yet?"
"Think so, I know a place that might be able to help clear this whole mess up," Sara answered while putting back the pictures and picking up Leonard Snart's medical file to read through since she already quite familiar with Michael's.
"You thinking blood tests?"
"Yeah, gonna have to be the best bet since the documents are coming up short. Plus it's kinda the only way I as a doctor can help here." Shrugging in hopelessness but at least it was something that could help clear this all up. "At least this one doesn't have type 1 diabetes or anything of the likes," Sara then jokes with a laugh.
"But a bit of scarring, and taking a wild guess it's not from juggling knives and guns in the circus," Katie noted when a page was lifted and they both could see the examings report of his physical appearance.
"I bet. Although no tattoos, full body or small."
"That reminds me, Warden wanted to me to make sure you take extra care in looking into inmate Rory's file."
"Why?" Sara asked concerned, switching to the file that read 'Mick Rory'. The mugshot showing an angrier and meaner looking version of Scofield's brother Burrows with facial hair, hard to imagine that was possible.
The nurse shrugged a bit unsure about the full details "Something about burns and to tell staff on hand that he's a fire hazard."
"A fire hazard? Like a pyromaniac or something?"
"Must be, what else could he mean?" Katie responded before pointing sternly at her colleague. "Sudden combustion or Omen style fire setting powers, because if that's happening I'm looking for a new job."
"Pick me up on your way out," Sara chuckled before finding the correct section of the file. "He has the diagnosis pyromaniac but is also a arsonist."
Looking confused the nurse crossed her arms "There's a difference?"
"Oh yeah," grabbing a thick book from her small collection Sara flipped through it before stopping and read a shorten piece from it. "Pyromania is classified as an impulse control disorder because the person fails to resist the impulsive desire to set fires, as opposed to the organized planning of an arsonist."
"Wonderful," Katie said sarcastically. "Double the danger, and not be that sort but he should be in isolation if I decided."
"Although," Sara carried on without faltering. "Its very rare to actually meet a pyromaniac since it's barely one percent that is reported to be classified as an pyromania out of the whole population."
"Didn't know it was that rare, you hear the word all the time so I kinda just assumed it was common. Is there a treatment?"
"Yes but nothing really concrete since it's barely studied. But according to his file, attempts has been made but none which seem to have worked on our patient Rory here. I don't see any medication or therapy requirements in here for us to fulfill."
"Well that's less comforting for everyone involved."
"I'll see if I can't try and get him to partake in treatment," Sara decided and scribbled down on a note to try and find a good person to help her treat him if he allowed it.
"Good luck hun, you'll need it."
"Thanks for the words of confident. Now to these burns-" cutting off to immediately hiss in sympathy as the images and description of the damages was revealed. "It's third-degree burns."
The burns had scarred and thickly so, running down from the shoulders to the arms only to stop at the wrists. As well as on one side of his torso that creeped under one of his breasts.
Katie shook her head "What did he do? Try and kill himself?"
"Almost succeeded by the looks of it.. Think I'm gonna have to do some homework about burns and aftercare to refresh my memory."
"You clearly have your work cut out for you, I'm here if you need me," she assured and rubbed Sara's shoulder comforting.
"Oh I'll definitely need it."
---
"Stop staring," Michael said pointedly between bites, eyes not needing to leave the tray to sense his cellmate looking towards the foodline.
"I can't help it, it's too freaky man," Fernando declared, tearing himself away from where the fake 'Michael' and 'Lincoln' were. "Plain wrong- You sure it's not a distant brother or something?"
"Quite."
Shoveling food inside his mouth, Sucre pointed his fork at his cellie "It's like the evil twin of you walking around. How am I to tell the difference huh?" The other just shook his head in amusement.
"See what if I mistake him for you and spill the beans about the you-know-what?" Michael's eyes snapped up at him at that. "Mm, see now I got your attention.. This could be bad. He could do something stupid and you might be pinned for it, thrown in the hole. Or worse, killed."
"That is a problem.."
Sucre nodded before scrubbing at his scalp in worry. Maricruz needed him to be out, those two clones could fuck it all up.
"What the hell is that?"
They both jumped, having missed how the mafiosa had come up beside them and leaned in close over their table.
