Missing Pieces

Bryce

A/N: Please read both Skye chapters before this one!

"Bryce, what are you doing here?" Dr. Burton looked up from his microscope, a concerned look on his face. "Don't you have wedding stuff to do?"

"I..that's why I'm here," Bryce's chest was so tight he was sure he would pass out before he could get the question out. "I just, the guidelines you're writing, with the new screening test, I was just..."

"Do you think I should add back the part about hypoglycemia? I still think it counts as more of a secondary consideration and I don't want to scare people," Dr. Burton frowned and stood up. "Didn't you agree?"

"I do, yes, that's not," Bryce tried to get a deep breath but his lungs wouldn't budge. "It's...I need you to...test me."

"Test you? I thought your exams were over."

"Test me for Ashby-Rhodes, I think I have it."

The room should have been silent but Bryce's ears were ringing. He blinked over and over again, trying to decide if his vision was getting blurry. Dr. Burton just stared at him.

"Bryce, we have tested you," he finally said. "We sequenced your entire genome when you were 3. I'm more than happy to sit down with you and show you everything. You're not even a carrier."

"I know that was true when I was 3, but we have better tests now and I know you haven't seen my brain in 18 years," Bryce knew he sounded crazy. He felt crazy. "But I really think I have it."

"What makes you think that? What symptoms do you have? When did they start?" Dr. Burton grabbed his tablet. "Muscle spasms?"

"No, it's," Bryce gasped for air. "Just...do the test."

"I need you to breathe first. Let's count backwards from 50."

Bryce was able to get to 35 before his chest loosened and he could breathe normally again. Dr. Burton listened to his heart and lungs and felt his lymph nodes but Bryce already knew all of those things would be normal.

"Look, I know this seems like it's coming out of nowhere but I'm sure something is wrong," Bryce met Dr. Burton's eyes. "I know the tests are expensive, but I can't get married until I know..."

"Okay, stand up," Dr. Burton held his arms out. "Arms like this."

"It's not just nerves, you know? I'm the nervous type, I have these little things, like it's not an actual panic attack but I've always had them when I get overwhelmed or too emotional," Bryce did all of the balance tests as Dr. Burton demonstrated. "I would know if I were nervous about the wedding. Or being married, I'm excited to be married."

"I believe you. You have excellent judgement. It's why I want you here for your residency," Dr. Burton asked him to stand on one foot.  "Which is why I need to know what makes you think you have Ashby-Rhodes when all of the clinical data we had before today said otherwise."

"I have...symptoms," Bryce cleared his throat. "And last night, or this morning, I had..."

"A seizure?"

"....a dream. About my dad. Cole, I mean, and I've never even met him but," Bryce could see the expression on Dr. Burton's face change. "I know that sounds crazy, I do, if I were listening to a patient say all of this I would think they were confused. But it was so real. I thought I was awake until he walked into my room. He sat on my bed and picked up the picture of me and Skye and started crying and shaking his head. He didn't say anything but he handed me a wedding present and made me open it. I couldn't quite tell what was in the box but it looked like pill bottles. I feel like he's trying to tell me I have it too."