I waited at the table until one in the morning. I'd been sitting there for nearly six hours. I had made him a plate, put the leftovers away, and did the dishes.
I was sitting at the table, staring at the candle when the door opened.
Footsteps came my way.
I looked up.
Jake came in. "Britt? Honey, you should be in bed. You have work in five hours."
"I was waiting on you."
"Why?" he asked, walking over to me. He picked up the glass of wine I had set out for him.
"You said you were only going to be a couple of hours, so I made dinner...and you didn't come home."
"You made dinner?" he asked with wide eyes.
I nodded.
"Oh, Britt. I didn't even think to call. We just got in a deep discussion and couldn't leave until we figured out the problem."
"What was so important you couldn't call and tell me you weren't going to be home, that I shouldn't wait up for you?"
He hesitated.
"Right. It's so much more important, you can't even tell me." I stood and warmed his food up in the microwave. Then, I put it in front of him. "Eat and come to bed."
I turned the light on, blew the candle on the table out, and went upstairs. I slipped out of my dress and got in the shower. I showered quickly, got out, and put on undergarments and a nightgown. I brushed my teeth and tied my hair back. Then, I crawled in bed and sighed.
I couldn't let it get to me. I knew he would be working like crazy. Then, why was I kicking myself for being so ridiculous, for feeling so upset?
The door opened and closed.
I heard Jake brush his teeth and change out of his uniform and into pajama pants.
His arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me into him. He kissed the back of my neck. "Thank you for dinner. It was delicious."
"You're welcome," I whispered.
I closed my eyes and willed sleep to come, but it never did.
***
At five that morning, I got up and changed into my blue scrubs. I tied my hair back and brushed my teeth. Then, I did my makeup.
Jake was getting out of bed while I was about to leave the bedroom.
"Why didn't you wake me?" he asked, running his eye.
I shrugged. "Get dressed. I have rounds soon."
I went down to the kitchen.
Vanessa handed me a cup of coffee to go with a scone.
Minutes later, Jake came in. "Ready to go?" he asked as he took his coffee from Vanessa.
I stood and led him out.
We got in the truck and left. On the way to the hospital, neither of us said a word. It was completely silent.
When he pulled up outside the hospital, he asked, "What time should I pick you up?"
"Tomorrow at seven?"
"In the morning?"
"In the evening," I answered, climbing out of the truck.
"Bridget-"
"It's gonna be a long day. Call me if you-" I stopped and shook my head. "Never mind. I'll see you tomorrow."
I closed the door and went into the hospital. I clocked in and put my jacket in my locker. Then, I went upstairs for rounds.
I met with every single patient I'd worked with, ending with Peter.
He smiled, "Britt's back. How are you doing, sweetie?"
"I'm fine. How are you feeling?"
"Tired."
I nodded and looked at Melanie. "And you?"
"Awesome. We showed Dad your dress," she smiled.
I looked at Peter. "Like it?"
"Love it. Tell you what, you two gals should meet up and do a photo shoot in your dresses. They're both beautiful and they'd complement each other well," he smiled.
"We may just have to do that," Melanie smiled.
I nodded and took Peter's vitals.
"Good morning, Britt," Kelly spoke, coming in. She gave Peter and Melanie kisses. "Did you have a nice evening?"
"It was fine," I spoke, writing in the chart.
"Uh oh. What'd he do?" Peter asked.
"Nothing. I'm the one being ridiculous."
"Somehow I doubt that," Kelly spoke. "You're taking it easy today, right?"
I nodded.
"Okay. Would you mind doing some post-op reports for me?"
"Not at all."
She smiled, "Great. They're all over at the nurses' station. Kristi should know where they are."
"Okay. Then, you'll know where to find me," I smiled. I left the room and went to the nurses' station.
Kristi handed me the paperwork and notes.
I got to work.
Every hour, I got up and checked on patients. I changed central lines and fluids. I took blood and took it to it to the lab. I did scans, too.
Around one, Dr. Cole came up to me. "Dr. Malone, I need your opinion on a patient." She handed me the chart.
I looked at it.
It was a 16-year-old who had almost an identical case to Peter's.
