Making Hearts

Chapter 1

Alfred had been a patient at Sego Lily Memorial Hospital for what felt like forever. He remembered his first visit like it was yesterday, even though it was a good ten years.

He had finally made the football team that his city put together. It took him longer than he liked because he just couldn't keep up with the other kids. But he made it. And it wasn't out of pity. That year he had worked his butt off and finally made it. At their first game, his coach put him in as quarterback. Everyone was there. His parents, grandparents from both sides, not to mention the majority of the neighbourhood, but most important of all was Jenny. Alfred had the biggest crush on her and he was out to impress.

He had gotten the ball in his hands and made a beeline for the end zone. He pumped his legs as hard as he could. He knew Jenny was watching, so he didn't look back, that would make it too obvious. He dodged and spun out of the way, years of practice finally being put to use.

Just as he was about to reach the painted grass and score his first touchdown ever, his heart broke. Not as in shattered, it just stopped. It was only for a moment, but what a long moment it was. Alfred didn't remember what happened as his heart broke, but he did remember waking up in the ambulance with a mask over his mouth and his chest felt like the entire other team was sitting on it. Not to mention the killer headache. He had closed his eyes at the time, figuring he had been pelted and knocked unconscious for a few.

However, at the hospital, they had a different reason. "Congestive heart failure." Alfred had stared blankly while his parents clung to each other, tears in their eyes. The doctor explained that Alfreds heart did not pump blood as well as it should. Explaining his weakened state when it came to sports, and his passing out when he ran so hard.

Alfred, always looking for a bright side had thrown his hands in the air. "Can't you guys just fix it?"

"I'm afraid that it can only be treated, not healed. An LVAD machine would keep you here. Best we can do is get you stable and watch you closely. We'll put your name on the transplant list, but that could take years."

Another doctor spoke. "We can release you, but you must take it easy. Don't do anything that requires heavy physical activity."

His parents promised that Alfred would stay inside, away from football and any other sport.

But Alfred wasn't one to listen. So, here he was in his hospital pajamas being wheeled to his new room. It's new because he is now old enough to leave pediatrics. He would miss the bubbly nurses and the colorful walls, but going to the grown-up rooms is what happens when you're twenty-two and try to run just a little harder on the treadmill. At least he had gotten a nice nurse this time.

"You should take me back to the pediatric room. I fit in much better there." Alfred grinned at the nurse from his wheelchair.

"You may act like a child, but their equipment is much too small for you." The nurse patted Alfred's shoulder. "And you'll meet some new people. I know how you love giving them a hard time."

Alfred laughed. "It's always fun watching them freakout. Especially when I tell them how to do their job."

"Just be nice to the interns." The nurse helped him into the boring bed with gray blankets. She rearranged his wires that attatched to his heart monitor. "Rounds are in a few. Make sure to impress."

"Don't I always?" Alfred waved as the nurse left. He settled back into his pillows and took in his surroundings. He figured he would be here a few days. Enough time for them to run their tests and tell him what he already knows and remind him to take it easy, then allow him the honor of telling him they have yet to locate a new heart for him. Same old same old.

"Morning, Alfred!"

Alfred turned and quickly patted his golden hair. "Don't look, Francis! I'm not ready!"

Francis is Alfred's heart surgeon. He had prefromed every procedure Alfred had since he was twelve.

The blond doctor chuckled and went to stand by Alfred's side. "You know your hair never obeys so why do you bother?"

"I just want to look good for all these new people!" Alfred spread his hands to the interns that had followed Francis like a mother duck. Alfred scanned them over. They were old interns, almost to their residency. He had learned to tell the difference, it was in their eyes.

Another chuckle from Francis. "Well-"

"Oh, wait. Can I say it? Please?" Alfred said.

"You're twenty-two, isn't begging a little below you?" Francis teased. Alfred just grinned and Francis waved at Alfred to continue.

The patient faced the confused interns. "Who is presenting?"

