October 23 2020
HOSPITAL CAFETERIA, NIGHT SHIFT
The fluorescent lights hummed overhead.
Ben, Jackson, Parker, Simone, and Luca sat scattered around a table with half-eaten sandwiches, each of them still buzzing from the day's events.
Parker was the first to break the silence.
Parker - Alright, I'll say it — Gabriel actually killed it today. And I don't mean the bad kind of killed it.
Jackson leaned back in his chair.
Jackson-Yeah. Guy walks in, two weeks into the rotation, and gets thrown into an emergent craniectomy. And he *doesn't* choke.
Simone stirred her coffee, smirking.
Simone -It's like... the whole vibe changed. AJ actually *trusted* him. I haven't seen her hand something that big over since—
She stopped herself.
Ben nodded, finishing her sentence anyway.
Ben- Since before Lexie and April blew it.
Luca set his tray down, voice low.
Luca - You know, it's weird. We all used to spend more time worrying about not getting chewed out than about the patient. Today... it felt like we were actually a team.
Parker laughed.
Parker - Don't get me wrong, Medusa Brewster is still terrifying. But... maybe terrifying in a good way?
Jackson shrugged.
Jackson - She's the same. We're just... not dragging her down anymore.
Simone smirked.
Simone -Speak for yourself.
---
GABRIEL ENTERS
Gabriel walked into the cafeteria, still in wrinkled scrubs, hair sticking up from his scrub cap. He froze for a second when they all looked at him.
Ben raised his soda in a mock toast.
Ben - Welcome to the team, Ruiz. You earned your seat today.
Gabriel grinned sheepishly.
Gabriel- Thanks. Guess I just... listened.
Parker clapped him on the shoulder.
Parker Yeah. That's the secret. Listen to AJ. And whatever you do — don't pull a Lexie."
They all laughed, but the undertone was clear:
Something had shifted. The fear was still there — but now it was matched by respect.
And in this hospital, that could mean survival.
