New Year's eve. It was an often desolate time in the Hospital with various doctors, nurses and others being out at parties or other such things. Even patients were scarce. A hospital was no where to be on new year's. It was almost sad.
At least, that's what Elliot Reid thought. She sat, all by herself, at a table in the lounge. Watching the television as they celebrated the new year in New York, as they did every year on the television. It was already done there, meaning there wasn't much time to go on this side of the United States. She made a face and returned to her paperwork. Another nightshift at good old Sacred Heart Hospital.
"This place is killing me," she mumbled to herself as she noted an allergy on her patient's chart. This night was going to prove to be the longest. Elliot felt miserable. She had no one to share a new year's kiss with, no one to go home to and drink with. She felt like she had absolutely nothing. She set her pen down and rubbed her face. When she peeked out from behind her hands again, she was not alone.
The Janitor stood watching the T.V., leaning on a broom. He seemed to carry these things around for the fun of it, as he did not do any actual cleaning. Elliot was surprised he had not been fired. It was another mystery of Sacred Heart. Though, the Janitor was a fun guy. A bit strange, but fun. She looked at him.
"Time differences are weird. It should be the same time all over the world," he said. He didn't seem to be speaking to anyone in particular, but was in fact talking to himself. Elliot cleared her throat.
"The sun comes up on another side of the world when it goes down here though," she told him and looked at him curiously.
"Ah, I don't believe in the moon."
"Okay…" Elliot said and looked at the confetti being swept up in the streets. "I feel bad for the guy who has to clean that up." Elliot said and took up her pen to jot down a few more notes.
"Are you kidding, that would be great! I mean, that must be a super job," the Janitor insisted and Elliot looked at him strangely again.
"You act like you really enjoy cleaning but you don't do it around here, why is that?"
"This place grates on you, you know?" he took a seat next to her. Elliot looked at him and nodded in agreement. "I mean, you do your job. The same thing all day, everyday. Eventually, you just get to a point where you hate it and don't want to do it anymore." He shrugged.
"I have to do my job…I'm a doctor," she said and he made a face.
"I know and I'm a janitor, so my ideas are silly and stupid, right?"
"No, not at all. I just mean that…" Elliot didn't know what she meant. The Janitor, to her surprise, smiled.
"I could have been a doctor," he told her. Elliot looked at him. "I could have. I could have been anything, anything I wanted," he waved his hand for emphasis. "I became a janitor because I didn't want to become materialistic. It's a bad thing. I mean I could have gone to law school, medical school, various other fancy schools… This isn't a glamorous job, and so I keep out from under the limelight and I don't feel the need to fill my life with material things."
"Is that true, Janitor?" Elliot looked at him with a look of astonishment. A look of respect. He basked in it for a moment.
"Mostly, I never would have made it in law school and I live pretty decently for a janitor. So much for not being materialistic," he shrugged.
Elliot looked at him. "How do you deal with everything that people do to you? They treat you like you don't matter, but you're an important part of the hospital. You're one of the cogs that keeps it in motion. In working order," Elliot said and her shoulders sloped. "I'm a replaceable set of scrubs."
"Not at all, Blond Doctor!" he assured her and Elliot set her pen down. "You're a great doctor. I don't know that for a fact! Actually, I based that on speculation, but I speculate very well!"
Elliot smiled. "You're so nice to me, Janitor. Thanks."
"Ah, no problem. Don't let this place get you down. It's not worth it. Any hospital would be glad to have you. I hope you stay here because I like you, but eh…" He looked at the T.V. and watched as the news people started the countdown for California. The ball would drop once more for the new year. He looked at Elliot.
"Want to count down?"
"Okay," she said and they moved to the couch, counting loudly. As if they were cheering the new year on.
Or daring it to come and get them.
The two shouted one in unison and then "Happy New Year!" and Elliot wrapped her arms around the Janitor, and they both froze up a little. Elliot pulled herself from him and they looked at each other.
"Are you going to kiss someone for the new year?" she asked.
"Nah, it's only me this year," he told her and she took his face in her hands, pulling him into a kiss. It lasted the total of a second and he felt all melty in his shoes. The Janitor didn't care though, because blond doctor had kissed him. This was going to be a great new year.