Disclaimer: I still don't have the right to Emily Owens M.D., or the characters, or Michael Rady. But I do own the plot of this story. Comments are welcome as long as there are constructive not destructive.
Will Collins is not close with Dr. Micah Barnes, so who is he to judge if his acting weird or not. It's not like Dr. Barnes is acting weird; Will Collins doesn't have enough basis to come up with that conclusion. They are not close, not friends, the longest time they've spent together is in the OR, other than that they never spend time to get to know each other.
Aside from being doctors in the same hospital and their resident-intern relationship, there's nothing else to define their relationship with.
"Oh wait… Emily… they're both friends with Emily" Will think. Or at least that's what Will know.
Will Collin counted the times he interacted with Dr. Barnes or was present at the same room with Dr. Barnes in less than 24 hours. 5 times. Exactly five. Inside the hospital and outside. The first few encounters were just plain… weird. The last one though broke him into un-repairable pieces.
-O-
The first encounter was before the morning rounds. Will arrived at the hospital earlier that he would have arrived on a regular day. But today is not an ordinary day; it is far more than ordinary. He is tired of acting as if nothing happen between him and Emily. He likes her, a lot, more than friends this time. He knows that it took me, 4 years of med school and dating her arch nemesis to realize and his a little bit ashamed of it, but that is not the point right now. The point is, he knows and he's making an action.
She told him "Will… this… is just a one time thing." she stammered the entire time she was talking so, he didn't bought it, he didn't believe it. He gave her space though. So much space he didn't like it one bit. So here he was, the first intern to arrive in the hospital for the day, buying to cups of coffee and an apple fritter. After changing to his scrubs and lab coat he didn't go straight to the nurses' station to check on his previous patients but he went straight to Emily's Office/Medical supply closet. Balancing the coffee cups in his left arm, he twists the knob with his right hand. "Yes. Open. I'm not leaving this office until Emily and I talk things out. That's is definitely not a 'one time thing'." He sat at the chair. "Hmmm… the ginormous chair is gone."
-O-
There's only 20 minutes left before the rounds and Emily hasn't arrived yet. He knows she hasn't arrived yet. Since she got the research assistant position and got her own office she will always go to her office, drop off her stuff and go to the lockers room to change. That's her routine and Emily is known for keeping up with her routine.
He finished his coffee; the content of the other cup is already cold. Frowning he check his watch again. Five minutes has past. He pulled out his phone about to call Emily when he heard the knob moved. He smiled expecting a flustered Emily. But his smile turned into a frown when he saw the person standing at the door.
"Dr. Collins?"
"Dr. Barnes."
"What are you doing at Dr. Owens… Office?" Micah Barnes asked completely off guard to see the other doctor.
"I was waiting for Emily to arrived, I was going to talk to her." He caught the slight frown in Micah Barnes' face.
"Oh. Well Dr. Owens called in sick, she's not going to be at the hospital today."
"Oh really? I didn't know…" Will is surprise and jealous that he didn't know that Emily is sick and that Dr. Barnes knows. Keeping a straight face he continues, "What are you doing in Emily's Office then?"
Seeing that Dr. Collins' is not going to leave until an answer is given Micah gave him answer. "I'm here to get something." a very cryptic answer. He walked to the side of the desk, opened a drawer, and then smiled; a mixture of triumph and relief.
The next thing Micah Barnes did surprise Will Collins to the core. Micah Barnes took Emily's purple wallet from the drawer and shoves it in his lab coat pocket. Surprised, Will was speechless.
"Rounds about to start in a few minutes Dr. Collins, if I were you I'll be heading to the nurses' station before Dr. Bandari beats you to it." Without waiting for Will to response, Micah Barnes was out of the door and into the hall.
"What just happen? Why did he take Emily's wallet? Why did he know it was in her office desk?" He spotted Dr. Bandari on her way to the nurses' station disrupting his thoughts.
-O-
The rounds were uneventful but that doesn't mean Will's mind will be as mundane. The lack of answers to the question in his mind, topped with the new questions that comes from slightly observing Micah Barnes.
"Has he always been this happy? He's not really smiling but the tiny crows feet forming at both sides of his eyes give it away."
…
"He smiled! When he placed his hands on his pocket? Emily's Wallet! Why did he take it anyways?"
…
"He is totally avoiding my gaze. It's not like he's looked at me before, he rarely does, only when he's talking to me. Usually during rounds if he's not looking at Dr. Bandari or the patient he is stealing glimpse at… Emily." That realization went straight to his stomach making him feel uncomfortable. "Emily once said she's over me, could it be because he found someone new? Micah?" the knot on Will's stomach twists some more making it hard for him to breathe. Covertly he took a sharp intake of breath. It was unnoticeable to the patients and the other intern but not to Dr. Bandari and Dr. Barnes. They both give him suspicious glare; he ignored it and diverts back his focus to the patient. Dr. Bandari did the same, Dr. Barnes is back to being happy.
The second encounter happened after rounds. Will was heading to the nurses' station with patients file in hands when he heard it.
"You should have stay home with her-" Will looked up from the file just in time to see Tyra give Dr. Barnes an incredulous look like he have two heads. "I'm sorry, I'm over reacting."
"You need to calm down. You're a doctor, you tell patients to calm down all the time, now go tell yourself the same thing. She's a big girl now, she can take care of herself." Tyra respond.
"Are they talking about Emily?" Will walked straight to them determine to get some answers, "Dr. Barnes-" Will was cut off by a beep, Micah Barnes pager starts making obnoxious beeping sounds. With a frown Micah Barnes look at his pager then at Will "Yes?"
"Not important." Not important than a patient's life.
Micah rushed leaving Will and Tyra behind. Still determine to get some answers he looks at Tyra. "Did you know he has Emily's wallet with him?"
Not in the million years did he expect the reply Tyra was about to give him. "Oh! He found it? Thank God! I have a feeling that wallet triggered Emily's fever."
"What?!" Will was about to attack Tyra with questions when he was once again interrupted with a beep. This time it's Tyra's pager. Will just shook his head, "The pagers will be the death of me."
"I have to take this." Tyra said rushing to the other side of the building. "You're her best friend right? You should visit her, she's really sick." And with that Tyra was out of sight.
"Really Sick?" Once again jealousy filled his senses for not knowing. He knows they're not dating, not yet, but he is her best friend. He knows everything that happens to her life; at least that's what he knows.
Author's Note:
I have three things to say... First is regarding the title, second is how long I planned the story will be and the third one is pretty self explanatory.
First, It's called Untitled because I have this story in my head bugging me for exactly 15 days now. Everything's planned out, the plot, the point of view I'm going to use, everything except for the title. I have the first part finish for quiet some time now. it's not until I started the second part tonight that i've decided to just used 'Untitled' to avoid further delays. So if you have any suggestions for the title please do share.
Second, the original plan is to write a one-shot, started writing it and it turns out I have to cut it to at least 2 parts (The number of parts might change, still in the process of writing the second part.), but it not going to be long 3 chapters maximum.
Third, Thanks to all the persons who reviewed and favourited my other story. Some one suggested I continue, the verdict is still under consideration. And another big thank you to all the amazing here in and Tumblr who's keeping this fandom alive. You guys are the best.