Dopamine High (Carlisle Cullen)

Four

He's married.

Lorelai smiled back at Dr. Cullen, but it was slightly more timid than her usual smiles, she fixed her bag over her shoulder and nervously fiddled with the hem of her tan sweater, "Lorelai Swan, I've heard a lot about you Dr. Cullen, it's a pleasure." She regained her confidence, and her eyes flitted to the side momentarily to see Judy and Kate both watching them eagerly from behind the counter on the third floor. She felt the urge to scowl at them.

More so because she had been proven wrong, she admitted to herself, despite regaining her composure her heart was racing and her head felt slightly dizzy, she refused to look away from the doctor's endearing, amber gaze, he looked down at her so kindly that she felt inadequate. A lack of self-confidence was not common for Lorelai, she assured herself she was just being silly. "Swan? My son, Edward, told me about you, you are Bella's aunt?" His voice was smooth like butter and as thick as honey, she felt her heart skip a beat.

Was this the beginning of a heart-attack? Lorelai tried to remember the beginning signs of a heart-attack in her head, something she barely had to think about during most occasions, but in the presence of the, admittedly, handsome doctor, she struggled to remember.

Cold sweat? Check. Shortness of breath? Check. Lightheadedness? Check. Nausea? Lorelai felt a pounding in her head and blinked several times. Definitely, check. No chest pain though, but it might not have hit her yet...she should say something to one of the doctors. Lorelai paused, but then again Dr. Cullen was the closest doctor, the idea of her overreacting however, made her think twice before mentioning it. She could just keep a personal eye on it.

"Yes, sir. Edward's an awfully charming boy, you raised him well." She threw out the usual pleasantries, and though in the moment they were artificial, the words themselves were honest, Carlisle flashed her a glance at blindingly white teeth, despite however small the amount of teeth displayed actually was, she fought the urge to avert her gaze. Her pride wouldn't allow it, and she had no right - no right - to find herself attracted to a married man, a happily married man, at that. "Thank you, though the credit isn't all mine, Edward was always an incredibly good boy, all of my children are." Carlisle responded, "Swan, I don't have all day." A sharp voice interjected, Lorelai glanced up and felt that dreamy fog dissipate as she came back to the real world. It was a relief.

"I'm sorry nurse Yang, excuse me, doctor." She smiled briefly up at Carlisle, "Thank you, again." She brushed past him quickly, ignoring the earnest expression tossed towards her by Judy as she stopped in front of Maggie, "You're late."

"Technically, I arrived at the building two minutes early, but I apologize, I had a bout of clumsiness, it won't happen again." Lorelai responded evenly, Maggie cocked a brow at Lorelai, she was intelligent enough to tell that Lorelai had lowkey corrected her, being unaffected by Lorelai's obvious kindness she only rolled her eyes and shoved a pair of light pink scrubs in Lorelai's arms.

"Put these on." And she spun on her heel and headed off, Lorelai glanced over at Judy and Kate, "I am shadowing her, aren't I?" She asked for confirmation, Judy laughed and Kate nodded solemnly, "You got the one nurse here that doesn't like anyone or anything."

"So..." Judy began, and Lorelai felt a nudge in the ribs, she looked over at Theodore and readied for the uncomfortable subject that was, "Dr. Carlisle Cullen," Judy rose an inquiring brow, "Dream boat or dream boat?" She grinned with Kate, both watching her expectantly while Theodore sighed and brushed past his girlfriend to get to one of the computers. Lorelai readjusted the scrubs in her arm, taking her time before she rested against the desk top, "Happily married, and from what I last heard, human - not a boat, and I certainly hope he's not dreaming during work hours." She responded simply, Judy scoffed, a dumbstruck look crossing her face, and Kate blinked several times, she seemed torn between being offended and being impressed.

"Where's the bathroom? I need to change." Lorelai smiled kindly at them, softening the blow of not seeing her turn into a pile of swooning goo for the doctor, when both girls continued to sit there silently Theodore sighed, reached around Judy for a sticky note and glanced up at Lorelai, he pointed towards the left hall, "Down there, take a right." He instructed, "And whenever you have the time, nurse Judy, there is a baby that Dr. Gerandy needs help delivering." He nudged the older nurse, wearing her rubber duck styled scrubs.

Lorelai turned on her heel and shuffled through her purse for her planner to make a note of where she could find the bathrooms only to narrowly avoid bumping into a male chest, the first thing she saw was a white button down with a sky blue tie with crisscrossed brown lines going down it, she peered up to excuse herself, and Carlisle looked down at her with another of those gentle smiles. This time she was prepared for the intensity of it and though her heart beat picked up, she smiled back, unfazed.

