Chapter 4: Crazy, Stupid, Love
SCENE: RESIDENTS LOUNGE
(Amber puts her scrubs on and groans at the sight of Andrew walking to his cubby next to her with a grumpy look on his face)
Andrew: (Sarcastic) Thanks for waking me up, I like being early to work.
Amber: (Grumpy) Oh I'm so sorry I guess it's another thing that I'm crap at. Are you going to humiliate me in front of everyone? Or are you gonna bitch about it to Bailey? Oh, wait you already did both.
(The residents notice the fight. Andrew groans in pain as he pulls his shirt over his head and rubs his neck)
Blake: What happened to you?
Andrew: (Angry and in pain) You want to know what happened to me?
Amber: It's none of his business don't you even-
Andrew: (Ignoring Amber) My girlfriend kicked me out of bed. Literally, she kicked me out of bed and I landed on the floor. I had to sleep on the couch which has more lumps and bumps than the patients at the clinic instead of my comfortable mattress that Amber was enjoying.
Amber: (Angry) Our mattress. The lease is in my name too which means I have half a say in who sleeps in it.
Levi: (Tries to calm them) Okay, let's just-
Andrew: I have a say too and last I checked I bought it before you and I even got together. I bought the bed so I have more rights than you on when and if I get to sleep in it.
Amber: (Angry) Just like you had the right to take over the anastomoses and insult me to the chief behind my back?
Andrew: I said I was sorry. I'm sorry for what you overheard but I'm not sorry for stepping in when I was needed.
Sam: (Sensing a storm about to come) Oh boy.
Amber: (Scoffs) When you were needed? Aka when I made a mistake and you decided to take the surgery like a greedy child and insulting my technique before that. Sam was he ever like this when you two were dating?
Sam: (Hell no) Not getting involved.
Andrew: I'm being a child? Amber, I have apologized to you over and over again but I'm still on the couch!
Amber: Yeah, because you don't see what it is you did wrong! You know what screw this I'm going to cardio.
Andrew: (Grumpy) Fine, call me when I'm allowed back into my bed.
Amber: (Angry) Fine! Call me when you find me a boyfriend who doesn't have his head so far up his own ass.
(Amber leaves the room slamming the door. Andrew angrily puts on his scrubs and goes to the pit. Levi and Sam watch them storm off separately)
Sam: Honeymoon phase is over.
Levi: Oh yeah.
LATER IN CARDIO
(Amber goes through Maggie's post ops when Jo walks up to her with a smile on her face)
Jo: (Happy) Hey good morning.
Amber: (Grumpy) Is it Jo? Is it really a good morning when you have a fight with your boyfriend who humiliated you yesterday and still hasn't apologized for it? Is it good after you kick him out of bed and haven't had sex in four days? Tell me if it's still a good morning.
Jo: (Whistles) I see you and Andrew are still fighting.
Amber: Yep, we've reached the stage where I want to rip his damn head off.
(Amber groans in frustration before noticing Jo in navy scrubs)
Amber: Your in navy scrubs?
Jo: (Grins) I am.
Amber: So, you choose to do your fellowship here? Thank God I was worried about having two family members work at that hell hole. I was thinking I'd have to change my name again out of embarrassment.
Jo: (Chuckles) Not exactly, I'm not doing my fellowship. You are looking at the new general surgery attending at Grey Sloan Memorial.
Amber: (Eyes wide) What?! No way that is amazing Jo.
Jo: I know right?
Amber: I am so happy for you and I'm also happy for me because now I have my favorite sister back at work where she can help me with my personal problems.
Jo: I am happy to be here and listen to you complain about Andrew.
Amber: Um yeah, it's-
Tom: She-Karev.
Jo and Amber: Yeah?
(Amber and Jo look at each in confusion)
Amber: I'm She-Karev I always have been.
Jo: Well, there's another She-Karev here i.e., me.
Tom: I meant Jo Karev. This won't work, you two have the same last name and nickname and I'm terrible with first names so (To Jo) your Karev 1 and (To Amber) your Karev 2. Kind of like the things from Cat in the Hat. (Chuckles)
Amber: (Offended) Wait a minute. Why does she get to be Karev 1? I'm a Karev by blood, she's a Karev by marriage, sorry but you are. I should be 1.
