October 31 2019
**3:42 PM | Neuro Floor
Dr. AJ Sanchez hadn't noticed the date on the calendar.
She'd had three consults, one tumor board meeting, and a pre-op seizure mapping—all before noon. Costumes floated past her all day—nurses in cat ears, residents in barely legal "surgeon" costumes—but she didn't comment.
She didn't do Halloween. At least... she hadn't in a long time.
---
Nurse camilla, wearing pumpkin scrubs, peeked into AJ's office.
Camilla - You've got a, uh... special visitor in the lobby.
AJ raised an eyebrow.
An - Who? A rep?
Aj - Nope. Your favorite person. Two of them, actually.
---
AJ walked through the automatic doors with a tired kind of curiosity—and then she stopped
There stood Dave, wearing a lab coat that was way too short for him glasses perched on his nose like a parody of AJ.
And in his arms?
Mateo.
Wearing tiny blue scrubs, a custom name badge that said Dr. M. Sanchez Neuro Jr., and a plastic stethoscope around his neck.
AJ blinked.
AJ- You didn't.
Dave beamed.
Dave - He picked it. Well, I picked it. But he drooled on it, so I think he approved.
Mateo babbled and reached for her.
AJ, who had spent the entire day in full-on drill-sergeant mode, melted instantly.
She scooped him up.
AJ - You look very official, Dr. Sanchez.
Mateo grabbed a lock of her hair and tried to eat her ID badge.
Dave raised an eyebrow.
Dave - A strong first round of peer review.
---
Nurses' Station – Five Minutes Later
The Neuro nurses gathered like moths to a flame.
Parker - Wait, is that—?"
Leah - Oh my God, he has a stethoscope!
Jessie - Look at the tiny name badge!
Camilla - Wait, is that *your* old badge photo?
Camilla gasped.
AJ deadpanned
AJ - Dave thought it would be cute.
Dave shrugged.
Dave - I wasn't wrong.
---
The Interns
Lexie, Parker, April, and Ben froze in place at the edge of the station like they'd walked into a trap.
Lexie- Is that... Mateo?
Lexie whispered.
Parker- Dressed like Dr. Sanchez?
Parker added.
Ben leaned in.
Ben - We are *absolutely* not cool enough to survive this moment.
Mateo spotted them and squealed, holding out a chubby hand toward April, who cautiously stepped closer.
AJ surprised everyone by handing Mateo to her.
AJ -He likes stickers. You have about 90 seconds before he tries to eat your pen.
April looked stunned.
April -Dr. Sanchez... are you smiling?
AJ blinked.
AJ - April I do have a life outside of this hospital
Dave chimed in.
Dave- That's definitely a smile. I've seen it before. It's rare. Like a solar eclipse. When she's in this hospital
---
Later, after Mateo had charmed every nurse and tried to walk off with someone's pager, AJ stood by the window with Dave, her son in her arms.
Dave - He fits here
Dave said softly.
Dave - Like it's part of his world.
AJ looked down at Mateo, who had fallen asleep against her shoulder, stethoscope still clutched in his fist.
AJ- Part of mine, too
she said quietly.
Dave smiled- Happy Halloween, Dr. Sanchez.
AJ smirked-Happy Halloween, Dr. Sanchez Sr.
They kissed—just a brief, tired, happy thing—before the next trauma page inevitably buzzed.
But for a moment, the Neuro floor wasn't cold or clinical. It was warm, soft, alive.
Because even legends have little sidekicks.
