Chapter 17: Just My Luck
SCENE: CAFETERIA
(Amber pours over her computer while Sam and Levi prepare for their intern exams)
Sam: Okay, Question 1: 55-year-old man presents with vague abdominal pain and is found to have a retroperitoneal indiscrete mass that is suspicious for retroperitoneal (RP) fibrosis. What is an accurate statement regarding RP fibrosis?
Levi: Um five-year survival rate is 50%.
Sam: (Imitates buzzer) Wrong! The answer is strong association with methysergide. How did you get into med school?
Levi: I missed one question just one, ask me another one.
Sam: Fine, Amber you got anything?
(Amber ignores her as she continues to type and look at her computer)
Sam: Amber? Hello, earth to Amber?
Amber: (Looks up) Sorry what did you say?
Levi: Dude what is going on with you? You look like you haven't slept in days, what's keeping you up?
Amber: I've been killing myself for Pierce this past week. She's on an innovator high and asked me to look into environments that improve cardio health. I am on my third day of no sleep and I am close to stealing adrenaline from the cabinets.
Levi: Environments? What does that mean?
Amber: (Yawns) She wants to see if different settings have an effect on stress levels, you'll find out later and will be impressed trust me.
Sam: (Grins) Can't wait.
(Amber gets an email)
Levi: What is it?
Amber: (Opens mail) Oh no come on. Gia forwarded me one of those annoying chain letter emails, you know the one from Kentucky.
Sam: Oh yeah, the one about the unemployed guy who drowned in his own tub and haunts people like some parody of the grudge. I got one too.
Levi: (Raises eyebrows) How does that happen? How do you drown yourself in your own tub?
Amber: You don't, it's just some made up story to try to get people to go along with this joke. It says here 'If you don't forward this to a hundred people within 7 days you will experience a lifetime of bad luck and misery' yeah well jokes on you buddy I already had a life of bad luck and misery.
Sam: You're not gonna forward it?
Amber: No, it's just a stupid joke.
Sam: I don't know. The last person who didn't forward it had to watch his puppy cross the street and get run over by a jeep. He was just flattened on that street.
Levi: Yeah, you should definitely forward it, not to me but to a hundred other people you know.
Sam: I already did my bid so don't forward it to me.
Amber: (Scoffs) I'm not forwarding it to anyone. Delete.
(Sam shakes her head in disappointment with Levi looking at Amber in worry)
LATER AT THE CARDIO FLOOR
(Maggie walks the interns through the floor as she presents her next project with Amber by her side)
Maggie: Environment affects health. And I want to quantify it. See if we can have a positive impact on patient health pre- and post-op, even reduce the need for heart surgeries.
Levi: What kind of environments?
(Amber grins and opens the door revealing many plants inside)
Maggie: Plant life improves physical well-being. It decreases anxiety and lowers blood pressure. Increases attentiveness. Parker, leave that tree by the window. I want to forget that we are in the city. This is a jungle.
(Maggie opens another door across the hall where there are two chairs facing light panels that emit blue light amazing the interns)
Maggie: Full-body exposure to high levels of blue light reduces systolic blood pressure the same amount as it is reduced in certain drug trials.
Dahlia: So, this could replace medicine?
Maggie: I want to find out.
(Maggie leads them to another room as Levi fist bumps Amber)
Maggie: So, we all know the neurological benefits of puzzles and games. I want to see if those same benefits spread throughout the body, which brings us to door number three.
(Maggie opens the door and sees Bailey playing a puzzle video game)
Maggie: (Chuckles) I see you've found the game room, Dr. Bailey. How are you feeling?
Bailey: Oh, my stress levels have never been better. Ah, they never give you the long, skinny piece! Why do they do that?!
Maggie: So, any volunteers?
(All the interns raise their hands causing Amber to grin outside. Andrew passes by causing Amber to chase him)
Amber: Hey.
Andrew: Hey.
Amber: Um how have you been? I've texted you and called you since yesterday and you haven't responded, have you heard back from your dad?
Andrew: Uh, no. No, I haven't. I have some rounds, I should probably…
Amber: Yeah, sure.
(Andrew leaves as Amber pauses and heads back to cardio. She runs into a nurse who spills her hot coffee on her causing Amber to gasp and shriek causing Maggie and the others to look at the scene)
Amber: (Pulls her top to air it out) Hot! Hot! Hot!
Maggie: Karev? Are you okay? Do you feel any pain?
Amber: Uh not pain consistent with burns Dr. Pierce. I'm fine, I'm okay don't worry.
Maggie: Okay go to the lockers and change scrubs.
(Amber nods as she rushes to the lockers as Sam and Levi look on in shock)
Levi: (Scared) It's starting.
LATER IN THE JUNGLE
(Amber monitors Meredith as she does research)
Amber: Your BP is 115 over 70 but your heartrate is 90. That's considered high for a woman your age. Are there any outlining factors?
Meredith: Yes, I am on the verge of advancing medicine again and possibly winning another Catherine Fox award. Does that help with the project?
Amber: I'd say so, yes.
