December's Shadow

[woodyloveslinkin]

A MEGA UPDATE !! P.s. new character - Joss (aka Jos didn't know real name and didn't want to get confused with Jo's)

 

~

It was Jo’s early shift. So it meant getting out of bed at three in the morning, so that she could arrive at the hospital in the next hour or so to start her sixteen hour day. It was days like these, Jo wish she could just bang her head into the nearest wall and keep on banging it until she was half-dead on the floor. Anything and she meant anything, to get out of doing this long shift.

It took her at least ten minutes of convincing herself that she had to get out of bed, or Josh, or even in the worse case, Grant would find out about her clocking in, late. And having Grant abuse someone for a senseless reason, it wasn’t the best thing in the world. It was now twenty minutes, that she had been up, and it was an automatic reaction to finding her pink uniform crumpled up on the side of the couch and a pair of jeans left in the bathroom (she had a habit of leaving clothes around when it came to her nightly shower). She didn’t care if she disturbed her Grant; after all, after what went down last night, she made him sleep on the couch. She didn’t want to talk about it to anyone, because it only made her feel worse, rather than making her feel better.

She yawned as she searched for her car keys in her purse that had various bits of pointless paper and coinage in it. Her patience ran out with trying to find her car keys, as she decided that the right approach to this situation was to empty all of her contents out of her purse out on the kitchen bench. The pieces of various things made various sounds, the coins made a ding!, as they hit the granite bench top, the various pieces of paper floated smoothly in the atmosphere around her and her wallet and her keys made a heavy clank!, sound, which made Gant stir in the living room. She picked up her keys and her purple leather-bound wallet and shoved them back inside her purse. She turned around and grabbed the nearest thing to eat, which was a packet of biscuits that Grant had left it. She munched on them for about two minutes, after convincing herself that she really needed to go. She put the packet of biscuits down, grabbed her car keys out from her newly emptied purse, and exited her household carrying her purse under her arm, as she yawned again, as she closed the door behind her.

The coldness outside her hit like a good smack in the mouth. She had underestimated Chicago’s winter for about the fifth time, every time she had to start a sixteen hour day. She opened her car door to her black BMW, and sat down on the driver’s seat. She slammed the car door behind her; she turned up the heater in her car, and threw her purse onto the passenger’s seat. She inserted the main car key into the ignition and revved it up. She didn’t leave straight away; she was waiting for both the engine and the car to warm up.

She turned the radio on, to see what kind of music could pass the time while she was waiting for her car to heat up. Nothing good on she thought to herself, as she flicked through the various radio stations. She switched from radio to CD and started to listen to Good Charlotte crank it up big time in the back of the car.

She knew she had to clock in soon for her shift, as she rolled her neck, trying to stretch her neck muscles. But she didn’t have the effort to make it on time that was the thing though. She stopped rolling her neck as she sighed and gave into temptation.

She put the gears into reverse, as she reversed out of her driveway. Once she had changed the gears to normal, she sped off down the street, knowing that the police wouldn’t be out at this time of the morning. She went around several corners and through several alleyways without seeing a single person, not even a teenage delinquent to be seen as well. She approached and stopped at an intersection, where the light gave her a red light. She saw up ahead the flashes of a normal routine breath testing patrol led by the police, and she knew she was going to be pulled over.

The lights went green, as she continued to drive, but braked, as a policeman signalled for her to pull over. She wasn’t the only one in line for a routine breath test, as she had recognised Chester’s car in front of hers.

Weird, what was Chester doing out so late when his shift didn’t start until midday?

She came to a slow stop, as she kept her eyes on Chester’s car and she soon saw Brad and Chester hiding away on the corner of the road, talking to a police officer.

Oh god, what have they done now? Jo asked herself, as she gulped, as a man dressed in police uniform approached her car. Jo wound down her window.

“Good morning, a bit early don’t you think for driving around town?” asked the man.

“I’m a head of the nurses at Sacred Heart, I’m supposed to be up at this time,” answered Jo, blankly.

“Have you had any drinks in the past hour or so?” asked the man.

“I’ve literally just gotten up to start my shift,” answered Jo. “So no, I haven’t.”

“Drivers licence or registration on you?” asked the man. “Well, I’ll believe you this time around, so I won’t random breath test you. Does that sound okay with you?”

“Here,” answered Jo, as she reached for her purse. She opened it and pulled out her wallet. She opened her wallet, and pulled out her drivers licence out. She handed it to the officer. “What’s Chester and Brad in for?” She pointed to Chester and Brad still talking to the other officer in the shadows before her.

“Long story Ma’am,” answered the man, as he gave Jo back her licence. Jo put it back into her wallet, and placed the wallet back inside her purse. She threw the purse back onto the passenger seat.

“Is there anyway I can help?” asked Jo.

“I think there is a way,” answered the man. “If you want to go and ask them what they’ve done, it would be my pleasure.” The policeman opened Jo’s car door for her, and Jo got out. She smiled at the officer for the polite gesture. “How do you know them?” Jo stopped and turned around so that they faced each other. The policeman closed her door that he had previously opened for her.

“Work colleagues,” answered Jo. “They’re both surgeons at Sacred Heart.” Jo turned back to concentrating on what on earth these little boys had managed to do. There were so many possibilities that Jo didn’t even want to start on them. Brad and Chester’s eyes lit up when they saw Jo in the distance walking over to them. “What the hell have you guys gotten yourselves into?” Jo stopped to notice that something wasn’t right in the corner of her eyes about Chester’s car. She turned around to see the driver’s window completely gone. She turned back around but she didn’t start to move, as Brad and Chester had already started to move towards Jo. “What did you do to your car’s window?”

“Long story,” answered Chester, as they stood side by side Jo.

“In other words, Bennington attempted to play Einstein for once,” clarified Brad. “You’ve got to get us out of this complicated mess that Bennington here, has achieved once again.” Brad turned to Chester. “Nice one moron. Second time in a day, first it was picking a stupid argument with Harris and now this.”

“I was only trying to do what was right,” defended Chester.

“Dude, you drove the car onto the sidewalk and attempted to do wheelies,” reminded Brad. “You’re getting busted for reckless driving, and endangering people’s lives. People go to jail for that.”

Brad was already at the point of grabbing Chester by the shoulders and shaking him vigorously, while swearing his head off at him. Brad was so fed up with his teenage pranks.

“I attempted, but I did not succeed, there’s a difference Delson,” replied Chester, looking back to Jo. “So, are you willing to clock in late and help your two old pals with their little mishaps?”

“Mishaps?” spat Jo. She looked like she had just been insulted.

“Dude, this isn’t my catastrophe, it’s yours entirely,” defended Brad, still not taking his eyes off Chester. “Wasn’t I the one that was telling you that the whole thing was a stupid and crazy idea? Wasn’t I the one that was yelling at you to stop being a fool? Wasn’t I the one that wanted no part in it?”

“Dude, you’re sounding like you’ve been a rape victim or something, with all the innocence and crap,” commented Chester, refocusing his attention back to Brad. Chester was a bit confused about Brad’s reaction. He was never like that.

“Ah dude, I don’t want to go to jail and I don’t want my medical licence suspended,” argued Brad. “And dude, I thought you would be thinking the same thing.”

“Dude, you can’t get your medical licence suspended just because you stuff up once with the law,” assumed Chester, so quickly. Jo was starting to get nauseous with all the ‘dude’ additives to their sentences. “That’s something you tell to new interns so you know that they won’t drive off with your car.”

“Dude, you’re basically a public servant, you’re meant to be saving lives not endangering them, dude,” replied Brad. He turned to Jo for some support.

“What?” asked Jo, innocently. “Don’t drag me into this. It’s your problem not mine.”

“But it becomes your problem when little failed Einstein here needs bail money, and I don’t have any cash on me at all right now,” answered Brad. “And apparently, Retard the Ripper here wants to work his next shift at least.”

“Come on Jo, can you please bail me out, just this one time?” asked Chester, looking suddenly sympathetic. And, that he had put on his droopy big eyes act.

“How much?” asked Jo. “I’ve only got a fifty on me.”

“The bail, tonight, they said, it’s forty,” answered Chester.

“And what do I get in return for the forty?” asked Jo, as she crossed her arms.

“Ah, dinner with me?” suggested Chester. “I won’t let Sarah know, it could only be a, you-and-me thing.”

“Dude, she’s married,” objected Brad.

“Can you not say that?!” snapped Jo, suddenly, as her patience with the word ‘dude’ just snapped in half. “It’s really getting on my nerves.”

Chester and Brad got the wrong impression, as they exchanged confused looks with one another.

“I thought you wanted to know that you were married so guys at bars wouldn’t hit on you?” questioned Chester.

“I assumed that, as well,” added Brad.

“No, not that,” clarified Jo. “The whole ‘dude’ thing. I mean how many God damn zillion times do you two have to say the word ‘dude’ in one sentence?”

“Dude, it’s just a thing we both have,” explained Chester.

“Dude, she ain’t a guy, she’s a dudette,” corrected Brad, looking to Chester and then back to Jo.

“Okay whatever it is, can you stop at it just while I am here because I swear, if you think you’re car is silver right now Bennington, I’ll make it the colour of my stomach’s contents soon,” warned Jo. “I’m not used to this much of adolescence. Well, outside my family of course.”

Jo separated herself from the two teenagers that she couldn’t believe she was bailing out, Bennington to be in particular of an example of a teenager. She felt a bit sorry for Sarah, who she had suspected all along that she was dating Chester, but nonetheless, she was going through the denial stage that poor intern of Ravyn’s. She went back to her car, opened the front door of the driver seat, and pulled her wallet out of her purse, hoping that she did indeed have that fifty dollar note still remaining in her wallet. She checked, and she did have the fifty still remaining. She closed her wallet, closed the front door, and started to walk over to the policeman that was previously talking to the pair of teenagers.

But the pair of teenagers was too busy in talking amongst themselves, to notice Jo’s departure.

“Dude, do you realise if she can’t bail you out tonight, you’re going to be spending time in jail?” asked Brad.

“I know that,” answered Chester. “Sarah will kill me. It is bad enough Matt’s behind bars; she doesn’t need me behind bars. I’m actually more concerned about Sarah’s reaction then anything right now.”

“Serves you right for trying to pull that sort of stupid stunt,” lectured Brad.

“Dude, what happens if she breaks up with me?” asked Chester, looking a bit worried.

“I doubt that,” answered Brad.

“Based on what grounds?” asked Chester.

“She wouldn’t have the guts to dump you, she gets trampled over so easily that girl,” answered Brad. “Did you see the massive argument that went down between Sarah and Matt the day that Ava was put into hospital?” Chester couldn’t recall such a moment, so he shook his head. “She got in trouble from him because she had decided to stand up for herself, and then afterwards, she started to blame herself for what Matt did to their daughter.”

”That’s what worries me a bit having a relationship with that woman, dude,” replied Chester. “I don’t want to trample over her, but at the same time I don’t want to control her.”

“Dude, if you don’t end up in jail tonight, I don’t see why there has to be any need to tell her,” advised Brad. “It may sound dumb, but it’s true. Just don’t tell her. And plus, she’s not in the right state to be told something that’s bound to set her wild.”

“What if Jo says something?” asked Chester.

“I doubt that she will,” answered Brad. “But yet again, she is a woman, and she is a nurse. I say that’s an equation to some gossipping happening.”

“It’s very obvious formula, dude,” commented Chester, as Jo had stopped talking to the policeman and started to walk back, empty handed, except for her wallet in one hand. She looked very unimpressed with Chester’s behaviour. “I’m still a bit worried dude. I know I’m supposed to be honest with Sarah, especially since I found out about her past, including the drugs, Ava, and Matt. Well, that was a nasty shock and a half, man. I’m still not sure. Because she couldn’t find the honesty to tell me up front about those things, the things that actually matter.”

“Well, it’s simple, don’t tell her, and keep your mouth shut about it,” advised Brad, as Jo arrived at her destination in front of the boys. She stopped and she crossed her arms, looking unimpressed and angered at the same time. “You look it’s your time of the month again, woman.”

“I’ll fucking give you your time of the month soon,” retorted Jo, as she looked from Brad to Chester. “I’ve paid the forty for tonight, and I paid ten off tomorrow night’s bail. I don’t want to do this again, Bennington, as I still think that you should do some prison time for this stupid stunt. Why didn’t you just jump off the nearest cliff or something Bennington? Just any other stupid stunt that you wouldn’t be caught at, as I hate bailing you out every time that something like this happens. And how are you exactly going to tell your hospitalised girlfriend of this?”

“Excuse me, what girlfriend?” asked Chester, bullshitting through his own teeth, as he wasn’t aware that Jo had been told about them.

“Don’t bullshit me Bennington, you and Sarah, I know you guys have been seeing each other,” answered Jo, losing patience with Chester’s bullshit. “Now get back to the original question, how are you going to tell your hospitalised girlfriend of your latest circus performance?”

“I’ve just been advised not to,” answered Chester.

“By who?” asked Jo, snappishly. Chester pointed to Brad, as Jo’s bottom jaw dropped. She only closed it to speak. “You’ve got to be kidding me Bennington.” Jo refocused her attention on Brad. “Why would anyone take advice from you, Delson?”

“Excuse me, but I do sometimes give very helpful advice,” defended Brad.

“Not unless you’re getting paid to give it,” retorted Jo. “Look, I’ve got a shift to start in ten or so minutes and I don’t need you squandering around me. It’s already pathetic that you’re not willing to tell your girlfriend.” Jo turned her back, as Chester was going say something in reply to Jo’s last comment, but Brad slapped him in the gut indicating that he should just agree and move on. Jo walked towards her car.

“Dude, you’re lucky you’ve got a car let alone a girlfriend that treats you like her husband,” reminded Brad. “Wish I could find a girl like your woman. Just don’t push Jo. It’s really not worth it. But yet again, you’ve ignored the other pieces of advice I’ve given you like letting go of the argument between you and Harris. Fuck, you’re a stubborn little boy Bennington.”

It was twenty minutes or so later, after the encounter with Brad and Chester that Jo walked into the common room for the nurses, after dumping her stuff in her locker downstairs and dragging herself up several floors. She yawned as she thought of the day ahead, which was casually present in the number of things she had to sign before she had a chance to put her feet up and have a cup of fresh brewed coffee.

“There you go,” Jo faintly smiled, as she handed the clipboard back to one of the nurses, who had just only clocked in as well. She walked into the nursing common room, as she picked up the remote control to the television from the main nursing desk and continued her passage to the common room.

Once she had entered the common room, and got in view of the off television screen, she clicked the power button on the remote, and walked over to a kettle that hadn’t been plugged in and one that hadn’t been filled up. The television was now displaying pictures of today’s headlines, but Jo didn’t notice.

She filled it up, connected it properly, and turned it on. She opened the top cupboard and pulled out her normal coffee cup. She yawned again, as she thought of the many things to do, who and what she had to put up with. She wasn’t looking to Chester’s unchanged arrival at midday and she wasn’t looking towards the attitude that he would bring along with him. It made her question, of who was worse when it came to their attitude and behaviour problems.

Was it Ravyn with her prolonged attitude adjustment?

Or was it Chester with his schoolboy antics?

She didn’t know, as the kettle boiled and Jo tipped in some unmeasured amount of coffee from the coffee container into her cup. Jo filled her coffee cup with boiling hot water, and stirred it with a nearby teaspoon. She stopped stirring, held it in her grip, and blew on it to cool it down. She stopped blowing it, and sipped it.

She enjoyed the taste of fresh coffee. Especially at this time of the morning, it was just bliss to her lips.

There was a small knock at the front entrance to the nursing common room. She turned around to see Rob standing in his normal dark green janitor’s uniform.

Jo smiled.

“Hey,” greeted Rob.

“Hi Rob,” replied Jo, friendly. “What can I help you with?”

“Is it true that Greyfoxx has left?” asked Rob.

“No, not that I am aware of, no she hasn’t,” answered Jo. “Why? Where did you hear that from?”

“This,” answered Rob, as he briefly flashed Jo a small manila folder. “I was cleaning her office out just a couple of minutes ago, and I found her resignation letter addressed to Grant. Well, it’s more of a note of abuse then a letter of resignation.”

“Can I have a look?” asked Jo, as she put down her coffee on the kitchen bench, and Rob handed her the manila folder. Jo accepted with a warm smile, as she opened the manila folder and started to close examine the papers with her wiry eyes. It was exactly what Rob had described it to be, it was an abusive resignation letter addressed to Grant. “I’ve never seen this side of Meaghen.”

“Nor have I, but that’s just me,” added Rob, shrugging. “I never knew she was so, expressive in her vocabulary.”

“Well, what do you expect when someone hangs around Ravyn who teaches us new things everyday?” asked Jo. “I must say, your woman has an expressive sense of words, even ones that aren’t in English. Damn her literary jargon, I say, Rob.”

“I must say as well, Jo, her vocab in swearing in other languages to people’s faces, I say that’s an ultimate advantage,” commented Rob.

“I’m glad you agree with me, of course, I’ve never been a casualty of that area of Ravyn’s insults,” muttered Jo, sarcastically, remembering one time that she had heard Ravyn mutter a Spanish insult under her breath once about Jo. Jo remembered it; it was the Spanish word for bitch, perra.

“Do you think we should let Josh know about Greyfoxx’s real feelings about Grant?” asked Rob, getting back to the main point of the conversation between him and Jo.

“And what, have Josh go into one of his moods, where all he does is sit in his office, mope about whatever, and plays Tetris all day?” asked Jo. “I certainly don’t think so. I see what I can make of this. I don’t know what reason that could cause Meaghen to be like this. Oh wait.” Jo paused remembering something about Meaghen’s mum. “I know why. I’ll have to deal with it myself.”

Meg came through the common room door looking tired as ever, as she smiled to Rob, and Rob politely smiled back. Jo didn’t see Meg stopping halfway in the doorway, as she retraced her steps, trying to find her keys to the supply room. Rob was still standing in the doorway and Jo started to walk towards the door, seeing if she could put this on Ravyn’s desk. She got stuck in between Rob and Meg, as Meg woke up from phasing in and out of reality, to see the back of Jo’s head. Rob and Jo found themselves a bit too close for either one’s liking.

Rob cleared his throat, as he walked forwards to let Jo pass. Meg walked to where Rob was, as Jo left the room.

“Now that was a close call,” said Meg.

“What do you mean?” asked Rob, looking to Meg, who he basically towered over, as he did to everyone else.

“If Ravyn finds out that you were about an inch away from kissing Jo, oh man, she’s going to have the shits with you,” answered Meg.

“Okay, here’s a piece of advice that many people have not told you yet, go to hell,” advised Rob, a bit angry at being accused of nearly kissing Jo. Meg pouted at the idea of being told go to hell when it wasn’t coming from Ravyn herself, as Ravyn had told Meg to go die in on an isolated island many a time. Rob left the room.

A paediatrics doctor came in, as she knocked on the door.

“Who are you looking for, Joss?” asked Meg, as Joss stood there, with her arms crossed and looking unimpressed that Meg had to be the one that she had to be speaking to.

“Wondering if Harris is in yet,” answered Joss. “When it comes to times like this, when I can’t find her, she’s usually in here having a go at Jojo or raving on about, how God damn slow you, nurses are.”

“Well, look around,” snapped Meg. “Does it look like Jo’s in here?”

“That’s beside the point,” answered Joss, blankly.

“No, Harris isn’t in here, and if she were, do you think I would have enough sense to not hang around here?” asked Meg, impatiently. She wasn’t very fond of Joss for many reasons. One of them was because she’s gone out with Chester in the past, and is currently on a flirting parade with Brad. “Like Harris says to me a lot, why don’t you just go and die on an isolated island?”

“Now that’s the lowest point of the season, you’ve actually resorted to quoting Harris, that’s some sad stuff you’ve got there, White,” remarked Joss. Joss did like Meg, but not when Meg became annoying and difficult. Other than that, she’s the bird’s knees. “Look, I’ve got better things to do either than to play schoolyard games with you. I need to find Harris.”

“Well, she’s not going to be in until seven, Wretzky,” stated Meg.

“You could’ve just told me that originally instead of playing your schoolyard games with me,” snapped Joss, impatiently. “I’ll see if Andrea is in yet.” Joss turned around and started to walk away. But Meg just wanted to continue the little spit with Joss, because she had nothing better to do and she didn’t want to continue her search for her keys. Meg walked a couple of paces and stood outside the common room, so that she facing down the hallway and she looked at Joss walking away.

“You know what I reckon Wretzky?” asked Meg. Joss stopped but she didn’t turn around. “I reckon if you keep up with your attitude you could become Harris’s twin sister, concerning the type of attitude you two’s share.” Joss turned around, and looked unhappy with the comparison just made by Meg.

“Grow up, White, just, you’re only an intern, you know nothing of the real world of this hospital,” retorted Joss. “Unlike you, I actually do shit around here and I get off my caffeine induced ass and I help. Now, go back to your little world of fairies and come back to earth when you’ve grown up a bit.”

“See, you’ve got some Ravyn in you,” commented Meg. “I knew it had to be there somewhere and now you’ve demonstrated it.”

“I, at least don’t resort to quoting her when it comes to coming up with good comebacks,” retorted Joss. “Do I have to gag you to shut you up?”

“There’s always that possibility,” answered Meg, as Joss rolled her eyes and refused to continue any sort of conversation with Meg until it turned into an adult conversation. Joss walked off knowing that there’s always the possibility that a serial mass murderer would be hiding in the nursing common room, waiting for his next target and that Meg, would eventually fall victim of it.

Joss didn’t care if the thoughts of Meg dying were mean and terrible. Joss didn’t have any tolerance for Meg at all right now, like as Jo has no tolerance for half her interns, including having no tolerance at all for Meg.

She just told herself that she was overreacting to Meg’s annoyingness and that she should get over it because she had other things that she had to worry about. Like where Andrea was for an instance.

~

“Matt? Matt?” asked Sarah, looking around the park to see if she could see Matt, as the wind blew over her short brown hair. There was no one in sight just the normal swing play set swinging in the breeze. She was dressed in cargo pants and a brown shirt with a pink cardigan over her. She wasn’t wearing any shoes, she couldn’t afford shoes. Her holes had holes over them, and her shoes had been sold to pay for more stuff that she had to have. She couldn’t find her boyfriend and that was starting to worry Sarah. She was alive with paranoia, as her eyes were blood shot.

“Matt’s gone,” explained Viking, as Sarah turned around, a bit shocked to see Viking standing behind her suddenly, as his D12 chain swung in the breeze. “I thought he told you that. He’s gone to get food.”

“We gotta start moving, Viking, the cops are coming, I just know it,” warned Sarah, as Viking smirked, as though it was a joke “And I’m just killing for another hit .It’s been at least twenty-four hours since I had my last one. Do you have any of the stuff on you?”

“I’m also dying for another shoot up,” answered Viking, as he shook his head. “Stop it, the cops ain’t coming woman, you’re just paranoid. You get like this every time you wake up from one of your little trips.”

“They are!” defended Sarah. “I don’t want go back home, please, Viking. Can we just move? They’re going to catch me and send me back to Connecticut.” Viking started to come closer to Sarah, because the wind had picked up speed and Viking could hardly hear her.

“No, Matt’s gonna be back any minute with some food that he’s taken from the shops,” replied Viking. “Don’t you want some food? I mean, how long has it been since you’ve eaten something?”

“I drunk a beer the other night, other than that, it’s been a while, a couple of days ago I had a bread roll which we took from the bakery downtown, but that didn’t very long between us two,” answered Sarah.

“Do you have your cell still or did you sell it?” asked Viking.

“It was one of the first things we sold, cos I thought there was no real point in trying to change my number so Mum couldn’t contact me,” answered Sarah. “Why?”

“Amy…” Viking trailed off in his sentence, as one of their other friends approached them. Sarah followed Viking’s staring behind her, as she turned around. Their friend Amy had arrived just in the nick of time. “Oi, Lee, where’ve you been?”

“It’s called getting bail,” answered Amy, as she approached them and stopped next to Sarah. Sarah and Amy exchanged hugs and then let go of one another. “The stupid coppas wanted to get me clean. I said fuck no, and walked straight out of the hospital. Mind me, it took me a while to get past security, but I managed to do it. Ah, where’s Matt?”

“Apparently at the shops,” answered Sarah. “I don’t remember anything about him telling me that he was gonna go to the shops.”

“You were stone cold out of it,” explained Viking. “You were barely conscious, still trying to get over your hit.”

“Where did he say that he was going to?” asked Sarah.

“The downtown shops, that’s all he said to me,” answered Viking. “It’s getting cold. We better move before it gets worse.”

“I say the railway station, Matt’s got to buy some more off Danni today anyway today, so I say we go down there and meet him down there,” suggested Amy, knowing Sarah would say the same thing.

“Okay then,” replied Viking, as he turned around and everyone started to walk up the road.

It was about ten or so minutes after they started to set off down to the railway station on Main Street, that the trio heard sirens coming their way. Everyone stopped and turned around quickly, to see several police cars coming down the hill that they just walked down.

Sarah started to freak out.

“Shit,” whispered Amy, as Viking and her grabbed Sarah by the arm who was frozen with terror about being near cops, and forced her to hide with them in nearby bushes that were part of someone’s front yard.

“No, I told you so, Viking, they’ve come for me,” whispered Sarah, terrified, as they watched the police cars speed past the bushes and over the next hill. She was at the point of tears because she was that paranoid about being near cops since she left home in Connecticut.

“Just chill woman, you, and your stupid paranoia fits, piss me off so badly sometimes,” told Viking, as the trio climbed out of the bushes. Sarah and Amy brushed off the leaves off their pants, while Viking just didn’t care and started to walk without Amy or Sarah. Amy and Sarah had to run to catch up with Viking’s long strides. “Are you coming or what? Do you want to see Matt?” Sarah nodded, eagerly. “Then keep up you slow bitch.”

The trio continued to walk and talk amongst them, with Viking calling Sarah a stupid bitch several times and Amy got up Viking for saying that to her.

It was about ten or fifteen minutes since the police car incident when they arrived inside the railway station, where the sides were littered with addicts and homeless people. Sarah had been here many times, and had befriended Amy and other people as well.

“I swear if I can’t find Matt, I’m gonna walk into town and find him myself,” warned Sarah. “I really want him.”

They had stopped on an abandoned platform, where most of their friends were, to talk. Sarah was too worried about Matt leaving her just like that, and the fact that she couldn’t remember Matt telling her that he had to go to get some food, was another worrying factor.

“Look there’s Danni,” pointed out Amy, as she pointed at a guy with messy black hair and ripped jeans. “Then Matt should be down here any moment now.”

“What do you mean that I should be down here at any moment?” asked Matt, from behind the trio, as Sarah spun around so quickly she made herself dizzy and threw her arms around him. “Hey baby.” He pulled her off him, as he gave Viking a backslapping hug. He just waved and smiled at Amy, as Amy did the same thing.

“What did you get?” asked Sarah, as she took dug her hands into his jacket’s pocket and pulled out a red apple. “Is this all?”

“No babe, there’s more in the other pockets,” answered Matt. “You know, I was starting to run out of space to stash stuff.”

Sarah took a bit out of the red apple, as Matt produced Viking with a little bag of white powder from his pant’s pocket. Everyone smiled, as Sarah dug into Matt’s other pockets to give Amy a small bread roll.

“Dude,” smiled Viking. “Did you go to Danni first?” Matt nodded. “You’re a legend.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’ve got to eat something first before I go hitting up,” said Matt, he produced another apple, but this time it was green from his jacket pocket. “Jake should be coming with more food. I ran into him at the supermarket and he’s gonna take some stuff from his work to give to us, provided we’re still awake to receive the food.”

“Baby, you’re the best,” smiled Sarah, as Matt gave her a peck on her forehead.

“I know I am,” replied Matt, taking a bite out of his apple.

“How long did Jake say that he was going to be?” asked Viking, ripping part of Amy’s bacon and cheese bread roll off and shoving it in his mouth. “I’m starving bitch.”

Matt swallowed his piece of his apple.

“I don’t know exactly, whenever he gets his break, I suppose,” answered Matt, looking from Matt to Sarah had started to look inside his jacket’s secret pockets. “Hey watch where you’re looking woman. What are you looking for woman? You haven’t finished eating the apple.”

“I wanna see if there’s going to be more,” answered Sarah.

“You’re eating more than you can handle,” muttered Matt.

Sarah stopped and pouted at Matt.

“Excuse me? I haven’t eaten for days, and I’m thin as hell,” pouted Sarah. “And I haven’t been feeling too well, either lately.”