"What am I looking at?" I asked.
"Your research is going to be put to action. That treatment plan you made? We're going to put it in a clinical trial."
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. You in?"
"Hell yeah."
"I was about to go tell the Hamilton family the news, see if they want in on it. You want to come?"
I nodded and stood. I followed her into his room.
Drew, Melanie, aunts and uncles, Kelly, and Jake sat around Peter. When had they all come in?
"Dr. Cole? Is something wrong?" Kelly asked, gripping Peter's hand.
"No, no. I just wanted to make you aware of a new treatment plan that's pending approval for a clinical trial," she smiled.
"At this hospital?" Peter asked.
"At this hospital. In fact, Dr. Malone actually came up with the treatment plan. It targets only your kind of cancer. It's very detailed. I'd give you the notes she wrote on it all, but they're with the Chief."
I looked at her. "Really?"
She nodded. "Yes, it's a very good plan..." She explained it to him in depth. She explained everything from what kind of cells and treatment we'd use and how that would effect his cancer.
"That sounds insane," Drew spoke, sounding overwhelmed.
"It is, but it's also brilliant," Kelly spoke.
"Dr. Malone thought of this?" Peter asked.
Dr. Cole nodded.
"And you think it's a good plan?"
"I think it's wonderful. It'll really help, I think. I think it could give you months if not years longer... We don't know if it'll be approved, but if it gets approved, we'd like to know if you'd be onboard."
"Years? I could see my kids get married?" Peter asked.
"Yes, that would be the goal."
"Then, what have I got to lose? Sign me up," he smiled.
She nodded and turned to me. "Dr. Malone, go tell the Chief that we have at least two participants and more are coming in for evaluations."
"Really?"
She nodded. "I need you on my service for a few days."
I looked at Kelly.
"By all means, go. Get your trial ready. It's rare a first year resident gets to do one," she smiled.
I nodded and followed Dr. Cole from the room. I got my coffee and went to the Chief, who was in his office.
"Dr. Malone, come in. I was just reading your notes for the clinical trial. It's pretty impressive for someone that's supposed to be an intern," he smiled.
"Thank you, sir. It just took a few hours of research and a couple months watching a man die from it to get it jump started."
He nodded. "Ah, yes. Mr. Hamilton."
"He and another patient are already on board. We are going to be spending the next couple of days getting people ready for the trial."
He nodded. "Good. When you're finished with that, you may go back to doing surgeries. You've worked hard on paperwork for a couple of days. It's time for you to get back in the operating room."
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
I left the room and went to oncology. I sat down at the nurses' station and began working, reading case files. I needed to memorize everything, needed to know what I was getting into.
My pager buzzed around six that evening. Peter. 911.
I got up and ran to the general floor. I ran until I got to his room.
He was sitting up in bed with his family all around him. He was fine.
Kelly was by his side, holding his hand.
"What's going on? What's wrong?" I panted, trying to catch my breath.
"Nothing. We just had a couple questions," Kelly spoke.
"About the trial? Sure. Yeah, go ahead."
"No, about you and Jake," Peter spoke.
The aunts and uncles, Melanie, Drew, Kelly, and Peter a looked at me with intense, curious gazes.
"I'm working," I breathed.
"What happened? Because he wouldn't say a word this morning. He left around eight and he won't answer his phone. His staff won't take messages. What happened?" Kelly asked.
"Nothing happened," I defended.
"Could you call him? We just want to make sure he's not lying dead somewhere," Peter spoke.
I nodded and got my phone out.
When his phone went to voicemail, I rang the secretary.
"Hello?" she spoke.
"Hi. This is Bridget Malone. I-"
"Please, hold."
"Stars and Stripes Forever" began playing.
I rolled my eyes. Of course they'd choose that song for their hold music.
A minute later, Jake spoke, "Bridget?"
"Are you dying on the side of the road somewhere?"
"Excuse me?"
"I got a 911 page from your parents, because you won't answer their calls after you said nothing all morning. I'm calling to make sure you're not dead."
"I'm fine. I'm in a meeting."
"Another one?"
"Yes. Actually, I need to get back. Did you need something?"