Abruzzi pointed sharply at the two new inmates walking across the area and claiming a table. "Am I gonna expect more brothers to pop up huh? Or is this somehow part of your master plan, Fish?"
"They ain't brothers," supplied Sucre helpfully but quickly drew back a bit when John gave him a sharp glance.
"Do I look stupid to you, take me for an idiot-"
"I don't know who they are," Michael injected with a serious expression that caught the other off guard. "Neither does my brother. We don't know why they look like us but they do, we can't do anything about that. But the plan is still a go."
John scoffed unconvinced and unamused even if he wore a smile that would say otherwise "You're joking." They knew better by now.
"Afraid not but I wouldn't mind knowing more about them."
"Find out if they're trouble-" Fernando added but Abruzzi easily threw back "We're in prison, everyones trouble."
"But you know as well as me that there's different types of trouble," Michael reminded.
"This is ridiculous," John sneered, shaking his head and leaving them without an answer but neither with a defined 'No'.
"He took that well."
"But it wasn't a rejection," Michael hummed, scooping up some chew onto his fork before giving a light kick to Fernando's leg as he attempted to steal another glance.
Hissing, Fernando rubbed at his knee with a glare "Ay, careful! I don't like what they're turning you into. When will the Warden get those damn answers?!" It earned him a chuckle.
"We're all meeting the Doc after this, so hopefully soon."
---
Bellick knocked on the window to signal their arrival, the Warden and Doctor Tancredi could be seen talking trough the windows of her office as the group was lead inside the infirmary.
"Captain, I hope everything went well yesterday?" Pope asked while eyeing the row, still finding it strange to see such a sight.
"Yes sir, smooth sailing through the night."
"It's astonishing," Sara could help but slip out as she came face to face with the prisoners as they stood next to one another. The resemblance was uncanny, only after a while could she visibly see the small differences.
"I know," Michael's double voiced, surprising her and snapping her out of staring to look at him. Snart wore a sly grin which she never seen on Michael. "We're quite lucky in the looks department." It was said in a matter of fact sort of way.
"We're masterpieces," Mick carried on boosting with a wide grin and tone full of confidence. "We should be stealing ourself from museums."
Sara was unable to suppress the small smile that tickled her lips upward.
"But that aside let's keep this professional, Doctor," Snart reminded in the illusion of being thoughtful but clearly teasing.
Feeling like she was humoring children, Sara nodded "Of course," then glanced to the Warden who took the cue without pause.
"Now Doctor Tancredi here is going to help us with our little problem, and I expect full cooperation from all parties so we can get this quickly sorted and behind us."
"We're going to take a few blood samples and have them sent to a lab to see what they can find. Hopefully it'll result in some answers," Sara informed the prisoners with an encouraging tone as she put on clean gloves. "I'm sure you gentlemen must be as confused as us and looking for answers."
"If they're not lying their asses off," snorted Bellick.
Ignoring the comment Sara motioned to her coworker who joined them "Nurse Katie is going to assist me so you can get back as quickly as possible."
Both established brothers were first in line while the rest waited restlessly along with the guards, who unnoticeably missed how a sly hand was nicking things here and there for amusement while the other eyed at a bottle of alcohol with a fire warning label on it.
As the needle pierced the skin, Lincoln asked "How long will it take?"
"Got somewhere to be?" Bellick couldn't help but mock while the Doctor answered. "With Nurse Katie helping, I would say only a few minutes, 10 minutes tops-"
"I was talking about the blood results."
"That's harder to say, it depends on the lab and if they have time and resources available at this moment," Sarah pause to think it through before answering "Maybe a few weeks or a month at most."
Lincoln scoffed at that and the Doctor immediately froze as it hit her.
He would be dead by then.
The mood of the room turned painfully silent with a sobering tension that causes some to shift restlessly on their feet. And the newcomers to glance at one another with a confused and a musing expression.
After a few seconds it burst as one of the guard's talkie came to life with orders.
"Did the room get a bit colder there or was that just me?" Leonard hummed to his partner, who finally tore his eyes away from the bottle completely.
"Feel like I'm at a funeral... Hate funerals, never any good food or beer, just a bunch of weepy people."
"Quiet down," Bellick ordered with annoyance.
