Sara sat between Warrick and Nick in the waiting room. Their entrance drew curious stares from the other couples and single women in the Gynecology Clinic waiting room. Sara almost started laughing when she realized the she was the only one to come escorted by two gorgeous men. An older woman sitting in the corner shook her head at them; Sara nearly started laughing out loud when she realized what scenario the older woman was probably conjuring up.
Warrick put a sweaty hand on her knee, and Nick held her hand with such force that the tips of her fingers were beginning to tingle. It was in that moment that she realized that today might be the day that she finds out when and how her life would end. The thought sent chills down her spine. She must have visibly flinched because Nick smiled half-heartedly at her and Warrick squeezed her knee a little tighter.
"Did you want us to come back with you?" Warrick asked as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
"Only if you want to," Sara replied. Warrick nodded. Sara was relatively sure that Warrick didn't want to be in there. She reasoned that based on how uncomfortable he was in the waiting room. She knew what he was thinking. Warrick was thinking the same morbid thoughts that were replaying through her mind.
"Ms. Sidle," a nurse said as the door leading to the hallway where the exam rooms were opened.
"It's okay, Warrick. It shouldn't take long," Sara said with a false smile. She tried to be much more confident than she actually felt.
"It's okay, bro. I'll go with her," Nick said as he stood up and followed Sara to where the nurse was standing.
Warrick sat frozen in his seat wondering why he couldn't go with him. He knew that he was afraid to hear that his friend might have cancer; he was afraid that the lump in his throat might move from where his body was able to secure it. He watched them disappear behind the door. He kept repeating a prayer for Sara under his breath.
Her tears were wet against his skin. She couldn't even begin to control them. Her body was betraying her will to stay composed. Sara promised herself she wouldn't fall apart like this; she promised herself that she wouldn't soak Warrick's shirt.
"Hey, girl. It's okay," Warrick said as forced the words out. He was shaking. He couldn't believe how hard he was shaking.
"I'm going to be okay," Sara whispered. She still struggled to stem the tears.
"It's not cancer," Nick said as they stood still outside the entrance to the doctor's clinic.
"It's not cancer," Warrick said to reassure himself. They had themselves so worked up and prepared for it to be cancer that the news almost seemed anticlimactic. Warrick couldn't be happier.
"It's some kind of virus that needs to be monitored," Nick said, although he didn't really understand what that meant. After he heard the doctor say it wasn't cancer, he stopped listening and began thanking the computer, God, or whatever is up in the sky for letting her be healthy.
"I'm not dying," Sara said as she finally pulled away from Warrick and wiped her eyes.
"Sar, it's good to see you're back," Greg said as he poured her a cup of coffee.
"Good to be back," Sara replied with a smile.
"There's something different about you," Greg said with a smile. He could feel this new energy about her. "Did you take a vacation?"
"No, just happy to be alive," Sara replied as she sipped the coffee.
"Were you that sick?" Greg asked.
"I only thought I was. Hey Greggo, you wanna ditch this place and go get a piece of wedding cake?" Sara asked despite the fact that they had clocked in only four hours ago and work wasn't even close to being over.
"Why wedding cake?" Greg asked with a small laugh.
"Why not?" Sara replied, "You drive."
"I think I like this new Sara," Greg said as they walked out to the parking lot.
"Good because I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," Sara said as she slid into the passenger seat of Greg's tiny car.
FIN
A/N: Okay, not my characteristic ending, but I thought a 'new' Sara might be just what this story needed. Here's me praying that in the upcoming season Sara isn't a train wreck. I really wish the writers would let her come to terms with all the crap that happened in her life and become a stronger woman because of those experiences.
Next time you go to Vegas, go to the wedding cake place on the Strip (they sell cake by the slice). Do it just because you can! Do it just because you never know what's going to happen tomorrow!