The baby surgeons all glanced at each other before a blond began to speak. He had wonderfully bright hair compared to the drab walls, along with beautiful green eyes, he also had a British accent.

"Alfred Jones, admitted this morning with Congestive Heart Failure. Is on the transplant list and refuses LVAD." The blond said, without once looking at Alfred's chart.

"Very good, Kirkland. What are the courses of treatment?" Francis said.

"Medications include an ACE inhibitor to
relaxe the blood vessels, an antihypertensive drug which lowers blood pressure. We can also use a vasodilator to help widen blood vessels. Or simple heart medication to help reduce chest pain or pressure caused by blockages in the arteries of the heart." Kirkland rambled off.

Alfred nodded. No one had ever named so many medication options at once. Usually one intern would state one then another would pipe up with another. It was impressive. "What if none of those work?"

"Then surgery or if it is serious enough, you would be bumped to the top of the transplant list." The intern said smoothly, his eyes locked on Alfred.

"What if the hart doesn't come in time?" Alfred countered.

Kirkland raised an eyebrow and Alfred suddenly noticed how large they were. It was actually kind of adorable. "Did the heart fail to reach you before or after you were put under for the surgery."

Throughou. Impressive. "Before."

Before he could open his mouth to answer, Francis raised his hand. "Sorry, Alfred. We have other rounds to get to. Kirkland, you're with Alfred until he is discharged. Take good care of him or the whole hospital will be on your ass."

Alfred laughed as everyone shuffled out besides Kirkland. "He's right you know. I'm this hospital's best customer."

"That's hardly something to be proud of." Kirkland murmured, looking at the folder Francis had left for him.

"Maybe but I like to think of myself as special." Alfred said.

"How come you don't use the LVAD, if I may ask?" Kirkland set the folder down and pulled out his stethoscope.

Knowing the drill, Alfred sat up straight and took a deep breath in. The metal was cold against his chest, but the doctor's fingers were warm. As he let his breath out, Alfred replied. "I'd be more restrained than I am now."

"It's not that bad." Kirkland jotted something down in the folder and took hold of Alfred's wrist, watching the clock.

"Just not my style." Alfred said as Kirkland wrote more stuff down.

"What's your name?" Alfred asked after a moment.

"Dr. Kirkland."

Alfred rolled his eyes. "First name. No one is 'doctor' while I'm around."

The blond raised his green eyes, letting them rest on Alfred's rather pathetic state of loose pajamas, pale skin, skinny arms and multiple tubes going into his body.

"Arthur." Kirkland said, closing his folder. "I'll be back in a while."

"Have fun!" Alfred waved as Arthur left the room.

It was strange, most interns were usually a lot more easy-going. Arthur seemed to be harder to crack. Alfred smiled to himself. He always liked a challenge.

Alfred's mother was a mess, per usual to hear he was in the hospital. Again.

She came in the room and hugged Alfred tightly, causing him chest pains, but he swallowed it. He didn't want to hurt his mother anymore than he already had.

After puttering about her son, she took his chart from the end of the bed and began reading. That was when Arthur returned.

"Ma'am, you can't read that." the blond said, obviously confused as to why this pudgy lady was reading his patient's chart.

"You must be Arthur Kirkland." Alfred's mother said, pointing to a line on the chart. "I'm Al's mother, you can call me Peggy."

Alfred waved from his spot on the bed. "Don't bother telling her what not to do, she'll do it anyway."

"So if I tell her to do something, she won't?" Arthur wasn't much of a joker so he flashed his best smile to calm the rather serious looking mother.

Alfred laughed loudly, which sent him into a coughing fit and a great deal of wincing. Arthur frowned and placed his stethoscope against Alfred's chest to listen to him breath.

"You really shouldn't do that." Arthur murmured, taking the folder from Peggy's outstretched hand.

"I know, but I can't help it." Alfred closed his eyes at the doctor's soft touch. It was actually quite soothing.

"He's always been loud." Peggy scolded gently.