Sara watched Scofield with worry before clearing her throat and continuing with her task while saying under her breath, "Quite colorful bunch those two."
"That is one way to describe them," Michael said yet was looking towards his brother with concern. Fingers inching to grab hold of the other. To be so close but to not even be allowed to hug him was hard, especially with that dark expression on his face.
"..How you holding up? With the whole-" she nodded towards the look-alikes.
"Don't know. Think the shock is still present but once it's lets up I'll get back to you on that," she could see him give a weak smile for a moment before it fades.
"Please do."
Eyeing him, Sara wondered if it was the appropriate time to bring up Lincoln and her father. But when he glanced back at her, Sara averted her eyes and quickly chose to leave it for later, when they would be alone.
"Well it's time to take my leave," Pope declared, smoothing out invisible lines on his suit while giving a nod to his hard working staff. "Everything seems in order and in capable hands."
"Actually while they're both here," Sara spoke up while finishing up with Scofield. "Snart and Rory, maybe I can go ahead and do their mandatory check ups once the blood samples have been collected?"
"I don't see why not," Warden agreed but glanced at the senior officer in case of any interference that he would have. "Bellick?"
"We wouldn't have to run back and forth unnecessarily, sir."
"Then proceed. You know to contact me Doctor if there is any news."
"Of course sir, have a good day."
"And to you."
Scribbling the name onto the label, Sara nodded to Bellick "We're done. I can continue with Snart in my office and check everything else at the same time. Katie, you ok with doing Rory's blood test?"
"Sure," while sending a 'Stick me with the nutcase why don't cha' Sara's way.
"You heard the Doc," Bellick turned to two of the officers, "Take Burrows and Scofield back."
As Leonard Snart was lead into her office Sara couldn't help but look after Michael with a twist of worry. An emotion which always seem to fill her whenever he was near or talked about.
"He's ready."
Turning to the guard, she nodded and walked in.
"Hello mister Snart, I'm Doctor Tancredi and I'm afraid I'm here to take some blood. You may remove your jacket if you wish," she told while removing and putting on new gloves, falling easily back into doctor mood. "And I hope you're not too uncomfortable with needles."
No movement suggested that the jacket would be removed instead an arm was already presented with the sleeve rolled up. "I've had worse," he told dryly while studying her closely while she tried to do the complete opposite and unnaturally so. It was very telling.
The drawl like accent threw her off as she heard it up-close. It was the same voice but different words and sounds, it was so strange to experience. Like twins growing up in different parts of the country, and in this case maybe that was closer to the truth than anything else.
"As sad as that sounded, least it'll go quick and without problem."
And true to her words, it did.
As she wrote 'Snart' on each tube, Sara couldn't help but start small talk to fill the air while also checking her patient's state of mind, "So nervous about the test?"
The inmate stared her down before glancing away casually and nonchalant while answering, "Can't say that I am, althou I'm admittedly curious. After all it's not everyday I get to see myself in 3D."
The personality was also different, it gave off a whole other vibe. Good or bad, she didn't know yet but like any prisoner there was always a healthy amount of caution.
"I would bet," she agreed, putting away the vials before following his line of sight which lead to the other double outside, who was staring boredly into thin air while blood was withdrawn as Bellick breath down his neck.
It looked as if the rough criminal wasn't aware of the onlookers, or maybe he did but didn't care...
"Known Rory a long time?"
For a moment Sara didn't think he would answer the curious filled question but then he turned to her with a short "Yes."
Not one to fall back, she continued "Must be strange to know someone a long time only to find out they might be your long lost brother- That is if the results come back in that favor."
"Let's hope not," Len said then leaned forward on the bed, bringing their faces closer which she immediately drew back in surprise. "Otherwise I've broken some unsavory rules unknowingly," he shared with a secretive glint.
Sara wore a confused expression as the inmate drew back. His next words throwing her off the subject before she could look closer at it.
"Now how about that check up? Don't want to stress you Doc but I do like that stroll I'm entitled to by the ever giving law that is human rights," Snart sighed as if grown bored and restless from waiting.
"Right," she moved to grab the stethoscope around her neck. "I'll just be checking your blood pressure then a quick blood sugar test-" Sara catched the glance and added a explanation-"Just to check, you would be surprised by how many find out they're diabetic or something similar once they end up in prison."