(Amber writes down the progress when Meredith looks at her)
Meredith: What do you mean a woman my age? Just how old do you think I am?
Amber: (Nervous) I uh really don't want to answer that.
Meredith: (Stern) Just tell me.
Amber: Um 35?
Meredith: …Good answer.
(Amber exhales in relief and sits in the chair across from Meredith who continues to work. Alex enters the room)
Alex: What are you doing in here?
Meredith: Hey. Research.
Amber: Me too.
Meredith: I needed a change of scenery, and, you know, I have to say, the plants are actually very soothing.
Amber: Hmm that's not what your numbers say.
Alex: What are you working on?
(Meredith shows Alex a mockup on her laptop confusing him)
Alex: What is it?
Meredith: Ingestible diagnostic device.
Alex: Ingestible?
Meredith: Mm-hmm. I mean, I think. I don't know. It came to me in a dream, sort of, so.
Amber: That is very cool you could very well get diagnosticians fired; I love it. How's Jo's trip going? Did she meet her mom?
Meredith: Oh yeah how is that going?
Alex: I don't know. I haven't talked to her. How's DeLuca?
Amber: (Tries to change subject) Where'd you say she was going, Pennsylvania?
Alex: Pittsburgh. Is he still being weird? 'Cause he's on my service today.
Meredith: Why do you two keep changing the subject?
Alex: I don't know? Amber?
Amber: Don't look at me, Alex?
Alex: (Sighs) She's not answering her phone. She hasn't texted all day. I'm worried.
Amber: Oh, now I feel like crap.
Meredith: It's probably nothing. She's probably just gonna come home and tell you everything.
Amber: She's right Alex. I mean she's meeting her birth parents that can be a big shock to anyone, just give her space to process.
Alex: Thanks. What about the Italian?
Amber: (Groans) He had a big fight with his dad. Big. I've texted him when we were in Iowa and he didn't answer and now he's ignoring me at work. I'm just trying to give him space like I wanted when I had issues with mom.
Alex: Your boyfriend's being weird and you're hiding out in plants?
Amber: I am advancing medicine! Same as Meredith.
Alex: Uh-huh.
Amber: (Groans) Jackass.
Alex: Train wreck.
(Alex leaves the room)
LATER IN THE PIT
(Amber, Webber and Sam run out to the breezeway where they see two ambulances pull up)
Webber: What do we got?
Vic: Louis Baker, 55, complains of abdominal pain after a fist fight that turned to him getting hit by a baseball bat. The guy who did this is in the next ambulance.
Webber: She-Karev, Bello take the second one.
(Amber and Sam run to the ambulance where Travis wheel's out a man with a broken nose and black eye)
Travis: Paul Duncan, 27, sustained trauma to the face during the altercation. He's responsive and very angry, rightfully so.
Amber: What happened?
Travis: His buddy was outside a cemetery protesting his sister's military funeral. Paul reached his limit and went over there to beat the living crap out of him.
Sam: What kind of people protest at a military funeral?
Louis: (Angry) Rot in hell with your homo sister you crazy bastard!
(Paul spewed out curses and he thrashed in the gurney but was restrained by Travis)
Amber: I think you got your answer.
Webber: Let's get them inside! And as far away from each other as we can.
(They start to walk inside when Amber feels a wetness plop on her head. She touches it and sees that its white, Sam curls her lips in disgust)
Sam: Bird crapped on you.
Amber: (Numbly) I figured.
(Amber grabs a towel inside and wipes it off)
Webber: Karev! Come here!
(Amber heads to Webber where he tries to treat Louis who turns to his side away from him)
Webber: There's an incoming trauma coming in via chopper. I need you to page someone else to take care of mister personality here. It's quite clear he would prefer someone…less ethnical than me. See if you can page Hunt or Altman.
Amber: Yes sir. (Whispering) Are you okay with this?
Webber: Are you?
(Amber stays silent and Webber leaves her to it. She turns Louis over who is visibly relieved)
Louis: Thank God, they got me a right one.
Amber: (Harshly) A right one would be an experienced surgeon like Dr. Webber not an intern. Do you feel any pain?
Louis: Hell yeah, I do, thanks to that jackass who took a baseball bat and beat me to hell with it.
(Amber does an abdominal physical on Louis who groans when she presses on a sore part)
Amber: Your gonna need an abdominal CT and a general surgeon. I'll page one right now.
Louis: Make sure to get me one who's skin isn't darker than a cappuccino.
(Amber grips her stethoscope tightly and silently heads to the station where she pages Hunt. Sam heads over to the station to page Koracick)
Sam: My guy needs a neuro consult you?
Amber: General, although the way he talks he probably needs neuro too.
LATER IN PEDS
(Alex and Andrew walk to Nora's room where Dahlia exams her)
Alex: Qadri, let's do it.
Dahlia: This is Nora Hillridge, age 11. She was diagnosed with hereditary pancreatitis at age 5. She's been hospitalized for the last six months.
Alex: And why haven't we helped her?
Dahlia: A number of criteria need to align in order to perform her surgery. Her APACHE II score should be below 4, her amylase, lipase, LDH, and base deficit should be within normal limits. Her fasting glucose and C peptide levels should be-
Alex: All right. All right, got it. DeLuca?
