The alarm is incessant and loud in Dr. Peridot Greene's ears. The time is now 5:22 a.m., Peridot has hit snooze far too many times this morning. She has a scheduled surgery at 7 that cannot wait. She pulls herself out of bed and gets ready. She packs her work bag with extra shoes, socks, a change of scrubs, and her favorite dark green scrub cap with patterned evergreens on it. Sometimes emergencies happen, and blood ends up in places it shouldn't. (hence the extra clothes) She dresses in her dark blue scrubs and quickly shoves some pens in her pockets, she seems to always lose them throughout the day. Peridot still has time to get some much-needed caffeine for the day.

She starts up her Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and revs the engine, 'ah, that feels good,' Peridot thinks to herself as she shifts to reverse. Some people flaunt their wealth with fashion or art, but she doesn't care about either of those things. Peridot is a car lover, she never liked to flex, but she didn't spend 10 years in medical school and training to not flex. She backs out of the driveway of her Californian multi-million dollar home and heads to her favorite coffee shop; The Crystal Cafe.

She opens the door and inhales deeply, smelling the freshly brewed coffee. The bell on the door rings as she enters, she takes a moment to look over the menu before stepping in line, she waits for a few moments checking her pager, hoping all is well with her patients before looking up again. That's when she sees her, she dances behind the counter swiftly wiping the milk frother as she pours another latte, handing it to a customer. She quickly goes to the toaster and slides a breakfast sandwich in while also taking one out in one fluid motion, her dark brown hair flows like water as she moves, although it's short, there is still enough there to style if she so desired. she turns and looks at Peridot with bright blue eyes. A smile adorns her previously focused face, their eyes meet. Lapis is frozen for a moment before speaking, "I'll be right with you!" her voice is bright and clear. Peridot is speechless, so she nods in her voice's place.

—

Lapis Lazuli is newly moved into California, she lives in a small run-down apartment that smells like cigarettes and has terrible looking wallpaper. She works many jobs to make ends meet in The Golden State, but she doesn't care. She's living her dream of having warm weather and the ability to go to the beach whenever she desires. She was always drawn to the ocean, no matter what she did or where she went, something always drew her out there.

Today is her third day at the coffee shop, she just picked this job up for some extra spending cash. It's Monday, she spent the weekend perfecting the use of the espresso machine, today she is really getting the hang of it as the morning rush flows in, she pours lattes, mixes drinks, blends frappes, and toasts sandwiches like nobody's business. There's a short pause in the rush when Lapis sees her.

She is professional and stoic, someone who knows what they want and how to get it, but also polite and beautiful, her dark blue scrubs bring her brightly colored green eyes to attention, she seems to also be of importance, she watches a pager like a hawk, she must be employed at the hospital down the street. Her hair is short and neatly styled out of her face. Lapis looks at the keys that hang from Peridot's middle finger. Wealthy too, Lapis raises her eyebrows at that. Her imagination takes over before she realizes she's at work.

Lapis smiles, "I'll be right with you," Lapis almost has to force the words out for she is speechless. Lapis finishes her previous task making her way to the register. "What can I get for ya!" Lapis says trying to be friendly, Peridot half-smiles before speaking.

"I'll have a tall double shot flat white, please," Peridot requests the drink by name since this girl is clearly new. Her voice is smooth like butter, it gives Lapis goosebumps.

"Sure I'll get that going for you now, is there anything else you'd like?" Lapis asks before hitting the total button on the register, Peridot hesitates, she should eat something.

"Go ahead and add a blueberry muffin to that," Peridot asks, not the healthiest thing in the world, but it's better than nothing. Lapis nods hitting a button then looking back up expectantly, "That will be it," Peridot says reaching into her pocket and fishing out her wallet, pulling a 20 out.

"That will be $7.99, can I have a name for the order?" Lapis asks, opening the register. Peridot hesitates before giving a simple answer.

"Peridot," she says, handing Lapis the 20. Lapis trades it for a ten, two ones and a penny. She goes to hand the change back to Peridot but Peridot shakes her head and winks. "You keep that," Peridot says smiling and slipping her wallet back in her pocket. She speaks slow and smooth.

"Thank you," Lapis blushes and drops the money in the cafe's colorful tip jar.

"Can I ask for your name?" Peridot asks quickly before stepping aside, the blue-eyed girl smiles looking away.

"Lapis," she answers Peridot's question plainly and comfortably, before turning to start on Peridot's order. Peridot waits quietly among the bustling cafe watching her pager, spinning her keychain around her finger when she looks up again to watch this Lapis girl work. She dances among the machines and blenders before a cup and paper bag is set upon the counter. She rings the bell twice,

"Order for Peridot!" She speaks loud and clear. She looks Peridot up and down flirtatiously biting her lip and winking. Peridot can feel heat rise into her cheeks as she grabs the bag and drink. She walks away quickly, getting back into her car and driving off.

—-

"Good morning Dr. Greene, Dr. Quartz has put me in your service today!" The newest surgical intern; Pearl Miller, greets Peridot brightly as she enters the locker room, she is pale and has short strawberry blonde hair in a pixie cut. Her nose is slender and long, pointed outwards, she wears light blue scrubs and always seems to have a smile on her face. Dr. Steven Quartz is chief of surgery here at Gemstone Coast Hospital.

