Chapter 19: The Good Heart
SCENE: ON CALL ROOM
(Amber and Andrew are wrapped in sheets naked in the single bed with Andrew lying on top of Amber kissing her)
Amber: (Moans) I love sex after not seeing each other for a week. It reminds me of what I've been missing and it makes the sex hotter which I didn't think was possible.
(Andrew chuckles and continues kissing Amber running his hands down her legs as she strokes his back)
Andrew: You should get the flu more often if the aftermath is like this. I might never leave this room by then.
Amber: Well with Amelia back and in my bed, I think that'll be a real possibility. Are there any apartments available in your building for surgical interns with almost empty bank accounts and lousy credit?
Andrew: No, sorry. You could just pack a bag and spend a week in my place, your there almost every night anyways. What's the difference?
(Amber chuckles assuming he was joking but stops when she sees the seriousness in his eyes)
Amber: Seriously?
Andrew: Seriously. My place has no bedmates or kids running around, what more could you ask for?
Amber: What if you get sick of me in your…domain?
Andrew: (Chuckles) I don't think that's gonna be possible. Come on, stay at my place for a while. I'm sure Amelia will appreciate sleeping alone in bed.
Amber: (Scoffs) Yeah you think she's sleeping alone. Um…let me sleep on it and I'll get back to you.
(A knock on the door interrupts their moment. Andrew puts his clothes on and opens the door a crack with Alex on the other side)
Andrew: (Nervous) Um hi Dr. Karev um what are you doing here?
Alex: I just came by to tell you that we have a lap appy this morning and the patient is already admitted. I expect to see you there within the hour.
Andrew: Great, I will be there, sir.
Alex: I should hope so since it's your surgery.
(Amber sits up out of view from Alex shocked by his words as well as Andrew)
Andrew: (Stammering) I-I-I'm sorry what?
Alex: It's your lucky day DeLuca, I've got a lap appy and I'm giving it to you.
Andrew: Um why are you giving it to me sir?
Alex: Because you're the best resident we got and I feel like being nice today. Do you think you can handle it?
Andrew: Um y-yes sir. I won't let you down, I swear.
Alex: I'll hold you to that. Oh, and if you see Amber tell her that Dr. Pierce has a CABG scheduled for this morning and wants her best intern there.
(Amber quickly gets out of bed and puts her clothes on. She pops her head in the door embarrassing Andrew and shocking Alex)
Amber: (Excited) I'm sorry what did Dr. Pierce say exactly regarding me in this surgery? Did the words 'sew in the last graft' come into play?
Alex: Um yes, I believe it did.
(Amber grabs her coat and runs out of the room in full speed. Alex and Andrew look at each other uncomfortably)
Andrew: I'm just gonna get ready.
Alex: (Clears throat) I will see you in a bit.
(Amber runs to Maggie on the cardio floor)
Amber: (Panting) Is it true?
Maggie: Good morning to you too.
Amber: Hi, morning. Alex told me that you have a CABG scheduled and that you need me for what I hope is sewing in the last graft. Is it true? Please tell me it's true.
Maggie: It is true.
Amber: Yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you, I will not let you down Dr. Pierce. I am ready and prepared and-
Maggie: Show me don't tell me She-Karev. Our CABG is a 68-year-old male with obstructive coronary artery disease. The chest x ray shows severe blockages in the right coronary artery, right atrium, and left coronary artery that can't be accessed through a keyhole so we're doing it open. It will be a triple bypass with the continuous suture, I will sew in the first two and you will sew in the last one.
Amber: Okay when do we get to meet the patient?
(They stop outside a patient room)
Maggie: Right now, and you're presenting.
(Amber nods and takes the tablet nervously. They enter the room to find an elderly man with two women in their 30's)
Maggie: Hi Harrison, how are you feeling this morning?
Harrison: (Scoffs) I'm starving, I can't eat before surgery and Olivia is making sure of that even when I beg her to.
Olivia: Forgive me for wanting my father to make it out of surgery. I'm Olivia the daughter and that's Gina.
