Attending At Twenty-Four

XV. Shooter

Ruth and I were heading into Madison Burner's room. Madison was the girl who was shot and flatlined with the paramedics. She was the first patient I ever intubated. She's been awake for some time now, but Ruth has been oddly quiet around her. She just stares while I do routine procedures.

"Any pain at all, Madison?" I ask as I check her IV fluids.

"Just a little in my leg when I move it." she said quietly.

"Don't move it then." her Dad scoffed. He's been very agitated with us as doctors and I have no clue why.

"Sorry," her Mom whispered to me. I just smile politely, silently dismissing it. I listen to Madison's heart and I check her stitches. All are fine. I do notice that her Ruth are making some intense contact.

I showed Ruth her labs and she looked at them and nodded, "These are looking good." she said. I look to Madison who made a gun gesture with her hand and nodded to her father.

Oh my God. He has a gun.

I look to Ruth and she nodded back. She went to leave the room but the click of the revolver made her stop and spin around. I quickly got onto the bed and blocked Madison and her mother from the shooter.

"Put the gun down, sir." Ruth warned. Her eyes were focused.

"She was supposed to die!" the man gritted. I could hear Madison cry behind me as her mother comforted her.

"That's not how that works." Ruth shook her head.

"Shut up, bitch!" he shouted. The movement must have caused the gun to fire and a loud bang sounded. There was a hole in Ruth's scrubs and I saw a bit of blood soak through on her side. She didn't feel it though. She moved quickly and disarmed the man.

She had him on the floor, hands behind his back, secured by her knee, while she emptied the bullets and checked the barrel. Once the weapon was safe, she skidded the gun out of the room, along with the bullets.

I felt like I couldn't move. I was stuck, kneeling over Madison's legs while her and her mother cried. My heart was beating so hard and my breathing was shallow.

"Doctor Tammy?" Madison calls.

I turn, "Yeah?"

"Is she okay?"

"I'll check." I moved slowly and unsteadily off of the bed. Ruth was breathing hard as security came in and detained the man.

"Oh my God." she sighed and clutched her chest when they took him out.

"Let me check your side." I say softly.

"Let's go somewhere first." she said before letting out a shaky breath. She led me to her private on-call room. I'd grabbed some cleaning wipes and a suture kit on the way here, so I had her take her scrub shirt off and put her on the bed, laying on her good side while I cleaned her wound.

"It's gonna hurt." I say to her back before I press the wipe to her skin.

"Ouch." she winced.

"The good news is that the bullet only grazed you."

"What's the bad news?"

"I'm gonna have to stitch it up. It's still bleeding."

"Yeah, that's fine."

"Are you okay?"

"Not really. You?"

"Same."

I was about halfway through stitch up her side when there was a knock at the door, "It's the Chief."

"Come in." I call back.

The Chief opened the door cautiously and walked in, "I heard someone was shot." she looked over my shoulder at Ruth's side.

"It only grazed her side." I said, pulling the thread through her skin again.

"You okay, Ruthie?"

"No." she mumbles, "He tried to kill his daughter."

"It's heartbreaking, isn't it?" the Chief agrees.

"Yeah."

"Well, the police are here. They want both of your statements so when you finish up here, come to my office. Nice stitching by the way, Doctor Bedi."

"Thanks." I smile to myself as I tie the last stitch and cut the excess. The Chief left as I place an adhesive wound dressing on her side and took my gloves off, "All done. You were very brave. Would you like a lollipop?" I joke, hoping to see her smile. She sat up and winced. I rubbed her bare shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, "We should probably go to the Chief's office."

I get up, but Ruth spins me around and presses me up against the door, kissing me. Her lips attack mine and all I can think about is how nice it feels, even if she is being a bit rough.

She pulls me back to the bed. Moving the suture kit tray and laying me down. She kisses me as she climbs on top of me and straddles my hips. Her hands go under my shirt but I stop her, "No sex."

"Okay." she nodded and kisses me again, more gentle and caring this time. Her mouth strays from my lips as she kisses my jaw, cheeks, chin and neck. I'm loving very second of it. I take her face in my hands and bring her lips to mine again. My hands go to her back, she still hadn't put her shirt back on. Although, she might need a new one because the other one is blood soaked.

She pulled away and got off, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

She crossed the room, finding a new scrub shirt and left. I get up, straighten myself and fix my hair and follow her out. We were in elevator, alone with one and another.

"Why were you sorry?" I ask as she clicks the tenth floor button.

"That was mindless of me. I shouldn't have just attacked you like that."

"It was hardly an attack, Ruth." I shake my head.

"Still. I'm sorry."

"I still don't understand why you're apologising."

"Because I like you and I don't think you like me back. It's fine. I can get over it but I shouldn't have kissed you like that. God, I'm so stupid." she ranted.

"But I do like you." I manage. She just admitted to liking me. How awesome is that?

"You what?" she looked to me but then the doors opened.