Cloak and Scalpel

Isekai'd

"Want a coffee?"

I looked up from the pile of charts in front of me, a pounding migraine building steadily in my head.  Chloe Williams grinned, holding two cups of steaming black coffee fresh from the vending machine in both her hands.

"You are a lifesaver," I said, grinning as she set the cup beside my pile of charts. I could feel the scent of the caffeine wafting through my nose.  I closed the chart I held, shoved it aside, and reached for another one.

Chloe was quiet as she stared at my admittedly intimidating pile of patient's charts.  "Diana, aren't you pushing twelve hours at the moment?" she said, raising a perfectly penciled eyebrow at me.  "And you were on call last night, too."

"She's pushing thirteen, actually," a handsome dark skinned man from behind the nurse's station said.  He grinned as he snatched the chart Diana set aside, flipping it open to check her latest order.

I rolled my eyes good naturedly at him.  "Don't be a traitor, Carter," I said, pretending to whack him with a chart.  "That doesn't really mean much when you're in surgery."  I scanned my order, checking for errors, before signing it. I sighed as I picked up the coffee and took a heavenly sip.  "Thanks Chloe," I said with a sigh of bliss as the caffeine hit.  "You know, I really may re-think my whole surgical life and shift to dermatology."

Carter pretended to drop the chart in shock.

"Come join us, we have rainbows in the lounge, facials on Fridays, and martinis during patient interviews," Chloe said, winking at me.  She took a leisurely sip of her coffee.  "Not my fault you went all Meredith Gray on me."

"I have a really dramatic quote about matching, but I think I'll save it for another day," I said, gulping down another scalding sip of coffee.  Goddamit, there went my tastebuds.

Chloe stared pensively at me.  "I am serious though," she said, "you need to go home and get some rest."

"Can't," I said, pulling another chart, "I have three patients to schedule for the O.R., one that needs stitching in the E.R., and don't get me started on the guy who thinks his catheter needs reinserting."

"Dr. Parker, what a pleasant surprise."

Chloe and I glanced up.  Dr. Alicia Strong, my training officer, stood beside the nurse's station, a hand on her hip, and an eyebrow raised.  At the sight of her, Carter pretended to busy himself with scanning my latest chart, a furrow appearing between his bushy brows.

I grinned sheepishly.  "Didn't I tell you to leave already?" Dr. Strong said, sighing.  "You're overworked, you have a morbidity to present next week, and several patients lined up for charity the week after that.  Go. Home."

"Wait," Chloe said, "your training officer told you to leave, and you're still...here?" She glared at me and gestured to all the charts in front of me.  "Are these even your patients?"

"I was helping Monica with—"

"Go home!" Dr. Strong snapped.  "Go home, rest, or play that mobile game you love so much."

"Okay, okay!" I said, raising my hands in surrender.  "No need to get your sutures in a twist."

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I slammed the door to my condo shut. Flicking on the light switch, I shrugged my jacket off and hooked it on the coat stand.  To be perfectly honest, I loved the hustle and bustle of the hospital, but nothing compared to kicking off my shoes after a long, long day.

I took a quick shower and grabbed my chicken salad meal prep from the fridge just as my phone pinged with a message from Chloe.

"Headed to the Phantom! Wanna come?" she sent.