Chapter 2: Contagion
APRIL 8, 2020
SCENE: COVID WARD
(Amber is on the phone with Levi when she is on break)
Amber: You saw two dads have a spat in the waiting tent outside?
Levi: It was more than a spat; one has a head lac and the other might have a broken nose and then there was Chief Bailey.
Amber: Bailey was in the fight too? Did she get a good punch in at least?
Levi: Not really, she was knocked over by them, security had to get involved. It was so weird I almost forgot about problems outside the germ bubble.
Amber: Yeah, it's easier to forget in here if you want to be face first in the world's problems. At least tell me we still have a chief in all that mess.
Levi: We do although she's gonna have to ice her ankle, it was sprained. I'm still waiting on x rays for Nico to review.
Amber: Things are still frosty between you two?
Levi: Sub zero is more like it. I swear I think having my ex come back to this hospital a month after he dumped me is the low point of my year.
Amber: By now it's hard to come up with a highlight of the dreaded 2020 and its only April. Look best advice I can give is keep your head up high and don't let him bring you down.
Levi: He's an attending, it's literally his job to look down at me. Anything else?
Amber: Wait for covid to end and he can go back to the Mariners?
Levi: You are not helping me find a good solution.
Amber: I blame 2020, speaking of which my break is over I have to go. Keep me posted on the wrestling dads.
(Amber hangs up and heads back to the ward)
TRANSITION TO THE PAST
MARCH 16, 2020
SCENE: GREY SLOAN PARKING LOT
(Amber, Jo and Levi walk out of Amber's car with bandanas in front of their faces)
Amber: (Sighs) My mom said she made masks for all of us, she said she sent them through the mail and it should arrive by tomorrow.
Jo: How is she? Is she going crazy under quarantine?
Amber: Uh not crazy crazy but I think she's going insane being indoors all day like a normal person. Did you hear back from Alex? Was he able to find a plane to take him back here?
Jo: No, he tried but travel is banned including driving across state so he's staying at a hotel and working at Shawnee Memorial with Izzie. He wants to be useful somehow.
Amber: Yeah, I just wish he was useful here where we can keep track and know he's safe.
Levi: Don't worry this probably won't last long, I hear that if we keep our distance and put masks on this will be over in June.
Amber: (Scoffs) You must imagine the human race as being perfect then. Sorry I'm petty for obvious reasons.
(Andrew walks past them with a mask on as well glancing at Amber who looks away)
Levi: And other reasons.
Jo: Speaking of reasons I hear that Kim is coming back today. Sports are on hold so their orthopedic surgeon is too only he's working in a hospital instead.
Levi: (Sarcastic) And I am ecstatic that he chooses to be so considerate. (Hears himself) Sorry it seems petty to be talking about that.
Amber: Please it's not petty if anything talking about our stupid problems helps distract us from the deadly one.
(The three of them stop in front of the lobby entrance where they see a long line forming outside with stickers on the floor keeping people six feet apart)
Jo: (Exhales) Ready?
Amber: Nope.
Levi: Not even close.
Jo: Good so it's not just me…lets go.
(Amber walks in front of them and stands on a sticker)
Andrew: You good?
(Amber recognizes the voice and is irritated to find Andrew six feet in front of her looking back at her)
Amber: (Huffs and pulls out her phone to pretend to text)
Andrew: I uh I heard that Alex is in Kansas because of the whole travel thing. I was sorry to hear that for you. Is he coming back soon?
Amber: (Exhales and doesn't look at him or respond)
Andrew: Amber? (No response) Are you even gonna look at me?
Amber: (Turns to face Jo behind her) You know what Jo I forgot my pepper spray, it's in the car so I'm gonna go get it.
Jo: (Knows she's trying to avoid Andrew) Um okay do you want me to save your spot?
Amber: No, thanks I'm fine waiting longer there's nothing important keeping me here.
(Andrew looks at Amber in offense as she walks away from them. Jo clears her throat and moves up taking Amber's spot)
Andrew: How long is she gonna be mad at me?
Jo: Uh depends how long do you think this pandemic will last?
Andrew: (Nods grimly) Yeah, I figured, any advice?
Jo: She's gotta cool off Andrew nobody stays mad forever.
Andrew: (Knows better) You do know this is Amber we're talking about, right?
Jo: …Scratch that just avoid being in a room full of things she can throw at you.
(Andrew sighs and moves when the line moves)
LATER AT THE RESIDENTS LOUNGE
(Amber and Levi are fitted with N95 masks and pull out their new scrubs and face shields inside their lockers. They put them on with Taryn as well)
Amber: Do we know how long we have to wear these masks for before getting new ones?
Taryn: It has to be rationed, masks and hand sanitizers were of low demand before this and I imagine companies are running ragged trying to fill more than one shelf.
Levi: I have an old med school friend over at Northwestern, they're getting masks and PPE from North Korea in exchange for high surplus of ribavirin. What are we overstocking that we can exchange for protection?
Taryn: There's Plaquenil or maybe ribavirin do we have surplus too?
Amber: I'll have to check but Pierce got a recent shipment of EKG leads maybe Hong Kong or Korea can show interest.
