Judgment Day
A deadly disease spreads through Trenton, New Jersey and the NIH team is called out to investigate. Meva and Nathen romance, eventually. There is tragedy for the team both collectively and individually, including a character death. My first Medical Investigation fic. Please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Medical Investigation and am too exhausted to come up with a witty remark to insert here.
Chapter 5: Time Heals All
Eva Rossi sat up in bed. By the looks of the sun shining into the corridor outside of the room it was a beautiful, clear Friday morning. Eva felt much better than she had since the beginning of this trip and hoped that Miles would finally discharge her and the rest of the team from the hospital so they could move on with their lives and put this whole ordeal behind them. She looked around the room to find Stephen and Natalie still fast asleep in their respective beds. Perhaps, she thought, this was a blessing in disguise. She worked with these people day in and day out, and she had never seen either of them take a break during a case. They needed to catch up on their rest and this was the perfect opportunity. Eva smiled inwardly and stretched until she felt a refreshing pull in her still-tired muscles. At that same moment she heard a yawn emanate from the bed to her left. She looked over to find Stephen lying in bed, eyes open just enough to survey the room.
"Good morning," Eva said warmly.
"Good morning to you, too, Eva," Stephen replied sleepily. "How are you feeling today?"
Eva smiled. Even when he was in bed, stricken with the same illness that had affected her and so many others, he was trying to be the consummate professional.
"I'm much better, actually. I hope we can get out of here today. How about you?" Eva replied.
"I'm fine, thanks. If Miles doesn't discharge us today, then I will," Stephen laughed.
Neither of them had noticed the figure that had entered through the door and was now lurking just out of sight by the curtain surrounding the far side of Eva's bed. Miles loomed into view and a sinister smile played on his lips.
"Oh you will, will you Dr. Connor?" Miles said lightly, stifling his laughter.
Stephen and Eva smiled at his sudden appearance. Miles took the chart from the slot at the foot of Eva's bed and flipped through it before glancing at the monitors surrounding her. He made a few notes on the chart and moved on to do the same with Natalie and Stephen's charts. When he had finished, Miles came to stand at the foot of Eva's bed. She and Connor looked up at him quizzically.
"So? Do you plan on discharging us today? I mean, don't get me wrong, I trust your judgment, but if we have to stay here any longer it's going to be ridiculous. I can't sit in this bed much longer without going completely insane," Eva said questioningly.
"From the looks of your charts you're well on your way to discharge, but you'll have to pass one final exam before I let you go," Miles answered.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Stephen asked.
Miles smiled brightly and began to pull the curtain around Eva's bed closed. He knew that it would annoy Connor not to be able to witness and comment on the wellbeing of his own team, but Miles respected Eva's privacy at the same time. He pulled the final few inches of the curtain shut to keep Stephen's curiosity on ice. Miles could hear his superior sigh exasperatedly on the other side. At the same time, he turned to Eva and smiled reassuringly. Miles sat on the edge of the bed as he spoke to her. She seemed to be doing a lot better and her charts proved it. After a brief survey and examination, Miles decided that there was no reason to keep Eva in the hospital any longer.
"Well, Eva, you're doing much better than you were even yesterday. I think it's safe to say that I can let you out of here today. You just have to promise me that you'll take it easy for a few days. No running around and catching up on any work for now, okay?" Miles asked.
"I promise," Eva said wholeheartedly.
"Okay then! I'll sign your discharge orders and you can get out of here," Miles said.
"Great!" Eva replied enthusiastically.
Miles smiled and turned to leave when he felt her hand on his arm, holding him back gently. He turned back to face her and met her bright, shining eyes. His gaze prompted her to speak.
"In all of the craziness that's been happening lately I've forgotten to say thank you for everything. Thanks for saving me, for caring. Just… thanks," Eva said lightly.
Miles smiled and took her hand in his. He gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"You're welcome, Eva. You know full well that I care very much about you. I wouldn't have let myself live it down if anything had happened to you," Miles said softly.
Eva smiled and tugged on his arm, pulling him closer to her. Miles closed his eyes, as did Eva and their lips met. At that moment they both felt more aware of themselves and each other than ever before. Miles reveled in the feeling of Eva's soft, rose petal lips against his. He smiled against her lips as they kissed with increasing passion. After a few more seconds they pulled apart, breathless from the fervor of their emotion. Miles tried to look as minimally disheveled as possible. After all, he wanted to maintain that look of cool countenance that a stoic physician should have. A coy smile curved Eva's sensuous lips and drew him in again. After briefly brushing his lips against hers again Miles gripped the chart he was holding until his knuckles were white. He returned her smile and gently cupped her face for a moment before pulling away to sign the discharge orders in her chart. He put the chart back in the slot at the foot of the bed and looked up at Eva one last time before leaving the curtain area again. He smiled when he saw her lips form the words.
"I love you," Eva mouthed.
