My Sunflower || Lance Sweets

Chapter Eight: Turn Around

Sweets grinned at Isabelle when she walked in the next afternoon, fully dressed and sitting in the armchair instead of the bed, his hair still wet from the shower he had had during the AM shift.

"Well look at you, all dressed up and everywhere to go." Isabelle remarked, hands on her hips as she noted the packed bags on the floor around his feet.

"Yeah, I can't believe I'm going home. Well, to Hannah and Booths but I'm leaving!" He exclaimed, leaning back in his chair. He was clearly relived about leaving. Isabelle felt a pang of sadness as she watched him. As his primary, she had come sort of attached to his company and silly jokes. He had a childlike playfulness about him that helped her day get on.

"Well, I'm glad you're better. It's going to be strange not to come in and see you everyday, lemme tell you." Isabelle winced. "That came out weird." Sweets laughed.

"I'm going to miss you too, Isabelle. Thanks for keeping me alive!"
"Just don't try and die again any time soon, you got it?" He shrugged.

"Gave me some excitement, what can I tell ya. I'd do it again in a heart beat." Isabelle raised an eyebrow. "I'm kidding, of course." She rolled her eyes.

"So what are you going to do? Are you going to stay here?" Isabelle shook her head, her stomach doing somersaults at the thought.

"I'll probably go back down to ED. Keeps me busy, you know. I like it there." Sweets nodded.

"Bit of an adrenaline junkie, right? The thrill of not knowing what's coming next, not knowing who is going to be rushed in to see you. What kind of injuries you're going to get." Isabelle had an almost dreamy expression. "And of course, I was the best patient, right?" She laughed.

"Oh, of course. The very best. You even did what you were told!" Sweets shrugged and his face lit up as he looked out the door to see Hannah waddling towards them, her hands pressed to her back and face strained as she moved.

"I thought you were supposed to be on bed rest?" Isabelle and Sweets asked simultaneously. Hannah raised an eyebrow as they started laughing. Isabelle got out of her seat and went to assist the pregnant woman, easing her into the chair.

"Yeah but, I had to be here when Sweets got discharged. It's only right." Out of the corner of her eye, Isabelle saw Sweets frown, his eyes scanning Hannah's strained face. When Hannah went to look at him though, he quickly smiled and nodded.

"Only fair." He joked. Isabelle shook her head.

"Well, the doctor will be here shortly with all your papers so get comfortable." Isabelle suggested just as Booth walked in, shaking his head at Hannah.

"Hi, Isabella. Hannah, I told you to wait for me." Isabelle greeted Booth and walked around him, walking out the door and pulling a face at Sweets who decided it was better for the two to not argue in front of the children. Hannah and Booth both looked at him like he was crazy and Isabelle disappeared into the nurses station, keen to get her discharge notes completed before they left.

It was there that she was handed a letter. A proper letter. In crisp white envelope paper. She raised her eyebrows as the charge nurse shrugged and left her to open it. There were three other nurses in the station so Isabelle slipped it into her deep pocket and slipped off to the staff toilet, wanting to read it in private.