"We'll have to fix that. We are in a hospital, after all." Arthur patted Alfred's shoulder. He jotted down more notes and handed the folder back to Peggy. "I'm on call tonight, so if you need anything, have the nurses page me."

"Okay." Alfred smiled and waved. "Don't work too hard."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "I'll try not to."

Closing the door behind him, Arthur walked to the nurse's station for his next patient. As he was reading over the charts, a shadow blocked out the words. He allowed a small smile to his lips as a hand slid across his waist discreetly under his lab coat.

"What are you doing?" Francis asked nonchalantly.

Arthur turned the charts to the resident surgeon. "Just finishing up my rounds. Do you need me for something, Doctor?"

"Meet me in on-call room three in ten minutes." Francis breathed, barely loud enough for Arthur to hear.

With a minute nod, Arthur took off for his next patient, determined to get his rounds done first. However, he was blindsided by a little brunet.

"What was with all the whispering?" Arthur's best friend and rival, Feliciano, said. He had his hands on his scrubs clad hips and his fawn eyes narrowed.

"Nothing." Arthur blushed and rearranged the charts in his arms.

Feliciano gasped. "You're going to get laid!"

"Keep it down!" Arthur hissed, freeing an arm to smack his friend's shoulder.

"Totally unfair you're sleeping with the head of cardio." Feliciano groaned as Arthur walked away.

"Yes, I know. That's why you are the only one to know." Arthur said with a pointed look.

"Don't give me that." Feliciano grinned. "I'm only keeping it secret because you know mine."

"There's hardly anything to your secret, you haven't even slept with him." Arthur rolled his eyes.

"We've had drinks! Were practically dating!" Feliciano said.

"Just drinks?" Arthur quirked a rather impressive eyebrow.

"And some heavy-"

"Heavy what, Dr. Vargas?" A rough voice interrupted them. Tall, blond and intimidating, attending neurosurgeon, Dr. Ludwig Beilschmidt stood in front of the two interns.

Feliciano practically melted at Ludwig's feet. The two had been going out for about a month, though only Arthur knew. Ludwig was a very reserved and respected doctor, he was fair to all his interns and had the most successful surgeries of all other neursurgeons at Sego Lily Memorial.

If the Head of Surgery or any other doctors, including attendings, residents or interns, found out Ludwig and Feliciano (not to mention Arthur and Francis) had been hooking up, there would be serious hell to pay. Though dating within the surgical staff was not prohibited, the attendings and residents were in charge of the interns. If word got out, they could get fired for favoring an intern and even sexual harassment.

"A heavy load of rounds." Arthur shoved his charts into Feliciano's arms. "You got this for me?"

"What!" Feliciano snapped out of his (dirty) thoughts as Arthur walked down the hall. "Arthur!"

"Thanks, Feliciano! I owe you one!" Arthur waved as he rounded the corner and headed to on-call room three.

Arthur knocked twice, waited a heartbeat then knocked again. He heard the door unlock and he slid inside. They had created the knock after Feliciano walked in on Arthur sprawled across the bed in nothing but his lab coat. That was the day the two had become close friends.

"You're late." Francis said. Though his words hinted that he was upset, his tone suggested he was more upset with his boner not being taken care of in a timely matter.

"Sorry, Feliciano started talking to me." Arthur let himself be backed against the wall. He pouted most adorably at Francis as he ran his fingertips down the resident's chest.

"Because of him, this will have to be quick." Francis was already grinding against Arthur.

There was nothing romantic about what they did. Arthur enjoyed it nonetheless, but there was something off. Especially when Francis would whisper sweetly in his ear as they lay tangled together, lingering in their moment before one was pulled away to fulfill their duties as a doctor.

Arthur wasn't sure if it felt odd doing these thing with Francis because he wasn't in love with him, or because he was.

*I know speedy Arthur-Francis relationship but that's the best way to describe what it is. All medical knowledge is based on Grey's Anatomy and Google. If it's not real medicine, bring it up with Shonda Rhimes. Loosely based off Denny if you've seen Grey's.*