After Hours-

This is total AU in the night shift verse...for the 'episodic' chapters they will pretty much follow the show to a point...I own nothing just Cassie

--

Cassie snuck into the busy hospital and sat down in the waiting area scribbling in her notebook.

My fourth week working the night shift...doctors continue to bicker about random things not pertaining to medicine...Spinelli smiled at me...

She scratched out the last line as this was a field report and not her personal diary.

"Stone Cold," Jason said, "as you know last week I made progress with my Angel."

"I can't keep giving you relationship advice Spinelli," Jason said, "just ask her out if you want to."

Cassie observed and knew he was going to do it. He was going to ask the blonde nurse out when suddenly a man dressed as a clown came into the ER and Spinelli began to freak.

'This is going to be an interesting evening,' Cassie thought as her partner and his girlfriend entered.

She knew this wasn't good, that Maxie was in fact getting worse. Though she needed to keep her work and personal life separate she couldn't help but go over to where they were again apologizing to Ms. Sneed for the events that occurred a few weeks ago.

"Are you stalking me now Cass," Maxie asked.

"I came here as a concerned friend," Cassie said, "How are you Maxie."

"How do you think I am," Maxie said.

"Feeling pretty shitty," Cassie said, "and I'm sorry I hope you can feel better."

She faked a smile to Cassie before having Cooper escort her to where she needed to be.

Cassie headed to the roof. She needed to clear if only for an instant.

--

Across the hospital Spinelli was still freaking out as Jason glared at him.

"Stone Cold," Spinelli said, "I know that the Jackal might come off as fearless what with helping you fight off the unhinged one and all but..."

"Your afraid of clowns," Jason said, "aren't you."

"It's the one thing that truly strikes fear in the Jackal's heart," Spinelli said.

--

Cassie came down from the roof just in time to overhear Regina talking to Patient Barrett who had left her room with ought permission. When Regina returned from putting the woman back to bed she smiled at Cassie.

"Did I seem mad at you last week," Regina asked, "because if I did then I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," Cassie said smiling as Epiphany began to head over.

"I know I'm going to work," Cassie said before she got yelled at.

As she walked away she couldn't help but overhear two interesting conversations. The first being between Dr. Ford and one of the orderlies who was being fired. He wanted to know if it was because Dr. Kelly Lee complained about him not sleeping about her. The other conversation was between Dr's Julian and Archer who were discussing a patient who sleep walked and were claiming he invented a 'fool proof come on.'

'Since when did the hospital become a frat house,' Cassie thought.

--

Maxie was in a room. Her health was indeed making a turn for the worst.

"Coop," Maxie said, "you should go to the station...I'll be fine."

"I'm not going anyplace until I know your fine," Cooper said.

"Cass is here, somewhere," Maxie said, "she isn't my favorite person but...she's your friend..."

"Is this your way of telling me to have her check on you from time to time for me," Cooper asked.

"Yes," Maxie said, "now go."

Cooper did as his girlfriend wished and headed out. As he headed out he immediately spotted Cassie.

"How bad," Cassie asked.

"Not pretty," Cooper said, "Maxie told me to go to the station."

"And are you," Cassie said.

"I have to," Cooper said, "she also told me to have you make routine check ups and report back to me."

"Seriously," Cassie asked.

"Seriously," Cooper said as the friends hugged and he left.

By now Maxie's cousin Robin along with Dr. Julian were now in the room.

"What's the diagnosis," Maxie asked knowing form there faces it wasn't good.

"The infection has moved into your blood stream," Robin said.

Maxie nodded...she knew the worst was yet to come.

--

Cassie needed a friend to lean on after hearing the seriousness of her good friend and co workers girlfriend. She watched as Spinelli was trying to face his fears by attempting to go into the clown's room. Cassie couldn't help but smile a bit before hading toward the break room.

"Cass," Regina said motioning for the girl to join her and Jolene, "join us."

"Ok," she replied sitting down, "so how have your nights been."

"Well except for the fact that under my watch the Barrett woman tried to leave her room," Regina said, "the night's been kind of boring."

"What about the Clown," Jolene asked.

"Well," Regina said laughing, "besides that."

Ms. Sneed peeked in and smiled at the three women,

"Well night is still young ladies," she said.

"And now something is bound to happen," Regina said, "it's like when someone says things can't get worse...they always do."

--

Georgie was now at Maxie's bedside as Dr. Julian returned and was formerly introduced to his patient's kid sister. He assured her that he would do everything in his power to fix Maxie's heart.

Soon the two sisters began to fight about anything and everything regarding Maxie's health.

"If you want to die just die," Georgie finally yelled in a fit of rage before storming out of the room.

Cassie watched her friend and sat next to her. She put her arm around the girl and let her just sit there and cry.

"Maxie is strong," Cassie said, "she'll pull through."

Spinelli noticed the two girls and knew that despite the fact he was trying to face his fears his friends needed him.

"What's got the Loyal Little Sister down," Spinelli asked.

"I guess you haven't heard about Maxie," Cassie said, "it-it's not looking good right now."

"We kind of were having a fight about the situation," Georgie said through tears, "and I told her...I told her."

Spinelli moved to the opposite side of the young girl and put his arm around her giving Cassie a break for being Georgie's human tissue.

"The Jackal isn't a doctor," Spinelli said, "but it will all turn out fine."

"I told her to just die already," Georgie said, "It just came out...I don't know what I'd do if she died...I mean I hate her at times but she's my sister."

"As an observer of people," Spinelli said, "the Jackal has come to realize people express love in strange ways."

"Spinelli's right," Cassie said, "I'm sure Maxie will forgive you."

Georgie smiled through the tears.

"Thanks," Georgie said, "both of you...I'm so glad to have you as my friends."

She headed back to Maxie's room as Spinelli looked at Cassie.

"Ok," Spinelli said, "wish me luck...the Jackal is about to face his fears."

Cassie smiled at him.

"Luck," she said smiling as Spinelli headed back toward the room of the dreaded clown.

As he walked away Cassie knew she was more in love with him then ever in that moment. As she began to head out she saw that Spinelli had indeed faced his fears and that Maxie was getting seriously worse.

'So the menace didn't strike,' Cassie thought, 'but my real life drama is just heating up.'

TBC