"Excuse me," Carlisle murmured, and she stepped to the side, "Of course." She responded cordially, he seemed amused by something, but nodded her good-bye and she inhaled deeply, "Did he say left or right?" She murmured as she got to the end of the hallway.

***

Lorelai peered over at the heart monitor as soon as she entered the hospital room, her gaze passing over the thirteen year old girl in the bed seconds later, she watched Maggie converse with another nurse Lorelai had not had the pleasure of meeting as of yet.

"Her parents brought her in for a nasty concussion, she was playing soccer in her backyard and tripped, knocked her head on the big old oak there." The nurse murmured, Lorelai slipped in further to peer at the young girl and she smiled, the girl peered up at her, "Are you new?" The girl asked immediately, and Lorelai furrowed her brows, but smiled none the less.

"I am. Is it so obvious?" She wondered, the girl shook her head, "No, you look like a nurse, but I haven't seen you before." She responded, tossing her dirty blonde hair over her shoulder, Lorelai felt amusement bubble to the surface of her mind, "And you come here often?" She tilted her head curiously, the girl flushed, "Yeah, I'm a little bit of a clutz, it's my third time here this week. I came in on Sunday for a dislocated shoulder, Tuesday for a sprained ankle and now a concussion." She scratched at the back of her neck and Lorelai slipped towards the bed, peering down at her charts that had been sat down on the bedside table.

"Tina Parker?" She glanced back up at the girl, she nodded and Lorelai smiled, holding out a hand, "I'm Lorelai Swan." She introduced herself, Tina's jaw hit the floor and excitement bubbled up in her eyes, "Your sister is dating Dr. Cullen's son, right?" She asked enthusiastically, Lorelai glanced over awkwardly at the unknown nurse and Maggie who glanced up momentarily from their murmuring at the commotion.

"My niece, actually - you may want to settle down, you haven't had your x-ray's completed, yet." She warned her gently, the girl laid back in a sitting position in the hospital bed and blinked slowly, she was obviously in a daze, most likely the concussion, when she began to worry the girl might begin to doze she spoke up, "Have you met her? Isabella, I mean."

Tina shook her head, "No...could you introduce me?" She asked with wide, blue eyes, Lorelai chuckled, "I'll see what I can do, you just take it easy, do you need a refill?" She nodded towards the cup of juice sitting empty next to the bed, the girl nodded eagerly, and then more slowly when she saw Lorelai give her a stern look. "Please." She beamed.

Lorelai took the cup and glanced over at Maggie, "I'm getting her a refill." She murmured, Maggie nodded, seeming to find the action acceptable, and Lorelai hurried to get another - she peered down at the label - Hi-C. When Lorelai returned the girl was sitting up in the bed, Maggie was checking her charts, and Carlisle was standing in front of Tina, gently prodding at her head.

"And this? No pain?" The girl shook her head, Carlisle moved his fingers an inch and Tina winced, Lorelai unconsciously flinched towards her, a maternal instinct, and Carlisle glanced over at her along with Tina, "You got my drink!" She acted much younger than she was, Lorelai thought amusedly, she crept closer and set the drink down to the doctor's right in Tina's reaching distance. "Thanks, Lori!" Lorelai blinked in surprise before soft smile pulled at her lips and she sat at the edge of the bed, she laughed.

"What?" Tina frowned, Lorelai shook her head, "That's what my brother calls me." She hummed, "The Chief?" Tina asked, her eyes wide, and Lorelai nodded, "Wow...could you introduce me?" She exclaimed, just as exuberantly as she had been when she asked for Bella, Lorelai pinched her chin and splayed her fingers across her lips to smother a grin. "I'll see what I can do, why don't you let the doctor get back to his check-up, alright?" Tina nodded enthusiastically and Lorelai gave her a gentle pat to the cheek before getting up and giving Carlisle space, she settled with standing next to Maggie who was leaning against the wall.

"Alright, we will need x-rays to make sure, but it doesn't seem like you fractured anything, you'll have to stay awake for a few hours, just in case." Carlisle smiled down at Tina, Tina blushed intensely and nodded, "Okay!" She blurted out. Carlisle gave her a fleeting smile and nodded to Maggie and then Lorelai, who merely smiled back politely, before exiting the room.

"I know he's married, but if you keep treating him like that it's going to make everyone think you hate him." Maggie muttered towards Lorelai, from beneath her breath, as Tina settled in bed and flicked the television on. Lorelai sent Maggie a glance, "I was being polite."

Maggie shrugged, "Yeah, but you're nicer than polite - it makes it look suspicious to everyone else. Take my advice, just swoon." She turned out the room and Lorelai sighed, before following after her.