LOVE DOESN'T HURT.
BY PHOENIX FURY.
A new doctor joins the team. Weary of love, determined to stand alone. Steve slowly falls in love, but is the love returned?
CHAPTER 2 : CLOSED SPACES AND NEW ARRIVALS.
At Tracks Gym, the gym manger Ted was supposed to be doing paperwork but his eyes were drawn to a woman beneath him in the training room. She wore a sports tank top, shorts, trainers and boxing gloves. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail but bounced and swung as she moved.
(She must be really ticked by the way she's going at it.) Ted thought as he watched as slender woman punch and kick. She came every day; she ran, rowed, biked and lifted weights and then moved on to the punch bag before she swam and went home. She'd sighed up for kickboxing, judo, aerobics and yoga. And her figure though slender was toned; he personally thought she looked fitter then any celebrity. (This is far better then paperwork.) He thought with his chin in his hand as he watched.
Max took a deep breath, pushed her hair out of her eyes and then went back to punching the life out of the sand bag.
That pompous…
Smack.
Conceited…
Whack.
Opinionated…
Smack, smack.
Arrogant…
Vicious kick.
Pig headed...
Roundhouse.
Asshole!
She sighed and stepped back looking at her watch. She pulled of the gloves and dropped them, picked up her bottle and towel and made her way to the changing rooms to change into her swimsuit she had an hour left before she had to get ready to go work and she needed to cool off.
She came back out wearing a simple black bathing suit and walked to the deep end and performed a perfect dive. She rose up pushing her hair back and started doing lengths. As she kicked with her feet she imagined kicking him. Then she pushed off the wall as she flipped over and imagined that she kicked him somewhere important.
(Yeah I'm real cooled off.) She thought wearily and she slowed down to breaststroke for a few lengths before getting out and walking into the sauna and let the water combine with sweat trickle down her body. (Why am I letting it bother me? Do I really want to solve mysteries? Being a ME and ER doctor is stressful enough. This is why I stay solo, it's far less complicated.)
She then after twenty minutes got out rinsed off the sweat under a nearby spray before stepping into the Jacuzzi. She leaned back closing her eyes as the bubbles caressed her body smoothing out aches and pain. She sat there for ten minutes getting nice and relaxed and then got out walking back to the changing room. She opened her locker pulled her towel, shampoo and shower gel. She hung up the towel and got under the spray. She pulled of her costume, rinsed and wrung it out. Then she started pulling out her hair band and washed her hair into a thick lather before washing it out. Then thoroughly soaped up her skin, rinsing it away under the now cool spray.
(I mean yeah he might be right I could have got killed … but I didn't. … But did he have to be so… why am I defending him he shouted at me?) She shook her head; she was debating with herself. Sometimes she worried about her sanity.
She let the water beat down at her before she got out and wrapped a towel around herself. She took her stuff and went to a changing room. After changing she came out and combed her hair and stuck it under the hairdryer for a moment to dry it a little. She brushed it out into dark damp curly waves. She then braided it over her shoulder and applied lip balm before packing everything up and leaving.
She climbed into her car and drove to the hospital. She went straight to her office and locked away her bag, checked her messages and her schedule. She slipped on her lap coat and picked up her the two reports that Mark had asked her to give him. She'd finished them on her last shift but had only got the blood work back today so she slipped them inside the folders as she went to find him.
Max walked into Mark's office and saw the back of Steve Sloan, Mark's son. (Great, just perfect.) She thought sarcastically.
Since helping him on her first case they had barley said one nice word to the other. For a month they'd been at each other throats.
She knew she'd rushed in without thinking but he didn't need to publicly give her a dressing down like he had. Since then he had been more and more aggressive with each meeting they'd had. He questioned her pathology reports and made her life miserable. Max made herself known and walked in head high and back straight. "Hi Mark, Jess." She didn't look at Steve but said tensely, "Lieutenant."
"Hey Max." Jesse said moving away from firing range. The meetings of Steve and Max had already become legendary.
"Here are the two pathology reports that you wanted. I better go I've got another autopsy to do this afternoon." Max didn't want to stay in Steve's company long so she was going to make her getaway.