Andrew: The hope has always been to do a total pancreatectomy with an islet auto transplantation, so she won't get diabetes or even need insulin shots. And today, all the elements have aligned. Your numbers are perfect, Nora, and today-
Eileen: (Shocked) No. –
Andrew: -we are taking you to surgery!
Eileen: (Happy) Ahh! Nora!
(Eileen laughs as she hugs Nora)
Eileen: Oh, you can go back to school!
Nora: How long will I have to recover?
Dahlia: We'll have you out of here before you know it.
Eileen: Thank you, thank you.
(Eileen hugs Andrew who grins and chuckles)
Eileen: Thank you! Thank you!
LATER IN THE PIT
(Owen and Amber go over Louis's CT by his bedside)
Owen: You don't have any internal injuries but three of your ribs are fractured so we're gonna patch you up and observe you overnight.
Louis: I swear when I get out of here, I'm gonna sue that dead homo's brother.
Owen: I think him and his family have been through enough without you and your band of idiots protesting against their sister and daughter at her own funeral.
Louis: I was outside the fence! I was practicing my second amendment right to free speech when he jumped over the fence and beat me up!
Amber: The second amendment is the right to bear arms, you're talking about the first amendment dumbass.
Owen: Karev-
Louis: You got no right to talk to me that way, you gotta treat me like everyone else.
Amber: None of my patients have protested at a military funeral in front of the grieving family so forgive me if I'm being impartial.
Owen: I've got it here Karev, you can go and do scut for the rest of the day.
Amber: Gladly.
(Amber glares at Louis before walking away passing Sam and Koracick as they treat Paul. She bumps into a nurse holding iced coffee that spills all over her)
Amber: (Gasps) What the f-
Tom: Karev, no swearing in the pit unless it's coming from me. Get new scrubs, shower and try not to run into anyone carrying crème or sugar on the way.
Amber: (Groans)
Sam: (Mouths) Forward the email!
Amber: (Mouths) Never!
(Amber leaves the pit in a huff)
Tom: Your neuro scan is clear but your nose and eye socket are heavily bruised so we're gonna get plastics to fix that. Do you have any family we can call?
Paul: (Sighs) My parents are back at the house trying to host a repast, no doubt trying to salvage an appropriate funeral…I would have done it again you know. You should have heard what that…that idiot and his followers were saying about my sister.
Tom: Sometimes it's just best to ignore them even when their being awful.
Paul: They had bullhorns and disgusting signs that said she was either rotting in hell or God hates fags.
Sam: I'm so sorry that…that sounds terrible.
Paul: (Nods) My sister joined the army to defend a country that deems people like her abominations. We tried to convince her not to saying she would be hated but she (Voice breaking) …she wanted to be the change that inspired men and women like her. She died trying to protect the freedom that gives those idiots the right to spew their filth and this is how they repay her. Why do people like them get to live and bash on good people like my sister who only wanted to do what was right?
(Paul has tears stream down his face as Tom and Sam look at him in sympathy)
LATER IN THE LOCKERS
(Amber puts on her new scrubs in front of the sink with Levi watching from a bench)
Levi: First you get spilled hot coffee then you get crapped on and now you have iced coffee on you. You need to forward that email and fast, otherwise you could end up in the ICU.
Amber: Levi, I have had both a messy and crappy morning but it's not because of some stupid email. I swear you and Sam are a superstitious bunch I'm surprised you're not carrying a lucky rabbit's foot or four-leaf clovers.
Levi: It's not being superstitious if the evidence backs the jinx up.
Amber: I am jinxed enough as it is I don't need a chain letter to amplify it.
(Sam walks inside the room)
Sam: I officially hate the human race.
Amber: Welcome to the club, population 1.
Sam: This man just wanted to give his sister a proper burial but instead he beat up a bigot outside who refuses to catch up to the times. This stuff used to roll off my back until today, I mean I was bothered by it sure but not this much, why is that?
Amber: I think it could be because you're dating a veteran who's trans and has been exposed to this kind of poison his whole life. This kind of thing reminds you of what your boyfriend probably had to go through; my advice is to stay as far away from the grand wizard as you can unless you want to be charged with murder.
Sam: God, I can't imagine what Casey had to deal with in and out of the air force.
Levi: Wait Sam is dating Casey?
Amber: (Slaps Levi's head) Where have you been the last month?
Sam: Probably holed up in a room with Kim.
Levi: Your damn right I was.
(Levi and Sam high five while Amber towel dries her hair)
Amber: Well, I'm happy you two are getting some, unlike me.
Sam: Still radio silence from Andrew?
Amber: Yep, he's brooding and quiet and not in the sexy way.
Levi: Is everything okay with you guys?
Amber: (Sighs) I don't know. He and his dad had a falling out and now he's ignoring me, I don't know why its bothering me so much. I mean when I had problems with my mom, I would just ignore everyone and want to be angry alone so I should get why Andrew wants to do it but I just still feel…
Sam: Ignored? Honey you get how he's feeling but you don't know what its like to be on the other side of your anger. You want to help him but he doesn't want you to, just woman up and tell him that.
