[Fanfic] Code Blue - An Extended Epilogue 13
Title: An Extended Epilogue
Fandom: Code Blue
Pairing: Aizawa x Shiraishi
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me *weeps*
Author's Note: And now we get to the sticky part. But the thing about a hairpin bend is, you know that it's gonna be a straight road after this.
Flight doctors are used to working under extreme pressure. Eventhough the fire department can say a building is safe, it might never be. A falling beam could crush you while you’re tending to an injury or worse - kill. Thus it was imperative that they can enforce calmness and clarity on themselves at all times. The patient can scream all he likes, it’s not a doctor’s job to shut them up - just save them.
But Mihoko had never felt this kind of pressure before. Ironic, since she had gone through more accident wrecks than most people her age would ever see in their lifetimes. She had survived collapsing buildings and falling off train coaches, so running down a hospital hallway should not be dangerous. But it was. The danger was the tug-of-war between her personal ethics and her professional ethics. No matter which side won, she’d still end up scarred. And Mihoko so hated scars.
Making a decision, she forcefully halted the trolley and looked at Haruka. “Take her to the x-ray rooms. I’ll be right there.” With that she broke off, taking another hallway.
“Eh? Where are you going?” Kazuo was getting more and more confused as Haruka turned the trolley around and started for the x-ray rooms. “Why aren’t you guys answering me?”
Haruka slowed down and glared at him. “Dr. Fujikawa!” Haruka fiercely snapped and then held herself in check. “Dr. Shiraishi’s condition is not supposed to be known. We cannot disclose it to you unless she allows it.”
“What, is she dying?”
That brought a twitch to Haruka’s lips. Dying, indeed. “Probably not, but there are many things worse than dying.”
Mihoko made a beeline for Obstetrics and through sheer force of will, forced herself to walk normally and smile at a nurse who was checking a patient’s file. “I’m sorry but can you help me out? I’m kind of in need of assistance.”
The nurse blinked. “Of course, doctor. How can I help you?”
****************
When Megumi came to, she was lying on a bed in the ER unit. Confusion marred her thoughts until the pain in her left arm began to make itself known. “… Urgh.”
“Don’t move it.”
It’s wasn’t the words as much as the voice that jolted her to the core. With a violent jerk she twisted to her right and beheld Kousaku sitting in a chair next to her bed. Her wore casual clothing; a T-shirt under a windbreaker, jeans. But to Megumi, the fact that he was there eclipsed all others.
“Your left shoulder was dislocated when you fell. We snapped it back in place, but it’s going to be very painful for the next few days. Looks like you’ll be taking an earlier leave than you planned.”
She cleared her dry throat and experimentally tried to move her left arm. It protested angrily and she let it go limp. “… I blacked out on the stairs…”
“Overwork plus low blood pressure.”
She forced a laugh but that faded too quickly. Her mind desperately searched for normalcy. “When did you get back from New York?”
“… Early this morning. I’ll be in for work tomorrow morning.”
She cast a glance at the dark sky and then the clock. 11p.m!? “You should go home, it’s so late!” She frowned.
“What aren’t you telling me, Shiraishi?” His words, calm and purposeful cut through her floundering attempts at pretense. “What… do you mean?” Her heart pounded. What did he know?
“Taking a two-week leave so suddenly at this time of year.”
She bit her lip. “I’m… running myself ragged. I thought I needed a break before I accidentally kill someone. Director Tadokoro feels so too.”
He said nothing, just stared at her. Under his disconcerting gaze she felt like a banana being peeled. “I think you should go,” She finally whispered as she averted her eyes.
Kousaku withdrew his gaze and reluctantly stood up. Her refusal to tell him what’s on her mind weighed heavily, and he wondered if he was wrong afterall. Maybe she had really put it behind her.
He wondered if he could live with that.
The air was supercharged with awkwardness and he gave her one last look. Somehow he always preferred this; watching her from the side when she’s not aware.
Perhaps it’s the only way he’ll ever be able to see her.
His exit was carefully watched by Mihoko who hid behind a curtain. Once she was sure he was gone, she slipped into Megumi’s room. “Hey.”
Megumi looked like she was on the verge of tears but held them in check as she greeted Mihoko with a pained smile. “Hey. Sorry to trouble you like this, Hiyama.”
“Damn right.” Hiyama occupied the seat Kousaku had vacated earlier and folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t worry about your baby,” She said softly; “We got a nurse from Obstetrics to help us with the x-ray. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Megumi gladly covered her stomach with a hand. Mihoko observed that pregnant women liked to do that - it must be a psychological reassurance, much like normal physical contact. She wondered if the baby could understand just how much trouble its mother was going through to keep it.
“Aizawa was here,” Megumi hesitantly started. “Did he…?”