“Alright, I’m sorry babe, you can continue,” replied Matt, as Sarah went back to pulling things out of his jacket. “Trust me; there will be more once we get enough money to buy food everyday.” Sarah looked up. “I promise. Someday we’ll have a big mansion with a pool, and the fridge will always be full of food. We’ll have our friends over for expensive dinners at expensive French restaurants in the heart of New York City. We’ll have holiday houses in Florida as well, I know you’ve always wanted to go to Miami, and so do I. I love you Sarah, you’ll be forever mine.” Viking and Amy rolled their eyes, as they turned their back and separated themselves to talk to other people and engage in interesting conversations. Matt kissed Sarah. “It’s true what they say, love at first sight.”

“I know,” murmured Sarah. “You tell me that everyday.”

“Only because I love you that much to tell you that everyday,” reminded Matt.

Sarah woke up as she sat up quickly. Sweat beads were glistening on Sarah’s face, as she remembered what that just was. She had just relived the moments leading up to the break-up between her and Matt.

Sarah looked around, as she realised she had drip in her right hand, and that she in hospital. She didn’t remember most of yesterday. She remembered talking to Tarja, Meg, and Chester about Matt and Ava, and she remembered a number of unimportant events yesterday, like Ravyn forcing her to work an hour’s shift, that stood out for the wrong reasons. Other than that, she didn’t remember much which kinda scared her when it came to that a chunk of her memory had just disappeared and she wasn’t able to get it back.

She looked down to her hands. They were pale and shaky. Her rings were missing.

No, give me an accident; give me death even, but not my rings, thought Sarah, a bit worried. Sarah loved those three rings, the two on her left hand, the aquamarine stone in a heart shape plate, and the purple garnet that had Gothic symbols around it. On the right hand it was just her two rubies and one diamond ring, embedded in white gold. She was going to be dead by a lot of people, if she couldn’t find them.

She told herself to calm down and they might be in her locker, as she couldn’t remember having them on before everything went pitch black.

“Don’t freak out, I know where your rings are honey,” said Allie, who was standing at the doorway the whole time but Sarah didn’t notice. Her eyes lit up and she smiled as her mother walked over and she embraced her daughter in a hug. She let go of her daughter, as she tried her best not to knock the hand with the IV in it. Sarah was speechless and overwhelmed by surprise that her mother actually cared to turn up for her. “Are you going to say something or just lie there with your mouth gaping open like a fish?”

“What happened Mum?” asked Sarah, as she realised she had a gash on her forehead, as she felt it with her spare hand. “How did I get like this?”

“I’ve never seen you in such a bad state, I really haven’t, after all that I’ve been through with you, this is the worst possible state you could’ve gone into,” ranted Allie, not answering Sarah’s question. “Are you okay? That’s the main thing I’m worried about.”

“Where have you been Mum?” asked Sarah, as she stopped feeling her gash on her head. “The twins told me you went to Australia with James, and it was nearly impossible to get hold of you. So much has happened. I’ve got so much to tell you.”

“It’s alright,” calmed Allie. “You don’t need to work yourself up. Jade’s basically told me everything; all except this little episode was a bit outside Jade’s knowledge.”

“I don’t remember much,” explained Sarah. Sarah not remembering much was starting to upset Sarah a lot. “What happened, Mum?”

It was a bit difficult for Allie to say it. Maybe because of the history that went behind it, was something that Allie would never want to go through again.

“You had a relapse and, it was a big relapse,” answered Allie, as she found the words to tell her second eldest daughter. “I wasn’t there, but I was there right after it, as we just got back from Australia. From various people I’ve heard, you were hallucinating pretty badly. The doctors said because of the intensity of it, no one really noticed that you were having a relapse before you started to crash into things, lose coordination; you started calling the janitor Matt apparently, and you also thought I was your boss. That was quite interesting to hear about that from one of the nurses.”

“Is Ava alright?” asked Sarah. “Is she out yet?”

“Yes, she is alright, thank God, because for a couple moments when paediatrics wanted to run tests on her, I thought for a couple of moments that there could be something wrong with her,” answered Allie. “She’s already asking for you. She woke up expecting to see you right next to her, but I was there right next to her instead. She’s so like you it’s not funny. She isn’t out just yet, but they’re letting her walk around. I think right now, she’s in the play room with a bunch of crayons and playing with the head of the nurses, because apparently she said she had to get her mind off some things.”

“Who, Jo’s playing with Ava?” smiled Sarah. “Ah, that’s so Jo.” Sarah wanted to see how Ava was, as Sarah had felt a bit down at not being there when Ava woke up. But she knew that knowing that Ava was walking about and having fun, she knew Ava would be alright. “Mum, can you do me a favour?” Allie nodded. “Can you see if paediatrics would allow Ava to come down here? I mean, if I’m allowed to get out of bed and walk to see her, I would do so. But I’m on a drip and I’m not supposed to be moving this hand.”

“Oh, paediatrics has already thought of that, they’ve already allowed it, but they can only bring her down at certain times, because your doctor needs to be here to supervise or some shit like that,” replied Allie.

“Who’s my doctor?” asked Sarah, guessing it would be Ravyn. Favouritism, thought Sarah.

“I forgot, a woman,” answered Allie.

“Last name Harris?” asked Sarah. Allie nodded. “Oh God, well it’s better than having any other of the dodgy doctors that she bitches on about all day to me.”

“She seems pretty nice to have as a boss,” commented Allie. Sarah thought she must be kidding. Allie got off her seat, as she stood up, and started to stretch her arms a bit.

“You don’t know her that well, Mum, then,” replied back Sarah. “Oh, well, she’s not the bad. It depends on how many people have annoyed her earlier in the day.”

“I’ll be back in a sec, okay?” asked Allie, as Sarah nodded, and Allie walked outside.

Sarah looked around her to see if there was something she could to entertain herself. Then she thought, she knew how to remove these IVs. It was in her med text books. But fuck, it would be painful. She ripped off the tape that held it in place. It took a second or two to get over the pain, as she felt the needle inside of her hand. She wondered what shit they were pumping into her. It really didn’t faze her that much, about thinking about what kind of drug they had to sedate her with, most probably synthetic adrenaline, she had guessed. She just wanted to get out of here, which was another reason why she wanted to get the IV out so badly.

“Don’t even try Woodlands,” warned a familiar voice standing by the doorway. Sarah looked up to see Ravyn, as she put the tape back onto the IV. “Don’t act so God damn innocent. I saw you and I caught you in the act, so don’t try to cover it up.”

“I see someone hasn’t failed to keep her moods up,” commented Sarah.

“Wouldn’t want to disappoint you, master,” retorted Ravyn, sarcastically, as she came in and sat where Allie was previously sitting. “Now, tell me, what have you learnt from being a drug addict?”

“You’re trying to reprimand me and it’s not working,” replied Sarah. “And you’re not exactly my mother, so you can’t exactly tell me what to do.”

“Yesterday you thought I was, in which, that was quite somewhat, interesting, to be your called your mother, but kinda an indirect insult at the same time,” stated Ravyn. “Because as far as I know I don’t have… hold on, wait, how many kids are there in your family again? You’ve got Alexis, you, Monique, Dominique, Jade, and Halle, so that’s one, two, three, four, five, six, wow, that’s a lot of girls in one family you’ve got there. As I said before, the last time I checked I haven’t given birth to six girls. I don’t even have a kid. I’m quite thankful I don’t. I’ve got better things to do other than to wait nine months for a kid to be born. I don’t even have the patience to wait two minutes for my toast to be toasted in the toaster in the mornings that I do decide to have breakfast.”

Sarah was quite astonished at the amount ranting that Ravyn was able to do. Instead of bitch, that they usually called her; the nurses should call her Rav the Ranter.

“Wow, you rant on about a lot of crap all, has anyone told you that?” blurted out Sarah, as she was just waiting for an angry spontaneous comeback to that piece of verbal vomit. “Or is that part of your literary jargon that is inevitably apparent according to some people that have spoken to me about you?”

“I’ll give you my literary jargon if that’s what you’re asking for,” riposted Ravyn. “Don’t even get me started on Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. God, as much as I hated Cleopatra, no the two of them, Antony was a self-righteous bastard who was Cleopatra’s bitch, who had him on an invisible leash around Rome and Egypt, I still couldn’t see why in the end, it really didn’t matter who died, they both did. Do you realise how God damn unattractive Cleopatra was in real life? She was the equivalent to, I don’t know, to Dolly Parton’s real estate collection. Let alone what Mark Antony must’ve looked like, by the time him, Octavius Caesar, and Lepidus got into power over Rome.”

“I feel sorry for Antony,” commented Sarah. Ravyn pouted at the fact that Sarah knew what Ravyn was talking about for once.

“That he was a self-righteous bastard, you feel sorry for him for that?” asked Ravyn.

“He got led on, he loved Cleopatra, and he was a Roman soldier, what do you expect to happen?” asked Sarah. “Cleopatra used him to his full physical and emotional advantage. The only reason why he ended up dying is because Caesar got him at is prime emotional core and told him that Cleopatra was dead, when really; she was being promiscuous back in Egypt.”

“Typical Shakespearean tragedy,” muttered Ravyn. “I mean, look at Romeo and Juliet, and look at King Lear, Hamlet, and Othello etc. someone ends up dying. Of course, how does one interpret the words ‘Shakespearean tragedy’ without someone dying?”

“How does one look at the main word ‘tragedy’ without assuming it’s not really a tragedy to start with?” asked Sarah. “If it’s not a tragedy what is it? Is it a comedy or a comedic tragedy? But yet again, that was Shakespeare for you; he was on opium half the time that he wrote these plays.”

Ravyn wasn’t going to admit it, but she knew this kid had more brains then the ones that she had first met her with. And of course, not even the med text books could provide her with sort of knowledge that Ravyn felt challenged by.

“Okay, shut up, you’re beating me at this,” riposted Ravyn, finally. She needed to change the subject. “How are you feeling today?”

“Why do you care is more the question?” asked Sarah, as a natural reaction to Ravyn’s sudden sympathy.

“Because, I want you back on work on Monday, that’s why,” answered Ravyn, as she found the perfect excuse to stay and talk to Sarah. And to avoid completing paperwork, that was currently sitting on the top of a stacked pile of other papers on her desk. Sarah rolled her eyes, as she should’ve seen her idea of wanting Sarah back coming, but kinda got lost in the midst of being doped up with drugs through the IV. “You’ve still got a lot to learn. Oh by the way, it’s literally jargon only if you don’t understand the text.”

“And when you do understand it, it makes wasting your time much easier to rant on about it,” added Sarah.

“I feel like I’m talking to myself in a mirror here,” said Ravyn. “It’s scary because I can’t even reach my mirror without standing on a chair.”

“Therefore, I’m your mirror then,” replied Sarah. “Because you can’t reach the top of my head unless you stood on a chair, let alone on your tips of your toes.” Sarah was trying to hide the perfect laugh for such a perfect insult. Ravyn shot Sarah a look. “Hey, you get to bag me out about the amount of makeup I wear; I get to bag you out for the amount of height that you lack.”

“My intelligence makes up for my lack of height, thank you very much,” defended Ravyn, almost looking like she was proud for being her height. “I don’t see what your excuse is.”

“My excuse?” spat Sarah. “I have no excuse nor did I want an excuse to start with. I’m very proud of my height. Despite the fact that Chester’s just an inch taller than me, but yet again, I shouldn’t be the one complaining about my height.”

“Yeah, you shouldn’t be the one,” reminded Ravyn. “Do I have to remind you of what Rob makes me look like when I stand next to him?”

“No, we all know the truth,” answered Sarah. “Man that’s an odd couple, you and Rob. You’re…statural weakened, should I put it, to avoid repercussions, and Rob, well he could measure up to Gandalf almost. I wouldn’t have guessed. By why, why do you like him? He’s so nice to me, from what I’ve seen, and you’re…err… how do I put it politely?”

“You can’t that’s the trouble,” clarified Ravyn, honestly. “I am not about to open up to you. You’re my scholar, not my friend. Friends are for outside of hospital times.” Ravyn got to her feet and looked around. “Oh yeah, there’s something I was meant to tell you, but I’ve forgotten it. Not from me though, just from Rob.” Ravyn looked to Sarah, as they meant eye contact again. “Something along the lines of how he wants to get better, so I have less people to bitch about.”

“Oh, I feel loved, I’m a placebo now,” muttered Sarah.

“It’s better than being born a placebo,” replied Ravyn, as both women realised that did not make sense. “Okay, I have to get back to work before I start coming out with shit that I can’t even understand myself.” Ravyn started to walk through the ward door, when she stopped and turned around to see Sarah following her with her eyes. “You knew I was going to turn around say something to you didn’t you?”

“You’re getting predictable,” answered Sarah, smoothly. “It’s actually not that hard to tell something is on your mind, now, when I think about it.”

“I’ll sign your release papers today, if you do me a favour,” requested Ravyn, knowing that Sarah was getting anxious to get out of hospital. This was well indicated by the fact that Sarah had attempted to remove the IV herself.

“God, since when do become so suddenly nice?” asked Sarah, waiting for Ravyn’s reaction. “Wait, what have you done to the hardcore Ravyn? This isn’t the Ravyn that told me to not to tell my life story to her when I was trying to tell her that my last name wasn’t Woodlands.”

“Do you want those release papers signed today and then you’ll never have to see this hospital until Monday morning?” asked Ravyn. Sarah’s silence was enough to shut her up, which indicated to Ravyn that Sarah would agree.

“What’s the favour?” asked Sarah.

~

[woodyloveslinkin]

This might disturb some viewers/readers. But I kinda thought the ending was funny. Lol. Grant gets told big time!

 

~

It was about half an hour to Brad’s clock off time for today’s shift, and it was about two hours to Joss’s. Neither of them cared that standing around in the corridor without having a firm eye out for heads of departments was a bad thing, especially in the foul mood Jo was in with Chester and somehow, Brad.

Brad didn’t understand women. He didn’t want to. It would involve too much of an effort. While trying to understand Joss and her unusual patterns of movement, that was another thing altogether, in which Brad wanted to find out for himself what was so exciting about being Andrea’s bitch all day. Joss was second in charge in the paediatrics unit, like Tarja was second in charge with the nursing department, and also, like Joss and Andrea, Tarja was Jo’s doormat. Mel on the other hand, she was just a supervising nurse that just stood around looking like she’s doing something, when in reality, she really wasn’t.

Brad wasn’t really interested in Joss, as Joss was so indulged with getting to know Brad and eventually asking him out. That was the trouble with Joss; she got her hopes up too quickly about things, men in particular.

“What are you doing tonight?” asked Joss, acting like a schoolgirl with a crush.

“Let’s see,” answered Brad, as he tried to remember what Chester was planning to do for the rest of the time that he was released on bail. “I have to run around, do some stuff and eventually, nothing much really. I live quite a boring life. Well, with the exception of cutting neighbour’s electricity supply off.”

“Why would you want to do that?” asked Joss. “Sounds a bit, Chester-like to do that.”

“No insult there,” retorted Brad, sarcastically, as he was a bit annoyed at being compared to a teenager raging on hormones.

“What?” asked Joss, innocently. “There’s nothing wrong with Chester, just, he didn’t make a very good boyfriend while we were together.”

“And the fact that you cheated on him as well,” added Brad.

“Can I help it if I get bored easily?” asked Joss, just as she realised that was the wrong thing to say as she was trying to, ‘hook up’ with Brad. Brad was highly unimpressed with Joss’s attempts to pick him up, as he just sneered and walked off. Fuck, thought Joss, as she remembered that incident had to go in the forgettable memories pile. Joss walked up to the day surgery desk, hoping to find Chester nearby. She had to play with some people’s minds today, and it wasn’t going to be with anyone down near the nursing department.

“Who are you looking for?” asked Andrea, coming up next to her, as both women leant against the desk. But Andrea had to occupy herself with writing on forms. “And tell me why you aren’t in paediatrics like you’re supposed to?”

“My shift’s done for the day,” lied Joss.

“No it’s not, I checked the roster a couple of minutes ago and it finishes in two hours,” replied back Andrea, not convinced by Joss’s lies. “Here’s a piece of advice for you Joss, start getting your act together. I’ve really had it with your laziness, and trust me; I will go see Grant about this problem as I keep on seeing it reoccurring.”

“But Grant’s not back,” retorted Joss, smugly. “Good luck.”

“I am so sick of your attitude, Joss, come on, keep it up, you’re only digging yourself a deeper grave,” explained Andrea, still keeping her eyes off Joss and on the clipboard in front of her. Andrea stopped writing, and looked up at Joss. “Oh yeah, by the way, Grant’s going to be back very soon. All heads of departments have a meeting with him every second Friday, rain, hail or shine, we always have it and guess what Joss? That meeting is next week, so fix that attitude or be prepared to lose your job.”

“Isn’t it getting that time of the year that Grant gets sick of all heads of departments telling him what to do, so he puts their jobs up for grab?” asked Joss, as she found the best comeback. Andrea didn’t look too impressed.

“So you’re telling me that you’re going to run as a candidate for my position despite the fact that all you do is sit on your ass all day and do jack all?” asked Andrea. “I would love to see the panel of judge’s reactions to that major fact.”

Joss pouted as Andrea walked away. Joss only wanted Andrea’s job because Andrea got more paid leave then she did, and Andrea has hardly used her paid leave time.

Joss started to imagine what she could with two months of paid leave, if ever she got Andrea’s job. She would be able to travel across Europe, dine at fancy restaurants, and get paid to do jack all, in which, that was Joss’s dream job, well, at least for the two whole months and whatever extra paid leave she was able to scab off Grant.

Joss tuned back into reality, just as Jonathon walked past, talking in a deep conversation with Meg, about some random things. Joss didn’t care. All she cared about was trying to pass the two hours she had left to go, so she could put her feet up at home and watch Heroes on television. Provided that some stupid emergency doesn’t suddenly pop up in the hospital like the bombings that had to happen ten minutes before she got off. She was never good with luck.

“Hey Jonathon,” smiled Joss, as Jonathon stopped and Meg stopped in reaction to Jonathon’s stopping. “What are you doing?” Joss walked over to where they were standing. Meg wasn’t too happy with Joss’s presence.

“Talking to Meg,” answered Jonathon. “What does it look like?”

“Well, I was only wondering that maybe we could hang out tonight,” suggest Joss, girlishly.

“I don’t know,” mumbled Jonathon, looking a bit uncomfortable, as he looked to Meg. “Hey babe, aren’t we going to your parents tonight?” Meg nodded. Joss looked like she had been hit over the head with a plank of wood, as soon as she realised what Jonathon just said. Jonathon looked back to Joss. “Sorry mate got other obligations. Maybe we should hang out some other time.”

Joss was not happy, as Meg gave her a fake and bitchy smile.

“Next time, Joss,” smiled Meg, bitchily.

Jonathon wrapped his arms around Meg, and the new couple started to walk off down the hallway together, talking about random things, but those random things did stay random for too long.

“So why did you change your mind?” asked Meg. “One minute ago you were like, ‘No I don’t want to go because I’m not ready to meet your parents’. God, how many mood swings must you have in order to be happy sometimes?”

“I don’t want to be with Joss, alone,” answered Jonathon. “The last time we were alone together was the other day in the locker room. She started to make advancements on me, despite the fact that I’ve repetitively told her that I am not interested in her. Well, I was going to tell her about you, but then I decided that I wanted to avoid being near a toddler throwing a tantrum.”

“On a lighter topic,” Meg started to change the topic. “Grant’s apparently coming back next week. And he’s apparently going to announce that all heads of department’s jobs are up for grabs. Are you going to go for your head of surgery, babe?”

“I was thinking about it, but it’s not Grant’s decision to reinstate Riss as head of surgery,” answered Jonathon. “And thinking of business concerning Riss, I am going to be in shit with her. I forgot to file some things.”

“Who do you reckon is gonna challenge Jo to her position?” asked Meg, as they came to the elevators. The stopped as Jonathon pushed the down button, but Meg had to go up, so she had to push the up button.

“I would say either Mel or Tarja, or even both,” answered Jonathon. “I doubt any of Ravyn’s staff wants her responsibility as head of ICU.”

“Talking of Ravyn, I have to see her about something, I’m waiting for her to lose control one day,” explained Meg. “I wouldn’t want to be around when that happens.”

“I don’t think anyone does,” replied Jonathon, as the elevator that was going down opened. “I’ll talk to you later babe.” Jonathon and Meg exchanged kisses. Jonathon let go of his girlfriend, as he walked into the elevator. He pushed the button for the ground floor, and he waved goodbye as the elevator doors closed.

That left Meg standing alone, but not for long.

“I didn’t know you were going out with him,” Joss said, as she stood next to Meg.

“For someone who’s been telling me to get a life, you haven’t really gotten one to start with,” replied Meg. “Leave me alone Joss. It’s a well known fact that we don’t like each other.”

“You know, he’s not the good in bed,” Joss started to mess with Meg’s mind. Meg pouted as she turned to face Joss.

“What would you know of him?” asked Meg. “And who in the right mind would want to touch you?”

“Ah, your boyfriend,” answered Joss, smoothly. “It’s a well known fact that he likes having more than one girl at a time with him, if you know what I mean.”

“And you’re a bitch so I shouldn’t listen to you in the first place,” snapped Meg, angry at Joss’s guts to mess with Meg’s mind. “Don’t you have work to do like you said to me this morning?”

“My work is over for today, I’m just simply walking around the hospital,” lied Joss. “I can’t believe it; Jonathon is in a serious relationship. I wonder how long that’s going to last. Knowing him, most probably for about a week when he gets bored with you. I know that from experience, he got bored with me so he decided to dump me for someone else.” Meg had concluded that Joss was feeding her bullshit that was aimed at deliberately annoy her. Meg wasn’t that foolish to believe anything that Joss had to say for herself. Meg was going to ignore Joss. She was in search of Ravyn, and Ravyn was sure to get rid of Joss by threatening to drag her ass out of the hospital or something like that. “Yeah, Jonathon is kinda a man-whore and a ladies man, I would be careful if I were you. Especially among the other interns that share your part of the hospital Meg, because I’ve already noticed that some are already after Chester and Rob. But Rob’s a decent enough guy not to cheat on his new girlfriend. You do know that Rob and Ravyn are going out right?” Meg was going to remain calm. Meg was going to wait until the elevator came, because it was taking so damn long to reach this floor. Meg was going to breathe in and out; she was not going to get angry. “I honestly don’t see what Sarah sees in Chester, other than a teenager. Maybe because she was once also a thriving hormonal teenager and look what happened to her, she ended up with a kid.” Meg didn’t appreciate such comments. Sarah and she were friends. “But yet again, what else do you have better to do than to get addicted to drugs and have sex while you’re high out of your brain when you’re a teenager? I’m surprised you haven’t ended up with a kid, Meg, I really am. After the rumours about you and Jonathon, you know the ones that were going through the interns that Jonathon had already knocked you up. Is it true though Meg, you’re the new Sarah in this hospital?” Meg was not going to get angry. “I don’t think highly of Sarah now. I really don’t see why I have to think highly of someone with a kid who was the result of being high on cocaine.” Meg was not going to get angry. She was going to breathe in and out. “I’m surprised there’s only one intern that has a kid.” Meg was going to breathe in and out. “There are so many of dumb sluts this open season, there was only one true slut in the pack this year around.” Meg had cracked completely.

She turned around so that she faced Joss, and gave her what Meg desperately wanted to give to her, a punch in the face. They both heard a crack, as various people that were walking by had stopped to see Meg hit Joss in the face. Three shades of red poured out of Joss’s nose, as Joss tried holding it back, as her face went to another shade of red, but with anger not pain. The elevator door opened, as Meg walked in, leaving Joss tending to her bloody nose. Meg pushed the button for the nursing department, and the elevator doors closed. The last glimpse that Meg saw of Joss was that of Joss giving her the finger. Meg smiled proudly that Joss had been giving a taste of her own medicine.

“Now that’s called being catty,” commented Rob, who was standing in the elevator corner, with a mop and a bucket. He looked tired and overworked, he was tired and overworked. The elevator went down. He was a bit amazed that he got to witness Meg’s cattiness. “And I thought my woman was a handful, I haven’t paid enough attention to you.”

“Hey!” snapped Ravyn, who Rob was overshadowing. She was actually the one standing in the corner, Rob looked like he was the one but he wasn’t. He was just hiding Ravyn. Ravyn moved so that she could be seen.

“What?” asked Rob innocently, as he looked from Meg to Ravyn. “It’s true though.”

“Question, White,” started Ravyn, as she rolled her eyes and looked to Meg. “Why did you feel the need to punch Joss in the face in a busy hospital?”

“God, don’t you start,” muttered Meg, mopingly. “It’s bad enough I hate most people in this hospital.”

“We should be friends in that case,” replied Ravyn. “You could be the next Andrea to me.”

“You sound like you’ve just encountered one of Rave’s moods,” noticed Rob. “But the problem we encounter is that she’s been with me for about twenty minutes and I can only recall this being the first time that we’ve met.” He looked back to Ravyn. “You didn’t somehow mysteriously disappear from my side in those twenty minutes?” Ravyn opened her mouth to defend herself from Rob. But she couldn’t have been bothered starting another argument with her man so shook her head. “God, I don’t know sometimes.”

“It wasn’t her fault,” explained Meg. “I lost my patience with Joss.”

“I lose my patience everyday with people but you don’t see me punching people in the face,” explained Ravyn, looking back to Meg. “See, this is where the art of verbal abuse comes in handy.”

“Don’t give her ideas,” lectured Rob, rolling his eyes and looking back to Ravyn. “It’s Joss we’re talking about. You lose your patience with her so quickly sometimes; you can’t find it for the next three hours after the incident.”

“No, that’s just me normally,” replied Ravyn, still not taking her eyes off Meg, who looked like she was going to erupt in an angry outburst any minute.

“Not for long it isn’t,” muttered Rob under his breath, but Ravyn still managed to hear it, but she chose to ignore it.

“I wish some people would just disappear off the sight of this planet so they wouldn’t be able to annoy me,” complained Meg. “I hate my job as an intern. It makes me so vulnerable to anger.”

“It’s not that bad,” replied Rob. “It can’t be. No job could be worst than mine, come on, I’m the janitor and I’m going out with head of ICU.” Ravyn shot Rob a sharp look. “What? Did I say it was a bad thing?”

“Maybe it’s because you’re part of Jo’s department, that’s why it’s so bad,” suggested Ravyn, letting the previous thing with Rob go, as her attention was diverted back to Meg’s mopes. “I mean, God, give me hail, give me shine, give me rain, or even a lightening bolt, but never would I want to be a nurse under Jo’s control.”

“That’s why I want Tarja or Mel to get the head of department job,” stated Meg.

“I’m still wondering if Jack’s going to challenge my authority over him,” muttered Ravyn to herself, but all the people heard it in the elevator. “What? I don’t want to be demoted.”

“What, back to Senior ICU Doctor?” asked Rob, looking back to his woman. “Any job is better than what I have to up with.”

“What’s the difference between now and then?” asked Meg. “Don’t you have to do a lot more running around?”

“Yeah, but when you’re the head of a department, people tend to listen to you more,” explained Ravyn. “Because if they don’t, it’s their ass on the firing line not mine.”

“Of coarse now, everything makes sense,” muttered Meg under her breath as she concluded that Ravyn had only said what she had just because of how narcissistic one could be. The elevator came to a halt. Moments later the doors opened to where Meg was originally going before she had ran into Rob and Ravyn. Meg decided to go anyway because of her original intention being to see Ravyn, but they had already met and Meg would rather mope and bitch about it to Tarja then to do real work right now. She left the scene without a further word, leaving Ravyn, Rob alone, as the doors closed on them, and they proceeded to go down.

But instead of going down like both of them expected it went up instead, leaving Ravyn and Rob wondering about what was wrong with this elevator that it ignored their calls to go down further.

“I’m convinced now that this hospital is seriously screwed up when it comes to the means of transportation around the hospital,” commented Ravyn, looking from the highlighted numbers above the door, and then to Rob. Rob just gave a small shrug, looking clueless as ever of what to do and say in this circumstance. Ravyn was in the state of mind that she was convinced that she was going to be demoted back to Senior ICU Doctor, if Jack got her position, it was either him or a woman on her own medical team called Tabitha. She got along with Tabitha okay, but not Jack, not Jack at all. “I don’t want to be demoted.”

“Are you still fretting about that?” asked Rob, putting one giant arm around Ravyn. “You won’t be demoted.”

“How would you know?” asked Ravyn, a bit exasperatedly. “Grant has never wanted me to get this far in my career and I bet it’s this year round, that he gets his dream to come true.”

“Ah, but Grant’s not on the committee,” reminded Rob. “And it looks like I’m not gonna go anywhere soon. I would love to see if I ever become head of social services.”

“Yeah, I tend to hate a lot of people from social services, well, I don’t hate you, because I’m kinda going out with you,” replied Ravyn, as Rob smiled and gave her a small peck on her forehead. “You don’t know how tempted I am to just walk into the medical tribunal and just spill my guts out to them about Grant, you really don’t know.”

