September 21 2019
The patient's chart glowed on the monitor:
Male, 38, sudden-onset aphasia, right-sided weakness, rapid decline.
All signs pointed to a massive left hemisphere stroke—but something wasn't adding up.
AJ stood at the head of the bed, arms crossed, brows furrowed in surgical focus.
AJ -Lexie, differential—go.
Lexie- Uh—ischemic stroke, possibly embolic origin, maybe due to atrial fibrillation?
She said as she stammered
AJ -is that a question or your answer
Lexie - my answer
Aj Possibly
AJ said flatly
AJ But his heart's in sinus rhythm. Next.
Ben stepped forward.
Ben -Could be a brain tumor presenting acutely due to hemorrhage?
AJ -CT ruled out mass effect. Try again.
The room was heavy with tension. Jackson and April exchanged glances.
April finally spoke.
April- Could it be a basilar artery thrombosis mimicking left MCA syndrome?
AJ's eyes flicked to her.
Getting warmer. MRI?"
April pulled it up with shaking hands. AJ pointed to a subtle lesion in the pons.
AJ - There. A 'locked-in' variant. Rare. Deadly. But you saw it. Good."
The interns exhaled like they'd been underwater. AJ didn't smile—but the corner of her mouth twitched, just barely.
AJ - Neuro's not for guessers
she said.
AJ - It's for precision. Learn that—or pack up.
And with that, she turned and walked out of the room, coat billowing behind her like a cape.
---
**Scene 2: After Hours**
Hours later, the halls were quieter. The buzz of the day had dulled to a hum of pagers and whispers.
Camilla found AJ sitting alone in the resident lounge, fingers curled around a mug of lukewarm coffee, eyes staring into nothing.
Camilla - You look like you haven't slept in three days and you've down this three 12 hours back to back shift
Camilla said softly, sliding into the chair across from her.
AJ- damn I look that tires AJ didn't look up.
Camilla - They're scared of you, you know
Camilla added with a half-smile.
AJ - They should be
AJ muttered.
A beat of silence passed.
Then, AJ sighed and set the mug down.
Aj- I thought coming back would feel... triumphant. But it just feels like pressure. Like I have to prove I'm still the same after everything.
Camilla tilted her head.
Camilla- You're not the same. But that's not a bad thing.
AJ finally looked at her, something raw and honest in her eyes.
AJ- What if I've changed in ways that don't work here anymore?
Camilla leaned forward.
Camilla - Then you change this place. Like you always have.
Silence settled between them, but it wasn't heavy. It was... grounding.
Camilla stood and reached for AJ's shoulder.
Aj- Get some rest. You've got interns to terrorize tomorrow.
AJ cracked the faintest smile.
AJ -They need it.
Camilla chuckled on her way out.
Camila - So did we.