I rolled my eyes. "No, Sgt. Major. I don't need a thing." I hung up.
His family looked stunned.
"He's fine. He's in a meeting. Top secret. Don't call him. He may be there for hours and you may never hear from him. No need to worry," I spoke. I left the room.
I stopped for coffee and made my way back to oncology. I took my seat at the nurses' station. After stumbling on something I wasn't familiar with, I began more research. I sat there for hours, working and trying to figure everyone out.
Around midnight, Dr. Cole came over, removing a scrub cap. "I'm going home."
"I'll be here."
"Shouldn't your shift be over?"
"Mad at my fiancé, don't want to kill him. Might as well save a life," I spoke, looking at my computer and taking notes.
"Go to the pit. Work there. It'll keep your blood going."
I nodded.
She left.
I went to the pit.
Dr. Michaels handed me a chart. "27-year-old male. He was checked out by Dr. Hart. He needs to be taken to O.R. Two."
I took the patient up.
"Dr. Malone, would you like to scrub in?" he asked.
I nodded and scrubbed in. I went in the operating room as Dr. Hart was opening the patient's chest cavity.
"Tricuspid value replacement is a cool surgery. I'm glad you're here. I need the help."
I watched as he worked on the man's heart. He did a beautiful job. It was such an intriguing procedure. I'd never seen one done in person before.
"Dr. Malone, will you close?" he asked when he finished.
I nodded.
He left.
I sutured the patient up and took him to post-op recovery, where I watched him until he woke up.
"Hello," he smiled.
"Hi. I'm Dr. Malone. How are you feeling?"
"You're too hot to be a doctor."
"Well, I am. You gonna answer my question?" I smirked.
"I'm fine, feeling better. How'd it look?"
"How'd what look?"
"My heart. Was it awesome?" he smiled.
"It was beautiful. It was a remarkable surgery. Dr. Hart did well."
"Good," he smiled.
"I'll be monitoring you tonight, so ask if you need anything, okay?"
He nodded and fell back asleep.
I was paged to the pit.
A man came in with a femur broken so badly, it was shoved up and into the iliac crest.
Dr. Hart, Dr. Walker, and I took him up to the operating room.
We got started.
The surgery was long, but it was amazing. I'd never seen anything like it.
When we were nearly through, a pager went off.
A scrub nurse spoke, "Dr. Malone, it's Dr. Hamilton. 911."
I looked at Dr. Hart and Dr. Walker.
"Go. We'll finish up," Dr. Hart spoke.
I nodded and left.
I ran to the general floor, taking stairs two at a time. I grabbed his chart and I ran in his rooms
Yet again, they were fine.
Jake stood by his father's bedside.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Nothing. We-" Kelly started.
I threw his chart to the floor. "I was in surgery!"
They looked surprised.
"You can't keep paging me 911 without an emergency!"
"There is an emergency. You and Jake are fighting and he can't sleep," Peter spoke.
"Why aren't you asleep?" I asked Peter.
"Because I can't sleep when my kids are stressed. Never have been able to," he spoke.
I turned to Jake. "Go home, drink a cup of tea, and go to bed. If that doesn't work, take a Benadryl."
I noticed Vanessa was behind him.
"Vanessa made me come in, said she couldn't take the screaming anymore," Jake spoke. He picked the chart up and handed it to me.
I looked at her.
"Three hours of off and on screaming. I thought someone was in the house trying to kill him a couple times," she spoke.
I sighed and looked at Kelly. "What do you want me to do?"
She shrugged.
I looked at my watch. It was nearly three in the morning. "Okay. Vanessa, Kelly, go home. Peter, sleep. Jake, come with me."
"Why?" he asked.
"Because if I have to be taken out of amazingly awesome surgeries, you can sit with me while I monitor my heart surgery patient."
He nodded and followed me from the room.
I led him down to the cardio floor.
Dr. Hart came by. "How's he doing?"
"He looks good. Vitals are stable. How's femur-in-pelvis guy?"
"Good. Dr. Walker is doing some finishing touches, but he should have full function in his leg by the time all is said and done."
"That's great."
