Away From The Rain. [ON HOLD]

CHAPTER TWO.

When you ask surgeons why they became surgeons, most of them will probably tell you the same thing: for the high, the rush, the adrenaline that comes from cutting someone open and saving their life. For me, it was different. Maybe because I grew up in seventeen different foster families... No, it was definitely because I grew up in seventeen different foster families and never had time or a place for myself. It was the silent that attracted me to surgery. The operating room is a quiet place. It has to be in order for us to stay alert, anticipate complications and be fully concentrated. When you stand in the OR, your patient open on the table, all the world's noise, all the worry that it brings, disappears. A calm settles over you, time passing without thought, for that moment, you feel completely at peace doing your thing.

2.03 AM.

I just have to say this. I basically spend the past hour sitting on the floor of the dead silent OR thinking, trying to clear my mind. As surgeons we're trained to be observant, to chase down the problem, to ask all the right questions, to find the root cause until we know exactly what it is and we confront it. It takes an extreme amount of caution or we can't overstep ourselves. But sometimes we create problems that don't exist and that seems to be my biggest struggle. I spend hours worrying about non-existing things or old memories I'm not even sure really happened. For weeks I've been struggling with flashbacks of my childhood. Some of you might think, "well childhood is a wonderful thing." But that's not my case, mine was terrible. I got taken away everything I loved and left behind with nothing.

 2.38 AM.

 The door of the OR opened, catapulting me out of my thoughts.

     "Noah?" A whisper.

     "What?" I groaned.

     "We have been looking for you."

     "Well you found me. What do you want?"

    "Well excuse me Dr. Grumpy. Someone has been trying to reach you and you don't seem to know how a cell phone works." Jordan answered in defense.

    "I'll be there in a minute." I ignored her comment and covered my face with my hands, rubbing my eyes.

     "Is everything alright?" She was now standing in front of me. I could tell.

    "Yeah I just-" I stopped mid sentence. "I'll be there in a minute." She didn't say anything else and exited the room.

I stood up and walked past the door and crossed the hallway till I reached the locker room where I looked for my cell phone. Seven missed calls from Spencer. Women, always so desperate.

I changed clothes, packed my back and got my car keys out.

I owned a old 1965 Ford truck, it was not the best car but it worked, so there was that.

3.15 AM.

I walked out the hospital without any word and placed my back inside the truck. I took seat behind the wheel and turned the car on. The headlights flashed on and pointed directly at a curvy creature sitting on the bench in front of me. Jordan Grace.

I sat there for about a minute or two I wanted to just drive away, but my concience told me otherwise, so I got out of the car and stood in front of her.

     "You alright Princess?" I asked her.

     "I'm okay Dr. Parker. You should go home, It's late."

     "Well it's not like I'm going to let you out here. Do you want me to take you home?" I asked a little awkward.

     "No, I'm fine. Just go." Jordan insisted.

     "Are you still mad because I didn't let you be part of the Surgery?" I sat down next to her.

     "Kinda." Short answers in women language, equals pissed.

     "You will have other surgeries to attend. It's not like-"

     "Can you just leave me alone Noah. I need time for myself here. I'm trying to relax a little because I have still two hours of work left and I-"

     "Okay Okay. I get it... Princess." I got up and walked towards my car. "Goodnight. And Dr. Grace, go home. There is enough team in there one less or one more won't make a difference." I drove to my apartment.

3.27 AM.

Home sweet home. I placed the keys on the table next to the door and walked to the kitchen to crave something. But my Fridge. Empty. Nothing. Nada. How I hated that. I would not eat that dry, wrinkled carrot. A glass of water would be the only thing I would consume tonight.

Sleep. Finally. What a wonderful feeling. After almost 21 hours of work this was heaven.

I fell asleep almost instantly. Without thoughts invading my mind. Without memories. Just peace.

I opened my eyes and rubbed my face to wake up properly. Then my view fell on the alarm clock next to my bed, in an hour I had to be in the hospital. I took a deep breath, curled over the empty bed and got up to take a quick shower.

A coffee to go would be bought in the coffee shop underneath my apartment.

I walked into the hospital with my coffee in one hand and my headphones on.

     "Good morning Noah."

     "Good Morning Katie. Where do I go?"

   "Room 018. Seven-year-old boy with heart problems. Had an asthma attack in the early morning. He's feeling better now, but you should check on him. And he's also on the transplant list, he's waiting for a new heart." Katie told me with a small smile and then picked up the phone.

     "Thanks Katie." I whispered and went to the locker room to change. I took of my shirt so I could put on a new one. I placed my things in my locker and was about to walk out when I noticed Jordan sitting on a bank on the other side of the room. "Jordan, didn't you go home?"

     "Nah." She said casually looking up to me. Dark circles under her eyes; she could be part of a Raccoon family. Her hair in a messy bun a her makeup... well she didn't look that good.

     "You look terrible."

     "Thanks Dr. Parker. That's what I needed to hear." She closed her eyes and leaned back on her locker.

     "Here, take this coffee Princess." I offered her mine. It was already half empty but she needed it more. She took it without second thought. A whistle escaped my mouth. "Damn look at that watch. How much was it? 3k?"

She hid her wrist under her long sleeved coat.

     "It was a gift."

     "Boyfriend?"

     "No." She snapped.

     "Alright, don't get defensive Princess. Just, go home and get some sleep. I got to take care of a little guy."

     "Can I come?"

     "No, you should go. Take a shower and sleep. You need the rest."

     "I don't need to-"

     "Go!" I insisted. I could not use any moody human being next to me while I was working. I turned around and walked out.

     "They always look so sad when you kick them out." I turned to my left to see Finn walking next to me.

     "Whatever Dr. Lawley. It's not like you never kick them out when they are moody or annoying." I half smiled at him.

     "Just saying. Some day you got to let them do something." He said while checking the tablet in his hands.

     "Yeah, I know... but not today." I disappeared behind the door of room 018.

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