Ollie

I saw Tara talking to the patient Miss Naylor had told me to diagnose. I smiled at her but a bolt of guilt shot through me when she returned the gesture. I started looking at the patient's notes trying to concentrate. I still felt unsure about our relationship, there was no way I could tell her what I'd done.

I performed a routine physical examination, checking the patient's blood pressure, pulse, breathing etc. and made sure the medical history was conclusive. Male, 48, non-smoker, late grandfather had diabetes, father taking medicine for high cholesterol. I went through the usual motions effortlessly. I asked the patient about eating and exercise habits. Normal.

Sometimes I was glad to have such an easy patient - it can get quite mad around here - but I was confused as to why Miss Naylor had told me to do this. All the symptoms seemed to point to coronary heart disease which I was sure she could have told just by looking at him. I ordered an electrocardiogram and went to see what I had to do next.

Jac

Focus! I told myself. I was scraping through this operation. I glanced at the clock again, then back at the heart on the operating theatre in front of me. I had given Ollie the patient because I hoped to see as little of him as possible but I had given him an easy case I knew he would finish by four because I wanted to see him again. I sighed in exasperation before realising where I was. Luckily nobody noticed.

"Blood pressure, 80 systolic." a scrub nurse said.

I clenched my teeth and carried on operating, knowing I had only two hours until I was forced to face him again.

...

I was standing in the ward looking at some scans for my next operation. Suddenly I felt a presence behind me.

"Mr Peters ECG was abnormal. He's showing signs of early coronary heart disease. Luckily for him it doesn't seem too serious." Valentine said.

I nodded and looked away before his eyes could take hold of me again.

"These...er...are the scans. For the operation." I added, gesturing at the x-rays in front of me. I barely got the words out. What the hell was wrong with me? Pull yourself together Naylor!

"Hmm." Ollie responded, staring intently at the scans over my shoulder. "Should we go then? The patient is prepped."

"Unless you want to stand around here all day." I replied. He said nothing but who would expect him to be loquacious after the events that had occurred the previous night? I was hardly in the mood for talking myself. We headed towards theatre in silence.

...

Ollie

Miss Naylor's not really one for small talk, and any attempt at conversation with her in theatre swiftly fails, even on a good day, but today it felt especially awkward operating in the deafening silence. She seemed to be avoiding eye contact with me and was looking down at the patient, her hand deep within their chest cavity.

Suddenly, the alarms went off. I leant over Miss Naylor's outstretched arm and tried to stem the bleed. After a tense few minutes the bleed was under control. I looked up directly into Jac's eyes. I was still leaning over her arms and there were just millimetres separating us. My heart was beating a little quicker. I sutured the bleed, stood up straight and let out a mental sigh of relief. I checked Jac's expression but her head was already bent down assessing the patient.

"BP's stable" I said.

"Ok, let's close him up then we're done." Jac glanced up. "Good job."

I acknowledged her comment with a brief nod then started sewing the patient back up.

Jac

I let down my hair and checked the time on my phone. 10:17. It had been a long day and I couldn't wait to get home, have dinner, watch some TV and go to bed. I was zipping up my leather jacket when Ollie came in. He was wearing scrubs as he was on the night shift. After the operation the tension had diffused somewhat and we had got back to working normally.

"Yes?" I asked him.

"We can't keep pretending last night didn't happen." he stated. My heart sank at his words.

"I don't want to discuss this now." I picked up my helmet and made for the door only to find his arm blocking my way.

"I don't want this to affect work and I'm sure you feel the same way." He stared resolutely at me.

"Ollie, get out of the way." I glared at him. He tried to look unfazed. A second dragged on forever before he dropped his arm.

"Jac..." he began quietly. I strode away before he could say another word. I didn't look back.