A/N: Wow, guys! I'm really excited to see all of the feedback for this story. Thanks so much, and I hope you guys continue to enjoy it. :)
Disclaimer: I own a very large nothing.
Chapter 2:
"On the second day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me,
Two Turtle doves."
JD awoke the next morning feeling lazy and comfortable. The previous night had been a lot of fun, and he still felt full from the multiple cups of warm, hot chocolate.
Unfortunately though, he had the morning shift. At least, he thought with a lazy smile, the others were scheduled for the morning as well. Maybe, when they were free, they could help him think more on his current situation.
This sudden thought sent whatever sleepiness that had been dwelling in JD's blue eyes packing. He'd almost forgotten about last night's more than strange package. The fruit basket of strictly pears given to him from someone who would appear to be a secret admirer.
No, it wasn't Dan. He had called him last night after the tree was decorated to ask, "What's with the pears?" He had figured an open ended question would make it harder for Dan to lie if he really had sent them, but his older sibling had seemed genuinely confused. He had even ended up asking JD if he was drunk. This was admittedly funny, in since usually, it was the other way around.
JD stretched as he made his way out of bed and into the kitchen. Man, was he hungry. He wanted breakfast and now, but one quick glance at the clock told him he was already running a little late. Usually, he'd just grab a pop tart and settle on that, but they were out. What could he have that was quick and easy?
Opening the refrigerator, JD couldn't help but laugh. Of course. After bending down to take a pear from the lower drawer, the brunet instantly brought it up to his mouth and bit. Dear Lord they were good. While it was true he had no idea what was going on inside his so-called admirer's head, he could at least give whoever it was credit for picking out some really good tasting fruit.
--
"So who do you think it is?"
JD, Turk, and Carla were all on their lunch break. They'd barely seen each other all day, so the minute their trays hit the table, Carla – who was apparently just as curious as JD – started right up on the main topic of conversation.
"I honestly have no idea," JD answered as he took a bite from his pudding.
"Well, whoever it is has to know where you live," Turk pointed out.
"Yeah, but is that really so hard to find out?"
"Good point."
The three sat quietly for a moment, thinking, when Elliot bounded into the cafeteria, promptly finding the trio and taking her seat beside them. "What's up, guys?"
"We're trying to figure out who's crushing on my Vanilla Bear, here."
"Ah, should've known. So who do you think it is, JD?"
The blue eyed doctor shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea. I called Dan last night while you guys were putting in 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special,' figuring that maybe it was just his way of pulling a prank on me. But he sounded like I'd lost my mind." JD paused from his meal to bury his head in his hands. "God, maybe I have lost my mind."
Carla reached over to gently pat the young doctor's shoulder. "C'mon now, Bambi. I'm sure you'll figure it out sooner or later. Either that or whoever it is will just come out and tell you."
"And shouldn't you be happy?" Elliot cut in then. "You have an admirer, JD. Someone who likes you! Why are you stressing out?"
"It's just…I don't know. I mean, if it was a random thing of flowers or candy, you're right – I'd probably be really excited. But a basket of pears? I feel like there's something else I'm missing."
"Like a clue as to who it is?" Turk asked.
"No, not that. I don't think I'll figure that one out unless the person actually comes out and tells me. But I feel like I'm missing…I feel like I'm missing the significance of it. Like there's something else there that I'm just not seeing."
Turk just shrugged. "Maybe. Guess you'll have to wait and see if your admirer sends you more presents."
"More fruit you think?"
The surgeon laughed then, turning back to his tray of food. "If you get another basket of pears, we are so going to need another fridge."
--
It was later in the day when JD's pager went off, a summon by his one and only mentor. After silently thanking Carla for reminding him to change the battery last night, the young doctor ran directly to his destination.
"Ah, Mary!" Dr. Cox greeted in an over exaggerated tone. "See you've managed to find the time to do your job."
JD stood in the doorway, panting from the run. "You just paged me! I came here the minute I got it, so how –"
A sharp whistle cut him off from continuing. "Listen here, Newbie. I'm not in the mood for any of your excuses, so here we go: Mr. Cole here has the stomach flu, and you are to take care of him."
"That's it?"
"Just get to it, Belle."
