Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 8- Communication

"Good Morning Dr. Bekker" Dr. Charles greeted her as she opened her eyes.
"Is part of your practice sneaking up on your patients like this?"Ava asked, sitting up to pull her knees to her chest.
Dr. Charles laughed lightly at this, "Dr. Bekker although given our career paths we have rarely met, your wit has certainly been noted with my colleagues. It's a good sign that your getting back to yourself"
Ava started at him, offering no reply to Daniel's statement.
"You know many people would use wit as a defence to keep people from getting close to them" Daniel told her thoughtfully. Ava shifted her gaze suddenly towards the window, not wanting to meat Daniels eye.

"Dr. Bekker can you answer some questions for me?"
Ava didn't answer but he continued.
"In the event of a medical emergency I would like everything possible to be done to prolong my life. True, mostly true, undecided, mostly false, false"
Ava picked at the skin on the side of her nail, "Mostly true" she muttered.
"If a time comes where I need to be resuscitated I would like to be"
"True, mostly true, undecided, mostly false"
"Mostly true"
"Should emergency surgery ever be required I would consent to it"
"True" Ava cut him off before he could repeat himself, running her free hand though her hair.

"Dr. Bekker do you have any friends in Chicago that we could call"
Ava thought for a moment, trying to come up with a name. "Not in Chicago no. I've grown apart from most of my relationships in the last couple months"
"It's difficult to maintain friends as a doctor, isn't it" Dr. Charles said.
Ava nodded stiffly, her mouth still dry from sleep, "Yeah"

After a moments pause of Ava focusing on centring her breath, Daniel spoke again.
"You could always talk to Dr. Rhodes when he comes by" he suggested.
Ava scoffed painfully, feeling tears in her eyes once again. She turned away from him.
"Did you not hear his little speech about how I murder his farther" Ava reminded him, feeling her chest ace, "he won't want to speak to me" she dismissed his suggestion.
Daniel shrugged in his chair, "I love the flowers by the way" he pointed out.
"You know it's such a strange coincidence, yesterday when I was coming in for my shift, Dr. Rhodes was coming off his lunch break and had the exact same bouquet" he told her.
Ava looked at him again, knowing exactly what he was getting at.
"Just give it a try Ava" he told her before leaving her to have her breakfast.

*

"Dr.Rhodes, a moment" Dr. Charles called from his office. Connor was briefing the team about an incoming surgery.
"Maybe later Dr. Charles" Connor replied over his shoulder.
"It's about our friend"
Connor turned his head immediately to face him, excusing himself from the team.
"What" Connor asked, closing the office door behind him.
"Have you spoken to Dr. Bekker since the interview"
"No" Connor replied shortly. He hadn't spoken to Ava, but he often found himself walking past her room serval times to gaze in.
"I know you two aren't on the best of terms, but she could really use a friend to talk to. The only people she sees are myself ,Dr. Abrams and, Detective Halstead "
Connor shifted uncomfortably on the spot, "I don't think that's a good idea, for the sake of the investigation"
"I've cleared it with Halstead, he has no issue with you two talking provided it's supervised and not about your farther" Charles told him.
"Ava wouldn't want to speak with me, after everything" Connor shook his head, turning back to the door.
"You know it's strange, Dr. Bekker said almost the exact same thing about you when I suggested the idea to her" Dr. Charles said, making Connor turn back to him.
"Thank you Dr. Charles, I'll think about it" he said flatly before leaving.

The next morning Connor came into the ED early, dropping off his bag and heading up to Dr. Charle's office. He wanted answers, but more importantly he want to see Ava.
"I'll do it, I'll go see her" he told him, coming into Daniels office.
"Great, okey." Daniel says, swallowing some of his breakfast.
"We'll go see her now, I'll take my food with me" Daniel packed up his things, he wanted to do this soon, before Connor had a chance to change his mind.

Connor followed Daniel up to the psych ward, popping a mint from his pocket into his mouth to calm him. Daniel waved to some of the nurses as they went down the hall, knocking on Ava's door before entering.
"How are you doing today Dr. Bekker?"
"Well, considering I'm being kept here against my will-" Ava's voice trailed off as she spotted Connor in the door way.
"Dr. Rhodes has come to visit you" Daniel stressed to Connor, reminding him why he was here. Connor didn't say anything but sat down on a chair on one side of Ava's bed. Daniel took out his breakfast as he watched the two. Ava's eyes were kept on the floor or wall avoiding Connors eyes that were trained on the floor.
"I like the braid, Ava" Dr. Charles broke the uncomfortable silence.
Ava's hair was darker then normal, it was freshly washed and still wet, secured into a braid with a weak rubber band.
"One of the nurses did it, since I don't exactly have much mobility" Ava held up her wrists.
"I think it was a "sorry for having to watch you shower"

Daniel swallows some more of his breakfast.
"Connor do you have anything you'd like to say to Ava?"
Connor finally looked up, meeting Ava's tired eyes with his own.
"Did you want to die?" He mutters.
Ava looks to Daniel, expecting him to interject with such a question.
"Would you have preferred if I did?" she fires back.
Connor was taken about by the question,
Did he want her dead? He was still angry at her for killing his father, but how could she, how could the women in front of him that can't even stand in the shower commit such a crime? How was this the same women he once confessed his love to under the stars?

Connor sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. Ava glances to Daniel and back to Connor.
"هل جعلك تأتي إلى هنا؟*"
Connor pricks his head up, hearing the Arabic words. He seeing some clarity behind Ava's troubled eyes, a clearing in the darkness.
"لا. أردت ذلك*"
Connor tells her with a confident nod.
Ava nods her head slightly, not sure how to feel about this, why did Connor want to see her?
Connor spots the bottom of Ava's braid, how the water is eating away at her paper scrubs, which were nearly see through to begin with.

"Where are your apartment keys?" He asks in English.
"What?" Ava says in confusion,
"Your apartment keys, where are they. You can't stay like this" he gestures to the wet patch on her shoulder.
"In my locker, I presume, that's where I left them at lest" Ava suggests.
"The codes-"
"13, 24, 35. I remember"
Connor nods, meeting Ava's eyes. "I'll drop some stuff in" he smiles half heartily to her before getting up and heading back down to the ED.

Ava watched him go before a voice brought her back.
"You know I don't mind what language you two speak in, just that you speak to someone" Daniel tells her, getting up from his chair.

—————————
"Did he make you come here?*"
"No. I wanted it**"