PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter 51: OB-GYN

The team exchanged worried glances. They could see how torn Carina was, but they understood her responsibility as a doctor.

Megan spoke softly, "Go, Carina. We'll watch over Maya while you're gone."

Carina nodded, her eyes lingering on Maya's unconscious form, her heart heavy with worry.
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Carina stood up, her tired body protesting against the movement. She gave one last look at Maya before turning to the team. "Please, keep an eye on her."

Andy moved forward, placing a comforting hand on Carina's arm. "We will. We're here. Go, do what you need to do."

Jo noticed Carina immediately when she walked into the department. Her eyes widened in surprise and concern. "Carina?"

Carina turned towards Jo, a weary expression on her face, her exhaustion clear. "Hey, Jo. They paged me. Is the patient here?"

Jo stepped closer, studying Carina's face with concern. "Yeah, she's waiting in the exam room. But are you okay? You look exhausted."

Carina attempted a weary smile, trying to brush off Jo's concern. "I'm fine. Just a rough few days."

She couldn't help but glance towards the exam room, her mind still on Maya, her partner.

Jo followed Carina's gaze, noticing the direction of her thoughts. She could guess what or rather who was on Carina's mind.

She touched Carina's arm gently, her voice quiet and understanding. "Is it Maya?"

Carina's shoulders slumped, the weight of her worry clear in her eyes. "Yeah."

She let out a deep sigh, the exhaustion finally catching up to her. "It's just... everything's been so stressful. I'm worried about her and now I'm being paged here... I just..."

Jo squeezed Carina's arm reassuringly, her voice gentle. "I get it. It's tough. But you can't let yourself forget to take care of yourself either."

She studied Carina's exhausted face. "You look like you could use a good night's sleep. When was the last time you slept properly?"

Carina knew Jo was right. But it was easier said than done to leave Maya when she was fighting for her life.

She let out a deep sigh. "I know. But I feel guilty for leaving her. I just need to check on this patient and then I'll go back."

Jo nodded, understanding the difficulty in balancing her responsibilities. "Okay, but don't stay longer than you need to. You need to rest and take care of yourself too. We need you healthy, Carina."

She gave Carina a comforting smile before glancing towards the exam room. "Now go take care of your patient. I've got things here."

Carina nodded gratefully at Jo's words. "Thank you, Jo."

She took a deep breath and pulled herself together, pushing her worries about Maya to the back of her mind. She had a job to do, and Maya's future depended on it.

With a final nod to Jo, Carina turned and headed towards the exam room, ready to focus on the task at hand.

When Carina walked into the exam room, she found her patient, a heavily pregnant woman, waiting anxiously on the exam table. The woman's face was filled with worry and fear.

Carina forced a reassuring smile onto her face, pushing her tiredness to the side. She spoke in a calm, comforting tone. "Hello, I'm Dr. Deluca. How can I help you?"