"Yeah, you'll be watching him the rest of the evening...or morning."
I nodded.
He walked off.
Jake looked at me.
"What?" I sighed.
"How was your day?"
"Classified, can't say," I spoke, looking at the computer in front of me. I opened the chart for a trial patient.
"Bridget."
"You didn't call, then you wouldn't even tell me if you had a nice day. You just said you had a meeting."
He turned my chair towards him. "I'm sorry. I did have a good day. I did yesterday, too. They were just meetings for my mission in July and the less you know the better off you'll be."
"Why can't I be the judge of that?"
"You want to know how many men, women, and children I have to have my men kill to save other men, women, and children? You want to know what calls I have to make when my men's lives are on the line? Who stays and dies and who gets the hell out of the line of fire?"
"Stop."
He stopped talking.
"That's awful."
"Is it? It's the same thing you're doing with this clinical trial. You're probably going to kill people, but you're hoping to save more than you kill."
"It's not the same. The people in the trial have no hope, they have little to no chance of survival."
"And people in war zones do?"
"I thought you're not supposed to leave men behind."
"We try not to, but sometimes, there's no other option."
"If anyone left you, I'd kill them."
"You would?" he asked.
I nodded.
He took my face in his hand and leaned in to kiss me when I heard a steady tone coming from my patient's rooms
I jumped up and ran in. I pressed the code blue button and began CPR.
Nurses ran in with a defibrillator.
We worked to restart his heart.
He came back, gasping for breath.
I sighed.
As the room cleared, I made note of what happened and took his vitals.
"What happened?"
"Your heart stopped and I had to restart it," I spoke, looking up at him.
"Hot," he smiled.
I smiled.
"You've seen my heart and you've restarted it. Yet, I know nothing about yours," he smiled. "It's hardly fair."
"What about mine?" I smiled.
"Does it have anyone to beat for?"
"It does," I smiled. "It would also stop for him, too."
"Your boyfriend?" he smiled.
"No, fiancé."
"No ring," he spoke, nodding to my left hand.
I unpinned it from under my shirt and put it back on. "Better?"
"No. Jeez. That thing's huge! What did he have to do, sell a kidney?"
I tried not to laugh as I smiled, "I don't know. I'll have to ask him about that." I closed his chart. "Can I get you anything?"
"No, I'm good. Thanks."
I nodded and left the room. I put his chart up and spoke, "Jake, come with me."
He stood.
I led him to an on call room and locked the door.
"Britt, everything okay?" he asked.
I ran my hands through his hair and took his face in my hands. I gave him a kiss and pulled back.
"What was that for?" he asked with a hand on my lower back and one on the back of my head.
"My heart beats and stops for you. I don't want to be mad at you anymore. I just need you and me and that's all I'll ever need, so you need to plan this mission perfectly and make sure that whatever you do, you come home to me with a beating heart because I'm the only one allowed to stop yours."
"You need to get out of cardio."
"Jake."
"I will come home with a beating heart, okay? I promise."
"Thank you," I spoke, giving him another kiss. "Now, come with me."
I pulled him to the pit and admitted him. I took him to his dad's room.
The whole family was there again.
Peter was up. He looked over with wide eyes. "Jake-"
"He's fine," I assured them. "He just didn't sleep last night, so I'm giving him a sedative."
They nodded.
It was still super early. I wondered why they were all there, how they were all there, but I didn't ask.
I turned to Jake. "You ready?"
He nodded.
I pushed the sedative into his IV. Then, I discarded the syringe.
He put a hand out towards me.
I took it.
"I'm really sorry," he murmured.
"I know you are," I whispered.
He closed his eyes.
When his breathing became slow and even, I knew he was asleep. I tried to pull away from him, but he held my hand tightly. How? He was asleep.
I tried to get out of his grip, but he only tightened it. "Kelly?"
"Yeah, Britt?"
"Could you go to the nurses' station and get me those charts by my coffee? I need to work and I don't think I'm going to be leaving here anytime soon."
She left the room and returned with the charts, a notebook, and pen.
I got back to work. I sat there on Jake's bed for hours, charting and making notes.
