God Only Knows

Ch. 3

Amelia POV

I had just come out of a 15 hour surgery that removed a very intricately wrapped tumor from a 29 year old kid's spine. This kid has been through hell.

12 rounds of chemo, 5 rounds of radiation all in between 3 tours in Iraq. Surgery was our last option in order to see if he could keep in active duty. Nothing was working anymore, I can only hope I got it all.

"Shepherd" Richard stops me in mid scrub "good work."

"Thanks chief" I scrub until my hands are raw and red. A small reminder of the life I took in my hands and worked the magic I had learnt in the years of schooling. Walking from the O.R. I am in a euphoric state, buzzing from the soles of my feet to the tip of my head. The vibrating hum of my pager pulls me out enough to answer. "Dr. Amelia Shepherd speaking."

My snarky older brother's voice comes over the other end of my phone and immediately he starts rambling in a way that would lead me to believe he wasn't or hasn't been in a good situation since being in D.C.

I run my fingers through my knotted, sweaty hair and breathe out. My heart skips beats, fluttering as it suddenly feels like someone dropped a ton of bricks on my chest. The room is spinning, splotches of light filling my vision and I feel like I'm going to pass out."You okay Amy?" Addison asks, coming from behind and sliding down against the wall next to me, her arm around my shoulder protectively. "Yeah I'm good, Derek just called. Plane delayed due to weather."

I stuff my phone into one of the many pockets in my scrubs and go to check on my patient. Nick Adamson is a 29 year old Iraq veteran who greets me with the same cheeky, shit-eating grin each time he comes in.

"Did ya get it all Shep?" He asks, eagerly as I continue my post-op Neuro check. I chuckle, Nick is the only one besides Derek to call me Shep. "As far as we can tell I did." He beams, excitement showing on his face. "So that means I can go back to my boys?"

I sigh, not sure how to say this kindly. "Technically you could after a period of recovery, rest, and Physical Therapy, but with the state of your body after the chemo, and this surgery I wouldn't advise it. Going back puts you at a greater risk for complications and I wouldnt be able to keep as close of tabs as I would like."

"But doc-" Arielle, Nick's wife interrupts him choking back tears. "Nick I love you, and I love you love your men back in Iraq, but I need you. Here. We need you, here." She picks up Nick's hand and places it on her stomach.

"I'll let you two talk it over. I will be back in a few hours." I exit his room, run to the locker room, change out of my scrubs, and clock out. 5:47. Good thing it is only at the Café. I think, walking to the nearby café and searching the room for an empty seat to clear my head.

A group of women pass by, a young woman with shoulder length dark brown hair bumps into me and drops her wallet. Spilling it's contents onto the cafê floor. She looks up to catch herself and apologize to me, and to clean up her mess something clicks in my head and I grab for my card, dropping it in with the rest of her things before gathering it up and giving it to her. "Oh my god I'm so sorry!"

The girl is terrified, shaking so hard she can barely hold the coffee cup in her hand still. "Its okay. I'm fine really-"

"-Amelia?" I hold my hand out, the girl timidly shakes my hand "Ryleigh." My heart flutters, and something inside me hurts. I grab her hands gently and help her up, smoothing the thick chocolate waves from her face. "It's fine babe."
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Nancie POV.

Ryleigh walks briskly away from the woman I came to know as Amelia and searches the cafe for Emilie and I.

"Hey, sorry I almost ran someone over and I dropped my wallet so that was fun." Ryleigh says sarcastically. I chuckle, patting the seat beside me and pull her into a bear hug. "I promise. It is totally fine." I reassure, pulling her into a hug. "I love you babygirl, so so so much"