Maggie: Oh, you didn't tell me you had another daughter.
Gina: Oh no I'm not his daughter I'm his wife. We got married last year.
(Amber's eyes widen at the bizarre couple with Maggie trying to keep a composed face)
Olivia: I know what you're thinking, 'Were you of legal age last year?'. God knows that's what I thought.
Harrison: Livvie, let's not do this in front of the doctors.
Olivia: Your doctors are looking at you two like you sprouted wings, it's safe to say that they don't mind me stating the obvious.
Gina: The obvious is that I'm in love with your dad and he's in love with me.
Olivia: (Scoffs) You're in love with his wallet that's the only thing in his pants that your attracted to.
Harrison: Olivia-
Maggie: Okay let's calm down because stress is not good for Harrison before his surgery. Dr. Karev, present.
Amber: Harrison Thomas, 68. Admitted two days ago with severe chest pain and labored breathing. The chest x ray and CT showed severe blockages in the right coronary artery, left coronary artery and right atrium.
Maggie: And what's the approach?
Amber: We're doing an open triple bypass surgery, otherwise known as a CABG, to sew in the grafts to restore heart muscle.
Maggie: That's right, I will use the saphenous vein from your left to sew in the grafts on your left and right coronary artery and Dr. Karev will do the right atrium. The recovery time is rough but you should be out of here within a week. Any questions?
Gina: Yeah, it's about Dr. Karev, how old is she?
Amber: Um I'm 25.
Olivia: (Shocked) Wow, that's young for a doctor. I'm sorry I'm just freaking out that one of my dad's surgeons looks younger than my dad's child bride which I didn't think was possible.
Gina: I'm not even gonna retort that because I'm just as concerned for Harrison.
Harrison: (Sheepishly) Do I have a say?
Maggie: I assure all of you that despite Dr. Karev's age she is an adequate surgeon. I have been training her these past few months and made sure that she is prepared for this surgery. I will be right there in the room in case anything goes wrong, I give you my word.
Olivia: …You did go to medical school, right?
Amber: I did.
Maggie: She did and so did I.
Harrison: As long as you two have a degree that says you can do this, I'm all for it.
Gina: Your gonna be there the whole time?
Maggie: Yes.
Gina: Then I approve.
Maggie: Okay, we'll be back later to prep you and take you to surgery.
(Maggie and Amber leave the room)
Amber: Oh my god, my car is older than his wife.
Maggie: Your car is older than everyone but I get what you mean. If my dad married someone my age I would…I don't know what I would do because I don't know what kind of person marries someone their daughters age.
Amber: You know I think I recognize her somewhere, oh that's right I had homeroom with her.
Maggie: (Chuckles) You are so bad.
Amber: (Grins) I'm sorry I had to say it, it was just dying to come out.
(They see Bailey approaching them with three teen girls behind her)
Maggie: Dr. Bailey, is there a field trip today?
Bailey: Sort of, Dr. Pierce meet the students from the STEM leadership program they are here today to learn about leadership. Girls this is Dr. Pierce our chief of cardiothoracic surgery.
Maggie: Oh! Hi, it's nice to meet fellow STEMies. I was also enrolled in STEM in high school not for long though because I finished high school in like two years.
Amber: And I didn't enroll because they didn't have STEM programs in my school but I did skip 4th and 9th grade so I'm sort of a genius like you guys.
Maggie: Do you guys want a tour? We have a great blue room you can check out; it's being used for research. Do you want to come?
(All three of them eagerly nod)
Maggie: Okay then let's go.
(Maggie and Amber lead Bailey and the girls to the blue room where they find Amelia facing the blue light with her back to them)
Maggie: Oh! You're in here. Hey, can you-
Amelia: I'm sorry. I need your room. I just had a stupid elevator ride with Owen, which was…pain. It was painful. Which you would think it wouldn't be. I mean, I'm having great sex.
