A day or two later saw the arrival of baby Persephone via planned caesarean section. Her prenatal scans had shown a significant bowel protrusion and heart issue which would both be treated urgently now she had arrived safely.
During her first procedure, they found that her heart defect was worse than they thought and Dr Lim called for the neonatal cardiac surgeon. She was startled by a voice coming from the viewing gallery announcing the presence of the new Chief of Surgery, Jackson Han.
Scrubbing in, he stepped up to the field and instructed the theatre nurse to turn on the music which rattled Murphy and caused him to fumble some apparatus. He quizzed the residents with technical questions which Dr Browne fumbled but Dr Murphy answered as if reading from a text book. It had looked like a moment of redemption but it wasn't going to last long.
X
Dr Melendez paced the corridor outside the operating theatre waiting for Dr Han and he was not in a good mood. He had arrived this morning to find his scheduled procedure had been cancelled with no notice. Just because it was a simple hernia, it didn't mean it could just be bumped from the schedule, that's not how things worked around here. He couldn't go taking liberties like that and wanted to give him a piece of his mind.
Han introduced himself in a pleasant enough manner and went on to inform Neil that he'd been promised to a patient who had come in for a full medical. He argued that he isn't an intern and doesn't do physicals no matter how rich the patient is until Han pointed out that treating the rich patients allow us to treat poor patients and Neil had to admit defeat. In hindsight that would be the only thing Jackson Han said that Neil would agree with during his short tenure.
Playing further to Neil's arrogance, he casually added that he had promised Monesh the very best so who else was he going to ask. When he met the patient, he complimented him further saying that Dr Han had said nothing but good things about him but it didn't do much to improve his soured mood. With the first few tests complete he finds himself getting bored and he enlists his residents to do his grunt work under his supervision. He would argue that technically he was still the lead physician and taking Dr Han that it was a teaching hospital after all.
The rigorous testing and full scans were what Melendez found most boring about his role and he sat doing crossword puzzles while giving Park and Reznick the 'opportunity' to take part.
As they watched the screens during the MRI they asked Dr Melendez what he thought of Han. His reply that he was direct, charming, very sure of himself with a big ego amused the residents. To them it sounded very much like he was describing himself without realising and they smiled at each other before the mood turned more serious as they noticed a tumour.
X
While in the library researching procedures to try and repair Persies heart, Han arrives to dress down Murphy for speaking to the parents and implying that the defects were the mother's fault due to her anxiety medications. Lim tries to defend Shaun by pointing out that he is a resident and residents make mistakes but Han did not accept that as an excuse. Under no circumstances was he to speak to the parents again - an order with no exceptions.
Feeling uncomfortable with how he had spoken to Shaun, Audrey walked with Han to convey that shame based learning wasn't her style and that she disagreed with him over Shauns ability, arguing he deserves to be here and had earned his place like everyone else.
She wasn't sure if he'd even really heard her but she had to try. It seemed as though he had judged Shaun before he'd even spent any time with him and that wasn't okay.
X
Neil was finding his patient perplexing. He was calm and collected in all his reactions and methodical in his approach when deciding on which treatment route to take. They agreed on the initial procedure, but it didn't go well when Melendez nicked an artery whilst trying to retrieve the biopsy. Unfortunately this was done in presence of Han who gave a rather back handed compliment on a good save but reminded him not to cause the problem again. With his last nerve pinched, Neil announced that there will not be a next time, it was too dangerous to continue.
Discussing other options with the patient afterwards, he gave his best estimate at the statistics Monesh needed. The patients family had already told him he shouldn't do the surgery but he needed something more concrete in order to make his decision. Neil gives him 80% success rate and just 5% odds that it's cancerous at all and he sat for less than a minute before deciding that the surgery is the plan for him, despite advice to the contrary.
X
Audrey pressed the elevator button over and over in her frustration at the meeting with Dr Andrews. With the parents disagreeing, it would be down to them to decide which route would be best between turning off the machines for Persie to pass quickly and peacefully; or completing the heart surgery which would lead to a slow and painful death from malnutrition.
Both were heart-breaking to even think about and she was briefly impressed by Hans willingness to carry the burden of the choice on procedure so that the parents don't have too. She quickly changed her mind however when he suggested that he and Audrey could beat the odds and the surgery would work. She didn't argue back and left the meeting frustrated that he thought his skills were so infallible.
The doors opened and she smiled widely to see Neil inside leaning against the wall despite the fact that he was frowning at the screen of his tablet.
"The patient is an idiot" he said without looking up.
"The billionaire" she sais quizzically earning herself a smile from him.
"Okay, he's probably very smart" he conceded. "But today he's an idiot" he said shaking his head. "He wants surgery - a risky surgery - for what is almost definitely nothing. He could die, and then I'd find out it's benign" he finished eventually looking up and into her eyes.
