1. Emergency

With a final notation, Griffin closed the patient file and filed it at the nurse's station. His shift had started at four this morning, and it was now after six p.m. With any luck, he could at least get in a quick run and admire the sunset before collapsing into his bed.

"Nurse Johnson-"

The imposing nurse hhmmped and gave him one of her perpetually stern looks. "I've been a nurse for twenty-five years. If you think I need you to repeat your instructions for Mrs. Kowalski a third time, I'm going to be insulted."

"I just want to make sure-"

"-that I do my job?"

Her glare strongly suggested he reply in the negative. "Of course not."

"General Hospital provided patient care long before you came on the scene, and with any luck will continue to do so long after you and me are plaques on a wall." Epiphany watched his shoulders slump. She'd seen the same thing many times before. Doctors and nurses who escaped into their work to avoid other aspects of their own lives. The same dedication that made them good caregivers twisting them into knots. "Go home, Dr. Munro," she ordered gruffly.

"Good night, Nurse Johnson," he acquiesced, turning for the elevators. Elizabeth had warned him no one won an argument with Epiphany, and he'd just gotten a taste of that reality. She was still giving him a disgruntled stare down as he pressed the down button and waited for the elevator. Like she expected him to slink off down the hallway if she didn't keep an eye on him and make sure he left the floor.

A soft ding and whispery swoosh gave little warning before he was barrelled into, reflexively grabbing the offender before either of them nose-dived to the hard cement.

"Idiot!"

Harsh and harried, Griffin automatically dismissed the unkind assessment. People came to hospitals under duress. The child in the woman's arms whimpered, her eyes bright with tears. "What happened, sweetheart?" he said softly, brushing a dark lock gently behind a small ear.

"Get out of my way!"

He felt the woman tense, ready to pull out of his grasp and be on her way. "I'm a doctor," he assured, noting a bloody dress and some kleenex in the child's palm.

"I need a real doctor," the woman yelled out. "Not some glorified orderly! Where's Monica Quartermaine? Lucas Jones?"

Someone was used to throwing out names to get their way. "I doubt either-" He was startled to find a familiar face when his eyes rose.

"Griffin?" Ava was just as startled. Then relief rushed through her. "God, I'm sorry! A-A-Avery fell, and her hand is just-I think she might need stitches."

"Let me take a look." Gently, he pried open the child's hand, and peeked beneath the soaked wad of tissue. The jagged cut seemed fairly deep, and fresh blood oozed forth. "I think Mom's right, darling. Epiphany? Send a nurse to exam room three," he ordered, not caring that the nurse blew out another exasperated breath as he guided them down the hall.

"I-I blinked, and there she was on the sidewalk, crying, and blood-"

"Just a couple more minutes of being brave," Griffin interrupted, as much to reassure the child as to calm her mother. "You're going to need to sit real still-"

"Avery," Ava said shakily. "Her name is Avery, isn't it pumpkin?"

"Avery Pumpkin? That's an unusual name." Her mother laughed shakily.

"That's not my name!" the little girl piped up. "I'm Avery Katherine Jerome!"

"That is a big, beautiful name for a beautiful little girl," Griffin replied.

"I know."

The confident reply brought another shaky laugh as Ava shrugged her shoulders in apology and Avery joined in with the adults, even though she didn't quite know why.

"It's been quite a while since I've heard giggles in an exam room," Elizabeth Webber said, standing in the doorway.

"Should we let her in on the fun?" Griffin asked Avery.

"You remember Nurse Webber? You met her the night Mommy forgot you can't have strawberries," Ava added. The little girl shook her head no, then buried it in her mother's shoulder.

"She's the very best nurse," Griffin assured her. "And with her help, I'll have your hand taken care of in no time."

Avery visibly relaxed, and with calm efficiency, Griffin and Liz went to work. Ava watched as them alternate roles, one keeping Avery distracted while the other tended to her wound.

As Griffin started suturing, Liz grabbed her tablet, accessing Avery's patient file. "According to Dr. Elliot, Avery's shots are up to date."

"I assume so," Ava replied, not taking her eyes off Avery. "She's got a check up sometime next month."

"You can breathe. She's going to be fine," Liz assured her.

"It just happened so fast. One second we were waiting for the valet, and the next, she had tripped and sliced her hand on this grate in the garage. I honestly don't even know how."

Sympathetically, Liz squeezed Ava's hand. "I've got three boys-"

"Crap!" Ava swore under her breath, grabbing her purse. Swiping her phone, she gave the nurse an apologetic look. "It was- I was taking-Sonny, it's Ava," she blurted as soon as the call connected.

"Where. ARE. You. Ava?"

"Listen-"

"STOP. the. excuses. Where. is. MY. daughter?"

For the billionth time, Ava cursed the fact that arrogant sonofabitch was Avery's father. "Avery had a little accident, I'll be there in half an hour."

"You gonna show up here...late...with a band aid on some boo-boo? Or are you halfway to Canada, stealing my DAUGHTER?"

"Listen, you drunken jackass-"

"I'm CALLIN' the COPS, Ava! And then I'm CALLIN' my attorney and haulin' your ASS through family court. KISS Avery goodbye, because if I get my way, it's the last time you'll be doin' THAT. EVER."

