Origin of our wounds

Chapter 27

"How are you doing over there?" Kase asked. Those who were going to be in the OR with Burke were scrubbed in and getting ready. Meredith glanced over at the intern and paramedic. The other intern had to watch as Kase talked with Hannah, insisting that he was just trying to keep her calm but Meredith was pretty sure at least one of them didn't think that was all that was going off

"My hand is getting numb and I gotta tell ya, this whole insides are all bloody and squishy thing is so not good for my gag reflex. But I'm good." Hannah answered. She turned her head and looked at Meredith. "Is this ok? Me being in here like this."

"Once Dr. Burke scrubs in. He'll have you remove your hand and then you can go. And we'll fix Mr. Carlson." Meredith explained.

"Good. Cause I know how much medicine I know and it's just enough to never be allowed in an OR. It's my second week. As a paramedic. I got out of school about a month ago."

"We haven't been doing this that long either." Meredith said looking at Kase for a moment.

"Talk about on the job training huh?"

"Yeah, it's pretty crazy." Kase commented before Burke walked in and they could get started.

"Okay everyone. I'm going to do a thoracotomy and Hannah here is going to pull her hand out. Dr. Blackwell will help make sure you don't cause any damage as you do so. Dr. Grey is going to clamp the bleeder when we have more exposure." Burke said. "Ready?"

"More than ready." Hannah said. Kase just knew she was happy about being able to move her hand again.

"Scalpel." Burke said. A nurse handed it to him "Ok, on the count of the 3. One. Two." The attending had barely placed the scalpel against the patient's skin when the door to the OR opened. Kase turned like a few others and saw Alex Karev standing at the door looking directly at Burke. What was going on? Wasn't he with Mr. Carlson's wife?

" Dr. Burke? I need to speak with you." Alex spoke calmly. Most didn't question it but the calmness is what made Kase suspicious.

"I am in surgery, Karev." Burke said, annoyance lacing his voice.

"You wanna talk to me sir." Alex was persistent. Burke handed the scalpel to one of the scrub nurses before walking from the operating table and towards the intern. Kase looked over at Meredith who was looking at the two talking near the door, she was probably wondering what was going on as well.

"He's cute. He single?" Hannah asked. First she looked at Meredith for an answer then Kase but neither of them answered as they tried to figure out what was going on. After a quiet conversation Burke turned back towards the group, but mostly Hannad.

" Hannah."

"Yes, Dr. Burke?" The paramedic responded waiting for what the doctor would say.

"What do you feel? Inside of Mr. Carlson. What is your hand touching?" Burke requested information from her. Kase looked at Hannah then the attending. What kind of question was that? That shouldn't matter unless... Something was in this guy that shouldn't be. If that was true and it was this much of an emergency it had to be bad right.

"What do you mean?"

"Is your hand touching anything hard?"

"Hard?" Kase questioned.

"Like metal?"

"Um, I don't know." Hannah answered. The paramedic was about to move her hand when she was told not to.

"Don't move your hand. Just tell me what you feel." Burke said. Meredith tried to question the attending to know what was going on but they didn't get the information they wanted. Instead they had to wait for Hannah's answer.

"Um, my finger tips are touching something...kinda hard. Yeah, yeah definitely." Hannah answered.

"Oh my god!" Dr. Milton, the anesthesiologist, said. Did he know what was going on.

" What? What's wrong?" Hannah asked panicked.

"Hannah, I don't want you to move. Not your hand, not your body. Not an inch." Burke instructed.

"Ok you should know your starting to scare me."

"Don't be scared. Everything is going to be fine. Dr. Grey could you ah..." Burke motioned for Meredith to come over. Kase looked over then at Hannah who still seemed pretty scared.

"Hey it's going to be okay." Kase said quietly trying to comfort the girl right now. Burke had spoken pretty quietly to Meredith like Alex but Kase was able to hear the very last thing Burke said to Meredith.

"And then tell him to call the bomb squad"