Tom: I'm going by seniority. See your darling and beautiful sister-in-law is an attending while you are just barely above the food chain. So, she's 1, otherwise known as the superior Karev, and your 2, the loser Karev.
(Amber curls her lips in distaste as she glares at Tom who ignores her)
Tom: Now where was I? Oh yes that research you were doing on proton beam therapy, do you, have it?
Jo: It's in my filing cabinet in the lab. Do you want me to-
Tom: No thank you. I can read in alphabetical order, thanks 1 later 2.
(Tom leaves them to it. Amber clicks her pen in anger)
Jo: (Sees Amber's anger) He's just doing his job.
Amber: Is it his job to be an ass? Because he is getting five stars on that. He filed a restraining order on Hunt, did you hear about that?
Jo: Well to be fair he did shock him in his…sensitive area.
Amber: You can't tell me you haven't fantasized about doing that. I don't know what Altman sees in him.
Jo: I can see why your angry, I missed a lot when I was away. I mean with Andrew and with Koracick, I'm surprised things are stable.
Amber: They're not, it's a complete mess we just don't appear to be that way so we think we're stable.
Jo: Got it, the way your speaking makes me want to wish I took Pac-North.
Amber: That's not all, I have…a personal problem, I think.
Jo: You think?
Amber: …Come with me.
(Amber leads Jo to an empty patient room where she shows her stress)
Amber: (Fast pace) I lost track of time with everything that happened and I forgot to change my arm implant. My period's late so I think I might be pregnant.
Jo: (Shocked but composed face) …Yeah, I think that qualifies as a personal problem.
MEANWHILE IN THE PIT
(Andrew walks to the breezeway with Owen and Sam waiting for the trauma. Andrew rubs his neck in pain)
Owen: Are you in pain DeLuca?
Andrew: (Chuckles drily) Am I in pain? Uh let's see my girlfriend who I asked to move in with me has taken my bed hostage and I'm forced to sleeping on my crap couch. She refuses to let me back in the bedroom despite me apologizing in twenty different ways and now I have a crick on my neck that probably needs checking from neuro. I think my pain is over the roof, don't you?
Owen: (Eyebrows raised) A simple yes or no would have sufficed.
Sam: (Feeling awkward) Right?
(The ambulance arrives. A paramedic wheels in a young blonde with her boyfriend following her unharmed)
Paramedic: Quinn Cook, 18. She was found in a bathtub passed out after a party at a friend's house last night, displayed OD symptoms. We pushed Narcan and got her responsive but she passed out on the way. BP is 140 over 90.
Johnny: (Stammering) S-She didn't do much last night.
Andrew: What's your name buddy?
Johnny: Johnny.
Andrew: Johnny, I need you to tell me what she took and don't leave anything out okay?
Johnny: We just had punch with some vodka t-that's it and then I f-fell asleep on the couch, that's it I swear.
Owen: Let's get her to trauma one!
(They wheel her into trauma one with Johnny standing outside looking worried)
Sam: Temperature is 106.8 and her pupils are super dilated, this wasn't alcohol.
Owen: All right Johnny, I need you to tell me if there were any drugs at this party, any that she could've taken.
(Johhny looks distressed and pulls at his hair)
Andrew: Hey if you want your girlfriend to make it then your gonna have to tell us what you guys took, okay? Start talking.
Johnny: …They had pills and weed and some acid.
Sam: (Eyes wide) Acid? She took acid?
Johnny: No! Quinn's not like that she didn't do anything, she just drank honestly. She doesn't even take aspirin said it makes her lose focus.
Owen: Bello get the blood up for a tox screen and put a rush on it. We need to know what we're dealing with.
(Sam nods and runs out with the labs. Quinn suddenly wakes up and screams thrashing and hitting Owen and Andrew who try to calm her down)
Andrew: Quinn! Quinn! You're at the hospital, your safe!
(Quinn continues screaming and thrashing until Owen holds her hands above her head)
Owen: DeLuca push 1 of fentanyl.
(Andrew quickly pushes the sedative in the IV while Quinn keeps screaming with Johnny watching in fear. Quinn finally passes out and Owen lets go)
Owen: (Exhales) Alright, set up a patient room and get her up. Tell the nurses to restrain her and DeLuca see if you can get her family here.