Miles smiled and stepped out of sight. Stephen immediately noticed the sideways smile on his face when Miles entered the next cubicle. He quickly drew the curtain around Stephen's bed so Natalie wouldn't be curious when she woke up. Miles was glad that Stephen was sufficiently wise as to leave well enough alone. Miles made a few quick notes in Stephen's chart before coming to stand by his superior. It felt awkward to be in this position with Connor, but if Connor could trust Miles enough to leave him in charge Miles knew that he shouldn't worry.
"You're one step away from freedom, Dr. Connor," Miles said pointedly.
Stephen smiled at him encouragingly. Miles checked Stephen's breath sounds and was extremely relived to hear that everything was clear. The insistent crackling that had been minimally present still the day before was gone and Stephen was well on the road to recovery. He would have to take it easy, especially since his stress level was through the roof, but at least he was out of the woods. Miles was also glad to see that Stephen's pulse was back down to normal and no longer thready. Stephen's blood pressure was bottoming out again, too. Miles smiled at the improvement and made a few notes in the chart before signing the discharge orders. He put the chart away and met Stephen's questioning gaze.
"So what's the verdict?" Stephen asked.
"You're free to go. However, I feel inclined to tell you the same thing I told Eva; take it easy for a couple of days. I don't want you back in here with exhaustion before you've had the chance to recover. Only time heals all wounds. Other than that, I've signed your discharge papers and you can get out of here," Miles stated.
Stephen smiled broadly and nodded briskly.
"Thank you, Miles," he said simply.
It was more than Miles had expected. He knew that Stephen was grateful from his own candid brand of gratitude, but this was just reinforcement for the validation Miles had already gotten from both Stephen and Natalie. Miles smiled inwardly at a job well done and nodded approvingly before leaving the cubicle. He stepped over to Natalie's bed and pulled the curtain there shut as well. She was still sleeping soundly. Miles didn't want to wake her. She looked peaceful and he knew that she needed the rest, but he figured she could rest better if he sent her to recover back at home. He would call around later and give her a sedative if need be. Knowing Natalie, it would be just that difficult. And if that was the case with Natalie, it would surely be the case with Stephen. Miles swore to himself that he would keep a very close eye on Eva personally to make sure she rested. After all, that kiss had forged new lines of communication and trust between them. It gave him license to play the concerned boyfriend in their current scenario. He sighed contently as he filled out Natalie's chart before leaning over her to wake her up. He gently shook her shoulder until she came around.
"Good morning, Dr. Durant. I thought you might want to wake up since you're getting out of here today," Miles said politely.
Natalie's eyes slowly opened further and she smiled sleepily.
"That's great to hear, Miles. I would have been up already but when I first woke up a couple of hours ago, everyone else was still asleep so I thought I'd do the same," Natalie explained.
"Hey, you were just helping yourself by giving your body the rest it needs," Miles said lightly. "Now then, I'll just run through one last evaluation and then you can get out of here."
Natalie nodded and put up with Miles' insistent prodding. He was just being thorough, she reasoned. Miles had learned well from Stephen. He had the perfect mix of both diagnostic skills and bedside manner that made every patient feel comfortable and cared for. Miles quickly finished his exam and signed off on Natalie's charts.
"You're all set to go, Dr. Durant," Miles said warmly.
"Thank you, Miles," Natalie replied.
"You're welcome," Miles reciprocated.
Natalie smiled at him one last time as he left the curtain area. He was a prodigy of theirs, indeed.
At the same time Eva stood outside of Virginia's room, looking in through the glass as the girl slept. Eva straightened some wrinkles out of her clothes before walking into the isolation room. The girl's family had gone to get breakfast and had left her ample time to talk to the girl. She had the look of someone whose sleep was disturbed by haunting dreams. Eva wanted to talk to Virginia before Miles discharged her. After all, she had gotten to know the girl a little more personally in the beginning, so she might be able to offer some sort of comfort or consolation to her on her best friend's death. Eva took a deep preparatory breath and stepped into Virginia's room. She went to sit in the chair next to the girl's bed and gently shook her awake. She felt a pluck at her heartstrings when she tried to wake Virginia, but she decided that it was okay since Miles would have to do it anyway if it wasn't for her. Eva waited patiently while Virginia stretched and oriented herself. Virginia smiled at Eva warmly.
"Hey! What are you doing here? I thought you would still have been in your own bed," Virginia said quizzically.
"Miles discharged us earlier this morning. He should be coming around to let you out of here soon, too," Eva replied.
Virginia smiled. She had been worried about the NIH team. They were a nice bunch of people and had been very helpful when she had first come in. She was glad that everyone was feeling better. Eva looked at the girl and was glad to see that she could smile despite all of the recent tragedy.
"So, how have you been lately?" Eva asked.
"I've been coping, I guess. It's just hard, you know? Losing someone so close to you is like losing a piece of yourself," Virginia said hoarsely.
She could feel the tears building up and beginning to sting her eyes. When she couldn't hold it in any longer Virginia began to sob and allowed the tears to stream down her face. Eva could feel the pressure building behind her own eyes and she wrapped her arms around Virginia in a gesture of comfort. Any way she could help was fine with her. After all, no one should have to suffer through something as tragic as this alone. After a few minutes Virginia calmed down and Eva pulled away. Ginny wiped her eyes and tried to regain her composure.
