The mood was subdued as they sat with a coffee late that Friday morning on a quick break. The conversation was slow and sluggish and all they really wanted to do was to ask Audrey if she'd seen him before he left but couldn't quite figure out how to bring it up.

Their dilemma was solved when their cell phones simultaneously went off and Jo snatched hers up off the table while the others dug theirs out of their pockets.

"He's landed" Jo announced. For a moment, Audrey felt deflated that she was just another name on a group message but scolded herself quickly that she was expecting too much.

"Did you two catch up before he left?" Kevin braved, now the topic had come up indirectly.

She nodded but didn't speak.

"Did you sort things out?" he continued, a selfish part of him hoping that Audrey wasn't going to be moping around for the next six months.

"We've agreed to take some time to regroup, then we'll see if we can be friends when he gets back" she said quite plainly with no expression.

"Well that's the answer you think we want to hear" Jo chipped in. "What's really going on Aud" she asked imploring.

"I don't know" she said shaking her head. "I feel...I feel this isn't a conversation that I want to have here" she said looking around pointedly.

"Okay" Jo agreed. "But we're coming over tonight and we'll bring wine" she said and a small smile flashed briefly over Audrey's face.

X

At London Heathrow he walked out into Arrivals to see his name printed on a card held by an older man who ordinarily wouldn't have stood out in the crowd. He seemed friendly enough and took Neils bag from him despite his protestations that he could manage quite well himself.

The car was a typical taxi and the driver happily passed the time of day with him as they sat in traffic until they pulled up outside a small local hotel. The original plan was for Dr Lopez to lodge in a house share but when she had to withdraw, the room was quickly rented to another member of staff in the highly competitive housing market. There hadn't been time to find something else for him yet so he would be staying in a local Ibis until they did.

Thanking his driver, he headed to check in and was looking forward to getting to his room after a long day of travelling. Opening the door, he found himself faced with a bland, budget room with no homely feeling whatsoever. Letting out a big sigh, he stepped inside and dropped his case at the foot of the bed. Pulling out his cell he sent a quick message before closing his eyes and let sleep take him.

X

They descended on Audreys apartment later that evening bearing gifts of food and wine, knowing exactly how to endear themselves to her. Inviting them in, they made themselves quite at home as usual tucking into their dinner and opening their first bottle.

"What time is it over there now?" Jo asked, looking to start the conversation they needed to have.

"Three in the morning" Audrey replied after checking her watch. "We're eight hours behind here."

"When does he actually start at the hospital?"

"I've no idea" she replied feeling a pang of guilt. "We didn't have time to get to that."

"What did you guys actually talk about?" Kevin asked. "We don't want to gossip Aud, but we want to help. We want you to be happy and right now you most certainly are not."

"We mostly just apologised to each other" she said sounding flat. "And then spent time telling each other not to apologise."

"Sound about right" Jo said moving to sit next to her. "This isn't an intervention okay, but you have to hear us out Aud. Please."

She rolled her eyes but nodded.

"We've known you a few years now but we certainly don't know everything about you. You obviously feel you have too many scars and broken bits to be loved but that's not true" Jo said holding her gaze. "You seem to worry deep down that you're unlovable or unworthy of having a healthy relationship, but it is a lie. No one is ever too broken to be loved, especially not you. You are one of the most amazing people I know."

"You should have been a shrink Jo, you seem to have missed your vocation" Audrey sniped before sipping at her drink. "Are you going to suggest therapy next?"

"Would it be a bad thing? Our could be a deeper issue, maybe it's to do with your dad" Kevin suggested, they weren't going to give up on this easily. "Some people with childhood trauma, feel guilt when they start feeling better and doing well for themselves. They feel that they don't deserve to heal after everything they've just been through, but you do. You've worked your ass off to get where you are and you have so much further to go. Your Mom is insanely proud and you need to be proud of yourself too."

"Do you guys actually like me?" Audrey asked bluntly, not responding directly to either one of them. "The only real relationship I've had was with Kashal and I'm quite sure that the he never really loved me" she said quietly. "I've always struggled to feel accepted by people. All through school and college it seemed like I had plenty of friends, but I secretly felt that nobody actually liked me."

"We love you" Kevin replied. "We all love you but you really need to learn to love yourself. Maybe even liking yourself sounds challenging right now but don't worry your pretty little head about it, we're going to be right here."