"Dr Hunter… Max." Steve needed to talk to her. The last time he seen her he'd said some thing's that might have been well rude and hurtful, well all the times he'd spoken to her had been.
Max paused turning slightly to look at him.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Steve said.
"That's nice, excuse me I have work to do. Mark, Jess." She walked away reading a chart.
"That went well."
"What did you expect?" Jesse couldn't resist muttering with his nose in his chart.
"Well I better go." Steve sighed and walked away.
Steve saw Max getting into the lift and ran to get in too. He needed to get her to accept his apology. They'd barley spoken friendly to one another in a month. He knew his father wanted him to fix it.
"Max we need to talk."
"Why so you can shout at me again? No thank you." Max refused to look at him starring straight ahead.
The lift doors went to close when they heard someone shout, "Hold the doors please," a voice cried out and a man and heavily pregnant woman piled in. To let them in Steve was forced to move closer to Jesse until their bodies were almost touching. The doors slid shut - the elevator moved off. It travelled a few feet, before coming to a grinding halt as the power went off.
The emergency generator kicked in within a few seconds and the lights came back on but the elevator didn't resume its movement. There was a collective groan from the occupants of the elevator.
"Oh not again," the women complained. "This is the third time this month. Last time I was stuck in this damned thing for ten minutes".
"You're complaining?" the man said. "I had to wait nearly half an hour last week. Damn elevators," he muttered, reaching out and pressing the alarm. A high-pitched wail echoed through the elevator shaft. "Guess we'll just have to wait for maintenance to get off their butts and winch this thing up to the next floor", he informed the other occupants.
"Well Max it seems you'll have to talk to me …" Steve turned to face the female ME.
He watched as Max went pale. "Max, are you ok?" Which was a stupid question and Steve regretted asking it the moment the words left his mouth because it was patently evident that Max was far from being ok.
"You don't like elevators?"
"Sort of. I hate small places. Claustrophobia." She muttered closing her eyes as if not looking around her would make it open up.
"Oh."
She felt herself begin to tremble and she let herself sink to the floor leaning against the wall for support.
"How long have you been…?"
"My brothers thought it would be funny to lock me in a cupboard under the stairs with no light. They were wrong. Then a few years later I got in a car crash and was stuck in small car for five hours or so. Not pleasant."
"I can understand that." He sat down beside her, his body touching her from shoulder, hip, and knee to feet. He felt her start to shiver and made her lean against him for warmth.
"I always knew women were supposed to be the ones who panicked in this sort of situation." One of the men remarked casually.
"Hey give her a break," snapped Steve. "Haven't you got something you're afraid of?"
"Well - yeah – snakes." The man replied shamefaced. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't mean anything by that remark - I guess we'll all a little strung out."
"It's ok," Steve replied, turning his attention back to Max. "Doing good Max," he murmured softly into the young woman's ear. "It won't be much longer now. I promise."
"Well we might as well pass the time why are you here?" The woman stripped of her coat and sat down.
"Tests. My Heart." The man said sitting down.
"Pregnant of course, had my scan." The woman smiled as she showed her picture with a hand held protectively over her baby.
"My father works here. I'm a Cop and he's a police med consultant." Steve said glad to do something then feel Max shiver against him.
"I work here. Doctor." Max said softly.
"Names Anna Clark." The heavily pregnant woman started rubbing her back.
"Eric." He muttered starring at the lift doors.
"Steve and this is Max."
"Ahh heartburn." Anna muttered wincing.
Max head critically looked her over. "How far along are you?" (Keep my mind occupied and it'll be fine.)
"One more week." Anna smiled softly.
"Oh dear." (Be careful for what you ask Maxi girl.) Her aunts voice rang her head.
"What do you mean 'Oh dear'?"
"Well you're in labour."
"I can't… What the?" Anna gasped as liquid ran down her legs.
"Her water just broke didn't it?" Steve said praying he was wrong.
"Yep." Max moved over pulling off her lap coat. "Anna lie down and relax." Max quickly checked her pulse and the heartbeat of the baby. "It wasn't heartburn it was a contraction." Max explained as settled Anna down. "Is this your first baby?"
"Yeah. Does that mean-AHH!" Anna gasped.
"Don't push. Let's see if you're dilated. Steve, ever seen a baby born?"
"No."
