AN: A little chapter in honor of Pride Month. Mei-Li finds herself a surprising ally.

Also, I know there has been much speculation as to Morgan's sexuality, and I know there are many Breznick shippers in the fandom. If The Good Doctor ever wants to give Morgan a girlfriend, all the more power to them. But for this story, Morgan is a straight ally.

Lim pulled into the parking lot of Target after having taken Mei-Li to her annual physical. She turned to face her daughter and said, "I shouldn't be long finding a few decorations for Dr. Cooperberg's retirement party. Feel free to wander around the store if you'd like."

"Okay, Mom," said Mei-Li as she wandered behind Lim into the building. Mei-Li was looking at some clothes and dresses when a bright and colorful display caught her attention. She had been used to seeing it every June—she did grow up in the Bay Area, after all—but this year, it had a new meaning to her. Mei-Li walked over to the display, with its flags, pins, shirts, hats, and other assorted accessories encompassing all colors of the rainbow: the LGBTQ Pride items.

She had only come out as bisexual to her parents, Carlos, and Everly the previous month. The thought of coming out to her extended family still drove her to tears. While most of her younger family members seemed to be relatively accepting, her grandparents and older tíos and tías were less so. She perused the bi pride pins, flags, and apparel, the color combination of blue, pink, and purple having a new significance to her now. She was so engrossed in the display that she jumped six feet when someone spoke her name. "Mei-Li?"

Mei-Li turned around, and her hand flew to her chest. "Dr. Reznick," she said when she saw Morgan standing behind her, "what are you doing here?"

"My neighbor is getting married, and I'm here to buy her a gift from her bridal shower registry."

"Oh, that's cool," said Mei-Li, trying too hard to act casually. "I had my yearly physical, and Mom said she had to stop by here on the way home from my pediatrician's office." Mei-Li forced a smile. You're trying way too hard, Mei-Li, she thought to herself.

"Mei-Li," Lim called as she approached the two women, carrying a few bags of balloons and some streamers. "Oh, Dr. Reznick, pleasure to see you."

"Dr. Lim-Melendez," Morgan acknowledged her superior, "nice to see you too. But I have everything I need, so I better go check out. I'll see you at work tomorrow. It was nice to see you, Mei-Li."

"You too," said Mei-Li, not daring to look Morgan in the eyes.

Morgan went toward the registers, and Lim looked over at Mei-Li. "Did you find anything you want to buy?"

Mei-Li glanced at the Pride merchandise, but said, "No, I'm good. Thanks anyway, Mom."

The next day, after Lim and Melendez went to work and Carlos went to his friend's house, Mei-Li spent the day half-binging Netflix and half-obsessing over her encounter with Morgan. What if she jumps to conclusions? How much could she determine from seeing me in front of the Pride display? What if she tells everyone at St. Bonaventure? Oh my God, what if she tells Dr. Shaun, and HE tells everyone at St. Bonaventure? Hopefully, Dr. Claire can reel him in. But what if she can't? What if he tells patients? What if Dr. Morgan tells patients? The thoughts were endless.

When Melendez and Lim arrived home later that day, Lim said to Mei-Li, "Honey, I have something for you."

"What is it, Mom?"

"Dr. Reznick wanted me to give you her cell phone number." Lim handed Mei-Li the piece of paper with Morgan's number scribbled on it.

Mei-Li froze, but politely took the number. "Thanks, Mom," she squeaked out before abruptly running up the stairs.

Melendez scowled and asked, "Did something happen that I don't know about?"

Lim sighed, walked over to her husband, and took his hands in hers. "After Mei-Li's doctor's appointment yesterday, I stopped by Target to get decorations for Cooperberg's retirement party. Mei-Li was looking at some of the Pride merchandise, and Reznick saw her browsing them."

"Oh," said Melendez. "I don't think Reznick has any issues with the LGBTQ community, though."