"Good morning Dr. Miller, you'll have your hands full then." Peridot gives a neutral greeting before locking her things up and scarfing down her muffin. This is Pearl's first week in neurosurgery. She admires Peridot for her knowledge, although she can be quite arrogant. Pearl has a bright mind, Peridot hopes she can mold it to take her place one day. "Please make sure the patient is prepared for surgery, I have to look over these scans one more time before we scrub in," Peridot says to Pearl while sipping her coffee. It tastes different somehow, better. Pearl nods, walking away quickly. Peridot goes to the front desk where the Cardio surgeon, Garnet Wilson sits. Peridot punches in, "Good morning Dr. Wilson," Peridot greets her colleague with much respect. Peridot aspires to be like her.

"Ah, good morning Dr. Greene, today's a good day for surgery wouldn't you say?" Garnet says looking up from her paperwork.

"Indeed it is, I'll be seeing you around," Peridot says glancing up at the clock, surprised by the time, surgery is scheduled in 15 minutes. She quickly finds her patient's file and goes to the illuminator hanging the CT scans, verifying the position of the blood clot Peridot needs to clip this morning, or rather teach Pearl how to clip. Peridot's mind wanders back to this morning at the coffee shop, and that girl, she sips her coffee again. Vanilla. That's what she's tasting that made her drink better, 'that sneaky minx,' Peridot thinks to herself smiling, she hopes to see her again. Pearl comes up behind her,

"Mrs. Nanafua is prepped and ready for operation Dr. Greene," Peridot is surprised by Pearl's chipper voice but she quickly composes herself.

"We will be in O.R. 2 this morning, please go scrub in," Peridot says, tying her scrub cap in place with a clipboard between her legs, and a pen between her teeth. Pearl nods, walking off, Peridot follows not far behind.

—-

They tie their masks on and scrub their hands in silence, before Peridot begins to speak, scrubbing underneath her fingernails. "There is a blood clot, where is it?" Peridot is asking to test Pearl's attention to detail.

"It's located in the lower right quadrant of the left temporal lobe Dr. Greene," Pearl answers knowledgeably.

"Good that you're aware because you're going to be the one to clip it," Peridot grins at the look on Pearl's face.

"Me?" Pearl asks astonished.

"Well can you do it, Dr. Miller?" Peridot is slick and cunning about this. Surprises and tests of confidence make good surgeons. Pearl scrunches her face up in concentration.

"Of course doctor," Pearl says as her face becomes professional once again. Peridot giggles rinsing her hands and turning on her heel into the sterile operating room. A scrub nurse carefully dries Peridot's hands and gloves them, putting safety glasses on Peridot's face. Peridot and Pearl approach the anesthetized patient together, with a steady arm she holds out her hand.

"Scalpel," Peridot says, once the tool is in her hand she immediately goes in and makes an incision along the previously marked side of the patient's scalp. She opens up the skull, handing the reins over to Pearl.

Peridot watches closely, and with minimal guidance, Pearl slowly works the tools with steady hands, she clips the blood clot in one go. 'She'd make a fine neurosurgeon,' Peridot thinks to herself before praising the other doctor in the room, "Brava Dr. Miller," Peridot says as Pearl removes the instruments from the patient, "Go ahead and close up here and get the patient to recovery. I'll meet you in the break room afterward." Pearl nods excitedly smiling with pride behind her mask, Peridot sees it in her eyes, Peridot is proud too she supposes.

Peridot's day continues on uneventfully with minimal emergencies and surgeries. There are no complications with the previous one this morning, so she goes home, on-call, in case something does happen.

—-

Lapis's shift ends at the coffee shop at noon, she has no other plans for the day so she decides to go to the beach. Lapis is a mystery to most of her co-workers and her manager at the coffee shop, Amethyst is all too curious, "Hey Lapis, any plans after work today?" she asks. Lapis gets a good vibe from Amethyst and takes the shot.

"Surfing, swell is looking good today," Lapis says this eyeing her manager closely,

"Shut up!" Amethyst exclaims excitedly, Lapis grins wide, she is right about her, "You surf too?" Amethyst is excited now, "You are so not going out there alone, this is me inviting myself along," Amethyst says.

"Trust me that is more than fine with me," Lapis says grabbing her bag,

"Need a ride?" Amethyst asks her newly discovered surfing buddy.

"That'd be nice, thanks," Lapis says to Amethyst. She takes the ride freely, not wanting to deal with public transportation at the moment. Amethyst opens up her Subaru and drives to Lapis's apartment. After a few short moments, she emerges with her surfboard and beach bag. Amethyst makes a quick stop by her home and grabs her things as well. They head off to the beach.

Lapis and Amethyst ride waves well into the sunset, they lay on the beach and chitchat about all sorts of things before Lapis's mind wanders back to that doctor from this morning. "Who is she anyway?" Lapis asks after describing her to Amethyst

"That's Dr. Peridot Greene, she's a neurosurgeon at Gemstone Coast Hospital. She's loaded, and a regular at the shop. She always orders a plain flat white coffee with two shots and the best part, she tips like heaven dude. Once she gave me a 20 for no reason, didn't even order anythin' she just handed me the bill and told me to have a good day." Amethyst says cleaning her surfboard. Laughing at the memory.

"She sounds nice," Lapis says remembering her details from this morning.

"As nice as they come, she is a little know-it-all though," Amethyst says applying wax to her board. Lapis nods changing the subject, although she still couldn't take her mind off of this surgeon. "We better get going, I have to open tomorrow ugh," Amethyst says annoyed. Lapis giggles,

"no worries let's head out!" Lapis says picking up her board. They go back to their homes sunkissed and sandy, and Lapis dreams about a surgeon.

—-