Alex Reid did not get nervous easily. Sure, she was human and every now and then she had moments that were completely wrecked with nerves, but it was not something that happen often. The last time she was this nervous was when she had to operate on Dana. Dana was her mentor and the idea of something going wrong with her operation was absolutely horrifying. That operation was a success and now she and Dana are friends. Something she never expected to happen, ever.
This time she was wrecked with nerves not because the person on the table was an important person in her life. No, she did not even know this person. Sure she had a responsibility to save this woman's life but it was nothing beyond that. Emotionally, she was in no way connected to the person lying on the table.
The source of all her anxiety came from the fact that she was about to be in a room working with both Joel and Charlie at the same time. She was a professional and could handle it. It was Joel and Charlie that she was worried about. They had worked together before successfully but the last time that happened, she had not told Charlie that it was over between them and Joel that she wanted a future with him.
Both Charlie and Joel are incredibly talented surgeons. Unfortunately they has a tendency of behaving like two teenagers when it came to Alex. As she was scrubbing up and mentally going through the procedure that she would be performing today, Joel came up behind her. He leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on her lips before wishing her good luck. He was then gone before she could reply or do anything other than stand there with suprise etched on her face. He was usually very caring and passionate but they always remained absolutely professional at the hospital. Although she was confused as to why he had kissed her, she was glad that he did. She was nervous and it had actually helped her feel a little batter. With a small smile playing on her lips she walked in to the Operating room.
"You ready?", asked Maggie, who was standing by the table in her operating gown.
"Yes. It's a simple prcedure. This shouldn't take too long.", Alex replied while looking over all the instruments that had already been set out.
"I can tell that you're nervous". Maggie said.
"Well, I am, a little. I can still do my job just fine Maggie", said Alex a little defensively.
"No, i didn't mean it like that. I just wanted to say that i would be too, you know, if i was going to be in a closed, compact environment with my ex and my other ex who is no longer my ex, if that even makes any sense", said Maggie.
"Joel and I are together. We're taking things slow. And before you ask, yes, i have told Charlie and he's not too happy about it but he'll just have to deal with it", said Alex.
"Wow, I am happy for you. You finally figured out how you feel about Joel. I wish you the best", said Maggie. Alex had at that point remembered that Maggie used to be with Joel. Suddenly, she felt self conscious.
"Thanks Maggie, I just hope that we're okay because you used to date him as well" said Alex, hoping her friend would say something that would put her at ease. She really was not used to feeling this way.
Sure she was a little insecure of Dawn while she was with Charlie, but she had convinced herself that it was justified because Charlie had been married to Dawn. But with Maggie it was different. She was not insecure about her previous relationship with Joel. She was simply worried if it would affect her friendship. Maggie had a blank look on her face as Alex spoke. Her expressions made Alex a little more nervous than she had been. Was she offending Maggie? What was Maggie thinking? Would she say something already? Before any other thoughts crossed her mind, Maggie laughed. Not a giggle, a full on belly laugh. Slightly more confused than she had been before she asked her if she was okay.
"You don't know do you?" asked Maggie in a fit of laughter. Feeling like she had been excluded from an inside joke, Alex just looked at the doctor who had finally stopped laughing.
"No, i don't. What are you talking about?", asked Alex now more impatient to hear what she had to say.
"You're the one for Joel. The only one. What you have with him and he with you is...real love. Actual emotion. What Joel and I had was lust. Even then, i knew we wouldn't last. Even if things had been different and we had not broken up when we did we still simply couldn't be together. Alex, he's been in love you all along and when we were together i could see it. I simply ignored it because i liked him then and, honestly I was convinced that he would eventually move on from you and when he finally did then he would see that I was right there for him. But that did not happen. And that is okay. Truthfully I am glad it did not happen because if that had happened, I would've spent my life with someone who thought of me as their second choice. Plus, it gave me the push i needed to be with Gavin, a man who actually loved me, for me. So no I am in no way offended, if that's what you were worried about", said Maggie.