(Amber and Maggie widen their eyes in shock and embarrassment as Amelia continues with the teens looking on)
Amelia: I'm having aerobic sex! I mean, I'm waking up with endorphins-
(Maggie quickly turns Amelia's chair to show her Bailey and the students stopping her)
Bailey: Dr. Shepherd, meet the students from the STEM leadership program. Dr. Shepherd is our chief of neurosurgery.
Amelia: …Who can define "endorphins"?
(Amber pinches the bridge of her nose)
MEANWHILE IN THE PEDS FLOOR
(Andrew performs an abdominal physical on his patient with her moms by her side when Alex walks in)
Alex: Sorry I'm late I had a patient who needed a chest x ray. What do we got?
Andrew: Okay. Uh. Ashley Adams-Davis, 17, admitted with severe abdominal pain which then localized in the right-lower quadrant. Inability to keep food down.
Rachel: She vomited dinner after practice and she held her stomach like it was hurting.
Lisa: Ashley's in the gymnastics team has been since she was seven. We thought it was a bruise or maybe she ate bad takeout.
Ashley: No way mom, I am ruthless about what I put in my body. (To Andrew) You are, too, I bet, look at you.
(Andrew chuckles but stops when he notices Alex's serious look)
Andrew: (Clears throat) Right, um, which made sense, then, when the CT showed an inflamed appendix.
Ashley: Do you CrossFit? You look like you do.
Rachel: Ashley, don't flirt with your doctor.
Ashley: What? I'm just asking a question.
Andrew: (Chuckles) It's okay. Uh, no. Sadly, no time.
Ashley: I could recommend someone to you. I dabble in CrossFit (Grabs phone) I have almost a thousand followers on Instagram. See?
Andrew: That's okay.
Ashley: Just look.
Andrew: Really, I'm good. I just want to get you prepped for surgery.
(Ashley and her mom's eyes widen in surprise)
Alex: Uh, patient care in peds includes putting the patient at ease, Dr. DeLuca.
Andrew: Right. Let's have a look.
(Andrew looks at Ashley's posts of her working out)
Ashley: I'm hot, right?
Rachel: Don't answer that.
Ashley: I'm telling him to not leave a scar.
Andrew: Uh-huh.
(Alex leaves Andrew with a pat on the back)
TWO HOURS LATER IN O.R. 3
(Maggie finishes sewing in the first graft with Amber observing as she suctions)
Maggie: Do you see how I did it? You see how the graft is holding and the muscle is thickening? That means the graft is taking and we're two sutures away from Harrison going home with his daughter and wife.
Amber: Who probably bunked at the same sorority house.
Maggie: (Chuckles) How many more of these age-inappropriate jokes do you have?
Amber: Not enough for this surgery. I just don't see how that would work, what's your age limit with men?
Maggie: (Considers) 50 and that's if he's healthy. What about you?
Amber: Eh I guess forty. I mean a woman who goes out with a man old enough to be her father has got some serious daddy issues.
Maggie: We both have dad issues and we're dating men in our generation, maybe it's a money thing. I mean Harrison's a stockbroker and even in this economy that's still good money.
Amber: I wonder what she does to get a raise in her allowance.
(Maggie and Amber laugh over Harrison's heart and stop)
Maggie: Okay no more jokes at least not until we close but good one.
Amber: Thank you, I'll be here all week.
(A nurse enters the room)
Nurse: Dr. Pierce? Dr. Karev wants to see you for a consult on a chest x ray.
Maggie: Okay, can you tell him that I am halfway done and will be up as soon as I can.
(The nurse nods and is about to leave when Amber calls her)
Amber: Hey uh is there any word from O.R. 2? Are they done in there?
Nurse: No, they just started an hour ago.
Amber: Okay, thank you.
(The nurse leaves the room and Maggie looks at Amber in confusion)
Maggie: What's with the sudden interest in O.R. 2?
Amber: Andrew has a lap appy…with Alex.
Maggie: Your brother and boyfriend are operating together?
Amber: Yep. He just gave DeLuca an appy like it was candy I don't know what it means.
Maggie: He's an attending trying to teach a resident, it's nothing.
