His voice stopped her immediately. She looked up, startled at the call.
Rafe wasted no time. He removed his gloves and set them aside on a nearby table, pausing his current task. With no emergency cases at hand, he allowed himself that brief moment of distraction.
The healer crossed the space quickly and reached her.
Before she could lower herself further, he placed his hands gently on her shoulders and guided her upright.
"Don't bend like that," he said firmly. "It's not good for you."
Without hesitation, Rafe crouched in her place, picking up the fallen instrument himself. The forceps, now contaminated, were set aside in the basin of used tools before he rose again.
"You must be exhausted. Take a rest," he urged.
The brief exchange did not go unnoticed.
Several of the patients, mostly Mederians, glanced over, their attention drawn to the scene.
Whispers followed, sparked by the healer's attentiveness and the unmistakable care in his actions towards her.