"Well I think you're about too. Get behind her and keep her calm and talking. Eric get on that phone and tell them this Anna Clark is in labour. Get either Doctors Mark Sloan or Jesse Travis on the phone. Tell them Steve and Max are in here. Do it." Max snapped as Eric sat frozen.
"I want drugs."
"We don't store them in lifts." Max said as she came back up. "I need you to breathe like the birthing classes show you. Can you do that?"
Anna nodded.
"It's alright. Giving birth is one of the most natural things on earth."
"What's the other?"
"Sex."
"I'm killing my husband then."
Max chuckled. "In a while you'll be planning to rip off his balls and then kill him."
"How nice." Anna winced as another contraction came.
Max was handed the phone. "Hey Mark…. Yep… just started… ever five minutes so far … yeah Anna Clark just had a scan … Anna, who was your doctor?"
"Doctor Hadley." Anna gasped.
"Doctor Hadley yeah ok … yeah… bye."
"Good sit here and hold her hand." Max pointed Eric to Anna's her side.
"AHHH!"
"Oh my god." Eric slumped to the ground.
"Well he's useful." Steve muttered.
"Well now you'll have to hold her hand hon, so ha."
"Why are you grinning?" Steve asked suspiciously.
Max just smiled. "Nearly dilated Anna honey but still don't push till I tell ya. Ok."
"OK." Anna smiled knowing why Max was grinning.
"Tell us about your husband." Max felt the walls close on her again. (Got to keep talking.)
"Well Mick's a computer geek he's over in New York he arrives home this afternoon then he's on holiday till after the baby's born."
"Is a boy or girl?" Steve asked keeping one eye on the pale doctor.
"Wanted it to be a surprise."
"Any names picked out?" Max asked but Anna didn't answer because Anna was busy crushing Steve's hand as a contraction hit.
"Oww oww." Steve moaned.
"You hurt, imagine how I feel." Anna snapped at the cop and took a deep breath. "No, not yet."
"Well how about we discuss names for babies? I have six brothers Ace, Andrew, Ben, Bowen, Chase, Conan. And they were all carefully named apparently. Andrew after the doctor and St John after the hospital. Ace for when she was labour she was playing cards to pass the time because the labour took a while. Ben is called Ben Jerry after the ice cream, which was mum's food carving when she was pregnant with him. Bowen for the doctor called Owen. Chase because the oldest were chasing each other around the room when he was born. Conan because she liked it, it means wise but unfortunately none of my brothers are."
"Your mother was nuts." Anna muttered.
"Ace, Andy are twins and so are Ben and Bow but they are identical." Max thought it best not discuss her mother directly.
"That's worse."
"Yeah well she had drugs." Max shrugged.
"Lucky. What are your favourite names?"
"Cassandra after my mother, Isabelle after my aunt and Samantha but that's because I grew up watching Bewitched." Max smiled.
"Katherine after my mum, Riley works both ways, and Christina."
Max ducked her head. That was one thing she didn't want to talk about.
"What about boys?" Anna whispered as another contraction hit.
"Mark after my dad, maybe Cal and Mitch."
"Baywatch. I love that show unfortunately so does my husband." Anna smiled and then turned to Max.
"Well I like the name Chance, Rider, Nicholas and Ace after my favourite brother." Max smiled softly.
"My husband wants to name him Edward, I said if he did I'd feed him baby food for the rest of our lives."
Max grinned but saw she was fully dilated. "You're ready honey so when you want start to push."
"Oh goody." Anna pushed away from Steve and laid on her back. "It's more comfortable like this."
"You can do it upside down if you like as long as your clam and comfortable." Max ripped off her lap coat sleeve and gave it to Anna. "Bear down on it. It helps. Steve can I use your jacket to catch the baby."
"Sure." Steve stripped of his jacket and handed it to her.
"Okay I need a shoelace too."
"Why?" Steve asked unlacing his shoe.
"To tie off the cord." Max said.
Anna screamed thought muffled by the sleeve as she did her first push.
"Ok rest Anna breathe that's it girl you're doing fine."
"Max you ok?" Steve noticed Max was very pale and her eyes were wide.
"I'm in small place and I'm about to deliver a baby. I'm as alright as it's gonna get. But I can handle it Anna, don't worry this is actually helping."
