Chapter 6: Cam
SCENE: GREY SLOAN MEMORIAL
(Levi and Taryn watch from the window viewing Alex's office where he's talking to Amber, and a lawyer)
Taryn: What do you thinks going on in there?
Levi: I don't know. Amber's been in there for over a week. She hasn't even seen patients she just charts all day. I'm in the dark about this, I asked and she literally told me to rot in hell.
Taryn: Aren't you her best friend? Shouldn't you know?
Levi: Does Amber strike you as the touchy-feely type? I think she would sooner cut off her own foot than tell me.
Taryn: True. I wish I knew what was going on in there. I mean she looks like it might be bad like getting fired bad. (Gasps) Oh god do you think she's getting fired? And by her own brother?!
Levi: (Becomes more nervous) I don't know and you talking about it only makes me more nervous so thank you!
(Andrew notices them staring and goes to them)
Andrew: You two do know this is a hospital, right? Stop gossiping and get back to work.
(They both scurry to the pit with Andrew passing a glance at Amber and then leaves)
CUT TO ALEXS OFFICE
(Amber sits numbly on the couch staying silent as Alex argues with the hospital lawyer, Wanda)
Wanda: There is enough in the budget to pay off the ransom we just need to call them and-
Alex: We're not just gonna pay this thing we'll hit him back with proof that the video was tampered with proving that he is a pervert and a liar. She's been telling us for a week that it's not her, it's photoshopped. My sister is not gonna be humiliated by some greedy jackass who decided to go after a doctor with a deepfake video.
Wanda: If we go after him, he is likely going to release the videos, resulting in another scandal this hospital won't survive. After that the medical board is gonna catch whiff of this suspending her license and maybe even taking it away all together.
Alex: Did you not hear what I just said? Or what she said? The video was tampered with! He put her head on another woman's body!
Wanda: Chief Karev I wish that were true but we have not one but four graphic experts who all say the same thing. The videos show no pixel manipulation, the skin tones match, the hues match and the shadows are a match. I know this is going to be hard for you the believe but Amber Karev is in this video clear as day, she is just too ashamed to admit it.
Alex: (Angry) You know what I ought to-
Amber: (Numbly) Stop. It's me, I'm in the video. I lied. I'm sorry.
Wanda: (Sighs) Yeah.
(Alex stops his rant and stares at his sister)
MEANWHILE IN THE PIT
(Andrew helps patch up a Cinderella with numerous cuts on her arms)
Andrew: How did this happen again?
Cinderella: A couple of stupid kids threw rocks at some ravens in the Halloween fair and they chased them but one of them collided with me when I was running. I wrestled that diseased rodent with wings before animal control came. Last time I go out on Halloween.
Andrew: Well Cinderella had a bad time but maybe Belle will have a better Halloween next year.
Cinderella: (Chuckles) I think I'll go as a lonely girl in a movie theater watching a horror flick. That one is my favorite costume.
Andrew: I'm gonna get some more gauze just hang on.
(Andrew runs to the supple closet where he runs into Webber)
Andrew: Man, I love Halloween. All the crazies come out which means more surgeries for us.
Webber: You don't have to explain it to me DeLuca. Hey, have you seen either of the Karev's around? They haven't been in the pit or the OR in a while.
Andrew: Um no I haven't seen either of them. I mean Amber hasn't been talking to me since that day in the pit which I thought was a sign of her ignoring me.
Webber: Why would she ignore you? Did you do something?
Andrew: No, I just…Schmitt told me that she liked me.
Webber: (Eyes widen) Schmitt? He told you and not Karev? Amber didn't tell you herself.
Andrew: You knew? When?
Webber: Last week. She ambushes me and Schmitt in the elevator asking what to do about you. I told her to tell you straightforward but obviously she didn't take it.
Andrew: (Shocked) So Schmitt knew and you knew? Did everyone know except for me?
Webber: Pretty much.
Andrew: Wow. I must be really blind or really stupid.
Webber: What are you gonna do?
Andrew: I…I don't know. I mean she's smart, funny and beautiful but…
Webber: But what?
Andrew: I don't know if it would work between us.
Webber: You never know unless you try. Go on a date with her and see if it pans out what have you go to lose?
Andrew: (Sighs) Suddenly I hate Halloween.
(Andrew leaves the supply room to go back to his patient)
LATER AT ALEXS OFFICE
(Alex sits on the couch with Amber who explains the video)
Amber: It was my second year of medical school; I had a part time job waitressing at the campus cafeteria. I spent every minute of every day either working or studying my ass off. I got good grades throughout the year but I was always strapped for cash, I barely had $500 in my account.