(Andrew nods and leaves Owen to it and approaches Johnny)
Andrew: Johnny, do you have contact info with Quinn's family? Do you know where her parents are?
Johnny: Um her parents work and I-I have her mom's cell.
Andrew: I'm gonna need that number, okay?
(Johnny nods and pulls out his phone still in shock over what he saw)
LATER IN THE ATTENDINGS LOUNGE
(Amber paces back and forth in the room stressing while Jo sits calmly on the table grasping with the idea of being an aunt)
Jo: Aunt Jo? What do normal aunts do? I've only learned what I could from tv's and movies so I'm guessing I spoil and tell your kids sex education when you and Andrew can't.
Amber: (Still stressed) No you don't because you're not gonna be an aunt because I am not pregnant.
Jo: Did you and Andrew use protection other than the implant?
Amber: We use condoms.
Jo: Every time you have sex?
Amber: …No.
Jo: How late are you?
Amber: (Groans) A week, but that does not mean I am pregnant. I cannot be pregnant.
Jo: Why not?
Amber: (Stressed) Because I would make a horrible mother. I mean look at the role models I've had in my life, a crazy mom and a junkie dad. I am a living example of why birth control was implemented. I mean you know the saying; we all turn out like our parents.
(Amber groans but stops in place when she notices Jo's hurt face)
Amber: (Oh crap) Except for you. I meant people who were raised by their crap parents, you weren't raised at all.
Jo: Gee thanks.
Amber: (Feels bad) I'm sorry it's just…I'm sorry.
(Amber sits in front of Jo putting her head in her hands in distress)
Jo: For what it's worth you would make a better mother than either of ours.
Amber: (Chuckles drily) You're not setting the bar very high. It's not just my parents it's my residency. I just started my second year, what if I'm deep in someone's heart but then my water breaks what happens then?
Jo: Meredith had Zola when she was a fourth year and look at her now. Amber, being pregnant and a resident is not the end of the world.
Amber: It's the end of my world.
Jo: (Sighs) Does Andrew know about this?
Amber: Of course not. Do you think he would be fighting with me if he thought I was pregnant? He'd probably carry me to OB and have his sister do an exam.
Jo: Yeah, when are you gonna do that? Because that's a good way to know for sure.
Amber: (Sighs) I don't know if I can.
Jo: (Stern) Amber Karev-
Amber: Don't do that, I know that I should and I want to it's just I can't walk into an OB office and not expect a nurse or a resident to spread the word that I'm knocked up. I mean Andrew and I can't go two seconds without fighting and finding out from someone else will make him angrier. I just…I need to find out without other people finding out.
(Amber groans in despair while Jo has an idea to solve Amber's problem)
Jo: Maybe you can. Follow me.
(Amber looks at Jo confused as she drags her out of the room)
LATER IN QUINNS ROOM
(Andrew and Owen monitor a restrained Quinn when Sam walks in with the lab results)
Sam: Tox screen came back with 250 micrograms of LSD, otherwise known as acid.
Andrew: I guess Johnny didn't know his girlfriend all that well. She's lucky she survived, all that acid in her system would've killed a horse.
Owen: And that is why I never experimented with drugs in high school. Her heart rate is normal and her labs should be clean in a day. What's the standard approach for OD's Bello?
Sam: Continuous monitoring, Narcan on standby and buckets in case they throw up.
Owen: Very good.
(A woman in tears and a teenage girl enter the room)
Jennifer: How is she? Is Quinny okay? I'm her mother, I'm Jennifer.
Owen: Okay Jennifer, I'm Dr. Hunt your daughter is stable but she needs to stay overnight just in case.
Rita: H-How did this happen?
Andrew: What's your name?
Jennifer: This is Rita she and Quinn are friends, they're in the debate club.
Andrew: Um Jennifer…your daughter overdosed last night at a party.
Jennifer: …What? No, Quinn doesn't do drugs.
Owen: I know this is hard to hear but her tox screen shows high dose of a drug called LSD and-
Jennifer: No, my daughter didn't do this, she wouldn't so this. She and Rita go to a private school, she's on the track team, the debate club and honor roll. the campus is very strict about their no drug policy. If they hear any word about her doing drugs then they expel her.
