Chapter One – Late Night and Early Morning

Friday 5:45am – New York City - St. Mary's Memorial Hospital Emergency Room

"Dr. Stone…Dr. Stone she is….Maggie!!"

Maggie looked up from the patient she had been working on for the past 20 minutes, her scrubs were covered in the young girl's blood and the monitor's singular tone was the only thing she could really hear.

"Dr. Stone…it's too late…we have to…call it…please" said the young resident.

"No! Jesus push more epi…I can't lose this one Matt..I said push the epi…come one come on! Dammit…"

Maggie continued to pump on the girl's chest, her eyes focused only on the monitors. Come on give me anything; please give me something she thought. This would be the 3rd one tonight, I can't…"come on fight it!" she yelled. All the nurses froze with the last outburst, she looked at them and they returned to work immediately knowing the young doctor would have their heads if they ever stopped before she did.

At that moment she felt a strong hand rest on her shoulder. "Dr. Stone, pronounce the patient…now" The voice was not harsh but it was direct. Maggie turned to see her attending physician Dr. Wallace, a elderly woman who had seen more in her time than any other doctor in St. Mary's, she looked intently at Maggie. "It's ok Dr. Stone, she has gone somewhere better" she stated simply. "You can stop now".

Maggie looked at Dr. Wallace as she stopped the pumping motion. She could only feel her own pulse beating faster and struggled to breathe as she spoke. "Time of death…." She choked out, "…5:49". As she spoke the statement she ripped off her gloves and threw them into the medical waste basket as she stormed out of the emergency room. She walked outside to see the sun was beginning to rise out of the east; she leaned up against the old brick building and proceeded to slide down the wall with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

What is wrong with me she said frustrated with the guilt and pain she was feeling she was just another patient…they were all just patients…people die it happens…just ask Frankie. Just then she realized what inner turmoil was going on inside her gut. Frankie's death still plagued her to this day especially now that she was on her own away from Bianca, the one person who understood and still connected her to her sister. Bianca and Maggie had tried to reconcile after her break up with that flake Reese, but they just couldn't seem to recapture the excitement and passion that was once there. After a brief 4 month fling, Bianca told Maggie she couldn't figure out what she wanted and she didn't want Maggie to suffer through it. Maggie knew that there was always going to be a possibility of reuniting with her first love but when the time came to decide if she would take a position at the Pine Valley Hospital with David she had to seek other options. So leaving on a flight eight months ago from De Gaulle on a rainy night she took at resident position at St. Mary's Hospital in New York City, and deep down she knew this was the right place for her. Bianca had returned to Pine Valley with the girls but Miranda still called Maggie every weekend to discuss the antics of Aunt Kendall and Grandma Erica and of course Bianca. Now as the sun was rising she wondered when she would truly get over Bianca and move on, would she ever really be able to trust herself enough to love someone or be loved for that matter? She shuddered as the tears finally began to fall down her face.

Inside, her friend Matt, a fellow resident she had met her first day at St. Mary's looked at her with sympathy. She was so dedicated and so official. She works so damn hard he thought to himself as he proceeded to clean up the patient. I wonder why she is taking this so hard though, I mean she sees it every day, why would today be any different. Matt knew Maggie had her secrets; she was the type of person that was hard to read. She had shared certain things about herself, but nothing really of substance. Sure he knew she was originally from New York she had moved around a lot, no family to speak off and of course he knew he never stood a chance with her…considering her orientation was…well let's just say she enjoyed the same company as he did in the bedroom. His last thought made him smile. He continued cleaning up the patient still trying to figure out what was bothering his friend, his work taking precedent over her at the moment, knowing she would open up to him soon…at least he hoped so.

Maggie had managed to regain her composure and reenter the ER shortly after 6:15am. She took a quick shower and changed into fresh scrubs, she had preformed this ritual 3 times in the last 12 hours, but nonetheless she felt "fresh" as she walked out of the doctor's locker room. She walked over to the nurses' station and leaned against the counter. She smiled at Matt and the other faces staring back at her…"sorry guys" she started to say sadly…but then her smart ass crooked smile appeared…"you know me always one for the drama." This caused a chuckle from her coworkers. Maggie picked up a chart, glanced at it and proceeded to start off towards exam room 1

"Not so fast Dr. Stone…" she heard a voice call from behind her. She turned to see Dr. Wallace with a hand on her hip motioning for Maggie to come speak with her. "…when did your shift start Maggie?" she asked.

Maggie smiled slightly as she pondered the question. One of things she had enjoyed about St. Mary's was everyone was so friendly and informal. Dr. Wallace or Sara as she asked to be called was adamant that all doctors refer to each other by their first name when not in the presence of patients. She said it "added to the family feel" of a hospital…she hated the "stuffiness". Even though she requested it, Maggie still had a tough time calling her by her first name though, it felt kinda weird.

"I think I got here at 9:00 Dr. Wall…."a finger appeared in front of her face… "Sara".

