The Apprentice

First Day part 2

"Al, what are you doing here? What's going on?" Callie worried as the blonde paced back and forth.

"Callie, thank god!" The blonde embraced her friend in a hug.

"Let me guess. Now that I've left Berkeley, Olivia has found someone else to torture, and that someone is you?" Callie thought.

"I can handle myself."

"Just be careful, okay."

"Thanks, Dr. Matthews." She teased with a nudge.

"Dr. Reese. I don't think Miss Wilson needs to be admitted. In my opinion, she is both sane and stable." Callie mentioned. She took Dr. Reese by the arm and whispered. "The girl she allegedly pushed, is known to be a compulsive liar. She can be very manipulative. I've known Alana for years and she's a pacifist. She wouldn't hurt anyone, even in self-defense. She would rather take the brunt. Olivia's symptoms don't match her story. She fell from the top of a large staircase and has nothing but some ankle pain. But no bruises, no swelling. We'll wait for her X-ray, but if it comes back clean, she may have made the whole thing up."

"Okay, well I can page Dr. Charles for a consult on your patient and we can go from there."

"Perfect, thank you."

***

Callie raced into Olivia's room as she pressed the call button.

"Olivia, what's going on?!"

"Can I get some lemonade?" The redhead smiled. Callie rolled her eyes.

"Olivia, the call button is for emergencies only." She scowled.

"Yes, and I need some lemonade."

"I'm sorry but the best I can do for you right now is water." Callie opened the door and called to Monique. "Monique, can we get a glass of water in here, please."

"Of course."

"Thank you." She turned her attention back to Olivia. "How's that ankle?"

"It hurts..." She scoffed.

"Pain from 1 to 10?" 

"9."

"Okay, can you push against my hand, like a car pedal?" Callie asked as she put on a pair of gloved and pressed a hand against her foot. Natalie walked into the room to see how things were progressing. 

"I can't," Olivia told her. Callie, placed slight pressure on her ankle as Natalie talked to her. There was no reaction until Olivia finally turned to see what Callie was doing and flinched. Callie and Natalie shared a knowing glance. 

"Okay, we're gonna go and check if your x-ray results are in and we'll be back as soon as possible, okay?" Natalie explained as they both left the room.

"Delayed reaction, add that to the lack of other injuries, no visible wounds or bruising. Something's not right." Natalie thought. 

"Not to mention she flexed towards the pain. If she was in pain she would've pulled away from my hands."

"Dr. Manning," Maggie said, handing her an iPad. "X-ray came back clear."

"Callie!" Monique called from Olivia's room. "She's gone."

"What?!" Callie and Natalie both gasped. 

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard from across the E.D.

"Al?!" Callie shrieked, racing toward her room. Olivia was on the floor, as was the trolley she had knocked over. "Dr. Manning!"

"She pushed me!" Olivia scowled. 

"What are you even doing over here?" Callie wondered. 

"I was trying to find a bathroom." 

"That's the kind of thing you press the call button for." 

Natalie and Will helped Olivia back to her room.

"Okay, what really happened?" Callie asked her friend.

"I don't know. She just walked in and threw herself at the wall." 

"Did she hurt you?"

"No, I'm okay." She explained. "But, I-I need to talk to you."

At the most inconvenient time, Callie's pager beeped. 

"Uh, I have to go check on a patient but I'll be back as soon as I can, okay." She raced out of the room.

***

Callie was torn between seven different patients for the next hour and a half barely having a moment to spare. 

"Hey, everything okay in here?" Monique checked as she entered the doctor's lounge to see Callie taking a few deep breaths. 

"Yeah, just needed a minute."

"Yeah, that makes sense. You've been running around non-stop for the past hour."

"Yup, seven patients." She admitted. "And I've already lost three."

"First days are tough. Hate to say it doesn't get any easier." The blonde sighed. "Although I gotta admit, it's nice not being the youngest in the E.D."

"You don't look much older than me." Callie joked. 

"Yeah, I have a young face. I'm actually 23."

"Well, you look 16." They both giggled.

"Anyway, I should go. I have another patient to see."  She said, leaving the room and heading straight to Alana's room to find it empty.

"Dr. Halstead. The patient in room 5, did you see where she went?" She checked. "Dr. Choi?"

"Sorry, I haven't seen her."

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP!" A man called as he raced into the E.D. "There's a girl on the roof!"

"Uh oh..."

***