Amber: I have had people come up to me offering to help after my mom and brother were locked away, do you know what I did?
Levi: You said thank you and hugged them for being so considerate?
Amber: (Chuckles) No, I verbally assaulted and drove them off in tears. Andrew is most likely going to do the same.
Sam: He probably won't.
Amber: He needs to work this out by himself and come to me to help him lick his wounds, figuratively and literally speaking. (Winks)
Sam: Do you have any shame whatsoever?
Amber: Dude I have slept with women, men and everything else in between. Shame does not exist in my world.
Levi: Clearly. Now let's get back to the bad juju.
Sam: Yeah, just email the stupid letter Amber. Then the guy who drowned himself will stop making you waste scrubs. Sooner or later he's gonna haunt you in an O.R. and your career will end before it's even begun.
Levi: I take it back; you're not jinxed your just straight up cursed.
Sam: What's the difference?
Levi: Well, a curse is when a supernatural entity put a hex on you and a jinx is a spell that brings bad luck. Since this dead guy is clearly haunting her it's a curse.
(Amber rolls her eyes)
Sam: I don't know I mean the email might have been a spell that summoned the dead guy so if we're getting technical it started as a jinx.
Levi: That later became a curse.
Sam: I mean yeah but this whole bad juju started with an-
Amber: (Angry) I am not jinxed, I am not cursed, there is no bad juju!
Sam: What more proof do you need Amber? You changed scrubs twice in one morning after getting different kinds of coffee spilled on you, you got pooped on by a bird and are treating a homophobe. Name one day that's felt more cursed than this.
Levi: Ah-ha! You said cursed, I was right!
(Amber groans and turns the sink on to wash her hands. The sink backs up and suddenly sprays water all over Amber who shrieks for a moment before turning off the sink. Amber breathes in and out as water drips all over the floor from her top)
Sam: I've got about a bunch of email's I haven't cursed.
Levi: I think I have about a dozen and I can ask Taryn, you're going to have to come up with the rest on your own.
Amber: (Sighs) Fine! Just text me the emails and I'll lift this stupid jinx in the game room…after I get another pair of scrubs.
(Amber numbly leaves the lockers)
MEANWHILE IN PEDS
(Casey stands with a textbook in hand. Dahlia and Nora sit together waiting for the question)
Casey: This is really why you paged me?
Dahlia: Just read.
Casey: (Reads textbook) "Glenda mapped a town using a scale that was 5 inches and equals 1 yard. What scale factor does her drawing use?"
Dahlia: Okay, one yard equals three, divided by seven and 1/5…
Nora: 5 to 7.2 is the ratio.
Dahlia: You didn't write! You need to write. Let's go again.
Andrew: Okay, okay. Let's get her prepped, guys.
Nora: One more, please? An easy one.
Andrew: All right.
Casey: Okay. "A line L is perpendicular to the line 2x - 5y - 8 = 0. What is the slope of the line L?"
Andrew: That was supposed to be an easy one?
Alex: Hey, Nora. I, uh I got some bad news. I just ran your pre-op blood work, and I don't know why, but your glucose level has shot way up.
Eileen: No! She was just in the clear!
Andrew: Was it a lab error this morning, or what happened?
Alex: I'm not sure yet. The bottom line is, we have to put you on an insulin drip to lower your blood sugar, which means we have to postpone your surgery till we can sort this out.
Eileen: It's been six months getting her to this point.
Alex: Well, let's just keep our fingers crossed, okay?
(Alex and Andrew leave the room)
Alex: I don't know how this happened. Sorry about this.
Andrew: Don't be sorry for me. Be sorry for her. (Skeptical) Did Amber ask you to do this? Throw me a bone? Give me a win? Is that what this is? 'Cause I'm good. I had a bad week, and I moved on. I don't need any favors.
(Andrew leaves the floor with Alex feeling offended)
LATER IN THE GAME ROOM
(Amber sits on the couch forwarding the email as Levi and Maggie try to monitor Bailey who continually plays the game)
Amber: Yes! Finally! I'm saved!
Bailey: She-Karev pipe down, I'm gonna beat the high score.
Levi: Did you send it to 100 people?
Amber: Yes, I did, I might get blocked from some of my med school buddies but I don't care because I am curse/jinx free baby!
Maggie: (Eyebrow's furrow) Do I need to know?
Levi: (Shakes his head)
Maggie: If you're gonna take up all my time slots, could you at least put a cuff on so I can take your data?
Bailey: I'm about to beat the high score.
Maggie: Which you just set 20 minutes ago.
Bailey: Oh, then you should've hooked me up then.
Maggie: You pressed "restart" before we could get the cuff on you.
Bailey: You snooze, you-
(Bailey gets distracted and loses the game)
Bailey: Oh, oh, ah! See?! Look what happened!
(Dahlia knocks on the door and enters)
Amber: Hey, what are you doing here?
Dahlia: I was wondering if we could borrow Dr. Schmitt.
Maggie: Is it urgent?