Rita: She was on the runner up for valedictorian, she was planning to apply to Harvard full scholarship. If she got expelled then she wouldn't do any of those things. There's no way she would do something like this and screw up her whole future, there's just no way.
Owen: (Sighs) I'm sorry but the tox screen doesn't lie. It could be possible that it was an accident, I'm sure the school would understand.
Jennifer: (Sniffles) No they wouldn't. She didn't do this; I swear to you she didn't.
Andrew: I'm sorry Mrs. Cook but without proper evidence, the school board will have to be-
Rita: Last night I saw Johnny put something in her drink.
(They all pause and look at her)
Jennifer: What? You were there last night?
Rita: (Nods) I snuck out of my home and rode my bike to the party. I got there an hour after it started. I was talking to Stacy from Bio when I saw Johnny put a pill in a cup of punch and give it to Quinn.
Andrew: Why didn't you stop it?
Rita: …I confronted him about it and he said it was his drink he spiked not hers. I left a little while after that but she seemed fine after that, I swear.
Jennifer: (Angry) Where is he? Where is Johnny?
Sam: He's in the waiting room but-
(Jennifer prepares to storm out to confront Johnny but Owen stands in front of her stopping her)
Owen: Mrs. Cook, we will call the police and they will-
Jennifer: My baby is in a hospital bed because of him!
Andrew: We don't know for sure if that's the case.
Jennifer: No, she told me that he was jealous of her becoming valedictorian. He's salutatorian but he wants to go to Berkeley on a full ride and knew being top of his class would guarantee it. He did this so he could take her spot.
Owen: Okay Jennifer even if that is the case, we need to call the police and have them sort this out. Bello call the police tell them we have a possible drink spiking.
(Sam nods and pulls out her phone)
Jennifer: (Voice breaking) I want him to suffer for this.
Owen: I know you do. I have a daughter and I can understand your frustration but right now Quinn needs her mom by her side instead of out doing what the cops need to do. Jennifer it's your job to be her mom and she needs her mom right now, okay?
(Jennifer nods and sits by Quinn's side with Rita joining her. Sam and Andrew walk out to give them room)
Andrew: What kind of a person does that to his own girlfriend?
Sam: (Siding with Amber) I don't know maybe he was crazy with jealousy and tried to take what he thought was his with no concern at all for the woman he claims to love.
Andrew: (Glares at her) I am not like him, okay?
Sam: (Unconvinced) Uh-huh.
Andrew: I saved a guy's life; he almost ended his girlfriends. How does that make him better than me?
Sam: No one is saying that. I'm just saying that jealousy is an ugly emotion that can bring out the worst in us. I see that and so did the rest of the hospital after you and Amber went at it in the lounge.
Andrew: (Groans) She's overreacting, she thinks that I undermined her but I was a surgeon in that O.R. not her boyfriend. Soon she'll realize that and apologize and welcome me to the bed with open arms.
Sam: (Shakes her head) If you believe that, then you are delusional. I suggest buying a more comfortable couch.
(Sam leaves Andrew confused in the hallway)
LATER IN AN OB EXAM ROOM
(Amber sits in the chair waiting for the doctor while Jo sits on the exam table in full view from the open shades)
Amber: Jo, you don't have to take the fall for me. I'm willing to switch I mean I'm the one who might have a uterine invader not you.
Jo: Amber, you said it yourself, the people here talk and if your boyfriend finds out that he might be a dad from a nurse or an intern it will spell out big trouble for you. I'm in the clear because my husband no longer works here and none of these people are willing to step inside Pac-North just to tell him that they saw his wife getting a pregnancy exam.
Amber: (Touched) I'm so glad my brother married you.
(Amber sees the nurses and residents looking at Jo through the blinds. Amber shoots them daggers and they flee)
Jo: (Chuckles) On to more important business. What are you going to do if your pregnant?
Amber: One step at a time, first we need confirmation and then we access the situation.
Jo: Amber this isn't Call of Duty; you might be pregnant.
Amber: Yeah, don't remind me.
Jo: Are you gonna keep it?