“…” Mihoko pursed her lips. “He arrived after we got your x-ray done. Took one look at it and snapped your shoulder back in place, but that’s all.”
She couldn’t quite tell whether it was relief of anguish reflected in Megumi’s eyes. Sucking air in, Mihoko ventured; “… Y’know, if you want to tell him, just - “
“I don’t.” But the words were shaky. Mihoko could feel it. Megumi was wavering. Seeing Kousaku again had shaken her resolve.
It was a chance.
“Fine.” She got up and looked at her watch. “You’re free to go whenever you like, by the way. The bed’s not registered to you.”
“…Thank you, Hiyama.”
Oh, don’t thank me yet. “You can thank me later,” She headed out, smiling mysteriously.
**************
She had gone on leave.
It’s irrational that his mind refuses to register that Shiraishi Megumi Isn’t. There. Every time his PHS rings he expects it to be her, every time the helicopter lands on the pad he stares at it, waiting for the ponytail to fly out.
Of course, it was just him being an idiot.
Something was amiss. He didn’t like her abrupt leave. He didn’t like that she was hiding something. Why should she? Was she embarrassed that she had a boyfriend? Was she feeling guilty that she had slept with him despite having a boyfriend? Was the boyfriend giving her a hard time?
His chest burned. He had never been able to stand seeing her cry. Even back when they were just fellow housemen, the very sight of her brows knitting with pent-up tears left a strong impression on him. Kousaku had never been a man of violence, but seeing her cry made him want to punch something. Preferably the source of her sadness.
You forget that her tears is the source of this mess.
He grudgingly admitted that. Had she not cried that night, he wouldn't have... they wouldn't have...
Would they?
He frowned. He did not deny he liked her. He liked her enough to care about her... more than he ever bothered to care for anyone except his grandmother. Had that night not happened, would he be in knots like this? Was it possible for the two of them to consider a relationship without a complicated situation being the stage?
He kept thinking of that as he walked down the street to the train station. He had never given it thought, but now he wondered if he would still think of her this way if nothing had happened between them.
His thoughts were distracted by something winking out of the corner of his eye. Looking up, he realized he had stopped in front of a bridal shop, and the culprit was a gown studded with crystals that was being twirled around by an ectastic bride-to-be. But while the gown had stopped him in its tracks, it was the wearer who literally took his breath away. With nothing but a shop window separating them, Kousaku took a disbelieving step forward.
It was Megumi.
Fandom: Code Blue
Pairing: Aizawa x Shiraishi
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me *weeps*
Author's Note: And now we get to the sticky part. But the thing about a hairpin bend is, you know that it's gonna be a straight road after this.
Flight doctors are used to working under extreme pressure. Eventhough the fire department can say a building is safe, it might never be. A falling beam could crush you while you’re tending to an injury or worse - kill. Thus it was imperative that they can enforce calmness and clarity on themselves at all times. The patient can scream all he likes, it’s not a doctor’s job to shut them up - just save them.
But Mihoko had never felt this kind of pressure before. Ironic, since she had gone through more accident wrecks than most people her age would ever see in their lifetimes. She had survived collapsing buildings and falling off train coaches, so running down a hospital hallway should not be dangerous. But it was. The danger was the tug-of-war between her personal ethics and her professional ethics. No matter which side won, she’d still end up scarred. And Mihoko so hated scars.
Making a decision, she forcefully halted the trolley and looked at Haruka. “Take her to the x-ray rooms. I’ll be right there.” With that she broke off, taking another hallway.
“Eh? Where are you going?” Kazuo was getting more and more confused as Haruka turned the trolley around and started for the x-ray rooms. “Why aren’t you guys answering me?”
Haruka slowed down and glared at him. “Dr. Fujikawa!” Haruka fiercely snapped and then held herself in check. “Dr. Shiraishi’s condition is not supposed to be known. We cannot disclose it to you unless she allows it.”
“What, is she dying?”
That brought a twitch to Haruka’s lips. Dying, indeed. “Probably not, but there are many things worse than dying.”
Mihoko made a beeline for Obstetrics and through sheer force of will, forced herself to walk normally and smile at a nurse who was checking a patient’s file. “I’m sorry but can you help me out? I’m kind of in need of assistance.”
The nurse blinked. “Of course, doctor. How can I help you?”
****************
When Megumi came to, she was lying on a bed in the ER unit. Confusion marred her thoughts until the pain in her left arm began to make itself known. “… Urgh.”
“Don’t move it.”
It’s wasn’t the words as much as the voice that jolted her to the core. With a violent jerk she twisted to her right and beheld Kousaku sitting in a chair next to her bed. Her wore casual clothing; a T-shirt under a windbreaker, jeans. But to Megumi, the fact that he was there eclipsed all others.