“Like I said before many a time, with such serious shit you’ve got against him, he’s bound to lose his job over it if he’s found guilty, and I’m not stopping you,” explained Rob, as Ravyn threw his arm off her, as it was getting heavy with gravity.

“But the only problem is that I kinda encounter there is, that, it’s my word against his, as no one was really there to witness the shit, unless, no, not him, he won’t do it for me,” Ravyn replied, trailing off into her thoughts towards the ending of her sentence. She had a habit of doing this too often, and it was a thing she was starting to notice that annoyed many people, including Rob. Rob looked like he wanted to know more, by the simple gesture of a hand, indicating to her that he wanted to know more before she trailed off and forgot what she was thinking of. “I can’t go to Gradon. I just can’t.”

“He knows something happened, and if you don’t have hard evidence like Gradon’s word, you don’t have much of a case against Grant,” advised Rob, as the elevator came to a halt.

The doors opened and the atmosphere went dead cold around Ravyn, it was like someone had released an infectious catatonic disease into the air suddenly, for everyone to breathe in and die from. It was Satan himself disguised as the man that Ravyn hated the most. However, the only difference is that Ravyn couldn’t do anything about her hatred towards him, well, now she could, after Rob’s handy five second piece of advice that he just gave to her then.

“Aren’t you going to say hi to me at least Harris?” he asked, as he entered the elevator.

“I can’t believe that I have to even welcome you since all you ever do is sit on your ass and do jack all,” she retorted, as the elevator doors closed and Rob pushed for the ground floor for him and the second level for Ravyn in which they were the intended locations beforehand, before Grant decided to push the urgent button on the level that elevator was currently descending from. “Or you actually gonna do something this time?”

“I am a very busy man, Harris, I do not need to hear this coming from someone who I am superior to, when it comes to privileges and rights within this building,” remarked Grant.

“Why are you back to start with?” asked Ravyn. “Are you back, to humiliate either yourself or this hospital even more?”

“I’m back because I’m back Harris, I wouldn’t want to disappoint you,” answered Grant. Rob wasn’t about to get in the middle of this, as Ravyn was looking for backup by throwing Rob a couple of glances. Rob usually looked away when she threw the glances his way. “In which, that would be the least of my worries.”

“I thought it would be, that, you’re back to drive this hospital down even more,” suggested Ravyn. “In which we all know that’s a major fact to your prolonged departure from this hospital for good. God, even Gradon could do a better job then you at your job, and you probably haven’t even stepped inside your hell-sanctioned cubicle called your office and you’ve already made a Satan of yourself to me.”

“One thing that I loved on my vacation, none of your bitching,” commented Grant. “I thought you would’ve changed, you know, since you and Bourdon here are seeing each other.” Grant was being like this to deliberately provoke the daylights out Ravyn. He turned to Rob, who greeted him with a fake smile. “Why aren’t you disciplining your woman Bourdon, like a real man does?”

“I feel no need to, Sir,” answered Rob. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and she’s entitled to not only her opinion, but the truth. A real man does not control his woman, because a real man understands the need for opinion, virtue, and freedom of thought and speech.” Rob had just assured himself that he was going to live down in Ravyn’s book as the biggest hypocrite that she had dated so far. Ravyn actually felt proud that Rob had stood up for her, in a minor sort of way.

“A real man knows when his woman has said too much,” grunted Grant. “No exception in this case.” Ravyn was about to cut free of the vines that held her back from just saying all the bottled up feelings inside out aloud, but she didn’t cut the vines. She knew that her getting angry was what Grant would want. She was more appalled at the fact that once upon a time that Grant found that attractive in such a woman as herself. She was more likely to get sick than be offended at such a thought.

The elevator came to a halt on the first floor which was Ravyn’s and to much of her discontent, Grant’s location as well. Rob turned around to his woman as they exchanged farewell kisses.

“Bye bye babe,” farewelled Rob.

“Bye,” Ravyn also farewelled, as both Grant and Ravyn exited the elevators, with the doors closing behind them. Ravyn wasn’t happy about Grant’s arrival in the hospital, she was never happy when Grant came back from his little holidays. She turned right, as Grant stopped and contemplated the thought of wanting to annoy her even more. He knew that he was the only person that Ravyn would dare not to speak her mind about their deaths to their faces.

Ravyn was busy in thought about what she had to do on her list of things to do, rather than what Grant was thinking of what he could annoy her with. Firstly, she had to sign a couple of transfer documents between departments so that one patient could be transferred to the recovery ward instead of lingering around in ICU. Grant caught up with Ravyn, who did not greet him warmly but with a nasty smirk as though she was going to trip him over so that he’ll land face first into the ground or something else much more entertaining.

“You don’t seem so happy,” Grant attempted to start an adult conversation with Ravyn, or so Ravyn had perceived it to be. “I thought you and Bourdon being together, that would make you a bit more cheerful. You must not be getting what you want out of that relationship.”

“Keep the attitude coming Gallagher, I will have my revenge,” mumbled Ravyn to herself, but Grant only caught the first half.

“You seem crankier than normal,” continued Grant.

“Look, I don’t care,” snapped Ravyn suddenly breaking and stopping on the stop, leaving Grant no choice but to stop as well if he were to continue his spree of indulgence. “We do not get along, why can’t you just leave this relationship of hatred at just that? You don’t have to worsen everything just because you think it’s funny to stir me up. I wish I had never met you, Grant. I hate you that much for the person that doesn’t escape from your mouth, but because you live contradictorily. I hate you because of what you have done to me.”

“I have done nothing to you,” defended Grant. “The only thing I’ve done with you is put up with your bullshit attitude that’s dragging everyone else down with it.”

“Do I not need to remind you what occurred between us, a couple of years back?” asked Ravyn, harshly, really going for the throat, as Grant just grabbed her arm (the same one that Rob had previously grabbed the previous day and had dragged her by) and forced her to walk with him. He opened an empty office, as Ravyn had known it to be Meaghen’s empty office, basically threw her inside, and closed the door behind him. He grabbed Ravyn’s arm once again, and pinned her against the back wall. He grabbed the other hand which Ravyn currently digging her nails into him, and pinned that one against the wall.

“We are not going to go through with this bullshit story of yours again, do you hear me, Ravyn?” asked Grant.

“It’s not bullshit,” answered Ravyn, quietly, as her eyes started to swell up with tears. There had been a couple of times where she had seen Grant angry, but never like this. She was actually scared. “It’s not bullshit, Grant, because, why would I still be bringing it up?”

“Because you’re an attention seeker,” answered Grant. “Fuck you, you whore. You aren’t going to bring me down so easily. No one is going to believe you, especially if you go to the Board of Medicine. You have no proof. You have no witnesses. You’ve got no case against me.”

“How much are you paying Gradon to keep quiet?” asked Ravyn, as tears started to make their way down her face.

“Leave Gradon out of this,” ordered Grant. “Don’t keep on dragging people into this. This is another reason why people won’t believe you, it’s because you love being an attention seeker. And I doubt anyone would believe you just in general, because of how bad your attitude has become.”

“Well, I ain’t gonna quit just because of you Grant, I’ve been tempted many or so times, but I know what you did was illegal, and trust me, if the interns don’t get away with anything with me, you’re no exception just because you consider yourself to be my boss,” replied Ravyn, trying so hard to keep back the waterworks. Grant made his grip tighter on her wrists, as she was thinking that they were going to snap like twigs in a couple or more seconds. Grant came closer to Ravyn, looking rapacious as ever.

“It was not illegal, what happened back then, it was done in a consensual environment,” barked Grant, trying to keep his voice down. “Now, I don’t want to hear another word of the shit that you have to say for yourself Harris, if you know what’s good for you. Keep your mouth shut about this conversation to anyone, just in case you go running to your little boyfriend of yours, that Bourdon, the stupid janitor.”

“The only reason you’re jumping down my throat so badly, it’s because you’re still married to…what’s her name? Oh, that’s right, you’re still married to Susan,” concluded Ravyn. “I know how you work Grant; I’ve spent nearly all my medical career in this hospital. And when I was an intern, you and Gradon knew me at Royal North Shore. Do you remember how I was like as an intern Grant? I was the quiet one, always keeping out of trouble and minding my own business, that’s what you said to me once, and that’s what you liked about me. But we both know now, the real reason you chose me, is because I never knew how to stand up for myself. You hate me now because I don’t let anyone, not even Rob trample over me. And by the way, his name is Rob, and his last name is Bourdon, get to know the difference between the first name of a person and the surname.”

“Ah yes, I remember you as an intern, always nice, willing to cooperate with all sorts of people, and willing to keep your mouth shut about things, and you also knew not to make up fucking bullshit like you’re doing right now!” snapped Grant.

“If you knew what was good for you, you would’ve turned yourself in by now,” replied Ravyn, smoothly. “You deserve prison time.”

“You’re on the edge of the cliff here Harris, and trust me, you won’t be hanging on for long,” warned Grant, loosening his grip on Ravyn, but not enough so that Ravyn could struggle her way out of his grip.

“Is that some sort of threat, Gallagher?” asked Ravyn. “What are you going to do to me if I just happen to let slip something about it? Are you going to fire me, or even suspend me? I know you won’t, because I’m a head of a leading department to start with, and I’m one of the most efficient workers in this building.”

“You’re on the verge of me signing your suspension papers, let’s just put it that way,” growled Grant, letting go of Ravyn entirely, but not stepping away from her. He looked deep inside her hazel eyes, like a lovesick puppy. Ravyn was quite the opposite, she was upset, angry, and to put a few descriptive words short, quite pissed off. She pushed him off her, throwing him back a few inches, but he quickly regained those few inches before Ravyn had a chance to start her walk out of Meaghen’s empty office. He pinned her against the back wall, again, but he got hold of both her wrists and held them above her head with one of his hands. He was much closer to her then he was before. He spoke in her ear. “No one will believe you. Don’t make an ass out of what you’ve got left as a doctor here, reputation wise. Now here’s the deal Harris…” He put his spare hand over her mouth, as she had opened her mouth to either yell or to abuse him even more. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Fuck you, you bastard,” were the words that came out of Ravyn’s mouth but only came out as disfigured mumbles.

“Now here’s the deal Harris, you are going to keep quiet, failing to do so will result in the removal of your medical licence and your positional status as a doctor, are we clear on the terms?” asked Grant.

“I can’t fucking answer you if you have your fucking hands over my fucking mouth,” were the words that came out of Ravyn’s mouth but only came out as random mumbles. Grant removed his hand, as Ravyn had a random thought about how that one sentence was out of few that she had consistently cussed in. “I hate you Gallagher, that’s blackmail and don’t act like it isn’t.”

“Is that an agreement we’ve got there?” asked Grant. Ravyn wasn’t going to shove all of her hatred for Grant into a bag just like that. She made another attempt to free herself, but it was like her trying to win a fist fight with Rob. “Do I have to make myself clearer?”

“I think you’re going to have to,” answered Ravyn. “Because, why exactly do I have to listen to the shit that makes its way out of your mouth, again?”

“I want to be with you,” answered Grant. “You don’t know how in love I am with you, still, after all these years.”

“Yeah, fuck off,” laughed Ravyn, thinking it was a joke. But Grant wasn’t laughing or showing any sign that it was meant to be a joke. Her expression changed. “No!” Grant covered her mouth to keep her quiet.

“Hush,” whispered Grant.

“You’re an idiot Grant,” Ravyn originally said, but yet again, Grant’s hand over her mouth made it quite a difficult task to get it across in simple English. She rolled her eyes thinking Grant can’t even understand simple English to start with; even if it fell from the top of a twelve storey building and landed on him. “I wonder why Susan’s ready to leave you; all you ever do is go and cheat on her.”

“I’m sorry I can’t exactly hear you with my hand over your mouth,” gloated Grant, removing his hand. No shit, thank you Captain fucking Obvious, thought Ravyn to herself, as she rolled her eyes once more. The moment that Grant had removed his hand, the split second Ravyn opened her mouth to respond to Grant’s idiocy, was the split second that words did not come out of her mouth, but she soon found herself attached from the mouth to something else. She couldn’t resist, because he had her hands still in his grip and there was basically nothing she could to help free herself, from kissing this, this monster known as Grant. She just hoped Rob didn’t walk in and accuse her of stupid shit that he knew nothing about. She broke away from the kiss, looking like she would rather drink poison than to repeat those horrid seconds of her life. “See, now we’re both happy.”

“I think I’m going to be sick,” commented Ravyn, blankly as Grant let go of her. She slid to the ground, crawled up, against the wall. She looked at the ground at Grant’s shoes, trying to convince herself that this was a dream, one that she was not enjoying. She wiped her lips, hoping to get his saliva off her lips, with the back of her hand, as she huddled in a small ball even more. She put her arms around her legs, and joined her hands. She did feel a bit queasy in the stomach. Maybe the thought of just kissing the man that she despised worse than Vanessa, Rob’s ex.

Grant stepped back a pace and got to his knees to look at Ravyn. Ravyn didn’t care that his shoes had moved out of her sight, now; she could just stare at the ground.

“See, now that wasn’t too bad,” stated Grant.

Ravyn felt like punching him in the face, but was held back by the queasy feeling in her stomach, she really felt like throwing up. She didn’t feel like throwing up before, but she was now confident that she was going to throw up. By now, the tears had dried up, she didn’t really have that much of an effort to keep on telling Grant that she did not want to be near him, but yet again, she thought to herself, it’s Grant that’s the centre of attention here, he would hit on the new interns then to actually do some work.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” repeated Ravyn to herself, as Grant rolled his eyes, as he thought this was a way to get out of the situation so easily.

“Come on Ravyn, I can’t be that bad of a kisser,” replied Grant. “Or it’s probably that you’ve missed these little sessions. It’s been a while since we’ve been alone like this.”

“Excuse me?” asked Ravyn, obviously very offended by Grant’s reply. “‘Our little sessions’, what the fuck is wrong with you Grant? Do you think I enjoyed being used as your little finger puppet? I am not your marionette Grant, I’m nobody’s bitch.” It was coming. She could feel it. It was coming. It came alright. Vomit wise. Just put it this way, Grant was kinda grossed out by the fact that his newly clean black shoes now had the contents of Ravyn’s stomach on it.

“You are sick woman,” muttered Grant, as went to clean off the vomit of his shoes. Ravyn smiled, thinking of how genius her body was to just give way just like that, at that precise moment.

She knew now that Grant wouldn’t bug her today and that she was taking the rest of the day off.

~

[woodyloveslinkin]

It was the next day.

Sarah sat at home watching her wide-screen television that was originally a gift from her Aunt, as she shovelled two minute noodles into her mouth. Ava was at home as well, she was having lunch as well. Sarah had taught Ava not to shove everything into her mouth as once, but Sarah lacked the knowledge of a two year old not able to understand the phrase ‘do as you’re told and not as I do’. Sarah necessarily didn’t lack the education it was more of case of forgetting that her two year old daughter was currently in the room, and currently throwing noodles around the room as a means to entertain herself.

Sarah’s eyes were on the television, a series of DVDs that she had borrowed from a couple of relatives as a means to distract herself from the possible threat that Matt might just randomly turn up on her doorstep with a semi-automatic in his hands. Well, Sarah at least knew that wouldn’t happen because as far as she was concerned, he was living in a four by four with metal cuffs around his wrists.

Dominique and Monique were serving their suspension time with Sarah unfortunately. Jade and Halle were in Allie’s care right now, as Allie had no idea how to handle with the twins’ suspensions, so she handed that responsibility to Sarah. Allie was more used to calling the cops up about how her second eldest had ran away with her boyfriend of hers. Allie was glad that was over and done with, but more put off by Matt’s attempts to ‘reclaim his daughter’ as Matt had once put it to her. Dominique was currently telling Ava to stop playing with her food, despite the fact that Dominique couldn’t hold a straight face when trying to discipline Ava. Monique was outside, as Sarah made her water the garden for her, because Sarah was too indulged in The X-Files season two.

There were several repeated knocks at the door.

Sarah just grunted, knowing that answering the door would mean taking her eyes off the television and transferring her attention away from what Mulder and Scully were investigating. She looked at her sister who was trying to clean the noodles up from the floor that Ava had thrown down, and indicated her to get the door. Sarah’s attention on Dominique was short, as Sarah was engrossed by the mysteries being played out in a dodgy manner on the television in front of her.

Dominique groaned as she took Ava’s bowl away from her, only to put it on the nearby kitchen table. Ava started to scream because she wanted to throw more noodles around the room.

“A little help, please,” requested Dominique, as Sarah finished her bowl of noodles and placed the bowl beside her.

“You should know already how to control a two year old, Dom,” replied Sarah, as she shifted her attention to her daughter that had walked over to her and buried her head in her mother’s side, as she started to throw a tantrum. “Oh, what’s wrong baby?” She lifted Ava up so that she wasn’t being jabbed constantly in the ribs. Sarah looked into Ava’s green eyes. Sarah then thought about how she was so much like Matt, in appearances. Green eyes, blonde hair, but she had Sarah’s face, so that’s all that mattered to Sarah. The knocks started to become annoying as there were more repetitive knocks on the front door. Sarah patted Ava’s back, as Ava buried her head into Sarah’s chest and started to cry louder. “No, no more noodles. God, someone’s tired.”

“‘Oodles,” replied back Ava.

“No, noodles all gone,” Sarah lied. “They’re all gone. No more.” Sarah looked to her younger sister. “Aren’t you going to get that?”

“Now that’s just being lazy,” Dominique tried to reprimand. “Why can’t you go get it yourself, seeing you’re the one that owns this house?”

“Because I’m not the one that got suspended from school here,” answered Sarah. “And plus, I pay the bills around here, I am the one that pays for the food, and I am trying to manage a two year old, if you haven’t noticed, is currently chucking a tantrum over her noodles being taken away from her.”

“Why did Mum have to leave me with you?” asked Dominique, frustratingly, as she obeyed her sister and answered the front door.

“Ah because Mum doesn’t know how to deal with suspensions,” answered Sarah, knowing that she was tipping on the line of an insult towards her own mother’s way of mothering her own kids. Ava was still crying. “Hey Ava, Ava, honey, guess what Mummy’s gonna do?” Ava looked up, teary eyed as anything. “Mummy’s going to put you down again, because Mummy thinks you didn’t sleep enough in your morning nap.”

“No, no seep,” protested Ava, shaking her head in protest.

“I don’t care, you’re overtired,” replied Sarah, as she lifted her daughter up and Sarah also got to her feet.

“No, no seep!” yelled Ava, starting to wail, as she started to kick her legs. Sarah held back her legs.

“Ah, Sarah,” said Dominique from the front door. “You’ve got a visitor.”

“Oh goody,” replied Sarah, rolling her eyes, as this was the most imperfect time to have people around. Sarah had to go past the front door to get to the stairs that led up to Ava’s room. Sarah stopped and turned around so that she faced the person that Dominique had labelled ‘the visitor’. She thought it might’ve been Chester, but Chester usually barged right in without an invitation.

Ava turned around to see what her mother was looking at. Her eyes lit up as her expression was turned upside down.

“Daddy? Daddy?” asked Ava, as Sarah was a bit shocked to hear Ava to say that about Matt. “Daddy!” Ava wanted to go down, so Sarah let her down. She ran over to Matt, and hugged his legs. Matt smiled at Sarah, as Sarah’s expression remained frozen with anger and confusion, as Dominique departed from the scene. Matt picked his daughter up. As soon as Ava was in her father’s arms, she threw her arms around him.

“M…a…t…what are you doing here?” asked Sarah, not knowing where to start with the questions. “I mean, why aren’t you in jail?”

“Parole,” answered Matt, as Sarah noticed how…how handsome he looked, as though Matt had gotten his act together and just left the drugs just like that. Matt was clean shaven, in clean clothes, and had his normal blonde hair spiked up. He turned to Ava. “How’s my little girl going?”

“Good,” answered Ava.

Sarah was still confused. Ava had never been exposed to Matt on a regular basis, but had been exposed to him a couple of times, and never once, had she heard Ava call Matt by his status name to her.

“I don’t know where to start with the questions, I really don’t,” said Sarah, still amidst in her confusion.

“Can I come in?” asked Matt, as Sarah nodded only because Ava would throw another tantrum because of Matt’s departure. Sarah stepped aside as Matt came in with his daughter in his hands. Sarah closed the door behind him, as she signalled the way to the living room where she had The X-Files still going. They walked over to the next room, and Sarah turned the DVD player off as well as the television. Ava got down from Matt’s grip, as both Sarah and Matt sat down on the couch and Ava went to show-off mode, as she went and started to pull out of all her toys from her box in the corner. “I know I should’ve called or something, just to tell you that I was coming. I apologise for this sudden popping in. I didn’t know if you would be at work or not.”

“Is that all you’re going to apologise for?” asked Sarah, just wanting to start a verbal fight with her ex. “I can tell you now, there are many things that you should’ve apologised to me for, and never have I heard those apologies.”

“Like, leaving you for the cocaine, while you were pregnant,” suggested Matt. “I’ve done stupid stuff in the past and I don’t know how I can really make it up to you. I’m trying to be a good man now. It’s just, I have to find the right foot to begin on, and I thought that I owed you some apologies for the past.”

“No, no Matt, that’s not why you’re here,” realised Sarah. “I’m not giving you cash.”

Sarah saw right through Matt with the last thing that Matt had said to her. It was the same kind of trick that Matt had taught Sarah to do in the years that they were together, to get money off people. Sarah used to do it all the time to one of her step-dads’ because he had always wanted Allie to just go to hell for their relationship, yeah, Jade’s father.

“Please baby, I need some cash, I really do,” begged Matt. “I’m so broke right now I can barely afford my rent. I won’t get any welfare payments for another week or two.”

“Matt, if you think you’re living it tough, well guess what? So am I and I ain’t coming to you and asking for cash from you, now, am I?” asked Sarah. “I don’t get paid a lot to be an intern, when trying to manage a child that my ex refused and still refuses to pay child support for. I work two jobs. I work as an intern by day and whatever night shifts I have to do, and for one night a week, I work six hours at a bar as a bartender. Alexis is still in hospital, Dom and Monique are suspended, Mum’s just got back from Australia, and Ava and I have just returned from being in hospital. I too, have my own worries Matt, so don’t think you’re the one that’s suffering, because I am as well.”

“I didn’t and I still don’t have any cash to help Ava, I really don’t,” argued Matt, as Ava came up to them both with toys. “I would if I could Sarah.”

“You didn’t even believe Ava existed until a couple of days ago,” retorted Sarah. “Despite our numerous of run ins with each other, and no matter how often you beat me up and me showing you pictures of Ava, you refused to believe that Ava was even your child. And don’t ‘baby’ me, because I ain’t your baby no more Matt.”

“I know there’s a guy in your life, Sarah, who is it?” asked Matt.

“So what, so you can go beat him up because he’s doing a better job than you with both me and Ava?” asked Sarah. “It doesn’t matter who it is.”

“Yes it does,” replied Matt. “What if he’s a serial rapist or someone I’ve had meetings within the jail?”

“Chester’s no criminal Matt,” answered Sarah.

“Who…Bennington?” asked Matt. Sarah nodded. “Oh God. Out of all the men to date, why did it have to be Bennington?”

“I ask myself that question everyday with you,” retorted Sarah. “Out of all the men for me to sleep with and to conceive a child with, why you? I want you to never come back to this household again, Matt, no matter how God damn poor you are. Cos you ain’t gonna live with me and the daughter that you refused to believe that existed.”

“The only reason why I didn’t want to believe that Ava existed is because, I don’t know if I should tell you this,” Matt trailed off in his sentence. “It’s kinda none of my business…”

“Tell me what?” asked Sarah.

“Remember Amy?” asked Matt. Sarah recalled memories of her as they were once best friends until Amy decided to leave Sarah’s side when she was six months along with Ava. It was more of a case of Viking controlling Amy, but, Sarah questioned that excuse to the top point of every lie that the three of them came out with. Sarah nodded, as painful memories were shoved back down again. “She’s in trouble with the law again, but it’s not for drug offences.”

“Who did she attempt to stab this time around?” asked Sarah, recalling that Amy had once tried to stab some random person in the subway for their money, but failed greatly.

“She didn’t stab anyone surprisingly,” clarified Matt. “She’s in trouble with the child welfare agency. She has three of her own and all of them are Vi’s. Vi… just say that Viking made Amy look like she did something bad to them, when Viking was the one that did the shit to them, you’ve gotta swear you won’t tell anyone.”

“You’re kidding right? You’re saying that Viking’s gotten Amy pregnant three times already in the past how many years has it been since we last saw each other?” asked Sarah. “The last time I really had any contact with Viking, was when Ava was literally two hours old really, and that was because we ran into each other at the hospital. He was saying that if I wasn’t careful, Viking would hold Ava’s head under water and drown her for you. What has Viking done to his kids?”

“Beats the crap out of them,” answered Matt. “I’ve told him that I would never do that to your kid. He turned around and punched me in the face for that comment. He’s blamed his heroin addiction on Amy and Amy’s going to lose custody of what are their names again? Oh god, yeah, I remember. It’s Jessica the eldest who’s two, Leo who’s one, and Brianna who’s like two months old. He said that if I ever turned around my life and I went back to you just because of Ava, he said he would come torch our house on fire so the lot of us would die.”

Sarah wasn’t convinced by Matt’s little story about Amy. But at the same time she still balanced Amy’s history with Matt’s accusations, and for Viking, well, Sarah knew that was coming either way. Viking hadn’t been nice to Sarah as well, calling her names at one stage of Matt and her relationship, Sarah was ready to walk out several times because Matt never used to stand up to his best friend and tell him to quit it.

“And what do you want me to do about it?” asked Sarah. “I can’t help Amy. She’s been out of my life for quite a while now and I want it to remain that way as far as I’m concerned. She knew what she was in for even before she started to seeing Viking, so the only person to blame is herself.” Matt opened his mouth to say something to his ex, as his daughter came up to him and urged him to aimlessly play with her, while trying to convince Sarah to give her money to him. But he decided that Sarah wanted to continue her little sympathy bullshit parade on him. “You don’t know how it’s like to have someone to tell you that a person’s going to stand by you, even though you feel like you’ve lost everything because your boyfriend was a drug addict and chose drugs over his child. You don’t know what it’s like to live on the side of the street, knowing that someone might come along and kidnap you, just because you’re a woman. You don’t know what it’s like to be hanging onto nothing. I felt myself falling many a time, but I got back on my feet and I still managed to recover. So don’t pull bullshit on me saying to me that you’re living it tough, cos, in reality Matt, you’re not the only one. I am not going to help Amy, because she did not help me like she promised she would.”

“You don’t understand of what Viking is trying to do to her,” argued Matt. “If I was so narcissistic and selfish as you’re trying to make me look like I am, why am I trying to help Amy?”

“Because it’ll be something good on your conscience, so you don’t have to wake up to every morning thinking about what could’ve been and what you failed to do,” replied Sarah. “I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve with Amy and trying to get her out of trouble with both Viking and the law, but it’s not fooling me that easily. I see right through you now. You know what the funny thing is about you Matt, is that I thought you would’ve made a decent father, but yet again, I make too many assumptions concerning your intelligence sometimes.”

“Why don’t you care for Amy?” asked Matt. “Viking is putting her through hell, and he’s trying to gain custody over their kids. You call me fucking selfish, I’m trying to do something right for Amy, and this is how I get repaid when I ask you to do something for her? It’s a stupid little grudge you’ve got against her, get over it Sarah, get over yourself.”

“Amy left me on the streets, alone, and about six months pregnant, with no cash, no sense of where I was going, she broke a promise to me that might’ve spared me some heartbreak,” retorted Sarah. “You don’t know what it’s like to be me full stop to that Matt. You’ve never empathised; you’ve never stopped for one moment and thought about anything else other than what benefits you the most. As far as I am concerned, I will only believe what you’re saying, when Amy actually finds the decency to turn up on my doorstep and confront me about our past. So, as far as I am concerned, I don’t want you in this household Matt. I want you to stay far away from me, my daughter, and anyone else that we happen to know in conjunction, like Chester for an example.”

Matt broke away from the conversation, by standing up and facing the corner, away from Sarah. Ava looked confused of why her father had just broken away from playing with her, as she looked to her mother for answers. Sarah’s attention wasn’t on her daughter but more or so on what Matt was doing or whatever he was going to do.

“You know what’s the funniest thing about this grudge between you and Amy is?” asked Matt, smiling, as though it was something funny.

“It’s not funny,” answered Sarah, blankly, as she also got to her feet, and crossed her arms. “I’ve never found abandoning someone funny like that.”

“Remember high school Sarah?” asked Matt. Sarah didn’t want to reply, because she knew where this would lead to. “Remember all the rumours that went around between you and Viking?”

“It’s completely irrelevant Matthew,” commented Sarah.