Amber: (Sighs) …I don't know. I mean this whole thing just…boggles me. I've never really thought of having or not having kids, I just skate through life not thinking about the future. But I know that I didn't want to be on an episode of Teen Mom like half of the cheerleaders did. I've been on two types of birth control since I was 13 because I didn't want to end up like my parents and now-
Jo: Amber you're not gonna end up like Helen or Jimmy. For one thing you're in a comfortable place and age to have a baby in your life even if you're still a resident. Another thing is that you know what it's like to be neglected or abused or both so you know what not to do to your kid. And one more thing and this is an important one, your kid has a father who is gonna love him or her no matter what. Amber as far as having someone knock you up, you hit the jackpot with DeLuca and I think you know that.
Amber: Jo I know he would be a good dad; he would be a great dad to our kid I'm just…I'm just not sure I'm ready to be a mom or if I even want to be one. If I choose not to have a baby whose to say that Andrew's gonna want to be with me after.
Jo: Okay, well it's your body and your choice and whatever you decide I will support you even if Andrew won't. I mean I'm taking a bullet for you right now so I think your safe on the sister front.
Amber: (Chuckles) Thank you.
(Dr. Kate Lachman enters the room stopping them both)
Kate: Hi, I'm Dr. Lachman-
Jo: We know who you are we work here too.
Kate: Right sorry it's a habit. (Notices Jo on the table) Um Dr. Karev may I ask why you're on the table and not your-
Jo: She doesn't want her boyfriend to find out that he might be a dad from anyone else other than her so I'm taking her place.
Kate: He doesn't know?
Amber: No, we're…going through a rough patch and I don't want there to be another one. What do the results say? I'm kind of freaking out right here.
(Kate nods and closes the blinds)
Kate: Okay so I have the results from the lab work for you Dr. Karev. You are not pregnant.
Amber: (Exhales in relief) Oh thank God, thank you God! Thank you.
Jo: Great I guess I can cancel that trip I was planning to take your kid on her 16th birthday. (Steps down) Okay now that that's out of the way do you want lunch?
Amber: With vodka and cigars on the side to celebrate my not being pregnant.
Jo: Let's save the cigars and alcohol for tonight when we're not working.
(Amber and Jo walk out of the exam room with everyone looking at them)
Amber: (Rolls her eyes at the crowd) Take a picture it'll last longer!
(The crowd scurry off in fear of Amber. Jo grins at Amber who shrugs)
Jo: So, are you going to tell Andrew about what happened?
Amber: Why? There's nothing to tell.
(Jo sighs in annoyance as Amber walks away to go back to Pierce)
LATER IN THE WAITING ROOM
(Johnny sits in the waiting room anxiously waiting for a doctor when Owen arrives with two police officers)
Officer Greg: Are you Johnny Stewart?
Johnny: (Confused) Yeah? What's going on?
Officer Greg: Stand up and put your hands behind your head.
(Johnny stands up shocked as Greg handcuffs him)
Johnny: (Confused) What the hell is going on? I didn't do anything.
Officer Greg: You're under arrest for infliction of bodily harm.
Johnny: (Mouth gapes) I-I didn't hurt anyone!
Owen: You put acid in Quinn's drink so that you can move a spot up the graduation list. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?
Johnny: What?! I didn't…
(Johnny goes silent as he looks like he's in thought. Owen notices this)
Owen: What is it?
Johnny: Rita, it was Rita. She put the acid in Quinn's cup.
Owen: Rita told us it was you, she said that she saw you put something in Quinn's cup and then she left.
Johnny: No, she's lying! I was getting myself a beer when I came back Quinn had a cup in her hand and told me Rita gave it to her. I swear to god I didn't do this, I would never hurt Quinn over some stupid placement.
Officer Greg: Do you have proof?
Johnny: Um yeah, I think so Rita posted a video on Insta during the party she was giving a drink to Quinn and then she left a little bit after that. You can check it, her handle is Ritatheriotact18.
(Owen searches through his Instagram account and finds the latest video Rita posted the night before. He plays it showing Rita at the party holding two beverages.)
Rita: Hey guys this is your girl Rita, I'm here with my bestie Quinn. (Quinn enters the frame) We are gonna get our drink on while the night is young!
(Rita hands a red cup to Quinn who smiles and gladly drinks the beverage with Johnny next to her. Owen stops the video and looks at Johnny)
Owen: How long after she posted this did she leave the party?
