STITCHING UP KATE

Travis left the market area with the bags of meat and fish in hand. The bustling atmosphere had left him feeling drained, and he was eager to return to the apartment where a sense of familiarity and comfort awaited him.

He walked through the city streets, the weight of the supplies a reminder of his responsibility to those he cared for. The sun was climbing higher in the sky, casting a warm glow over the city. It was a small comfort in a world that seemed to grow colder with each passing day.

As he approached the apartment building, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. The sight of the building, with its familiar facade, felt like a sanctuary amidst the chaos. He made his way up to the apartment and opened the door, stepping inside.

The apartment was peaceful, a welcome contrast to the outside world. Sarah was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, and the delicious aroma filled the air. He smiled as he set down the bags of meat and fish.

"Hey there, chef," Travis greeted, leaning against the doorway.

Sarah turned and grinned at him, wiping her hands on a towel. "Hey! You're back. Got the supplies?"

"Of course," he said, holding up the bags. "We're set on protein for a while."

"Great!" She walked over and gave him a quick kiss. "Let's get these in the fridge."

Max was lying beside Alison's couch on the balcony. His dad was putting some barbed wire around the entrance, while his mother was drying the clothes on the roof. As for Lily and Emma, they were doing some little chores around the house.

"I got those medic kits. How is our Batwoman doing?" Travis asked Sarah as he took the medical items out of this inventory and placed them on the table.

"She has a light fever and the bandages need to be changed. I did what I could, but I ain't much of a doctor, it's better if we can find someone with medical experience to look after her," she replied while storing the resources in the fridge.

Seeing the concern on Sarah's face, Travis offered, "I can take a look at her, you know. I've dealt with injuries before, back in the other world. I had to learn a thing or two about stitches and things like that from the best."

Sarah considered his offer for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, if you're sure. I'd appreciate it. I just want her to get better soon. Oh, by the way, her name is Kate Kane."

With a nod, he made his way to Kate's room and knocked on the door.

"Come in." A weak voice came from inside. Travis opened the door and saw the redhead lying weakly on the bed. Her skin was pale and her forehead was covered in sweat. Travis frowned as he noticed the bloodstained bandages wrapped around her abdomen. On the chair, her bat costume lay neatly folded.

"Hey there," Travis greeted softly as he approached the bedside. "You look like a mess." He put the medic kit on the nightstand and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Kate chuckled weakly, wincing as the movement sent a jolt of pain through her body. "Thanks for stating the obvious," she managed to say.

"What was that you said on the way?" He said with a smirk, "Something along the lines of I have seen been through worse?" He raised her shirt and saw the blood-soaked bandages wrapped around her waist.

"Yeah well, I guess I spoke too soon," She tried to joke, but the pain was evident in her voice. Travis carefully unwrapped the bandages and examined the wound.

"You are lucky, the bullet didn't hit any organs," he concluded as he checked the stitch Sarah had done. "But... Oh, boy..."

"How bad?" She asked, her face flinched slightly as Travis gently touched around the wound.

"Sarah did a good job last night with the stitch, but..." He took a scissor from the kit and cut the stitch. "The bullet had damaged some nerves and muscles around your waist. If it's not treated properly, you might develop a limp or worse, lose all mobility in your legs." He took a tweezer, "Clench your teeth."

Kate clenched her teeth as Travis removed the stitch. She let out a grunt of pain as the wound reopened, fresh blood flowing from the gash. He pressed open the wound and pulled out a metal shard embedded near the wound.

"There goes the metal fragment," Travis said as he dropped the piece of metal into a bowl. Kate breathed heavily as the pain subsided slightly. "This will sting a bit." He warned as he poured a disinfectant liquid over the wound. Kate hissed in pain as the solution cleaned the wound, burning away any traces of bacteria.

She grabbed his thigh hard when he started sewing the wound up, the sensation sending waves of pain through her body. Minutes seemed like hours as Travis patiently stitched up the wound, his hands steady despite her firm grip.

After several long minutes, he finished and wrapped a new bandage around her waist, and turned his attention toward the piece of metal, "It seems a piece of your armor was lodged into your waist." He lifted a piece of metal to Kate's line of sight, it was the one on her belt, "This would explain why the wound wasn't closing," He reached into the medicine pouch, taking a syringe with an orange vial attached, "Hopefully, this will prevent the infection."

"What's that?" She asked through gritted teeth as he administered the injection.

"Amoxicillin, a strong antibiotic," he explained as he set the empty syringe aside.

He picked up the bottle, and held it over Kate's eyes, "This here, is Diazepam or more commonly, Valium, which is a strong analgesic to manage the pain and help you relax..."

"You a doctor?" Kate asked curiously as she watched Travis prepare the syringe.

"Nope, just picked up a thing or two from a friend of mine who used to work in an ER," Travis answered as he injected Kate with the medication. "Try to rest. This should ease the pain and help you sleep." He said as he put the tools back into the box and closed it. "You have lost a bit too much blood, so try not to move around a lot, okay?" He stood up from the bed, "Call me if you need anything."

Kate nodded weakly, "Thank you..."

Travis nodded, "Rest up. I'll come back with some light food later." He left the room and closed the door behind him. Kate sighed as she laid her head back down on the pillow, her eyelids growing heavy as the medication began to take effect.

Travis put the medic kit back into the inventory and walked toward the bathroom. He stepped under the shower and washed himself, washing away the grime and blood. As the water flowed over his body, he thought about Kate's condition.

He knew she needed proper medical care, but without access to proper facilities or equipment, it would be difficult to treat her properly. He made a mental note to keep an eye out for any clinics or hospitals that might still be operational.

"Fuck! What a day," Travis cursed as he dried himself with a towel, washed his clothes, and walked out of the bathroom, only to bump into Emma.

Emma looked up at him with wide eyes, her cheeks flushed pink, "Oops, sorry," She apologized as she averted her gaze, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Your..." She pointed at his crotch awkwardly.

His towel had fallen off due to the impact, leaving him standing naked in front of Emma.

"First time seeing a guy naked?" He asked nonchalantly as he bent down and picked up the towel, wrapping it around his waist.

Emma blushed furiously as she nodded timidly, her eyes darting around nervously. He chuckled, "Just don't tell Sarah about this, okay? She will kill me if she finds out." He winked at Emma and patted her head gently before walking past her.

She stood rooted to the spot, her mind racing as she tried to process what had just happened. She felt a tingle between her legs as she recalled Travis' muscular body, his toned abs and broad shoulders, his strong arms and legs. She bit her lips, wondering how it feels to touch such a body.

"Oh my god, I saw a real naked man outside those porns... Snap out of it!" She shook her head vigorously, trying to clear her mind of such thoughts as she rushed into her room.

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