Alex: I thought you were on scholarship?
Amber: I was but the scholarship only covers tuition, I had to pay the housing, books and food all on my own. All of the wages I made went to that and I would always end the year with an empty bank account.
Alex: Amber, you don't have to explain.
Wanda: I wish that were true but we need to know the whole story if we want to find a loophole to avoid paying this money. Please continue.
Amber: Okay. At the start of my third year a friend of mine in my medicinal chemistry class came to me with a proposition. She was a webcam girl in her free time and she wanted a guest star to attract more customers, I looked then like I look now so you can see why she wanted me in her website.
Alex: You just said yes? Just like that?
Amber: No, I said no. She spent the next week begging me to appear, she assured me that no one records the sessions and that I would be alone the whole time. All I had to do was wear a wig and strip for tips. I…I was due for the housing payment so I had to make quick cash, that was when I said yes.
Wanda: Was that this video? Only this video?
Amber: …No. There are more.
(Alex rubs his eyes in frustration)
Amber: Do you two know how much I made in that one session in one hour? 200 bucks. That's more than I made in a week, I saw a way to make more money with a flexible schedule and I took it. I asked my friend how she set up her webcam and she gave me a card for the company that owns the website. I called and they met with me, they set up a contract which I read thoroughly and after that…I was Amber Karev the ambitious med student by day and Goldie the webcam girl at night.
Wanda: What exactly did you do in these sessions?
Amber: Um (Clears throat) Mostly posing in my underwear, stripping, sometimes I…masturbate when a customer pays highly to see it.
Alex: (Disgusted) Okay, did the contract you sign specifically state that you not be recorded?
Amber: Yes.
Alex: Then we'll sue for contract violation, right? Scare him into deleting the videos.
Wanda: By that time, he could release the videos and we can't sue for copyright because the videos are in his phone therefore it's his property. We can't sue for defamation either because she posed for her customers and it didn't look like she was doing anything against her will.
Amber: I wasn't.
Alex: (Sighs) You said we had enough to pay him off? The whole million?
Wanda: That's right.
Alex: …Call him and get him here this afternoon, I'll get the checkbook then. Until then Amber, don't-
Amber: See any patients only do charting, got it.
(Amber stands up to leave but decides to say something to Alex)
Amber: Alex I'm…I'm sorry.
Alex: (Sighs) Yeah me too.
(Amber bows her head and leaves the room)
Wanda: Let me give Harrison a call.
(Amber walks to a doctor's lounge when Andrew approaches her)
Andrew: Hey, can we talk?
Amber: I'm not in the mood but sure. What's up?
Andrew: Um I was just wondering if you…like me?
Amber: (Scoffs) I mean yeah, I do you're an okay guy I like you a good-
Andrew: No, I mean do you like me like me? Romantically?
Amber: (Eyes widen) …Who told you? Was it Taryn? There goes her tongue.
Andrew: It wasn't Helm it was Schmitt. He told me at the bar last week that you've been thinking about me since the wedding and it's been nagging me ever since.
Amber: Levi? Great, I guess I'm short one best friend now.
Andrew: Look before you kill him can you just tell me if it's true or not? I'd like to hear it from you.
Amber: (Sighs) Andrew I don't have time to deal with this right now.
Andrew: What do you mean? What's wrong?
Amber: (Irritated) Its none of your business all right. I have bigger things to deal with than my stupid fantasies over you, so I would appreciate it if you just…just leave me alone until I don't feel like strangling someone.
(Before Andrew can answer she heads to the doctor's lounge slamming the door behind her)
THREE HOURS LATER IN ALEXS OFFICE
(Harrison sits at the table with his lawyer across from Alex and Wanda. Alex looks at him with obvious disdain)
Lawyer: My client has agreed to delete all videos and photographs showing Dr. Amber Karev in sexually compromising positions for the sum amount of one million dollars.
Wanda: And how do we know your client doesn't have copies at home right now?
Harrison: I brought all my electronic devices for your tech experts to scroll through, you can delete all the originals and copies after I get my check.
(Harrison smugly grins but stops when Alex achieves a death stare)
Alex: Why do you want this money anyway? You're an attorney.
Lawyer: Harrison's law firm has taken a dive due to the economy and he feels that this is the best way to save his career.
Alex: The best way? The best way includes harassing a young woman who did what she did so she wouldn't starve while trying to become a doctor? I'm starting to see why lawyers are hated so much.
Wanda: Chief Karev, let's keep things civil and make the arrangement as planned. We will give your client $500,000 in return for all his electronic devices and hard drives once we erased all information involving Amber Karev, we will give you the other half of the million.
