Conan groaned. "Why?"

The doctor grinned. "Because you fell." he messed around with his foot a little more, Conan biting his lip. "There's really nothing you can do....the pain should be pretty dull in a few days. Stay off of it as much as you can....no jumping or dancing....don't try exercising your foot....if you do you might be off your feet for a few weeks instead of a few days."

Conan nodded. "How about pain killers?"

The doctor rolled his eyes. "May I suggest strong aspirin? Lot's of it? You don't need pain killers, you're fine."

Conan glared at him. "I was just asking."

"Fine, fine....now, get out of here. Go do your show."

Conan hopped off the table and limped barefoot to the elevator from the little NBC infirmiry. Glad for the ride alone to the sixth floor, he rubbed his foot, hoping to make it feel better.

"Ow, fuck!" he shouted, straightening out. Okay, so he wouldn't touch it....

The doors opened, and he limped to his office to retreive his sandles. He was glad he had never remembered to take them home. He ran into Julie outside his office.

"So?" she asked.

Conan sighed. "It hurts...."

She smiled. "Can you still do the show?" she teased.

Conan made a face at her, grabbing his shoes. Gingerly he pulled his left sandle on, grimacing. He stood up slowly. "I can do the show fine, I just can't walk very well...what should i do for the monologue?"

"I would suggest not running out and jumping up and down....why not just be out there when the show starts?" Julie asked.

"I guess that's all I can do...." he sat back down, frowning.

"What exactly is wrong with it?"

"The doctor said it's a sprain...." he was tempted to rub it again, but knew better. His whole foot was terribly swollen.

"You really should wrap that up...." she told him. "I think I know where one of those ace bandages are -- want me to find it for you?"

"I guess...."he murmured.

She was gone and back in about a minute -- Conan always admired how quick she was. She pulled a chair up next to him. "Give me your foot."

Conan looked uncomfortable. "You're going to put it on?"

"Well, yeah....unless there's a problem?" She asked.

Conan bit his lip, a gesture Julie loved. "Well, it kind of hurts really bad when anything touches it...."

Julie smiled. "Have no fear. I'll be careful. Give me your foot."

He raised his foot slowly. She gently held it and wrapped the bandage around it tightly. "There. Was that so bad?" she teased.

Conan grinned and shook his head.

"That should make the swelling go down--it might even help the pain a little." She handed him sandle. "There. Take some aspirin, you'll be fine. You better show your face down in the studio soon, the crew is freaking out. I already heard some people talking about what episode they'll rerun if you broke your foot."

Conan smiled. "Good. Let em sweat." he opened his office door. "Take a break, Julie. You work too hard."

As he walked away, Julie could not move. She quickly ran over what he had just said, and how he had said it. Then she realized what she was doing. She was acting like a teenager, hanging on to and analyzing his every word. She shook her head and hurried after him. There was always work to do.

Conan limped around the set, tossing out commands. He was feeling a little better, but was still mad that he was handicaped. The writer who had had him stand on the chair approached Conan slowly.

"Conan, look, I'm sorry about this whole thing...." he said.

Conan looked him up and down, expressionless. "Are you sorry or just hoping not to lose your job?"

"I'm sorry."

Conan smiled--not his regular smile, but the smile that came out rare occasions--the mean smile. "What if I told you that I would fire you for lying?"

The writer looked surprised. "Well, I guess I would say I hope I don't get fired."

"That's better...." Conan said walking away. "...that's just great, you fucking prick."

The writer stood in place, stunned. Most of the people around them had stopped what they were doing. As soon as Conan was out of earshot, someone murmured "He's ba-ack."

Normaly that would have gotten a laugh. But nobody did.

Because Conan's other side was back, in a serious way.

Julie cursed herself as she rushed down the hall. She must have caught Conan at a bad time, he had snapped at her and insisted she leave him alone. She burst into the bathroom just as her eyes began welling up with tears.

He couldn't have meant to....she thought, trying to convince herself. She glimpsed herself in the mirror, smiling. Her mascara was already all over her face. She was being rediculous. Conan just had a temper problem, he always had. And here she was crying because she had a stupid crush....

She shook her head and wiped her eyes. That was enough. She had had it.