"Not really."
There was something heavier behind those casual words, not only cynical, and immediately as a doctor who wish to help and heal she wanted to hear more. For him to share about his life experience. How he got here and what pushed him down this road to become a criminal. Yet prisoners didn't appreciate doctors or staff digging for their 'cry story' unless they indicated so.
"Then I'll check your ears, eyes and throat," she continued to list off as she wrapped his upper arm and started pumping with air. "As well as your weight and height to check that the files are to date."
Keeping a naturally blank expression he nodded "Don't let me stop you," while eyes drifted around the office in disinterest but in truth Snart was checking for anything worthwhile that could help him in any sense.
Once done she scribbled down the results before motioning for him to stand on the scale and then to the measurement stuck on the wall while continuing to add notes.
"Anything you wish to tell me about your medical history?"
"Physical or mental?"
Looking up at that with questions on her lips, Sara stopped when it became clear that he was pulling her chain by the look on his face. So instead she asked "So no heart problems or similar in the family?
"Can't say there is," Then a cold and cruel smile appeared as Snart shared further, "Even if it was 'heart' that in the end was what did dear old dad in."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"I'm not."
It was comments like those that alway unnerved people but which Sara had been warned and prepared about before going into this job. At least this one wasn't lewd or threatening towards her. For all she knew the father could be the very reason the man was a criminal, she didn't know but she pocket it for later.
"You may take your seat again."
Pulling the small wheeled table along as she stepped closer to him, Sara tried her best not to act too tense or skittish, in fear that it would be taking in the wrong context. He wasn't Michael, she knew that but she couldn't help the light fluttering deep in her stomach and from becoming nervous in a shy manner as she shined her penlight at his eyes.
The eyes were harder than the younger counterpart's, and enhanced by the light, very blue.
Clicking off the penlight she made him follow the motion of her finger. There was a disciplined edge to them, holding emotions in check and withholding any that might try to slip out. Eyes closed off and guarded like a seasoned criminal and prisoner. Sara'd seen similar traits in old-time inmates.
Scofield's was more open and friendly even if cautious to prodding from her part, and foolishly endearing with a snarky comment or two.
Same face but two very different windows to the soul.
Drawing back slightly Sara took in his face fully. Thin and almost invisible lines around his mouth and at the corner of his eyes from the added years Michael hadn't lived yet. With a not as clean shaved chin as a light shade of stubble spread over it. Maybe it was the age difference or they really weren't so alike after all.
She returned to his eyes to find that he was studying her back just as closely- maybe even more so than she was.
Yet in spit of it all there was a odd glimpse of charm to Snart which she knew to be careful about. She wasn't stupid, he may be funny and say the right things along with his friend but he was dangerous. Majority of the people in here was.
When he flicked his eyes to the hovering finger to his left, she snapped out of it and cleared her throat embarrassed while dropping her hand to fetch the otoscope while saying "Everything looks good, now if you could turn your head I'll check your ears."
He said nothing which almost made it worse because it made her want to look at him to see if there was anything that could tell her what he wasn't saying.
The sound of the door opening slightly and glancing up they could see Bellick checking in silently. She gave him a tight smile before continuing with her procedure.
"Any problems with your hearing?"
"Can't say I have."
"Good, they're nice- uh clean and healthy."
".. I'm sure every imminent old lady will be pleased," he drawled, not making any remarks on her slip. And again tempting a smile from her.
While switching tools to a tongue depressor he popped open his mouth and stuck out his tongue flat without waiting for her to ask. It speed up the process but she felt he was doing it to indulge her more than anything. Once done, she moved on to touching lightly with her fingers at the throat to feel for any irregularities, and to finally break the silence again with something that had been tickling her thoughts the whole day since reading it.
"So.. Captain Cold and Heatwave?"
Not having anticipated the prison Doctor to be the first to say or find their 'titles', Snart appeared surprised for a split second before grinning "Some high school nicknames always seem to stick whether you want them to or not."
Sara didn't know if he was telling the truth or messing with her.
"I read it in the news article," she confessed nodding her head to the paper on the office desk while withdrawing her hands. It had been vague, too focused on the missing artifacts than the thieves.
