Having patched up the third broken bone from the half-dozen participants of a bar fight Bo took off her gloves, for what was hopefully the last time of her extended shift, and threw them away. With the wrist set and the man now a pharmacy visit away from getting the painkillers that would not do anything to stop his stupidity, she was finally finished - albeit an hour after she was due to go home. How these men, each of whose closets were probably full of the same high-end suits, who probably worked in similar offices doing similar tasks all within a few blocks of each other, had decided they hated each other enough to settle their problems was by running their faces into each other's fists she couldn't understand.
Why the brunette never been one to deny herself the pain and pleasure of life, she had never felt the urge to actually get into a bar room brawl. The whole thing seemed contradictory to why she went into an establishment overflowing with men, women, alcohol and enough drugs to make sure she couldn't remember her own name for three days, let alone anything else. That would be exactly what she was intending to do with the next few days off had it not been that bad habit that forced her to move in the first place.
These days she was all about she was living a life of sobering reality that had replaced those vices with the ideas of monogamy, vitamins and health drinks. In fact they had done such a good job of taking over for past vices that the doctor was lacking any particular enthusiasm towards them. Had she really burnt out on life before she was 32?
No, it was just the end of a rather long week with a patient whose very existence seemed to prove that Neanderthals were still very much present in modern society. A couple of beers, some time with the latest bad horror movies on Netflix and 12 hours of sleep, would help her forget all about that idiot. After that she could get on with the rest of her weekend. Of course, what she really wanted to do was turn around and add a broken jaw to the list of things he needed treatment for at the hospital but going home seemed like a better way to keep her job. If she still had the urge to track the idiot down and put him back in the hospital, or do anything else reckless, she could always trying taking up base jumping. "Stupid jackass."
"Get another patient that couldn't keep his hands to himself Doctor McCorrigan?" Lauren had heard the woman stomping about and huffing, but had intended to remain silent before the verbal remark.
There was no doubt that the voice belonged to the head of the ER but what Bo couldn't figure out is where it was coming from as the blonde was not behind her. The slightlyout of place, partly closed privacy curtain, did offer a seemingly intelligent place to check as the rest of the ER looked empty. Sure enough there was Doctor 'People just need other people to love them' Lewis finishing up a chart near what had obviously been attached to a recently occupied bed. "No, he was too busy poking his nose to see if it needed plastic surgery." The ER was where people who literally could not screw a light bulb without hurting themselves ended up all day, yet she had never seen the other woman show any outward sign of frustration with them.
The woman in pink scrubs looked up from the chart she was previously invested in to offer a quick smile before a more confused look distorted her features. "Then what did he do to get qualified under the jackass category?"
"That idiot put himself and five other people in the ER all because of some guy knocked into him. Apparently, it was too suggestive for him to brush off as a drunken accident where the other guy simply stumbled and grabbed the nearest person to prevent himself from falling. Doctors have better things to do than cast and stitch up drunken idiots that feel their reputation was somehow insulted by a different idiot mistaking them for a support beam." Normally could sympathize with the situation, at least on paper. No one likes the feeling of some drunk grouping them in some bar, by accident or otherwise, but it happens and countless people are able to move on with their lives without the matter ending up in a hospital.
"If people like that had to suffer through the pain of their actions than maybe they would learn to stop hitting each other and wasting resources that could go to patients that deserve it." It wasn't personal really, but the idiot's presence was simply a reminder that there are people out there who would get a chance to spend the next several decades of their life as hateful bastards but still get to see their family grow, society progress and the world change yet a child who wanted to rescue unicorns wouldn't make it through tomorrow.
"Ah. Unfortunately, I doubt depriving him, or anyone else, of medication would do anything to change their outlook on life. Might actually make them act out against other people more often." Lauren understood the frustration, but keeping someone in pain, even if they brought it on themselves, seemed like the wrong way to prove a point.
"Right well I am going home before someone shows up with another fascinating tale of how it is not their fault they crashed their car. I'm one short of my daily tree appearing out of nowhere average and I would rather not chance ruining that milestone by waiting around." After heading off to the locker room Bo only needed to take a few steps before it was rather obvious that the other woman was following behind her. It was at a respectable distance yet still had that killer in a bad horror movie feel about it. The trip was short but it seemed to last a lot longer when listening to two sets of feet wandering down the hall, particularly when they fell into sync with each other half way there.
Bo walked over to her locker and intended to leave as quickly as possible when that voice popped up again.
"Thank you for the other night. I should have said something right after it happened or at the very least made an effort to thank you sooner than this." The comment left her lips surprisingly easy for all the concern she had over bringing up the incident at all. It was obviously stupid to worry that the brunette was suddenly going to tell everyone that she was a liability to the hospital, but Lauren also knew that the rules made it clear the brunette should do exactly that.
