December 3 2019
6:17 a.m. – Hospital Parking Lot
AJ stood outside her car, sipping bitter hospital coffee.
Her scrubs were on. Her badge clipped. Her hair was up.
It was supposed to be a *normal day.*
Cue: a text from Lexie.
> Lexie:
> "We lost a patient. Not dead. Just like... lost."
AJ didn't even finish her coffee.
AJ -What the hell—"
---
6:32 a.m. – Nurses' Station
Lexie was pale. Parker looked like he hadn't slept. Jackson was suspiciously silent. Ben was stress-eating M\&Ms from a glove.
Lexie - He was pre-op
Lexie said.
Lexie- Neuro consult. We turned our backs for *five seconds*.
AJ -And he walked out?
AJ asked trying to stay calm
Parker - Possibly?
Parker said- Or maybe radiology took him without charting.
Ben whispered- Or maybe he's... like... not real.
AJ stared.
AJ - Ben
she said.
AJ- This isn't *Grey's Anatomy: Ghost Protocol.* Find the patient.
---
9:12 a.m. – OR Double Booked
AJ walked into her scheduled OR and nearly ran into another surgical team.
AJ - Why is ortho in my OR?
she asked calmly.
Lopez - I booked it for 9 a.m
Dr. Lopez from ortho.
AJ - So did I
A nurse stepped forward.
Nurses- Lexie put both cases in at the same time... under her log-in.
AJ closed her eyes.
AJ - Lexie.
From somewhere down the hallway : I'm sorry!!
---
12:30 p.m. – The Meltdown Hits*
In the scrub room, AJ stood with a gloved hand on the sink, chest rising and falling. The room spun slightly. Her pager kept buzzing. Jackson had just dropped a tray of sterile tools. Ben accidentally called her "Mom."
It was too much.
She pulled off her gloves, walked into the hallway, and snapped:
AJ - Everyone stop.
The corridor froze.
AJ-Lexie—step away from the chart. Park—go drink water. Ben—sit. Jackson—don't move.
They blinked at her like terrified puppies.
AJ ran a hand downy her face.
AJ - If one more thing breaks, bleeds, or vanishes, I swear I will replace every one of you with interns from a cooking school.
---
3:17 p.m. – Found the Patient
Lexie came running down the hallway, breathless.
Lexie - We found him.
AJ -Dead?
Lexie - No! In the *gift shop.*
AJ - ...Buying?
Lexie - Licorice and a Sudoku.
AJ nodded slowly- Makes sense, might have to join him
---
6:45 p.m. – End of Shift
AJ finally sat down in the on-call room, shoes off, hair out, and her head leaned against the wall.
Her phone buzzed.
**Dave:**
📸 *A picture of Mateo and Luke playing with blocks.*
> *"Your son reorganized the spice rack and renamed the cinnamon 'doctor powder.' Hope your day was chill."*
AJ laughed. Actually laughed. Then covered her face with her hands and whispered:
AJ - I miss him
But then: *knock knock.*
Lexie peeked in, holding tacos and a milkshake.
Lexie - We thought you earned this. Also... sorry for the code-lost-patient thing.
AJ took the food, gave a tired smile, and nodded.
AJ -Tomorrow, we train harder.
Lexie blinked.
Lexie - Is this a boot camp now?
AJ- No, It's a war zone. Welcome to neuro.
