"Is this your first time?" The nurse looks up at Ian, smiling.
"Uhm... Yes, actually.", he stutters. Maybe he shouldn't be doing this. He should be downstairs, in the waiting room, with Anthony's parents, waiting for Anthony's surgery to be over.
The nurse giggle and puts a strap around Ian's right upper arms, tightening it.
"And I believe it's your first time in Seattle?", she asks.
"Yes. I... uhm... I'm here with my boyfriend.", he answers, still unsure of his decision. It was that stupid poster in the waiting room. Two hands holding a drop of blood. That's not what's made Ian get up and go. It has been the text right next to it:
"Don't be afraid. Help innocent people. Be a hero. Be HUMAN."
He wants to be a hero. He wants to be Anthony's hero. But he couldn't sit there and do nothing. And just wait. And wait and wait and wait. Anthony's parents were so kind and friendly. He has learned so many new things about his boyfriend. And with every little piece of information, he felt more and more sick. The stories he has heard from Julia and Andrew Padilla have been amazing.
When Anthony was little he wanted to be a nurse. Then a doctor. Then a vet. But when he realized he didn't have enough time left to take on such long studies, he changed his plans and with that he abandoned all of his dreams. His parents helped him the best they could, took care of him, drove him to his checkups, paid for his meds. But after a while Anthony started refusing their help. He left for college and later for LA. He didn't want to be a burden to his parents. Typical Anthony. Ian shakes his head slightly.
"No? You want me to stop?", the nurse asks surprised, syringe in hand. This brings Ian back to reality.
"What?" He pauses shortly, taking a long look at the girl in front of him. "No, no, sorry. I was... Yeah, just stick it in."
He looks away while the nurse taps his veins on his inner elbow to find a good vein. Then he feels a slight sting.
"Needle is in.", she announces, but Ian is still avoiding that view. He hates the sight of blood. And needles. He hates needles.
"Sir, are you alright? Do you wanna lay down maybe?"
"No, I'm fine. Just...get it over with." Ian shuts his eyes tightly and grits his teeth. He is such a whimp. Anthony is going through so much more. And he is just donating stupid blood.
"Just relax. It's gonna take about 10 minutes. I'll be back."
Ian nods and exhales deeply.
It's been three hours already. The moment the helicopter landed on the roof of the Seattle Grace Hospital, Anthony was taken into surgery. Ian went down to the waiting room. He called Anthony's parents and they arrived half an hour later. They waited together. And that's when Ian started going crazy.
More and more family members arrived. And friends. From different patients. They were crying. Or had a weird blank expression on their faces. He tried to focus on Anthony's parents for a while, but not for long. After having stared at that friggin' poster for two and a half hours, he got up and left. He tried calling Courtney, but he couldn't reach her.
Nobody has come to talk to him or Anthony's parents so far. Seems like they are still operating. It's a fucking heart surgery, of course it's gonna take a while. Ian just wishes that everything goes smoothly, without any complications.
He is nervous. Of course, he is. He is chewing around on the flesh of the inside of his lips until he tastes blood. That's when the nurse comes back, at last, and releases him from the tube going inside his arm.