Bailey: You let the people in charge worry about that Dr. Karev.
(The three of them turn to see Bailey in full PPE with Andrew by her side in PPE and light blue scrubs)
Levi: Sorry Chief Bailey we're just worried.
Bailey: And you would be stupid not to be. I know this is a terrifying time for all of you and I know this isn't how you envisioned your residency starting but you will not let this set you back. Just because surgeries are being cancelled doesn't mean you can't play your part here. Your jobs now are to slow this spread, you contain it and try to help the patients who are in the crossfires of this.
Taryn: Do we even know what kind of illness this is? Is it a SARS strain?
Bailey: As best as we can tell this is a respiratory illness targeting the lungs. It's spread through droplets in the air and if you breathe it in your likely to contract it. Hence why we have given you masks and face shields. If you test positive you have to quarantine yourselves for 14 days and contact us if your O2 is below 95%.
Amber: Wait we have tests already?
Andrew: It's limited we're trying to contact the county health department and get more.
Bailey: And until then you will all stay in your homes or hotel rooms for the next two weeks provided by us and keep six feet from people. Once you are done here for the day go straight home, wash your clothes and take extensive showers you don't want this to follow you home.
Levi: Um Chief Bailey what are our jobs here exactly?
Bailey: What do you mean?
Levi: Um I just mean we're surgical residents so what do we do now that everything is canceled?
Bailey: You do what you do outside the O.R. you chart, check temperatures of employees and patients coming from the front and stock up what we need.
Taryn: So basically, do what we did before only with more dead bodies around us?
(Bailey and Andrew look at Taryn irritably)
Amber: (Sighs) I would slap her in the back of the head Chief but I need to keep my distance.
Levi: What about the ward? Is it set up? Do we help out?
Bailey: The ward is set up in the east wing. We've converted whole floors into negative pressure rooms and severe patients go to a special covid ICU. We are currently short staffed due to some of our doctors quitting but we are managing and we won't risk your health unless it is absolutely necessary.
Amber: Chief I would like to volunteer to help out in the ICU. If you let me, I want to start today.
(Andrew looks at Amber in shock as well as the others)
Levi: (Incredulous) Chief is one of the signs of covid temporary insanity?
Bailey: Dr. Karev we need as many trained doctors as we can in there and you are a third-year resident, I don't feel you can-
Amber: I'm a third-year resident who has logged in more cardio hours than anyone in this room. This disease is respiratory and Pierce has already trained me in looking for signs of pneumonia from a CT scan alone. Pneumonia is very common in covid so I know how to treat it and I've read the guidelines backward and forward so I know what to do to contain it. I'm more useful in that room than outside charting and sending bodies to the morgue chief.
Bailey: Assuming that your serious you'd need to get approval from Pierce or Altman they've overseen your training so I need to hear it from them.
Amber: I talked to Pierce last night and she agrees that I can help with covid patients under her supervision today. You can talk to her if you want.
Andrew: Amber, this virus is unpredictable we don't fully understand it. All the PPE in the world can only do so much we have to be cautious. This isn't the time to take unnecessary risks.
Amber: (Disdain in her voice) I appreciate the concern Dr. DeLuca but I can take care of myself and I know my limits.
(Andrew looks at her worried but Amber looks at him irritably)
Amber: (Spiteful) It's just the matter of telling when a person is lying to my face that I need to work on as you very well know.
(Levi and Taryn's eyes widen in shock at her words and Andrew looks at her with a blank look clearly hurt by her comment)
Amber: (To Bailey) Let me know when Pierce clears me, I'm going to check our supply closets see if we have any extra N95's lying around.
(Amber leaves the room glaring at Andrew as she leaves)
LATER AT THE COVID FLOOR
(Amber stands by the elevator putting on her PPE before getting on. Amber puts a gown on securing it tightly, she then double gloves just as Jo walks up to her with an upset face hidden behind the mask)
Jo: What the hell are you doing?
Amber: (Holds hand out) Six feet.
(Jo groans and keeps a six feet distance from her)
Jo: Please tell me Levi just pulled a very bad and horrible prank. Tell me you did not volunteer to go up to the epicenter of a pandemic.
Amber: (Ignores her) Can you check the seal of my mask? Make sure it's holding.
(Jo holds her hands by Amber's mask to make sure air isn't going out)
Jo: Seal is holding but that doesn't mean your going up there not on my watch.
Amber: (Tucks her brown hair in her scrub cap) Jo I trained under Pierce and Altman I know how to treat patients with respiratory distress.
Jo: I don't care about what you were trained to do I care about you. I am not just gonna stand by and let you risk yourself like this.
Amber: We're all risking ourselves Jo, being here is the same as walking through fire no matter what floor your in. I am not just gonna sit around and chart dead people when I can do something to make sure there's less death around here. The ICU is short-staffed and I am using my training to try to slow this spread so we can breathe again in the future.
Jo: Amber you go up there your risking overexposure you could catch this and-
Amber: And I'll quarantine in my basement for two weeks. People over 65 are the ones that are at most risk. I'm young and healthy and I sanitize daily so I know what my chances of exposure are. I mean Jo you devoted your whole life to helping people I think you would understand this.
