Nightingale (Sequel to Solider Boy)

Thirty

Melody's life settled back into it's usual rhythm within her first few weeks home from Wakanda. She was back at West Memorial, running the ER and teaching residents and interns alike and marveling at the many stupid ways people managed to get injured. Her most recent case, two drunk teenagers who'd managed to break both their legs after attempting daredevil jumps over a shallow pond near their house was a prime example of that. Even hours after she'd gotten out of the ER, she was still marveling at how stupid the whole situation was.

"They're kids Mel," Sharon said as she bolstered around the kitchen, banging pots and pans onto the stove as she started to prepare dinner. Sharon had returned from Wakanda last week and they'd resumed their weekly routine of having dinner together. 

"Being young does not excuse that level of idiocy. I was never that stupid when I was seventeen."

"You were almost done with your bachelor's degree when you were seventeen." Sharon reminded her, opening the fridge and grabbing the steaks Melody had purchased the day before. The paper wrappings were soaked with red. "Oh, New York Strip?" Sharon's eyes sparkled. "You spoil me!"

"I get to eat it too remember?" Melody said but she smiled in spite of herself. She liked having the chance to treat her friend once in a while. It was the least she could do. 

Sharon set the steak down on the counter and turned on the burner. A blue-orange flame flared to life and began to heat the cast iron pan. Grabbing a knife from her already assembled array of kitchen tools, she sliced off a  generous measure of butter from the stick and tossed it into the plan where it hissed and melted.

"You know that's bad for you right?"

"It adds taste," Sharon replied even as she tossed in sprigs of rosemary and turned to grab the meat cleaver. 

"It's a heart attack in a pan." Melody had seen way too many cardio patients with poor diets. She couldn't help but point it out to Sharon. 

"That's why I have you," the agent replied without missing a beat. She swung the cleaver down onto a clove of garlic, making the a harsh banging noise against the countertop. "You'll fix me up in no time right?"

"I'm not in cardio, I'm in trauma." She had never once considered cardio for a specialty. It was bad enough to carry John's last name around with her everywhere she went. Carrying his specialty along with it would have made it ten times worse. 

"Then you'll make sure I pick the best damn cardio surgeon there is when the time comes," Sharon said as she grabbed a tongs from the drawer. "Life is too short to eat bland food Mel." She began searing the steaks in the hot pan and for a while, there was no sound between them, save that of cooking food.

When she was done with that, Sharon opened the oven (which she had already preheated) and stuck the pan inside. "There, now we have to wait a bit. Hope you're not too hungry for that?"

"No," Melody shook her head. "Derrick brought me lunch today." True to what they'd discussed the night she returned to New York, they had begun to spend time together once more, both in and out of work but strictly as friends. She wasn't yet ready to even think about trying for anything more. 

Sharon's eyes sparkled. "Oh? So you guys are together again?" 

Melody's stomach twisted. "No, we're just friends.""

Sharon snorted. "One of these days, you're gonna jump his bones in the on-call room." 

"Sharon!" Her face flamed and Sharon merely laughed at the reaction. Melody groaned and put her head in her hands. "That is so unprofessional. This is a real hospital you know-not one in a medical drama!"