"AM or PM Maggie?" She asked next with a smirk on her face knowing the answer before Maggie could speak.

"PM..I'm pretty sure..I mean yea I'm positive, cause it was already getting dark and I think it was raining or something…"shit I'm rambling Maggie thought.

Just then another voice entered the conversation "9:00 PM on WEDNESDAY" Matt interrupted.

"Thought so" Dr. Wallace stated "Maggie relax its been a rough night for you and we all know you want to keep going but honestly you need a break. So as your older and wiser superior I'm giving you the rest of the day off…go home get some sleep maybe do something nice for yourself…hang out with friends..whatever floats your boat, go. I don't want to see you back in here until Sunday." The last part of her statement made Maggie think she was talking to her Grandma. Maggie began to protest but Dr. Wallace's finger appeared again and she smiled silently.

"Guess I can't argue…man I thought New Yorkers lived to argue…you guys are not living up to my preconceived notions at all!" Maggie joked. "Well" said Matt following Maggie into the doctor's lounge "Actually we just like to win arguments so maybe you should re-adjust that perspective" he teased.

Matt sat down on an old couch in the corner of the lounge and watched Maggie as she grabbed her things from the locker labeled Stone. "Damn Maggie I've been dying for a day off who knew I just had to work 36 hours to get it, so what are you gonna do with all your free time?" "I don't know, probably grab some coffee and maybe relax; I suppose sleep is a good choice too". Maggie stated. "Or maybe" Matt said slightly, "you could go hit the singles club tonight and hook up with some hot blonde…of the female persuasion that is".

"Seriously Matt" Maggie turned towards him "I think it's you who needs to hook up, you're becoming obsessed with my sex life or lack there off" Matt just shrugged his shoulders, "well one of us should get laid" he said.

"Wow…OK thanks for that..." Maggie said as she sighed "that's really tmi, even for you Matt!"

"Hey you know me pal" stated Matt "Just looking out for a friend. Seriously though, are you ok you seem distracted…more than normal…that is you seem to be sad". Matt was looking for anything that would spark Maggie to open up; he really enjoyed her company as a friend and wanted her to feel safe.

Maggie lowered her head slightly looking down at her sneakers. "Matt, today is just…my sister she died…a few years ago today and…."she could feel the tears welling up again…."I just miss her and that girl looked a lot…." Now the tears were streaking down her cheek. Matt stood up right away and embraced Maggie, "its ok….you don't have to explain…" he said to her reassuringly. "Thanks Matt…you are a great friend" Maggie choked out, as she wiped off her face with her sleeve. This made Matt smile, finally a human Maggie he thought. "Thanks Mags….you will be fine just get some sleep…and maybe…" the devilish grin appeared on his face as his words trailed off. "Matt" Maggie chuckled now "Seriously…."

"Find a girl and get some" he yelled out as she hit the door. She shook her head as she exited the hospital. Yea she thought it would be great to find someone to be with if only I was …a good girlfriend…I mean Bianca can attest…I just I'm such a fuck up. Really I don't even know my type these days, someone with low expectations…god I don't even know where to begin with what I want…tall, dark hair no light hair, maybe red…someone funny, charming, maybe a little rough around the edges…yea rough is hot…good god maybe Matt was right I need to get some…whatever doing find my own…wow I'm rambling a lot today Her thoughts were interrupted by the smell of coffee. Well at least I have one true partner in life…caffeine…wait how sad is that? Maggie smiled as she walked into Angelo's Coffee House.

"Ah Dr. Stone" said a familiar face behind the counter "The usual this morning?"

Maggie smiled; New York was so much friendly than she remembered as a kid. Although it was probably because most her life was spent avoiding contact with people especially in her younger years. "You know it" Maggie replied. "Ok one large triple shot espresso coming right up" replied the worker.

"Wow…that's pretty much the most daring choice I have heard in a while" said an unfamiliar voice from behind Maggie. Maggie turned to see who would be responding to a simple coffee order only to come face to face with a beautiful brunette with a smile on her face. Maggie's mind immediately went blank as she tried to respond with a quip of her own. The brunette's smile got bigger as she saw Maggie struggle to answer. "Well by the looks…or lack of response… of it you certainly need a jump start" she replied in true smart ass form.

Maggie was still frozen but something deep down propelled her to reply to the beautiful woman. "Well you know what they say go big or go home" replied Maggie this time with a smirk of her own. The woman smiled at Maggie but she took the opportunity to get another witty remark in. "Why are you intimidated?" asked Maggie. The woman stared at her intently then closed the gap between them, stopping for a moment face to face with Maggie and stepped around her to order a drink of her own. "Make that two…on my tab Jake…" She turned back towards Maggie. "If it makes me a cute smart mouth like you, I have to try this." Maggie couldn't put her finger on it but she felt like this woman may actually be hitting on her…wait no that's not possible…or was it?

TBC – let me know!