Carter whump, ER S6 E14

Do they get the surgery while paralyzed and numb, but awake? Is caretaker there to still walk them through what's happening to them?

Do they agree to go under full anesthesia but only if caretaker is there both when they go under and wake up, and very specific instructions about how they want to be treated during the process?

"Fine, just, can you be there when I'm waking up? And please don't judge me if I react poorly to you, I- I don't always know where I am when I'm coming out of it."

"You manage to stay still, and I'll put you under the next time. How does that sound?"

"Oh that does take the edge off, doesn't it? Be fucking grateful while it lasts. I'm not giving you more."

"If you can guess what's in this syringe, you'll get the antidote. Come on. Think."

"I could give you painkillers. Unfortunately though, I love listening to you scream like that, so you're not getting any."

"You know you're not getting out of this. On the table. Now."

“Careful, careful,” Medic said as the team gathered around Whumpee. She spoke for everyone's sake. Whumpee was a ticking time bomb, set to explode at any given moment. They all wanted to be sure that the fuse went out before he could go up in flames.

Teammate One and Teammate Two positioned themselves on either end of Whumpee, Teammate One locking his arms under Whumpee's shoulders to keep his arms away from the gash on his torso. Teammate Two grabbed his ankles, holding them still. The good thing was that Whumpee, alone, wasn't very strong. His abilities, on the other hand…

Team Leader positioned himself at Whumpee's side, looking into panicked eyes with calm authority. He didn't speak, simply looking up at Medic and giving a nod. She began lifting Whumpee's shirt, exposing the deep cut across his ribs.

Whumpee thrashed. Slightly.

Medic glanced at Team Leader, giving him a harsh expression before grabbing a bowl with soapy water in it. She didn't look at Whumpee's face as she soaked a cloth in it and then began to press the cloth on the wound.

Whumpee threw his head back, eyes wide as his vision blurred. He could feel it building within himself. Strong. Powerful. An escape. His breathing grew quick and labored, and he fought against the hands that held him.

“Hey. No,” Team Leader finally spoke. Grabbing Whumpee's jaw, he angled his face towards his own, looking into Whumpee's eyes. “We're going to stay calm, yeah? Just breathe. I know this isn't pleasant, but you've gotta relax.”

Whumpee felt the cloth dip under the skin and into the wound, and he closed his eyes as he gagged. Shit. He was gonna be sick. He could feel the flames licking the inside of his chest, wrapping around his heart, making it beat beautifully fast. The pain faded for a moment. If only it would last…

“Hey.” Team Leader grabbed him again, still looking at him with that strong, stern gaze. “Look here. Just breathe. Look at my face. Breathe, okay? Just breathe.”

But Whumpee could feel something being stuffed into the wound on his ribs, fabric being packed into a space where it didn't belong. He began to thrash more vigorously, choking on his own voice as he tried to speak. “Stop–”

“I know,” Team Leader said. “I know. Just keep looking at me.” He watched as Whumpee's eyes filled with tears, heard Medic mumbling to herself about the procedure. Teammate One and Teammate Two held onto Whumpee tightly, not letting him get away as he thrashed and fought.

Medic packed more gauze into the wound, and Whumpee let out a sound so agonizingly quiet that it was almost worse than a scream. It was worse.

Then Team Leader saw it. The way Whumpee's eyes went white, the way his expression turned blank–almost blissful. It was happening. “Medic. Do you have any sedatives? Anything at all?” She shook her head. Team Leader should've guessed that. They wouldn't put him through this while he was awake unless they had to. So, Team Leader did the one thing he didn't want to do.

Whumpee snapped out of it for a split second, eyes darting to Team Leader as he reached for the all-too-familiar object placed on the table. “No,” Whumpee said, voice wavering. “N-no, I can… I can co-control it. I can. Please, I can…” He stammered on as Team Leader lifted his upper body, moving Whumpee's head to bury his face in Team Leader's shoulder. Whumpee sobbed silently, trying to pull away, but he was too weak and in too much pain. “Ple-ease. I… I can c-control it… I can…”

“Shh… It's okay. Just take a breath for me.”

But Whumpee just shook his head, feeling the fire rise within him.

Team Leader sighed when Whumpee didn't comply and thought a silent apology as he pressed the taser into Whumpee's back.

His muscles seized, lighting striking through Whumpee's already injured body as the electricity ran its course. When Team Leader pulled the taser away, Whumpee was out.

Protection, he tried to tell himself. It's to keep everyone safe.

Teammate Two released Whumpee's ankles, taking a step back. Teammate One watched Whumpee lie there limply.

Team Leader stared at Whumpee's almost lifeless form for a few moments. He hated himself for having to do that, but if he hadn't, each of them–including Whumpee–would be hurt. Badly. And Whumpee couldn't control it. They all knew that.