Dahlia: Yes. No. No. I have a patient who's a math whiz, and she's crushing me, and I need backup.
Amber: (Amused) Seriously?
Dahlia: (Serious) Seriously.
Levi: May I go? In school, they called me "Numbers." but not kindly.
Maggie: Yeah, go.
Bailey: Hold on. Uh, just how good is this math whiz?
Maggie: Yeah, please define "whiz"?
LATER IN THE LOBBY
(Amber stretches her fingers as she heads down to the lockers when she spots Andrew charting who sees her and turns around to walk away hurting her a little. Amber brushes it off and heads to the lockers where a crowd forms around a locker. Sam approaches her and tries to pull her away)
Sam: Come on, let's go. I'll buy what you need at the gift shop okay, come on.
Amber: Whoa, Sam what's going on?
Sam: Nothing.
Amber: If it's nothing then I guess I can just go to my locker.
Sam: Amber don't-
(Amber ignores her and goes through the crowd to her locker. She freezes at the word DYKE painted in red across her locker. The others stare at her and take pictures causing Sam to get in front of Amber)
Sam: Come on, let just go okay.
(Amber shakes her head and walks to her locker as the interns film her doing it. She grabs her water bottle and slams her locker loudly making some of the interns jump. Amber and Sam rush out of the room in silence)
CUT TO BLACK
LATER IN ALEXS OFFICE
(Alex paces in his office with Levi and Wanda on the couch)
Wanda: The officers are already reviewing the security tapes around the locker room but most likely it will be one of the members of Louis Baker's protest group. Some of them are in the waiting room right now awaiting questioning.
Alex: Good and what about Amber? How is she? Where is she?
Levi: She went into the blue room the last time I checked on her. She was pretty shaken up though.
Alex: Believe me the only thing I'm shaking in is in anger. What are the charges?
Wanda: Hate crime, defamation, and graffiti vandalism. Those charges could mean serious time for whoever did this.
Levi: Good.
Alex: How did they even know she's pan? I mean it's not like my sister just goes around telling patients her sexuality.
Levi: Would it have made this okay even if she did?
Alex: Of course not. I'm just wondering why they choose to attack her if they didn't know.
Levi: (Realizing) …We were talking in the bathroom. She told me and Sam that she's slept with women and has no shame about it. Could that have been it?
Wanda: Possibly, we need to know what time you had this conversation and see if there was anyone lurking around the lockers at that time.
Levi: Um yeah it was around 1:30 when Sam walked in there and talked to her. Some of the interns have already posted Amber walking to her D locker on twitter and Instagram. It's gotten over 400 likes now.
Alex: I hate your generation; you post peoples worst moments for likes from strangers and not give a crap who you hurt. It makes me want to throw my smartphone off the bridge.
Levi: Yeah well, I'm starting to hate the human race in general.
Alex: Yeah, well join the club.
MEANWHILE IN THE BLUE ROOM
(Amber sits in the chair staring blankly at the lights when Andrew comes in)
Andrew: Hi. I heard what happened, are you okay?
Amber: (Angry) Oh so now you care?
Andrew: (Hurt) Amber come on-
Amber: No, you know what, you have been ignoring me since your dad left, you didn't even respond to my texts or calls when I was in Iowa. So now that I have hit rock bottom again, you suddenly want to talk to me? I don't want your pity, Andrew.
Andrew: It's not pity, it's just me being concerned for my girlfriend who was just attacked and humiliated. I just want to make sure you're okay.
Amber: I'm fine. It's not the first time someone called me that, the only difference is it was either to my face or behind my back. It's nothing I can't handle so you can just go.
Andrew: Amber I'm trying to help.
Amber: You can help by leaving me alone, you've mastered that this past week so it should be easy for you.
(Andrew looks at her hurt but leaves the room)
Dahlia: Dr. DeLuca?
Andrew: (Rudely) What?
Dahlia: I think I know why Nora's glucose level shot up so suddenly.
(Dahlia pulls an empty juice box out of her pocket and hands it to him)
Dahlia: I found it under her pillow.
Andrew: (Sighs) Come on let's show this to Chief Karev.
LATER IN PEDS
(Alex and Andrew explain what happened to Eileen who looks at Nora in disbelief)
Eileen: Why would you do this when we've been waiting and waiting? Why?
Nora: Mom, stop.
Eileen: I'm not stopping until you tell us why you-
Nora: Because I don't want to go back to school! …I hate it. It's all cliques and stupid girls with stupid crushes and stupid boys who get mad when I beat them at math. Nobody sits with me at lunch.
Eileen: What about Lauren?
Nora: I missed too much school because I'm sick all the time, so she found other kids to sit with. I don't have any friends there. But here I do. So, I want to stay here.
Alex: Nora, we'll be checking your labs once you finish your insulin drip. Once your labs stabilize-
Nora: I'll just drink more juice. I don't want the surgery. It's my body. I don't want it.
Eileen: I taught her that. That it's her body. I'm not sure what to do here.
Alex: Eileen, can we talk?
