MJ follows Mae into the hospital, looking around. "It's so clean."
"I know, weird huh. Not used to such nice working conditions." She smiles as they head to the surgical floor. "Yo, Hunt. Where's your wife?" She calls.
He looks over and smiles suddenly, instantly recognising MJ from photos. "Aortic dissection. You must be MJ, I'm Owen." He holds a hand out.
She shakes it. "Pleasure to meet you, thank you for taking care of my hopeless little lamb."
"I'm sorry, hopeless? I got us through Germany while drunk as a skunk with only 40 bucks in my pocket, I'm a legend." Mae tuts.
Owen laughs. "Oktoberfest?" He guesses as MJ nods. "Every soldier has an Oktoberfest story."
"I don't." Teddy says as she comes over. "MJ right?" She smiles excitedly.
"You must be Teddy! Hi!" MJ smiles and they hug tightly.
"Has she talked to you about pretty boy?" Teddy whispers.
"Oh yes." MJ nods as they pull apart.
Mae raises an eyebrow. "Sorry, what're we whispering about?"
Owen smirks. "Is that my pager? Shoot, bye guys." He winks at Mae and walks off.
Mae looks at her friends who smirk. "This is about him- look, grow- ugh stop!"
"We're just looking at you, lamb, what's the problem?" MJ smiles sweetly.
"You're creepy, both of you. Take my car and get out of here, pick me up at 4 unless I text otherwise, okay?" Mae throws her keys to MJ.
MJ smiles and catches them. "Love you too. Bye, Teddy, we definitely need a girls night soon."
"Absolutely, I won't let her worm her way out." Teddy assures as MJ heads out. "Oh don't be such a grump." She tuts at Mae.
Mae subtly flips Teddy off as she scratches her cheek. "Bye Altman." She smirks as Teddy gasps. She heads to the attendings lounge to dump her things and smiles mixed with a blush as she sees Jackson making coffee. "Morning."
"Good morning." He smiles. "Coffee?" He offers.
"Oh yes please. MJ drank mine this morning." She shakes her head and takes the cup he offers.
"MJ? That's your best friend, right?" He asks as he makes his own and leans on the counter holding the paper cup.
Mae swallows her mouthful of coffee as she nods. "Mhmm. She was on my doorstep when you dropped me off."
"I bet that was a nice surprise?" He smiles as he watches her.
She blushes as she nods. "It was... what's that look for?"
"I don't know, I just like making you blush." He admits with a smile.
Mae blushes more. "Stopppp."
"What? Making you blush or staring? Coz I can't do either." He smirks.
"Ass."
"I'll take my coffee ba-"
"Okay okay!" Mae holds the cup to her chest and holds her other hand out as if to keep him away. "Don't be so drastic, I can be nice."
"You can?" He playfully gasps.
Mae smiles as she blushes. "You're trouble, Jackson Avery."
He glances at his phone as he gets paged, flashing her a smile. "Me? Of course. I'll see you later." He downs most of his coffee, cringing as he does, before rushing off.
Mae takes a minute to take a shaky breath and compose at herself - she's in her 30s, she cannot be getting flustered over a guy! A decent guy, albeit. Still. Like she said, she works with Jackson and she does not want it to get awkward. Or ruin the friendship she has with him. But will he just become like all her mate friends? Well, the ones she has left.
She started being friends with Bentley in basic because they flirted. It never went anywhere. And her and TJ are friends because being together didn't work. Plus most other male friends are similar - they met due to flirting. Not due to similar interests.
Jackson is so different.
In both good and bad ways.
Good because he isn't toxic - well, as far as she can tell.
Bad because he doesn't understand what she's been through.
Good because he knows how to push or when to not push.
Bad because he may be too good to be true.
And in reality, Mae knows she can't judge him this way forever. She knows him now, like actually knows him. They are friends. They know what makes each other tick or smile. So is it worth ruining the first real friendship she has?
Mae sighs and shakes her head to clear it, heading off to the pit which she's running today. She delegate's jobs, sets interns up with scut and makes her way to check the triage board. Her eyebrows shoot up as she sees a familiar name on there. She heads to cubicle 3.
"Mr Riker..." she says as she enters, glancing at the nurse suturing his arm. "All good here?" She nods small.
Peter looks over at Mae and his face drops. "Wigan..." He says slowly, voice as deep as ever.
