Edenbrook Blues

Secrets to carry

"You weren't thinking about leaving without me, were you?" Bryce asked as Ethan, Zaid, Sienna, Elijah, and I were about to leave Edenbrook for our investigation. Lucy, Schroeder, and Sally trailed behind. "I don't know, don't you have a pet sitting job to do?" Elijah smiled, referring to the parade behind him. "Pet sitting can happen anywhere!" Bryce exclaimed as we all squashed into Ethan's car.

I took the front passenger seat and had been sitting there reflecting in silence. Ethan broke me out of my thoughts, "Are you ok? You haven't been yourself ever since the supply closet incident." "What supply closet incident?" Bryce asked. "Did I miss an incident?! Sorry, I was working on a very important surgery with Harper Emery. It's actually classified information!" "Yeah, like that would stop you from telling us." Zaid told him. "Let me guess, you were working on a chimpanzee? If so, we are a hospital not a veterinary clinic." "It's... fine... I'm just overthinking some things at the moment." I replied. "I know when you're fine and you are not fine." Ethan told me. "Tell me, what's wrong?" "Actually, now that you mention it... Something does seem off." Elijah said. "Does it have anything to do with that Walter guy?" "Did he hurt you?" Ethan's eyes widened as he lifted one hand toward my cheek. "It's not me I'm worried about..." I whispered, leaning back into my seat. "What do you mean by that?!" Ethan exclaimed. "Is he after Rachel again because I know that she's in safe hands right now. Harper made sure that someone is looking after her while she's recovering." "Does he have an accomplice that we don't know about?!" Elijah exclaimed. "That guy couldn't escape that barricade even if he tried!" "What if someone accidentally cleared the barricade to get into the supply closet?! People are gonna want to go in there eventually!" I replied. "Any unsuspecting person could let him loose!" "That's why we have Jackie and Aurora guarding it." Elijah told me. "Nobody can get past them."

I thought about what Walter told me about how he could get out by using Aurora to his advantage... Those words playing back in my head all over again...But Aurora is easy to mess with, all I have to do is tell her I'm... What was he gonna say? Was he going to prey on her need to be accomplished on her own merit? Is he going to pretend he's deathly sick? I wish I can go on believing everything will be alright, but the uneasiness of what might happen if he did escape kept creeping up on me. If he did escape, Ethan's life is resting in my hands. I might have to meet with Walter at Donahue's afterall. I just hope we can find the evidence we need before any of that happens. If there's ever a time I would need reassurance it would be now, but I still can't bring myself to tell anyone. Why is it so hard to tell them the truth? Maybe because I'd know Ethan would stop me from going to meet with Walter if he knew about everything Walter told me. Then I knew Walter would have Ethan right where he wanted him. In a trap...

"Christy, everything is going to be ok." Sienna told me. "You have us! We're not going anywhere! Right, guys?!" "If you're going to start singing friendship songs, you can count me out." Zaid replied. "Well, I told Rafael to meet us at Mass Kenmore, so we got more backup on the way!" Elijah exclaimed. "We're like a real life superhero team, guys! Can you believe it?!" "We can be Doctors of Justice!" Sienna exclaimed. "No, this is not happening!" Zaid exclaimed. "You can be Grumpy Dominator." Elijah smiled. The laugh had finally escaped me after hearing Grumpy Dominator. Everyone else except Zaid joined in. "Well, it's good to know that had cheered you up quite a bit." Ethan smiled. "Of course, Sir Drinks A lot." I smiled back. "Sir Drinks A lot!" Ethan exclaimed in surprise. "Ha, you spend more time at Donahue's than your own home!" I exclaimed. "I do not!" Ethan protested. "Oh yeah, you're best friend is a bartender." I teased. "Fine. Guilty as charged, Lady Annoys Her Coworkers." Ethan teased. "I'll take it!" I laughed.

Lucy climbed out of Sienna's arms and hopped to the front onto Ethan's lap. "What the...!" Ethan exclaimed. Lucy curled into a ball and napped. "Aw, Lucy likes you!" I exclaimed. "This cannot be safe!" Ethan exclaimed. "I've got to admire your focus." I smiled. "Yeah, well... being a doctor... you've got to be prepared for distractions." Ethan told me. From the brief moment he looked at me, I knew he considered me a distraction. This time... I knew I was a happy distraction because no matter what obstacles we had to work through, we were going to work through them together. "So, what's my superhero name?" Bryce asked. "Operation Ken Doll." I smirked. "You're never gonna let that Ken doll thing go, are you?" Bryce asked. "Not a chance, I think Nigel was onto something for once." I replied, teasing him. "That patient was the wooorst." Bryce said. "How did you put up with him?" "Well, part of it was making an embarrassment out of myself." I replied. "Oh, the fact that I was punishing you because I enjoyed it?" Ethan asked, "Yeah, you were hysterical. I don't know how you survived." "Fair enough." I smiled. "Well, at least Kyra helped me solve the puzzle even though she didn't know it." "We'll have you working with patients again in no time." Elijah told me. "Do you miss it?" "I miss getting to know my patients and helping them." I replied. "What matters is that they're alive to have conversations with." "That goes both ways." Ethan told me, taking my hand for a moment. "Are you ready to go in?" "Wait! Sienna and I haven't thought up superhero names!" Elijah exclaimed. "I'm sure that can wait, we have important business to attend to." Ethan told him. "It'll only take a second!" Elijah exclaimed. "I'll be Dr. Bookworm and Sienna can be Fierce Cookie." "I'll change yours to Sympathetic Wonder." Ethan told me as we all headed out of the car. "I suppose we can change yours to Mystery Mind." I smiled.