"No, but think about it from Mei-Li's perspective. She's sixteen, and she only came out to us a few weeks ago. I don't know how long she was out to Carlos and Everly before us. And she's still petrified to tell your family. I don't know how long she had been reckoning with it before she told us, but it was a big deal for her."

"Fair point," said Melendez. "I can't even begin to imagine how difficult this whole journey has been for her. Quite frankly, I've tried to read as much as I can, but it's a lot to take in right now."

"You love her. That's the most important thing." Lim leaned in to kiss him.

Upstairs, Mei-Li was contemplating on whether or not to actually call Morgan. She and Morgan were fairly close—Morgan had babysat her and Carlos growing up, and she had also aided Mei-Li in developing her love of science—but something this personal? She couldn't even come out to her own family members, let alone a distant acquaintance. Yet somehow, she found herself calling Morgan. "Dr. Reznick."

"Dr. Morgan, it's me," said Mei-Li, a few tears streaming down her cheeks. "You can't tell anybody what you saw yesterday."

"Mei-Li," said Morgan, "I actually wanted to see if you wanted to go to lunch sometime this weekend."

"That's it?" Mei-Li sniffled a little.

"Why not?"

"I…okay. I'll ask Mom and Dad."

"Let me know what they say."

Mei-Li got permission from her parents to meet Morgan for lunch that Saturday. Mei-Li arrived at Dairy Queen, where Morgan had already ordered her meal. Mei-Li ordered a cheeseburger, onion rings, and a caramel milkshake before taking her seat across from Morgan. Mei-Li didn't know what to say, but thankfully Morgan spoke first. "I can only imagine how awkward you've been feeling since our encounter at Target."

Mei-Li sighed, but nodded. "You haven't told anyone, have you?"

"It's not my place to tell anyone," said Morgan sympathetically.

"I haven't come out to anyone other than Mom, Dad, Carlos, and my friend, Everly. I was thinking about getting bi pride stuff, but I couldn't where them. Nobody else knows yet other than them. And now you." Mei-Li hesitantly looked up at Morgan.

"How long have you known?" asked Morgan quietly.

"I've always felt different throughout my life. But I think I started really questioning it when I was about thirteen. We were all watching Wonder Woman one night: Dad and Carlos have a thing for Gal Gadot, and Mom likes watching Chris Pine. While watching the movie, I pretended to be interested in kissing only Chris Pine. That night, I put my feelers out, and I asked Mom how she would feel if I admitted that I've thought about what it would be like to kiss a woman. She said that she would support me no matter who I loved, and that she was ready to listen if I was ready to talk. But I passed it off as a small girl crush. Then, I developed a crush on a boy in high school, so I thought I was straight. But now, there's one girl in my class who moved to San Jose from Sacramento, and I really like her. I haven't told her yet, but that crush, along with when we went to Disney World and I realized the princes and princesses were attractive, made me realize I'm bisexual. And it's scary because of the world we live in, and I know there are going to be people who don't accept me because of who I may love in the future, and that terrifies me." Mei-Li looked up at Morgan. "I think that's the most I told anyone since I admitted it to myself. I haven't even told Mom and Dad that much."

"Sometimes, it's easier to process things without your parents hanging over your head," said Morgan. "So, you haven't told any other family members yet?"

"No," Mei-Li whispered, "I'm too afraid to right now."

"From the little I've seen of them, they seem to love you very much."

"Most of them are also very Catholic. I'm still haunted by pictures of my Baptism. And my First Communion. And my Confirmation. Basically the whole nine yards of a Mexican-Catholic upbringing."

"Mei-Li," said Morgan, "you can say no if you want to, but I wanted to meet up with you because I wanted to offer an invitation to you." Mei-Li nodded, and Morgan said, "My former college roommate is pansexual. Like you, she comes from a very Catholic family, only Irish. I was the first person she came out to. And being someone who was disowned by my family for being different and not living up to their standards, I could empathize with her. I know it isn't even close to what Mariah has gone through, or what you'll probably go through. But she lives in this area, and every year, we go to San Francisco Pride together. I was wondering if you wanted to tag along. I know Mariah wouldn't mind."