"Any good headshots?"
"Nope, you two were kinda lost in the small print thanks to the whole missing jewels part," she told while resisting to ask where they hide them because there was no reason for him to tell her.
"Knew I shouldn't have worked in the jewel business, they always draw the attention to themselves," Snart sighed while shaking his head. "There's always pictures of the overpriced stone beads but never the robber."
"I'm sure your publicity won't suffer too much-"
There was a sharp knock on the door and Bellick motioning to his wristwatch now, he didn't look happy but was trying to hide it behind badly faked politeness.
"Don't want to forget about Mick," Snart said as if she needed a reminded on top of the officer's.
Mouthing to the man outside 'Just one more', Sara reached for her diabetic check kit that was always close by.
"Don't worry, he'll get his turn in a moment, just gonna take some more blood and we should be wrapping up. Unless you have anything to share or ask?"
"No."
"I don't think I'll have to warn you that'll sting," she said while piercing the tip of his finger and sampling it before sticking it into the small calculator sized machine. "There's something called glucose that we all have inside of us, now the average glucose for the non-diabetic is about 100 milligram and a number heighley above that is diabetic territory."
"You don't say, how educational."
They stared down each other until the machine beeps.
"104 miligram," she trailed off in in a somewhat baffled tone. Not diabetic..
"You sound surprised," he remarked with a brow raised.
"Oh no it's.."
"I'm not him you know," Snart watched her snapped out of whatever had held her and he flashed her a grin once more. "I'm may be quite handsome but I know you're not stopping to stare for my rugged looks."
"Excuse me?" she blinked at him.
"I see how you stare at him and now me."
Eyes widen and her heart skipped a beat, the casualness of his tone didn't match his inappropriate comments.
"I don't-"
"You must be quite familiar with him."
"Mister Snart-
"I mean he is your patient, one that visits frequently," Snart theorised as if he was just finding out more about his look-alike."Or you're doing something very inappropriate." The last part was added as a 'joke'.
"He is a patient," Sara confirmed, feeling relief and some uncomfortable guilt before taking note of the long awaiting stare. "For which I'm not legally allowed to tell nor would I if I could."
"I'm a curious guy, can't blame me for trying."
Sara didn't believe the innocent remark for a moment and hummed in a unconvinced tune "Mhm, we're done here."
"What's the verdict? A cold grave in my crystal ball?"
"Sorry to disappoint." Dirty gloves were removed as she finished her notes up and the guard walk in. "It's a clean sleight of health."
"There goes my sick alimony, so close," Snart said while being lead out. Eyes catching sight of the window and the cable that hung between the building and wall just before being pulled out.
And Mick in.
As the man was unloaded on the examination table, Sara could see Bellick make a move to his handcuffs and giving her a raised brow in question. Asking silently if she wanted the prisoner to be restrained which was answered with a shake of her head.
"I can stay if you want Doctor," Bellick offered lastly as he paused before he was about to turn away.
Seeing the offer for what it was, Mick Rory being intimidating and able to cause damage quick if he wanted and it didn't help that he was labeled 'questionably unstable'.
Yet taking the offer without the inmate having misbehaved lead often to a negative reactions in the patient. Either they closed off hard in fear or distrust, or they grew more confident in their violence. But at the core talking about one's health which often could go into sensitive and private directions were harder to speak about in the present of a guard, it would only make her job harder.
And with such a badly burned patient Sara wasn't going to risk it for a second.
"I'm fine thank you."
"I'll just be outside if there is anything."
The last part aimed at the inmate more than to her but Mick didn't respond in anyway.
Sporting new clean gloves, Sara finally gave the person in the room her full attention. Dressed just like Snart with standard prison jacket still on which oscured her from seeing the damage on his body.
The man gave her an annoyed but mostly bored look, and somehow the intimidation of him lessen. There was no trace of either the 'lunatic' or the funny guy from before. Maybe hospitals and medical staff bored him? It wasn't hard to imagine him getting carted back and forth from them with his problems.
"Mister Rory, I'm Doctor Tancredi. I'll be performing some simple checks on you to make sure you're all healthy and if need be given proper help if anything comes up. Sounds good?"
