After he left the break room, Jesse swung by the nurses station to make sure he was no longer needed then headed down the hallway towards the lockers. The bight hospital lights reflected off the smoothly polished tile floor that someone had obviously spent a lot of time and care cleaning. It was the kind of floor that made that satisfyingly loud squeak when your shoes were wet, no matter how hard you tried not to. Jesse never tried not to.

After stopping at his locker just long enough to trade his stethoscope for his car keys, Jesse was on the move. He had to get to his car before the exhaustion caught up with him again. It was following him down the hall like a rabid Rottweiler, and Jesse didn't think he could fend it off for long once it took hold. He rubbed his face and stepped in the elevator, then out when he had reached floor level. A few of the female nurses wished him a good weekend and Jesse wished it could be spent with one of them. His hand was on the glass exit door and momentum pushed him against it before he remembered.

It was hot out there.

Like, really, really hot.

Jesse sighed and looked back to the busy hallway with a longing in his blue eyes that was normally reserved for women and food. He weighed his options. Either stay inside, in the air conditioning and temporarily take up residence within the hospital, or, brave the temperatures that were currently sending visible waves of heat off the blacktop, just to get to an apartment that would be equally hellish. Jesse wondered if his refrigerator had melted.

Well, here comes that rabid Rottweiler. He sighed. Go time.

Jesse collected all his courage and shoved his way through the swinging glass door.

A whimper was tore from his throat as the summer air burned his cool skin. He felt like that witch in the movie who melted dramatically in the end. He fought for a deep breath. Wincing in the bright sunlight, he stepped onto the blacktop parking lot. One step closer to his car. Were his shoes melting?

Jesse wanted to spit on the ground to prove that it would evaporate before landing, but his throat was robbed of all moisture. He swallowed dryly. His sudden tunnel vision sure made the car look really far away. A drop of sweat crawled down his spine and Jesse realized he hadn't even moved yet.

Valet parking, that's what this hospital needed. As soon as he got to his apartment, Jesse would sit down and write up a business proposal to hand in tomorrow. Someone could die on the way to their vehicle. This was a safety hazard! But that still left the immediate problem of crossing the Mohave Parking Lot of Death and reaching his car. Was that a buzzard circling above him?

"Do you want a ride?"

Jesse jumped at the voice loud in his right ear.

"Jeez Jess, calm down," Amanda hushed as she grabbed his arm. "You've been acting funny all day."

"Sorry, I- uh... it's hot?" Jesse held his free hand to his forehead to block the sunlight from his eyes. Had his hair ignited? Damn hair gel.

"No kidding Sherlock. Let's go."

Jesse allowed himself to be pulled across the parking lot. He doubted he could make it without her efforts. How had he managed to live here so long and not be this affected before? How could anybody not be this affected? Another hot drop of sweat rolled down his back and suddenly surfing seemed like a really great idea. Right after a nap.

"Get in."

Jesse looked up. Amanda was glaring at him from behind her sunglasses as she stood across from him. He looked down to find himself standing in front of the passenger door of her car. How did he get here? Man, he really needed some Ritalin.

"But my car..."

"I'll bring you back after dinner. Mark was right, you are a mess. Now get in."

Jesse narrowed his eyes at her but obeyed. "I am not a mess," he argued, partly to keep himself awake. He sat heavily on the car seat and pulled the door closed. "I'm a little tired, that's all."

"Why?" she asked as the car's systems came online.

Jesse let his head fall back and he gazed out the window as they left the parking lot. "The air conditioning is out in my apartment. Guess I haven't been sleeping good with the heat."

"Yikes," Amanda replied as she steered the car onto the highway. "When does it get fixed?"

Jesse took a little while to reply. His eyes were starting to close. "Whenever they feel like it."

"Must be horrible."

"Yeah," was all he had the strength to say. Had the Rottweiler gotten in the car? His head slid to the side until it was cradled between the head rest and the window. Now his face was in line with the car's air vent and the freon-chilled air was making him even more relaxed.

"Well I'll come pick you up for dinner tonight, but in the meantime you try to rest, okay?"

"Yeah..."

"But leave your phone on so I can call you before I get there."

"Yeah..."

"I've got some errands to run or else I'd just take you to my house. At least I have air conditioning. I can't believe..."