Matt turned around so that he faced Sarah.

“You’ve always had it in for Amy, because Viking chose her to go out with rather than you,” continued Matt.

“Ah, completely untrue,” replied Sarah. “This one of your jealousy spits again.”

“No it’s true,” explained Matt. “Come on Sarah, we all know you set yourself up with that incident with Amy. You probably told her to fuck off and to never come back because you wanted to be the one to be made out to be the innocent victim.”

“Do you really want me to recall you the fine details of how you got me pregnant, how you left me when you found out that I was pregnant, how Viking told me off for being a ‘no-good whore’ and how Amy left me on the sidewalk six months later?” asked Sarah, as her eyes started to swell up with tears. She couldn’t hold her brave face no more. “Those memories haunt me in my sleep Matthew, that’s how badly scarred I am. You don’t have any empathy to even think of how traumatised I was.”

“Then if you were so traumatised by what I did to you, and what Amy did to you, why didn’t you sink into depression or some shit like that?” asked Matt. “Because trust me, Viking told me that you looked fine when he saw you last. And the couple of nights ago, in the car park, well, you seem to be having the time of your life.”

“I did sink into depression!” snapped Sarah, as she started to cry. “I sunk into postnatal depression for the first year of Ava’s life! While I was in the process of trying to get into med school, and trying to manage a one year old screaming at the top of her lungs, I wasn’t that happy for that year. It’s taken me this long to get over what you guys did to me. And I don’t want you coming back into my life again and making it hell again, just because I refuse to give you money so you can shoot up. I’m not like that anymore, Matt.”

“You’re such a liar, the amount of bullshit you pull on people, I don’t know where to begin,” started Matt, coming closer to Sarah. Ava had stopped what she was doing, as she was concentrating on her father’s angry expression upon his face. She was confused. She thought she had done something wrong to make Matt upset. Sarah walked over to Ava, picked her up and walked into the next room. Matt didn’t give up that easily. He cut in front of Sarah and blocked her entry into a nearby room, by standing in the archway with his arm in front of her, full length. “You were always good for turning your back on people.”

“You were always good for not understanding the term ‘get out’, Matthew,” replied Sarah. “Matt let me through.”

“Give me one good reason why I should just take my daughter away from you and never come back?” asked Matt.

“Because you’re on parole,” answered Sarah. “You’re already up on kidnapping charges, let alone how many drug offences is it now? And here’s another reason why, if you take Ava away from me, your rap sheet will lead all of Chicago’s cops on you so quickly, that I hope they’ll have shoot to kill rights pinned on them.” Sarah wasn’t upset anymore, she was more angry at Matt’s mood change. She was a bit frightened about his mood changes, she still didn’t like them, and because she never knew what façade he put pull on her. “What the hell is wrong with you Matt? One minute you’re grovelling at my feet, practically begging me to let you back into my life and now, you look like you want to fight me or something.”

“I want my daughter,” growled Matt.

“No!” snapped Sarah. “I will not have Ava exposed to her father’s stupid ways and his sudden mood changes. I’m a better mother than to just hand her over like that.”

“Sarah, I’m asking you nicely, can I please have Ava?” asked Matt.

“No!” repeated Sarah. “I’m not in the mood for you to use me and my daughter for God damn knows what reasons.”

“Matt,” growled Chester, as he had just barged right in without an indication of his presence. He tended to do this, a lot to Sarah and Brad. Sarah and Matt hadn’t heard him come through the front door because they were busy in conversation and hadn’t noticed anything else much. He was standing next to Matt, but Sarah couldn’t see him, because the wall was blocking her vision of him. “Drop it.”

“I’ll fucking drop you over the edge of a cliff soon Bennington,” threatened Matt, turning to Chester. “It’s the little parasite we’ve got here.” Matt turned to Sarah. “You do know we do know each other?” Sarah nodded slowly, remembering what Matt had said earlier about Chester. “Do you know what this guy has behind him?” Sarah shook her head slowly, a bit confused. Matt looked back to Chester, who stood defiant and strong. “The number of shit that you used to have on your rap sheet, man, fuck, you’ve made Sarah look like a walking hypocrite. Well, that would explain of why she’s a whore.”

Sarah was obviously offended by such comments.

“I want you out of this house now, Matt; I’ve had it with your stupid mood swings,” Sarah found herself repeating the same words again.

Matt ignored Sarah’s demands as he faced Chester still.

“So man, what haven’t you told her?” asked Matt.

“She wants you to get out of her house as do I,” ordered Chester. “Do you remember the last time you provoked me?” Chester was acting like a protective lion fighting over his territory which had coincidentally a lioness and a cub in it. “The parole board dismissed your case.”

“I do remember the last time I provoked you, yes I do,” answered Matt, remembering the memories he had with Chester in them. “Our two gangs in total warfare in jail. I remember those wars.” Sarah put Ava to the floor, because she was getting too heavy for Sarah and she was a stunned mullet. She couldn’t find the words to describe the fact that she was dating an ex-con which stood for everything that she wasn’t. “I was the leader of my gang and you were the leader of yours. The amount of times we tried to get at each other in the yard.”

“Don’t bring this on yourself Matt, it’s really not worth going back to that hellhole for,” advised Chester. “Just, leave Sarah out of this completely and leave Ava out as well. What ever problem you have, you’re going to deal with it with me.”

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t punch you in the face right now Bennington?” asked Matt. “Because I’m failing to see the point in your presence here. Did you come back to tell Sarah your history or did you deliberately try to bring that one on yourself? Because I can tell you now, you love bringing stuff on yourself.” Matt looked back to Sarah’s shocked expression. “I guess I wasn’t the only criminal that you’ve opened your legs to.”

“He at least didn’t make me chose between him and my child,” retorted Sarah, really wanting to start a physical fight with him now because of the latest comment. She was so sick of hearing that come out of people’s mouths directed or referring to her. “Matt, you’re making an ass of yourself. You need to go, and that’s me putting it bluntly.”

“Really?” asked Matt, sarcastically. “Wow, I really didn’t know that I had to go.” He turned to Chester. “Did you know I had to go?”

“That’s what she’s been saying to you for the past God damn five minutes Matt, leave, now,” advised Chester. “Stop embarrassing yourself, before I end up behind bars for asphyxiating the crap out of you and your smart ass mouth.”

“Now, I reckon that was a threat,” replied Matt. Chester had snapped completely with Matt’s attitude now. Chester grabbed Mike by the collar and pushed him against the nearest wall. Sarah picked up Ava and walked away, not wanting her daughter to witness violence. Chester held Matt by his collar.

“Now,” started Chester, coming close to Matt. “Leave the girls of this household alone. If you come back here, I will slit your throat. I don’t care if I have to go back and do time for it, it was well worth protecting my woman and her kid.”

“You were never good with women to start with Bennington, so I don’t see what you’re getting defensive over,” stated Matt. “She’s not going to last, so I don’t see why you’re even attempting to try.”

“I love Sarah and Ava more then you ever did, in fact, you never loved Ava, you wanted Ava to die from what I recall of what Sarah has told me,” replied Chester. “Now leave Matt. You’re a disease in this household. And I’m the vaccination. I am not ready to kill another person Matt, I really am not.” Chester let go of Matt, as Matt regained his balance to walk again.

Chester eyed him carefully, like a hawk during a hunt for the perfect prey. Matt walked to the front door, held the handle, gave Chester a smirk, and walked out, slamming the door behind him. Chester waited for a second or two so that the faint sound of Matt’s indulgence was well away from the house before Chester proceeded to find Sarah.

Chester only took a pace before he saw Sarah rushing through with Ava in her arms, half asleep. She didn’t look too pleased with Chester, and even Chester was admitting his faults at this stage of denial. Sarah walked upstairs, as Chester proceeded to follow her. He knew she was putting her daughter to sleep, and didn’t say anything until Sarah closed Ava’s door, as both of them faced each other.

“I can’t believe you,” muttered Sarah, walking down the hallway away from Ava’s room. Chester followed her, as she stopped at the end of the hallway. “You lied. You lied to me. How is this going to be a relationship when all you tell me are lies?”

“Sarah, please, you’ve got to hear out my version of events,” pleaded Chester. “I know I’ve got a bad rap sheet behind me, but I’m no serial killer. I’m almost like you, I’ve had a rough past, and it catches up to me every now and then, like what Matt just did then.”

“I may as well just date a seventeen year old teenager, cos, frankly, that’s what I feel like who I’m dating right now,” argued Sarah. “And yes, I heard about the stunt where Jo bailed you out. Brad told me.”

Chester was a bit annoyed at Brad now, since he was the one telling Chester not to tell Sarah. Hypocrite.

“We all have had pasts that we wish now that we’ve never had, I am one of those people, and so are you,” explained Chester.

“You killed a person, that’s almost bad as Matt abandoning me, because the only difference is that Matt has nearly killed me, and given me numerous death threats,” replied Sarah. “I don’t want to share the same bed with a man who that I know, has killed a person.”

“Please, Sarah, you don’t have to take our relationship down this trail,” pleaded Chester. “It can be avoided.”

“Not with me, it can’t, I asked you when you asked me out, if you had a rap sheet of any form, you said no, therefore, you’ve been lying,” retorted Sarah. “I don’t even want to know a murderer, let alone having one around Ava.”

“It wasn’t murder, it was manslaughter,” corrected Chester. “And it was self defence.”

“You killed someone though, and you did time for it,” retorted Sarah. “I’m sorry, but I can’t be with someone who has killed someone, I don’t care if it was considered manslaughter. It’s bad enough knowing that you have the ability to kill someone on the operating table.”

“I do not abuse my status as a surgeon,” replied Chester. “I honour it.”

“Then honour the truth then!” snapped Sarah, angrily. “I don’t want you to be around this household. I don’t want my daughter being around someone who has committed manslaughter. I’m sorry I can’t be with you now.”

“Sarah, please don’t,” pleaded Chester. “It doesn’t have to end this way. It doesn’t have to end at all, if you really want to avoid such disasters.”

“I have no choice,” replied Sarah. “I want you out. I’ll see you at work on Monday Chester.”

“So its goodbye just like that now is it?” asked Chester. Sarah nodded. Chester nodded as well, as Chester turned around and went downstairs. Sarah didn’t move or go anywhere until she was sure that Chester was gone. She heard Dominique and Chester exchange goodbyes downstairs, as the front door was opened and shortly closed. Sarah cried, as she leant against the wall and fell limply to the ground, where she buried her head in her knees and hoped that this was soon going to be over and done with.

~

[woodyloveslinkin]

~

“Madison!” barked Josh, the next day, as he passed Jo talking to a new intern. Jo suddenly went back into reality, as she realised that she had just spent three-quarters of an hour talking to a new male nurse called Joel about everything but nursing. Josh was in a rushy mood and wasn’t prepared to take crap from no one, not even from the person that dealt it out the most, Ravyn. Jo detached herself from Joel. Jo followed Josh’s long strides, trying to catch up to him, and try to explain to him why she was still talking to Joel. Josh had previously passed the two a couple of times within the 45 minutes of them talking about jack all.

“I was only talking to the new guy,” explained Jo, trying to find a bullshit excuse to tell Josh, as she scratched the back of her neck nervously, and placed it back beside her side. Josh stopped suddenly, as Jo found herself coming to a halt as well. Josh wasn’t really impressed by Jo’s excuse. “You know, trying to make him feel at home.”

“I hope you’re not expecting me to believe that,” stated Josh, blankly. “The only thing that could your attention for that amount of time is either, you’re attracted to him, or, that’s just it, you’re attracted to him. God’s sakes Jo, aren’t you meant to be a married woman?”

“Meant to be but not now legally,” answered Jo. Josh shot Jo a strange and confused look. “I’m getting legally separated and then legally divorced. That’s not a crime. And plus, if me and Joel get together, think of it, me and Joel.” Jo was in the process of going back into fantasy land.

“Snap out of it,” ordered Josh, calmly, but strongly, as Jo shook her head to get out of the day dream. “You’re a strange woman Jo.”

“I’m not that strange, compared to what Ravyn used to be like when she wouldn’t admit to me about liking Rob,” replied Jo. “Oh God, I remember those days. I knew those two would hook up, I just knew it.”

“Stop playing matchmaker Jo, no one likes those people,” enjoined Josh. “Getting back to business Joanna, don’t you have business to attend to? Like for an example, don’t you have to hand out those notices to the people who have scored themselves a position in the sexual harassment classes?”

“I don’t know, didn’t know they were on until you mentioned them,” replied Jo, a bit confused, as she tried to restrained herself from laughing because she was thinking of who she had guessed were already on that list. “And since when did I have to give them out?”

“You’re the person in charge of getting the message across,” answered Josh.

“I thought, Grant was,” assumed Jo. Jo hated to be that person who was meant to be the ‘teacher’ in those classes.

“No way, he’s fucked off for the day thank God,” replied Josh. “Apparently according to him, Harris gave him a whole heap of shit yesterday and it is like, Harris has become the new anti-Grant omen, but still remaining the same old anti-nurses omen. Talking of Harris, have you seen her around by any chance?”

“Hmm…not that I can recall,” answered Jo, trying to remember where she had seen Ravyn this morning. “Oh wait, yes I did. She was going off at three of my nurses in the nursing common room. Why can’t ICU just get their own common room?”

“Because Harris has pissed off Grant too many times,” answered Josh, as Brad stopped at his side to give him a heap of pink fliers. Josh accepted them, thanking Brad as he left. Brad left as quickly as he had appeared. “Oh look they’ve arrived just in the nick of time for me to give them to you.” Jo faintly and sarcastically smiled, as Josh handed them to her. She accepted, as she looked to see who was first up.

“Why is Delson on here when he could’ve just easily taken it away like that before he handed them to you?” asked Jo, a bit confused. “And let me guess, Bennington’s on here as well?”

“I know Bennington is, but Delson only wanted to get in because he would’ve been with Bennington for half a day straight,” explained Josh. “Would explain why Delson was trying to hit on Rob the other day. I mean, it’s Delson, come on. I know Harris is on there, I think it’s because she’s starting to call her male colleagues by the names of women.”

“And the fact that she personally attacks everyone for no particular reason,” added Jo, as Ravyn came into sight for Jo, as Jo looked from seeing Ravyn standing at one spot signing papers, pinned against a brown clipboard, with an indulgent look upon her face for an unknown reason to seeing Josh in front of her, looking as unimpressed as Brad did when he got fed horse vomit after being told it was pea soup. That was a Chester stunt in which he had learnt off Jackass; The Movie. “What? She’s done it to me a number of times.”

“And what, I’m no exception?” asked Josh. Jo shook her head slowly, as she already knew that Ravyn would dare to insult higher standing doctors in the hospital.

“I’m not doing these classes Gradon,” objected Jo. “It would be like a pointless education class of sex ed, and I’m dammed to be the one teaching boring crap.”

“You do it wither you like it or not,” instructed Josh harshly. “It’s not like I want to rectify people’s attitudes towards the opposite sex, but it is government regulations. You don’t do them, find someone else who would. Failing to do so, would mean, you would be the one getting the cheque in your bank account.”

“Yeah, you rectifying people, that’s a joke in itself,” laughed Ravyn, sarcastically, as she had obviously moved from her spot where Jo had saw her last scribbling on various pieces of paper. She held the same old boring clipboard by her side, with one hand free. Jo and Josh’s attention was now on Ravyn. “You don’t rectify people Gradon, you annoy them to the extent that they have to do as you say or else their patience will snap.”

“What would you know about being patient?” asked Jo.

“A lot, seeing I lack so much of it when it comes to you and your department Joanna,” answered Ravyn, harshly. “And what would you know about being patient when you can’t even wait three minutes standing in line at the front admin office as exemplified by this morning’s actions?”

Jo was a person that was usually calm. Usually, was the word to take into consideration in that description of Jo. That morning as Jo was standing in line behind a number of other various people, Jo realised what time it was, and at that time when she had looked to her watch, it was half past ten.

The literal meaning of half past ten in Jo’s appointment book was that she had to rush over to radiotherapy, assist a patient, and somehow get that disabled patient from radiotherapy to ICU. And where was Ravyn when this was happening? She was in the nursing common room giving Meg and a number of new nursing interns an earful of how not to behave in front of or even in the proximity reach of Ravyn. One would assume that Jo could use a wheelchair, just a problem there, well, two problems. Chester was out of sight and eat of yelling reach to go get one for, and they were all in for repair thanks to Brad’s little stunt the previous day with them.

So instead of using a wheelchair, in which one would only have to wait for about five minutes for, she had to wait for half an hour for a trolley bed to arrive. And on top of waiting half an hour for that to arrive, she was about ten or so minutes late to the original appointment scheduled at half past ten in the morning, because the line was moving as slow as two monkeys put together in a room trying to figure out the rules of poker together.

“That was only one incident,” defended Jo.

“I could go the extra mile and name a few more if you wish,” offered Ravyn, as she just loved rubbing in the fact that she wasn’t the only one in the entire hospital that had little patience with the doings of other departments.

“Talking of having minimal patience,” started Jo, starting to go through the pink fliers in her hands. They were more invitations then anything. “You’re up again, for sexual harassment classes. God, how many do you need to attend to get the message across?”

“Sexual harassment isn’t welcomed in the workforce, especially in a public hospital such as the one you’re working for Harris,” reminded Josh.

“Nor is Grant, but he’s still hanging around here like a disease ready to be used for biological warfare against humanity,” retorted Ravyn. “Russian style, instead of the Red Army Revolution, it could be called the Retard Revolution, just another century later that’s all and it has Grant in it. So it’s already failed before it even began.”

“You just love comparing people to historic figures or even dystopic ideologies don’t you Harris?” asked Josh.

“The world would be a better place if I did,” answered Ravyn. “Just say it’s my moral obligation to motivate people such as yourself Gradon, in your cerebral areas. I could even compare you to a pair of apes picking lice off each other if I had to describe your ‘enthusiastic motivation’ methods.”

“But yet again Harris, this is where you get the world wrong, once again,” started Jo. She swore she had something familiar like that a couple of days ago to Ravyn about things going her way. “We aren’t apes, we are doctors, well, and I’m the head of the nurses here.”

“I was going to point that out, because, as far as I know, you’re not wearing a white coat and I’m not colour blind,” replied Ravyn, smoothly. She could’ve said a lot more things from where that came from but, this was a rarity for Ravyn, she had decided not to say the things she was intending to say. “And the last time I checked, correct me here if I’m wrong, but, you’re the only head of the department that isn’t going for your own job. So who are you backing, Tarja or Mel for the top job in Patheticville?”

“Don’t you have work to attend to Harris?” asked Josh, impatiently, as he snatched the pink fliers out of Jo’s grip and started to rummage through them to give Ravyn her notice. “I mean, you being head of ICU, fifth in charge of running this hospital, and the one person who likes to constantly get on my nerves. I would assume you would be one that doesn’t stand around and do nothing.”

“I am doing something, being a pessimistic optimist,” replied Ravyn, as much as that didn’t make sense, Ravyn couldn’t be bothered explaining her sentence to Jo and Josh. Josh found Ravyn’s invitation to the sexual harassment classes and gave it to her. Ravyn took one look at it, put the clipboard that she was holding underneath her arm, and started to rip the invite up. “This is how little I care about these classes.”

“You still have to attend these classes Harris, or you’ll be breaking government mandatory procedures,” warned Josh, as all of the pieces of torn paper piled up onto the floor. Ravyn wore an I-don’t-care look upon her. “And after all, the government is your boss apparently, if you’re not willing to admit that Grant is head of this hospital.”

“And when did I start taking that man seriously, Gradon?” asked Ravyn. “Ah, never, as I recall it. Yes, I’ll rock up to these classes, but seeing this is my third time in them in… how many years again has it been Gradon? But don’t expect me to take these classes seriously, especially if Madison here is teaching them.”

“Why are you so caustic all the time?” asked Jo. “That’s the only thing I’ve never quite understood about you.”

“Why do you care about me?” asked Ravyn. “It’s the last thing I would expect from you. And plus, if you’re trying to tell me that sexual harassment is on my agenda today, I’ll make it my priority to live up to your standards.” Ravyn paused for a second to think of what she had to add onto that. “Oh wait; I’ve already lived up to them, because your standards are quite low, if you ask me honestly. I’m sorry; I forgot once again, that my standards just in general are way higher than yours.”

“There’s no option, you have to take these classes seriously, or else it might be the only blemish on your record with this hospital,” cleared Josh, sternly.

“Only?” snorted Jo. “I beg to differ.”

“You would beg Madison knowing you,” retorted Ravyn. “That’s the sad reality with women like you.” Jo wasn’t quite sure of what that meant, but she knew it was a form of insult. Ravyn turned to Josh. “And plus, if you want me to take these classes seriously, maybe you should get someone who can hold a straight face when trying to discipline her own staff. Like me for an instance, I don’t see Woodlands complaining.”

“The only reason Madison gets to be in charge is because we don’t want you and Grant to break out in a verbal abuse match against each other,” Josh blurted out, coming close to breaking point with Ravyn’s childish attitude. “I don’t know what shit you did to him yesterday, but he’s fucked off for the day, half way across the state because of you. What the hell did you to him Harris?”

“Nothing, I swear,” answered Ravyn, honestly. “You think I’m bad at sexual harassment, wait until you’ve seen Grant and his manipulative ways. I look like God damn Kurt Cobain next to him. And for some background information there Gradon, Cobain appreciated women as equals.”

“Because he’s fucked off halfway across the state, that leaves me back in charge, and don’t you tell me how to run my God damn job Harris,” ordered Josh, suddenly getting flared up. Jo covered her eyes knowing this would have had eventually happened, but she wasn’t expecting it at this precise moment. “I’m second in charge of this hospital. Why can’t you just leave yourself at your fifth position job and go and do what you’re supposed to be doing, saving lives!”

“That’s what you’re supposed to be doing as well, so don’t fucking get up me for something you’re qualified to be doing as well!” snapped Ravyn, getting angry as well. Jo shook her head, thinking of how much of a headache she was going to have if she continued standing where she was.

“Okay, shut up the both of you!” yelled Jo at the top of her voice, as she removed her hands from shielding her eyes. “You both fucking drive me nuts. Why don’t you just kiss and make up or something? Just, some people want some peace and quiet around here!”

“Fuck off Joanna,” replied Josh and Ravyn in a chorus.

Jo was a bit put-off by the sudden comebacks of Josh and Ravyn’s. She thought she better back off, because this was going to be an argument that Ravyn wanted to win and she’ll stop at no lengths to make sure that she’ll win it. Jo saw Meg and Tarja walking down the corridor past the two squabbling pair of ferrets and joined them as they walked to the elevator together. Tarja was a bit put-off and Meg looked like she wanted to snap as well.

“Okay, Harris, what the hell is this really about?” asked Josh. “Cos you usually know better then to pick random arguments with me, because, there’s no real purpose to this argument and you know that as well as I do.”

“Why are you letting him get away with it?” asked Ravyn, as she realised she hadn’t made herself clear of who she was talking about.

“Who’s ‘him’?” asked Josh. “You mean, Grant, right?”

“Well, no, Osama Bin Laden,” answered Ravyn, sarcastically. “Of course it’s Gallagher I’m talking about. Why are you letting him get away with so much shit? Ah, a good example of the shit I’m talking about is of what happened between him and me at Royal North Shore.”

“That was a long time ago, and I will not bring up healed wounds, for your sake, and that’s not the only reason why I haven’t brought it up,” explained Josh. “It’s also his reputation at risk amongst the business community of Chicago.”

“Do you think for one second that I give a rat’s ass about his business reputation?” asked Ravyn. “Ah, I’ve never given an ant’s ass about him or his reputation.”

“Yes, I know it was wrong of him to do it, but we do things in our pasts that we are not proud of, Harris, you should know this seeing you’re intern is already a mother and God damn she’s younger than you,” elucidated Josh. “The past is the past; you can’t do anything about it. Move on, is my suggestion, because let me guess you had refused to seek help after that incident?”

“That’s not the point though,” demurred Ravyn. “He’s got away with it enough times. What if it didn’t happen to me but to your wife or something? You would’ve killed Gallagher for doing that to Ellen.”

“No, your reverse psychology will not work on me Harris, I’ve fallen victim to it, too many times,” remonstrated Grant.

“It’s not reverse psychology, it is called empathy, if you managed to process that in your flea brain Gradon,” snapped Ravyn. “And God dammit, you people complain that I lack empathy.”

“You do!” snapped Josh. “Where was that empathy the other day when Sarah had to deal with her daughter being in hospital? Where was that empathy when Meaghen was crying her heart out about her mother? Fuck you Harris and your insolent teenage ways! If you want me to do something about Gallagher, start making a highway option when people choose not to do things your way.”

“Well, fuck you too, Gradon, for being too swept up with the amount of cash that Gallagher puts in your wallet to keep quiet about it all,” retorted Ravyn.

“That’s not true,” argued Josh. “That is certainly not true, Harris.”

“Then prove it to me!” snapped Ravyn, angrily at the top of her voice. Her voice was so effective that she made a couple of nearby staff stop what they were doing and turn their attention to the argument between Ravyn and Josh. Ravyn noticed the wanted attention, but proceeded to lower her voice. “Prove it to the hospital as well Gradon. Prove it to the paediatrics department, where you’ve slashed their funding by twenty-five percent to make more room in your wallet for more of your profit out of this hospital. Now, what will happen if I somewhat, resign right here and right now?”

“Don’t Harris, this hospital needs you,” urged Josh.

“No, that was a question, now answer it,” demanded Ravyn. “What would be the possible outcome due to my resignation?”

“This hospital would lose its most proactive employee,” answered Josh, not wanting to admit it, but he knew Ravyn was deliberately trying to pressure him. “You can’t resign, Harris.”

“Weren’t you just calling me an ‘insolent teenager’ a couple of moments ago and now you’re grovelling at my feet like a puppy to its master?” asked Ravyn. “Looks like the pendulum, has a different tone to its ring now. I have the resignation letter stored on my hard drive in my office, Gradon, and right now, you’re giving me a perfect gateway to print it out.”

“Don’t leave Harris, and God damn that’s an order, and you never disobey a direct order from me,” warned Josh.

“Yeah, but when did I start listening to you?” asked Ravyn. “I will stay, but…”

“But what, Harris?” asked Josh.

“I want a presidential election held for Gallagher’s position, and trust me, I will be a candidate for it,” demanded Ravyn. “I have proven myself worthy of such a position while Gallagher sits on his ass all day long, and plays solitaire on his computer, instead of running this hospital and treating like it as though it’s his own kid.”

“You know the Board’s never going to put his position up for grabs,” argued Josh. “Unless Grant stuffs up big time with the Board, they are going to look in his favour, despite your long history with this hospital. Which in a way, isn’t all just good stuff, considering the amounts of complaints you once managed to score yourself in one year, a couple of years ago.”

“Yeah, a whole two hundred and seventeen complaints, and all about me,” smiled Ravyn, somewhat bitchily. “And only two, I had to be called to the Board about. I got dismissed ten minutes later in each of them.”

“Look Harris, don’t even attempt and you won’t have to fail,” advised Josh. “Now while you’re trying to fulfil your dreams of getting the top job in this hospital, you’ve got to attend these classes or else you’ll be breaking mandatory government procedures.”

Ravyn’s attention span had expired by now, and simply walked away, leaving Josh standing in the corridor wondering what the hell that had been all about. Ravyn wouldn’t have wanted to disappoint Josh in that manner of her profession.

~

It was 10 in the morning when Tarja walked into the nursing common room. She had just walked into a little spit between Meg and Ravyn, about God knows what. Tarja stopped dead in her tracks, just near the doorway, as though she was going to drop everything in her hands, put her hands up in the air, and surrender to the enemy. She knew she didn’t want to be here, but at the same time, it was either be in here on her half an hour break, or be out in the corridor where another spit was going on between Jo and Brad over something Brad did to a patient’s chart.

“God damn you interns are useless,” complained Ravyn, as she noticed Tarja’s presence in the room. “Even Tarja here did more of a decent job then you when she was an intern here, and God damn, she doesn’t know the difference between a hot dog and a lobster served in a bread roll, let alone not knowing the term ‘super bowl’ and what it means to American men.”

“Hey!” objected Tarja, as she slowly understood Ravyn’s comparison. Ravyn turned to face Tarja. “Not born in this country, hello!”

“Well, you at least know the difference between how to measure the blood cell count, and how to use the heart monitor,” replied Ravyn. “I’ll give you that.”

“Thanks,” smiled Tarja, as she understood that to be a compliment. “I was in here to see if your intern was back in. Her shift started an hour ago, and I haven’t seen her around, not even in the locker room.”

