Trigger Warnings: This story contains references to depression and suicidal ideation.
Chapter One
Bella walked down the sterile white halls of Saint Francis Hospital, heels clicking in time with her steps. Her feet ached as she wrapped up her rounds, but she still had one patient she wanted to check up on before she got off shift.
She'd been a doctor at Saint Francis for the last two years. In a blustering metropolis like Denver, it had provided her with the intensive experience she needed. The shanks, stabbings, domestic violence cases. She'd seen it all.
Until now, that is.
Bella glanced down at the chart in her hands. It belonged to the newest member of Saint Francis's Psych Ward. His name was Edward Cullen. A quick glance at his chart told her he was a twenty three year old male that had been admitted after a psychotic episode at work. He was employed as a writer, but freelanced as a tattoo artist to make ends meet. Never been married, no children. But he was close to his family- mainly his parents and siblings.
She'd checked his chart earlier in the day when he'd been admitted, but she'd been so busy that she hadn't had the time to see him directly till now. She'd prescribed some anti-psychotics and a 72 hour hold to monitor his progress.
He was doing well, according to reports. Still, it was unusual- that someone his age would start presenting symptoms at this age. The onset for MPD was usually younger, unless is was the result of a brain injury. And he'd reported none. Maybe he had early stage Schizophrenia and his last doctor had misdiagnosed him. She wouldn't know for sure until she monitored him herself. Which was exactly why what would've been the end of her twelve hour shift had just turned into a twenty four hour all nighter.
Bella sighed and rolled her shoulders. Lately, she wore exhaustion like a second skin. Which made sense. She was a doctor, so in a lot of ways, it was in the job description.
Still.
She had no social life to speak of. Her dog, Todo, was her closest confidant. And she was lucky if she managed a phone call to her mother once a month. She understood the social hierarchy. As a newly minted doctor at , she was expected to pick up the slack. Cover extra shift. Put in a couple hours before and after her usual rounds.
But something had to give. And soon.
She loved her job. She loved helping people.
But she also loved life. And she didn't have much of one. At least not lately.
Bella paused in front of the vending machine and glanced down at her watch. It was already ten thirty. Which meant the cafeteria was closed. Another night of kit kats and Doritos for dinner, then.
The breakfast of champions. Bell mumbled dryly, popping a couple Doritos into her mouth. She ducked into the break room for a shot of espresso before heading to room 206. She was careful to open the door quietly, not wanting to startle him if he was sleeping.
But instead, she found him up and alert.
Bella blinked and stumbled in her heels.
Edward Cullen was hot.
Bella had had many patients in the last couple years. She'd felt up her fair share of hotties, in a strictly clinical sense, of course. But Edward was by far the most attractive. His chesnut blonde hair hung in lazy curls across his forehead. His warm hazel eyes, which hade been focused on the TV at the far end of the room, turned towards her and stilled.
His gaze was piercing. Electric.
But he didn't say anything.
"Hello."
Edward took a deep breath, nostrils flaring. The chords in his neck tensed. "Hello." His voice was tight. Almost strained as he adjusted himself in his hospital bed.
"It's nice to meet you. I'm ." Bella extended her hand. Edward flinched, jerking back.
Bella immediately shoved her hand back down to her side. Of course. She should have been more mindful. A lot of patients in the Psych Ward were hypersensitive to touch and proximity. Bella took several steps back, careful to give him enough space, before continuing.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
"You didn't startle me." His eyes were focused just past Bella's shoulder.
"Oh…" Bella cleared her throat. "In any case, I will be your doctor while you're here at . The nurses tell me you've been doing well overall."
Edward nodded his head but said nothing. His eyes tracked her lips as she spoke.
"Your labs came back clean. You tested well on your physical." Bella hesitated. "There are some things we will need to discuss that may be uncomfortable for you.
"That's fine."
Bella nodded. She flipped the page on her chars and pulled out the pysch eval.