There was a small grunt of indifference.
Standing up with file in hand she motioned to the scale, "I would like to start with weight and height. Then before going further with other tests I would like to check on your scarring."
Mick didn't bother replying and she didn't seem to expect him to as he stepped onto the scale. Not even watching the numbers that would be displayed, having no use or care about that sort of information.
Expect for a heist of course.
More than once Len had demanded a precise number of his current weight. Something about elevators or air vents. Then annoyingly making sure Mick weighted himself on the day of the plan, just in case of any sudden additions or loses.
Frustrating when a guy was hungry.
Sara found herself having a harder time starting up conversation. Some prisoners wanted less talk and others didn't, just like in hospitals. A jail sentence didn't change that behavior. So she let her eyes trail sneakily to the face as she came up to his side.
While she didn't see Lincoln as regularly as Michael, although that was changing with the coming execution, Sara could still see the strong twin like resembles. Yet out of all the felons, this pair could take longer to pair up than with the other two.
It was easier to see that Rory was in fact older compared to the less obvious signs on Snart. Deeper visible lines. The beard along with a downturned scowl helped in that factor too and the voice was much deeper and rougher.
Maybe the nose was thicker too? Or broken..
Focusing back on the notes, Sara informed "Good all set, you're still the same height but lost a very little amount of weight but nothing that makes me need to change anything file wise," Before putting the file down and tried appearing reassuring and non-judgmental for the next part. "Now if you would remove your uper clothing, I'll check those burns."
The clothes were removed without so much as a blink as he bored her down with his unwavering stare. No shame or insecurities was visible on his face as chest and arms became bare for her to study and examine.
"Get it over with," the convict grumbled with impatient when she hesitated for a split second. It shouldn't have thrown her off that he was unbothered by the appearance of his battered body. But pictures were one thing, seeing them before your very eyes was another.
Reaching out and finally touching him without the nervousness of a med-student and instead with confidence of the doctor that she actually was, Sara took note of it's state.
The scarring was thicker and much worse than her first impression. Twisted, uneven and 'vein' looking web all over it with discoloration. The fire had done one heck of a job, really the images hadn't done them justice. The nickname 'full thickness burn' applied here completely.
How he was able to use his arms were beyond her, they had to be tight and restraining as they wrapped completely around but luckily hands and wrists escaped almost completely untouched. Only spotting small burns that she suspected was much older and newer.
"Please do a few motions for me," Sara requested, holding lightly on one of the arms so to feel the 'skin' move. "Rotation, stretching towards the ceiling and such, I want to see your mobility."
It was an old hat for him, that was clear as he made every move a doctor could want from him without further instructions.
In her honest opinion as a doctor, Rory was either very lucky or had worked very hard and taking care of himself properly to be able to move with such normality and effortlessness for a person that badly burned. That or he hid his discomfort.
"Could you tell me how it happen?" Sara asked while looking down the bruns which ran down his side.
"The heat got to me."
The grin could be heard in his deep chuckle, she didn't even have to look up. There was the funny guy, lets hope he was as talkative as Snart.
"And how many years has it been since it happen?"
It was stated in file but she still wanted to ask, in case of faulty information and for him to open up on the subject.
"Don't remember."
Unable to suppress the disbelieving scoff, Sara look at him "Gonna admit that's hard to imagine being forgettable... That is if you haven't experienced some lasting trauma with your memory. Has there-"
There was a mocking sneer "Why bother remembering? Thought that was your stupid notes and medical history were for Doc." Mick never liked how they started digging for answers that they already knew, just a ploy to get him to talk.
".. They are mister Rory but it's good for you to also know that knowledge in case your files are inaccessible."
Stupid shrink games.
"Too bad then."
Not pushing the issue, Sara moved along "It says you suffered third-degree burns but to what amount I want to test real quick-" Grabbing a tongue depressor and using it to run on the scars-"Do you feel anything? This for example?" While altering between soft and hard and looking for a reaction which never came.
"No."
"How about here?"
"No."
"Now?"
"Not even if you cut me or hit and kick me," the convict explained with eyes gleamed up. "I don't feel a thing until you break bone." Something with his tone rubbed her the wrong way, it sounded like smugness- No, pride. Pride in the scars and what they done to him.
