January 5 2020
Lexie stood in front of the whiteboard, arms crossed, fuming.
Jackson, Ben, April and Parker sat scattered across the room, eyes wide and restless.
Lexie - She didn't just 'take time off
Lexie snapped.
Lexie - She didn't hand off rounds. She didn't even assign a lead for consults — and you all know Dr. Sanchez doesn't breathe without planning ten steps ahead.
Ben looked up, chewing his pen cap nervously.
Ben - You think she's in trouble?
Parker - I think she's hiding something
Parker muttered.
Parker - And Luke's gone too. Security doesn't even have him on the rotation board today.
Jackson's brow furrowed.
Jackson - You think this has something to do with what the police asked Dave about?
Everyone went quiet.
April looked around.
April -Look — remember that name the detectives kept repeating?
Ben - Ron something
Ben recalled.
Ben - Ron Vega?
Jackson blinked.
Jackson - Wait... I've heard that name before.
He rushed to the hospital archives terminal, pulled up the internal legal database. After a few password attempts, he froze.
Jackson - Guys
he said, turning the screen.
Ben leaned in.
Ben -Former patient. Psychiatric hold. Arrested 1.5 year ago. Attempted sexual assault—
Jackson - On staff,
Jackson finished grimly.
Jackson -The report was sealed... but the victim's initials match. **A.S.**"
April backed away from the desk.
April - That's AJ.
Parker's voice was quiet now.
Parker - She never told us.
Ben exhaled shakily.
Ben - Wait—wasn't Ron Vega the one who was found dead in county lockup the day after he was transferred?
Jackson - Alleged suicide
Jackson said, reading fast.
Jackson - But rumors say someone beat him within an inch before it happened.
All eyes turned to each other.
Lexie whispered- That's why the cops were here. And that's why she's gone. She's not just protecting herself. She's protecting someone else.
They all looked at the name listed under "Emergency Contact" for Ron Vega's intake.
*David Brewster.*
---
OUTSIDE AJ'S OFFICE – 2:27 PM**
The interns stood in silence, staring at the locked door.
Lexie finally said it.
Lexie - If something's coming for her... we can't just stand back.
Jackson nodded- We're not just her interns anymore.
Ben's voice wavered.
Ben -We're her backup.
They didn't say anything else — but they knew what they were about to do.
Dig deeper. Find the truth. And protect the woman who taught them how to survive under pressure.
SAFE HOUSE, BACK ROOM – 10:43 PM
Luke's phone buzzed.
Encrypted message.
> *Security log flagged: Archive Terminal access — sealed patient file "Vega, R."*
> *Accessed by: Jackson H., Lexie J., Parker S., Ben M.,April P
> *Location: Med Study Lounge, 2:03 PM.*
Luke stared at it, unmoving. Then his jaw clenched, and he stood.
AJ looked up from where she was gently burping Mateo on her shoulder.
AJ- What happened?
He handed her the phone.
As she read, her face hardened. Quietly, she said,
AJ-They went looking.
---
RESIDENTS' LOUNGE — 11:09 PM
The door slammed open so hard the interns jumped to their feet.
Lexie dropped her tablet.
Lexie - What the—?
**AJ.**
No scrubs, no white coat, no clipboard — but her presence was colder than an OR on full blast.
Luke followed behind her, his security badge still clipped, his gaze scanning like a hawk.
AJ didn't waste time.
Aj - You broke into a sealed record
she said, voice like ice. Ben opened his mouth.
Ben- Dr. Sanchez, we were just—
AJ- You don't get to justify it
she snapped. Lexie stepped forward.
Lexie- We thought you were in danger. We thought—"
Aj- You *thought,*
AJ interrupted.
AJ- that you were entitled to a story that wasn't yours. That because you wear a white coat and can dig into data, you had the right to go looking where you had no permission.
Luke stayed silent behind her, his arms crossed, watching them.
Jackson swallowed.
Jackson-You're right. We crossed a line.
AJ's eyes didn't leave Lexie's.
Aj - You didn't just cross it. You obliterated it. That file was sealed for a reason. What happened with Ron Vega... that's *my* trauma. And digging it up without my consent? That's violence too.
Lexie's voice cracked.
Lexie- I wasn't trying to hurt you—
AJ - But you did
AJ said, voice softening — not with forgiveness, but pain.
AJ - You did, Lexie. After I helped.
Ben finally stepped forward.
Ben -Then let us help now. Please. Whatever's coming — we want to protect you. Like you protected us every time we froze in the OR. Every time we doubted ourselves.
AJ looked away, breathing deeply. The room was tense. Mateo's soft babble echoed from the baby monitor clipped to her hip.
Finally, AJ met their eyes again.
AJ- You want to help? Then stay out of it. Don't ask questions you're not ready to carry the answers to. And this the thanks that I get what great fucking interns you lot are
She turned and walked out. Luke lingered a beat longer.
His voice was steady.
Luke -She's not just your attending. She's a survivor. Respect that. Or I'll make sure none of you ever step foot near her again. The amount of time she saved you guys from getting fired
Then he followed AJ out, leaving silence in their wake.