“I saw her with Shinoda downstairs, at the pharmacy,” recalled Meg. “They looked kinda cosy with each other.” Ravyn felt like she was going to throw up at the thought of her new intern’s taste in men, and this was even before Jo had unnecessarily explained to Ravyn that Chester and Sarah had been sleeping together for a quite few months now. “Why do you look so surprised? Every intern has cracked onto Shinoda and we’ll are guessing who’ll be the lucky one that he’ll take seriously.”

“So, it’s a sort of competition to get into Shinoda’s…um…pants?” asked Ravyn. Meg nodded. “And I thought me being in the same room as Shinoda was nauseating.”

“Wait, isn’t she and Bennington together?” asked Tarja, recalling a conversation with Sarah last week.

“I don’t think they are anymore, they had a huge blow-up last week, and I think Sarah was the one to leave him,” answered Meg.

“Or, she’s a two-timing cheating whore and that she’s pregnant with Bennington’s kid already, like she was with Matthew’s child, Ava, and Bennington was the one to leave her,” guessed Ravyn. Both Meg and Tarja were unimpressed with that comment that had just come out of Ravyn’s mouth. “You both look like stunned mullets, which in actual truth, nothing new at all for me.”

“Aren’t you meant to be Sarah’s supervising doctor Harris?” asked Tarja.

“Yeah, but there was nothing in the role as a supervising doctor that says I have to be friends with her,” answered Ravyn. “Don’t you have to be somewhere else other than in my sight?”

“No, in fact, in actual truth, being within your peripheral vision range is an enjoying role,” answered Tarja, as she just thought of various good comebacks.

“You sadistic bitch,” mumbled Ravyn, but it was loud enough for Meg and Tarja to hear.

“How is that sadistic?” asked Tarja. “I love stirring you up.”

“You love causing me pain and you get enjoyment out of it,” explained Ravyn, blankly. “How is that not considered sadistic? Wait, does your English even expand to you knowing the actual definition of sadistic?”

“Get stuffed Harris,” retorted Tarja, leaving Ravyn open to fly insults Meg’s way. Tarja didn’t care.

She had grown used to Ravyn making fun of her English limits. She could speak fluently in Finnish, and she had been picking a few Greek words up from Jo’s conversations with various cousins. She left the common room in a huff, and went in search of Mr Williams’ records. Jo originally was the one that was meant to take care of the case, but Jo enjoyed going off Brad as a means of letting steam off, more than anything right now.

Tarja sat in the chair that Jo had christened as her own, and started to skim through a number of papers that had different highlighted tabs at the top of them. She was more concerned about getting her job done so she could pay her bills at the end of the week.

Jo approached Tarja, who was unaware that Jo was even close by that stage, and tapped Tarja on the shoulder. Jo tucked her arms into a firm and authoritative cross. Tarja looked around, as she stopped skimming the papers. Jo cleared her throat, signalling Tarja to get out of her chair. Tarja got up from Jo’s self-proclaimed chair.

“Tarja, what part of ‘it’s my chair so don’t sit in it’ don’t you comprehend?” asked Jo, as Ravyn reappeared near Tarja and as Jo sat down in the chair that Tarja had been previously sitting in.

Ravyn had heard Jo’s bitching and stopped in her tracks. She stopped halfway between being considered on the other side of the desk and being considered behind it.

“Someone’s on the war path today, very unlike you Madison,” commented Ravyn. “Did Gradon slash your funding?”

“It must be like a breath of fresh air to you then Harris,” retorted Jo, shooting Ravyn a nasty look. “Because it’s usually you that’s dealing out the attitude and not me, I’m the one that’s usually nice and calm about things.”

“Lesson learnt then, never be passive,” noted Ravyn, taking the brown clipboard which had a number of white papers and blue ink on it. She flicked through each sheet of paper only skimming over what was written. Wait, something wasn’t right here, she thought to her self as she tried to make sense of what was written down. “Who’s the smart ass that thinks that taking my patients and screwing them around with prescription medication that isn’t made for that condition is okay?”

“Talk English,” requested Tarja. “Or in my case, speak Finnish.”

“Whose signature is that?” asked Ravyn, flipping the clipboard around and pointing to the scribbly and loopy signature at the bottom. Jo put her hand out, as Ravyn passed Jo the clipboard. She looked to Tarja. “It couldn’t be yours because it would have some weird Finnish surname at the end.” She looked to Jo. “And it can’t be yours because you’ve stopped putting your weird Greek last name on your signature, since changing it to Madison.”

Tarja leant over to see the signature.

“It’s Sarah’s,” answered Tarja, finally. “But, what is she doing signing papers?”

“Good question,” agreed Ravyn. “That’s probably the smartest thing you’ll ever say all week.” Jo handed it back to Ravyn and Ravyn accepted it back. “Now where did Meg say Woodlands was?”

“Ah, with Shinoda I think,” assumed Tarja, as she couldn’t exactly remember what Meg had previously said about Sarah.

“She couldn’t be with Mike; I just saw her walk past while in a deep argument with Chester,” explained Jo. “Didn’t you hear?”

“And since when did I start listening to what you’ve got to say, in general?” asked Ravyn, blankly. “I’m going to go and track down this intern of mine and somehow convince myself not to fail her on her internship at this hospital.” Ravyn started to walk off, ignoring the pleas inside herself for another bitch-attack at Meg or even Tarja. She convinced herself she could spare herself some disappointment if she just went and found Sarah instead.

“I think I’ve got a couple of reasons why you shouldn’t,” started Jo, smiling, as she knew she was going to stir Ravyn up, and as soon as Ravyn heard Jo starting her comments, Ravyn just simply rolled her eyes and continued walking off. Instinctively, Ravyn knew that she had better things to do other than to remind Jo of her inferiority to Ravyn and how little Ravyn paid attention to Jo nowadays. Jo turned to Tarja, still smiling. But now it was more of a bitchy smile. “She’s got issues.”

“Well, that wasn’t hard to figure out,” replied Tarja, as she detached herself from looking for Mr Williams’ file and left Jo sitting on her chair and in front of the main computer for the nursing department. Tarja had decided that hanging around Jo today, was like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off and Tarja didn’t want to be a victim. She detached herself silently, as she crept to the other side of the front desk and followed Ravyn, not to annoy her, but, as she soon realised that Mr Williams’ file was missing from its usual place because it had been dropped and had been left on the floor. She picked it up to see Brad and Chester walk past her, as she realised they were retracing Ravyn’s footsteps, as Ravyn had disappeared out of sight.

Tarja rolled her eyes, as she read the expression upon their faces. They were going to do something to annoy the living daylights out of Ravyn and it would be the hospital who would suffer the aftermath of such stupidity. She followed them, as she caught up Brad, grabbed Brad by the collar from the behind, and started to drag him backwards. She would’ve grabbed Chester as well, but she had the file in the other hand, and there were already enough shoeprints across the front of the manila folder.

“Hey! Watch it!” yelled Brad, as he looked like he had just been stunned. Chester stopped walking, as he turned around, stopped, and laughed at his friend being victimised by the ‘quiet one’. “What do you think you’re doing, missy?” Tarja let go of Brad’s collar but Brad didn’t move.

“Trying to prevent another civil war breaking out,” answered Tarja. “I saw the look on your and Bennington’s faces, you looked like you wanted do crap to Harris. She’s not in the mood.”

“When is she?” asked Brad, as he laughed at his own remark. “That’s the real issue here.”

“No, the real issue here is you being jerks and Harris getting the shits with the pair of you,” corrected Tarja. She turned to Chester. “Look, if it’s a way to get back at her intern Bennington, just don’t do it, it’s really not worth it and it wouldn’t be fair on yourself and her.”

“Did I say it was about Sarah?” snapped Chester. Tarja shook her head innocently, as Chester was getting defensive and snappy. “Then don’t assume your own conclusion, and just, stay out of my business with Sarah. In fact, stay out of all of my business Tarja.”

“I’m sorry,” apologised Tarja.

“Sorry is not good enough,” huffed Chester, as he continued to walk on without Brad by his side. Brad looked to Tarja.

“Yeah, don’t bring Sarah up, that’s my tip of the day,” advised Brad. “He’s been very out of touch ever since the break up the other night. And apparently Sarah’s moved on, just like that, I mean, Bennington and her had been together for about four months, and now this.”

“Why did they split?” asked Tarja.

“Now, that’s too personal,” answered Brad. “Sorry, can’t tell you. Everybody’s been wanting to know, and frankly, Chester’s my mate, and I don’t want the rumour mill to start on them two because of me.” Brad was going to say more, with his mouth gaping wide open, edging to say more, but just in the nick of time, Sarah was walking that way and Brad didn’t want to be in the firing line, just because he was good friends with Chester. “I’ll see you around then.”

“Wait,” stopped Tarja, as she stopped Brad in his tracks as he tried to walk the opposite direction. Tarja held out the folder in her spare hand. “Are you going past Harris’s office?”

“As far as I knew, I wasn’t dead,” answered Brad, as he implied that the only circumstance that he’ll be going there is for the life after death, and by that, he still wasn’t sure if Ravyn’s office was either too evil for hell to spit it back out, or it wasn’t evil enough because Ravyn wasn’t in there enough. “Ever heard the song “Bat Out of Hell” by Meatloaf?” Tarja shook her head. “I knew you wouldn’t have heard of it, but just say, she is like a bat out of hell but has degrees in medicine and works in this hospital.”

“She’s not that bad,” defended Tarja. “Sure the snide comments get to me sometimes, but she’s nice sometimes.”

“I think I just saw your nose grow a couple of feet,” commented Brad, as Tarja completely missed the allusion to the story of Pinocchio. Tarja wore a confused look on her face. Brad rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry.”

“Hi everyone,” greeted Sarah, as she saw Brad and Tarja and greeted them with a warm smile. Brad gave her a flick of an open palm as a weak wave. “How is everyone today?”

“Busy and tired,” answered Brad, as he knew a bitchy comment would come out of that answer.

“Tired,” answered Tarja.

Sarah faced Brad.

“What, busy listening to Chester’s complaints about me and tired of hearing them?” asked Sarah. Brad knew it; Sarah would come out with a comeback similar to that. “I’m sorry I’m in a foul mood today.”

“Admitting it is the first step,” Tarja reminded Sarah of the three steps of recovery. “Just don’t do a Ravyn-thing and don’t be in foul moods everyday that you turn up for work, or people start to hate the way you treat them.”

“Oh you can be assured that I won’t turn out like anything like her,” assured Sarah, as she continued walking past Tarja and Brad, whom were looking like a pair of wanted targets of Ravyn’s remarks. Tarja smiled at Brad, as he detached himself from the conversation with Tarja and ran after Sarah. “What?” Sarah saw Brad next to her, trying to keep up her pace. “I have a half a week to make up for the missed lessons and I need to find Ravyn before she sends my suffering ass out of these hospital’s doors and back into bankruptcy.”

“I heard about the break up,” started Brad. “Why? Why did you have to do that to him?”

“I don’t have to answer to you and nor will I ever,” answered Sarah. “It’s like asking of why I would never let a convicted criminal near my daughter.”

“He made a mistake and he’s turned his life around, it’s something Matt has never done,” nagged Brad, as Sarah came to a halt at the second part of Brad’s nag. Brad stopped and they faced each other. Brad had the feeling that he had just a sensitive nerve.

“You don’t know what happened between me and Matt, so don’t compare Chester and Matt, or you might not make it through the day,” warned Sarah. “I don’t know what’s worse, being lied to or feeling like hell’s going to break loose because of the lying.”

“He lied to you for a reason,” protested Brad. “That’s the only reason he did it.”

“I know it was to protect me, but what about protecting Ava?” asked Sarah. “I am thinking of my daughter here and I am doing what any mother in my situation would do, especially considering my past. So you can’t say boo about it all, because you don’t know what I had to go through to bring Ava into this world and the circumstances revolving around Matt’s attitude towards her.”

Sarah left the conversation without further ado, because she knew it would just mean harmful words would be exchanged and Sarah wasn’t in the right mood to pick fights with anyone but Chester. Chester, Sarah was prepared for, because she had all of the right materials to fight him with and against any smart comebacks like “you knew” and “I’m sorry.”

She left Brad standing in the middle of the busy corridor without a clue to do about Sarah and Chester. Brad frankly didn’t care, but he felt like he had to say something, with him and Chester being best mates and all. He was torn between fighting Chester’s wars for him, and kicking back in front of the telly and watching Grid Iron. Brad shrugged it off, as he saw some good looking interns coming his way and decided to pull some moves on them.

Sarah was frantically ducking in and out of wards trying to see if Ravyn was on her daily rounds. Sarah had a really good feeling itching in the back of her neck telling her that Ravyn was awake and not sleeping in this time around.

“You’re late,” welcomed Ravyn, as she stood in the doorway of the ward that Sarah had just zoned out and unknowingly started to enter. Sarah zoned back in, as she put the word ‘shit’ on repeat inside of her head. Ravyn didn’t look too pleased with Sarah’s late appearance, nor was she even pleased to see Sarah, this time around. She stood with her clipboard wrapped around with both of her arms, as she held it against her chest. “Now, tell me the number that comes after eight on the clock.”

“Ah…nine,” answered Sarah, a bit confused of what Ravyn had meant by that.

“When the big hand points to twelve and the little hand points to the nine, that’s when you’re supposed to be signing on and starting your shift,” reminded Ravyn, as she had decided to take Sarah back to primary school. “You don’t start your shift when the big hand is on the six and the small hand is on the ten. And if reading analogue clocks are too hard for you to read, go buy yourself a digital watch or try setting your alarm clock on time, presuming you have one.”

“So, I’m late, I’m having troubles at home,” Sarah tried to explain but she knew Ravyn would automatically dismiss it as bullshit. Ravyn didn’t disappoint her.

“No, that excuse had expired a couple of days ago, try again,” Ravyn retorted, unimpressed as usual by excuses not to work. “In fact, if you’re going to give me more excuses I’ll send you out the front of this hospital’s doors and you will never have to be late again, cos, there wouldn’t be any job to return to.”

“Fine,” sighed Sarah heavily, as she crossed her arms, to make her look like a mirrored reflection of Ravyn, but without the brown clipboard. “Where do you want me to start?”

Ravyn looked down at the piece of paper in front of her, and quickly looked back to Sarah. Ravyn passed her the clipboard and Sarah accepted it with little strength left in her already overtired and emotional body.

“Now let’s see if you can do this one on your own,” stated Ravyn. “What are the symptoms?”

“Headaches, fainting, blackouts, and short term attention span and frequent migraines,” read Sarah from the clipboard.

“Do you remember what your med text book said about such complications?” asked Ravyn.

“It said contact your supervising doctor immediately,” answered Sarah, not even bothering to put in the effort of remembering those long chapters concerning the functions of the brains, it was one bit that Sarah paid little attention to and showed it also in her theory exams.

“Okay, since I am failing you this week for your lack of attention span, I am going to tell you anyway,” explained Ravyn, getting annoyed with Sarah’s attitude towards her profession. “We ran a PET scan on this guy when he first came in, found nothing major, until we double checked him with a CAT scan. His brain was as screwed up as Jimi Hendrix’s brain if he were to be still alive. Put a long story short, his amygdala gland in his brain, is running like a jet plane in a war. It’s overstimulated, resulting in various acts of violence, we had to sedate this guy when he came in, and not even the cops could hold him down. Now your job is to figure out what kind of medication this guy needs to get on. He’s all yours.” Ravyn gave her a smirk, as Sarah told herself that she wasn’t going to have a nice day, because she had already managed to piss Ravyn off within ten minutes of her late arrival.

Sarah told herself that this day was going to end well, and that the only thing to do is to sit back and cop the shit that she had ever been asking for since she realised that she was going to be late and that Ravyn hadn’t decided to chuck a sickie.

She dragged her already sore legs into the actual ward until she reached bed nine. That’s when she realised, as she stopped in front of it, with eyes glued to the top of the paper, that her past was hitting her on the back of her legs. It read, Frabjorn Viking. She looked up to see if there had been a mistake in the processing.

There was no mistake. It was the same old daggy, drug-addicted, and lanky looking guy that Sarah had ample opportunity to turn around and smack him in the face for his own good.

“Good morning darl, long time no see,” grinned Viking, as though he had something to smile about. Sarah was befouled by such pet names, especially if it was him whom was speaking it.

“I think it was meant to be that way for a reason,” replied Sarah, smiling back sarcastically, as she tried hard not to snap at him. “So Viking, I heard from Matt a couple of days you’re still abusing Amy.”

“Hey, I ain’t a woman beater,” defended Viking. “I dunno what the hell you’ve been hearing from that husband of yours, but hell, that’s the last thing I would do to Amy. Now, ain’t you supposed to be helping me get better rather than making me sick?”

“And I ain’t helping no one who thinks I would be dumb enough to marry that son of a bitch,” retorted Sarah, throwing the clipboard that held together his charts on the end of his bed, and crossed her arms. “I dunno what Matt’s been telling you, but, I would rather slash my wrists than to even think of marrying that man.”

“You better be careful saying such things as that around here, don’t they put you in psyche ward or something?” asked Viking.

“And don’t they put people like you in jail?” asked Ravyn, who silently crept up on the conversation and stood next to Sarah with more papers. She held the papers up in the air. “Do you know what’s written in this report?”

“I’m no medical genius, hell, I couldn’t figure out the other day which way was left,” replied Viking. “And for the record lady, I don’t belong in jail. I did nothing to my woman and there’s nothing you can place me with.”

Ravyn turned to Sarah, as she thought of the most sarcastic way to approach Viking’s attitude.

“Can I ask you a question Woodlands?” asked Ravyn. Ravyn didn’t even want an answer to her question so she just went on ahead without an answer. “This would be in your med text books, but hey, you’ve experienced first hand, so there should be no reason for you to get this one wrong. Remind me again, how long do methamphetamines stay in your system for?”

“Depending on the frequency and the amount given to a normal bodily, it would somewhat be between six to twelve months at a time,” answered Sarah. Ravyn showed her the drug report. “Shit. Looking at these figures, last hit was a couple of days ago.”

Ravyn turned back to Viking, with a sarcastic smile fastened tightly to her face.

“Now, this is why people like you need to visit the rehab clinic more often, and to stay away from my ICU ward,” explained Ravyn. “It is people like you I see on a virtually everyday basis when I come to work, that I have to jump start ice addicts hearts because they’ve overdosed. And if I find out that you’re the one that’s responsible for making me feel bad that I couldn’t save that fourteen year old girls life or even any ice addicts life, I will make sure that you’ll get clean and that you’re sorry ass will spend the rest of its shortened lifetime in a five by five cell in San Quintan.”

“Hey lady, I ain’t responsible for the loss of anyone’s life, and I can guarantee you that,” replied Viking. “And why not go to the cops right now, if you’re so dead against me? Why are you even trying to help me?”

“So there’ll be less of you junkies at the top of my street at two in the morning,” answered Ravyn. “And unlike your profession, I save lives, not destroy them.” She picked up the clipboard on the end of Viking’s bed that Sarah had previously thrown on there. She clipped the extra pieces of paper to the clipboard and looked at the patient that lay smirking, as though Ravyn’s attitude was one big joke. “You have two options and trust me, if I were you, I would be having a real hard think about these options I’m about to give you. You can make a pact with me or even Sarah here, to stop taking methamphetamines and let us treat you without any smart remarks, or, I can walk to my office, which, isn’t that far away from this ward, and I call the cops.”

“Is that some sort of threat lady?” asked Viking, still smirking and still under the impression that this was a joke.

“Yes it is, and I kinda think it’s a good one, seeing I am the one with degrees in medicine,” answered Ravyn, as Viking’s smirk vanished. “But with either option I’ve just given you, rehab is included.”

“I don’t need no rehab lady, I am just fine,” retorted Viking, crossing his arm.

“So why have we found many things wrong with you?” asked Ravyn. Viking didn’t know what to say to Ravyn’s question. “Now, what option are you willing to take? Because, if you call me ‘lady’ once more, I’ll be walking out of this hospital tonight at the end of my shift, knowing that I just contributed to the overcrowding of jails in the country.”

“Do I have to give you an answer straight away?” asked Viking. “Cos I have to be given some time to think about these things.”

“Well, seeing you probably only have the mental capacity of a five year old right now, I’ll be expecting an answer tomorrow, the next time that I come around on my rounds,” answered Ravyn, somewhat generously but still remaining Ravyn-like.

Ravyn and Sarah didn’t even smile at Viking, as they walked out of the ward together. They stopped together in the hallway, as Ravyn’s attention was on scribbling down words on the pieces of paper with a pen that usually remained in her top pocket. Sarah didn’t want to say anything and she knew she was going to get in trouble for something that she either failed to do or something that she did. She wasn’t quite sure.

Sarah turned around and decided that she better separate herself from her supervising doctor before something was said that was considered to be out of line for an intern. Ravyn’s concentration shifted from writing to Sarah’s departure. Ravyn let her go, as Sarah looked a bit shaky and thrown off balance. Ravyn had guessed by the comments that were thrown at each other that Viking was part of Sarah’s past and Ravyn didn’t want to continue her shifts today, if Sarah was emotionally shaken up by an abusive and crude patient.

Ravyn’s attention shifted back onto what was writing, only to be interrupted by Jo standing in front of her, who was holding an envelope in one of her hands.

Jo had just seen Sarah walk past her nurses’ desk, looking a bit frightened and shaken up by something that had just happened in the last ten or so minutes. Ravyn stopped writing to open the way for Jo to speak.

“What is your problem Harris?” asked Jo. “The girl looks like she’s about to shatter into a thousand pieces.”

“I didn’t do it,” answered Ravyn, honestly.

“And pigs might fly as well,” commented Jo. “It’s pretty obvious the girl’s becoming a favourite amongst the other ICU staff and it’s most obvious that your favouritism is starting to shift as well.”

“I didn’t do it,” repeated Ravyn. “And I’m not just saying that to save my own ass, as well, Jo. I just didn’t do it. The girl is in ruins because of the patient that we just visited. I can’t pronounce his first name very well, but she refers to him as just ‘Viking’.”

“Well, what do you think I would expect?” asked Jo. “You’ve made all of your other interns cry and it’s only natural for me to expect the same. Look, this was put on the nurses’ desk wrongly, it’s for you.”

Jo handed Ravyn the white envelope that was addressed clearly in black ink on the front, to Ravyn, but somehow, still ended up going to the nurses instead. Ravyn looked at the logo in the corner of the envelope to see that it was from the Board of Medicine.

“Should I be worried?” asked Ravyn, blankly referring to the fact that it was from the Board of Medicine and that Ravyn usually received notices from them via her email inbox.

“I would be, getting it from snail mail,” answered Jo. “But yet again, you’ve received worse news via email, so it’ll probably be nothing.”

Ravyn hoping it was nothing, as she started to walk away from the conversation with Jo towards her office, where she was to open the envelope.

~

[woodyloveslinkin]

The sweat on Rob’s face was dripping down his face, just like an ice-cream melting in the summer’s heat. But in this case, it wasn’t summer, it was winter and Rob was outside the hospital playing basketball with Chester, Brad, and Jonathon. It was Rob and Chester against Brad and Jonathon, in which didn’t sit too well seeing that Brad was the man to beat if you wanted to get anywhere in the hospital’s basketball ladder.

No one was a real big hardcore player like Rob and Brad were, they were always in competition in the basketball ladder, despite the fact that hardly anyone played in the ladder. It was a thing that the guys of the hospital thought was a better thing to concentrate their minds on other their paid work, and to distract themselves from checking out their female work colleagues.

Chester was being lazy today, which was annoying Rob a lot. Rob had heard from one of the new interns that Chester and Sarah were history, so Rob guessed that would be occupying Chester’s mind more than anything right now.

Rob managed to get the ball off Jonathon.

He dribbled it until he reached a couple of metres from the hoops and scored, with a simple throw. He didn’t get changed or anything, he simply played in his work pants, a singlet that he was wearing underneath and bare feet. He had been told at the last minute that there was a game on; so he had stashed his clothes that he wasn’t wearing in his locker, ran to grab the ball off Brad and ran straight to the hoops only to miss a goal.

Rob was a mixture of being cold on the outside and being dead hot in the inside. He hated when it got to times of such confusing temperatures.

“Come on Bourdon, you’re not at your full potential today,” noticed Jonathon, trying to catch his breath, as the game was paused. “What’s happening to our Bourdon, troubles in paradise?”

“As if!” Rob laughed off as he turned to Chester. “What about you, trouble in paradise Bennington?”

“Don’t act like you don’t know, it’s all around the hospital thanks to her big mouth,” answered Chester, wiping his sweat on his towel that he had dumped on the sidelines. “And don’t you dare ask me what it was over. So many people have either asked me what it was over or how they were deeply sorry that I had to put up with her for that long.”

“Sorry to ask man,” apologised Rob.

“Come on Bennington, she’s not that bad, she’s a decent woman in her nature,” defended Brad, as their conversation caught Mike’s ears as he was passing by. He had actually come back from two lectures from Meg over what not to do around the guys that she liked from around the place. Mike walked over and stopped next to Chester, as Chester hadn’t finished getting rid of the sweat that was building up like the pyramids in Egypt. Chester stopped and looked up to see whose huge feet he could see. “Yo, Shinoda Bear, come play ball.”

“Don’t you even dare,” snarled Chester. “Not in the mood that I am with and what I’ve been hearing about you and my woman.”

“She ain’t your woman Bennington no more,” corrected Mike. “You guys did break up a couple of days ago, remember?”

“I don’t care what you have to say for yourself Shinoda, I am so sick of your preppy ways,” replied Chester, as he got to his feet.

By now, everyone could detect Chester’s hostility towards Mike and everybody had chosen to react to Chester’s hostility. Rob and Brad and raced over and Jonathon was on standby.

“And do you think that I should care about what you think about me Bennington?” asked Mike. “After all, you were the one looking for a break up with Sarah when you decided to pull various stunts that you knew would make her angry.”

“So that gives you the right to go and hit on her behind my back?” asked Chester. “Just stay away from her Shinoda, or I don’t want to show you my bitter side.”

“Come on, bring it Bennington, if you think you’re that hardcore,” urged Mike, shoving Chester. Chester shoved Mike back. “Oh so now you’re going to fight back.”

“Shinoda, Bennington,” snapped Rob, angrily, separating the two men who looked like they were going to beat the living daylights out of each other. “There will be no fighting. If you want to prove yourselves worthy of having Sarah, or whatever the hell that has to mean, play it out in a game of ball. Other than that, take it outside the hospital grounds. Or maybe you guys should just drop it completely.”

“Yeah, we could do that, only if Bennington here is able to agree with me,” agreed Mike. “What do you say Bennington? Should I just beat your midget ass up or should I beat your reputation in ball?”

“You could never do neither, so I don’t see what your point is,” answered Chester. He deterred his focus from looking into Mike’s eyes with fury with looking at Sarah who was standing a couple of yards away, clad in a heavy brown coat and with a black shoulder bag obviously stuffed with her uniform, as it was hanging out the side of it. His expression changed completely, as Mike noticed Chester change of gaze. Mike looked as well, only to see Sarah and Chester deep in conjectural conversation.

Rob nudged Mike in the ribs, as Mike’s attention was back on Rob.

“Don’t man, just don’t,” advised Rob, as he looked from Mike to Sarah. He soon noticed Ravyn coming to Sarah and saying something to her.

“He’s not worth any moment of your time so I don’t see what the big melodrama is between you two, I mean, it’s Bennington, he’s not worth anybody’s time,” explained Ravyn, but Rob was lip syncing their conversation to understand what Ravyn was telling Sarah. He didn’t want another argument to break out on either side, despite the fact that he rather liked being the peace talker. It was mainly due to how his parents taught him as a child and it did get him through his teenage years, quite slowly though. “Now, are you going to stand there gawking like he’s worth anybody’s time?”

Sarah turned to Ravyn. Ravyn was dressed differently to Sarah. She had a black and grey striped scarf around her neck and had a black coat that looked like it could almost fit a goat if it was stretched long enough.

“You don’t know anything about how we were like together,” answered Sarah smoothly. “And who are you to tell me that he’s wasting my time?”

“Ah, someone who’s been here longer than both you and he have been and someone that proudly holds the title of Chester’s ex girlfriend,” answered Ravyn. Sarah’s expression changed. “And no I am not kidding so stop giving me that look.”

“So, should I make a move on her or what Bennington?” mocked Mike, back in the hostile environment. Chester’s attention was now on Mike. Mike took two steps backward, smirking, knowing that his actions would cause a civil war within the hospital. “Would you have something against me asking out your ex?”

“I would actually now that you mention it,” answered Chester, sarcastically. “If you’ve failed to walk past the whole I-am-still-in-love-with-Sarah thing, you know the thing that’s provoked me to this stage of aggression; I am letting you know that you do ask her out, it’ll be not my funeral.”