Concerned, words spilled out quickly to explain the reason for lack of pain "Not feeling anything Rory means that you were so badly burned that your nerv-"
"Nerves were wiped out," Mick finished before she could with a tone as if talking about which flavor pie he liked best. "Burning through two layers or more of skin and frying my nerves system to nothing. Leaving me painless even if I should be screaming in agony as my skin melted."
"... Unfixable nerve damage," Sara nodded, swallowing slowly.
Mick Rory was knowledgeable and it had nothing to do with the damage that she was seeing that included long hospital stays in intensive care and long wordy explanations from doctors. Her patient was a pyromaniac and an arsonist, he knew more about the subject of fire and the damage it could do than Sara ever would.. or wanted.
The man needed help and treatment, not only for his wounds but mind.
"Being able to take more than one hit, gonna help a criminal out," he tells her, the unnerving gleam in his eyes and pride in his tone was gone, left with a blunt statement that is simple fact in his way of life.
"Especially in prison." She was given an approving grin and what she could only assume to be a sort of compliment.
"A doctor with a brain, not bad."
"Supposedly to one without?"
A familiar sharp knock came piercing through the air indiation the check up was dragging out too much.
Grabbing the file again with pen ready, it was time to get some information on the care that was put in. Before Bellick got the idea to try and grab him before they were even done.
"Do you exercises everyday to prevent stiffness? Because stretching should be performed a minimum of 5-6 times per day. Which also leads us to the topic of moisturizing your scars with a moisturizer before stretching because of dryness and itchiness. Since burns can damage or destroy the oil glands that normally keep skin from getting too dry but at your level there would only be a few oil glands- if any at all. No one wants dry and itchy scars-"
"I already know all of this stupid doctor selfcare mumbo jumbo speech. Get to it already."
Throat cleared in slightly embarrassment at the annoyed growl while trying not to be bothered as he started moving about the room like a restless animal in a cage. Still shirtless.
"Right, of course. Sorry, I just refreshed my memory on the topic so I think a part of me wanted to show off, sorry... So exercises?"
"Do enough."
If one over looked the burns and other non-fire related scars, Rory's body appeared in good shape. Strong and with such muscular build he must work out often enough. So she didn't push.
"Dryness and itchiness?"
"Just give me the stuff already."
They stared each other down before Sara sighed and turned to grab a bottle and a jar that laid waiting for this moment.
"We have a moisturizer with a high water content generally soak into the skin faster and will need to be applied more frequently. And one that is generally thicker and have less water, so they need to be applied less frequently but takes longer to soak up. Which do you prefer?"
"No time for the weak stuff, the thicker the better."
"And here I thought prison gave you nothing but time."
It earned her a grin again.
"You may get dressed," she informed while pulling up the tray to start the rest of the check up. "I don't need to remind you to be careful to avoid products that you may be allergic to, such as maybe perfumed lotions."
"What tired of the free show?"
"Think I've seen enough."
"Your loss."
Clothes on and back on the table, they finished up the rest quick and without hiccups, he was perfectly healthy overall.
Maybe Rory wasn't bored of hospitals and medical staff but with mandatory check ups at prisons? It was stated that he wasn't new to being locked up and he wasn't surprised or unfamiliar with the routine, just like Snart had been when Sara really though about it.
"We done Doc?" Already standing up and ready to be lead away.
"Before I send you back mister Rory-"
"Mick."
"What?" she looked at him confused.
"Rory's the old man, I ain't ma old man. I go by Mick."
"Oh, ok. Mick. I'll remember that," she promised. Even going so far as to write it at the top of the file paper. "Mick, what I would like to discuss is the possibility of trying treatment for your pyromania-"
"No thanks," he rejected firmly and picking up the jar.
"I really believe it'll be beneficial to you-
"Hate shrinks."
"I would make sure you get very good treatment-"
"Not interested," it was said with edge of anger.
Shoulders slumped as Bellick stepped in and took him away, stopping her from pressing further.
After Katie handed over the rest of the blood test with a nod and a sympathetic smile. Left with the name labeled tubes, Sara gave them a glance over, reading each name.
She knew it was going to be hard but she isn't giving up just yet. Not on any of them.