He stirred. "No."
My eyes met Kelly's gaze. She looked worried
Jake turned his head right and left, beginning to shout. "No!" He shouted it over and over again.
I took his face in my hands. "Jake!"
He didn't stop.
"Jake!" I shouted, shaking his shoulders a bit. "Jake!"
His eyes opened, but he wasn't there. It wasn't Jake. He gripped my wrists.
"Ouch. Jake, wake up," I spoke, trying to get my hands away from him.
He wouldn't budge. He tightened his grip.
"Ouch," I repeated.
Drew came over and shook his brother. "James, wake up."
He tightened his grip.
I nearly doubled over in pain. He was stronger than I thought.
"James, you're hurting her," Drew spoke, gripping Jake's wrists. He tried to pull him off me.
Instead of doing so, it just put more strength on my wrists. My hands were beginning to turn blue.
"Mom, help!" Drew shouted.
Kelly ran out of the room. She returned with a pretty big needle. I couldn't tell the size of it in my painful state.
She jabbed him in the leg.
Something changed in his eyes. He released my wrists and closed his eyes. He shook his head. When he opened them, he looked confused, "What's going on?"
My wrists swelled.
Kelly came over to me. "Are you okay?"
I nodded and painfully curled and unfurled my fingers.
"Drew, run to the nurses' station and tell Kristi to fill a tub with ice for Bridget. Then, tell her to page psych," Kelly ordered.
Drew didn't move. He spoke, "If that had been her neck, she'd be dead."
"Andrew, now," Kelly warned.
Drew left the room.
Kelly ran her fingertips along the finger marks branded into my skin.
Jake looked at her. "I don't want a psych consult. I need to get to work."
Kelly looked at Melanie. "Get Jake's phone and call Hawk. Tell her James won't be in today."
Drew returned. "Mom, should I take Britt out of here?"
My pager buzzed.
I looked at it.
Evaluations for the trial.
"I have to go. I have work to do. Kelly, when psych gets here, would you stay with him?"
"Wait. Why won't anyone tell me what's going on?" Jake asked.
"Show him," Kelly spoke.
"Kelly-"
"Britt, show him."
I sighed and lifted my wrists up for him to see.
"Oh my God. Again?" he whispered.
"Again? He's hurt you before?" Drew asked.
"Once. He, um, had a nightmare and he hit me, gave me a black eye that I covered so I wouldn't scare patients," I spoke.
"I also tried to strangle you. Don't forget that," he spoke with tears in his eyes. "Don't forget that I'm a monster."
"Jake-"
My pager buzzed. "I really have to go, but I'll be back when I'm done, okay? I'll be back."
"No."
"Jake-"
"No, Britt. Stay away from me. I'm a monster. I'll kill you," he spoke with tears streaming down his cheeks.
I looked at Kelly.
"Bridget," she spoke with tears in her eyes. "Britt, don't listen to him. He's not thinking clearly."
I collected the charts and left the room. I went down to oncology.
Dr. Cole looked up. "I paged you twice."
"I'm sorry. I was with a patient and I couldn't get away. I'm here. What's up?"
"Our first evaluation."
I nodded.
We went into the room.
A man sat with a woman by his side, holding his hand.
"Hi. I'm Dr. Cole. This is Dr. Malone. She's my resident on the trial. She actually thought of the treatment herself."
The man smiled at me. "You must be extraordinary."
I smiled, "I'm good, no more than that."
He smiled, "Is Dr. Malone doing the evaluation?"
"Yes. Wesley, we've talked about this in depth. You know the risks that lie ahead, if this gets started."
"I could die, but I could also die without the treatment. It's all very risky. I got it." He looked at the woman holding his hand. "Do you have any questions?"
"How long will it be until we can see a difference in the tumor?" she asked.
"Are you his wife?" Dr. Cole asked.
"Sister. He refuses to date anyone, doesn't want them connected to a time bomb," she spoke.
Dr. Cole nodded. "The plan is to see differences in only the first couple treatments, which he will have once a week."
She nodded.
He looked up. "Can we get started?"
I nodded.
Dr. Cole stepped out of the room.
