Chapter XI: The Calm

A/N: This was a fun chapter to write. Had to tweak it a bit. Still not a favorite chapter of mine. Looking forward to seeing what you all think! SSD

"He's at perfect liberty to get involved with whomever he likes. It isn't any of my business," Sabrina replied to him. They were eating in the hospital cafeteria for a quick lunch. She had rounds soon, and Lucas had to do some updating to the hospital's security server.

Connor and Sabrina were still acting like a pair of long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs around each other. And yet they were acting closer than ever, and they'd always been pretty close. He and Felix were close, but Connor and Sabrina were even closer than that. Over the years, many had called it "creepy" and led to many assumptions about the pair.

Most of which were untrue.

Since the Bouquet Incident, Lucas had noticed that they were acting like a pair of long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs around each other, both outside, and assumed at work as well. It did not help that another ex of Connor's had showed up again in the form of Robin Charles. Sabrina did not interfere, that was one of the few boundaries they had with each other.

Lucas had a hunch that boundary had been breached recently, given that the import had been dropped like she was radioactive. Connor refused point blank to share the reasons, though Lucas had a nasty feeling history had repeated itself.

Sabrina definitely knew for sure. She was not sharing the information either, and would make discreet gestures against evil whenever asked, which further confirmed his suspicions.

Time however had run out for further questioning, Sabrina had work to do and so did he.

As they left the cafeteria, he said, "Sabrina, you only get like this when you're trying to fool the hardest person for you to fool: Yourself."

After lunchtime the rest of Sabrina's shift went by in a blur, with chaos ensuing in the ER in the form of several people being trapped under a car.

Why did I move back here again? she thought as poured a cup of black coffee, making a face at the stale taste.

"Judging by the look on your face I guess the hospital still hasn't sprung for Keurigs."

Sabrina turned around, to see a bronze skinned woman with intelligent eyes behind her.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" she asked.

"No. But I've heard a lot about you. I'm Robin Charles" and held out her hand to Sabrina, who took it.

So this is the ex, she thought before replying smoothly, "It depends on who told you what. Which of my boys told the most?"

"They all shared stores, though Lucas was the one who shared the most." They'd sat down at this point.

"He would have the most stories to share about me. I lived with him for six years junior high through high school. I could tell some things about him that he probably would not like! Probably could talk all night."

Why on Earth is she being friendly towards me?

Connor happened upon a strange sight. Sabrina and Robin were talking to each other, neither seeming to want to murder the other, enjoying themselves.

"Oooh! The Missus and the Ex. This can't end well for you!" It was Morgenstern.

"Actually, it won't end well for you when Sabrina hears you or anyone else say that. Contrary to popular opinion, she is not my work wife!" Connor replied, ice in his tone before continuing, "I've asked everyone to cut it out."

"It's only the truth," Morgenstern replied with mirth.

"Your funeral. You won't like Sabrina when she's angry." Connor shuddered.

"Been on the wrong end of her wrath before?" the other doctor asked. "Not as often as you think, but more than I would like. Mostly in high school," Connor replied almost lost in the memories. Before the English born surgeon could reply, they could hear Sabrina say, "You know something funny that happened World History class sophomore year?" He didn't need to see Sabrina's face to know it had a crooked smile on it.

"Excuse me. I think my old friend needs reminding of a few facts." Connor hurried to interrupt her storytelling.

Caradoc got a great deal of entertainment when Doctor Rhodes caught Doctor Byrne before she could say anything and had reminded her that he had plenty of stories to tell about her when she was in Chemistry class. Byrne shut up at that, giving her friend a filthy look.

The cues the two were broadcasting fooled no one as they began to banter back and forth.

Robin Charles had gotten up from the table, when she came level with him she asked, "So... Has Human Resources been called in to deal with them yet?"

"No. But it's only a matter of time. The betting pools are getting more money put into them each day," he replied.

"How do I get into them? And what are the requirements?"

"Depends on which betting pool you go with. The main one that their friends Lucas and Felix have been running since high school, the buy in is $25 and you have to specify how they will get their heads out of their arses about each other. In that one, some have suggested that it will take one or both of them nearly dying for that to happen. The one Nurse Lockwood runs is just a pot of money, the winner is the one who gets the closest date," Morgenstern answered.

"I met Felix and Lucas a few times while I was dating Connor. The stories they told, I never knew if I could believe them or not they were so wild," Robin said as the bantering switched to Spanish.

It still amazes me how two doctors, who have known each other almost their entire lives, can be this dumb! Maggie thought to herself as the pair worked around each other as if they'd had years of practice. She wasn't quite sure who would be winning the pot, but something had to give and soon!

Doctor Bekkar was giving them both dirty looks that were ignored. The rumor mill of the hospital was running full throttle on Bekkar's split up with Doctor Rhodes.

When there was time to breath, Maggie overheard "You enjoy my pain don't you?" It was Bekkar.

"Frankly I haven't given it much thought" it was Doctor Byrne who continued on with "Since you brought it up, I suppose that I could remind that it's your own damn fault. You chose freely and of your own will to have sex with his dad, an image the both of us are still trying to bleach from our minds. Better Connor found out now rather than later." Byrne took another breath before saying "I have to go now. I have a spinal fusion surgery to perform, and I've wasted far too much time talking with you!" The neurosurgeon turned on a heel and left.

Tequila would be needed after her shift ended to get all of the mental images out of her head. Maggie made it look like she was doing busy work just before the South African doctor noticed her presence. Looking out of the corner of her eyes, Maggie felt that Bekkar's eyes had become pits of insanity.

Connor was waiting for Sabrina to finish cleaning up after her surgery. She'd been giving him lifts to work since his car was in the shop for repairs. About 15 minutes later heard his oldest friend's walk. Once she was closer he asked, "So how'd it go?"

"It went well. A long eight and a half hours." Sabrina replied rubbing her eyes, barely suppressing yawns.

"Here. Let me drive," he offered. It showed how tired his friend was when she did not argue with him.

As Sabrina handed over her keys to Connor, she heard the clink of brass on the ground and the racking of a slide.

"CONNOR GET DOWN!" she yanked him to the ground as bullets flew over their heads.

A/N 2: And so it begins... SSD