The Flames of Medicine

7

General POV:

Michael and Ashton walked into the locker room, laughing at some joke Ashton had made. Calum was sat in front of his locker with his head in his hands leaning on his knees.

Calums POV:

"Mate you good?" Michael asked patting Calum's back while he sat next to him opening up his own locker.

"Yeh, just exhausted. This shift went south in a matter of minutes. Was not expecting everything at all."

"Yeah, I get you. The adrenaline has definitely worn off." Ashton said as he took off his scrub shirt.

"Let's just go home and get some rest and sleep until our beds fall apart"

"Calum, you're on to something buddy" Michael laughed as he got up and closed his locker along with Ashton.

I got up and laughed as I grabbed my backpack "I swear though, if you guys wake me up I will hurt you"

"Amen" said Ashton throwing away a banana peel before exiting the locker room.

Lukes POV:

"Okay ma'am you're all done. Make sure to keep that are clean and dry until you come in next week to get your stitches checked."  I said throwing away the bloody gloves and finishing the patient care paperwork.

I walked out and gave the paperwork to the nurse in the nurse station. "Thanks sweetie. You can take your team home after this last patient please" the older nurse said to me with a pleading smile. I smiled and grabbed the paperwork to check what needed to be done.

It was just a quick stitch up so half an hour to an hour tops work. I heard familiar voices walking down the hallway, and confirmed when I saw the guys walking towards me as I grabbed my radio to alert my team to finish their rounds.
"Guys, proceed to finish current rounds. 1 hour maximum, meet back in truck no later than."

My team sounded off acknowledging that they had 1 hour left. I grabbed the paperwork for the 58 year old man that needed stitched on his forearm, and then I was free to go home and eat and sleep. And take some medicine for this damn throat itch.

"You leaving yet Luke?" I turned to see Michael approaching me.

"Uh, in about an hour or so we'll be heading back to the station to debrief then I can go home"

"So we'll see you in what? 3 hours?" Calum asked with furrowed brows.

"Maybe. Most likely 5. When I found Jane Doe she was next to a dead body and she was in a cage. LAPD is asking for statements from everyone there since it's now a homicide case. So I have to deal with that before I can go home."

"Wait, she was in a cage? Was she awake or unconscious?" Ashton asked a bit intuitive.

"Uhh, she was conscious for about a couple seconds before smoke inhalation knocked her out. I put my mask on her until I got the cage open. Whyy?" I asked a little suspicious that Ashton was getting worked up over that piece of information.

"Just — curious is all." He said not too convincingly.

He was up to something.

"Alright —" I extended. I waved the 58 year old mans paperwork "I need to stitch —"

I was interrupted by Ashton.

"Was she acting weird or did she say anything about a parent or anything on why she was on the cage before she lost consciousness?" Ashton said way more concerned and definitely up to something. I was tired and just wanted to go home.

"Ashton, is there something you need to tell me or are concerned about from that fire I need to be made aware about? And yes, she did say something before she lost consciousness" I said strictly and a little annoyed.

This time it was Michael that spoke up. "He's unsure that Jane Doe; who's name is actually Claire, is actually with her biological father right now in the room. She made it through surgery, and I found a man in the hallway, crying hysterically and desperately" he said looking towards Ashton "who is claiming to be or might ACTUALLY be her father. Ashton thinks the man is suspicious and is up to something, arguably nothing bueno"

"Luke what did she say? Is it something important?" Ashton said ignoring Michaels accusations of being paranoid.

I looked towards Calum asking for his input in this whole ordeal.

"I just performed her surgery, checked her into the room and probably interacted with the man for about 4 minutes. Ashton stayed in the room with him more time. I left for another trauma surgery. I have no back up or counter argument for this" he said holding his hands up.

I sighed frustrated. "Ashton, that is a serious allegation."

"I know. I'm aware. But I've also never failed when my intuition makes me question patient encounters. And THAT I have proof of." He said a little annoyed that nobody believed him.

"Okay. Fine. Let's say we have a situation here.—"

"You never said what she said before losing consciousness" Michael interrupted.

"Yeah — because that's confidential and now I'm not even sure of what I'm going to debrief or write in my call sheet statement." I said definitely frustrated rubbing my hand over my face. "I need to go stitch this man up before the guys end up having to wait for me."

They nodded and we hugged. I grabbed the paperwork as they started to walk away. I reached out for Ashton before he could walk further. He looked startled but Calum and Michael didn't notice I pulled him back.
I lowered my voice to the lowest so only he could hear me. "This stays between you and me." He looked up concerned but interested. "If you feel bad about this guy with the girl, Claire, then keep an eye out. Before she lost consciousness she said "don't let him take me please" and she was terrified"
Ash nodded his head deep in thought.
I turned to keep walking but turned back quickly —

"But you didn't hear that from me" I turned and heard him laugh a little as I walked deeper into the hall and into the room with Mr. I-Need-Stitches.