(Eileen follows Alex and Andrew outside the room)
Eileen: I didn't know, I didn't know she hated school. I didn't know she and Lauren weren't friends anymore. How did I not know?
Alex: Well, they reach an age where they like to keep secrets, like to figure things out for themselves. It's not on you.
Eileen: I called Lauren a bitch once. Not to her face, but behind her back, to my daughter, I called her 10-year-old best friend a bitch because she was being a bitch to my kid. And I wanted to protect her and be on her side, but maybe that's why Nora doesn't talk to me anymore. Maybe I wasn't supposed to react, just listen, but I'm not super great at that historically, so...I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do now.
Andrew: You're supposed to make her get the surgery. Today. Right now.
Alex: DeLuca-
Andrew: Every kid gets bullied at school. Most kids hate school at some point or another, right?
Eileen: Are you saying I should hold her down-
Andrew: Yes.
Alex: No, no, look, this is my patient, DeLuca-
Andrew: I don't know Nora. I'm not attached to whether she has friends at school or not, but I would like to see her not die.
Eileen: (Shocked) She's not dying. Oh, my God, what are you-
Alex: DeLuca.
Andrew: Look, she's in pain, right? Every time her pancreas flares up, it's extremely painful for her. She's getting this surgery for a reason, so just make her get it. Make her get the help that she needs.
Alex: Look, you are dismissed, Dr. DeLuca. Walk away now. Walk away now, or you're fired.
(Andrew walks away in a huff)
LATER ON THE CARDIO FLOOR
(Levi runs to Maggie)
Levi: Dr. Pierce, Amber's not in the blue room or any of the other rooms. I paged and texted her she isn't answering.
Maggie: What? Where could she be?
Nurse Ginger: I found her in the supply closet a little while ago. She told me she was headed to the roof for some air.
(Levi and Maggie look at each other in shock and rush to the roof where they find Amber looking down over the edge)
Levi: Amber don't!
Maggie: Just walk away from the edge! You have too much to live for!
(Amber turns around holding a surgical glove filled with water tied on the top. Sam and Maggie see water gloves in a box)
Amber: (Confused) What are you two talking about?
Levi: A nurse told us you were headed to the roof, we thought you were gonna jump.
Maggie: Yeah, what are you doing?
Amber: (Sighs) When I was in high school, I was called the D word…a lot. I would either hear them whispering behind my back or call me it straight to my face. I've passed the point in my life, the self-loathing, the depression, the rage until today. Now I feel all those things in adult time.
(Maggie and Levi lean against the edge with Amber)
Maggie: Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you have gloves full of water on a roof.
Amber: Oh right, on a bad day I would go to some random building in my town with water balloons and throw them off the roof.
Levi: (Chuckles) What? At who?
Amber: Kids, elderly, assholes. You wouldn't believe how many people I soaked; I was locally called 'The Soaker'. You'd be surprised at how good I felt afterwards.
Maggie: Ah speaking of assholes.
(All three look down and see Owen sipping his coffee)
Maggie: It really made you feel better?
Amber: Yeah, but I was an angry kid back then.
Levi: Yep, you are way too mature to be doing stuff like this now.
Maggie: …I consider myself a kid at heart.
(Maggie grabs the glove from Amber's hand and throws it off the roof. The glove lands in front of Owen who jumps and drops his coffee. He looks up at the roof as the three of them duck and laugh)
Amber: (Laughs) I can't believe you just did that!
Maggie: (Smiles) Neither can I! But you were right it did make me feel better.
Levi: My turn!
Maggie: No, no, no! I did it because I'm an attending and can do whatever I want, you do it and you'll get fired.
(They continue to laugh loudly at Maggie's action)
MEANWHILE IN PEDS
Dahlia: Dr. Karev, Nora's new glucose panel came back.
Alex: Ah, this is good. This is good and her potassium level is down, too.
Dahlia: So we can do it?
Alex: I think we can if we can talk her into it.
(They head to Nora's room and see Andrew talking to her)
Alex: Damn it. You try to help a guy out a little, and now I gotta fire him.
(They quickly go inside the room)
Andrew: Yeah, you know, I was about your age when I moved with my mom from Italy to Wisconsin. And (Exhales sharply) they hated me. I could barely speak any English. They called me "DeLoser" for two years straight. It was tough, but I got through it. And trust me, you are way cooler than I was.
Nora: Uh-uh.
Andrew: And my hair, you gotta see my hair, Nora. Look at this.
(Andrew pulls out his phone and shows an old picture of him with long hair and braces)
Andrew: Hm? (Chuckles) Huh? That's me. Believe me that kid got bullied. Nora, kids are mean, and they're always gonna be mean. But you can kick all their asses at math. That makes you better than them. You're gonna find friends. You already made a bunch here, right? I'm gonna let you in on a little secret, too. (Whispering) We're all a bunch of nerds here. And we like you a lot. And you're gonna find more of us, I promise you. You just got to push through. So, can you trust me? And push through?
Nora: (Nods)
Andrew: Yeah? All right.
Nora: This jackets hilarious.
Andrew: (Chuckles) Hey, I still have that jacket.