Hearing that from Maggie made Alex feel like an unseen weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She also felt like she had steered her life in the right direction.
"Thanks, Maggie. I didn't realize that i needed to hear that." said Alex.
Before she could complain about Joel and Charlie taking so long to get into the OR, the both of them walked in, taking charge of the room. In five minutes they were making the first incision to remove the pole from the woman. It was relatively easy and complication free, yet the tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.
Despite that they were finishing pretty quickly. Joel had finished placing a bone and had move away to make some space for Alex to close. Suddenly, Charlie stopped Joel.
"Wait, Joel you did something wrong!", he all but yelled.
Caught by surprise Joel returned to the site of the wound that he had finished up on and gave it a once over.
"No, everything is in place. I am sure of it", said Joel, annoyed at Charlie's unwarranted outburst.
"She can't move her leg", said Charlie.
"Well, of course she can't, shes's sedated. She is not supposed to be able to move her legs." said Joel, now getting angry at Charlie.
"Move out of the way, Joel. Let me do your job for you", said Charlie while pushing Joel aside.
"Hey, I already told you her leg is fine. After the sedation wears off and she wakes up we'll run all the necessary tests and if she is unable to move her leg, then we do another surgery. This is what we have to do until she actually wakes up." said Joel, suprised at how calm he sounded when he was so angry at Charlie for accusing him of not knowing how to do his job.
"No! I know she can't move her legs. She's in pain. You must have placed it wrongly." said Charlie.
"Well, it looks fine to me!" said Joel defending the work he had just done.
"It looks fine Goran but i am telling you it isn't!", replied Charlie equally as mad Joel.
Joel looked around the OR in frustration and then said, "Alex, have a look at it. Tell if the bone is placed where it is supposed to be placed."
Alex, who did not want to get in between the both of them was then forced to check the placement of the bone.
"Charlie the bone is placed accurately. There is no way to know for sure if she can move her leg. But, from the looks of it she will be able to", she said in the most professional voice she could muster in the situation.
"No, you're missing it too Alex. She can't move her leg!", said Charlie getting more frustrated as he began to frantically search the area around the bone.
"Okay, Charlie, calm down. We'll check it. I think you need to leave the OR now", said Alex, in an attempt to calm both Charlie and everyone else in the room.
"She's right mate. You should leave. We'll close. You can do the post operation care if you really want to make sure she can move her leg", said Joel.
"No! You don't understand. It needs to be done now", Charlie said very loudly and forcefully.
Joel looked at Alex who seemed to not know what to do at the moment. He then motioned for two male nurses to get Charlie out of the OR. An enraged Charlie then yelled out. "Let me do my damn job. God knows i am the only one who can get something right in here".
Taken aback completely by his outburst Alex and Joel then went over the all the areas that had been operated on and started closing. Once that was done they cleaned up and got out of the OR.
"That was intense", said Joel, looking at Alex.
"Yes, it was. I don't know what has gotten into him. I never knew Charlie to be so aggressive." said Alex.
"Well, I guess we can never really know someone." said Joel.
"What happened Joel? Something is wrong and I want you to tell me." said Alex as she realized that Joel seemed to be keeping something from her.
"Alex, Charlie spoke to me before the surgery. Now, I don't want you to worry about anything. We talked and came to a mutual agreement. We will stay out of each others way and maintain a proper professional relationship on the job. And we won't argue and well a few other things. Point is Alex, we won't make things awkward or difficult for you."
"Thank you. That was very nice, but that still doesn't explain what happened in there just now", Alex said, somewhat touched that they would be so considerate of her.
"I know. I...don't know what brought that on. I supposed I wanted to assure you that you didn't cause that in case you felt like you were the catalyst of that eruption." Joel explained.
Alex smiled at Joel. "Thank you. I..", that sentence was left hanging as she suddenly felt faint. Joel immediately held her up as she was falling.
"Alex, are you okay?! Can you hear me?!", asked Joel, who was worried about her. She wanted to say that she was okay and just felt tired. But her tongue felt heavy and she just could not keep her eyes open.