𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 | 𝘙𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴

Capes and Spandex

- 4 months after ch 16 / 1 month before the events of season 4 -

"Lottie, I told you, you have to take your medication twice a day. The moment you wake up and right before you go to bed. That's the only way to relieve your arthritis symptoms. Okay?" I tell my patient sternly, who nods, averting my gaze guiltily.

"I'm sorry Dr. Adams, it's just so hard to remember," Lottie expresses with defeat, looking down at her wrinkled hands. I sigh with understanding, feeling sympathetic for her. Patients have always struggled with taking their meds, and trying to remember during the apocalypse must be even more difficult.

I rotate my chair, reaching into the drawer behind me and pulling it open with a loud creak. "Here. This is a pill organizer that plans out your week with two slots per day. You can manage your pills by day here. Take it," I offer, passing over an old purple pill organizer. Lottie accepts it in her shaking hands with a wide smile.

"That's so sweet of you, dear! Thank you." She gushes gratefully, pocketing it and looking up at me through her inquisitive brown eyes. "You are so kind. And beautiful! Are you single? I have a young and handsome son, you know." Lottie informs me knowingly, a mischievous gleam in her eye.

Chuckling, I shake my head. If I had a penny for every mother who tried to get me with her son...

"Oh I'm sure your son is wonderful Lottie, but I'm not really looking for a relationship right now. Thank you though," I tell her honestly with an amused smile.

I could never be ready for a relationship when I'm still hung up on Rick. As much as I want to move on... I just- can't.

Lottie nods, slowly standing up from her chair. I step forward to help her, ensuring she's stable on her feet when I let go.

"Thank you. Just come to me if you change your mind dear," Lottie tells me with a playful wink, patting my arm once, before shuffling out of the office. I shake my head to myself in amusement as I put her chart back in my filing cabinet.

Sighing, I place my hands on my hips, looking around my empty office. It has been an extremely busy day, I had constant patients filling in and out the entire morning. Lottie was my last patient, thank god. It can get exhausting in here sometimes. It feels like our community is ever-growing and therefore so is my patient list.

"Hey, Bob!" I call out to one of our new people as he walks past my office. He's been here for about a week and luckily used to be a medic in the army so he's been super helpful to me.

He pauses in front of my office, looking at me expectantly. Office is a generous term to call it, it's really just an old guard room we renovated. It's on the end of the line of cells and has a large window out the front, which adds a bit more light than the dim cells and it makes it easy for everyone to find me.

Bob, the medic, turns to me, a large stack of bandages in his arms."Yeah?"

"I'm going to get lunch, you okay here on your own?" I ask, removing my gloves with a snap and tossing them in the bin. Bob nods with a helpful smile.

"Yes ma'am!" He responds cheerfully, before heading into the stock room, making me smile. He's so optimistic all the time, it's refreshing.

"Okay see you in a bit then!" I call out before making my way out of the cell hall and to the cafeteria. As I make my way through the halls of block E, where we set up the infirmary, I wave to a few familiar faces as I go.

I'm immensely proud of how far we have come. We've created a safe, loving, and functional community here. The struggles of winter were hard, but we got through it and are stronger than ever.