He doesn't know for sure the passage of time while he works, it's both over before he can mark it and dragging on forever, but finally he is finished, a drain in place and glue holding the site closed, and Eric is out, thankfully.

He checks the fever, and pushes more drugs through to help, and finally begins to clean up. That is almost ritual for him, soothing and calming, bringing back to himself. Once he's cleaned up, he pulls a pad and a pen from this bag and starts to write out detailed instructions for the drain and how and when to remove it.

"Alan. You are Eric's friend, the one with an illness, yes?"