The blonde had apparently left the chart somewhere along the way and was now standing just into the locker room with perfect posture. Bo had noticed that ever since the incident the woman had seemed more uptight than usual, almost as if relaxing for a moment might just kill someone. That would not do. This woman had followed her through the hospital to offer words that were obviously giving her difficulty; she shouldn't be allowed to get through it as if Bo had just picked up a dropped file for her.
Besides if there was one thing Bo knew how to do it was how to make women lose their self-control. It had been a while since she had put into practice, despite Dyson's accusations, and it was not like she had ever failed to meet a goal, no matter how rusty she was at getting to it. Besides there couldn't be any harm if she did it just to get a reaction out the other doctor.
"It was no problem, really. Besides you are not the first woman I had to help off the floor after she just could not stand up any longer." The brunette offered a brief smile to the blonde before setting to the task of opening her locker. In actuality the coat did need to be put away but Bo was also wanted more time as the first comment did not seem to faze the posed doctor in the slightest.
"Well I appreciate it all the same Doctor McCorrigan. Most of the staff gossips so much that I have little doubt that word of what happened would have avoided Hale's ears for long and if knew he about he would have made me stay home for the rest of the week." Bo was not known for being a particularly reserved person, at least as far as Lauren could tell, and she was thankful the woman had decided to make exception about potential work place incidents.
"There was nothing to say Doctor Lewis. However, for future reference I generally prefer to keep my encounters involving other women suddenly going unconscious in a more private setting. So let's try to not make a habit out of it in the ER." It took a few seconds but the younger doctor got the reaction she was waiting for. It was not much of anything and it was gone as quickly as it arrived, but for one instant Lauren's two hands came together to sooth the bottom center of the already flat scrub top the woman was wearing.
That was the sign that Bo had won, she had cracked the woman who had obviously no intention of showing her true form to the brunette. Yet she needed just a bit more from Miss Perfect before she could let her go. Sliding off the coat and hanging it up, she retrieved the prescription pad and pen once more. A quick flurry of writing and the tearing of paper from the pad was all she needed before the brunette extended out a piece of paper towards her colleague. "My cell number. Be sure to use it the next time you start feeling like you are going to pass out. We wouldn't want you hurting yourself."
Lauren understood the woman might have some concerns over her badass image being put at risk by their encounter in the ER, Lauren was not entirely sure though what to make about the rest of the comment. The brunette did not seem to shy from conversation about her attraction to other women but there was a certain implication in those words that made the blonde feel nervous again. It was obviously just a joke that she should have laughed and smiled at before walking away satisfied that Bo clearly had no real interest in what happened. Yet there she was fiddling with her shirt like an idiot over a simple sarcastic comment as if she had not heard far worse from Kenzi over the years.
Grateful that Bo seemed occupied with her lab coat and not waiting for an actual response of some sort Lauren set her mind to thanking the woman once more before trying for a graceful exit. When a prescription paper with what her brain caught on was Bo's phone number written on it was extended to her it seemed reasonable enough to accept the considerate gesture and continue forward with the plan.
Lauren stepped forward trying to convince herself it was the gesture that the other doctor felt comfortable enough to offer the personal information that was suddenly causing the smile that was plastered all over her face. After all it could not be that she was suddenly excited to be getting the woman's phone number, which could lead to further contact between the two of them. When she went to retrieve the piece of improperly used hospital paper Lauren suddenly felt concerned again. The grip on the other side tightened instead of releasing and Bo was suddenly a lot closer than necessary.
The blonde seemed to take the steps toward her easy enough, even offering a kind smile regarding the oh so very thoughtful offer. However as soon as her hand was on the paper Bo took a step closer and leaned forward. "I like to stay on top of these sorts of things."
Seeing those eyes stare right at her for what felt like an eternity, yet break away in a moment that was over far too quickly, Lauren realized that was the second time in less than a week she had trouble remembering what had happened before they crossed paths.
With smirk, and remaining within Lauren's personal space for a few seconds, Bo finally stepped away, putting the pad of paper and pen back into a coat pocket and gently shutting the locker door. Giving the poor woman a quick smile the brunette walked past her without another word.
Lauren on the other hand was just stuck where the other woman had left her standing after what had been such a simple turn of events. She had no explanation for why she suddenly felt unable to move her feet from the floor. It was just a prescription paper with digits on it; it shouldn't have been anything important but they, along with the woman who wrote them, intrigued her far more than she was comfortable with.
Wow. The response to this has been incredible and I really do appreciate all the support. I will try to keep the updates happening every few days and there will be plenty of doccubus in each chapter.