I took his vitals, listened to his breathing. I felt his abdomen, which felt a little rigid, but considering all things, wasn't a major worry. It was probably associated with the tumor.
I went to take blood. "You're going to feel a pinch."
He nodded.
I put the needle in and got blood.
"Wow. You're good at this. First try."
"I have another patient, who I've had since I began working here. He's worse off then you are and I have to take his blood a lot, so I've done this a lot."
"I really feel for the guy. It must be awful having to be stuck in a bed all day with a pretty doctor like you coming around all the time," he smiled.
"Wesley," his sister warned with a smile.
"What? She doesn't mind, do you, Dr. Malone?" he smiled.
"Not at all."
He looked down at my hands. "What happened to your wrists?"
"I, um, had trouble with a patient earlier."
I removed the needle and cleaned up the mess.
"Tough job, huh?"
"You have no idea," I smiled. "Ready to go to scans?"
I took him to CT and helped him in the machine. Then, I went to the observing room.
My pager buzzed, but I ignored it. I wanted to focus on the trial. I needed to focus on the trial.
After his scan, I took him back to his sister.
I saw six other patients with the exact same thing, ignoring Kelly's pages. They didn't say they were urgent and I really needed to focus.
When the last evaluation of the day was finished, I went up to check on Peter. I grabbed his chart and went in his room.
"Where have you been?" Kelly asked.
"Trial evaluations," I spoke. I took Peter's vitals and wrote them down.
"They took Jake to psych," Kelly spoke.
I looked up at her. "What?"
"He's bad, again. He's distraught and he's just a mess. His psychologist admitted him. Room 210."
"He didn't mean what he said," Peter spoke.
"No, he didn't and if Britt was smart, she'd leave him. I would leave him if I were her," Drew spoke.
"He doesn't need that. That wouldn't help anything. He just needs help, that's all," I defended, unsure which of us I was trying to convince.
Kelly nodded.
I looked at my watch. "Well, it's time for my shift to be over, but I think I'll stick around for a while. Page me if you need anything, okay?"
They nodded.
I left the room.
I took a deep breath and made my way upstairs to the psych ward. I went to Jake's room and went in.
He was in bed, staring at the ceiling.
I walked over to him. "Jake?"
He looked up. "What are you doing here?"
"Your mom told me that you were admitted."
"In a psych ward. I could lose my job and she's more concerned about my mental health. How good will my mental health be when I'm out of a job and struggling to pay for the stupid hospital bills that made me lose it?"
"Jake," I sighed.
He sighed, "I'm so sorry I hurt you. I didn't mean to do it. Hurting you is the last thing I ever want to do."
"I tried to stay away, to respect your wishes and not come back, but I couldn't do it. You don't get to be the only one making decisions anymore. We're a team, so if you want to call it off, if you want me to never come back, don't tell me. Talk with me. It takes two to tango, so I'm here until we decide that I shouldn't be."
"Come here," he whispered.
I took a step closer.
He lifted my hand to his face and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "I love you and I never want you to leave me. Ever. That's why I'm in here. That's why I'm trying to get help."
"I love you," I whispered.
He removed my hand from his face and opened his eyes. "I need to think about some things, but I need you to be here when I'm ready to talk about it all."
"I have the trial, but I'll do my best."
"Thank you."
"You can't be in here," someone spoke.
I turned.
A doctor in black scrubs stood in the doorway. "He's not allowed to have visitors."
"I'm not a visitor. I'm a resident, following my attending's orders."
"You can't-"
"His father is dying of cancer. He wants an update of his son's condition. Do you have his chart?"
The doctor didn't speak.
"Dude, really? I can get my superiors, maybe even the Chief of Surgery down here if I need to do so."
He left the room and returned with a chart. He handed it to me. "I'll be at the nurses' station." He left.
I turned to Jake. "And that's why not all doctors are surgeons."
He smirked, "Badass."
I smiled and looked at his chart. "I-"
"Hello?" a voice spoke.
"Oh. Yeah, I have a roommate. His name is Steve, but sometimes it's Craig."
"Or Marvin!" the man called.
Jake looked at me and mouthed, "Help me."