By now Ravyn had wanted to talk to Rob but was torn between being afraid of being the instigator of a civil war breaking out because Sarah would be stupid enough to follow Ravyn over to where the two apes and Rob were standing, and that she did want to be the instigator of a civil war breaking out, knowing that either Mike or Chester would lose their jobs. So Ravyn overturned her anxieties, just by doing it, she started to walk. But knowing Sarah, she would follow anybody, even a person that would eventually lead her to walk off a cliff. Ravyn turned around.

“What are you doing?” asked Ravyn. “Unless you have the brain of a colonial peasant, in which I don’t doubt it for one second to be quite honest, there doesn’t need to be another American civil war. That’s for me to start and for some intelligent bastard to end it.”

“I am not a colonial peasant and nor do I have the mental capacity of one,” defended Sarah.

“My God,” gasped Ravyn sarcastically. “It can’t be true.”

“Excuse me, but remember, I had to get into med school and I had to pass exams,” explained Sarah. “They don’t let colonial peasants be employed in hospitals.”

“Yes they do,” replied Ravyn. “Haven’t you taken a close look at the nursing department?” Oh snap, thought Ravyn. “Look, colonial peasant, walking Neanderthal, or what ever you may be, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what love makes you do. Now, don’t try to be Helen of Sparta, no one liked her because she was an attention seeking whore and I can tell you now, I just don’t like you in general. So quit while you’re ahead of yourself kid, it’ll spare you some harm.”

“I’m not trying to play the hero, if that’s what you’re assuming,” replied Sarah, getting a bit angry and frustrated with Ravyn’s tongue.

“Okay, in that case then, stop acting like you want to,” retorted Ravyn as Ravyn walked away from that conversation without another word said or done, because she knew it herself, she was starting to run out of fuel, and Ravyn found it hard to maintain her bitchiness when she wasn’t being fuelled by something or someone.

Rob saw Ravyn walking his way and had a good feeling that either Ravyn was going to have a go at home for walking around in low temperatures without anything on his feet or anything in else just in general. Rob threw the ball to Brad, who eventually threw it to Chester.

“Come on, man, play ball, you’ve got better things to do with your time rather than to pick fights with people,” urged Brad, as Chester shook off Mike and Mike openly invited himself to a game of ball against Chester.

Rob and Ravyn met halfway, as Rob embraced her in a hug. Ravyn wasn’t too impressed when she looked down to see his bare feet. Rob let her go, knowing that something had just dramatically changed the romantic situation.

“What are you looking at?” Rob asked, knowing dead well what the answer would be.

“Your feet,” answered Ravyn, crossing her arms in disgust. “Your feet are as blue as the faces of patients that I have treated for sceptic shock.” She looked back at his feet. “Why aren’t you wearing any shoes? You’re going to get frostbite out in this weather. What are you, a caveman?”

“Who are you, my mother?” asked Rob, in an automatic reaction like he usually did when people told him what to do and they weren’t related to him.

“I hope for God not or there’s something very wrong with this relationship,” answered Ravyn, bluntly.

That’s when Rob instantly noticed there wasn’t something right about Ravyn’s attitude. He knew she had wanted to go further with the insults, and usually nothing stopped her either, not even their relationship, but there was something just not right about her. It was as like, it was still Ravyn but a different version of her that had dramatically changed since the last time that they saw each other. In which, the last time that they saw each other was at lunch time.

“What’s wrong with you?” queried Rob. “Something’s not right. I could feel it in your hug.”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re on about,” replied Ravyn, somewhat defensively. In a long story cut short, she wasn’t ready to tell him. “I haven’t changed since our last meeting. Do I look any different to you?”

“I worry about you sometimes,” said Rob, quietly.

“Here’s a suggestion to spare you some time, don’t worry about me, I am a grown woman I can take care of myself,” replied Ravyn.

“How about dinner tonight?” asked Rob. “Say, your place at eight.”

“So in other words, you want to crash at my place tonight because you don’t want to drive all the way back to the other side of Chicago to your place at two in the morning knowing that you have to get up three hours later to do God knows what until twelve, when you’re actual shift starts,” corrected Ravyn, blankly. Rob nodded. “God damn you’re as easy to read as the fine print on my mother’s lottery tickets.”

“Hmm…I’ve never heard that metaphor being used before, but yet again, we’ve only been going out for a short while,” commented Rob.

“It’s called being the only child, in which, I know by now you’ve had to share your bedroom as a kid with another sibling,” replied Ravyn.

It was a well known fact amongst the hospital staff that Chester was one to never give up on something so easily, and giving up on trying to get Sarah back was no exception. It was more of a case, which he was afraid that she had already moved on from him and now was after Mike, or vice versa. He wanted Sarah still, but Sarah felt otherwise. This was demonstrated by the action taken by Sarah, when Ravyn and Rob got distracted with each other that Chester seized the opportunity to occupy a bored Sarah who was currently waiting for Ravyn to tell her something about an alteration to tomorrow’s lesson.

“Why are you even attempting Chester?” asked Sarah, when Chester had approached her, and already he didn’t have to say anything to make her angry and fed up with his behaviour. “We are history. Why can’t you just accept that and move on?”

“Because I can’t Sarah, and, you know I am sorry for my actions,” answered Chester, apologetic. “One of the reasons that I want you back is that, I don’t want to see you with another man and that would just stab me deeply.”

“And let me guess, you’ve already assumed that Mike and I have something going on?” asked Sarah, shaking her head. “You’ve got it all wrong. We’re just friends, and it’ll remain that way for quite some time. I’m sorry Chester, but you need to let go of me. I was the one that wanted out of what felt like a web of lies to me at the time, knowing that you and Matt had met each other while behind bars and that you guys were leaders of opposing gangs at wars kinda does hurt me a lot.”

“What about not knowing until the last minute about Ava?” asked Chester.

“What’s that got to do with anything?” asked Sarah. “I did that for a very good reason and you know that.”

“That girl needs to learn how to avoid stepping in trash,” commented Ravyn, as she saw Chester and Sarah obviously arguing.

“I didn’t know about Ava until the last minute, so who was I to pop out of the bush and say, ‘I have a criminal record while we’re at the point of revealing hidden secrets’?” asked Chester.

“Wait, didn’t you date Bennington once upon a time?” asked Rob to Ravyn.

“You could’ve at least be the one who told me, and not my ex boyfriend!” defended Sarah.

“Yeah, but that’s beside the point really when you think about it,” answered Ravyn. “We all have something we’re not proud of and that’s my blemish of my life, going out with Bennington for two whole months. By the end of those months, I was starting to wonder where the noose was in the hospital so either of us could’ve gone first.”

“Sarah, please, I’ll do anything to get you back into my arms,” begged Chester, as Sarah crossed her arms and looked away into the distant frost covered atmosphere.

“Is, Bennington actually begging?” asked Rob, somewhat amazed by Chester’s extremeness. Rob and Ravyn had resorted to commentating the fighting couple’s actions as a mean to talk to each other for longer and for Ravyn to deter Rob’s attention off the thing she wasn’t going to tell him right now.

“Do I look like I want to see you or even have a conversation with you right now?” asked Sarah, looking back at Chester angrily. “Do you really think that I have the patience anymore to put up with you?”

“Nah, Chester and begging, he’s more like scavenging the only emotion left in the girl, that’s like saying Jo has the IQ of Einstein, we all know it’s not true,” answered Ravyn, as they saw Chester resort to the last part of the last plan that he had left that wasn’t winning either way with the whole getting back Sarah thing. He actually got down on one knee and looked like he was actually in love with the girl. “Wow, talk about foul smelling and looking trash trying to go for the Miss Universe title.”

“Stop it Chester, you’re making a bigger fool of yourself,” ordered Sarah, pulling Chester up from his knees and standing back up but Chester resisted all of Sarah’s attempts. “Do yourself a favour, stop it. Get back on your feet and walk away like a normal person would do.”

“Please,” begged Chester. “Just please give me a second chance.”

“It’s not like we were married or anything, so stop acting like we were,” snapped Sarah. “Go make a fool of yourself with Delson, just anywhere but right here with me.”

“Is he going to get up?” asked Rob. “He better get up, she looks like she’s about to do something excruciatingly painful to him.” Brad came over for a split second and dumped a pair of shoes beside him as Brad and the couple exchanged looks. Rob’s exchange was a thankful smile while Ravyn’s exchange looked like Brad had severely annoyed her. “Thanks, man.” Rob slipped his bare feet into the shoes that we just handed to him. Ravyn was a bit annoyed and she let him know that she was annoyed by giving him a sharp look and then turning back around to see the other couple fighting. “What?”

“So you take advice from your friends and not your own girlfriend is that it?” asked Ravyn, a bit angry as she turned back around to face Rob. “When I asked you to put something on your feet you shook me off like I am a parasite.”

“You are a parasite at times now that you mention it,” muttered Rob to himself, hoping for his own safety that his mutter had just gone unnoticed.

“Just get out of my sight if you knew what was best for yourself, just go, far away from here and stop causing a scene, it’s really unnecessary,” ordered Sarah, pointing towards the car park, but Chester hadn’t budged. “Okay, here’s a proposition for you to swallow. If you’re so in love with me, as you put it, why don’t you just leave me alone?”

“Because if I leave you alone, that’ll just mean you’ll get over me –”

“I am over you already,” interrupted Sarah. “How can you miss that important factor in which I’ve been telling you for the past twenty-four hours?”

“Do not chuck a full-forced pointless episode at me again, I have done nothing wrong to deserve such immaturity,” ordered Rob strongly. “I don’t know what the hell went wrong in your day so much that you’ve had to do this to me again, but don’t even start, I am not in the mood to be told what to do.”

“You’re sounding like the job of the janitor is a hard one, try being head of ICU for a day and how much it mentally and physically fucks you up,” retorted Ravyn, angrily.

“Well I can tell you now, playing the role of your boyfriend fucks your brain up to a certain extent, and that extent is fairly substantial it might even be considered worse than shell shock,” replied Rob, trying to keep his cool, but his quest for personal calmness was greatly failing him greatly.

“And let me guess, when you leave here today, you’re going to go straight into another man’s arms when you get back,” assumed Chester. “Because you need a father role model for Ava, but overall, you need someone who’ll back you up and will run after Ava when you can’t. Is that it? Is that why we never worked out? Cos in the end, I wanted to do my job properly, rather than to run after you or Ava, when I had been told about her as well, but it was mainly because you couldn’t have had the energy to be a decent mother to Ava because you’re too swept up trying to pay the house bills.”

“That is not true,” defended Sarah. “I do not expect anyone but my mother to run around after Ava, because like you had just said, yes, I need to pay the house bills. Do you know how many jobs that I work Chester? I work two, and that’s barely keeping on top of the debts I have and the incoming bills.”

“And tell me Rob, how many patients do you see die everyday?” asked Ravyn. “I got cursed today big time and I bore witness to three deaths in my ICU department. So don’t tell me that being the janitor or even being my boyfriend are demanding jobs, because you don’t see people die while they’re in your care, do you? So don’t say I’m demanding, when it’s mostly your bullshit I have to put up with at the end of the day.”

“What?” spat Rob. “My bullshit…what the hell are you on about woman? I’m the one that’s been getting the undeserving bullshit for the past week, day in and day out. Not to mention your attitude could go into the mechanics to get it oiled back up again. Look, yes, I don’t deal with people’s lives, and I am so glad that I don’t. Two things I cannot handle in life, death, and putting up with people’s bullshit. I swear if we have one more pointless argument, we’re going to be as ancient as Hercules.”

“Fine,” snapped Ravyn. “I’m going home so I’ll be as ancient as we were as a couple. And don’t bother to call me either tonight. Now I’m thankful I’m going to my parents place for dinner tonight.”

Ravyn turned around and walked towards Chester and Sarah who were still managing to be in a deep argument about God knows what and frankly, Ravyn was thankful that her shift had ended but for what she was thankful for, had repercussions as found out by her just then with that little argument with Rob. She stopped in between Chester and Sarah who were looking like they were about to physically attack each other.

“Why must you be a pain in the ass Harris?” snapped Chester. “Don’t you have something else better to do, like go drown yourself in the frozen lake or something?”

Ravyn turned around so that she faced Chester and gave him a sharp look.

“Why don’t you stop being the pain in the ass in my intern’s personal life Bennington and disappear from the face of the planet like I’ve been hoping you’ll do ever since we broke up?” asked Ravyn. “Now, stop making yourself out to be the victim Bennington, you’ve used that stunt with other hospital staff too many times, and far as I am concerned, I could say sweet FA to you right now.” Ravyn turned back to see Sarah somewhat stunned that Ravyn was defending her. “Okay, don’t stand there gawking like it’s a world changing thing. Now, it’s time to learn to step over trash, it’s so simple.”

Sarah was going to say something but decided not to get Ravyn angrier as she had already looked like she wanted to pull a sword out of nowhere and go on a mass massacre. Ravyn started to walk away, knowing that she wouldn’t have to see such stupidity for a couple of days and that she was somewhat glad of it now. As before, it was the other way around. Sarah shot Chester one more nasty look as she followed Ravyn away.

“What the hell is wrong with women, Delson?” asked Rob, as he saw Ravyn walk away into the distance. He turned to Brad, who threw him the ball, and Rob started to aim for the hoop, as Mike came up and started to defend. Mike was defending pathetically, in Rob’s own opinion, but Rob couldn’t have been bothered saying anything. He didn’t want to cause more stress. “It’s like; they suck the living daylights out of your wallet and give nothing back. Well, my one keeps on giving me shit back that I in the first place, don’t deserve.”

“I told you when you guys first went out, that it was your own personal choice and it was your personal risk, not mine,” reminded Brad, as Rob shot a perfect hoop and stood still, facing Brad with his arms on his hips and looking a bit confused. “Man, you really need to find yourself a better Vanessa-replacement. Cos this one is biting real bad, and it’s getting to you. Remember, you don’t take the effect and make it the cause.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” asked Rob, a bit confused of what Brad just said to him. You don’t take the effect and make it the cause, still lost, thought Rob. Just as Chester came over but nowhere near where Mike was, but Chester made sure he kept his distance to restrain himself from inflicting maximum damage on Mike.

“I dunno, something I read on a napkin in a bar the other night,” answered Brad.

“It means this is what I’ve figured out,” Chester started to explain, as he crossed his arms and stood next to Rob. Rob looked to Chester, wondering if Chester was going to say something intelligent for once. “Her effect on you is a negative one, and it’s making you all moody because she’s the one that’s being moody towards you for no particular reason. Now, you don’t take Harris’s effect on you and make it the cause for your moods.”

“Why not Bennington?” asked Rob.

“Because the last person you want to turn out like is Harris,” answered Chester. “And hell, I ain’t gonna be best mates with my ex who says I am as worthy as the vomit that comes out of morning sickness.”

“Where was this intelligence when you decided to set the science labs on fire in grade school?” asked Brad, as Chester looked over to him. The ball came his way and he caught it. He saw Mike in the corner of his eyes and decided to peg it at him. But Mike caught it just in time. Chester was saddened by Mike’s actions of catching the ball instead of it hitting fair smack in the face like Mike apparently deserved.

“Nah, I lost my intelligence in grade school in the detention room, where I sat in at least three times a week,” answered Chester, smiling, as though it was something to be proud of it. “Man, I’m glad out of those holes that I had to attend to get where I am now.”

“I would rather think the professors and lecturers were practically sick of your crap from day one,” commented Jonathon, as Rob reminded himself that Jonathon was still around. Jonathon was actually trying to get the ball off Mike, who was trying to dribble the ball to the half court mark but was failing greatly because Brad kept taking the ball off him. “Maybe the person, who you should be complaining to, Bourdon, is Andrea. I mean, fair enough, she cops a lot more crap than you expect over business concerning Ravyn. But if you ever want to get through to Ravyn and you don’t want to be set on a wild goose chase, go to Andrea. Andrea tends to twist Ravyn around the way that she wants, only, sometimes, though. I mean, Ravyn’s attitude doesn’t stop at Andrea, it just eases off a little bit.”

“Why would I want to be set on a wild goose chase Jonathon?” asked Rob.

“Because Jo does that to your head, and there’s basically nothing to stop her from doing it in the future,” answered Jonathon.

“And if you tell Ravyn that her attitude is somewhat, deterring you from seeing her, don’t do it in the first place,” advised Chester. “Or you get this huge Mussolini-styled speech about feminism or some shit like that. I tried not to pay much attention to such aspects of that horrendous relationship with, that beast.”

“Why don’t you just break up with her if you hate her that much?” asked Brad.

“I don’t hate her she’s, just, she just likes testing my patience,” answered Rob, stumbling to find the words. “Like for an example, I didn’t deserve the remark just then that I’ve practically chosen my friends over her, or something like that, I was trying to keep my cool. I understand she’s probably had a hard day, but what right does she have to take it on me?”

“No right really,” answered Chester. “If she tests your patience so much, why don’t you return to norm and just dump her or something? From what I’m hearing, you’re going to snap and when you snap, it’s going to be major and it’s going to be directly associated and pointed at Harris.”

“I’m kinda with Bennington on this Bourdon,” added Mike, as he stopped playing ball. “I’m going to put all difference of opinion aside to say this to you. But you cannot go living like this; it’s been barely a week and already you look like you’re going to fully snap at her and it looks to me, that it’s going to be a somewhat physical outburst. But there’s also another side in which you guys probably haven’t gotten word of, which would explain today’s little argument between boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Shut up Shinoda,” ordered Chester, looking to Mike who was standing in the cold, hot, and sweating cold sweat. “You’ve said what you’ve needed to say, why can’t you just leave it at that and bugger off out of my sight?”

“Shut up Bennington no one wants to hear your voice, let Shinoda speak,” ordered Brad, who had stopped playing ball and left Jonathon standing with the ball. Jonathon had also stopped to hear what Mike had to say for himself.

“Look, don’t worry about it guys, it’s just when Harris tells you that she’s had a hard day, in which isn’t that frequent that she tells us that, it’s been a hard day for her,” explained Mike. The real case was that Mike didn’t want to tell the boys the real cause for Ravyn’s hard day and the cause for her frantic outbursts at anybody who treads in her way.

That left Rob with no questions answered but it resulted in more questions being formed. Yes, Ravyn had told Rob that three of her patients in the ICU ward had died on her, but, it’s not like it’s the first time that someone has died on her and that she was in a tough position at the hospital. Why did she take it so seriously? Why did she have to be in the mood that she was when she was still on the hospital grounds? Was it something that Rob did?

Rob wasn’t sure. But he was hell certain he was going to find out either way.

“Did she tell you that three of her patients died today? Was that it, her hard day?” enquired Rob.

“She’s head of ICU to start with, that in itself is a stressful position, and no, I didn’t know about the deaths,” answered Mike, getting down to his serious tone as Rob approached him. Everyone else started to scatter away, as they soon realised that what Mike was going to say was something important. Chester grabbed Brad’s wallet out of Brad’s back pocket and he started a game of ‘Get Chester’ which was Brad’s favourite past time. Jonathon joined Brad with running after Chester. “I’ve heard that one of her patient’s, the one she likes having sixty minute conversations with just so that she doesn’t have to go and talk to Jo, ah, Mr Williams, or something like that, is on death’s door. I think she’s starting to feel responsible for his actions. But I don’t want to go into detail about what I heard, I don’t even know if it’s true or not, I just heard Andrea talking about it to Gradon. And boy, Andrea looked like she was going to hurt him.”

“Is Ravyn in some sort of danger Shinoda?” asked Rob, as Mike shook his head is a negative response. “Do I have to play twenty questions to get it out of you?”

“It’s just better if she tells you, because I’ve only heard a version and I’m not ready to be the one responsible for starting the rumour mill up for this,” answered Mike. “Sure if it was something else that Gradon had said, it’ll be no problem, it’s just this, it caught me off by surprise really. I mean, there are so many questions that have to be asked even about this claim.”

“Okay, so I’m trying piece together what the fuck you just said to me, because it’s like you’re a scattered particle and I’m trying to catch you with one attempt,” replied Rob. “So what I’ve pieced together is that you’re the one that’s usually responsible for the rumour mill fuelling, and that, Ravyn’s been accused of something, is that right?”

“I’m not going to say anything, it is better if she tells you,” repeated Mike.

“No, you’ve just said something about my woman being accused of something, she’s just taken out her ‘hard day’ out on me, again, and now you can’t take it back Shinoda,” retorted Rob, as quickly as ever before. He was keen on getting it out of Mike, no matter if it meant inflicting pain on Mike. “I will hurt you to get it out of you Shinoda. You should know this about me. Now, tell me in plain English or I’m going have to get Tarja to translate, what happened to Ravyn?” Mike wasn’t ready to budge, but he was having a difficult time trying to keep it in at the same time. “Just spit it out Shinoda, you know you want to.”

“Alright, but this is the version that I heard, and I don’t even know if it’s the correct version, well, it ought to be if I heard it from Gradon, or else he’s also leading Andrea on as well,” babbled Mike.

“Just cut to the chase Shinoda boy,” ordered Rob.

“Okay, you’re the one that wanted to hear it from me and not your own woman,” mumbled Mike.

“Tell me,” growled Rob, losing his patience quicker than expected.

“She’s under a federal investigation and there’s a possible threat that her right to practice medicine maybe stripped from her,” explained Mike. “Something concerning Sarah’s ex husband and a wrong diagnosis which landed him more freedom time cos apparently he was on the run ages ago and she treated him for a car accident while she was working triage. Like I said before, I don’t know the whole story. I’m sorry mate.”

Ravyn, stripped of her right to practice medicine? Was this some sort of cruel joke that either Grant or Gradon had pulled on the hospital? Rob really couldn’t see Ravyn working in any other profession. She didn’t like to cook, but had to cook to save her life from starvation, and she didn’t like serving people downtown in the nearest Hungry Jacks. She hated lawyers or any legal profession. There had to be something wrong, indeed, because what Rob had just been told, it didn’t make sense any way that it was looked upon. Who would take over as the head of ICU then if Ravyn’s departure had to occur from Sacred Heart?

[Ravynlee]

just copied latest update - will finish reading soon (watching dumbass Halloween Resurrection at the mo) then will reply. So far so good gurl!

[Ravynlee]

Dang, wont let me edit my previous post, wonder why that is? Anyhoo, apologies for double post but just wanted to tell ya am still reading. Up to the part where Jo is bailing Chester out from monkeying around with his car and stuff. Just met Allie and Sarah wigged out. So far so good. Still have a ways to go before done reading but just wanted to let ya know I'm working my way through it.

Kewlies.

[Ravynlee]

Ok done reading finally! Wow, took me a while to catch up

 

A few things - when Matt and Chester had their confrontation at Sarah's place after Sarah got out of hospital you had something of a Freudian slip - I don't remember where exactly (I read that part last night in bed) but Chester picked Matt up by the collar or something - only you said the name 'Mike.' I read it and reread it and laughed thinking Mike had just walked in to Sarah's place and was about to randomly get the shit kicked out of him! haha

 

But yeah that was still a good chapter. Their past reflection (Sarah and Matt) was sweet - but Viking as a Meth-using wife beating father of three?! OMG! haha THAT cracked me up! I so couldn't see it... but hey it works in the story and let's face it that's all that matters huh?

 

When I read about Grant's return and what he did to Ravyn, threatening her with blackmail etc, that was a bit freaky. Did I read that right in assuming they were once a couple too and he was abusive to her once or something? It wasn't altogether clear - but certainly explains why she hates him the way she does. And WTF she used to date Chester too? This hospital is like a public pool, everyone's been in with everyone I swear, and Chester's determination to get Sarah back has gone from sort of brokenhearted-sweet to desperate-maniac, the man's like a dog with a bone, he doesn't want to let go and doesn't want anyone else near it either! And... Mike's the hospital bicycle is he? hahaha awww... Does he fancy Sarah or is she in denial or something??

Don't get me started on me and Rob - what the hell is wrong with us (as characters)?! It's driving me up the wall. I know I can be a bitch in real life but hell if I were Rob I would have given my character the proverbial finger ages ago - poor guy. See if he comes to the rescue when he finds out what Grant's really up to, huh?

 

Oh and good to see Allie stepped up too and was finally being a parent now unlike before. Matt needs therapy. So does Vi. And Rav. In fact all of them in their own way pretty much do. It's a wonder anyone survives in this hospital, there is so much infighting I'm surprised anyone gets anything done! Jesus...

 

Well having said all that all good so far. One thing that I have picked up on is your tendency to add historical facts that I'm gonna assume you're reading at Uni in the character's general conversations - quirky, but I'd suggest limit the education. They're sarcastic enough without a half-page spiel on the love life between Mark Antony and Cleopatra for instance (see, I DID read it ) - Like I said it's good and for the most part it works (that line about monkey's picking ticks off each other or something made me laugh out loud, I love those analogies/metaphors), but be wary that too much dialog that seems to rant and you'll lose sight of what the character's are actually talking about - or in the usual case arguing about. Wow. Where is the love in this place? Hahaha awww. dammit sis is starting to infect me with her Hallmark sentiment bullshit. Quick, give me more drama, give me angst, kill it, kill it, aaarrgghh!! hahaha

(aww okay someone needs to go take her meds now, I have ranted myself silly)

 

So having said all that I know you're busy with Uni and all (I'm supposed to be studying too but spend all my time when not at work in the land of MS *shakes head*) but when the hell are you gonna update?? Want to see if I get fired or not, if Chas wins the girl, if Rob finds a Vanessa replacement after all, and who Sarah choses in her threesome of candidates (so far) and hell... just want more is all!

Kewl work. Long but kewl. Thankies.

[woodyloveslinkin]

~

Andrea was behind the wheel, in her blue Commodore, trying to keep the car going straight and trying to swerve cars as they came the opposite way and that were in her lane on her side of the road. Rob was in the front passenger’s seat rolling his eyes at Andrea’s dreadful driving skills. Jo was in the back, behind Andrea, wondering if there was any possible chance that she could have more leg room as she was feeling as cramped up in her seat as something inside a box would feel like if given the chance to feel emotion. Sarah was behind Rob’s seat with a sleeping Ava in her arms, as she couldn’t get a last minute babysitter for Ava.

“Hey Andrea, do you mind driving like a normal person would do?” asked Sarah. “I do have a child asleep here and I’m not ready for a tantrum.”

“Thank you, someone at last spoke up about your incomparable driving skills,” Rob sighed, in relief. Rob turned to Andrea. “Do you want me to drive?”

“Did I ever say to you at any point of this drive, that I wanted someone else to drive my car?” asked Andrea, a bit annoyed at Rob for his lack of patience. “When I want someone who’ll drive for me, I’ll say when.”

“Keep your voice down,” hushed Sarah.

Andrea drove as carefully as she could, as rain started to pelt down on the car like the cats and dogs were fighting again. She flicked the window wipers on and they squeaked as they slide across the front screen of the blue car, back and forth. She could hardly see in front of her as the demister in her car was showing great potential at failing its original job.

Rob pulled back his arm into his sleave and started to wipe away the mist that was building up. Now he was kinda glad that he wasn’t driving, for Rob hated driving in the rain.

Jo was slowly falling asleep in the back. She couldn’t wait to get into her own bed, roll up in a ball, and have dreams about that guy that she had recently fallen in love with, Joel. She didn’t see what the big deal with divorce was really, it was just something that she can easily step over now, seeing that she had Joel to perve at all day.

“So whose place are we going to first?” asked Rob, pointing that question to Andrea. “I got lost in translation when you and Jo erupted into a pointless argument about how to get there.”

“Ah, Greyfoxx’s,” answered Andrea, trying to keep her voice down for the sake of being told to shut up from Sarah again. “And by the way Jo, it’s the house with the grey tiles on it and it has a statue of a grey fox on the front porch.” Jo awoke from her power nap at the mention of her name.

“Do I look like I care?” asked Jo, looking into the rear view mirror only to meet eye contact with Andrea.

“God damn, what is it with women and maps?” asked Rob, resting his head on the window and trying to ignore the pot holes that Andrea was failing to see in the road ahead of her. “It’s like trying to direct Churchill to the nearest Nazi camp.”

Sarah was getting tired and she desperately tried to prepare herself to contain one of Ava’s tantrums, which Sarah knew it within herself, it was coming. It was more of the timing that concerned her the most. She closed her eyes hoping that the sound of rain would go away because it was becoming more of a heartbeat sound to her and a sound that kept her knowing that the end of the world was yet to come. The rain more concerned her for another reason than anything right now, not even the possible thought of Ava waking up and having a tantrum could compare to Sarah’s anxiety about being in a car with Ava while it’s pouring down rain. Sarah wasn’t comforted by either thoughts and tried to calm herself down because she knew she would only work herself up into an anxiety attack.

There was a sudden jolt in the car, just as Andrea entered a small street that connected to another small close. Andrea was a bit scared that she had just blown something and that they were going to break down in the middle of a heavy winter downpour. The next minute, Andrea could barely move the car to go a further couple of metres to where the original destination was. Andrea cussed under her breath, as all of the car’s lights went out.