Harrison: No, no, no. We agreed on a million up front.
Wanda: No, we agreed to talk and decide to make sure that you aren't hiding any tricks up your sleeve Mr. Adams. Once we are confident that you won't do this again then you can get your money. Do we have a deal?
Lawyer: We have a deal.
(Harrison reluctantly hands over all his electronic devices afterward Alex angrily signs the check)
Harrison: Look this isn't personal all right? I just-
Alex: Stop talking or I am gonna take this pen and shove it into your demented brain. (Hands check) I'll give you the rest through mail now get the hell out.
(Harrison and his lawyer quickly leave the room. Alex fumes at the situation. Amber sits in the lounge charting when she sees Harrison pass the window who grins at her and winks. Alex enters the room)
Alex: We got his laptop and phone; the tech guys are gonna find and delete all the videos. After that we'll pay the rest of the money and this nightmare will be over, I promise. You'll go back to the O.R. within a week.
Amber: …Thank you. I'm sorry for lying I just-
Alex: It's fine I get it. It took everything for me not to reach across the table and strangle the bastard.
Amber: You and me both…Are we good Alex?
Alex: (Numb tone) Yeah of course. I'll see you at home tonight.
(Alex leaves the lounge. Amber closes her laptop and leaves as well)
MEANWHILE AT THE CAFETERIA
(Andrew complains to his sister Carina on the phone while she's in Italy)
Andrew: (Italian) Her best friend tells me that she's been dreaming about me and thinking about me for weeks so I feel conflicted after that. I decided to find out if it was true so I approached her and asked her if she likes me but she just bites my head off and walks away. One minute she's hot and then the next she's ice cold like that. I don't know why I even tried, she said so herself we wouldn't work as a couple.
Carina: (Italian) Why wouldn't you work? Is it because of Alex? Andrea that was years ago and Amber is not her brother.
Andrew: (Italian) It's not about her brother okay, it's about her. She's just too…(English) Hard. Every time I try to help her, she just pushes me away, maybe we're just not meant to be that's all.
Carina: You know whenever I'm faced with a snarling dog, I remind myself it's self-preservation that's making it show its teeth.
Andrew: I am going to ignore the fact that you just called Amber a dog. Are you saying that she's upset about something that's making her grumpier than usual?
Carina: Maybe, have you asked her what's wrong?
Andrew: I tried but she doesn't want to talk.
Carina: Try harder bambino. I have to go, bye.
Andrew: Bye.
(Andrew hangs up the phone and contemplates his next actions as he walks inside the on-call room)
Voice: I finished the charts.
Andrew: (Startled) Jesus!
(Andrew jumps at the sudden voice and sees Amber crouching in a dark corner by the bunk)
Amber: (Numb) I finished the charts all the charts. It's Halloween and I was able to finish all the charts that's impressive.
Andrew: It is. Why are you on the floor instead of the bed?
Amber: (Shrugs) I just felt like sitting in a dark corner. I felt like I deserved to sit in a dark corner after the hell I put myself through. It's kind of fitting seeing as its Halloween, are there any special crazies?
Andrew: Um yeah, there's this kid who almost drowned himself bobbing for apples and these two Rocky Balboa's who boxed each other to mincemeat.
Amber: (Chuckles) I loved Halloween as a kid. It was the one time of the year that I could be anyone I wanted. I loved being somebody else because who I was was the foster kid with the schizophrenic mom. Nobody wanted to be that kid. When I was eight, I went to school as the terminator. I stole my brother's jacket and sunglasses and went to school telling people 'Hasta la vista baby'.
Andrew: (Laughs) Seriously? What about Sarah Connor? She's a badass too I'd think she'd be your first choice.
Amber: Nobody messes with the terminator because they know he is unstoppable Sarah Connor is a badass mother but she is still flesh and blood. I tried explaining it to the teachers but they didn't want to hear it and told me to change so as not to confuse the others into crossdressing. Ironically that didn't stop people from progressing beyond two genders.
Andrew: No, it did not, maybe that was the start to your coming out story.
Amber: It was, my brother Aaron said he suspected from that moment alone…I wish I could be somebody else now, someone who isn't me. I'd give anything for that.
Andrew: (Worried about Amber) Do you want to talk about why you're in the dark, alone and contemplating changing identities?
Amber: Not right now.
Andrew: Okay.
(Andrew sits down next to Amber who looks at him confused)
Andrew: I'm gonna sit next to you in silence until you're ready to talk to me because it looks like you need to talk more than sulk. So, whenever you're ready I'm right here.
Amber: Don't you have patients?