Amber: My brother who raised me for ten years caught me and Andrew making out like a couple of teenagers in the back of my car. And this morning he saw me running out of the on-call room that Andrew and I were…using. You think it's a coincidence that a week after the car scene he gives a surgery to Andrew? I mean what if he screws up? I'm not allowed to see him then.
Maggie: Okay Amber you are not a teenager and Alex is not your father. If DeLuca does screw up then that speaks about his medical skills not his dating skills.
Amber: (Sighs) I'm just…I'm really nervous.
Maggie: Don't be, it's a lap appy I could do it in my sleep and DeLuca is more than capable of doing it. You have nothing to be worried about.
Amber: Your right. I mean it's a lap appy how difficult could it get?
Maggie: Exactly now let's sew in the second graft.
MEANWHILE IN O.R. 2
(Andrew guides the trocar to Alicia's appendix with Alex holding the camera)
Andrew: I'm creating a window at the base of the mesoappendix now.
Alex: You're good to get it? Or…
Andrew: Yes. Absolutely.
Alex: What's your plan here?
Andrew: (Confused) Excuse me?
Alex: Where do you see this going? Long-term?
Andrew: (Nervously chuckles) Sir, I…We've not really had those discussions yet. I mean she's testy to the idea of marriage and kids which is understandable. I'm also a little iffy on marriage due to my parent's nasty divorce so I respect her opinions but, uh, for me? (Sighs) She's amazing, sir. She makes me so happy. She-
Alex: Okay I'm gonna stop you right now because my question was where do you see your surgical career going? And if you've chosen a specialty.
Andrew: (Coughing) Um. Oh, right. Uh... shoot. Well, uh, g-general surgery...is attractive.
Alex: Right.
Andrew: All right.
(They continue to work in awkward silence)
AN HOUR LATER IN O.R. 3
(Amber is halfway through the final graft explaining to Maggie about Andrew's question)
Maggie: He asked you to move in?
Amber: No! Not move in just…spend a week at his place.
Maggie: Wow that's a big step like a pre moving in step. Are you gonna say yes?
Amber: Um I don't know. I mean spending the night is one thing but a week. What if he gets sick of my lady products in his bathroom? Or what if I forget to wash the dishes? Or what if he doesn't want his girlfriend in his bachelor pad anymore?
Maggie: Look I get that it's scary believe me I do. My boyfriend half proposed to me and I ran out to get some milk. I was scared I was petrified that my boyfriend jumped the gun way too soon way too fast.
Amber: I bet.
Maggie: But then we talked and he assured me that he wasn't proposing to me. We told each other I love you for the first time and…we're great now.
Amber: Even though he wants a city girl like you to go all Into the Wild with him. How does that make you feel? I'm asking because I want to know if you can compromise going into the jungle with your boo then maybe mine will be okay with me in his lair.
Maggie: Uh I love him and he loves me and nature is his second love now one that he wants to share with me. I am terrified of getting poison oak or drinking from a dirty river or getting ganged up by wolves. But I love him and I want to spend as much time with him as I can. It's probably what Andrew is trying to do too asking you to spend a week with him.
Amber: I just…what if he realizes it's a mistake? I really like him and I want this to work.
Maggie: I know its in your nature to distrust every good thing that comes your way but you just have to trust that Andrew's not gonna desert you.
(Amber sighs and the monitors beep rapidly)
Maggie: What happened?
Anesthesiologist: BP is 130 over 89, he's getting hypertensive.
Maggie: How?! We're at the last graft!
(Maggie sees the heart getting dark around the left side)
Maggie: It's a myocardial rupture. The atrial septum was punctured by your suture.
Amber: (Shocked) What?! How? I was careful.
Maggie: You weren't careful enough; we need to convert to a mitral valve repair. Page Dr. Altman and tell her it's an emergency.
(Amber helps Maggie as much as she can despite her heart beating like a jackrabbit)
MEANWHILE AT O.R. 2
(Alex and Andrew get ready to scrub out after their surgery)
Alex: Nice job DeLuca.