“What the hell just happened?” was the main question asked from Jo and Rob.

Sarah didn’t say anything, as she awoke from her attempted but greatly failed power nap.

“Ah, I dunno,” was the answer that Andrea gave them. “This is so unlike this car. It never breaks down especially in rain.”

“I think it’s trying to tell you that it’s probably near its expiry date,” guessed Jo.

“Someone is going outside and checking this problem out,” suggested Andrea, as Jo and her turned to Rob, who looked mildly surprised that he was the one chosen to look at Andrea’s car. “Hint.”

“Why me?” asked Rob. “Why can’t either of you two go out and check it out? After all, it is not my car.”

“It’s raining Rob, and we’re women, go figure,” answered Jo.

“And I ain’t going outside, with Ava like this,” added Sarah, as she moved Ava from off her arm and onto her lap.

“Fine, I’ll go and see what this piece of junk has got to show for itself,” Rob sighed, as he unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the door to a heavy downpour of icy cold rain, stepped outside and slammed the door shut.

“Oi,” protested Sarah to the door slamming, as Ava started to stir but she soon settled back down into a deep sleep.

Rob could hardly see through the heavy downpour of rain, as he walked to the front of Andrea’s car, lifted the bonnet to see what the problem was. He had thought this wasn’t the best place to fix her car, but if it meant getting it back on the road within seconds, he would do it. He looked around in it. He sighed, as slicked the hair of his that was quickly slicking over his face and blinding him. He put the bonnet down to its original state, trying not to slam it to avoid another protest coming out of Sarah’s mouth, and walked back to his door, opened it, sat inside, as he felt the difference of temperature dramatically change and closed the door, silent as possible.

“So tell me the good news,” requested Andrea.

“Ah,” stumbled Rob, trying to find some smart comeback to come back at Andrea with. “I have a girlfriend if that counts as good news.”

“So in other words, there is no possible result of his journey to the outside that is somewhat, positive,” explained Jo.

“Okay this is what I found, your radiator is history,” explained Rob. “There’s no possible way that a non-qualified person that does not specialise in mechanics like as myself, can fix it.”

“Could you make it less confusing for us to understand next time?” asked Sarah, under her breath.

“You’re a man you’re supposed to know how to fix cars,” protested Jo.

“You’re a woman, you’re supposed to be historically suppressed and shut up when you’re not being spoken to,” retorted Rob, turning around to face Jo, just to see her expression. “But you don’t see that happening, now, do you?” Jo pouted. “Yeah, that shut you up big time.”

“How are we going to get to Greyfoxx’s let alone getting to Ravyn’s?” asked Andrea, as Rob turned back around, as Jo unbuckled her seat belt.

“Why don’t we split up?” suggested Jo. “Rob, Sarah, and Ava can go to Ravyn’s and Andrea and I go grab Meaghen and her car, and we meet you lot back at Ravyn’s place.”

“You’re starting to scare me Jo,” said Rob. “You’re actually coming out with smart ideas.”

“Oh go to hell,” replied Jo.

“Do you have a blanket or something I can cover Ava with?” asked Sarah, as Jo started to rummage through the back of the driver seat’s pocket and shortly pulled out a woollen blanket which was a mixture of red, green, and blue on it. Jo wrapped Ava in the blanket loosely. “Thanks, now the hard part is to come, waking her up.”

“I think another suggestion is if you really want to take it, wait until we grab Meaghen’s car, and then we come back and get you and Ava?” asked Jo.

“Fuck Jo,” sighed Rob, still surprised at Jo’s intelligence. “The only time you’ve managed to come out with such smart suggestions is when you’re getting paid to make them.” Jo rolled her eyes and continued to ignore Rob’s smart remarks about her intelligence.

“Yeah, that’ll be good if you can do that, I’ll wait back here,” answered Sarah.

“Okay then, see you back here soon,” Andrea said slowly, as her, Jo, and Rob got out shutting the doors carefully not to wake the toddler who was still fast asleep in her mother’s arms.

Outside, it was still pouring rain and Rob thought for a second that he was going to end up eating his hair that had slicked down his face. He could barely see Jo and Andrea run through the mini lakes of water on the road, let alone barely seeing where he was going. He figured if he stepped on surfaces that were only black and white it would be safe, instead of just walking on surfaces of any colour. He knew which one was Ravyn’s house, normally, but now that he could barely see what was in front of him, he had little luck to pick which of the many houses along this street belonged to Ravyn. He shrugged as he had randomly picked out a house to go to a couple of metres away from the broken car of Andrea’s laid to rest with Sarah and Ava still in it. He broke into a run so that he would get under the shelter quicker. He ran up the front porch’s steps, dragging his already waterlogged clothing up with him, especially his dripping wet jumper that felt like a ton of bricks when it was absorbed with water and he stopped and caught his breath for a second when he reached the top of the stairs. He looked down at the ground for a second and closed his eyes thinking about the lack of exercise he’s been achieving lately.

Man, I need to go back lifting weights or something, damn beer gut, Rob thought.

Ravyn opened the door, as she had seen him come up the front of her house via the window near her television that she was previously engaged in watching a program that had bored her entirely that she was able to notice the familiar figure appear. She leant against the frame of the door on her side.

“You alright?” asked Ravyn. Rob looked up as he stood back and smiled weakly. “It’s a tad wet isn’t it?”

“Just a bit,” answered Rob. “I must’ve randomly chosen the right house then. One can only see so far with their hair dripping over the face and blinding raindrops pelting against their face.”

“Why do I have a feeling that this isn’t one of your usual house calls?” asked Ravyn, bluntly.

“Because you read me too well,” answered Rob. “Can I come in?”

“You’re not staying the night, if that’s what you’re suggesting, I am just not in the mood to take any sort of shit from anyone tonight,” answered Ravyn, seeming to be jittery and out of character towards Rob. Rob frowned. “Why the frown may I ask?”

“Look, Rave, I know something happened today that made you snap at me, and probably other people as well, but you’re not talking to me, you’re leaving me out constantly, and blaming everything on me,” answered Rob, still afraid that something’s going to happen and he’ll end up feeling bad for something that he didn’t do. “Will you talk to me about what happened today?”

“I guess so,” answered Ravyn, quietly, as though Rob had touched a sensitive nerve with Ravyn. “Take a seat.” Ravyn walked towards Rob, leaving the screen door open, and sat down at the seats on her front porch. Rob followed such actions. “Where do you want me to start?”

“Ah, anywhere would be helpful, hopefully what happened that was so bad, you just had to take it on me,” answered Rob. “I mean, you know it as well as I do, I didn’t deserve what I got given today.”

“The sad thing about that is, you’re right, I personally don’t see why you put up with my crap and how is the question,” mumbled Ravyn under breath, but Rob was listening too carefully and heard what Ravyn had said before. “I got my right to practice medicine taken away from me today, temporarily they said.”

The rain had stopped pouring down by now and now they could hear each other without trying to lip sync and randomly guess over the noise of the pelting rain against Ravyn’s roof.

Sarah had noticed this occurring and sent a quick text message to Jo saying that she’ll walk to Ravyn’s house, because she could remember where Rob went. And if she happened to end up on some freak’s doorstep, let it be. She was starting to get claustrophobic and she was starting to hate being confined to an empty car. She wrapped one arm around her sleeping daughter, held her tightly, and got out of the car. Ava woke up and started to cry. Sarah hushed her back to sleep, as she closed the door silently. She started to retrace Rob’s footsteps.

“Who’s ‘they’?” asked Rob, a bit confused and felt like he was on two pages behind where Ravyn was in the book of fact and fiction. “Do you mean the medical board?” Ravyn nodded in agreement, trying to fight back the tears. “Was it something to do with Sarah’s ex, Matt?” Ravyn nodded again, looking more like she was going to break down, but was restraining from doing it, for she had been doing it ever since she had gotten home. “Ravyn, I can’t keep playing the guessing game, you need to explain more. There could be so many possibilities of what happened and nodding and shaking your head isn’t going to end up in a result that I can coherently understand. Come on, Rave, we’re both adults here.”

“An incident that happened a few months ago, I won’t forget how stupid and blind I could be,” Ravyn started to explain as she didn’t look at Rob, but she insisted to herself that looking at the ground and avoiding all possible eye contact with Rob was better than anything right now. “Matt was another patient that had come in with a couple of shrapnel in him and I was working triage with another woman. I fixed Matt up, giving him a couple of painkillers, a couple of bandages, and local anaesthetic as I removed the shrapnel from his back. I didn’t know that he was a wanted man at the time; I just thought he was another jerk that had gotten himself into a glass fight. As soon as I gave him the green light for him to be released, I had to go upstairs to refill the supplies down in the triage ward. Fifteen minutes later, I was on my third trip down, I got a report that someone was having a cardiac arrest so I was called on to help, me being the nearest doctor to the scene. I rushed in, couldn’t help the poor fella, but I as soon as I got out, I noticed Matt standing against the wall with a smirk on his face and walked away, not caring that some guy had just died.”

“So why the hell does that make you responsible for Matt’s actions?” asked Rob.

“Because I failed to tell the authorities, it just didn’t comprehend to me at the time that Matt might’ve just killed that guy,” answered Ravyn. “They did the autopsy and the guy had died of severe potassium overdose. Meaning, that Matt must’ve grabbed hold of the nearest syringe and stuck whatever in with the guy’s drip, it just didn’t comprehend to me at the time.”

“So in other words, Matt got you fired?” interrupted the voice of Sarah’s, as Rob and Ravyn instantly were attracted to the sound of her voice and the figure of hers as she stood in the wet with Ava over her shoulder. “Here’s a piece of advice concerning Matt. Never let that guy come near you, he’s like an omen, he brings crime and corruption with him. Look what he did to me, and now, he’s gone and fucked you up. You should’ve just let the guy die from infection.”

“I’m not fired, I can’t work in medicine just for the time,” replied Ravyn. “Look, I said to Rob and I’ll say it to you, I never knew who the guy was until I found out what he was to you. I should’ve seen this coming.”

“Now, don’t say that,” comforted Rob. “No one knew that Matt was capable of destroying your reputation in particular.”

“I know what he’s capable of and it’s not something particularly nice either,” objected Sarah, as what appeared to be Greyfoxx’s car pulled up to the front of Ravyn’s place. Ravyn’s attention was diverted to the car as the ignition was disabled and the lights went off. Sarah walked up to the front porch, as Ravyn realised that she was holding a small figure. Ravyn figured it must’ve been Ava. Sarah sat next to Ravyn on the wooden bench. Ava woke up and revealed her face in the light.

Ravyn noticed Ava and thought how much of a hardship it must be for Sarah with a child who looks like a living replica of its abusive father.

“She looks like Matthew, a lot,” Ravyn couldn’t help but to point out the obvious.

“I know,” Sarah replied slowly, as Ava closed her eyes again and fell asleep. “That’s why it’s hard for me to raise her sometimes, when I break down over the episodes that Matt gives me. I see so much of her father in her, and not enough of me.”

By now, Jo and Andrea had gotten out of the car, escorted by Meaghen. They were standing at the bottom of the stairs, and they took their positions with their hands in their pockets. Ravyn diverted her attention to the trio of women, as Rob gave them a simple wave of his hand, and slid it back into his pocket.

“What is this?” asked Ravyn. “Am I some sort of freak show display for everyone to come and see me?”

“We were worried about what happened with you today,” answered Jo, shortly. “That’s all.”

“I’m starting to come under the impression that you actually care for me,” stated Ravyn, blankly.

“We do, but we usually get denied the right to feel such emotions, most of the time,” replied Meaghen.

“That’s because it’s usually like that for a reason,” retorted Ravyn. “Just, to spare you guys some time and explanations; I don’t want to talk about.”

“I don’t care if you don’t want to think that way, I’m here for other reasons, which I am not going to disclose right now,” replied Andrea. She shot Rob a short and sharp look and then looked back to focusing her attention on Ravyn. “I need to talk to you privately. It’s about something else other than what happened today.”

“Then don’t shoot me nasty looks, if it’s not about today,” ordered Rob, a bit angry at the sharp look Andrea had just previously given him.

“We all better come inside, it’s cold,” announced Ravyn, as she got up and left to go inside. Everyone that was outside, followed. Ravyn had walked to her bedroom, grabbed a pillow and a blanket for Ava to shortly sleep in the spare room. She saw Sarah holding Ava stirring in her mother’s arms, when she walked outside her bedroom and indicated with a tilt of her head to follow her to the spare room. Sarah followed.

Andrea paced back and forward in front of the heater, as Jo, Meaghen and Rob were engaged in a conversation about God-knows-what, as they sat in front of the television a couple of metres. Andrea was anxious and worried. It was very rare that Andrea came to this stage of being anxious and worried, not even her job could push her, this far. She sat on the floor cross-legged, as she buried her head in her arms and closed her eyes, thinking of trying to solve this problem which was going to get out of hand.

Fuck, she thought to herself. Why did he have to come back? Why is he even here in Chicago? Rave’s going to hit the roof if I tell her this. She has to know. She has the right to know after what happened. Why is he back?

“Andrea,” Ravyn shattered Andrea’s little world of unanswered questions. Andrea looked up to see Ravyn in front of her. “Are you okay? You look a bit pale.”

“I ought to be after whom I just spoke to,” answered Andrea. “We have to go somewhere else. I don’t think anyone has the right to know such classified information.”

“Is this about Gallagher?” asked Ravyn, as Andrea stood up and Ravyn showed her the way to her bedroom, as Sarah was still with Ava in the spare bedroom.

“No,” answered Andrea, as Ravyn closed the door and Andrea sat on the bed. “He’s back in town.”

“I thought Gradon told me that he fucked off halfway across the state,” replied Ravyn, still confused about what and who Andrea was talking about. Andrea shook her head. “I’m lost.”

“He is back, you know…” Andrea drifted off in her speech hoping that Ravyn would catch her drift. “I wouldn’t be telling you this if I didn’t think this was important.” Ravyn slumped against the opposite wall to Andrea and crossed her arms as she thought deeply of who Andrea could be talking about. “Don’t make me say his name.”

“Why am I still thinking Gallagher?” asked Ravyn.

Andrea swallowed hard.

“Azem’s back in Chicago and he was in paediatrics today looking for you,” answered Andrea without taking a breath. Ravyn looked sharply at Andrea thinking it was some kind of joke. “I told him that you had left Sacred Heart and moved to New York. I don’t think he believed me though.”

“You’re joking, right?” asked Ravyn, her eyes lit up with amazement and fright. “He can’t be here. I mean, why is he even back? What does he want out of me? I left him for very good reasons. Did he say anything else?”

“He said that I must be joking because he thought he’d just seen you with me at the paediatrics desk the other day,” answered Andrea. “You’ve got to leave Chicago Rave. I don’t think he’s changed, I think he just wants to cause you more trouble and more harm. I don’t want to go back to be accustomed to see you coming to work every day feeling like you don’t deserve to live because this guy tells you so.”

“What makes you think that I’ll leave Rob for a guy who treated me so badly?” asked Ravyn. “I don’t care if he threatens to kill me anymore, I don’t care if he even attempts at it, because I will not go back to feeling like shit and to be played like a fucking puppet day in and day out. I respect myself more than to do that to myself, again.”

“I am not saying that you will leave Rob for Azem, I am telling you, you need to get away from here, somewhere where Azem cannot find you,” pleaded Andrea. “I am begging you as a friend Rave, if you stay he’s going to find a way to fuck with your brain and eventually fuck up to the point where you’re re-admitted to the psyche ward. I don’t want to see that happen to you again. The first time was painful enough.”

“I am not going to start running away from that man, I am not afraid of him this time,” replied Ravyn, but was failing to convince Andrea to see her point of view on this topic. “What Azem did to me was highly immoral and wrong, but I’m over him. I will not run away from him, I am going to march in there tomorrow and face him…and yes, I am aware that I do not have a medical licence but that doesn’t stop me from entering my own workplace.”

“Here’s a warning, when I ran into him, he’s still the same old sweet obsessive bastard that I’ve known him to be, because, I can tell you now, I wasn’t the stopping point for him trying to find you, you’re just lucky you were on the move so quickly that day,” explained Andrea. “He went to the point of trying to sweet talk Sarah into telling where you were having lunch with and who with.”

“How the hell does he know who Sarah is to me?” asked Ravyn.

“I don’t know and I asked myself the exact question,” answered Andrea. “Like I said before, he’s still the same old sweet obsessive bastard that I’ve grown to know. Just, promise you’ll stay away from him this time, for good.”

“It’s not like I’m going to go and make best friends with him, I can assure you that I’m intending not to set foot near the guy, unless I have to,” assured Ravyn. “I’m not going back to being played like a worthless animal.”

“Well, just checking, I just don’t want you to go back to your ex-husband,” replied Andrea, giving her a sarcastic smile.

~

[Ravynlee]

WHAT THE FUCK?! *sits in stunned silence* *sits in silence a bit more and thinks about it*

Azem is my ex husband?! My ABUSIVE ex-husband?! Did I read this right? (I guess it sorta makes sense, in a RL way, I don't really know him all that well but we don't overly get on, so yeah, makes sense I guess. Hmm. Never thought of it that way before *strikes thoughtful pose* And am I also right in assuming that Grant has also had a turn on this roller coaster ride? WTF is going on here? I feel... dirty! Hahaha Jesus, and I thought my drama was tense *shakes head* Obviously you get the drama gene from me; kudos my girl.

Wow. Speechless.

Let's just say I'm officially freaked out about that turn of events.

Oh and Rob's comment to Jo I think about the whole 'he thought women were meant to shut up and only speak when spoken to' crap better not be a sign of things to come (I wanted to reach through the screen and slap him in the head for that comment, chauvinistic buttmuncher), if Rob turns out to be abusive future ex number three I assume I might break down in tears... as well as end up in the loony bin. This place is crazy... heavy, but crazy. Matt's a dangerous SOB innit? Naughty boy. But hey loved the way you captured Sarah's maternal sentiment in this piece; too much Matt and not enough Sarah. That was well said. Poignant. Oh and hey the fact they are all sorta starting to band together now rather than fight endlessly I thought was just awesome. Balances the really heavy drama taking place. Again, sweet. Anyways, glad you updated. More when you can manage it

Thanks.

~Rav

[azemkamikaze03]

Lol, leave it to me to be abusive.

[woodyloveslinkin]

~

“Grant’s permanently left the hospital,” Gradon told everyone at the staff the next morning; even Ravyn had to attend because she had gotten woken up from Gradon asking where the hell she was. Ravyn had innocently thought her being suspended meant that she didn’t have to attend these stupid meetings, which was progressively turning out to be not the highlight of her day. But Gradon had made it the highlight of his day and she was unhappy at the fact that she had to share the room with a bunch of neo-Nazi's. Jo was shocked, Meaghen had bothered to turn up to these meeting as she stood in the corner against the wall with her arms crossed, and Andrea just wanted to choke on her coffee but decided it was too typical as a reaction to such a good lot of news.

“Oh,” Jo’s were the first words to break the long silence that followed Gradon’s announcement. “Then, who’s head of the hospital then? You must be.”

“No, I’m not,” Gradon answered with an unhappy look on his face. “The board has appointed a new doctor that apparently does nothing but sit on his ass and eats donuts, but when he gets around to doing his job, he does a pretty good job of it.”

“Sounds a bit like you Harris,” commented Meaghen.

Ravyn was unimpressed as usual, with such comments. She turned her head slightly so that she faced Meaghen.

“I would not be saying that if I were you Greyfoxx, you think that the hospital waits on its hands and feet for you to get your lazy ass off your problems,” retorted Ravyn, a bit angrily.

“Harris and Greyfoxx, why do I even bother putting you in the same room, when I know what the end result will be?” asked Josh, at the top of his voice and at the end of his patience with the two women.

Ravyn turned her head back so that she faced Gradon.

“Gradon, the sick, and the dying do not do so in accordance to our timetables or whenever it suits us most,” reminded Ravyn, bitterly. “That includes you. Where the fuck was your sorry ass when the cardiac arrest was underway in ward thirteen yesterday?”

“Harris, just shut up, I am sick of hearing your voice already and it’s only been five minutes that we’ve been in this meeting,” ordered Josh.

“You’re not the only one,” muttered Meaghen.

“Okay, down to business, we are all adults here and please, we can and will act like adults,” started Josh.

“So who’s taking over Gallagher’s position?” asked Andrea, as Ravyn reminded herself that Andrea was still there.

“I was going to get to that, before you asked me,” answered Josh. “He’s a doctor who’ll be residing here in Sacred Heart on a permanent basis and hopefully, if all goes to plan, he’ll be here forever. He’s very good at his job, I can tell you now. He’s got a double doctorate in biomedicine and nuclear medicine, and he’s held a couple of seminars at the uni up the road from here. Do want me to go get him or should I just let you find out for yourselves?”

“Bring him down,” answered Meaghen. “The guy sounds half decent already. Better than doing business stuff in uni like Gallagher did.”

“What’s his name?” asked Andrea.

“His name is Azem Kamikaze, but I just call him Azem,” answered Josh. “He’s a pretty decent guy as well.”

Shit, thought both Andrea and Ravyn, as each immediately looked to each other for a split second then looked away. A marquee that said “fuck” ran inside Ravyn’s mentality from side-to-side and flashing neon lights as well.

“You have to be joking,” said Ravyn, sharply looking at Gradon’s delighted smile that was slowly being interpreted as a nasty smirk by Ravyn. “You have to be kidding me!”

“Wow, she already has a problem with the guy and yet, she doesn’t know what he looks like,” commented Jo, but it was loud enough for everyone to hear it as Ravyn got up from her seat suddenly and stormed towards Josh, looking like she’s going to beat the living daylights out of him. Josh took a step back, as he braced for the worst possible outcome.

She halted when she came to three inches of Josh’s personal space.

“You have to be joking,” repeated Ravyn. “Is this some sort of sick and twisted joke you’re playing on me Gradon?”

“Why would he lie about replacing Grant?” asked Meaghen. Jo withheld a laugh, as the smile slowly faded away into a serious facial expression. “I heard the funniest thing about you and Grant the other day, Harris.”

Ravyn turned around not impressed by whatever Meaghen was about to say. Gradon’s announcement had made her day a living planet hell and then she had to think of the meadows of heaven that she’ll be treading across when tomorrow came, she doesn’t work here and she knows she’s having an overreaction to the max, but it was Azem that she was thinking about. The only man on the planet that she was married too, and the only man she despises more than Grant and Chester combined.

“It can’t be that funny if you’re bringing it up now,” muttered Ravyn under breath and obviously not in the mood to take serious topics light heartedly.

“I heard that you and Gallagher had a relationship together back in your old hospital where you had done your internship,” carried on Meaghen.

“Meaghen, you will believe anything anyone tells you, seriously, I mean, how gullible can a person get?” asked Ravyn. “Oh wait. It’s you that we’re talking about here. Oh in that case very much so. If I told you that Brad Pitt was outside, the number one thing you would is run outside and then run laps of the hospital grounds to try and find him.”

“Not true,” retorted Meaghen.

“Yeah, but very close to the truth,” replied Ravyn.

“Quit it, seriously, a bunch of minors fighting,” came a deep voice in which Ravyn knew she’d face one day but she wasn’t sure and wasn’t hoping for the day to come. She turned around to see a tall man, with slick black hair and a man that was built like a ton of bricks. It was none other but her ex. “Long time no see, darl.”

“Go to hell and never come back,” snapped Ravyn, as she left the room.

“Ah, that’s Harris for you,” badly introduced Jo. “She gets in her nasty moods over the littlest of things.”

 

 

 

 

 

I'll post some more when I get back this evening.

[Ravynlee]

Lol, leave it to me to be abusive.

:lol: Hahaha nicely put

[Greyfoxx]

YAY! I can't wait for more.

[woodyloveslinkin]

continued on (same chapter though)

 

Josh looked at Jo sharply. Jo shrugged his look off and continued to figure out what Ravyn’s little spit was about. Jo sighed, knowing too well, that woman is uncontrollable, even in the most controlled environment.

Josh looked back to Azem, with a huge fake smile on his face.

“Sorry, about that, Harris and her foul moods, ah, that’s Joanna, the head of nursing,” explained Josh, being a total suck up to the new doctor on the scene. “That’s Andrea, head of paediatrics.” Andrea raised her head completely bewildered at Josh’s attitude. She shook her head in disapproval. She was going to say something but she feared that the hate between Azem and her would be too obvious too quickly. “Over there against the wall, that’s Greyfoxx, oh no sorry, that’s Meaghen, the head of radiology and radiotherapy. Greyfoxx is just her surname which I have to repetitively have to say to shut her up sometimes.” Josh didn’t know it but he had just said his thoughts out loud and had obviously put Meaghen in a greater bad mood. Ravyn was the instigator, as always, of Meaghen’s bad moods, rarely followed by anybody else. “And I take it; you’ve already had an encounter with Sacred Heart’s third kind…Harris.”

Azem nodded slowly.

“Glad to meet you all,” smiled Azem, shortly, and then he turned and faced Josh. “Is Harris always in her bad moods?”

“You have no idea,” interrupted Meaghen. Azem faced Meaghen as she continued on speaking. “I don’t know what history you guys have together, but hell, I’ve been working here for a couple of years now, and do you know how many times I’ve been tempted to pull out an inanimate object and commit a crime against her?”

“She’s not that bad,” complained Andrea, rolling her eyes at Meaghen’s exaggeration of the topic of Ravyn’s attitude and caustic moods. “Stop exaggerating and start doing what you need to do. Like getting me those stupid x-rays you owe me from three days ago.”

“You’re only saying it because you don’t constantly get compared to neo-Nazis and other historical figures that at the end of the day, make you wonder if she needs to be admitted to the psyche ward,” retorted Jo.

“I wouldn’t blame Ravyn for comparing you and your department to Nazi enthusiasts,” replied Andrea smoothly. She was only sticking up for Ravyn because she had enough of everybody’s crap about how evil Ravyn is. Andrea did recognise the need for her to change her tone and her moods sometimes, but not to the point where one can be tempted to be above the law.

“She likes comparing people to historical figures?” asked Azem, as everyone’s attention was back on him.

“You sound like that’s nothing new to you,” commented Josh.

“Oh no, it’s not that, it’s just wow, you’ve got to give some credit to her for comparing everyone to historical figures, it takes a lot of intelligence and brain power to keep it up, as I figure that she does,” replied Azem.

Andrea was ready to tell Azem to go to hell and never come back, the same way that Ravyn did, including the storming off and out of the room part as well. Andrea’s rope for Azem’s tolerance was going to snap and she knew it herself, if she didn’t depart from the room within five minutes, she was going to implode and Azem would be right in the path of destruction. Andrea got to her feet suddenly, picked up her half empty coffee cup and preceded to leave the room.

“You know, you and Ravyn have the same exit to a situation,” commented Meaghen. Andrea stopped. “Has anyone notice this?” Andrea concluded Meaghen was deliberately trying to be a pain in the ass and ignored her. She cut between Azem and Josh, giving Azem a really painful watch-your-ass-from-now-on look. Azem was amazed he was getting such looks on his first day.

“Meeting’s over, everyone get back to work without hesitation,” ordered Josh, as there was a couple of seconds of silence then everyone got up, talked and walked out of the room at the same time. “You’ve got a record so far, mate, two evil looks from two evil women within ten minutes of each other. Jeez, I haven’t even gotten that many within ten minutes from two women.”

Andrea walked out into the hallway to see Sarah looking at the wall, sitting on the line of chairs next to the wall, and pale faced as ever. Andrea knew Ravyn would find a way to kill Sarah for being so emotional while on the job, despite the fact that Ravyn wasn’t even allowed to teach Sarah without a medical licence. Andrea rushed over to find out what drama had gone down. She was expecting something to do with Matt.

“Are you alright? Hello?” asked Andrea, as she waved her hand up and down to interfere with Sarah’s out of blank gaze that was fixed to the wall. Sarah shook her head to get of the blank gaze that she was in.

“Huh?” asked Sarah, as she realised that Andrea had saw her blankly gazing at the wall. “I was having fun in my own world just then.”

“I’m sure you were,” replied Andrea, blankly, as she took a seat next to her. “What’s up?”

“Have you ever had one of those days were you think that this world would be a better place without death and sorrow?” asked Sarah, as a bunch of doctors and nurses went past her but she didn’t really notice them to figure out who they were and if she knew them or not.

“Yeah, everyday, but the sad reality of it is, we work in a hospital, and strangely enough, everyone sees death on a regular basis, even the innocent ones die,” answered Andrea. “Why do you ask?” Andrea was quite certain Sarah just saw her first death or Matt was playing with her mind again.

“That poor man, he just went like that, I couldn’t do anything, not even the nurses could do anything,” answered Sarah, recalling the events of the past ten minutes.

