Getting back to "Normal" | Rhekker

Chapter 12- Operation

Connor rapped his fingers against Ava doorframe, drawing her attention away from her desk.
"Morning" he greeted her, with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Ava sat up properly in her chair when she saw him, still feeling slightly embarrassed at her break down the last time they had seen each other.
"Good morning"

Since Ava was occupying the only chair in the room Connor sat on the edge of her narrow bed. Sliding one cup out of its cardboard holder he handed it to Ava.
"Thank you" she excepted the cup, holding it securely with both hands, tapping her fingers against the paper lining.
Connor took a sip from his own, looking blankly around the room.
"What are you doing" he asked, nodding towards her desk.
"Oh yeah, Daniel got me some watercolours, so I'd have something to do"
Connor tiled his head to see a still developing image of the chrysanthemums he had bought her. Connor smiled to himself, happy that Bekker was getting back to the things she once enjoyed.
Ava leaned back in her chair, turning on her side to face him.
"Anything interesting in the schedule for today" she asked lightly.
"A value replacement and an aortic dissection" Connor told her, taking another sip of his coffee.
"God I miss operating" Ava sighed supporting her head with a crumpled up fist.
"You'll be back to it soon enough Ava" he assured her, "you've only got what, eight more days?"
"Easier said then done" Ava smiled to him.
The pair stayed like that, peaceful gazing at each other until a familiar sound broke the silence.
"Go save some lives Rhodes" Ava grinned at him again, turning back to her painting.
"And tell me about the surgeries later" she called over her shoulder as he dashed out of the room.

After Connors shift he made his way to the doctors lounge, rooting around in some old cabinets to try find what he need.
"Dr. Rhodes" came with a knock over the door.
Connor turned to see Daniel in the doorway, closing the door behind he pulled the blinds.
"Evening Dr. Charles" Connor greeted him, returning to the draw.
Daniel took several steps closer to him, looking the in the cabinet Connor was going through.
"I was wondering if I could talk to you about Dr. Bekker"

Connor closes the doors to the cabinet, giving Charles his full attention.
"What about Ava?" Connor asked, a tone of panic present in his voice.
"What are you doing" Dr. Charles asked flatly, seeing Connors puzzled expression he elaborated.
"From what I've heard you've been visiting her every morning and evening, and even coming in when your not in shift to see her"
Connor nodded, "You said she needed support, and someone to talk to"
"Yes, I agree Dr. Bekker needs more than just to support of her medical team, but Connor do you understand what your getting yourself into? What if Ava is convicted of murdering your farther, are you still going to do coffee dates through a cell. You can't make yourself a constant in someone's life in a psychiatric ward, if you aren't going to be their for them afterwards. So either you are with Dr. Bekker all the way, or you stay away from my patient" Daniel told him, in a some what threatening tone.
"What you think I'm just going to leave her as soon as she's on her feet again?" Connor said defensively.
"Dr. Rhodes I need you to ask yourself why you are doing this, because you care for Ava, or because you feel bad for how you treated her?"

Connors face took a deadpan look as Dr. Charles turned and left the doctors lounge, heading home for the evening.
Slowly, Connor returned to the cabinet, finally spotting what he was looking for. Connors head now felt heavier, was he just doing this out of guilt, to make himself feel better?
He knew in himself that he had never stopped caring for Ava Bekker but was that what this is, or is it just him making up for his mistakes.

Pushing Daniels intrusive thoughts out of his head, Connor got the lift up to Ava's ward.
"Knock knock" Connor smiled, coming into her room, now finding Ava curled up in her bed.
"Hi" she greeted him, sitting up on the bed.
Connor pulled up the free chair to her bedside and rolled the empty meal tray over her bed.
"Do you remember when there was that storm and some light flooding. And none of us could leave the hospital so we treated what patients we could, but played games in the doctors lounge until it passed"
Ava nodded slightly, remembering it as the one few times she really felt that she was part of the Chicago med family.
"Well since you missed operating so much" Connor slid a worn cardboard box onto the table over her bed. "I though we could practice"

Ava chuckled to herself as her eyes scanned the "Operation" game box in front of her. Rolling her eyes and smiling to Connor, "This isn't quite what I meant, but I'll take what I can get".
Connor beamed at her, seeing her first genuine smile in what Connor realised to be weeks. Weeks without that light in his life.

Connor took out the tray got the game set up. Taking the tweezers he immediately took out the pictured mans funny bone in one swift movement. Smiling he handed the tweezers to Ava.
"So how were your surgeries?" Ava asked, exhaling as she managed to extract a bucket from the mans knee.
"They all went smoothly" Connor said slowly, picking up a pencil and dropping it on the tray.
"That's a first" Ava teased him, taking back the tweezers.

This back and forth continued until their was only one piece left, "You go too easy on me" Ava told Connor as she reached to take the wrench from the mans ankle. As she was nearing his fake skin she began to loose grip of the tweezers. A tremor shot down her arm, causing her hand to shake and drop the tweezers, electing a loud buzzer from her fake patient.

Ava took a stifled gasp, running her hand through her hair.
"What was that?" Connor asked, having never seen Ava's motions so shaken.
Ava looked away from his, studying the wall before turning to study her the beds of her finger nails.
"I have some motor issue now- post attempt. I get tremors in my hands, I can't grip things, headaches, memory issues as well" Ava said quietly, afraid to admit it to loudly.
Connor took her hand that still rested on the table, rubbing his thumb in circles over the back of her hand.
"Ava we're doing regular CT scans, we'll catch any serious damage quickly. Everything your suffering from can be treated" he assured her.
"And what if it can't be, what if it never goes away" she says sharply, "I'll never be able to operate again, the one good thing in my life gone. And it's all my fault"
"Everything's my fault" Ava said bitterly, in such a quite voice that Connor wasn't sure if it was meant for his ears.

"Ava Bekker you are the strongest person I know, I am sorry for everything I put you through but you will get through this, okey. We'll figure it out together" he squeezes the back of her hand, drawing her attention back to him.
"I'm going to be with you all the way"
Ava nodded, taking her left hand away from Connor she picked up the the tweezers and removed the wrench in one swift movement.

Connor chuckled slightly at Ava's determination to beat him. Packing away the game while Ava let out a stifled yawn. Connor look at her, eternally grateful that she was still before him. He could see her eyes getting sleepy but she smiled at him slightly.
"Goodnight Ava" he gave her a light hug and Ava placed a hand on his waist.
"Goodnight Connor" she said as he headed out, pulling herself under her light hospital blanket.

As Connor rounded the corner of Ava's door he nearly collided with Dr. Chalres, realising he had seen that interaction.
"I hope you know what your doing, Dr. Rhodes. I will not let you compromise the health of my patient" Daniel told him before stalking away.