BRIGHT LIGHTS OF SEATTLE

GET'S BETTER

It was a month since I had shouted at Lawrence. His patient had finally been discharged and he had finally gotten round to Brianna's surgery yesterday. Everything was ok, I guess. Apart from one night, I was on the night shift, Juliette had just broken up with a guy from ENT, so she was an emotional wreck all day. My head was spinning, I couldn't breathe. 

'Are you ok tonight ?' Arizona said, she awoke me from my endless space of worries. 

'Sorry, just tired' 

'You can speak to me if you want, I know I'm your boss but you can speak to me' 

'Thank you' I said with a genuine smile, however that was soon interrupted by the buzz of my phone.

'Hi, Laurel, it's daycare at the hospital'

'Hello'

'Aurora is still here, we tried to page Dr Wilson but we couldn't get hold of him'

'Right I'm coming straight away' my head went into mom mode.

'Is everything all-right' Arizona said, hearing my change in pace.

'No, Lawrence hasn't picked up Aurora. god I hate that man at the minute, do you mind if I go get her it's 1 a.m and I'll find her somewhere to go'

'Of course Laurel' She said with a smile. 

I got to the care centre, Aurora was flat out across one of the chairs. I picked her up, her head flopped over my shoulder. 

'Sorry we didn't want to bother you because we knew you were on shift'

'Thank you for calling me' I said, but I couldn't help but feel angry. 

Walking back to Peds, I passed Lawrence talking to a young looking Resident, brown hair, brown eyes, a stunning complexion. I caught his eye, I have never seen a guilty man move so fast. 

'Oh god, laurel I'm sorry'

'Don't bother Law, you know if you were in surgery I wouldn't mind, but your not and if you don't want to do it, there is something called a phone, COMMUNICATION'

'Do not blame communication on me, you haven't said a word to me in days'

'I wonder why Law?'

'Well tell me Laurel, make me understand you' 

'Is this the point where you say Aurora isn't mine so I don't have to deal with her' 

'Laurel I would never do that'

'Well it god damn feels like it' I said walking off.

That next night a few of the girls were going out drinking. Meredith offered to take Ror for me, so I went. Got totally wasted, danced the night away with Jules and ended up sat at the bar with a red straw hanging out my mouth. My brain said I was guilty for leaving my responsibilities, my shattered heart said get wasted. SO they always say follow your heart, so that is exactly what I did. 

'Hey, can I get a whisky please' a young man with piercing green eyes stared right back at me. 

'Hi' he said his hand outstretched to mine. 

'Hi, Laurel' 

'Sam' 

'You want a drink for your straw' He said with a smirk.

I laughed, was I flirtatious probably but then I could just say it was the alcohol that made me giddy.

'Gin and tonic please' I said to Joe. He smiled: his tea towel thrown over his shoulder.

Sam and I talked all night, whilst Jules fell flat out in the corner, the other nurses seeing how many cocktail sticks they could balance on Juliette's mangled hair. We talked freely and open, he lived right across the street from the hospital, he transferred from Mercy West, he was a surgeon. 

'How have you managed to get an apartment right across from Seattle grace when you didn't work here? I have been looking for one for ages' I said with a huff. 

He laughed at my efforts to show my jealousy ' I have lived there for years, I found it comforting going home and watching the hustle and bustle of another hospital' he smiled a goofy laugh.

It was early that next morning when he and I walked over to Juliette picking all the sticks out of her hair we could see before he picked her up over his shoulder and helped me put her in a taxi. He smiled at me, placing his arm on mine, his grasp tight but reassuring. 

'See you around' he said before running across the street to his apartment block. I stood alone on the corner. My mind was confused. He was just a man in a bar. He was just a man in a bar. REPEAT AFTER ME, HE WAS JUST A MAN IN A BAR.

I walked into Meredith's room, Cristina was sat curled up next to her, tears across her face. She quickly got her sleeve and wiped them away when she saw me.

'You look terrible' Mer said as I pushed open the wooden door.

'late night'

'Well you aren't taking Aurora like that'

'What made you go so far though' Cristina chirped up

'men'

'Ahh' they both looked at me with agreeing eyes.

'Oh god, I think I'm going to be sick' I dove into the bathroom.

'laurel !'