Andrew: It's a slow afternoon and Webber has the pit today so…
(They both sit in silence next to each other)
LATER AT ALEXS OFFICE
(Alex throws a ball at a wall as he explains what happened to Jo who spins around the desk chair)
Alex: She lied to me for a week Jo. I took her word over the lawyers and the picture experts who all said that it was her. I mean I get it, it's not easy telling your brother that you used to be a stripper and that you unintentionally set yourself up for this harassment.
Jo: Alex, she wasn't a stripper she was a web cam girl and it's not like she wanted this to happen in the first place. I mean the whole point of web camming is that the woman controls the narrative. There's no physical contact, no std's and no violence. It was supposed to be a safe space for Amber, Harrison broke that safety to get money.
Alex: I know that and you know what the worst part is. I blamed her a little when I first found out what Harrison showed us was true. Why did I do that? Why did I blame my little sister for doing what she did to keep a roof over her head?
Jo: Years of patriarchy?
Alex: That's it. God, I swear Jo I just want to find that son of a bitch and hang a noose around his neck.
Jo: Don't worry, given how Harrison acts towards women I have a feeling that karma is gonna come to kick him in the ass.
(Alex continues throwing the ball at the wall)
TWO HOURS LATER IN THE ON CALL ROOM
(Amber and Andrew talk after she tells him about what happened)
Amber: You would think looking at me that I was the mean girl at school, right?
Andrew: …Well I mean your blonde, pretty and snappy so yeah maybe a little. Is that inaccurate?
Amber: Very inaccurate. In fact, I was the target for mean girls. I was ridiculed for my thrift store clothes, my clinically crazy family and what I thought was my bisexuality at the time.
Andrew: What do you mean 'thought'? I mean I thought you were bi.
Amber: When I was a teenager, I thought I was but it wasn't until college that I found out I was pan. Even so I was a queer girl in an all-catholic school so the ridicule was nonstop. The teachers didn't do anything because they claim it won't do any good but really it was because they thought that God was punishing me for my devious thoughts and didn't want to interfere.
Andrew: That's awful. I can't even imagine.
Amber: Of course not, I wouldn't expect you to get it.
Andrew: What do you mean? What do you think I was like in high school?
Amber: (Observes Andrew) Captain of a sports team with a high GPA and girls attached to his hips in and out of school. In other words, we would not have been friends at all.
Andrew: (Chuckles) Your right about the captain part I was captain of the cross-country skiing club in high school but I also had pimples all over my face, arms as skinny as noodles and hair that looked like bigfoot's wig. I had friends but there were also jocks who flaunted their girlfriends in front of me. They would point at me at the cafeteria and call me DeLoser all the way to my senior year. It wasn't like being on the spectrum in a Jesus freak school but my teen years were crappy just the same.
Amber: Yeah, I may have judged too harshly sorry about that.
Andrew: Its fine I just remind myself that the bullies peaked and are now washing cars for tips. Bullies get bullied that's what I always say, even late in life…He's not gonna get away with this all right, eventually his behavior will catch up to him in the form of some woman he inevitably screwed over.
Amber: (Appalled at Harrison) He winked at me. He was walking down the hall after he took my brothers money and he just winked at me like I was some random girl at a bar. I feel so much…rage inside me like I want to kill someone just to get all this rage out of me you know?
Andrew: I don't know what you're feeling right now but I know that you have a right to be angry and pissed. It's over now, okay? He's gone and he's never gonna do this to you again. Take comfort in that.
Amber: It's not just what he did to me it's the way he did it. He acted like I was his property like I was a meal ticket, it never even occurred to him that I was an actual person with feelings. It didn't occur to him on how my brother would feel knowing his sister was a cam girl. You should've seen the way Alex looked at me when he found out, it felt like he was judging me and all but saying 'why couldn't you have flipped burgers instead?'
Andrew: He was just shocked he's gonna understand.
Amber: Not deep down. And it's all thanks to that…that pathetic excuse for a man. He changed my relationship with my brother forever without a second thought and he's getting paid for it. I want to…
Andrew: You want to what?
Amber: I want him to feel what he made me feel. I want him to feel exposed. I want him to feel humiliated. I want him to feel sorry for ever messing with me…but I can't.
Andrew: Who says you can't?
(Andrew stands up holds his hand out and Amber grabs it standing up as well)
TWO HOURS LATER AT THE ARCHFIELD
(Amber knocks on the door and Harrison opens it wearing only sweatpants)
Harrison: What do you want?
Amber: (Sweetly) Can I come in to talk and maybe have a drink?