Anna just smiled but it quickly turned into a pain filled grimace. "I'll rip off his balls and he's never touching me again. AHH!"
"Push Anna, that's it, I see the head. Keep pushing."
"I can't."
"You can. Imagine the baby, imagine your husband, imagine what you're going to do to him. Now PUSH!"
"AHHHH!" Anna screamed and squeezed Steve's hand.
"You've done it. Good girl." Max caught the screaming baby. "It's a boy Anna, a baby boy."
Anna was flat on her back trying to breath but Steve could see. "Wow." Steve whispered as he watched Max tie of the cord and wipe away the fluid and get wrapped up in his jacket.
"Is he alright?" Anna asked tiredly as Steve helped her up so she lent against him.
"He's screaming, I think that's a good sign." Steve said from behind her.
"Here you go mum, here's your baby boy. Ten fingers and ten toes." Max handed the baby to Anna.
"You can keep the jacket Anna." Steve said as the baby's eyes looked at them.
"Thank you so much." Anna said tears of joy sliding down her face.
"Your welcome."
Then the lift was moving and the doors opened.
Several minutes later Steve and Max were in the Doctor staff room and Mark came in with news of Anna and her baby boy. "Well Steven Maxwell Clark is doing fine. The mother is too and sends her thanks. The man is still out but ok."
"She named him after us." Steve was still in awe about the birth. About the little life he'd seen come into the world. It was beautiful and amazing. He turned to Max. "Isn't that… Max?"
"Oh that's nice of her… That's good…." Max put a hand to her head feeling very dizzy.
"Whoa I got ya." Steve's arm curled around her as he felt heat flood his groin as Max fell backwards against him.
"Sit her over there and I'll get her a drink."
"You are really pale." Steve said as he quickly picked her up and put her in the comfy chair.
"Thanks so much." She groaned as she lent back.
Mark came in and handed the cool water to Max who drank it slowly. She closed her eyes and sighed softly.
Steve suddenly had a vision of her throwing her head back in rapture gasping his name. He gulped as he felt his pants tighten around him. (That's why I'm so protective I'm attracted to her… Oh god…) "Well I better go." He said quickly.
He turned back when he heard his name. "Thanks Steve…" Max smiled at him.
"N-no problem." Steve stammered and all but ran out the hospital.
He looked up to the sky as he stepped outside and took a deep breath of air. (You had to stick me in with her, didn't you? You couldn't just put me in a small place with dad or Jesse could you? No course not. Well thanks a lot.)
As he headed for his car Steve wished he could put Dr Max Hunter out of his mind - it would make his life a lot ... less complicated. As he eased himself into his car Steve was aware of just how...
Complicated things were. Instead he concentrated his focus on the pile of paperwork waiting for him back at the precinct and slowly - painfully slowly - he got himself back under control.
As he turned the key in the ignition Steve cursed the day Max Hunter had started work at Community General. He'd opened his mouth without looking around and put his foot right in it.
"Steve I'd like you to meet Dr Hunter." His father said trying not to laugh as he did the introductions. "The new ME and ER doctor. Max - meet my son Steve."
Max, who had been reading through a patient's chart, had turned and smiled at Steve from underneath her dark eyelashes and it took the first case to realize he was protective of her. He yelled at her and she'd avoided him since. His own father didn't say anything but he knew Mark thought he was wrong. Steve didn't like that he thought her different from Amanda, Jack or Jesse. Why did she make him feel protective? The first week since her first case Steve had watched Max carefully. He learned she ate, slept and breathed her job and she was good at it. But he didn't understand her she was a mystery to him. That unsettled him because he wanted to solve it and he didn't understand why? Without answers Steve's attitude towards the young woman grew more and more aggressive - until now the two squared up like angry cats whenever they came into contact with one another. He knew his behaviour made no sense - anger transference a psychologist would probably call it.
And now he was attracted to her. (Fantastic. Bloody brilliant.) He stamped onto the accelerator and sped out of the car park.
END OF CHAPTER 2.
Thanks for reading, hope you liked it.
I'll add some improvements later but at the moments I 'm trying to sort out my writers block on one of my other stories.
PHOENIX FURY.