"Wow, how did that get in there?"

Thunderous laughter interrupted the chatty air that surrounded the bar.

"Wait, wait! Let me get this straight. They had MAGGOTS in their toe? LIVE MAGGOTS!?" Petra couldn't believe what Hange was telling her. She stared at Hange who had her arms wrapped around her stomach, tears streaking from her eyes, mouth agape and the heave that always accompanied her insane laughter. A fond smile found its way on Petra's mouth.

"It's true, Petra. And what made it even better was when Levi walked in. himself with a hatred of bugs. It was such a delight to see him crack, albeit he had me clean it up. None the less. Totally worth it!" Hange wiped her 'laughing tears', as she liked to call them, away before finishing off her glass of ginger ale. She pulled out a few $1 bills and handed them to their waitress. "Thanks and see you tomorrow!" Turning towards Petra, she kissed the tips of her index and middle finger before pressing them to Petra's forehead. "May your night be sweet and filled with happy dreams."

Petra laughed, pushing Hange's fingers away and rubbing her forehead. "You left slobber! You disgusting trash!" Hange belted out a rather inhuman burp. "That's me, your lovable trash who hates you for stealing her night off!" Ruffling Petra's head, she puts on her coat and heads out the door. "Make sure you rest up, because you're totally taking up my next two shifts after tonight!" Petra spit out her drink and yelled after Hange too late. She sprinted out the door with that ridiculous abnormal smile of hers. "Damnit, Hange." It's not that she minded taking a few shifts at the Trauma department. If anything, it served as more experience for her as well as sharpen her skills so that she's able to react quickly when dealing with her own patients. People tend to scoff at the title "infection control practitioner". Cases are rare but when there's an outbreak of this or that or possible threat of contagion, she's there to investigate, provide support to other hospitals in the area as well as find vaccines.

Just as she was finishing up, she felt a strong hand grip her shoulder before the rest of them sat next to her. "Levi! We were just talking about you!" His eyebrow arched in question. "We?"

Petra called over their waitress and asked for two cups of tea. "Hange, she just left." Levi heaved a sigh while pulling off his coat. "Maggot story, right?" She couldn't help but laugh and smack the side of his shoulder. "Oh don't be like that. Besides, Hange said she was glad it happened. Made her feel way better about having to work an extra shift tonight."

This time it was Levi who chuckled. "Don't tell me, you stole her night off? That's cruel, Petra." Picking up his cup of tea the waitress just brought them, he looks over at her and grins. "Good job, grasshopper." Petra gave Levi a rather wry look. "No. No, Levi. You can't convince me to change. I love where I am. I find purpose here." Levi sighed before responding, "I'm not trying to make you change your mind. Just asking that you make a decision based on what you know and how you feel and what will be best in the long run. You're amazing at what you do and your way of being suits the trauma center. But whichever path you take, know that I support you." She ran her fingers through her bangs before looking straight at him.

"I know you're just looking out for me and I do appreciate it. Thank you." She rubbed her finger against the edge of her cup before continuing, "Hey Levi, you like cleaning right?" Levi coughed into his drink before staring at her incredulously. "You're not thinking of doing what I think you're thinking of doing. Are you!?" She gave him a sheepish smile, "Hange barely has the ti-" Levi interrupts, "The last time we cleaned up for that shitty glasses she RUINED IN WITHIN 24 HOURS! All that work, How-Why-WHEN!? She's RARELY home!" Flabbergasted by how messy Hange could be, he hadn't realized Petra had taken a hold of his keys. "I say the one with the keys to the car has the right to decide." He scoffed and reached over to pick them up only to find that they were missing. "Petra!" She giggled as she picked up her things and started walking towards the door. "Tip is on you. Better hurry or you'll have to take the bus all the way to Hange's!"

Mumbling a few incoherent curse words, he threw a $10 bill on the table before waving at their regular waitress. "Thanks."