"James, is there a woman in here?"
"She's a doctor," Jake spoke.
I pulled the curtain around his bed and sat down on it with him.
He sat up and pulled me to him. He smiled as he pulled me into a kiss. He deepened it almost immediately, his tongue exploring mine.
"Hey, James-"
Jake pulled back a little. "Not now, Steve."
His lips found mine again. His hands slipped under my shirt.
"I just want to know if I should be bleeding."
I pulled back.
Jake sighed, resting back.
I wiped my mouth and went to Steve's curtain.
He had a gash in his leg.
"Oh my god. What happened?" I asked.
He held up a sharp object that looked like the handle of a broken plastic fork. It was sharpened to be more of a weapon.
I put gloves on. "How deep is the wound?" I asked, stepping over.
He didn't answer.
"Steve, how far did you cut?"
"I didn't do it. Craig did it. He wanted Steve gone."
Oh, jeez.
He looked angry. He held the sharp object towards me. "Watch it, lady!" he snapped.
I put my hands up. "Hey, just take a deep breath, okay? I'm not going to hurt you."
"He wanted me dead," he spoke.
"Who?"
"Craig."
I nodded and spoke, "Well, Craig doesn't seem very nice."
"No, but Marvin is. He's a ray of sunshine."
I nodded. "Steve, I need a minute, okay?"
He nodded.
I walked outside his curtain.
Jake looked up and rose a brow.
I took his chart and left the room. I went to the nurses' station. "Page Dr. Walker and get whoever Steve's doctor is. We've got a problem."
"What kind of problem?"
"Bridget! Help!" Jake shouted.
The doctor and I ran in.
Steve was standing at Jake's bedside with the sharp object. He held it to Jake's neck.
"Take another step and I kill him," Steve spoke.
"Craig, take a deep breath," the doctor spoke. "He's not going to hurt you."
"He'll hurt Steve."
"You're hurting Steve," the doctor spoke. "Just take a step back and calm down."
"No. Steve needs this."
He was just a kid, couldn't be a day over eighteen. He was cleanly shaved. He had crazy green eyes and spiked black hair as if he'd been running his hands through it all day.
I turned to the doctor. "It's okay. Go to the nurses' station. I've got this."
"All do respect-"
Jake cried out in pain.
"Oh, for Christ's sake," I spoke, going to Steve. I pulled his arms behind his back and pulled him over to his bed, where I grabbed the restraint and tied his hands together like handcuffs. I tied them tight.
He jabbed me in the leg, gliding the object into my skin.
I took it from him and threw it across the floor. I put him on his bed and restrained his legs and his upper body.
"Let me go!" he screamed.
The doctor left the room.
When he returned, he had a whole team of doctors. They rushed to Steve.
I went to Jake, who was gripping his neck.
I got my cell phone out and rang the pit.
A nurse answered, "East Virginia Medical."
"Hi. It's Dr. Malone. I'm upstairs in room 210 with a patient who may have a major artery cut. I need Dr. Hart, a team, and O.R. stat."
"Yes, Doctor. I'll send him right up."
I hung up and up my phone away. "Jake, I need to put pressure to your neck."
"I'm stronger than you are."
"Yeah, but you might lose consciousness. You want to risk dying?"
"No."
"On three," I spoke. "One. Two. Three."
We switched hands, warm blood gushing between our hands.
"Bridget, if I die-"
"No. James, shut up."
"Bridget," he breathed.
A team ran in.
Dr. Hart and Dr. Taylor were there.
"Dr. Malone-"
"I can't move. I'm putting pressure to the wound."
"Sir--oh, God. James Hamilton?"
"Yeah," Jake answered.
Dr. Hart spoke, "Okay. Dr. Malone is going to climb onto your abdomen while we transport you. The less you move, the better."
"Okay." He looked at me. "You heard the good doctor. Climb on."
I climbed over him, putting a leg on either side of him.
They lifted us onto a stretcher.
Someone put an oxygen mask on Jake.
His hands rested on my legs. His eyes widened. "He cut you?"
"I'm fine."
"Bridget."
"I'll get checked out after we get you some help."