"I…" Mei-Li stuttered, "I don't know what to say. Having an ally outside of my immediate family means the world to me right now, but I don't know if I'm ready for something like that yet. Besides, I've heard Pride events aren't always the most accepting of bisexual and pansexual people."

"If you're not ready, I understand. It's a big step," said Morgan. "But even if you don't want to go to Pride with me and Mariah, if you ever want to talk to someone who isn't your parents, I'm willing to listen."

"Thank you. That means a lot."

Later that night, as Mei-Li was getting ready for bed, she knocked on her parents' bedroom door. "Mom, Dad?"

"Come in, mija," said Melendez.

She entered the room and sat down on the bed. "We never got the chance to ask, but how was your lunch with Dr. Reznick?" asked Lim.

"It was…interesting," said Mei-Li. "She invited me to go with her and her friend to San Francisco Pride this month."

"Oh," both Lim and Melendez exclaimed. "Did you want to?" asked Melendez.

"I don't know," said Mei-Li. "I'm afraid someone I know will see me, but at the same time, it would be nice to be surrounded by people who know how I feel. No offense to you guys, but this is one thing where you don't understand what I'm going through."

"We know, mija," said Melendez.

"Tell you what, sweetheart?" Lim grabbed Mei-Li's hand. "How about we go to Pride together—all four of us—and meet Reznick and her friend there. If you hate it, we can do something else. There are plenty of things to do in San Francisco. And that's only if you want to try it. It's entirely your decision."

"What about Carlos?"

"Mija, this decision doesn't affect him. It affects you. Besides, he pretty much looks for any excuse for a road trip."

"True," Mei-Li said. She took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll talk to Dr. Morgan and tell her we'll meet her there."

The Limlendez family bought an assortment of bi pride shirts, pins, and flags to wave. Mei-Li even bought a larger bi pride flag to wear like a cape. The morning of Pride, Mei-Li woke up with a nervous anticipation. She was excited, yet terrified at the same time. As she donned her apparel, Lim came into the room. "Well, if it isn't my beautiful daughter." Lim had a t-shirt that read 'I Love My Bisexual Daughter' in blue, pink, and purple striped letters. Mei-Li's shirt had 'Beautiful Badass Bisexual' as the slogan.

"Mom," Mei-Li scolded, and Lim saw the nervous look on her daughter's face.

"Honey, if you've changed your mind, we don't have to go."

"No, I want to. I think it's just that I'm scared because it's a new experience."

Lim kissed Mei-Li's temple. "Well, we better hit the road. I'm sure it'll be congested once we get there."

Mei-Li had been to San Francisco several times before now, but she had never been during Pride weekend. When the family arrived in the city, Mei-Li could already see the crowds of people waving various pride flags, eating, drinking, kissing, laughing, and partying. There were rainbows everywhere, along with many vendors set up. Most importantly, Mei-Li was surrounded by people who understood what she had been wrestling with the last several years of her life.

"Mei-Li," Morgan called the family over to her. She was wearing a shirt with the word 'Ally" written in rainbow. "Mei-Li, I'd like to introduce you to my friend, Mariah. Mariah, this is Mei-Li, Carlos, Dr. Audrey Lim-Melendez, and Dr. Neil Melendez."

"Pleasure to meet you." She shook everyone's hands, and gave Mei-Li a hug. Mariah's hair was dyed pink, yellow, and blue, and she was wearing a shirt with the pansexual pride colors. While Mei-Li was usually uncomfortable hugging complete strangers, somehow, this time felt different. Mei-Li couldn't help but break down into tears, because she knew for the first time since coming to terms with her sexuality, she didn't have to hide. She could be herself here.

"Well, I think the parade starts soon. Should we find our places?" asked Melendez.

"And after that, we can go through some of the vendors. There's a lot of really cool Pride stuff," said Morgan. "But most importantly, everyone should have fun and be who you are."