Before she could spit out a retort, Nurse Webber had grabbed the phone from her hand.

"Sonny? Liz Webber. Sixth floor, exam room three. Avery's fine, but it's going to be at least half an hour before she's ready to be discharged." With the final word, she ended the call and handed Ava her phone back. "Been there. Maybe not as bad, but that tense. Wish I could tell you it gets better."

"Thanks," Ava said slowly slipping her phone back into her purse. "Now I know why Nikolas admired you."

"Sonny and I have never been besties. I don't think Avery heard anything, she's focused on Griffin."

"He's good with kids."

"He's got a great bedside manner," Liz agreed. "I'm going to hunt down some topical ointment, gauze, etc, so you or Sonny can change her bandages in the morning...and maybe a bunch of stickers for the bravest little patient I've seen this year. Butterflies or unicorns," she asked Avery with a smile.

"Either or," Ava said sternly, knowing the answer would be "both" if Avery could get her way.

"Ponies?" Avery asked, flashing a wide smile.

"I will try and find ponies," Liz promised as she left.

"Nurse Webber's right, you've been very brave," Ava assured her daughter. She watched as Griffin carefully wrapped Avery's hand.

"Now...you have to keep that dry. No making mudpies or running through puddles."

"I don't like mud."

"Ooo, I loved mud when I was your age. One day I came home covered from head to toe. My mother said it took three days to get me clean."

"That's a lot of baths."

"I think my mom was more upset that I tracked it all over the house before she got me into the tub."

"Sounds like Avery and glitter," Ava replied.

"No bath necessary," Griffin teased Avery, bopping her on the nose.

"You've never had to clean it up," Ava pointed out. "Any other instructions, Doctor?"

"Change the bandage daily. Watch for signs of infection. Redness, swelling, spiking a fever. We'll have Nurse Johnson schedule an appointment with your pediatrian in a week to monitor her progress."

The promised stickers arrived, and after a stop at the nurse's station, with a 'thank you' and a wave, they were gone. Griffin found himself whistling as he changed, grabbed the coat from his locker, and headed for the exit.

He was still whistling as he noticed the long, black car illegally parked in a loading zone beside where Sonny Corinthos was talking to Ava. It was clearly a tense conversation, Ava's hands clenched into fists at her side and Sonny jabbing his fingers into air.

Griff quickened his pace, just in time to catch Sonny mutter the word bitch as he leaned in closer to Ava. "Mr. Corinthos," he interrupted.

Sonny took a step widening the distance from Ava. "Doc. I told you to call me Sonny," he reminded him, flashing a tense smile full of teeth.

"I met your daughter. She's lovely. Brave, too."

"No thanks to her," Sonny mumbled, nodding in Ava's direction.

"Did you have any questions or concerns? I'd be happy to answer them for you."

"No...no. Just here to pick up my daughter." He said pointedly. "So...you took care of Avery?"

Ava stewed. He had pulled up as she tried hailing a cab, scooped Avery out of her arms, made a show of kissing Avery's boo-boo before depositing her in the backseat with the nanny. Then grilled her out of Avery's earshot, trying to catch her in some lie. She smelled the bourbon on his breath, which she was sure was making him more paranoid and belligerent than normal. His threats and insinuations had turned darker, less about cops and court and more about shallow, unmarked graves.

"I did," Griffin acknowledged. That seemed to mollify Corinthos and descalate the situation.

"Good...good," Sonny mumbled. He gave Ava a hard glare. "Same time...next week." Then he held his hand out to Griffin. "Thanks, Doc."

Griff gave him a firm shake, but remained at Ava's side. Sonny seemed to expect him to leave and let them finish their conversation, if one interpreted what had been taking place as such. "Good night, Sonny," he said, taking Ava's elbow and guiding her a step back, clearing room for Sonny to open his car door and leave.

Sonny relented. "Yeah...night, Doc." To Ava, he said nothing.

Ava watched them leave, unable to catch another glimpse of Avery through the tinted windows. The old fear of never seeing her daughter again snaked through her, raising goose pimples in spite of the warm spring night.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes, of course," she answered automatically. His face seemed kinder, out from under the harsh hospital lighting. "We have to stop meeting like this."

Griffen smiled. "Can I escort you to your car?"

"I thought chivalry was dead." A blush actually rose to his cheeks, as if he weren't used to compliments. Maybe priests-slash-doctors didn't get many. "Actually, no," she declined with regret. "I came by cab. I couldn't drive and hold Avery at the same time."

"I'm surprised Sonny didn't take you home."

"I'm not," she replied acidly. The only lift he'd offer her was of the one-way variety.

"I'd be more than happy-"

"That won't be necessary. I'll catch a cab." As she raised her hand to catch the cabbie's attention, he surprised her with a high, shrill blast that would have felt right at home at rush hour in New York City. The cab sped toward them, and he opened the door for her.

"You're a man of hidden talents," she said with a hint of admiration.

"I suspect you're a lady with some as well."

The door clicked firmly closed as she settled into the back seat, and then he gave two sharp raps on the roof, and the cabbie pulled away from the curb. "Nine-seventy-nine Carlyle," she ordered.

For some reason, she could feel his eyes still on her. She looked back, and sure enough, he watched as she sped away.