"Well, that's his choice" she said sounding sympathetic. "My patient is a baby" she said with a sigh feeling some serious weight on her shoulders.
"The surgery is on? I thought they...?"
"Han overruled me. He's confident we can beat the odds" she said mocking their illustrious new leader and it was his turn to look at her with sympathetic eyes.
The elevator door pinged open for his floor and as he pushed away from the wall he quickly took her hand and gave a squeeze of encouragement before walking out, not saying anything further.
Before the doors closed, she moved quickly and followed him out into the corridor. "Would you do the surgery?" she asked once she was close enough for him to hear. He stopped and turned to face her but before he could speak, she continued "You would, wouldn't you? Probably without any hesitation."
They took a few paces down the corridor in step and he just listened as she rambled on.
"Maybe Han is right. What if I'm protecting myself from failure more than this baby?"
That was the last straw for Neil. He couldn't stand to see this self doubt coming from her and he stepped in front of her and put out his hand.
"The only doctors I don't trust are the ones who are never afraid" he started, looking at her with those soft brown eyes. "I don't know what will happen. But I do know there is no one better to be operating on this little girl than you."
He could see his words sink in and the worry on her face was replaced by a small smile.
"Thank you" she said, turning on her heel and walking away before she kissed him right there in the corridor.
He watched her with a small smile of his own and as she stopped to press the elevator call button again, before he turned and headed down towards the nurses station.
X
"What do you think is anything going on there" Morgan asked Browne as they stood at the nurses station completing patient records.
"What? Where?" Claire asked innocently, not knowing what Morgan was referring to and not quite used to her sometimes obtuse train of thought.
"There" she said, nudging Claire to look up. She had seen Dr Lim follow Dr Melendez out of the elevator and walk down the corridor in an animated discussion.
"The usual disagreements over patient care" Claire suggested before looking back at her notes.
"But look" Morgan insisted. "They argue like an old married couple. They jumped out of their skins when we saw them at the bar the other night..."
"They've been friends for years" Claire interrupted. "Don't tell me you're one of those people who think men and woman can't be friends?" she laughed shaking her head.
"Certainly not" Morgan replied sharply.
"Maybe we should get on with these then?" she suggested, nodding at the pile of paperwork in front of them. She glanced up to see Lim and Melendez go their separate ways but couldn't help notice a small smile gracing his lips. Maybe there was something going on, but it certainly wasn't their place to be taking about it.
X
Sat alone on his couch in sweatpants and an old college t-shirt, he was glued to the screen of his tablet frowning at the images on the display. He was sipping from the single beer he had treated himself to this evening, wanting to keep a clear head for the morning. The buzzer for his apartment sounded loudly in the silence and he cursed as he spilled his drink down the front of his shirt a little.
Leaning over to pick up the handset he smiled as he heard a blunt "it's me" before pressing the button to let her in the front door of his building. Getting up to open his apartment door ready, he stepped back out of the way as she stormed in and straight into the kitchen.
She hadn't even said hi and was rambling away as she unpacked what he assumed was her dinner from the paper bag she had been wielding.
"He's got a superiority complex! The odds of this surgery are awful, why would he want to do it? For the prestige 'if' it works? It's just not good enough!"
She grabbed a plate from the cupboard and tipped out the contents of a takeout box quite unceremoniously, some of it spilling onto the countertop.
"Have you eaten? Of course you have, probably some super healthy, super food concoction" she continued sarcastically, without letting him get a word in, not even noticing that he had opened his mouth to reply.
In the flurry of excitement, she hadn't noticed him gradually moving closer. He was a just a step away now and still she continued.
"It's just ridiculous that he's made me so... so... frustrated and it's only his first day. No one ever rattles me like that" she said pulling open a draw, not finding what she wanted and slamming it shut again.
He'd seen enough. He gently put his hand out and covered hers on the handle of the next drawer set to receive her wrath. She turned on her heel at the contact and he half expected her to rip straight into him. But she didn't, she stopped.
Her shoulders slumped and she looked tired but couldn't help a smile creeping across her face.
"I'm not sure my kitchen could take much more abuse. Let me" he said smiling as he nudged her a little to one side and got to work. Getting another plate, he transferred most if the food across, making it look a little more presentable. He turned to the next drawer over and got two sets of cutlery and brandished them proudly for her to snatch them and quickly stick out her tongue in response.
"Yes, I have eaten" he said smiling. "And yes it was obscenely healthy. But I'll eat again with you" he said picking up the two plates and ushering her towards the table.
They sat opposite one another and ate in silence. Neil picked at his plate while Audrey devoured hers efficiently and sat back triumphantly once she had finished.
"I feel better now" she said, sounding calmer. "Sorry about all that."