Andrew: Thanks…Um look I'm sorry for the way you caught me and Amber…this morning. It was-
Alex: Traumatizing? Horrifying? Embarrassing beyond normal rate?
Andrew: Yeah, I just-I know how much Amber means to you and you giving me a surgery felt like a test of some kind. I uh was worried about what would happen if I failed.
Alex: DeLuca, this wasn't some test to find out if you were right for my sister. Amber told me that you were considering general so I wanted to see if it was a right fit for you. And it is.
Andrew: (Shocked) …Wow um thank you Dr. Karev.
Alex: My opinion doesn't really matter here since Dr. Grey is head of that department.
Andrew: Right but it still means a lot that you think it.
Alex: I can…put in a good word for her or maybe Webber.
Andrew: That would be great sir. Thank you.
Alex: No problem.
LATER IN O.R. 3
(Teddy scrubs in and gowns up as Harrison's BP rises)
Teddy: What happened?
Maggie: (To Amber) Explain.
Amber: I was sewing in the last graft and I…punctured the atrial septum with the 7-0 prolene causing a myocardial rupture. We're now converting to a mitral valve repair.
Maggie: I can't do this on my own and Dr. Karev certainly can't do it so I need you in here.
Teddy: Of course, where do you need me?
Maggie: I need you to help me with the annuloplasty we need to repair this as fast as we can. Scalpel.
Amber: Um where do you need me?
Maggie: (Harshly) I need you to leave, you've done enough.
Amber: (Guilty) Dr. Pierce I'm so-
Maggie: I don't want to hear it, now leave!
(Amber takes off her gown and exits the O.R. panting)
Alex: Hey, are you done here? I need you and Pierce for a cardio consult.
Amber: Um Pierce is in there we…(Shuddering) I screwed up, I screwed up so bad and now Pierce and Altman are in there trying to save a guy I might have killed.
(Amber's breathing quickens as she leans forward touching her knees)
Alex: (Concerned) Whoa, whoa hey what's wrong? What happened?
Amber: I pierced the atrial septum. I was trying to sew in the last graft and I-I-I hit an artery with the suture line creating a myocardial rupture. (Voice breaking) Now he's in there dying and I'm out here because Pierce kicked me out and I…
(Amber stops talking and slides down the wall sitting on the floor)
Amber: (Crying) I may have killed him, Alex. I screwed up and he might die.
(Amber silently cries in agony. Alex sits down with his sister rubbing her back)
Alex: You know my third month here I killed a guy. His name was Robert Martin and he was here for a small subdermal hemorrhage after hitting his head. He was hyponatremic so Shepherd put me in charge of stabilizing his sodium levels. He was a pompous ass the whole time I tried to keep him from drinking water. It got so bad that he locked himself in the bathroom and drank from a toilet.
Amber: (Slightly chuckles and wipes her tears)
Alex: (Chuckles) Yeah you had to be there. After that I had to stabilize him so I gave him a 3% hypertonic solution. Like the idiot I was I got the numbers wrong and gave him 500 ccs per hour for the next four hours.
Amber: (Eyes wide) What? You didn't?
Alex: Oh, I did. Shepherd almost killed me for that humongous screw up. Martin had a seizure due to his brain being dehydrated and went into a coma. Two days later he died with me in the room.
Amber: Jesus Alex.
Alex: Yeah…I've been where you are now and I know exactly what you're thinking.
Amber: I highly doubt that.
Alex: You're thinking right now 'what if he doesn't make it because of me?' or 'what did I do to cause this?' or 'I just killed a man' does that about sum it up?
Amber: (Gingerly nods) God I feel like crap.
Alex: You should, you screwed up despite practicing for months and now you have to face the consequences.
Amber: Gee thanks for the brotherly advice.
Alex: I'm saying it's that crappy feeling that makes us better doctors. It sticks to our memories and we learn from it so we don't make the same mistake again. It's what helps make us great doctors…it's what got me to where I am today.
(Amber sighs as she processes Alex's words. He stands up and helps Amber up)
Alex: Wash your face, get something to eat and find Pierce later to see how it went.