JD approached his new patient with a smile, extending his arm for a handshake. "Hi there, Mr. Cole! I'm Dr. Dorian, and I –"
But JD was cut off as his new patient bent forward and heaved, very suddenly, onto JD's scrubs top. From the corner of the room, Dr. Cox let out a spurt of laughter. "That was the be-hest thing I've seen all day."
"And a Merry Christmas to you too…" JD finally managed.
"Go on Newbile One, get out of here. You're covered in vomit, and as entertaining as that just was, we can't have you walking around treating patients like that all day, can we? Go get changed, but do it quick. No stopping to chat it up with your black wife on the way."
JD scowled, ignoring his mentor's last remark as he headed towards the locker room to change. Something like this wouldn't have normally bothered him so much. After all, he was a doctor. He was more than used to the occasional patient getting sick on him. But the question on who his secret admirer was, and why on earth they decided to send him pears, was still nagging at the back of his mind, making him just a little more irritable than usual.
With a sigh, JD opened his locker. But instead of reaching forward to grab a fresh, clean pair of scrubs, the brunet found himself yelping in surprise. JD fell backwards, having completely lost balance from the shock, and landed on his butt with another startled shout.
Upon opening his locker, two very beautiful - but very alarming - doves flew out, right into the young doctor's face. Now they were flying around frantically in the locker room, and JD found himself unable to do anything other than stare, mouth hanging open as he did so.
Who the hell put doves in his locker!?
No, wait. That was an easy one.
JD sprang from his spot on the floor and marched accusingly to where he knew the Janitor was mopping. "Can you at least answer me this," he shouted abruptly. "Why doves!?"
The Janitor looked up from his work, startled. Wasn't it his job to march over and accuse him of something? But before he could answer, his eyes fell to the front of JD's shirt. "You have vomit on your shirt. Just in case you didn't know."
JD rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm very aware of that, thank you. But you still haven't answered my question: Why did you put doves in my locker?" he asked again, voice slowly coming to a calm.
"There were doves in your locker? Huh…do you need someone to catch them for you…?"
While the birds had definitely startled the younger man, he still didn't want them to end up in the hands of the Janitor, as they would most definitely end up with the same fate as the many squirrels that used to scamper outside the hospital doors. "Uh, no thanks. I'll take care of them."
The Janitor looked openly disappointed, but grunted as he turned back to whatever it was he'd been mopping, leaving JD alone to further think on what he just experienced.
The Janitor had seemed like the only logical answer to who could have – would have – put two live birds in his locker. If it wasn't him, then who was it?
It was at that moment that Elliot chose to round the corner, wincing when she caught sight of JD's shirt. "Bad day…?"
"Elliot, thank God. Will you help me?"
"Sure, JD. What's up?"
"This is going to sound crazy, but…" JD went about explaining to his friend what had happened, leading her to the locker room as he did so. "What makes it even weirder," JD continued, "Is the fact that they were doves. Why doves, anyway? If someone wanted to freak me out, couldn't they have just gotten your every day bird? Oh! Wait! I know! Maybe it was Turk getting back at me for when I suggested doves when we were –"
"JD, look!"
Now in the locker room, JD tilted his head back to stare at the birds above him. He saw what Elliot was pointing to instantly. Each dove had a silk, red ribbon tied delicately around its neck. They looked beautiful against the white of the doves, and JD couldn't help but wonder how he could've possibly missed them the first time around. "I was so startled," he commented softly, "I didn't even notice the ribbons."
"But don't you see?"
JD looked at her, clearly still confused. "I just told you I did!"
"God, men are so dense! Not the ribbons, JD, but what the ribbons mean. These doves are gifts!"
"Gifts? But –" JD stopped, understanding over the situation hitting him all at once. They were gifts. Another present from his secret admirer! "No way…" he murmured quietly.
"They must be!" Elliot responded. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"
JD didn't know how to answer this. The fact that they were from his admirer did make sense, but the gifts themselves? That didn't make sense. Not even a little. How was a basket of pears and two doves shoved into a locker supposed to say "I like you?"
But as he watched the birds fly around from where he stood, he had to give his admirer just a little bit of credit. Even in the dimly lit locker room, they looked very, very beautiful.
A/N: End of chapter two. As promised, I will post a new chapter every day, so until tomorrow!