Johnny: Like ten minutes, I think.
(Owen looks at the Officer who has a suspicious look on his face)
LATER AT THE NURSES STATION
(Amber hands a chart to a nurse when she sees a teenage girl crying in a chair as two officers surround her. Amber spots Sam nearby)
Amber: Hey I heard from the nurses that Tears for Fears killed your patient with acid is that true?
Sam: Failed to kill her, thank God. She wanted to get her kicked out of school so that she could be Salutatorian and get the scholarship to Yale. I guess she thought slipping acid was easier than looking into other schools.
Amber: (Scoffs) Teenagers man.
(Amber's phone rings catching her attention and answering)
Amber: Hello…Kate? What are you…Is it necessary…Um yeah I can come up right now, okay bye.
(Amber hangs up and has a confused look on her face)
Sam: What happened?
Amber: Huh? Oh, it's a patient of mine I have to up let me know how it goes with yours.
(Amber immediately leaves Sam at the nurse's station to head to the OB floor)
LATER AT QUINN'S ROOM
(Andrew enters the room to find Johnny sitting by Quinn's bed as she sleeps)
Andrew: Your still here?
Johnny: (Numb) The cops let me go, Rita broke down and told them everything. Mrs. Cook is downstairs at the cafeteria, I thought that Quinn shouldn't be alone if she woke up.
Andrew: When she wakes up. The drugs are already out of her system and there's no permanent damage so it's just up to her now. I'll be back in a little bit to check on her.
(Andrew starts to walk away when Johnny speaks up)
Johnny: I was jealous of her getting valedictorian, Rita didn't lie about that part.
(Andrew turns around as Johnny continues talking)
Johnny: I…I wanted to get ahead of the game, I wanted to get that scholarship I told Quinn that at the party. We fought last night because I asked her to give up the valedictorian spot to me because I needed the full ride to Berkeley. Her mom's a nurse and her dad's an architect it's not like they can't afford tuition, my parents work to death in a small shop in town so I can go to private school. I tried to tell her that but she said that she worked hard to be valedictorian and that she didn't want to give it up…and you know what I said? I said she was selfish and then I left that night. I came back to check on her a few hours later and… (Voice Breaking) I found her in that tub. Is this my fault?
Andrew: No, it wasn't, you didn't slip her the drugs and try to frame someone else. (Sighs) Look Johnny I know firsthand how hard it is to be in someone else's shadow especially when it's someone that you love. I know that it feels like everything you worked hard to gain was taken away from you and you feel like blaming the person who gained it but-
(Andrew pauses a beat as he finally realizes his mistake)
Andrew: But Quinn deserved that scholarship just like you did and you should be one of the people supporting her not making her feel like she doesn't deserve what she's worked hard to earn. I'll be back to check on Quinn.
(Andrew leaves the room and sees Sam filling out her chart just outside with a knowing look in her face over what she heard)
Andrew: (Nods) I know, I'm an idiot.
(Andrew leaves to make things right with Amber)
LATER THAT NIGHT AT ANDREW AND AMBERS APARTMENT
(Andrew stands outside the bedroom door knowing Amber is inside. He tries to open it only to find it locked, he knocks on the door)
Andrew: Amber can we talk? Not fight like actually talk.
(Andrew waits for her to open the door but nothing happens)
Andrew: Okay I guess I'll talk and hopefully you are listening through the door. I'm sorry, I know I said that before but this time I know what I'm supposed to be sorry about. I'm sorry for not supporting you in that O.R. when you needed it. I promised you the day of your exams that I wouldn't get in the way of your career and I didn't hold to it at that surgery. I know now that you didn't need me tearing you down in that surgery because you've had people doing that to you your whole life. I'm…I'm sorry for being another bully in your life that is the very last thing I want to be. I want to make it up to you not just because I want the bed back but also because I can't stand you being mad at me for one more second…if there's anything I can do to make this right just tell me.
(Andrew waits for a response but hears nothing)
Andrew: Your asleep right now, aren't you? (Sighs) Okay I'll write my heartwarming speech down and repeat it back to you in the morning. Good night.
(Andrew walks to the couch for another uncomfortable night. Amber lies numbly in bed on her side wide awake with her eyes red from crying)