(Amber nods and leaves the floor)
AN HOUR LATER IN O.R. 2
(Maggie and Teddy are almost done repairing the artery)
Teddy: Okay blood flow looks good and the graft is holding. How's his BP?
Anesthesiologist: 105 over 75.
Maggie: Excellent now we just have to finish what She-Karev started. God I am an idiot. What was I thinking letting an intern sew in a graft?
Teddy: Don't beat yourself up okay. We're their teachers we're supposed to let them operate; their supposed to screw up and we're supposed to fix it.
Maggie: (Shakes her head) I was talking about how my boyfriend wants me to go camping with him. I-I distracted her and here we are.
Teddy: You were there to fix it that's what matters. And Harrison is alive because you were there, don't blame yourself for trusting your student to do this procedure.
Maggie: (Sighs) It's easy for you to say you had the perfect resident. Can you tell me one mistake that Cristina Yang made that equals to this?
Teddy: Cristina never made a mistake in the O.R. not once but believe me she was far from the perfect resident. She was an exceptional surgeon yes but she was also more arrogant than your average surgeon. She went over my head and performed a complicated procedure on a friend despite telling her not to. She refused to learn humility and respect causing me to bench her for months.
Maggie: …My intern stabbed my patient in the heart and you're complaining about having an arrogant but amazing resident? Maybe you should learn what humility is.
Teddy: Yeah, that's fair. Think of it this way, if you feel this awful imagine how Karev must feel right now.
Maggie: …Are you good to close? I have a cardio consult on peds.
Teddy: Go ahead. I've got this.
(Maggie leaves the O.R.)
LATER IN THE TUNNELS
(Amber and Levi sit on a gurney eating margherita pizza)
Amber: (Eats pizza) Mmm carbs never tasted so good. If I get fired pizza will be the only thing keeping me alive.
Levi: You're not gonna get fired. It was one mistake; I've made a dozen and I'm still here.
Amber: Yeah, but that's expected of you. You dropped your glasses in a kid's open body before you worked here, your reputation was built then. I'm supposed to be this flawless mini version of Alex or Pierce not…stabber of old dude's hearts.
Levi: You didn't stab the guy.
Amber: I may as well have. I can't get fired, I'll have to go back home and work at some county hospital or jail. My boyfriend's gonna dump me because he can't be with the killer intern.
Levi: Relax okay. It took getting high, setting a patient on fire and ignoring a bleeding patient for Roy to get fired. I think you're gonna be okay. How about we talk about something else?
Amber: (Scoffs) Like what?
Levi: Like I'm gonna be assisting Dr. Fox and Dr. Hunt in the O.R. in an abdominal wall, penis and scrotum transplant.
(Amber stops eating and looks at Levi in shock)
Amber: (Mouth full) What?
Levi: (Grins) He's a veteran that was caught in an IED explosion that tore off his leg and penis and damaged his abdomen. It's Dr. Fox's first surgery back.
Amber: I hate you so much right now. I botched my first surgery and you're assisting in a groundbreaking one.
Levi: You wanted to talk about something else. Now let's eat this surgery's gonna be long and grueling.
(Amber and Levi eat the rest of the pizza in silence)
LATER ON THE RADIOLOGY FLOOR
(Maggie enters the radiology room with Alex putting the films up)
Maggie: You said you needed a consult?
Alex: Yeah, I do. Gus Carter, 10 years old he came in with a cough that lasted two weeks and significant chest pain. The scans are here.
(Maggie looks at the chest scans)
Alex: I heard what happened in the O.R. with Amber. For what it's worth she feels awful for what happened.
Maggie: She's not the only one. The scans show a tumor on the thymus gland.
Alex: I thought thymomas only occur in people in their 30's or 70's?
Maggie: It's rare but it can occur during childhood. That's a large mass on the thymus gland. How old?
Alex: Uh, 10.
Maggie: In kids, thymomas are always malignant, but, luckily, resecting them can be completely curative. I can scrub in.