Mae clears her throat. "I got this, Helen. Can you go take labs for cubicle 6?" She smiles and waits for the nurse to leave. She pulls some gloves on, not looking at the man who ruined her life yet but feeling as he stares.
"You moved to Seattle?" He asks.
"I did. Once I was discharged." She simply says, grabbing the needle and suture thread. "How'd you do this?"
He watches her face as she focuses on the gasp on his forearm. "My father in laws garage is a mess, I tripped, fell onto some scrap metal."
"Yeah? Shame it didn't hit your throat." She says casually.
Peter smirks. "There's my girl... same fire."
Mae finally looks at him, exterior calm but eyes full of fire and rage. "Your girl? You think so? Even after everything?"
"I didn't choose for any of that to happen, that was down to Thena." He defends.
Mae smirks coldly as she shakes her head, continuing to suture. "You are incredible." She muses. "How did Athena learn so much about me hmm? Things I only told you?"
"MJ has loose lips." He shrugs. He reaches out to touch her cheek and smirks as she grabs his wrist firmly. "Strong as ever..."
"All because I don't have a leech like you in my life." She says calmly, snipping the thread and beginning to wrap his arm quickly. "Keep them dry for 5 days, then contact your GP and arrange for them to be removed." She pulls her gloves off and grabs the trash, about to leave then he grabs her arm.
"You would never dare disrespect me like that when you were in service so why now?" He challenges, standing behind her and towering over her.
Mae takes a shaky breath. "Because I realise what you are."
"What I am? Enlighten me, won't you?" She can hear the smirk in his voice.
Mae takes a deep breath and turns to look at him. "A narcissist. You instigate drama to ensure you look better than those you drag in. Those girls before me, me, your wife. That's who I feel most sorry for. And your kids. Growing up with a man like you as their main role model? Poor them."
He glares. "You think you're something, don't you, Wi-"
The curtain opens and Jackson stands there. "Everything okay here?" He looks at Mae; the only way he can describe the look is like she's going to hurl.
Mae shoves Peters hand off. "Perfect." She says calmly, forcing a smile.
Peter looks at the way Mae reacts to this new figure: how she calms a little, subtly moves towards him and makes eye contact without hesitation. He slowly smirks. "I see why you're here... fancy surgeon, huh. Nice wallet. Won't have to work so hard? I got it." He nods.
Mae glares and storms away. Jackson glances after her and then to Peter. "Security will escort you out." He says smirking before he rushes after Mae.
After shoving the trash into the correct bins, she rushes to a stock room and grabs a paper bag, beginning to hyperventilate. Her hands shake so bad she can't get it open, but dark hands soon grab her own, opening the bag and bringing it to her mouth.
Mae grips Jackson's arm as he helps her hold the bag, pulling her close and kissing her head. After a few minutes and lots of deep breaths, her breathing calms and she let's Jackson throw the bag, pulling her into a tight hug. She grips onto his top.
"Why did you go in there?" He frowns deeply, chin resting on her forehead.
Mae hiccups. "I thought it was-was a good idea." She admits. "It wasn't. I felt so-so small a-and meaningless all over again." She whispers.
Jackson kisses her head again. "You are not. It was brave to try but stupid to do it alone."
She giggles small and slowly pulls away a little to look up at him. "You're too good to me, Jackson Avery."
"I know... and we haven't even had sex." He playfully gasps. He laughs as she hits his chest. "In all seriousness. Are you okay? Do you need a bre-"
"I'm okay. Honest. I need to get back to work before someone ruins my system." She teases.
He smiles and they walk back towards the pit. "I'll make sure he's gone-"
"Mae! Mae!" MJ calls as she runs in, panic stricken, pale and shaking.
Mae grabs onto her friend. "Hey hey woah! MJ, breathe, what!"
"I-its Ben-Bentley a-and Tyler. They-they-" She shakes, barely able to talk.
Mae frowns deeply, her heart suddenly racing 100 miles an hour. "What! MJ, speak!" She snaps, not meaning to.
"They-theyre hurt. They-" She shakes her head.
Jackson frowns deeply. "Mae, take MJ to cubicle 1. MJ, is there a number I can call? I'll have them transferred here."
"You will?" Mae looks at him with wide eyes.
He nods, worried she's about to hyperventilate again. "Yeah, we got a good team here. Whatever has happened, we're going to face it with you. I promise." He nods small. He does not want to see Mae hurting any longer.