(Harrison grins and opens the door wide open. Amber goes inside as Harrison closes the door and prowls to her)
Harrison: You know this is not how I-
(Amber interrupts him by kneeing him in the groin causing him to kneel. Amber punches him in the face causing him to writhe on the ground in pain. She pulls out her phone and takes a picture)
Amber: (Cold) That thing you're feeling. The vulnerability, the pain, the humiliation. That's how I felt that night in the parking lot.
(Amber leaves the room and walks across the hall with Harrison limping towards her)
Harrison: Hey!
(Andrew steps in front of him protecting Amber with a smug grin of his own as he looks at Harrison's bloody nose)
Andrew: No. Turn around now.
(Harrison fumes as blood pours from his nose but complies turning around. Amber holds the elevator for Andrew who goes inside)
LATER AT ANDREWS APARTMENT
(Amber enters the apartment with Andrew leading after giving him a ride home in her car. Andrew gets an ice pack out of his freezer and gives it to Amber who puts it on her bruised hand)
Amber: Thank you.
Andrew: Are you okay?
Amber: (Chuckles in delight) It's the best feeling I've had all week. Now I know what people mean when they say the pain is worth it.
Andrew: (Grins and heads to the kitchen) Can I get you a drink champ?
Amber: No thanks I'm driving back to the loft. (Observes the apartment) Nice place. How do you afford it?
Andrew: (Grabs a beer for himself) Before she left, Dr. Robbins taught me how to budget and how to balance my credit score and now I live here.
Amber: (Sighs) I wish I had your financial skills.
(Andrew stands in front of Amber in the living room drinking his beer and looks at Amber for a silent moment before asking)
Andrew: So…Are we gonna talk about you having fantasies over me?
(Amber's breath hitches as the inevitable finally happens)
Amber: You know what I think I'll have that drink after all.
(Amber runs to the fridge and grabs a beer as well popping it open and drinking it halfway to Andrew's amazement)
Andrew: Look um we don't have to talk about this if you don't want to, you've had a long day so-
Amber: (Feeling more confident) I dreamt that we were married.
Andrew: (Confused) What?
Amber: (Sighs and faces Andrew) The night of the wedding, after you kissed me…I had a dream that we were married in the future.
Andrew: (Shocked) Oh…I mean…you went to your brother's wedding so it's normal that you would dream of being married to someone and I did kiss you so that could explain it.
Amber: (Drinks more beer) Yeah Schmitt said the same thing until I dreamt, we were married, living in a house and pregnant with our first kid the day after that. And then a week ago I dreamt that we were making out in bed. After that it was clear my…feelings for you somehow shifted.
(Andrew processes this information as he takes a sip from his beer)
Amber: (Thinks she's embarrassing herself) Oh God what am I doing.
(Amber puts her beer down to leave)
Andrew: Wait hold on. Look I've got to say something. (Amber stops) I think you have this idea in your head that your too scary for people to like you back so you push them away but that's not true your…I mean don't get me wrong you are scary but in a badass sort of way which I just witnessed and I think that makes you more attractive. I freaked out a little bit when Schmitt told me but that's only because this past year you made it seem like I was the last person you would want to date.
Amber: (Chuckles nervously) Yeah, I know! But to be fair you did reject me…twice. And now it's gonna be a third time.
Andrew: Amber…I think your great I mean that, it's just…I don't know if I have feelings for you too and honestly, I wish I did because then it would save us both a lot of pain.
Amber: (Gets an idea) …Kiss me.
Andrew: (Eyebrows raised in confusion) What?
Amber: I think there is something here whether it's mutual attraction or just pure lust (Steps closer to Andrew) You said you wanted to know if you had those feelings for me so (Grabs his beer and puts it on the table) kiss me.
Andrew: I mean we've kissed before.
Amber: Nope those don't count. First time I caught you by surprise and back then I was just the girl whose brother put you in the ICU. Second time you kissed me but you were two drinks away from cirrhosis so…
(Andrew rubs the back of his neck uncertain of her plan)
Amber: Come on just one kiss and…if you don't feel anything at least I will know then and we can move past this and never mention it again. I mean it's the best deal your ever gonna get buddy.
Andrew: (Sighs) Just one kiss?
Amber: One kiss.
Andrew: …Okay.
Amber: Okay.
(Amber moves closer so their face to face and leans forward until their lips meet. They kiss for twenty seconds and break apart. Amber sees the blank expression on Andrew's face and immediately assumes he didn't feel a spark)
Amber: (Disappointed but composed) I'm sorry.
(Amber grabs her purse and leaves the apartment with Andrew still standing there with a blank face. Andrew sits on the couch and exhales)
Andrew: (Awestruck of Amber after the kiss) Whoa.