𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐄

seven; before sunshine, came rain

The following Monday morning, doctors Cameron, Chase and Foreman walked into the diagnostic office. They chatted as they caught up on what the others did during their weekend off, each giving vague details as it was too early on a Monday morning to be talking.

They stopped short, however, when they caught sight of something rather strange. In the right hand, upper corner of the room, there was a large... greyness. The usual colourful area of the room, covered in cat posters, hand written cards, different coloured sticky-notes and all sorts of knick-knacks you could only imagine... were gone. All that was left was the big box of a computer, lonely glass desk and a rolling chair.

They suddenly noticed how lifeless the room actually is.

Within minutes the three ducklings were pouring into Cuddy's office, not having bothered to knock. They all started speaking at the same time, words of concern and worry about Vickie leaving their lips.

"Woah, woah, woah," Cuddy rushed out, her eyes wide as she stared at the three doctors before her. "Calm down. It's not as bad as it looks."

"It looks like you've fired Vickie." Chase exclaimed, his eyes wide and his hair wild, like he'd run his hand through it too many times.

Cuddy looked down at the papers on her desk, trying to steel a bit of her nervous. She smoothed down the edges of her brown blazer —made by Vickie, of course. "Well, actually, Ms. Yun has decided to terminate her position here at the hospital—"

No more needed to be said as all three ducklings gasped, Cameron clutching her hand to Chase's arm in shock while Foreman scratched at his forehead.

"What... why?" Asked Cameron, her voice quiet.

"It's because of Vogler," Foreman said, his eyes dark and focused solely on the Dean of Medicine. "Isn't it?"

Cuddy looked down once more, this time shuffling some of the papers on her desk about. "What happened previous to Ms. Yun's resignation is not—"

"Bullshit," Chase rushed out which caused Cameron to shoot him a surprised look. "We have a right to know. As her colleagues and as her friends!"

Cuddy levelled him with a stare that would have any other man shudder in their boots. But the ducklings were used to worse, so they could take it. Still, it was horrifying. "Doctor Chase, you will do well to remember that I am your superior and I will not tolerate you speaking to me like this," her face softened and her voice sobered as she continued. "However, because of the situation. I will forget it, just this once,"

Chase —and Cameron and Foreman, too— felt kind of like they were just scolded by the school principal. A metaphor not far off.

Cuddy went on, "Look, the thing that lead to Vickie's resignation doesn't matter. The point is, she did it for me."

"What do you mean?" Foreman asked, seeing as he was the only one who dared to speak now.

A sigh left the Dean of Medicine's lips. "Vogler caught Vickie doing something she shouldn't be doing. But as we all know, there is enough of that," the three nodded, smiles flickering over their faces. Cuddy continued, "And he came to me with evidence and a witness, one of the nurses."

Cameron frowned. "The nurses wouldn't do that. They all love her."

"Well he found the one that doesn't," replied Cuddy grimly. "I had a choice. Fire Vickie or let Vogler get rid of me. And then he'd surely replace me with someone in his own pocket."

The ducklings thought about that for a moment. Having someone in charge that would do whatever Vogler asked of them. Their beloved hospital would turn into hell.