Mason's Medical

No Man's Land

Sometimes I push you away, it's because I need you to pull me closer.
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Grace saw the crowd along the corridor and grinned. 'Alright, alright, who's causing all this noise, this is a hospital you know.' The nurses nearest her made a hole to reveal Liz's smiling face. 'Oh it's just you, well, nothing new about you having a crowd around you. At least this time you're getting to relax while you do it.'

She saw Yang's face fall slightly, clearly she'd been hoping for Grace to make everyone clear out, so she could get on with things. Richard had told her about the intern thinking there would be a surgery on Liz.

Liz just grinned at her. 'You're one to talk. You're always causing a riot with those damn treats of yours.'

Grace looked at Liz with wide eyes. 'Oh is that right, well I guess…' she lifted the small bag she was carrying, 'you won't be wanting these coffee and walnut muffins then.' There were a few chuckles, everyone knew they were Liz's favourite. 'I suppose the Chief would appreciate them…'

'Hey now,' Liz snagged the bag. 'Let's not be too hasty, riots aren't always a bad thing.'

Laughing, Grace just shook her head. 'I was actually on my way to your room, since it's on my way.' Just then her pager beeped. After a quick glance she leaned over to drop a kiss on Liz's forehead. 'I'll come by later, Liz. Take care of her Yang or I'll set Bailey on you.'

Grey nodded to her as she left Liz's room.

'Well, you coming in or what?'

Grace chuckled and walked into the room, perching on the edge of the bed. 'How you doing?'

'Fine, fine,' Liz waved away the concern. 'What do you know about Meredith Grey then?'

'She's with Bailey, along with Yang and three others, they all show promise. 'I don't think Grey is going to go general though.'

Liz looked intrigued. 'You don't? What area then?'

'Perhaps Neuro? She seems to…click with that area of things best.'

'You know anything about her mother?'

Grace pursed her lips slightly. 'She'll probably end up telling you. I'll leave it to her.'

The old nurse nodded. 'You gonna bring me more muffins in the morning?'

Grace laughed and nodded. 'Any kind in particular?'

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'You have got to be kidding me Riley!' Grace said as she looked down at another set of messed up charts before glaring at her intern. 'This is the third time you've done this!'

'I'm really sorry Doctor Mason, I – '

Grace cut her off with a sharp hand movement. 'No, the patient is allergic to eighty percent of pain medications! This fuck up, could have killed her and her baby!' She saw the head nurse nearby. 'Nurse Simpson, for the rest of the week Doctor Riley is the go to girl for anything you want.'

'What?!' Riley said looking between Grace and the nurse.

'Yes Doctor Mason.'

'But you can't – '

'You will also be on probation for a month. You will not touch a single patient file in that time, you will not speak directly to any patients either. After that I may just consider not firing you.'

Grace accepted the new charts being held out to her by the nurse and walked off. It was only the fact that Grace had dealt with this patient before that she'd noticed the mistake this time.

Grace walked into Liz's room with four strawberry and white chocolate muffins.

'What put that look on your face Gracie,' Liz asked as she accepted two muffins.

'An intern fucked up charts for the third time. This time it was with a patient with allergies to just about anything we give for pain relief.'

Liz made a disbelieving sound. 'Damn, you yell at them?'

Grace nodded and spoke past a mouthful of muffin. 'You're damn right I did. She's the nurses butt monkey for a week and on probation.'

'Still putting fear into their hearts then,' Liz said with a slightly breathless laugh.

'Oh, that reminds me!' Grace said with a grin, her anger forgotten. 'I've got a nickname!'

Liz smiled back at her. 'Go on then, what do they call you?'

'Nature.' Grace said happily. 'As in Mother Nature, always ready to smack them down with pain and blood. I love it.'

'It fits you perfectly,' Liz said in agreement. 'Damn, these are good muffins, even better than I remember.'

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Grace stood at the door to Liz's room having followed Burke there. She watched as he stopped Yang from trying to resuscitate Liz. And then listened as the flatline tone was the only sound in the room.

It didn't take long for others to arrive and wait out the allotted time, when the Chief arrived, Grace moved further into the room, leaning on his side slightly. Tyler stood at her other side and put a hand on her shoulder.

Eventually, Burke checked her heart and motioned for the intern to turn off the machine. He looked at Yang. 'You ever called one?'

Yang looked around for a moment before answering. 'No.'

Richard nodded at her. 'Call it, Doctor.'

'Time of death, 11:43,' Yang said as she looked at her watch, then she immediately left the room.

Grace wiped away a few tears. 'Chief, do you mind if I…'

Richard shook his head. 'Go ahead.'

'Tyler, let's tidy her up.'

The others slowly left the room as she and Tyler started taking wires and things off of Liz's body.