Trouble In Paradise- A Manstead Fanfic (COMPLETE)

Chapter 30- My New Normal

Natalie POV:

"Nat, sweetie, it's time to get up, you said you wanted to go to work today." I hear Will say as I'm pulled away from my slumber.

"Yeah, I know, give me a sec..." I say before I slowly drag myself out of bed.

It's been a month since I got discharged from the hospital. Nothing has changed. No growth and no improvement. Which I guess could be seen as a blessing. But what it really means is that I'm stuck with this Cancer.

Will has been saying every day how this is good. Which, I guess it is, for him. He's not the one who has to deal with the cancer. He doesn't have to worry about the pain. The chemo. The stares I get for being bald. The sympathetic looks I get when people realize why I'm bald. The people saying "I'm praying for you." Not being able to work, or enjoy life. The constant fear of dying from this cancer.

I've realized that as doctors we try and sugar-coat the pain cancer brings. We never discuss the reality the patient will most definitely face. The constant hospital visits, the bruising on the I.V. site from constantly having new ones put in, the stares, the pain, and the uncertainty.

Each day brings new challenges. And with flu season coming to an end, today is going back to work. The questions as to why I'm bald. The check-in with Dr. Hansen to make sure I'm okay. The constant breaks. And finally figuring out a plan with both Sharon, and Dr. Hansen on my future working.

I've missed so many days, and at this rate I'll never finish my residency. I'll never be able to actually become the pediatrician I dreamed of being. I'll never be able to teach a new batch of residents.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Natalie! You're back!" Maggie shouts as I walk into the ED.

"Yep! Let me just put my bag down, okay?"

"Of course! I'm really glad you're back!"

"Me too!" I shout behind my back as I walk into the doctor's lounge.

When I walk back out Maggie engulfs me in a large hug nearly knocking my beanie off. I laugh as I readjust it trying to cover up the random patches of hair I've grown back. We chat for a few more minutes before she hands me a patient's chart.

I walk into treatment 4 and see a little girl, sitting on the exam table with no one else in the room.

"Hi sweetie, I'm Dr. Manning. Where's your mommy?" I ask.

"She died last year." She says looking at her hands in her lap.

"Oh honey I'm so so sorry. Then, is your Daddy around?"

"No. He left when I was born, according to my mommy. He's in prison now."

This little girl has been through so much more than I could even imagine. Both her parents were gone, and now she was in the ER.

"I am so so so so sorry, I can't even imagine. It says here your name is Zoe, right?"

"Yeah! And I'm five and a half!"

"Wow! You're getting old now, huh?"

"Yeah! Well my friends at the orphanage are older. They're already six!"

"Wowie, well you only have half of a year to go till your six! Now, why are you here, we're usually not a place big girls like to visit."

"My social worker noticed that I have bruises all over and I fainted today. And I just have been feeling yicky lately."

"Aw that's no fun, where is your social worker by the way?"

"She dropped me off. Said she needed to make sure a boy got to his new family. She did tell me to tell you that she con— con— cons— ent to anything?"

"Oh okay, well that's good to know. All she meant was that I can run any tests to figure out why you're feeling so sick. Alrighty?"

"Okay... what first?" She asks, looking interested.

"Well, first I'm just going to check your breathing, if that's okay." I say knowing kids with a rough past may be sensitive to strangers touching them.

"Yeah that's fine. Will it hurt?"

"Nope! I'm just gonna put this over your heart. It may be a little cold..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Alright Zoe, I'm gonna go run these tests and I'll be right back!" I say after I've run all the tests I can think off.

"Okay! Can I watch tv?"

"Of course! Here's the remote, need help?"

"Nah, I'm good! I'm gonna watch Doc McStuffins!"

"Great choice!" I say before leaving her room.

"Hey Nat, how's it going?" Will asks.

"I'm fine, I'm just worried about Zoe. She's all alone and her symptoms aren't looking good..."

"It'll be okay, I promise. You'll figure out why she's sick and give her her meds. Right?"

"Yeah, but Will her mom died and her father is in prison. Her social worker just dropped her off here!"

"Okay, hey, calm down. I'll figure out what we can do, Alright?"

"Okay." I say before I give him a quick kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Oh my god." I say when I see Zoe's results.

"What is it Nat?" Will asks.

"Look..." I say as I hand him the results.

"Oh my god..."

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

AN: I updated again? I'm just as shocked as you are! I got an idea and I couldn't stop writing, and that's why this is a pretty long update 😂. I hope you guys enjoyed!