"Keep holding her hand. It's just me", Charles twinkled when he entered the room. He grabbed a chair, when Connor looked up to him.
"Showing emotions as a doctor is nothing you will be punished for", Daniel noticed, lowering his voice. Feeling uncomfortable Connor still stroked the inner side of her hand.
"You're making one mistake, Connor. Leaving your feelings out, when people come in for help might be working. And it's a good protection to concentrate on your job. But only as long as it's not your own flesh and blood that is lying on the table. I'm sure Amy's appreciating you staying here when she wakes up."
Rhodes tiredly wiped his face.
"You know what? Yesterday was the first night she didn't call me. And you know why? Because you were there", the psychiatrist explained. Rhodes stared at him in shock.
"Excuse me, what?"
Connor didn't know what he meant, until Charles told him.
"I gave her my number and she calls me. Every time she can't sleep or is waking up from a nightmare."
"She never told me that."
"Does she have to?"
"No." Rhodes mouned.
"See Daniel, I can't quit my job. I worked so hard to get here. It's my life."
"Nobody said that."
"And what else should I do? I would need two clones of myself to handle my job and my role as a father."
"Just be yourself. Like you did after your trip to Lakewood. If you can't come home. Why isn't she coming here?"
They looked at each other, until Rhodes twitched. He stared at Amy.
"Her hand moved."
"She's waking up."
Charles smirked.
"What else did you expect? She's your girl. Sure she's gonna win the election next year."
Connor rolled his eyes.
"Do me a favor and avoid this issue fort he next time."
With Amy moving her arm, they were forced to interrupt their discussion. Gentely Connor removed the tube from her throat.
"Where… where am I? Dad?"
She was so confused of what happened, didn't know what was going on.
She already started coughing, fighting the tube in her nose.
"Dad? It hurts."
"Shhhhh….Amy. It's okay. I'm here", he squeezed her hand, looked at Charles, a meaningful Expression on his face.
"Listen, you're still at Chicago med. We had to put you to sleep after you collapsed. You still recover from a sepsis, but you're gonna be alright."
"What?"
She got nervous, tossed and turned in bed.
"Help me. Get this out", she tried to fight the needles in her arms, already wanted to get up in bed, when Connor pushed her down.
"Whooo. No, we're not doing this", he softly put his hands on her shoulders to prevent her from fighting him.
"Sedatives?", Charles whispered in Rhodes ear, who nodded.
"Prepare 200. But waite for my sign."
"Alright."
Rhodes gentely squeezed both of her hands.
Amy started crying, completely overwhelmed and unaware of what was going on around her.
"Amy, look at me. Can you squeeze my hands?"
She succesfully did.
"Attagirl. Who is this?"
„Let me get out", she cried instead of answering his question. A typical reaction, caused by medication.
"Rhodes", Daniel shook his head no, to tell him to stop experimenting.
"Dr. Charles", she sobbed, earning reliefed glances from both sides.
"Very good."
"Put this out. I want to go home", she begged him, but he didn't respond, gingerly pulled her in his arms, , placing his head next to her pillow, although she was lying down.
"Shhh… I got you. Close your eyes and think about a warm summer day. You're at the beach, looking at the ocean. The sun is shining down on you. You can listen to the sound oft he waves. It's warm and you put your feet into the water", he stroked her forehead. Ultimately it worked. Rhodes looked at Charles, who stared at him with big eyes.
Within minutes she was fallen asleep without sedatives on her own again…
CMDCMDCMDCMDCMD
"Awesome. I'm thrilled. You've given me chills, Dr. Rhodes", Daniel admitted, leaving Amys room room, after Manning replaced Connor.
Planning to talk about the upcoming time, both catched a break at Charles office.
"What do you think about the aftermath effects?." Connor wanted to know, getting shrugging shoulders as an answer.
"Seen patients in a worse condition. The last one pretended to be Madonna, thought she was on a rock concert."
Rhodes smirked sadly.
"Seriously, it takes time. I would consider it as a typical brain reaction. Like cold turkey", Daniel explained, folding his hands.
"Hallucination, nightmares, concentration problems, headaches. Sounds great." Rhodes irony was obvious.
"Thats why you made the right the desicion to keep her company." She needs you now."
Charles grabbed a pencil, wrote something on his business card.
"My home number. In case there is anything you need. One call and I'll be right there."
"Thank you."
Connor got up, ready to leave his office.
"Dr. Rhodes? "
"Yeah?"
"You can be proud of youself."
"What do you mean?"
Connor raised his eye-brows, not sure how to take his words.
"Because you know something your father never did. How to be there for a child."
The smile on Rhodes face got bigger within minutes.