(Maggie notices Alex looking at his phone)
Maggie: Hey, Jo's been out all week. Is everything okay?
Alex: I'll book the OR.
(Alex turns to leave when Taryn appears at the doorway)
Taryn: Gus is severely anemic. We can't operate until we transfuse him.
LATER IN THE ON CALL ROOM
(Amber stares at the ceiling from the single bed when Andrew walks inside)
Andrew: I heard what happened.
(Andrew closes the door and joins Amber in bed kissing the top of her head)
Amber: I practiced that suture for months and when I finally get the chance to do it on a real beating heart, I stab said beating heart.
Andrew: You're an intern Amber. Your supposed to make mistakes it's part of the game.
(Amber sighs and rubs her eyes)
Andrew: Is there anything I can do?
Amber: Nope. Nothing you do can make this better. I mean that sincerely not bitchy.
Andrew: I've dated you long enough to tell. So…have you thought about what I asked you this morning?
Amber: Nope, I've kind of been distracted with screwing up a surgery. I haven't had time to play Sophie's choice.
Andrew: It's just for a week it's not like I'm asking you to move in with me. I just don't want to have an accidental three way with you and Dr. Shepherd.
Amber: (Grins) You know most normal guys would beg for that sandwich.
Andrew: (Chuckles) As appealing as it is I'm a one-woman man. And right now, I want my one woman in my place for a while so I can have all the alone time, I want with her.
(Andrew grins and starts kissing Amber's collarbone who feel's unresponsive)
Amber: (Pushes Andrew back) Um I'm not really in the mood. Can we just lie here for a bit?
Andrew: Yeah, sure.
(Andrew lies next to Amber staring at the ceiling with her)
LATER THAT NIGHT AT THE CCU
(Maggie waits at the station for Amber after paging her. Amber walks toward her with a guilty face)
Amber: You paged me?
Maggie: Yeah. Harrison is in the ICU right now recovering. His prognosis looks good for someone who had two surgeries in one morning.
Amber: (Sighs) I'm sorry I-I screwed up. If you hadn't been there who knows what would've happened.
Maggie: No, I know what would've happened. He would've died and we'd have to tell his wife and daughter to make funeral arrangements because you screwed up royally.
Amber: (Numbly nods) I know. I should take the fall for this, I'm gonna take the fall for this.
Maggie: I agree.
Amber: Okay, lead me to the room and I'll explain it to him and his family.
Maggie: (Sighs) Look here's the deal She-Karev, this is on me. Yes, it was your hands and your mistake but you're an intern and I'm an attending, which means that I'm responsible for your screw ups. I'm the one whose gonna tell that family that this is on me and you get to watch me do it.
Amber: I don't want you to do that for me.
Maggie: Believe me I don't want to but I will. Because your still young and new to this and hopefully this mistake will make you a better surgeon. You're not gonna get away scot-free, I'm benching you for a month. You'll work on your suturing in the pit and the clinic and during your breaks you'll be with me in the skills lab trying to prove that you can do better. Are we clear?
Amber: Yes ma'am.
Maggie: Good. Now follow me, you have watch me take the fall for you so you won't do this again.
(Amber guiltily nods and follows Maggie to Harrison's room)
LATER IN THE PARKING LOT
(Andrew walks to his bike when Amber's car pulls up next to him with In This Moment blaring the speaker)
Amber: Get in.
Andrew: (Chuckles) Or what? You'll murder me?
Amber: Oh yeah, I've got a machete in the back along with my duffel bag with enough stuff for the week. Now get in the car so I can drive us to your place.
Andrew: (Eyebrows raised) You know the normal response to a question would be a simple yes or no. Not that I don't love the passion in this. It's very romantic.
Amber: Yeah, well that's me, I'm a passionate romantic. Besides have I ever been normal to you? Are you getting in DeLuca?
Andrew: (Grins) Can I at least pick the music?
Amber: (Territorial) One step at a time Andrew.
Andrew: (Chuckles) All right.
(Andrew gets in the passenger seat. Amber drives them to his apartment)