'That blasted Hange, she should have moved closer to the city like I had suggested.' Levi thought as he got into the passenger seat of his car, Petra revved up to drive the 20 miles to get to their mutual best friend's place.

"I can't wait to surprise her!" Petra blasted the radio. Levi didn't mind. Of course, who could dislike Bohemian Rhapsody?

Both sang in unison as the words began..

Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality!

Hange fidgeted with her watch, glancing at it, she noticed that it was only 3 in the afternoon. Sighing heavily she dragged herself into the trauma bay. It's not that she didn't love her work. In fact, one could say she was obsessed with her profession. She always ends up with piles of patient files on her desk or at home for research purposes. It's just that she disliked working the day shift. It tends to be slow and boring. The night is when Hange felt alive and surged with energy to take on anything the dark skies provided.

So it was strange that as she walked through the doors leading to the entrance of the trauma department, she was met with a trail of blood. She could hear doctors and nurses yelling and people crying and screaming. Her eyes widened as she quickly realized that the entire floor was filled with patients that apparently were in a massive automobile pile up.

She quickly jumped into action, grabbing a pair of gloves and fitting her hands into them, she helped out patient number.. "28!?" Hange's face turned from excitement and concern to surprised terror. "What in titan's name happened here!?" Looking over her patient, she noticed a bone protruding from their arm. "Moblit!? GET ME MOBLIT NOW!" She heard him calling for her, "I'm here Ms. Zoe! The bridge leading into the town collapsed! This isn't even half of the people who require care!" Hange's eyes widened even more before she settled herself into what those who know her call, the Hange zone. "Moblit, you do not leave my side unless necessary. We need to get everyone who isn't in any immediate danger out of here so that those who need more attention can get a room. We gotta work together, you in for a long night?" She gave him a stern but reassuring look and finally a smile graced her lips as he replied, "THIS is exactly what I'm here for! Let's get to it!" They quickly went to work on the patient before them, snapping the bone back into place before wiping it clean and wrapping it.

Patient after patient, Hange and Moblit quickly had them either released after caring for their minor wounds or quickly seen by whatever doctor was available. Soon, there were only a few patients left and both let out a sigh of relief. They took a break before deciding to go check on patients they had to quickly admit to make sure they were alright. Hange was startled by the loud buzzing of her phone. She flipped it open to see that Levi was calling. Answering the call, she was going to update on the situation but her ears were greeted with a loud yelling demand, "Hange you get your shitty glasses here and anyone else available this instant! We NEED MORE HELP!" Her jaw dropped, they were so immersed in all the patients they were dealing with, they had forgotten where the real mess was. "Yes, doctor! Eta will be 15mins!" Hange could here Levi calling out to Petra telling her to hold down someone who seemed to be refusing help. She hung up knowing there wasn't any time to waste.

Raising her voice to grab the floors attention, "Listen up everyone! Anyone who isn't dealing with a patient or needed in the operating room needs to get on an ambulance this instant and head over to the crash site. Bring everything you can carry!" Looking around it seemed as though everyone was out of breath and trying to come to terms with what they were possibly going to witness. It had been too long since they had such an incident, nothing of this size as well. But Hange knew just what she needed to say to get everyone's adrenaline pumping. "Hey!" She yelled in a boisterous voice that snapped everyone out of their heads. She kicker her heals together, curling her fingers tightly into a fist, her knuckles going white, she brought her right hand and slammed it over the left side of her chest, above her heart and spoke. "I swear by Apollo the physician, and Aesculapius the surgeon, likewise Hygeia and Panacea, and call all the gods and goddesses to witness, that I will observe and keep this underwritten oath, to the utmost of my power and judgment. With regard to healing the sick, I will take care that they suffer no hurt or damage. Further, I will comport myself and use my knowledge in a godly manner. If I faithfully observe this oath, may I thrive and prosper in my fortune and profession, and live in the estimation of posterity; or on breach thereof, may the reverse be my fate!"

Silence greeted her at first before everyone followed suit and repeated back to her, "May the reverse be my fate!"