It has been a tough night.
Sarah had just lost a pacient. 25 years old girl; car crash with a drunk driver; internal bleeding. There was actually nothing for her or Dr. Choi to do by the time the parameds brought in.
That was not how she imagined her night was going to be when Goodwin told her that she would be attending down the ED since they were still with a missing member after Wheele's death.
But again, that was the life of a doctor at Chicago Med. Or at anywhere. It doesn't matter how much they tried, pacients still died.
Sarah knew it. Every doctor knew it. It was part of the job.
But that didn't made it any easer.
So there she was. On the rooftop of the Med building, looking into the infinite shades of light that just a big city like Chicago would have, trying (and failing so far) to get her nerves back together and be ready to go down again.
She was so absorved in the lights that when the male voice came from behind her she couldn't stop her body from jumping.
"I know that look."
She turned to find Dr. Rhodes, dressed up because of the cold, holding a cup of what smelled like fresh coffe probably from down the on-call room. He was looking her in the eyes and come on, no one could remain unnafected by that look.
Reese and Rhodes were not friends. Coworkers yes, but not friends. In fact, Sarah tried to stay away from him as possible, what wasn't hard once she was almost always on the psychiatry floor and him on trauma or surgery. Expect for the day of Wheeler's suicide, when Rhodes helped her.
And now he was talking with her again. And looking at her. With those breathtaking blue eyes. So Sarah limited herself to do that thing she couldn't stop from doing whenever she was feeling confused, pensative or self conscious. Head to the side. One eyebrown up.
Rhodes gave a little chuck.
"I know that look. It's the look that doctors have when they feel misarable." He explained while moving to her side and leaning on to get a better view of the city, now with his eyes on the horizon.
Sarah resigned, taking a deep breath and agreeing with a "Sometimes there is nothing we can do."
Rhodes nodded but remaid silent, mind going somewhere else probably.
Sarah found out (with displasure) that she couldn't read him. So she gave up and turned her atention to the sky. Trying again to remain calm and this time, actually doing it by knowing that she wasn't alone.
Perhaps she was needing it and he knew it. A presence by her side, just to feel capable again. She tried not to think of the fact that the presence was Connor Rhodes. And that it was the first time since that day that they have talked.
Maybe things had changed.
Her thoughts were interrupded by him again.
"A year ago, when we first met, you couldn't find a central line."
Sarah hated hearing that. It was the truth but hearing that from him, just made her feel worse and sundely she just wanted to get away. But she didn't have time to do so because he kept going.
"And now you are on your way to become a sensational doctor." He was watching her this time.
Sarah was taken aback by that statement.
Sensacional was never a word she would use to describe herself. She was dedicated, hard worker, persistent, smart.
But sensational? Dr. Charles had used the same word a couple of weeks ago but somehow it felt different to hear it from Rhodes.
Who apparently wasn't done talking.
"Come on Reese. Dont look so shocked. We all think that you are one of the best residents we have now. And if you wanna know, I think you did right by quitting pathology last year and glad that you came back with psichiatry."
After saying that, Rhodes turned back to watch the city like nothing extraordinary had happened. Like if he hadn't just left her speechless. And confused.
And warm.
And...happy?
Sundely that night didn't felt so tough anymore.
And she was overwhelmed with a rush of confidence. Like she could go back down there and do it again. And again. And again.
Because she was going to prove them right.
She was going to be a sensational doctor.
Like Connor Rhodes.
She smiled for the first time that night. "Thank you Connor."
As soon as she said it she realized that she had used his first name. She had never done this before and she felt afraid that she had crossed a line. Like that day she offered him a high five and he ignored.
But it was his turn to smile.
"Let's go back to work, Sarah."
And together, on a comfortable silence, they made their way to the elevator and down the ED where both of them could be sensational doctors.
