The Doctor's Heart

The Departure

"Nothing."

"No funny business?"

Mark snorted, "No, Riza. Now, finish your breakfast. You are going to need all of your energy for later." He said with a wink which several objects were thrown at the plastic. One might've been a scalpel or a butter knife with butter and another was probably a whisk still covered in batter.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Riza had to face the music, eventually when the hospital came into view and she could see Shanks, Benn and Yasopp. She looked back to Mark who shrugged. "Have fun with that. I'll see you later in the on call room?"

Riza shrugged and nodded, that'll be the last of that for a while as well. She needed to make the most out of that too. "Yeah." She agreed, guiltily. Lucy and Jess simply cackled. "I'll see you in a bit." Riza told Jess. Jess had passed along an invite for a surgery with Alice and Jess.

She made her way over to her captain's side with a plate of muffins acting as a shield between her and the crew. "Sorry if I made you all worry any." Riza murmured. "I was preoccupied with Booth and I'm sorry that I-." Riza lost the word, cutting the sentence off. She meet Benn's gaze and Yasopp's and lastly, Shanks'. They didn't look angry, the tight ball of nerves in her eased, a little. "I'm sorry I failed. I did everything I could."

Lucy bumped into her and Riza nearly lost her muffins to the pavement. "We lost the patient and we exhausted all options at our disposal during surgery... Johnny, was it? He fought hard but sometimes, it's simply isn't meant to be. No matter the how well of a match it is or how skilled the staff." Lucy added, wrapping her arm around Riza's waist. Riza eyed her friend but said nothing else. She leaned into Lucy's side.

"No one is blaming you, Riza." Benn said. Shanks shook his head, quickly in agreement to his first mate. Riza could see a look of understanding in his eyes.

"I know that, truly. I do." Riza deflected. "This is my first lost in well over a year. My first in the crew. So, I am processing it, differently... but I have my people and I'll be fine... I was more worried for the crew. I'm not a shrink, so I don't exactly know how to help the crew. I'm dysfunctional at best with grief. This is one thing I can't fix but I'm okay."

"Don't worry about the crew, we've dealt with our own fair share of grief over our years at sea." Shanks reassured Riza, his arm falling over her shoulders in a half hug. Riza's mood brightened, a bit. That made a lot of sense. She wasn't sure why she didn't think of that at the start. "What are you doing to-." He trailed off, watching Lavinia approach the group.

Lavinia observes Riza for several moments, "What are doing today, Riza?"

"I am assisting Alice in a surgery with Jess and Redfern. First thing."

"Good, we can talk along the way."

"Is that really necessary?"

Riza answered Benn's defensive question as she slipped out of Lucy and Shanks' hold. "Like I said, I'm fine." Riza muttered, setting the tray of muffins in Yasoop's hands. "Gift from Jess. I'll see y'all later, Kay?"

"I know my student and what she can handle." Lavinia said, bristling. "Come on, Riza."

When the pair were far enough away, Riza said. "They didn't mean anything by it, Lavinia."