Words: 1,136
Disclaimer: All rights to Señor Del Toro and Rick!
Notes: AU's are so amazing, but I am not amazing, and that is why this is incomplete and discontinued.

(cont.)

May 2019
Lima, Peru

Calypso has always been told that patience is a virtue, and honestly, she thinks she's plenty patient. But everybody's got a limit and she's almost reaching hers. This time, she isn't just mad, she's furious.

She stomps up to Marshal García's office and huffs, taking a deep, placating breath that does nothing to soothe her MadFurious nerves, and reaches up to bang her fist on the metal of the door. Before her knuckles can make contact, the door swings open to reveal Lieutenant Hedge, who stops abruptly in his steps before giving her one good look and sighing.

"Where's Marshal García?" Calypso demands as he steps out of the office. Hedge shoots her a dangerous look and she recollects herself.

"Where is Marshal García, sir?" Calypso corrects herself in a calmer voice. Apparently they're both having pretty terrible days, and it's only 9:15 in the morning.

"García's busy right now, kid. What do you want?"

Calypso bristles for a moment. She'd intended to bring this matter up with the Marshal himself but she's always trusted Lieutenant Hedge. He always has her back when her patients in the Med Centre are being less than cooperative and more than rowdy, and he knows when she needs space to do her job. And of course, he was one of the few officers who had vouched for her quick promotion when she was still just an intern over a year ago. Now she's in charge of an entire section (albeit one that's smaller than average) in the Med Centre with her own small group of assistant nurses. She can trust him.

"I meant to take this up with the marshal himself but it's about my new group of interns, sir."

"Aw, this again," Hedge sighs, one hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Lieutenant, it's been two weeks, and these interns–"

"–are your allocated assistants, simple as that."

"Please, sir, hear me out," Calypso gives Hedge a piercing stare that almost makes the lieutenant question his own position but he regains his composure and squares his shoulders.

"Alright, doc, hit me. What's your complaint this time?"

Calypso takes a deep breath, knowing this is her one shot to make some changes around her side of the Med Centre.

"Alright, I have little to no qualms about Jason Grace, he's an excellent assistant: patient, hardworking – though he sometimes gets certain drugs mixed up every now and then – but him, I'm okay with. Piper McLean, I … okay, generally she's wonderful; really lovely girl and incredible bedside manner. Every single patient she works with me on hasn't put up a single fight. She's like a walking miracle." Calypso stops to take a breath.

"But…?" Hedge prompts.

"She … gets distracted more easily than Jason," Calypso says, looking away for a second. "But for the most part, it's only because the last intern, that — that Valdez character – that she doesn't get her work done."

The lieutenant frowns. It's not like Calypso to get so amped up, much less stutter, so this must be a big deal.

"The Valdez kid? I heard he's the smartest one of that group," Hedge says, which was probably the Absolute Wrongest Thing To Say.

"If by smart, you mean smart ass, then you'd be correct!" Calypso snaps. Hedge quirks an eyebrow at her – not at her semi-insubordination – just at her.

"Sir," Calypso adds hastily at the end, a panicked look in her eyes.

"Calm down, doc–"

"–for the last time, sir, I'm not a doctor yet–"

"–and run it by me again so I know that you're not wasting my time?" Hedge gives Calypso a tired look. He's already spent too much time on her behavioural issues with the new kids so he needs to wrap this up. "You wanna get rid of Valdez? Is that what you want?"

Calypso swallows. When he puts it that way, it sounds a little harsh, but there's the truth, out in the open, and it clangs against the metallic walls that make up the halls of the Shatterdome. Maybe she doesn't want to get rid of Leo Valdez, per se. He is rather bright, damn him, and he has a good heart, such a good, kind heart.

No, she doesn't want to get rid of him.

She just wants him out of her ward.

"Well, no, sir," Calypso says, recalling an idea she'd had a few days ago. "I was actually thinking that Perez in Mechanics has been needing a new assistant, right?"

Hedge contemplates this.

"Right…?"

"Right, and Valdez is always spouting off one thing or another about Jaeger designs this and new prototypes that, but he's also really good at fixing the tools and equipment around the ward."

"So…?"

"So, Valdez really knows his stuff and with him helping Perez out, they can make that new Mark 3 design a reality," she finishes, waiting with bated breath and hopeful eyes. Hedge hums for a good few seconds before fixing her with a stare.

"You have a point." Calypso practically squeals in front of the lieutenant.

"I'll bring it up with Perez and García when I see 'em later today. See what we can do about putting Valdez in Mechanics. We've been needing some new metal on the field."

It's all Calypso can do to refrain from pumping her fist in the air and twirling around on the heel of her sneakers.

"But it's not gonna happen over night. Might take a few days," Hedge says.

"Not a problem, sir, as long as Leo–I mean, Valdez is, uh, put where he's needed the most," Calypso says delicately.

"Uh-huh," Hedge grunts. "If that's all you need, then I've got 300 recruits to yell at today–"

"Actually," Calypso calls the lieutenant's attention back to her. "With all due respect, sir, I'm grateful for the extra help that I asked for, but I've been wondering … how come they're all so young? They're practically the same age as I am."

The lieutenant barks out a quick laugh.

"Callie, are you kidding me? You should see the recruits Mr. D's getting all the way in Alaska! Last I heard they were recruiting as young as thirteen years old!"

Calypso twitches at Hedge's nickname.

"Please don't call me that, sir."

"Oh. Right, sorry. Old habits."

"But in all seriousness, sir. Are we really so desperate that we're recruiting this young now?"

The joking light in Lieutenant Hedge's eyes die out like a flame snuffed out in the darkness and Calypso recalls just how he had gained the limp in his step and why he's stuck inside the Shatterdome instead of outside in the field, piloting a jaeger like he used to.

"Take a look at the world around you, kid," Hedge says simply. "We need all the help we can get."

Notes: Okay, these 3 parts are all I've got for now. Thanks for humoring me and see you in the drift. #TooNerd™