"Alright. Perfect. Why don't we get started with a couple basic questions." Bella sat on the round wheeled chair to her lift and took her pen from her pocket. "First Question. On a Scale of one to ten, one being least likely and ten being most, how often have you felt depressed in the last seven days."
"One."
"One?" Bella sat back in her chair. If he was telling the truth, then it was a miracle. MPD normally presented with a high comorbidity with depression. It was natural, given the substantial disturbances the condition.
"Yes. One." His answer was tight. Curt. Like he wished he were anywhere but here.
Bella pursed her lips. Maybe she'd done something to offend him. "Alright, and what about-"
"I want a different doctor."
Bella lifted her head. "I'm sorry?"
"I want a different doctor." Edward's words were flat. Clinical . Like the white walls and the white floors. Tension lines worried the area between his brows, and his lips were curled back like he'd scented something foul.
"Okay." Bella stood slowly. "Did I do something to offend you?"
"No." Edward stared straight ahead.
Bella rolled her eyes and blew out a frustrated breath. Just great. Probably another one of those crazy nuts from the blue pill, red pill movement. The type that believe a woman's place is barefoot and pregnant, not behind a desk or a labcoat.
"Fine." Bella forced the words through gritted teeth. "I will arrange for you to be seen by someone else. I'm sure you'll understand if there's a bit of a wait." Bella didn't wait for a response. She stormed out and slammed the door behind her as she went.
"What's with you?"
Bella turned towards Adam, a friend and colleague. "Nothing." She grumbled. "Just another asshole that doesn't believe women can be doctors. Or lawyers. Or anything that doesn't involve scrubbing floors or laying on our backs."
Adam chuckled. He patted Bella on the shoulder and afforded her a commiserate smile. "You need me to take him?"
"Would you? Please?" She begged. "I don't want to have to ask Roger."
Yeah. Roger. The gynecologist on the third floor that was always offering to take her to lunch or have her over. Despite the fact that he'd been married for the last ten years. Ostensibly happily, with three kids and a dog to boot.
Nope. Not touching that one, Bella thought to herself with a shiver.
"Sure." Adam nodded. She handed him Edwards chart and gave him a brief rundown of the details on his case before heading towards the break room. By the time she'd scrubbed out and gathered her things, it was approaching midnight.
The moon hung fat and yellow in the clear night sky. There were no clouds out tonight. Only the moon and millions and millions of stars. The drive home was quick. She lived fifteen minutes away from the hospital, in a well kept enclave on the west side of Denver where people cut their grass and went to church every Sunday. Her house was a brick two story, with five bedrooms and a wraparound deck. Too much space for just her. But hopefully one day it wouldn't be that way.
Yeah, and when's that gonna be, she thought mutely.
She barely had enough time to go grocery shopping and do laundry once a week, let alone getting to know and care for a whole human being. She was giving up everything for her job. A social life. A love life. Any life at all, outside of the hospital. And yet there still people like Edward that would always treat her as incompetent, no matter how hard she worked. She hit the AC and turned the radio to a random alt rock channel to clear her mind.
Once she made it inside, she slipped her shoes off by the door. Bella grabbed a frozen lean cuisine from the fridge and popped it in the microwave before plopping down on the couch. The fresh veggies she'd bought last week were going to rot if she waited much longer to cook them. She'd bought them on a spur of the moment impulse to eat healthier, before resorting to microwave meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner almost every night this week.
Fishing her phone from her pocket, Bella stiffened as she realized she had a missed call. She checked her voicemail, wanting to make sure they didn't need her back at the hospital. She recognized the voice on the other line. It was her boss.
"Hi Bella, this is Steve. I'm sorry to call you so late at night. It's about your new patient."
A/N: Just a short beginning to see if there's anyone that would actually be interested in reading this premise. I love the doctor/patient kink but I also have a thing for doctors, sooo….. :)