“Your left shoulder was dislocated when you fell. We snapped it back in place, but it’s going to be very painful for the next few days. Looks like you’ll be taking an earlier leave than you planned.”
She cleared her dry throat and experimentally tried to move her left arm. It protested angrily and she let it go limp. “… I blacked out on the stairs…”
“Overwork plus low blood pressure.”
She forced a laugh but that faded too quickly. Her mind desperately searched for normalcy. “When did you get back from New York?”
“… Early this morning. I’ll be in for work tomorrow morning.”
She cast a glance at the dark sky and then the clock. 11p.m!? “You should go home, it’s so late!” She frowned.
“What aren’t you telling me, Shiraishi?” His words, calm and purposeful cut through her floundering attempts at pretense. “What… do you mean?” Her heart pounded. What did he know?
“Taking a two-week leave so suddenly at this time of year.”
She bit her lip. “I’m… running myself ragged. I thought I needed a break before I accidentally kill someone. Director Tadokoro feels so too.”
He said nothing, just stared at her. Under his disconcerting gaze she felt like a banana being peeled. “I think you should go,” She finally whispered as she averted her eyes.
Kousaku withdrew his gaze and reluctantly stood up. Her refusal to tell him what’s on her mind weighed heavily, and he wondered if he was wrong afterall. Maybe she had really put it behind her.
He wondered if he could live with that.
The air was supercharged with awkwardness and he gave her one last look. Somehow he always preferred this; watching her from the side when she’s not aware.
Perhaps it’s the only way he’ll ever be able to see her.
His exit was carefully watched by Mihoko who hid behind a curtain. Once she was sure he was gone, she slipped into Megumi’s room. “Hey.”
Megumi looked like she was on the verge of tears but held them in check as she greeted Mihoko with a pained smile. “Hey. Sorry to trouble you like this, Hiyama.”
“Damn right.” Hiyama occupied the seat Kousaku had vacated earlier and folded her arms across her chest. “Don’t worry about your baby,” She said softly; “We got a nurse from Obstetrics to help us with the x-ray. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
Megumi gladly covered her stomach with a hand. Mihoko observed that pregnant women liked to do that - it must be a psychological reassurance, much like normal physical contact. She wondered if the baby could understand just how much trouble its mother was going through to keep it.
“Aizawa was here,” Megumi hesitantly started. “Did he…?”
“…” Mihoko pursed her lips. “He arrived after we got your x-ray done. Took one look at it and snapped your shoulder back in place, but that’s all.”
She couldn’t quite tell whether it was relief of anguish reflected in Megumi’s eyes. Sucking air in, Mihoko ventured; “… Y’know, if you want to tell him, just - “
“I don’t.” But the words were shaky. Mihoko could feel it. Megumi was wavering. Seeing Kousaku again had shaken her resolve.
It was a chance.
“Fine.” She got up and looked at her watch. “You’re free to go whenever you like, by the way. The bed’s not registered to you.”
“…Thank you, Hiyama.”
Oh, don’t thank me yet. “You can thank me later,” She headed out, smiling mysteriously.
**************
She had gone on leave.
It’s irrational that his mind refuses to register that Shiraishi Megumi Isn’t. There. Every time his PHS rings he expects it to be her, every time the helicopter lands on the pad he stares at it, waiting for the ponytail to fly out.
Of course, it was just him being an idiot.
Something was amiss. He didn’t like her abrupt leave. He didn’t like that she was hiding something. Why should she? Was she embarrassed that she had a boyfriend? Was she feeling guilty that she had slept with him despite having a boyfriend? Was the boyfriend giving her a hard time?
His chest burned. He had never been able to stand seeing her cry. Even back when they were just fellow housemen, the very sight of her brows knitting with pent-up tears left a strong impression on him. Kousaku had never been a man of violence, but seeing her cry made him want to punch something. Preferably the source of her sadness.
You forget that her tears is the source of this mess.
He grudgingly admitted that. Had she not cried that night, he wouldn't have... they wouldn't have...
Would they?
He frowned. He did not deny he liked her. He liked her enough to care about her... more than he ever bothered to care for anyone except his grandmother. Had that night not happened, would he be in knots like this? Was it possible for the two of them to consider a relationship without a complicated situation being the stage?
He kept thinking of that as he walked down the street to the train station. He had never given it thought, but now he wondered if he would still think of her this way if nothing had happened between them.
His thoughts were distracted by something winking out of the corner of his eye. Looking up, he realized he had stopped in front of a bridal shop, and the culprit was a gown studded with crystals that was being twirled around by an ectastic bride-to-be. But while the gown had stopped him in its tracks, it was the wearer who literally took his breath away. With nothing but a shop window separating them, Kousaku took a disbelieving step forward.
It was Megumi.