Emergency Room Romance

The Worst Day

I sat at my desk in the office, forcing myself to continue with the paperwork I’d left mountain up for nearly a week now, constantly telling Cuddy that I was too busy practically to sit down and do it, but now, looking like I did, there was apparently no better time for it. I scrawled my name on the bottom of the document, jumping from my seat when the door was flung open without any warning. “Give me my intensivist back now Lyons.” I might have known it would have been House.

“If you have a problem with Doctor Chase being in the ER then take it up with Cuddy.” I said simply, sitting back down and smoothing my hair to hide the bruising along my jaw.

“I’ve already spoken to her and apparently until you decide that you don’t need him anymore then he’s stuck here!”

“Then you already have your answer and I am busy.” I picked up the pen and moved onto the next document.

“No Lyons. Listen to me very carefully. You are going to give me back Chase and we’re going to go back to how things used to be around here.”

I looked up at House and narrowed my eyes. “So let me get this straight. I’m supposed to make all my patients suffer just because you’re one doctor down on your team? I don’t think so House. You couldn’t bully me when I was an intern so you’re definitely not going to bully me now.”

“I guess I don’t need to. The contusion on your face says someone already beat me to it.” He said with a sneer. I felt my expression waver slightly at the comment but I forced myself to remain firm with the sadistic doctor.

“You’re not getting Chase back.” I said, meeting his eyes.

“Whoever did a number on you didn’t hit you hard enough.” The cold hearted cripple said before storming from the office, slamming the door on his way out.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, shakily letting it out as I leaned back in my seat, trying to pull myself together again before I had a total breakdown. The door opened again and I sat upright and straight, letting out a soft sigh when I noticed it was Chase. He gave me a puzzled look and closed the door quietly behind himself. “Is there a reason why House has just come up to me and told me that you’re lucky it was only a bruise this time?” He asked curiously.

“He saw my face. He wants you back upstairs. I said no.” I explained briefly, pushing my hair from my face.

“Are you okay?” Chase took the seat opposite me.

“I’m good.”

“Still a little shaky?”

“Yeah, but it’s nothing to worry about.” I assured him with a soft smile.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” I felt Chase stare at me long and hard, not quite believing me, so I did the best thing I could think of doing and I changed the subject. “How are things in the ER?” I picked my pen back up again and moved to the next document I had to sign,

“Things are good down there. Quiet enough that the interns are able to handle most of it. Are you sure you’re alright?”

Chase could be so persistent when he wanted to be, it was somewhat annoying.

“Robert, please, I just want to forget about this, alright?”

“I just don’t want you to think that you have to deal with this on your own this time.” He told me sincerely.

“I get that, I just don’t need you to keep checking on me. I’m a big girl.” I explained softly.

Chase was about to open his mouth when there was a knock at the door and Mike walked in, Emily toddling in after him.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, not expecting Mike to visit me at all, least of all with Emily in tow.

“I need to talk to you.” He said, indicating that Chase should leave.

“I’ll be in the ICU checking on the interns if you need me.” Chase said, standing up and making his way to the door.

“What’s the matter?” I asked, feeling worried by the serious look clouding Mike’s usually warm eyes.

“Look Blair, I love you like a sister and I would do anything for you, you know that, but things are starting to change for me and I need to let them changes happen.”

“Just cut the crap and tell me what it is.”

“Mommy hurt.” Emily toddled around to climb up onto my knee and her small hand brushed my bruised cheek.

“Jesus, what happened Blair? Is this why you didn’t come home?” Mike’s face got angry.

“I just had a little accident at work is all. It’s nothing major.” I gestured towards Emily to make Mike drop the matter.

“You can barely look after yourself Blair.” Mike mumbled.

“I can look after myself perfectly fine thank you very much Michael.”

“Well you better get used to it Blair.”

“What?”

“Look, I don’t mind you living with me and I’m always going to be there for you, but me and Lily, we think it’s time we moved in together and it’s not exactly what we dreamed of to have you two with us.”

“So you’re kicking me out?”

“No. I’m moving out too at some point. Me and Lily haven’t found a place yet, but when we do we’re both selling up and getting a place of our own. This is me letting you know that you need to sort some arrangements out.”

I looked down at my desk and then lifted my head nodding.

“Maybe now your priorities will change.”

“Maybe now you’ll understand.” I retorted angrily.

“Excuse me?”

“I could barely afford to survive when I lived with you and we split the rent. Maybe now you’ll actually see that. Leave Mike.” I wrapped my arms around my daughter who was playing with a paperclip.

Mike stood there for a few more seconds before nodding and leaving. I kept Emily on my knee. She could stay with me in the office for the rest of the shift now.

I couldn’t believe this was happening! I think I was officially the unluckiest person in the USA right now. I looked a mess, I felt a mess and I was in a mess. How the hell would I find the time to look for a new home? How would I be able to work with no one to look after Emily for me? How would this ever work out in a good way? I turned and looked down at my daughter who was smiling happily, unaware of what was going on. She wriggled down from my knee and ran to the small box in the corner that held a few toys I kept around for when she did visit or when I had to pop into the office to finish up some paperwork. I pushed my hair back from my face and closed my eyes. I didn’t have any family to turn to and I wasn’t the type of girl to go crying to Doctor Roberts about something like this, despite him being my mentor. That only left one person in my life and that was Chase, but I couldn’t rely on him, not for this. Instead I pulled out a calculator and began to work through what wages I earned on average, the cost of child care and then worked out how much money I would need for bills and food, as well as rent. It wasn’t going to be easy. I’d have to swap some shifts here and it’d be damn near impossible to be on call when I wasn’t at the hospital.

I looked at my darling baby girl in the corner, playing happily. I wanted to give her the best life, as close to perfect as I could get it. I wanted to make up for her father being a monster and I wanted to show her that it was alright, that everything was going to be alright, but how could I do that, when I didn’t believe any of it myself?