"Okay."
We were rushed to an operating room. We went in.
They put a scrub cap on me and a cover of Jake's hair.
They went to put him out.
"Wait," he spoke.
The anesthesiologist looked at me.
I looked at Jake. "What?"
"Kiss me."
"Jake."
"There's a very good chance I'll bleed out. I'm gonna try not to, but I need you to kiss me just in case because I love you and I can't go under without one more kiss."
I tried to blink back tears, but I couldn't do it. A couple tears hit his chest.
"No crying," he whispered. "I'll be okay. I just need you to kiss me."
I leaned down and gave him a sweet kiss. I pulled back and whispered, "Please, don't die. Please."
"Yes, ma'am," he smirked.
I looked at the anesthesiologist and cleared my throat. "He's ready."
"Are you?" the anesthesiologist asked.
"Oh, he's good," Jake smiled.
"No, but I have to be." I looked at Jake. "Don't die, okay?"
"Okay."
The anesthesiologist went to put him under.
Jake held a hand up to him. "Wait."
I looked at Jake.
"We have to count," he smiled.
Magic. He wanted magic. "Right. Okay."
Together, we got to six before he was out.
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Hart came over.
"He's your boyfriend?" Dr. Hart asked.
"He's my fiancé," I spoke.
"Oh, that's wonderful," he smiled.
"You can't let him die," I spoke.
He nodded. "He won't die. Not today. Not on my watch. Dr. Taylor, I need you to take over holding pressure for Dr. Malone. When she gets off of him, she's going to go and she's going to get her leg stitched up."
We nodded.
Dr. Taylor took over for me.
I looked at the anesthesiologist. "The last surgery he had, he woke up in the middle, so be prepared."
He nodded.
I went to the scrub room and washed my hands. I was covered in blood--Steve's, Jake's, and mine. I couldn't change. I couldn't do anything.
I made my way to the emergency room.
Dr. Michaels was there. His eyes widened. "Dr. Malone-"
"I need someone to check a leg wound. Can you do it?"
He led me to a bed, got a suture kit, and pulled the curtain. "I need you to take your pants off."
I did as he said, thanking God I wore nice, lacy panties instead of granny panties.
"Yikes. Nasty wound."
"It needs to be irrigated. A patient stabbed me after cutting himself."
He nodded and did as I said. "You've got crazy bad luck."
"I do," I sighed.
The curtain opened.
Kelly stepped in. "A nurse paged me. What happened?"
"Jake's roommate cut his leg open. He went to cut Jake, so I restrained him and he cut me."
"He's got a roommate?"
"Not anymore. I'm getting him a private room."
"Bridget-"
A nurse came over. "Dr. Malone, Dr. Hart wants an update on your condition. He said not to worry, that the surgery is going well."
"Tell him I'm fine and thank him for me."
She nodded and walked away.
Kelly closed the curtain. "Who's in surgery?"
"Jake. The guy cut his neck. I had to hold it shut until we got to the operating room," I spoke as tears rushed down my cheek.
"Oh my God."
"O.R. Three. Go to the gallery. I'll meet you up there," I spoke.
She nodded and left the area.
Dr. Jenkins came over. "Britt, are you okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You mentioned a neck being cut. Should I go check it out?"
"I don't know. Maybe."
"Go. The more doctors the Hamilton boy has on his side, the better," Dr. Michaels spoke.
"He can't die," I spoke before a sob ripped from my chest.
Dr. Jenkins stepped over and sat beside me. He pulled me into a hug. "He'll be fine. Dr. Hart knows what he's doing."
I buried my head in his neck and tried to catch my breath. "If I died, I won't even be a widow. I'll just be some girl he was going to marry before he died."
"You're getting married?" he smiled, pulling back a little.
I nodded.
He wiped my eyes and spoke, "Then, he's one of us. I'll go see what I can do."
He left.
Dr. Michaels was finishing with my leg. "Did you say something about watching the surgery?"
I nodded.
"Then, I'll get a wheelchair and some fresh scrubs." He stood and left.
I put my head in my hands.
He couldn't die. He had to live. He was going to be my forever. He had to survive.