Author's Note: Time jump to about a month or so before graduation. I did this so Y'all wouldn't get bored with the same old ER stuff. Enjoy!

Chapter 11

"Cassie?! There you are!" Maggie exclaimed as Cassie made her way to the desk.

"What's up?" she asked.

Maggie set the phone receiver in its cradle and handed her a half scribbled note. "You're wanted in Mrs. Goodwin's office like 10 seconds ago."

"Ok. Any idea what she wants? And how do I get there?"

Maggie hurriedly gave her directions. Cassie left the ER and tried to remember the directions Maggie had given her. As she waited for the elevator, she started to wonder if she had done something wrong. She puzzled through her last few days to see if anything would jump out at her, but nothing did. If she had done something wrong, she thought that the doctors or nursing staff would have told her. A too short elevator ride and a walk down the corridor landed her in front of Sharon Goodwin's office. She took five deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her inhaler. She squirted two puffs of albuterol into her mouth and waited for it to make its way to her lungs. There was no way in the world she was going to have an attack in the Administrator's office. Nervously, she knocked on the door.

"Come in."

She opened the door and reluctantly stepped inside. She felt like she was back in third grade and was being sent to the principal's office to be punished for something she had done on the playground.

"Good morning, Cassandra," Sharon greeted.

"Mrs. Goodwin, good morning. Maggie said you wanted to see me?

Sharon sat behind her desk looking very professional in her navy suit, matching stockings, and Italian leather navy shoes that Cassie would have gladly laid down a week's pay for.

"Yes I did. Have a seat," she invited.

"Thank you, Ma'am," she said as she stepped forward and took one of the two available seats in front of Sharon's desk. She folded her hands in her lap.

Sharon studied her for a moment. She could tell Cassie was nervous. She was trying hard to be nonchalant, but she could see her hands shaking, and her breathing pattern alternating from easy to deep with slow expirations. She didn't think of herself as intimidating, but evidently, Cassie did.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I asked to see you," she started.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"I realize you're trying to be respectful, and I appreciate it, but you don't have to call me Ma'am. Sharon is just fine."

Cassie nodded in acknowledgement.

"I received some paperwork from Loyola's Nursing Department. I have to evaluate you on your clinical performance. I thought you might like to see what I have written before I submit it to the department."

She handed some papers to Cassie. She read them slowly, like she was going to be signing a contract after she was finished reading them. She was surprised by what had been written. Once finished, she handed the stack back to Sharon.

"Anything you'd like to add? Or say?"

"I'm very flattered that you find my clinical skills solid. That is very high praise indeed. I also want to thank you for allowing me to do my ER rotation here. You have a very talented and hard working ER team that works so well together that I'm actually going to miss them terribly when this rotation is up."

"Which brings me to my second point."

"Second point?"

"Yes. Drs. Choi, Halstead, and Manning have nothing but good to say about you. Dr. Rhodes said that you challenge him on a daily basis and you think of options he hasn't. Maggie and April have asked for another staff nurse and they already have one picked out. I have an opening in the ED. If you want it, it's yours after you graduate."

Cassie blinked. She felt like she had just been hit in the chest with a basketball. All of the air went out of her lungs. "Nurse Practitioner in the ER?" she repeated.

"After you pass your boards, yes. Until then, GRNP."

"I wasn't expecting this," she said softly. "I thought I had-"

"I know what you thought. We all have those thoughts."

"How soon do I have to give you an answer?"

"Is the end of the week enough time to think things over?"

"I think that's fair."

"I'll expect an answer then."

Sharon rose from her seat. "Please think it over, Cassie. We really don't want to lose you. You've been a good fit these past few months."

Cassie rose. "Thank you. I've learned so much here. I am very grateful that you've allowed me to experience Chicago Med."

"We're not Lakeshore, but there's something special about the hospital."

"Agreed. I'll let you know on Friday."

"Good enough. I've taken up enough of your time. I'll let you get back to seeing patients."

Cassie nodded. "Thank you. I'll see you soon," she said before exiting through the office door.

As she closed the door, she shook her head. 'This isn't happening,' she thought. 'It isn't real. But it is.' As flattered as she was that Sharon wanted her as part of the ER staff, she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to leave Lakeshore.

'Cass, you've got some serious thinking to do,' she decided as she walked down the hall to the elevators.