"Doctor Stiles, we have to hurry!" the nurse said.
Doctor Derek Stiles had become world famous, after his defeat of the deadly disease GUILT (Gangliated Utrophin Immuno Latency Toxin), created by the Delphi organization. His "Healing Touch" had made him sought after by numerous reputable hospitals, but he chose to remain at Caduceus, where he recently defeated Neo-GUILT, created by Hands of Asclepius and Acropolis Pharmaceuticals.
"Angie, all I have to do is suture the incision," Derek responded.
Angie Thompson has possessed an International Nursing License, since the age of twenty-one, had been Derek's assistant throughout his struggle to defeat GUILT, and Neo-GUILT. She is the daughter of Doctor Kevin Blackwell, once a world-renowned immunologist, who worked with Delphi, in the creation of GUILT, to protect his daughter from being used as an incubator for a strain of the disease. After his arrest however, he vowed to help Caduceus defeat the disease.
"Operation complete Doctor," Angie stated, once Derek had bandaged the sutured incision.
"That was our final operation Angie, correct?" Derek asked.
"Yes, Doctor Stiles," Angie confirmed smiling.
Derek pushed up his glasses, and silently walked out of the operating room. Angie cleaned up the remaining tools and then followed.
"Hey Derek, come here for a moment!" Doctor Chase called.
"What's up Tyler?" Derek responded.
Tyler Chase was also a member of Caduceus, and was no stranger to GUILT. His sister Amy was infected with the Deftera strain, before Doctor Stiles operated and cured her. With that Tyler agreed to give up his euthanasia practices, and commit to the doctor he had wanted to become while in Medical school with Derek.
"Did you hear what happened to the camp in Costigar, where Doctor Tulba is?"
"No. Tyler please tell me that he did not die."
Tyler smiled, chuckled, and put his hand on Derek's shoulder.
"You always assume the worst, don't you, Derek?"
Derek looked at Tyler un-amused.
"I was just messing with you Derek. It isn't bad I promise. Actually it is really a good... Oh hi Angie!" Tyler said, greeting Angie as she walked by.
"Good afternoon Doctor Chase," she replied.
"You are going to want to hear about Doctor Tulba too, right Angie?" he asked her.
"What happened with him?" she asked, her face looking grim.
"Why is it that you two are always assuming that the worst possible thing has happened?" Tyler asked. "Don't you think that if that was the case, it would be either Sidney or Director Hoffman breaking the news, instead of me?"
"Never thought about that Tyler," Derek replied scratching his chin.
"That would explain quite a bit then Derek. But what happened to Doctor Tulba is actually quite good in fact it is wonderful. Do you two remember Sylvia Warenburg from the camp?"
"Oh, Sylvia! I haven't spoken to her in ages. Is everything all right with her?" Angie replied.
"I'll take that as a yes. Well she is now Sylvia Tulba, and is expecting Adel's baby. It is due in a couple of months I do believe. They are coming over here in about a week because they want to get and complete the paper work to make their child be a citizen of both America and Costigar."
"Oh that is fabulous! I cannot believe that Sylvia is going to have a baby! This is so exciting! I love babies!" Angie squealed.
Derek smiled and put his hand on Angie's shoulder to get her attention. This caused Angie's heart to skip a beat, and then flutter.
"Angie, you might want to be a bit quieter. We are still in the hospital. We don't want to disturb any of our patients. Okay?" he told her still smiling at her reaction.
"Y-yes doctor," she replied.
Tyler shook his head at the two of them, secretly wishing that they would just get together, get married, and have kids. It was obvious to everyone but the two of them that they loved each other.
"I'm out of here guys. I have to find Leslie before we have to begin our series of operations, I want to talk to her before the Pre Op. See you too later," Tyler said as he walked off towards the operating rooms.
"We should probably go and find Director Hoffman, Angie. Then we can go and get something to eat, my treat. Sound okay?" Derek asked.
"Of course, Doctor Stiles," Angie promptly replied.
"Angie, call me Derek at least when we are not in the operating room. We've worked together for nearly six years, you have definitely earned the right to do so. In fact, I would prefer it," Derek said, as they were walking towards Director Hoffman's office.
"Oh, okay Doct- I mean, Derek," Angie replied as she knocked on the office door.
"Derek, Angie? If that is you two, please come in there are a few things you need to know," the man inside the office said.
Derek opened the door and motioned for Angie to go ahead of him. Once she was inside, he followed, and closed the door as he entered.
"Good afternoon, Derek, Angie. I have several matters to discuss with you. First, have the two of you been informed of Doctor Tulba's recent engagement?"
"Yes Director. Tyler just told us," Derek responded.
"Okay then that is one matter out of the way. The second matter concerns Professor Blackwell,"
"My father?" Angie questioned.
