Right Here

Part 1: Two Years

The last two years have been crazy.

First, let me start by saying that I never thought I'd still be at the Dam. I had lost faith in it after my demotion, but I believe I found a reason to stay: which I'm glad I did.

To stand beside the man who has single handedly changed the way our hospital is run: is a new mark in history that makes my soul beam with pride. Max Goodwin truly is a visionary and probably the best man I have ever had the chance of meeting. True, he struggled for quite some time- between his cancer and Georgia's passing and just trying to be a great father while running a hospital: that man is a true wonder of the world and has the respect from every single person who works with him.

I know it hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows though. I'm not totally oblivious to how that man thinks and operates. Hell, I've only been studying his mannerisms for the last two years. It's not hard to figure out when something is bothering him. Just like it is painfully obvious that he feels...how you say intimately challenged as of late. I've taken notice to his lingering eyes and his sub partial flirts: not to me though. He and I have a different kind of relationship: that's for sure. Max only- and will only ever- see me as a dear friend if not just another colleague. I can't deny my afflictions for him though. The way he says some things makes my heart flutter with butterflies. The way he glances at makes my knees weak. And let's not forget the occasional physical contact he makes: sending shivers up my spine and my heart in my throat.

Yet, that man, will not know the effect he has on me: lest other women. Take for example, the other day he ever so subtly complimented my head nurse Eliana and now she believes he's madly in love with her. Granted, his compliment was sort of on the unorthodox side of things. Regardless, the meek will always fall to the powerful.

Grabbing my bag and coat, I get ready to head out when I find Max at my door with Luna.

"Hi...I would've figured you had gone home already." He states and smiles softly at me.

"Oh, well I was just finishing up some final paperwork on a new patient. What about you? You don't usually stick around this late."

"I had some paperwork of my own to get finished. I heard that Castro's trial had hit a bump in the road." Valentina Castro has had ownership of my department for the last year and a half. It's repulsive- yet the only reason she is even here and not at NIH, is because I gave her half my department so she would keep treating Max's cancer with her Percision targeted therapy. Blackmail. Of course I didn't hesitate in the slightest to answer her demands. Look at me now, underneath her rule like a pebble next to a mountain: meaningless and unnecessary.

"Well, she loves letting ambition get the best of her." Heading towards the door, I look at Luna, who is fast asleep in her buggy. That cute little 2 year old has my heart more than anyone else in the world. She's so beautiful and has that light blonde hair like Georgia and her father's smile and eyes; although Max would disagree and say she is fully Georgia. I don't argue: he's finally done grieving and has had no depressive episodes in over a year. "My poor munchkin seems so worn out."

"She went hard today. Carol said she was running all over the place. Almost eloped from the nursery a few times." She is quite fast. Never take your eyes off of a toddler. They can manage to find trouble in a matter of seconds.

"Well, maybe she just missed you. Wanted some Daddy time." What kind of hurts and irritates me, is that Max has not once allowed me to watch Luna or even really just hang out with her. Then again, he doesn't require a babysitter for her. You would at least think that he would allow me to hold her once in a while: if ever

"Haha, maybe. She's such a stinker." We make our way to the elevators and Max presses the button. "It doesn't even feel like 10:00. I feel like the day disappeared."