Mason's Medical

A Hard Day's Night

If you don't like the rules, play the game until you're big enough in the game to change the rules.

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Grace stood on the balcony watching the new interns slowly trickle through the main doors, her large hot chocolate warming her rain-chilled hands.

'I hear the daughter of a certain surgeon is amongst the latest sacrifices,' she said as someone came to stand beside her. 'Oops, I mean interns.'

The Chief chuckled slightly. 'The rumour is already going full steam then?'

'Oh yeah,' Grace said with her own laugh. She reached down to grab the small bag at her feet. 'Your usual swill and a strawberry muffin.'

'You've lived here for how many years?' Richard asked as he accepted the bag and pulled his coffee out. 'And you still don't drink coffee?'

'Since 1994, straight out of med school, so eleven years now.' Grace pulled her own half eaten blueberry muffin from her pocket. 'And it tastes like crap no matter how much sugar you add. I'll stick to my hot chocolate thanks.'

Richard joined her in leaning against the railing, watching the faces, both familiar and new, walk in. 'Burke mentioned last week that he's going to be choosing another one.'

Grace smiled. 'That's always fun to watch.'

'Carmichael in Psyche has a new set of mind games to play.'

'They cry so easily'

'And I hear that the Dermatology people printed up some lovely pictures for the intro pack.'

Grace narrowly avoided snorting into her chocolate. 'Remind me to avoid that floor for a few days, the smell of vomit lingers.'

'And you?' Richard asked. 'What's your game plan this year?'

'Same as always,' she replied with a shrug. 'Videos. I hate people with a weak stomach and why fix what ain't broke?'

'Discussing your torture methods again?'

They both turned to find Miranda Bailey stood nearby.

Grace smiled happily. 'Hello Miranda, how's you?' She handed over a second goody bag containing more coffee, a mocha latte, and another strawberry muffin.

'Thanks, and I'm good, so long as the Chief here hasn't given me any Rosemary's babies.'

Laughing outright Grace turned back towards the entrance. 'I hear one of them took modelling jobs to pay her way through, she'll get a lot of hits about that, the women will think it demeaning and the guys…well.'

Miranda hummed. 'Yeah, but she won't have thousands in debt, so good for her.'

Richard nodded in agreement. 'We'll have to see if she sticks up for herself.'

'Mm, I heard a rumour about you Doctor Mason.'

'Is that right?' Grace turned towards Miranda in interest. 'Please tell.'

'Overheard your second years talking about you, seems they've given you a name.'

Grace grinned happily. 'I've been named?' Miranda nodded. 'I'm so happy, this is the best moment of my career.'

Miranda just laughed. 'Apparently you are now called Nature.'

'Nature?' Grace and Richard said in confusion.

'Mmhm, as in Mother Nature, always ready to smack you down with some pain and blood, right when you least expect it.' Richard and Grace laughed.

'Oh, I love it!' Grace sipped her drink. 'I might make them all watch the videos, you know, really earn the name.'

'What about you Chief?' Miranda said after they were done laughing. 'You gonna do that 'now you are the Doctors' speech?'

'Like Grace said, if it's not broken…'

When the drinks were eventually done, the three of them wandered off to their own domains, thoughts of terror filling their minds.

Grace managed to find Miranda in the canteen at the same time as her. She sat beside the resident and began eating. 'So, I overheard something, that I'm not telling you, purely because it'll piss you off and I don't want you to kill the messenger.' She paused to eat some of her banana. 'However when you eventually have this knowledge for yourself, and you will, we both know there's no secrets here for long, feel free to yell at me for not warning you.'

Miranda looked at her for a long moment. 'Sounds like you'll be owing me some of those muffins you're always making.'

'Oh yeah.'

'I want chocolate ones and strawberry ones.'

Grace nodded.