“It was his time to go and that may sound harsh but, it’s the truth, you live or you die,” told Andrea. “See. Sarah, I’ve told many interns this, many times. But life is just life, there are no rights and there are no wrongs. And when you die, it’s like oopsy-fuck, I’m dead, now it’s time to haunt people that I hate.”

“Yeah, you’re right in a way,” concluded Sarah.

“There’s no way, I know I’m right, I’ve been here longer and I’ve had more difficult cases to deal with other than cardiac arrests,” replied Andrea. “Cardiac arrests are like men to me almost, usually I find one that I really like, and it goes like that, on and off all the time with me. You’re lucky in a way, when it comes to surgery, you don’t have to do it right now. God, I hate doing surgery with Bennington and Delson, they crank their music up so loud that Gradon usually comes in and takes the CD player away. Life’s a bitch then you die, really.”

“Yeah, I see it now, you are right,” replied Sarah.

“And if you think seeing someone dying is bad, you’ve obviously never been down in the morgue, God, I hate it down there, especially when you’re around Bennington or Delson, they make the morgue look like a form of entertainment,” bitched Andrea. Andrea got up from her seat. “Any who, time’s wasting away and I’ve got things to do. Cheer up, because in the long run, we all die.”

Sarah smiled and realised that it wasn’t just all of Andrea’s sentimental bullshit after all. Andrea replied to Sarah’s smile with a smile of her own, waved goodbye and then disappeared out of sight, leaving Sarah wondering what the hell would happen next that was so traumatic.

Sarah got up from her seat and slowly started to walk the opposite way to where Andrea was going. She was looking to ground, looking to the repeated patterns and lines on the hospital floor, wondering what was going to happen to her in the long run. She stopped. She had a feeling that someone was watching her. She hated being watched, Alexis used to do it to her all the time when she was little, that was, grabbing her from her behind and dragging her somewhere where Allie didn’t know about, also known as, Alexis’ stoners pit at the bottom of the house. She looked around. Only for her eyes to stop on Azem, who was looking directly at her.

Azem really freaked Sarah out. She didn’t know who he was and what his main purpose was right now, but she felt unsafe around.

“You’re Harris’ intern, right?” asked Azem, gruffly. Sarah now remembered where she had seen him. He was the person from the other day who wanted to know where Ravyn was. Sarah nodded, silently, as Azem stopped leaning against the wall and approached Sarah. “What’s your name again? Sorry I didn’t catch it the last time ‘round.”

“Sarah,” answered Sarah, a bit confused.

“Is she nice to you?” asked Azem.

“Sorta,” answered Sarah. “Who the hell are you anyway?”

“The name’s Azem, the man,” gloated Azem, trying to act like a teenager who’s up himself in the playground. “The man that is the boss of this entire hospital thanks to Grant’s departure and the board.”

“What happened to Grant?” asked Sarah, a bit surprised that Grant has just disappeared like a sci-fi character teleporting.

“He left, duh,” answered Azem. “Any who do you know where I can find Harris?”

“Did you try her office?” asked Sarah. Azem shook his head. “Do you know where her office is?” Azem shook his head again. “Are you sure you want to go there?” Azem nodded. “Are you really fit to handle her bullshit?” Azem nodded. “I highly doubt that. Okay, here’s the deal. Just because I lead you there I am not going down with you, because it’s two kamikaze missions in one.”

“Trust me, I can handle anything,” assured Azem, not thinking for one second that Ravyn might’ve changed since their last meeting.

“Fine, if you think that way, come with me, I’ve got nothing else better to do,” sighed Sarah, as Tarja and Meg passed her deep in conversation about the social pool of events that occurs within a hospital like this one. Sarah started walked towards the elevator, not wanting to make conversation with her new boss. Then she realised who was ahead at the very end of the hallway. She stopped and turned around to Azem and pointed to the end of the corridor. “There’s Ravyn and now, this is the part where I leave.”

“You don’t have to leave,” replied Azem, as he stopped, but Sarah just walked back to where she previously was heading towards before she ran into Azem. “Jeez, talk about uptight bitches in this hospital, and I thought be married to Harris was a big enough thing to deal with.”

“Who is he?” asked Rob, at the end of the corridor and Sarah hadn’t seen him talking to Ravyn. Ravyn tried not to hide the fact that she hated Azem for all that he was to her, a bastard. “It’s pretty obvious you don’t like him. You can’t hide that amount of hate, Ravyn; it’s pretty damn well obvious.”

“Must I?” asked Ravyn, trying to avoid telling Rob the real truth for her hate as Ravyn looked back to Azem and they caught each other’s eye contact. Azem started to move from where he was stationed. “I don’t like him; can’t I leave it at that?” Ravyn was starting to look for escape routes. The elevator doors opened and an outpour of nurses came out. “I’m going to leave this conversation now.” Ravyn detached herself from the conversation and entered the nearby elevator, leaving Rob thinking the oddest things.

She thought the doors would just close automatically behind her, or so, that she hoped they would. She closed her eyes, just praying to God that Azem wouldn’t follow in. She heard footprints and then she heard the doors re-opening.

Shit, just close you stupid doors. Thought Ravyn, still not opening her eyes.

The doors were closing and the footsteps were next to her. She could predict who it would be now. By this stage, she said to herself that it was only Bennington and Delson being sadistically cruel to her. The doors had fully closed now and both bodies could feel gravity take its effect on going down.

“You were never one to face your fears,” said the voice that she hoped wouldn’t be the one to point that fact. She opened her eyes and looked to her side. Azem smiled. “You thought you could spend the rest of your career in this hospital, not talking to me, right?”

“Why are you back in Chicago?” asked Ravyn, trying to restrain herself from letting every emotion loose. “And I thought I made it clear when I said I never wanted to speak to you, that I meant it.”

“Everyone’s pasts always catch up with them and don’t even deny it that I am this horrible bastard that did all this awful stuff to you, supposedly,” Azem carried on. “I didn’t do anything to deserve the divorce.”

“Just except the things that you did to me when you were drunk and angry,” replied Ravyn. “I was your punching bag and I will be damned to eternity if I ever take that divorce back. That’s got be the highlight of my life, getting the divorce over and done with.”

“Bullshit,” muttered Azem. “I treated you like any man would treat his wife.”

“I reiterate, I was your punching bag,” repeated Ravyn, as the elevator stopped on the ICU level. “Now touch my desk and I will personally make sure that you will pay. I may be a bitch, but hell, I’m a much better doctor than you and I don’t give two shits if you have a doctorate in biomedicine. That’s just a piece of paper that tells me that you cheated on all of your exams in med school and yes, I know that for a fact. It’s amazing what I learnt being married to you.” Ravyn walked out into the hallway.

“You haven’t changed,” commented Azem, just as the doors were closing. There was a smirk upon Ravyn’s face, as she found that comment to be a compliment.

~

[Ravynlee]

You can't leave it like that!! *panics* Quick, I need to know more, no, I need my character's butt out of that elevator. In fact she should do what she did last time and run again, or at least if nothing else avoid stepping into confined areas with that SOB. Dunno what it is but the way you write him makes my skin crawl, he's very two-faced, predatory and calculating, in a word the new boss man is DANGEROUS - and what's worse he seems to not only know it but revel in it. He's like God with an ant farm, right? (Constantine? Kewl movie btw)

 

And Ravyn wanna be careful - I think she might be bighting off more than she can chew with this new nemesis *shakes head* I think I finally met my match. Of course Azem seems charming enough, so far seems like most of the staff like him (except Andrea), and I guess at this point he is an enigma and until they get to know him (like I supposedly do, which depending on who's side of the story you believe may be a good or a very bad thing - punching bag you say? And he even fuckin' tried to justify it?!) that they will sort of be a little wary of him. Azem seems the type to use this to his advantage, and I'd hate to say it but at least his confrontational never-back-down attitude may work better for the hospital than his predecessor business-wise. I of course as a character may beg to differ. And surely to God Rob should know something's up. Can't wait to see his showdown against the brick out-house that is my so-called ex-hubby. Ex? Is he wanting a reunion? Did he have a (corrupt) hand in making Grant leave and steal his job? What's Azem's real motives here? Where does Andrea know him again? How long I mean? Is he (the new boss man) going to make our lives a living hell just to get sweet vengeance on my bitchy ass?? Hahaha - wow, what a turn around, I went from victimizer to victim in less than 200 pages (word) Some may call that justice *shrugs* Meh. So be it. (I want to scream at Harris to rip the man's sack off like a paper towel! Still miffed over that past bit, warranted more than divorce, ass *grumbles*) Man, so many questions, so many possibilities, so few answers haha. Insatiable, no?

 

And yay for Andrea. Top gal that one. She at least in work and personality shows the kind of ethic and standard that almost everyone in this place is lacking. Sorta sad really. Jo's attitude may need readjusting, as may Meaghan's I think. And what the hell, didn't I read like waaaay back at the start Chas and Brad were paramedics, then they were doctors, now surgeons that like to play 'Weekend at Bernie's' with the inmates in the morgue?! :lol: What a car-azy set-up of a hospital this one is... good luck bringing a sense of control and order here Azem, you're sorely gonna need it.

Good work.

[woodyloveslinkin]

~

 

It was 3 pm and it was almost shift-over time for Chester, as he looked out the window. It was just another cold Chicago winter and with Christmas about three weeks away, it was getting harder for him. He never agreed to the break up with Sarah, she just left him like that and she hasn’t had a civil conversation with him since. Chester sat down on a chair in an empty ward, as he realised that snow was progressively building up on the window sill. He just felt a bit empty and lonely. On top of not having Sarah around anymore to keep him company, he had been told he had to work Christmas day or be fired. Chester was furious at the fact that the new boss that was supposedly better than Grant wasn’t the one that had told him, he used Gradon as a medium.

He leant over so that his ID tag was hanging off him. He knew that those things came off easily and if he didn’t watch it, it would disappear and he would hassle the new boss for a new one. The last time Chester hassled Grant for a new ID tag, Grant had referred him to look through the day’s trash out the back.

Chester looked back up to see Tarja in her pink nurse’s uniform in the middle of strolling through the ward and replacing the clipboards with new sheets of empty charts.

Chester and her met eye contact and Tarja gave him a short smile.

“Tarja,” Chester broke the silence as Tarja stopped what she was doing. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Okay, but I ain’t answering anything concerning Sarah,” answered Tarja, as she had gotten sick of Brad asking her questions about Sarah’s previous relationship with Chester and how much Tarja knew of it.

“No, not that,” assured Chester. “Do you ever wonder about the state of this hospital, in a social context?”

“Yes, have you not seen the fights that go down between Meg and Joss?” asked Tarja. “I swear this hospital is turning into a petting zoo.” Tarja walked over to the corner and dragged a chair to the middle of the room where Chester was sitting. She sat down and crossed her legs, wondering where this conversation was going to end up like. “Let alone the fights that go down between Rob and Ravyn sometimes. God, she really needs to learn to respect that guy, he takes so much crap from everybody else about her.”

Chester felt about a bit guilty about that section of Tarja’s response, as he’s been consistently trying to get the message across to Rob that he deserves better and he should go back to dating Vanessa.

“I don’t like the new boss,” Chester blurted out. “He’s making me work Christmas day.”

“He’s making everyone work Christmas day,” corrected Tarja. “On top of that, he’s got Jo and us nurses, working straight eight hour shifts from Christmas Eve to New Years. So don’t complain.”

There was a long silence. The pair didn’t know what to say, for they had said what they needed to say to each other, well, not in Chester’s case. He really wanted Sarah back, not as a partner but as a friend, he really missed the good times he had with her before they went out. Chester didn’t want to say anything to Tarja about Sarah.

There were some footprints out in the hall, right outside the ward that the pair was in. Chester recognised one of them to be Sarah’s, and then, shortly Matt’s deep and pounding voice followed.

“Come on Sarah, you’ve got to cut me some slack,” begged Matt, as he stopped Sarah’s path to the hospital’s exit. They weren’t alone; Sarah had Ava in her arms. Sarah really wanted to drop Ava because of her heaviness, but she was afraid that if Sarah let Ava walk Matt will grab Ava and run. “I’m asking you nicely, please.”

“Why do I want to help you?” asked Sarah. “You’re still on the run from the law. You haven’t reported to the police in twenty-four hours as part of your parole regulations. You’re going to be locked up for violating your parole conditions. The real question comes down to, if I say yes, what’s the chance that you’re not going to take Ava and do some stupid stuff that will hurt her?”

“I won’t hurt her, she’s my daughter, I won’t hurt her, I swear,” Matt swore, but Sarah shook her head in denial. “You think of how badly I’ve fucked myself up, I have a chance to make it better and I don’t want Ava to live the experiences I have.”

“And nor do I and that’s why I am saying no to you moving in with me,” protested Sarah, as her arms started to ache. “Look, why couldn’t you have left this until I got home tonight? It’s bad enough half the fucking hospital knows about our history.”

“Because I’m getting evicted tonight, and that’s why I had to come here with Ava,” snapped Matt, angrily, as he was getting at the end of his tether trying to explain himself to Sarah.

“And why exactly did you take Ava out of day care and bring her here?” asked Sarah. “Oh that’s right, because you can use her as a blackmail tool.” Sarah sighed, as she thought of the pros and cons about having Matt stay at her place until he gets his act together. “If I say yes to this, you will a, not dare to think that we will get back together, b, pull your fucking weight around the house, c, and get your act together for Gods sake! Because I swear to God, if my mother finds about me doing this for the man who abandoned me while I was pregnant with his own child, she will be putting my head on a stake in her vegetable patch.”

“Thanks so much…”

“Don’t you start, I don’t want to hear it,” interrupted Sarah, angrily. “Now take Ava back to day care, I’ll pick her up at six and when I come home, there better be dinner on the table or you’re sleeping outside tonight, not in the guest bedroom.” Sarah looked to Ava. “Mummy’s has to get back to work now, but Daddy will take you back to day care.”

“No, staying with you,” protested Ava, innocently.

“Oh no you’re not,” retorted Sarah as she handed Ava back to Matt. Sarah looked at Matt blankly. “You run off with her or hurt her in anyway, just remember, you’re on parole and I can get you back into jail with any story I want.” Matt nodded as Ava started to reach for Sarah but Matt restrained her.

“Get off me,” complained Ava, as she attempted to remove Matt’s grasp from around her waist. “Mummy.”

“Where does she learn these things?” asked Matt.

“Just say, be thankful you’re not a child who plays with my sisters on a regular basis,” answered Sarah. “Now go. I don’t want to witness a tantrum.”

“Say goodbye to Mummy,” said Matt to Ava, as Matt waved to Sarah. Ava shook her head in protest.

“No, I don’t want to go,” complained Ava.

“Just go dammit,” ordered Sarah to Matt, as she turned her back and started to walk the opposite way. Sarah was counting down to the time where Ava chucked a full force tantrum. And there it was, the screaming had started and Sarah just kept on walking, as the screams eventually died down into soft sobs. Sarah walked to the nurse’s desk and grabbed a pen off the table to fill out some charts. Tarja and Chester came rushing up behind Sarah and swung her around by her shoulder.

They were angry at Sarah’s decision to let Matt crash at her place, because they had just eavesdropped on the whole conversation between the two.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” asked Tarja, obviously outraged but trying to keep her voice down. “Matt has never done anything to you that has resulted in a positive outcome, so why are you trying to get your hopes up? You’re going to bring up healed wounds if he stays and then the sentimental bullshit will come into play and you’ll probably fall pregnant with his second child. I don’t think you’re aware of what you just set yourself up for, Sarah, I really don’t.”

“I don’t need to explain myself to you Tarja, and don’t you start Chester, the last person I want to answer is to you,” retorted Sarah, as she went back to slowly filling in the charts for the patients that she was behind in because of Matt’s arrival.

“You broke up with me because I was a convicted con and what do you do now? You let that retard back in to your home, he doesn’t deserve to be near his own child, let alone the woman he knocked up three years ago and it’s all too much bullshit for me to handle,” complained Chester.

“I am not going to go back out with him, I’m just trying to get him back on track with his life, so in the long run he’ll leave me alone and eventually let Ava make up her mind wither if she wants to be around him or not, I don’t know, let time tell,” replied Sarah, removing some sheets and placing them next to the main computer, near Jo’s special chair. Sarah realised if she placed anything near Jo’s special chair, Jo instantly responds to it as soon as she sits down on it.

“People, we don’t need melodramas in the hospital, take them outside,” ordered Azem, as he had obviously heard portions of what was happening in Sarah’s personal life. Azem approached the bench and picked up the papers that Sarah had filled out. He frowned as he read them. He took his gaze off them and looked for Sarah who had stopped to see what Azem was doing with the pieces of paper she had just filled out. “Question, are you planning to kill people?” Sarah shook her head, a bit confused and a bit worried. “Alright in that case, do them again.” Azem ripped the pieces of paper up in front of her and walked away.

“No wonder I hate that man already,” Chester muttered to himself as he looked from the pieces of paper on the floor to the clock that was on the wall above him. “Gotta go. Nearly the end of my shift got one more surgery to do then I’m off. Got to scrub first. Dammit, where’s Delson? He’s got my CD player.”

“Aren’t you meant to be on paramedic duty with Meg?” asked Tarja. Chester shook his head.

“No, not doubling up today, she is, but I ain’t, or maybe I’ve read the timetable wrong, again, oh crap, in that case, Gradon’s going to be in a foul mood with me tomorrow,” ranted Chester, as he shot Sarah one last look and walked away.

“Why are we suddenly doubling up as paras?” asked Sarah, trying to figure out what she had written and what could’ve been wrong.

“Because it’s Sacred Heart and we’ve always been short on paramedics, so we double up, that’s why Chester and Brad, are such a pair of loonies behind both the wheel and a surgery knife,” answered Tarja. “In that case, you’ll be up soon to do your training. Well, all I have to say is good luck with Matt. Really, that guy, just really sends off bad vibes. Catch you around.”

“Yeah, bye,” Sarah trailed off in her sentence as Ravyn approached her. “Wow. All I really need to do to attract people, is stand here, and wait for everyone to come to me.”

“I’m not coming to you for a suck up moment; I’m here to get something through your thick and naïve skull,” Ravyn replied smoothly. Sarah rolled her eyes. “You look like you’re hiding more than I think you are. But right now, I can’t give two shits about what you’re hiding and whatever the fuck went down just then between you and Chester. As I said before and I’ll keep on saying it to you, learn to step over trash.”

“You were saying before you started on Chester?” asked Sarah, just wishing Ravyn would get to the point straight away sometimes.

“Keep away from the new boss, he’s a sweet old obsessive bastard,” answered Ravyn.

“It’s taken you only half a day to realise that you hate him to the point where you go around and tell everyone to stay away from him, wow, that’s a record,” seethed Sarah, but in a kinder tone.

“Just say I have more experience than you in this big scary world,” replied Ravyn, as she walked off, to her office, Sarah guessed.

Sarah shook her head trying to tell herself that whatever Ravyn was trying to tell her, she wasn’t making it very clear.

Hate Azem…right…and the bravo award for the most difficult translation of those two words, has to go to her, Thought Sarah.

~

[Ravynlee]

Right, well that makes sense now - they double up as Paramedics. Fair enough. Like being surgeons isn't hard enough work, huh? Hahaha Christ. Thank god I don't work there in real life!

Nice. Though I have to say Sarah should know better. Matt cannot be trusted and I fear more heartache ahead for her and her family. I have to admit I do feel sorry for Chester. Poor guy has a point. But anyway, all good so far.

More?

[woodyloveslinkin]

Hmmm...tomorrow/later on this morning. Same shit different bucket.

It's time for Sarah to go sleepy byes because she was an idiot and missed her first lecture yesterday morning.

[Ravynlee]

Hmmm...tomorrow/later on this morning. Same shit different bucket.

It's time for Sarah to go sleepy byes because she was an idiot and missed her first lecture yesterday morning.

Okidoki. Goodnight. Sleep well. But eagerly anticipate more :clap:

[Greyfoxx]

*sits on the end of her chair* more pwease?

 

I really like this story....kinda reminds me of House M.D. *drools*

[woodyloveslinkin]

~

“Jesus fucking Christ are you serious?” asked Matt, who was standing up and Sarah was sitting down against the wall in the subway. “Please tell me you’re kidding me.”

“I’m not lying to you about anything,” answered Sarah, who was too shaken up to stand up. And the fear of being knocked back down was ever present. Sarah hid her face in her hands and proceeded to cry her heart out. “I knew you would react this way.”

“And what way is that?” asked Matt, turning his back on his girlfriend. “The most normal way to react, is that the most correct way to react according to your standards Sarah?” There was a slight pause between the couple, as the distant sound of the subway train kept on coming closer to the empty subway station. Viking had conveniently arrived on the scene moments later with Amy by his side. Matt’s attention was on Viking’s presence, as Viking stopped along with Amy. Matt turned to Viking. “Wait until you hear what I’ve just been told.”

“Matt, you said you would keep it to yourself!” Sarah objected, raising her head from her hands. “They do not need to know! He in particular does not need to know!”

“What the fuck’s gone down man?” asked Viking, as Amy wrapped her arms around her trying to steal some of Viking’s body heat. Viking ignored Amy and her attention-seeking methods. Matt wasn’t sure now if Viking should be told. He was starting to think that Sarah was overall right about Viking having no right to know about Sarah’s surprise pregnancy. “What the fuck’s gone down man? Do I need to repeat it to you again or what?”

Matt knew it was better out then in.

“Sarah’s pregnant,” answered Matt, slowly, taking his gaze off Viking and back onto Sarah just to see her reaction. She burst into a heavy downpour of tears. “Sorry Sarah, he’s my best mate, I had to tell him.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, what the fuck man?” asked Viking, shaking Amy off him, and Amy made it clear that she wasn’t too impressed about being shaken off like dust on a mat. Amy sat down next to Sarah and proceeded to hug her instead of a non-responsive telephone pole. “Do you know what this means?”

“Yes,” answered Matt. “I have no choice.”

“Bullshit my mother’s ass you do,” objected Amy, looking sharply at Matt. “It’s your fault she’s pregnant now don’t just dismiss the mess. You’ve got take responsibility for your actions and not just bitch yourself out of it.”

“And where was your responsibility when you lost half our ice the other day, bitch?” snapped Matt. “So don’t start on about how much I need to learn to take some responsibility when you can’t get from point A to point B without losing our God damn ice.” Amy didn’t say anything. She knew she was already guilty of throwing away the ice in her backpack so the police couldn’t find anything to pin her with when they demanded a random search of her backpack in a supermarket. “I’m almost at the point of pulling my hair out, that’s how God damn frustrated and confused you’ve made me!” Sarah whimpered. She had never been a fan of Matt’s anger management problem. Matt knelt in front of her so that they could look directly look into each other’s eyes. “Now, what are we going to do with you? You have a simple choice. It’s the stash or the baby, you cannot have both.” Sarah whimpered and sobbed some more and re-hid her face in her hands thinking about how hard this is going to be for her, the next nine months. “Just fucking ditch the child Sarah it’s so simple with today’s technology!”

“We don’t have the money to get an abortion for her!” objected Amy. Everyone’s focus was on Amy and what she had to say for herself, even Sarah was surprised at Amy’s outburst. “Even if we put all of our money in together, we don’t have enough to have both the drugs and the abortion. Do you realise how expensive an abortion is?”

“Wouldn’t it be just as simple as grabbing a knife and shoving it into her stomach?” asked Viking.

“Yeah, if you’re intending to kill Sarah as well, that’s a real effective way Viking,” Amy answered, as she looked to Viking. “Can I have an intelligent suggestion next time round? And plus, you do that to Sarah you get done for murder or some shit like that. And I’m already up for a number of shoplifting counts.”

“Well, what options do we really have?” asked Sarah, looking more worried then before Amy’s little speeches.

“Here’s an option for you whore, I’m going, and I will never believe that kid is mine,” snapped Matt in the angriest tone Sarah has never heard him say anything in. Sarah got to her feet as Matt started to walk away.

“Matt, no you can’t, you said you wouldn’t walk away like this!” protested Sarah, as she started to feel more helpless then ever before by the sudden twist of events as she started to walk after Matt. Viking grabbed hold of Sarah’s arm and Sarah tried to shake him off but his grip was too strong. “Please, just let go Viking, you have no business whatsoever between Matt and I.”

Matt stopped in his tracks and turned around so that Sarah and Matt were in a direct eye contact lock.

“He was at least a better friend to me than you were,” commented Matt, as Sarah fell on the ground limp. She just couldn’t believe that Matt was leaving like this. She was more frightened about the fact that she was going to be a single mother now. “Come on Vi and Amy, leave this bitch to rot in hell. She’s going to bring us all down and I will be damned if I’ll be the one to rock the boat.”

“Mummy,” said Ava, as Sarah woke up to see her child leaning over her. “Wake up Mummy.” Sarah pulled the blankets of her bed over her and rolled back over. She was awake but she had just realised that she had relived the events of the break up. For the first time in ages, she couldn’t face the three year old. Not because of what she had done, but the events surrounding her before her birth. Sarah wasn’t sure if she was relapsing or she had dreamt that out of nowhere. “Daddy says to wake up Mummy.”

“Daddy says a lot of things I don’t approve of,” Sarah muttered under her breath, as she rolled back onto her previous side as she faced Ava. She grabbed hold of Ava and brought her daughter down in a fit of laughing. Sarah looked at her young daughter lying on her pillows as Ava stopped laughing. “Do you love Mummy?”

“Yes, I love Mummy,” answered Ava. “Do you love Ava?”

“You have no idea what I had to go through to bring you into this world,” answered Sarah, leaving Ava confused. Sarah nodded. “Yes, I love Ava very much. You indeed mean the world to me.”

Sarah didn’t know it, but Matt was standing in the doorway the whole time listening to their conversation. Matt, around about this stage, hoped the best for Sarah in her future occurrences. Matt on a lower level, felt bad for his mistakes, but he didn’t show it very often. Like Sarah had pointed out a couple of days ago, the main problem were his mood swings, they were uncontrollable and now Matt felt like he didn’t want to be around Ava for the sake of him lashing out on a three year old. And on top of that Sarah would kick him out of the house, out of Sarah’s life and most likely, Ava’s life. He didn’t want her to grow up not knowing that she didn’t have a father. Matt sighed to attract attention to himself. Didn’t work, Ava was babbling on to Sarah about her new toys that he had gotten her. Matt walked away, feeling like a complete idiot for his past mistakes.

~

[Ravynlee]

First and foremost, it's sweet, emotional yes, and it's about freaking time Matt's finally starting to wake up to himself! But forgive me if I'm wrong, Ava was born in Chicago right? Only Allie went holidaying OS to Australia recently minus Ava? Why then does Ava have an Aussie accent? I think it should be "mom" not "mum" (as natural as Mum is to you and I ) Reading that faux pas kind of threw me - it's supposed to be set in the US, better keep the dialog there OR give a damned good explanation otherwise I say. Confused me. Aside from that it's all good. Traumatic for Sarah yes. And what the hell, Viking's suggestion about knifing Sarah as a good form of abortion! No wonder she didn't give him the warmest of receptions when he ended up in her care at the hospital. He (as a character) doesn't deserve it! But I stand by what I said earlier - I don't agree with Sarah's decision to give Matt yet another chance. Might sound cruel for Matt but until he proves himself independently without her that would be the only way he'd be getting back into my life if I were her. Keep shaking my head at that one. But no matter. Still all good. Glad you skipped your assignment to update :thumbsup: haha, selfish I know. But good. Thanks!

[woodyloveslinkin]

I knew someone would catch me on this. I spell things the good ol' Aussie way even if it's set America. I figured that they are both pronounced the same way.

 

Nah that was this morning's update. That was get-out-of-bed-and-update thing. I've got another one coming. And I didn't partially skip the assignment after reading it's worth 40% of my overrall mark.

[Ravynlee]

Well, even happier now knowing there's more coming! Yay! But I disagree on the pronunciation, sorry, call me anal, but in being I hear a Yankee accent every night at work (Sam who heralds from Michigan apparently - I know she still DRIVES as if she is, wrong side of the road and everything! But that's a whole other story ) well her accent is very thick (I laugh when she calls me Ravyn, weird, sounds like Raaaayvin - such is their love for drawing out vowels) so when they say Mom it really sounds well "stuffy" compared to the Aussie "mum" which sounds pretty blunt really. But hey that's semantics. And it ultimately means little. As I love over thinking everything I just saw that and ran with it. Hell it doesn't detract from the story at all so you know, feel free to ignore me. All good. But may I suggest you get into that assignment (I wish I could take my own advice!) seeing as how it accounts for so much result-wise. Liking the story but not enough to see you suffer academically. So thanks a bunch for updating, always want more, you know me, but go do what you have to do first. Be here when you get that done, eager as always