(Andrew looks at Alex and Dahlia outside the door)
LATER AT THE ROOF
(Amber talks to Wanda on the phone with Maggie and Levi next to her)
Amber: Great, thanks. (Hangs up)
Levi: What happened?
Amber: They found who painted my locker. It was one of Baker's followers. Apparently, he had me tailed after I went off on him in the pit and overheard us talking. The second I mentioned I liked women he decided to do 'God's work', pathetic.
Maggie: At least they got him, that's good.
Amber: Yeah, and the world is a more tolerable place now. (Sighs) I've gotten to the point in my life where I'm used to this. I've held my head up high because I know that they can't insult the gay out me anymore than I can insult the bigotry out of them. I've let this kind of crap just slide off my back and not affect me…until today.
Levi: Amber, nobody likes to be called…that word. It brought back a lot of hurt feelings and bad memories from your teen hood.
Amber: That's the thing though, that one act brought it all back entirely. It was like…I had forgotten the pain of finding out I'm queer and being teased about it every day. When I saw my locker, it was like I was in high school all over again, hurt feelings and loathing myself for not being normal.
Maggie: You've lived in New York for four years and are a young adult living in a mostly accepting age. It's understandable for you to forget your painful past.
Amber: No, that's not it. I…I think it's because I'm dating Andrew, he's the first straight, cisgender man that I've been in a serious relationship with. I've mostly dated girls or trans people most of my adult life so it helps remind me that I'm part of a colorful community. When I'm with Andrew I don't feel like a part of it as much as I was. It feels like just because I'm in a semiserious relationship with a man then I'm automatically straight like I'm betraying my sexuality by being in a heterosexual relationship. Does that make sense?
Maggie: …A little.
Levi: Okay, let me ask you something. Do you feel good with Andrew? Does he make you feel special when he's around?
Amber: Yes, of course. I mean-God, he's the best boyfriend I've ever had, even when he's an ass I still feel good around him.
Maggie: Okay and did you decide to date him solely because he has a penis?
Amber: (Eyes widen) No, I'm dating him because he's kind, he's funny and he actually puts an effort.
Maggie: Exactly, your dating Andrew because of his qualities and his personality traits not because he's a man.
(Amber looks at the view thoughtfully)
Maggie: Amber, dating a man doesn't make you less pansexual, if anything it makes you more because your with someone you choose to be with. You feel like your pansexuality disappeared but it hasn't, just because you're in a heterosexual relationship doesn't make you heterosexual.
Levi: Look if you feel that dating a woman made you look as queer as you feel then…find some other way to show people who you are. Let them know that you are pan regardless of who you kiss at work.
(Amber considers her suggestion for a moment before an idea pops into her head)
LATER AT THE O.R. FLOOR
(Andrew walks to Maggie in front of the surgical board)
Andrew: Hey, I heard Amber was on the roof today. Is she okay?
Maggie: She will be, she was just contemplating getting people wet.
Andrew: (Confused) What? Never mind, where is she?
Maggie: She's taking the rest of the day off with Levi, said she needed a change. Are you gonna stop ignoring her and actually talk to her?
Andrew: I tried to talk to her after what happened but she completely blew me off, told me to leave her alone.
Maggie: Well at least she was upfront on her anger unlike you.
Andrew: Maggie come on I-
(Andrew notices Nora's surgery on the board without his name on it)
Andrew: I uh I have to go. Keep me posted on Amber.
(Andrew runs to the O.R. where he sees Alex, Dahlia and Sam over Nora's open body. He enters the room wearing a mask)
Andrew: Dr. Karev, nobody told me you were starting.
Alex: No one needed to. You're not on this case.
Andrew: I'm the reason she consented to this surgery.
Alex: After I told you to stay away from her. I meant what I said, DeLuca. I don't want you anywhere near this. I mean it. Get out.
(Andrew leaves the O.R. in anger)
LATER IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE
(Amber and Levi stand in front of a hair salon)
Levi: Are you sure about this? I mean you could always get a tattoo of the pan flag; you can cover that up.
Amber: But then what's the point if I cover up what I'm proud to be.
Levi: Why did you want me to come with you? Wouldn't you rather have Alex or Jo with you?
Amber: Normally yes but Alex is monitoring Nora and Jo is away on business. If I wanted either of them I would.
Levi: (Sarcastically) Oh, I'm so happy to be your third choice.
Amber: Thanks, now come on. I need help to pick out the colors.
(Levi groans and Amber pulls him inside the shop)
LATER THAT NIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL
(Alex paces outside Nora's room as he tries to call Jo)
Jo: (Voicemail) This is Jo. Leave a message!
Alex: Hey, hey. I just, uh I wanted to see if you were still on the plane. I just-I can't wait to hear how it went.
(Alex hangs up and Andrew walks up to him)
Andrew: Look, I'm not some intern you can kick around anymore, all right? What you did today was unprofessional.
Alex: No, what you did today was unprofessional. The way you helped out Nora that should have been the first thing you did. But you're too pissed at the world about your dad. And believe me, I know what a number our parents can do on us. But you let it mess with your job today. And with my patient's really excellent mom. And it's messing with your relationship.