"We're not going anywhere" Jo continued. "We're going to teach you how to love yourself and we'll remind you during the hard days that you are absolutely, no doubt, worth loving."

She smiled at them both with tears in her eyes but looking determined that she wasn't going to let them fall.

"Don't bite my head off, but what if you started dating other people? Would that help you see that people are interested in you" Jo suggested, really not sure how this change in direction was going to go.

"Maybe" she shrugged. "But what I'd nobody is interested? What if continually get ditched after a first date?"

"Stop looking for a reason to reject people before you've even met them!" Kevin exclaimed. "You're impossible" he laughed, taking a large gulp from his glass and getting up to get a refill.

Bringing the bottle back with him, he topped up all their glasses and the topic of conversation changed to how the first few days of their new roles were going and interesting events from the hospital. The wine flowed a little more and eventually, they came back around to Audrey and Kevin felt the need to share a little more.

"I have news for you Audrey Lim" he slurred. "You're a lovable human being. Your mistakes don't mean that you're broken they just mean that you're human in royally messing up sometimes. Any guy worth your time will hold space for the good parts of you as well as the messy parts."

"That was surprisingly eloquent considering the amount of wine you've put away" Jo laughed. "I think it's about time I took you home."

"You're really not my type Ms Walker" He replied, laughing loudly at his own joke. "You know Neil finished things with Louise for you" he blurted at Audrey as they pulled him to his feet.

"What?!"

"Kevin!"

"She told him that if he wanted to keep seeing her, he wasn't allowed to hang out with you anymore" he rambled. "He told her to forget it."

She didn't know what to say so she stayed quiet as they helped him into his jacket and towards the door but he continued to share his little secrets.

"By all accounts she wasn't surprised by his choice. Everyone can see what you two are denying and it's driving us crazy!"

"Our car is here, come on" Jo butted in, pulling at his arm and guiding him out into the hall. Leaning him against a wall for a moment, she went back to embrace Audrey and whispered to her.

"Drunk Kevin can be an ass, but he generally tells the truth" she whispered so he didn't overhear. "We'll be here for you whichever way you need us."

"Thank you" she smiled. "Let me know when you're home" she said, wanting some time herself before bed to think about the truths her friends had shared tonight.

Clearing up the glasses and dishes that had been scattered around her living room, she sat down heavily with a glass of water. Picking up her cell phone, she scrolled to his name and let her finger hover over it. She almost jumped out of her skin as it went off in her hand and for a brief moment, she thought she had accidentally pressed the call button. Once her heart had stopped hammering in her chest, she saw it was just a text. Just for her.

Opening the message, she smiled as she imagined him speaking the words on the screen.

'Worst sleep ever! Starting at hospital on Monday. Only got 2 days to get over this jetlag. Wish me luck!'

She typed a reply but paused before hitting send. Pressing the back button, she deleted it all deciding she would reply in the morning when she was sober and thinking more clearly. She picked herself up of the couch and headed to bed, she hadn't slept properly since she found out he was leaving but after this evenings heart to heart she wouldn't have any problems tonight.

As she lay waiting for sleep to come, she found herself thinking about Jo's suggestion. Maybe she would start dating, taking things slowly. Maybe if she stayed to figure some of this stuff out, they would do better when he got back.

With those thoughts swimming around her head, she drifted off to sleep with a small smile on her face thinking of what could be.

X

The week that followed was to brought yet more change and they were all very curious when they were all called to a meeting in the conference room.

"I'd like you all to extend your usual warm welcome to Dr Marcus Andrews. He is our new Plastic Surgery Attending joining us from Johns Hopkins, bringing with him a great wealth of experience and skills" Dr Glassman announced to the room.

Applause rippled around but the three friends looked at him with blank faces. They didn't want to welcome this guy, the guy who would be competing with Kevin for theatre time and most importantly, funding. The hospital had done a recent review and decided that plastic surgery was a good investment for them and they were actively increasing the size of the department, hence the addition of Dr Andrews.

Kevin was gracious about it all, as expected but they knew deep down he was worried. Dr Andrews came with a reputation of being a tough, no nonsense, whatever it takes kind of guy. He was going to need to step up his game and make sure some of the spotlight currently shining on Dr Andrews was redirected to him or his future at St Bonaventure could be on the line.