February 25 2021
AJ barged into the OR mid-prep, and the sight nearly gave her a stroke.
AJ - WHY is there a gallbladder patient on my neurosurgery table?
she demanded. Jackson turned pale.
Jackson - Uh—because... that's the chart I pulled?
Simone groaned.
Simone - I told you it was the wrong one.
Luca looked horrified.
Luca -We already shaved his head.
AJ's voice could have cut glass.
AJ - Congratulations. You've officially traumatized a man who just came in for gallstones. Do you want me to tell him, or will you volunteer as tribute?
The interns froze. AJ sighed, pinched her temples, and muttered
AJ - I swear, one day I'm going to fake my own death just to get rid of you all.
---
The next night brought a different kind of case—an older veteran with a traumatic brain bleed. His wife stood outside the OR, rosary in hand, whispering prayers.
Hours passed. AJ fought tooth and nail, guiding her interns with sharp commands. At one point, her vision swam, and she leaned against the table, but no one noticed—except Camilla.
Finally, the bleed was controlled. The patient lived.
When AJ came out to give the wife the news, the woman dropped to her knees in gratitude, clutching AJ's hands.
The wife -You saved him
she sobbed.
The wife - God bless you, doctor.
AJ smiled softly, swallowing the lump in her throat. She wasn't religious, but she felt the weight of those words. And the flutter in her stomach reminded her she wasn't just saving lives for strangers—she was fighting to stay strong for her own family, too.
---
Two days later, Gabriel tried to impress AJ by placing a central line... and nearly punctured a lung. Parker fainted at the sight of the needle, crashing into the tray and sending instruments flying.
AJ caught the line herself, finishing the procedure with hands steady as stone. But inside, her body was screaming at her—sharp cramps, fatigue, dizziness.
She snapped at them after
AJ - Do you people even *like* medicine? Because right now, you're making me regret mine!
They looked guilty, scared, but AJ's face softened after a beat. She couldn't be too hard. They were still learning. And truthfully? So was she.
---
Back in her office, Dave brought her dinner, Camilla gave her *that look*, and AJ sat staring at her reflection in the glass.
Her lab coat hid the bump for now, but not for much longer. The interns were disasters, the patients were heartbreaking, and her own body was betraying her little by little.
She whispered to herself, almost like a promise
AJ - Just make it to maternity leave. Hold it together until then.
But deep down, she knew—secrets had a way of slipping out.