"It's fine" he replied, reaching over to pick up her plate to stack on his. "He hasn't exactly endeared himself to me either but maybe he's just trying to make his mark."
"Let's hope so" she sighed. "I am worried about Shaun though. He really seems to be gunning for him. He really doesn't think he should be in the job" she said shaking her head, before getting up from her seat and reaching to pick up the plates from in front of him.
"Ah, no! My crockery can't take it. You can sort us a drink while I wipe these" he smiled. After bustling around the kitchen for a few minutes they were pretty much done but before they headed in to sit more comfortably, he took her hand again and turned her to face him. "You know what I thought of Murphy when he first started? I'm not proud of some of the things I said or did, so maybe Han just needs a chance to see what I saw" he said softly.
"Let's hope it doesn't take to long" she smiled taking his face in her hands and kissing him gently. "Besides, it's not quite the same. I knew deep down you were a nice guy. I'm quite confidant Han is an asshole" she shrugged nonchalantly earning herself a chuckle from him.
"You staying tonight?" he asked her with a smirk.
"I don't think so" she replied. "I'm already exhausted after today and I need to be fresh for tomorrow."
"We could just go to sleep" he suggested with a little laugh. "I can drop you back at your place in the morning so you can still catch your bus" he teased.
"Just sleeping puts us in firmly in boyfriend, girlfriend territory. I'm not sure I'm ready to be put in a category like that" she teased him with a grimace.
"I'm not a 'boy' anything" he said leaning in to kiss her again.
"You don't need to tell me that" she smirked dragging her arms around his shoulders. "If you have a spare shirt and toothbrush, I'll stay" she smiled.
"Of course I do" he smiled. "Now sit, and let's talk about anything apart from work" he suggested.
"My pleasure" she replied. "How's Gabi?"
"Good" he started before regaling her with his latest stories making her laugh out loud and forget why she had been so angry in the first place.
The hour or so flew by and they were only prompted to look at the clock when Neil couldn't help but let out a great big yawn.
"Sorry!" he laughed, clapping his hand to his mouth at her look of 'really?!' "It's been a busy day" he shrugged.
"Come on" she said, getting to her feet and holding out her hand. "Got to get up early to take me home. Let's go to sleep" she smiled.
He took her hand, got to his feet and moved away to turn out the lights and check the front door. By the time he reached the bedroom, she had pulled back the comforter, turned on the lamp and was perched on the edge of the bed waiting patiently.
Walking up to his dresser, he pulled open the top drawer and rifled around for a moment before pulling out a creased San Jose Sharks t-shirt. He flung it in her direction with a smile and headed off to the bathroom.
She undressed, putting her clothes in a pile on the nearby chair and as she pulled the well worn shirt over her head, she was enveloped in a smell she could only describe as Neil. As the collar passed by her nose she held it there and took a deep breath, enjoying the moment before he came back out.
The bathroom door opened and he came out scrubbing away at his teeth, holding out a new brush, still in the packet, for her. She appreciated the view as he stood sans the shirt he had been wearing earlier and he smirked when he caught her blatantly looking him up and down.
"Do I need to put my shirt back on" he mumbled before turning back into the bathroom but hearing her mutter something in response.
"I think I can control myself" she quipped as she passed him in the doorway to take her turn.
By the time she was finished, he was already laid back on the pillows looking comfortable and she crawled up to join him, pulling the blanket up behind her.
"Goodnight" she said looking down at him before leaning down to drop a kiss on his lips and lying back.
"Night" he replied as he stretched out his arm to switch off the light and closing his eyes. He didn't say anything when he felt her put out her hand, he just let her fingers tangle with his and listened carefully for her breathing to level out to signal that she'd fallen asleep.
'Tomorrow will be better' he thought as he drifted in to sleep himself.
X
As usual, Neil was right.
Audrey's surgery was almost the devastating the result that she had desperately wanted to avoid. They had reached the stage in the procedure where the only option was to turn off life support and let baby Persephone go. Audrey needed a minute, these cases were never easy and this outcome had been likely but that didn't make things any easier. She was straight as a die and no nonsense bit that could never be considered with uncaring. The relief she felt even she heard Shaun chime in with his solution was felt in a wave across the room.
The reuniting of the patient with her parents was one that would go right up there as one of the best she'd seen and the first thought she had, was that she wanted to celebrate with Neil.
Neil's own procedure had been challenging but they resected the tumour successfully and the patient seemed unfazed by the fact that he would walk with a limp due to the paralysis in his left foot.
When the biopsy resulted arrived just as he was leaving for the day, he held them in his hand a moment before dropping them in the trash. He coined a phrase Monesh had used earlier that day, telling his residents that they "can't put the tumour back" before walking out feeling he'd gained more than just medical knowledge these last two days.
Disclaimer - Dialogue used from the deleted scene from the episode.