"I'm sorry, Ms. Rossi," Virginia said apologetically.
"Don't be silly, Ginny! You're hurting and that's completely normal. I know how much you must miss Jamie and its okay to cry, really. And please, call me Eva," she said reassuringly.
Ginny smiled weakly and wiped the tears from her face with her hand. At that moment the sound of the door opening could be heard echoing from behind the curtain which Eva had drawn around Ginny's bed. A moment later, Miles stepped around the curtain and smiled broadly at Eva and Ginny. He knew he would find Eva there. After all, she was often times the team's best and only human connection. He flipped through Ginny's chart quickly before stepping nearer to her bed and leaning on the railings.
"How are you feeling this morning, Ginny?" Miles asked.
"Fine," Ginny replied.
Eva smiled to herself. She could read people better than anyone she knew and from where she sat she just knew that Ginny had a crush on Miles. It was so obvious Eva wondered how Miles didn't see it, too.
"That's great! If you pass my final inspection, I'll be inclined to let you out of here today," Miles said warmly.
"That would be fantastic! I guess I'm just ready to go home and take some time away from the world," Ginny commented.
"Alright then, let's get this over with quickly. Would you prefer if Eva stepped out while I examine you or do you mind if she stays?" Miles asked.
"No, that's fine. Eva can hang out," Ginny replied.
Eva smiled and nodded, giving Ginny's hand a quick, reassuring squeeze. Miles nodded in agreement and carried on with his survey. After a few quick minutes, Miles had finished his exam and was pleased with the progress that Ginny was making. He signed the discharge forms in her chart and put it back in the slot at the foot of Ginny's bed. He looked up at her and met her questioning eyes.
"So? What's the verdict? Do I get out of here today or what?" Ginny inquired.
Miles smiled at her spirit and nodded affirmatively.
"You're free to go, Ginny. However, I want you to see your family physician for a check on Monday and a week after that. Take it easy for a few days and call me to let me know how you're doing, or if anything comes up. I've got to go see some other patients but I'll make sure to let your parents know that you can go home as soon as you're ready. Keep in touch and I'll see you later, Ginny," Miles stated.
"Thanks a lot, Dr. McCabe. I'll hold you to that," Ginny replied, smiling.
Miles smiled back and left the room with one last wave. Eva smiled as she listened to his retreating footsteps and the soft click of the door closing. She also stood up to leave, but not before getting her last few words in.
"Call me if you ever want to talk and make sure you let us know how you're coping. I'll see you around sometime," Eva said lightly.
"I promise I'll call and thanks, Eva. Bye," Ginny replied.
Eva smiled once again and followed Miles' lead in leaving the room. She wandered through the increasingly empty halls until she bumped into Stephen and Natalie. They were standing in an embrace around a blind corner. Eva apologized quickly and moved on. What they did in their spare time was none of her business. Besides, she was only interested in finding Miles. After a few more minutes of intent searching she found him leaving the final patient's exam room. Eva stopped him from walking away with a gentle hand on his shoulder. Miles spun around and their eyes met. He immediately swept Eva up in a protective embrace and held onto her as if she were trying to slip away. No matter what, he wasn't going to let that happen. Miles pulled away and the two of them walked down the hallway, hand in hand, toward an empty room.
Once they had found their chosen destination Miles pulled Eva back into a strong embrace. She could feel his steady breath and heartbeat against her cheek as she closed her eyes and lost herself in the feeling of being enclosed in Miles' welcoming rapture. They pulled apart only enough to allow their lips to lock in a passionate kiss. Miles' tongue traced Eva's lips and he could taste her desire. Their kiss became increasingly heated and would have gone on indefinitely if both of their pagers hadn't gone off simultaneously. They reluctantly broke the kiss and reached for their respective pagers. Stephen wanted them both in the lab pronto. Miles brushed one last, quick kiss on Eva's lips before they headed up to where Stephen and Natalie were waiting.
Their debriefing session was quick and their packing even quicker. Once they had boarded the helicopter Miles stared down at the hospital, fading quickly in the distance and tried to sort out what he felt more of: relief or disappointment. He had been presented with the opportunity to learn so much in so little time and he was walking away a better doctor, a better person because of it. Eva gave his hand a discreet squeeze as he turned to once again face the front of the chopper. He was leaving behind a world of newfound comfort and balance and going back to the hectic melee of everyday life as a team member for the NIH.
Miles walked away from the whole ordeal knowing he had fought the good fight and knowing that despite the loss of life and confidence it was not a pyrrhic defeat…
A.N.: how was that chapter? I personally don't think it's up to my usual standards, but hey, who am I to judge? I'm my own worst critic. That's exactly why it's up to you to review this chapter like the other ones. Thank you to all of those who have already read and reviewed thus far. Your feedback is appreciated and welcomed with open arms. Thanks again and I promise to have another story up soon! That's right; this means that this is the LAST chapter of this story. I wanted it to be longer, but it's CLEARLY going nowhere so I'm ending it before I kill it. Thanks to all of you who have reviewed and loved. -Julia-