"Yes Angie. Professor Blackwell has been researching the Post-GUILT Syndrome. PGS is still affecting those whom were once affected with GUILT. They have even had issues with it occurring after being operated on once. Victor and Blackwell have developed a medicine that should work to eradicate this once and for all. Which brings me to my next matter of business. I have scheduled an operation for you tonight around nine. With a PGS victim, I believe you know her, Linda Reid," the Director said.
"Oh Linda! Of course how could I forget her? She was my first ever GUILT victim. That was not long after I discovered that I possessed the Healing Touch," Derek responded.
"Well, as you are aware, Linda was infected with the Kyriaki strain. She was operated on twice for that, and three years ago she came back with PGS, and tumors in her right lung. Well today she is returning. This time she has more tumors in her lung, and she is also suffering from PGS. She has volunteered to become the test subject for the serum that was recently created. Victor will be in the operating room during the procedure to assist you and ensure that the serum is properly administered,"
"Okay Director," Angie responded.
"Our next order of business calls for a visit to Hope Hospital. So considering your history there, I am going to send you and Angie there Derek. For two reasons," Director Hoffman said.
Derek had started his career at Hope Hospital, and had returned there a few years later because of a bout of depression that was affecting his work.
"The first reason that I need you two to be ready to go by this time tomorrow, though I know that it is short notice, but at least it is just on the other side of town; is because Greg and Cybil are both being affected by PGS, and they need to be operated on as soon as possible. Secondly, I have to send you there because if the two lead doctors are recovering from surgery, we need to have someone in charge of the hospital. I believe that you two are the most qualified here at Caduceus. Also Angie, you will have to assist Cybil with Kari, while her and Greg are recovering. Is this all right with the two of you?"
"Of course Director. If you are done, may we excuse ourselves to grab some dinner before we operate on Linda?" Derek responded.
"Whatever you want Doctor Stiles. I shall talk to you later, concerning issues about the transfer of our two best employee," Director Hoffman replied.
Angie and Derek walked out of the office and quietly closed the door behind them. They walked back to the office that they shared in silence. A word was not spoken until they had left the office, and were out the front door of Caduceus.
"Derek, are you ready to go back to Hope Hospital?" Angie asked, her voice sounded like she was disappointed about something.
"Angie. Don't be jealous. I could never replace you. I know that you are thinking that I will ask Director Hoffman to transfer Heather instead of you, but let me assure you that I could never do that. Heather is a nice girl, and she knows how to do everything properly in the operating room, but she isn't you. And I like having you with me, Angie. For some reason, with you by my side, I feel... I feel more confident. Perhaps it is merely because of everything that we have been through together in the last, what is it now five years?" Derek said, smiling as he recalled all the good times that they had.
"It's actually been six years Derek. And I have never really thought about it before but we have been through so much together. I was there when you first discovered your 'Healing Touch'. Your first operation on GUILT. Transferring to Caduceus. Defeating all the GUILT. Infiltrating the Delphi secret base, saving all the children they were using as incubators for GUILT. I was there when you finally eradicated the final form of GUILT; that was the moment I knew that..." Angie's face went red as she stopped talking; terrified of what she almost revealed.
"Angie, it was the moment that you knew what?" Derek asked, curious as to what it was that he was missing.
Angie shook her head, embarrassed, and not actually wanting to tell him, for she feared that that revelation would cause Doctor Stiles to request a new assistant. and she would lose him. To her that was just torture when she had to let him go when he transferred temporarily to Hope Hospital; during a bout of depression, following the tragic loss of a very special patient. She figured that if that was so difficult to deal with, she would be unable to handle him being gone forever.
Derek still wondered what it was that Angie was going to tell him. He sat silently as she talked about random things. He had his hand in his right pocket, fingering a ring that he had bought weeks before, and constantly carried with him. He had been hoping that he could find the courage to propose to Angie, but he was terrified of that if she knew how he felt about her, she would request a transfer to some place far from Caduceus. Derek knew that there was no way that he could continue to operate without her.
"We had better start heading back to Caduceus Derek. Our pre-op should be starting in about an hour, so we have to ensure that we allow plenty of time," Angie stated, after checking the watch on Derek's wrist.
Derek sighed, but did not even bother to argue, as he knew that Angie would end up winning that battle. Derek took Angie's arm and guided her out of the restaurant that they were eating in. Since Caduceus was close enough the Nurse-Doctor team had silently decided that walking would be better than driving.
Nervous yet determined, Derek took Angie's hand in his own, and kissed it. Angie turned bright red, but enjoyed Derek's sudden display of affection. Upon arrival, Derek closed the door to the office that he and Angie had shared for years.
"Angie, I need to talk to you about something before we begin the Pre Op," Derek nervously said, rubbing the back of his head.
"What is it Derek?" Angie asked, plopping on the couch that Derek often slept on while on late shifts.
"Angie, I don't really know how to say this but I..." Derek began.