Amanda's words sounded more and more distant with each breath Jesse took. His neck was bent painfully but his body didn't care. Sleep pulled at him. Within seconds, Jesse slipped into welcome oblivion.

o0O0o

"Okay, you know I believe in girl-power and all that, but I don't think I can carry your skinny ass all the way up to your apartment."

Jesse couldn't help but groan pathetically. The car had stopped. The air was hot. Amanda's voice was coming from his right, which meant she was probably standing there with her hands on her hips and waiting for him to move. Jesse didn't want to move.

"Get out," she urged, grabbing his hand.

"I'm coming," he whined, puling his hand out of her grasp. "Mother," he added out of annoyance.

"I heard that," Amanda tossed over her shoulder after she dropped his hand and had started for the building.

Jesse grumbled to himself and got out of the car. He felt disoriented and light headed, the way he always felt when prematurely awoken. He hated it. "You're going to pick me up to go to Mark's, right?" he called as he shut the car door.

"Yes, I'll be back in a few hours. Can you make yourself presentable by then?"

Jesse looked at his wrinkled clothes. What was wrong with the way he looked now?

"I know what you're thinking."

He caught up to her at the door. "I don't look that bad," he confirmed.

"Honey, please. Don't even go there."

If he had more energy, he would be insulted. "Thanks for the ride," he sighed. Jesse reached for the door handle but yanked his hand away. "It's hot," he explained at her concerned expression.

"Is your phone on?" she asked wearily as he tried again.

Probably. "Yes."

"Good. Leave it on. I'll be back."

She turned and left, walking briskly over the roasting black top parking lot. "Bye," he called after her, but if she heard him, she made no acknowledgement. Jesse tucked his hand under the hem of his shirt and used the fabric as protection from the burning metal door handle. He heard Amanda drive away as he quickly ducked in the apartment building.

Jesse swore out loud at the wall of heat that met him. How was it possible that the it was hotter in here than outside? A small group of men with the familiar logo of an igloo on their uniforms were carrying tools to and from the basement. Jesse took some satisfaction in watching them sweat and work in the obviously uncomfortable conditions. 'God's speed,' he prayed, then nodded politely as one very tall and muscular man looked angrily at the doctor as he walked around Jesse and went outside.

By some tiny miracle, the elevator was fully functional and saved Jesse the expense of hauling himself up endless flights of stairs. He always thought the stairwells smelled a little odd. Kind of like a cross between stale socks and smoke. Jesse shivered at the memory.

Jesse pulled out his keys and stepped off the elevator into the visible haze of heat. Jesse remembered then that heat rose. "Sucks to be me," he sighed and let himself into his apartment. He leaned on the door to close it, resting his eyes and body before tossing his keys on the small table he'd picked up at a yard sale years ago.

His shoes were kicked off and accidentally hit the baseboard, scuffing it. Whoops. What's one more scuff on the wall, anyway? Jesse headed to the first of his strategically placed box fans and turned it to high. Good God, was the aquarium water boiling? Jesse bent closer and tapped the glass. The lone survivor looked for all the world like it was panting under water. It's friends were floating on the surface like the elderly patients in the hydrotherapy program. Double whoops.

"Didn't like you guys anyway," he tried to tell himself to ease the disappointment. They were, after all, just an attempt to feel less lonely without indulging in a major commitment. Stupid fish. Jesse started towards his bedroom while peeling off his damp shirt. It landed in a pile by the door and Jesse realized he would have to wash the laundry soon or he'd be forced to steal intern's scrubs again.

Jesse quickly changed out of his work pants and into a pair of khaki cargo shorts, then turned on the second box fan and stood in front of it for a moment. His skin chilled as the strong breeze rushed over him. His eyes closed and he relaxed until he felt himself falling forwards. Quickly regaining his balance, Jesse headed into the small kitchen to grab a bottle of water.

Five minutes later found Jesse still standing in front of the open refrigerator, seriously considering unloading the thing, taking all the shelves out, and crawling in. It would be a tight squeeze, but he might fit. The contents were mostly half-empty condiment bottles anyway. He listened to the motor's beckoning hum as cold air filled his immediate surroundings. He imagined himself sitting in there with his knees to his chest and his arms around his legs, and most importantly, out of the scorching heat. Jesse had his hand on the half empty bottle of mustard when he realized the absurdity of it.

"Stupid," he mumbled to himself as he headed for his bedroom. He would need a pillow.