Note: This is my first story about Reese and Rhodes.
Please note, that I'm from europe and my english isn't perfect.
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"I was paged?"
Rhodes looked at Reese in surprise, still unaware of the reason she ordered him to meet in their break room. Sarah looked up from her desk, when Connor took a seat next to her.
"We have to talk."
She folded her hands, gave him a concerned look.
"Listen, regarding your patient today. The kid whose mother killed herself, jumping from a bridge. You don't have to do that. You don't have to tell him in person. I can…"
"Waite, this is why you paged me? To inform me that I'm too involved in my patients history, considering my own past?"
Reese moaned.
"You're questioning my profession, right? You think that I'm biased", Connor submitted.
Sarah crossed her arms, denied by shaking her head.
"No, I'm just worried, because I don't want you to slip into this again. This case is totally similar to your story."
"Come on. This was years ago."
Reese looked at him, a sad expression on her face.
"Connor, I'm talking to you as your girlfriend, not as your colleague."
"I appreciate your concern but I can handle this."
He faced her with an reproachful Expression.
Rhodes already wanted to leave, when she grabbed his hand.
"I'm here for you, okay? Just in case you want to talk…"
"Thank you", he stammered and turned around to left the room quickly…
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One hour later, Rhodes faced the horror of his past.
Unaware of what happened, 11 year old Joseph Donavan was sitting on his bed, watching TV. Since he was hypothermic, because he had been waiting outside for his mother and his father was treated because of a mental breakdown considering his wifes death, Connor had decided to take him in as his patient.
It was still one of the hardest things to do. Over the years, it already became some kind of a routine, but it never felt like something comfortable.
He took a deep breath, knocked on the door before he stepped in.
"Hi, Dr. Rhodes", Joey greeted Connor who had a serious glance on his face.
"Everything okay?", the boy asked, when Rhodes grabbed a chair to take a seat next to him.
"Not in the longer term."
Connor bit his lips, watched Joeys reaction.
"I've got to tell you something."
Rhodes reocgnized how Josephs face got more serious. He turned the TV off, looked at the doctor in surprise.
"Is it about my Dad or my sister?"
Connor negated.
„No your Dad is fine. But your Mom…"
He was barely able to end his sentence.
Seeing the boys eyes, felt like seeing himself, over 20 years ago.
"Your mom isn't coming back."
The expression in Josephs face frowned. His eyes filled with tears and his lips trembled heavily.
"Is she dead?", he whispered in a quiet tone.
Connor, fighting tears himself nodded his head.
Suddenly Joseph started to cry heavily.
Normaly Rhodes wasn't that kind of doctor who comforted patients whithout words. Commonly he left them alone to cope with the news. But this case seemed different.
Thats why he skipped his habit, pulling Joey in a hug.
The boy desperately sobbed in his white gown, while Connor protectively wrapped his arms around him.
Since he only delivered half oft he news, the most horroble part was still left to be spoken out.
"Was she sick?", Joey wept, getting out of Connors embrace, who looked at him sadly.
"Yeah, but in a different way. Her soul was hurt and the illness forced her to make an decision that hurt her physically. So she jumped off a bridge."
Like Connor himself, Joey didn't seem to understand how an adult would be able to do something like this. A face full of questions he looked up at the doctor, who already knew that Josephs childhood would end on this day…
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In opposite to Connor, Reese was in a good mood
Spending her time off-work shopping, she finally stopped at a chinese restaurant to order some food, before she wanted to meet Connor.
Having the keys to his appartment, she opened the door, fully excited how he would like her new dress.
Wondering about the darkness in his apartment, she walked through the floor.
"Connor, I…"
Recognizing a shadow, sitting on the couch, she cut her sentence short.
"Got you some food", she whispered, finally finding him in the living room. The dimmed light of his lamp supplied the area with a low shine.
Rhodes didn't look up. He concentrated on a photo, that he was holding in his hands.
"Hey, what happened?"
She put her bags on the ground, took a seat next to him.
From what she saw, he had been crying. Sarah looked at the photo that showed a women and two children, aged 10 and 7.
"You were right. It's been a rough day", he sniffled, feeling Sarahs hand on his shoulder.
"Your mom?"
Connor agreed, by nodding his head.
"I was just ten. It still feels like it was yesterday. I came home from school and did some homework when I heard loud noises, coming from the roof. My parents were arguing. My Dad had left the house around 10 minutes before. Claire was drawing a picture, so I got up to search for my mom to show it to her. I looked everywhere, but couldn't find her. The whole house seemed empty. It was scary. Finally I ran outside and then I recognized people crying. My mom was lying on the side walk, surrounded by her own blood. In this moment something was running through my whole body. Like it hit me in the face", Connor explained in a trembling tone.
"Today at the hospital, it felt like being this kid. I was this little boy, whose mother jumped to her death, because she couldn't handle her husbands tyranny anymore."
Reese said nothing, just looked at him in shock and pulled him in a hug seconds later.
"It's over", she whispered, safely rocking him in her arms…
"You're safe now."