DISCLAIMER: I do not own Chicago Med or any of the characters. And...update! Thanks for the great reviews and sorry for the long pause...but it keeps you on your toes for the next chapter! Please review and enjoy :) NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST CHAPTER
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The hospital ceiling loomed high above me as I walked through the threshold and approached the front desk. A bored looking employee asked for something, but I couldn't hear her.
YOU FOOL!
I flinched as my old friend screamed into my ear.
Go away…was my weak attempt to chase him off. Though I never could.
You're trying to shove me out?! I know what you're thinking, I'll always know! he responded, his angry voice full of menace.
A new, familiar voice filled my brain, You can't hind from us, Sal, you know better than that. Her voice was full of amusement and deception.
"Sir," someone else's statement called me back to reality, and I shook my head as if clearing away bad thoughts.
The woman sitting behind the desk glared at me in annoyance, an obvious line forming behind me.
"I-I" I couldn't speak, not with all the commotion in my mind, "I…"
A blinding pain racked my head and I rubbed my temples in a desperate attempt at relief.
She's done with you, you dirty brat, and you're taking up all of her damn time, she scolded me.
He jumped in to add, GET AWAY FROM HER BEFORE YOU INFECT HER WITH YOUR GERMS!
I stumbled back in a scurry, hoping that I didn't hurt the woman in front of me. Not like Dad did. As she rose from her rolling chair, beginning to call after me, I high tailed it down the hall and pushed through a set of swinging doors. All the while, my "friends" laughing in my head in a blurry daze.
….
"What do you mean you don't know where he is?!" Maggie grilled Nurse Grace, still in bewilderment that one of her best friends was just gone without a trace.
"I mean that I wasn't on shift and my replacement was responsible at the time," the ICU nurse had it with the ER staff, their mysterious getaways, and bossy head nurses, "I sent a report to security and told the administration. He can't go far."
"Thank you," Natalie quickly interjected before Maggie could get in a nasty word, leading her steaming friend away from the nurse's station.
She turned to face Maggie, reassuring her by adding, "I called and gave Mrs. Goodwin the run down, she's going to meet us here and with a log of who was on shift for Nurse Grace."
Maggie let out a sigh, worry, stress, anger, and fear etched in the lines of her expression.
Sure Super Surgeon was strong and able to take a hit, but being stabbed? Losing pints of blood? Almost dying? And now POOF?!
Yeah, Maggie wasn't happy.
….
Little did they know that Connor was safely under the watchful eye of Dr. Charles, who popped into his favorite surgeon's room for a visit. The psychiatrist knew how antsy and unhappy Rhodes was, lying in his white, hospital bed, and deemed it physically and mentally a good idea to get in a few laps around the floor. He knew Connor and could only imagine how hard he would push himself into being mobile again if he hadn't even walked in several days. Rhodes would jump right back to work and possibly relapse into an even worse state.
So there they were, the gingerly walking Dr. Connor Rhodes and keeping the slow pace with him was Dr. Daniel Charles.
Rhodes was sweaty from the exertion, already two laps in, and, though he tried not to show it, was breathing heavily from pain and exhaustion. But boy it felt good to use his legs again. Dr. Charles always said a polite hello to whomever walked by, those he greeted returning the smile to the psych and shooting a pitiful glare at the barely mobile Rhodes.
"You know, I'll take that sedative now," Rhodes joked, Dr. Charles smirking in response.
"Sorry, Connor, got one syringe left and a whole psych department to please."
They slowly trekked on, Rhodes hanging onto the wall for support. Dr. Charles didn't make a move to help his colleague either, knowing how much Connor would hate it if he wasn't even able to walk alone. He kept him company and could see the joy in Rhodes' eyes, realizing his method was working.
….
RUN, SAL, RUN! the woman taunted, mockingly, in his ear.
FASTER! the man also screamed, both laughing in unison.
My vision was a blur and the only thing that kept me upright were my legs as I sprinted through the halls.
Some people stopped and tried to ask why I was running, but I was gone as soon as the words left their mouths. Down the hallways, through the doors, and eventually finding myself in an elevator, those around me looking uneasy.
See, now you're scaring them. You're going to infect them too! he screamed.
I was shaking and very anxious, trying to block out his booming voice, his was the one that scared me the most. What he said stuck in my thoughts though, like the lasting effects one has after a nightmare. I didn't want to hurt these people. In fact, I wanted to save them from my contagious sickness my "friends" kept screaming in my ears about.
And that's why, as soon as the elevator doors opened wide in front of me, I bolted out of the confined space and down the hall.
….
Rhodes finally closed his eyes and panted in relief. Dr. Charles had gone to find some water for the both of them, though he knew Connor needed it much more than he did. Leaving Rhodes sitting down on a bench in the hallway, he finally felt the extent of his severe injuries after just a few laps around the ICU floor. Although his body screamed in protest and agony, Rhodes was jovial and a smile was plastered on his sweaty, exhausted face.
Now when he slowly limp-walked back to his hospital room he could look forward to a nice, long nap. He glanced down at his baggy gown and was equally pleased to see no blood stains marred the antiseptic white fabric. At least Halstead and Maggie wouldn't chew his brains out about ruining another perfectly good hospital gown.
But just as Rhodes started to dwell on the fact that Maggie would be furious at him for disappearing without notice, a terrified scream from down the hall, followed by a loud thud, caught his attention. He paused, completely still, and listened to see if it was some unruly patient. But there was no stream of security guards running past him, no indication that anyone was coming. And what really set his alarms off was that he remembered that specific hallway led to the operating rooms, there were no patients there, unless you were unconscious.
After not hearing another sound for almost a minute longer, Rhodes' thoughts went haywire.
Am I dreaming? No one else heard that? Am I going crazy?!
Yet, a hair-raising shriek pulled him out of his mental battle and had him up and on his feet in a flash, ignoring the stabbing pain in his stomach.
Connor heard a few more loud shouts once more and instantly moved in the direction of the voices, his adrenaline pumping and nerves on edge. Someone was in trouble, and he damn well was going to help out.