PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 47: Complications

As Carina disappeared out the door, the silent room filled with Maya's soft, shuddering breaths. The echo of Carina's parting words lingered in the air, a cruel reminder of her solitude and helplessness.

Maya's tears spilled down her cheeks, merging with the pain and loneliness that enveloped her. Her throat ached, her body weak, and her heart cried for Carina's presence.

With no strength to call out, she closed her eyes and succumbed to the quiet solitude, engulfed in sorrow and the ache of her infected throat.
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Time seemed to slow for Maya. Every minute felt like hours as she lay there alone, battling the pain in her throat and the loneliness in her heart. She tried to sleep but found it elusive, her mind a jumble of fear, pain, and longing.

Her body ached with yearning for Carina's presence, her touch, her soothing words. The silence of the room only amplified the sound of her own ragged breathing and the occasional stifled sob that escaped her raw throat.

Each passing moment without Carina's reassuring presence intensified her pain, both physical and emotional. Maya found herself sinking deeper into a pit of despair, her thoughts a constant cycle of helplessness and longing.

She tried to distract herself, focusing on the sound of the clock ticking, the hum of the heater, anything to drown out the silence. Yet, in those moments of quiet, her thoughts always wandered back to her girlfriend, to Carina's hands, her soothing voice, her comforting presence that she desperately needed.

Sleep eventually claimed Maya, a weary surrender to her body's exhaustion and her mind's despair. But even in her dreams, Carina's absence loomed large, her presence an aching void that made rest elusive.

She tossed and turned, mumbling Carina's name in her fevered state, her subconscious mind haunted by the memory of her absence. Hours passed, marked by her shallow, labored breaths and the occasional whimper that escaped her lips.
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At Grey Sloan, Carina threw herself into work. The emergency at the hospital demanded her full attention, and she was able to push her worry for Maya to the back of her mind, if only temporarily.

However, despite the hustle and bustle of the E.R, Carina's thoughts kept drifting back to Maya. She wondered how she was doing alone, in such a weakened state and in so much pain. With each passing hour, her longing to return to her girlfriend grew stronger, but the relentless caseload at the hospital prevented her from leaving.

Amelia noticed Carina across the E.R., her quick footsteps and focused expression as she attended to her patients. She knew Carina well enough to recognize the subtle signs of worry beneath her professional facade.

Amelia approached Carina, joining her as she worked. She touched her arm gently, a silent question in her eyes, as if asking 'everything okay?'

Carina looked up at Amelia, her eyes betraying a hint of exhaustion and worry. She appreciated her friend's concern, knowing she didn't need to spell out the situation.

She gave Amelia a tight smile, her voice slightly strained. "I'm holding up, just a bit worried about Maya. She's at home, ill, and I feel guilty for leaving her alone."

Amelia's expression softened, a mix of understanding and sympathy. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do to help?"

She knew how much Carina cared about Maya. The thought of her friend worrying about her girlfriend while also dealing with the chaos in the E.R. tugged at her heartstrings.