Andrew: My relationship? What does it have to do with that?
Alex: No, don't let it. Just don't. When people reach out a hand, you don't bite it. I did it for years. The only thing it gets you is they stop reaching out.
(Alex leaves Andrew to contemplate his words)
LATER AT THE SALON
(Misty takes the cape off and spins Amber to face the mirror. Amber stares at amazement over the bright pink and blue streak on her wavy blonde hair)
Amber: Oh yeah, this definitely shows off my queerness.
Levi: I like it. But just to remind you Bailey is coming back as chief in a few days and might ask you to dye it back blonde.
Amber: Let her try, I'm not scared of her…Don't repeat that to her.
Levi: (Chuckles) Cross my heart and hope to die. Do you feel better now?
Amber: Uh not better better but I feel less crappy than I did this afternoon so that's progress.
(Amber gets a text from Andrew saying 'Can you come by my place? I know your mad but it's important.')
Levi: (Amused) I think you'll feel a lot better tonight.
LATER AT ANDREWS APARTMENT
(Andrew opens the door and is taken aback by Amber's new hair)
Andrew: Wow, I like your hair its…bold.
Amber: (Comes inside) Thanks, I thought I'd show those bigots that I'm a proud queer woman not a dyke.
Andrew: Good because I like that queer woman a lot even if I've been acting like an ass to her.
Amber: Well, she acted like an ass to you this afternoon so I think your even.
Andrew: (Chuckles) Are we gonna keep talking in the third person?
Amber: I don't know, are they?
(Amber grins and chuckles with Andrew)
Andrew: I'm really glad you came.
Amber: I almost convinced myself not to…You have been ignoring me and I tried to convince myself that you needed to fix whatever happened with your dad by yourself. But it's been a week since we actually had a conversation and I'm just sitting around wondering why my boyfriend is avoiding me like some desperate high schooler. The only time you came to me was when I was attacked and honestly it confuses me even more. I…I don't know what game you're playing but-
Andrew: It's not a game, I was just…I was hurt and I was angry at everyone and everything. The thing with my dad. I can't fix him, I can't help him, and I…couldn't believe how much that hurt. I was angry at him and…I was angry that you were right all along.
Amber: Yeah well, I was just trying to help.
Andrew: I know and I wish I had listened to you then because then I wouldn't have known the pain you went through with your mom. Honestly, it's a miracle you and your brother aren't in prison for rage fueled murder.
Amber: He took wrestling and I took boxing so we had pretty good outlets for our rage.
Andrew: Yeah, I…I needed a minute to be hurt and I didn't want to drag you down with me. I needed a minute, all right? But now…
(Andrew gets closer to Amber and puts his hands on her hips)
Andrew: (Sighs) Now I just need you.
Amber: …Well maybe I need a minute now. I was just attacked.
Andrew: (Looks into her eyes) Do you?
(Amber's face slowly breaks into a smile as her fluster grows)
Andrew: Do you really, though?
Amber: (Smiles) It's kind of hard to say yes when you stare at me with those green eyes.
Andrew: (Grins) Then I guess it's working.
Amber: Now that is just manipulative.
(They chuckle and then they kiss passionately. Amber breaks the kiss and sees the food on the table)
Amber: What's that?
Andrew: It's dinner, I thought cooking dinner would be a better apology than takeout on a plate.
Amber: (Stunned) You made that?
Andrew: (Grins) Yeah, I know how to read a cookbook.
Amber: (Grins) You're a doctor, you cook and you speak Italian? I think there's a glitch in the simulation we're in because you are just too perfect.
Andrew: (Chuckles) Are you hungry?
Amber: Oh yeah.
(Andrew leads Amber to the table and pulls a chair out for her that she sits in)
Andrew: Well, have a seat and prepare to have your mind blown.
Amber: Really? Wow.
(Andrew pours Amber a glass of wine as she smiles)
LATER AT JO AND ALEXS LOFT
(Alex enters the loft to find Jo's luggage in the living room)
Alex: Jo?
(Alex finds Jo in bed asleep)
Alex: Jo, you asleep?
(Alex kisses a sleeping Jo on the head)
Alex: (Whispering) I missed you.
(Alex goes to the bathroom. Jo opens her eyes revealing to be awake and continues to cry in silence)
END NOTE: I KNOW YOU PEOPLE THOUGHT THE BIGOTRY WAS UNNESSARY BUT FOR ME IT WAS BECAUSE IT EXPLORED THE DIFFICULTIES OF BI AND PAN ERASURE. I FEEL LIKE QUEER FOLKS DATING THE OPPSITE SEX IS A TOPIC THAT ISN'T EXPLORED A LOT IN MEDIA AND I WANTED TO SHOW THAT HERE. I WANTED TO SHOW HOW ACCEPTANCE TOWARDS BI AND PAN PEOPLE NO MATTER WHO THEY DATE IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF A COLORFUL COMMUNITY DOESN'T ACCEPT WHO THEY DATE THEN THEIR NO BETTER THAN THE BIGOTS THEY FOUGHT THEIR RIGHTS AGAINST.