Jo: No this is different. This is dangerous and new we don't fully understand this virus or how it attacks hosts. Amber, you don't have to do this.
Amber: I want to.
(The elevator door opens and Amber tries to go in but Jo stands in front of her blocking the way)
Jo: Okay you want to do this, but for who?
Amber: (Looks at Jo confused)
Jo: Amber your still angry at Andrew and he's currently working at the front which is the opposite side of the covid floor.
Amber: (Narrows eyes) I'm not stupid Jo, I wouldn't risk myself to this virus just to avoid my lying bastard of an ex-boyfriend.
Jo: Then why are you doing this?
Amber: (Pushes the button) Because if I don't do something to help, I'm gonna beat myself up more than you could. Now please move.
(Jo sighs and reluctantly moves allowing Amber inside the elevator)
Jo: Just please be careful.
Amber: I will, don't worry.
(The elevator door closes and Jo's distress grows higher at the thought of Amber in the covid floor)
LATER AT THE LOBBY
(Levi checks the temperature of visitors and telling them where to go when a man in four spaces away starts to yell with his mask below his chin)
Man: (To Nurse Taylor) Hey you nurse! I've been waiting for an hour. I got gold plated insurance; I should be first in line.
Nurse Taylor: Sir, please calm down and put your mask up.
(Levi sighs and goes to handle the commotion. Andrew is a few feet away and charting)
Man: Don't tell me what to do.
Levi: Sir there's not special treatment in this hospital. You need to put your mask up and stay six feet apart.
Man: I am six feet apart elf, now get out of my face before I break it.
(Levi hits a breaking point and grabs a tape measure)
Man: What the hell?
(Levi measures the distance between the man and the woman in front of him)
Levi: (Frustrated) Four feet, we're in the middle of a pandemic sir so I suggest you back up before I have security throw you out of here.
(The man spits on Levi's gown causing the onlookers to be shocked and Levi to gasp. Security then arrives and drags the man out of the lobby)
Levi: (Groans and tosses his ruined gown in a biohazard waste can)
Andrew: (Ten feet away) The human race during a crisis am I right?
Levi: (Frustrated) Yeah thanks to them I need a new gown and I need to leave the station which is just overflowing with people who either need to go the ER by following tape or to the tent outside where people are-
Andrew: Go and get a gown I got the station.
Levi: Thanks, try not to get spit on.
(Andrew handles the station while Levi goes to a supply closet in a huff)
LATER IN THE COVID FLOOR
(Amber spots Maggie by the station talking on the phone and approaches her)
Maggie: (On the phone) 30 tests per day? (Sighs) Can you give me one of tomorrows? (Hang up tone) Hello? Great.
Amber: Who was that?
Maggie: County health department, I don't have time for them and apparently, they don't have time for me. What do you got?
Amber: (Hands her tablet) Patient of yours, Howard Bryer.
Maggie: Right 53-year-old in need of a VAD.
Amber: Yeah, he needs it and yet-
Maggie: Surgery canceled?
Amber: Yeah, the board ruled it elective.
Maggie: It is elective.
Amber: You just said 'needs'.
Maggie: Yeah, but I didn't say when, this can wait until after the pandemic. (Hands her the tablet) I need to sweet talk county again so take my patient in room 4322, Ellen King. 66-year-old female she's 90% O2 on 60% nasal canula, WBC count is down trending and her scans show rounded morphology. What's the treatment if she gets worse?
Amber: If her sats are at 85 we put a ventilator on her to support her lungs and we increase her antiviral meds.
Maggie: Very good.
(Amber heads to Ellen's room where she see's a black elderly woman in bed coughing violently)
Amber: Mrs. King? I'm Dr. Karev, I'm gonna increase your oxygen level.
(Ellen keeps coughing as Amber increases the O2 to 80% causing Ellen's coughs to ease a little)
Amber: Better?
Ellen: (Nods) I don't even travel I've only been to California my whole life, so how could I get a flu from China of all places?
Amber: Unfortunately, bacteria follow us even when we don't go to the place of origin.
Ellen: (Groans) Just my luck then, three years into my retirement and I'm spending my golden years in a box. This is not how I thought my life was gonna go.
Amber: (Sighs) You and me both Ellen. Is there anyone we can call for you? Spouse? Kids?
Ellen: (Coughs lightly) My son is in Montana with his family and my husband is outside waiting to hear back.
Amber: I can contact a nurse from the tent outside and we can get him on my tablet so you two can talk. How does that sound? Does that sound good?
(Ellen nods)
Amber: Okay I'll contact a nurse right now.
(Amber pulls out her phone to contact nurse Ginger)
LATER AT THE THIRD FLOOR
(Jo is on the phone with UCLA when Levi approaches her)
Jo: How about this? 200 surplus vials for your covid test kits. We've got prednisone, hydroxychloroquine- Dapsone? Okay I'll have to check and get back to you. (Hangs up)
Levi: We have surplus of Dapsone?
Jo: No, we have a shortage but that's a problem that can wait. What's up? You've got about five minutes before our next crisis.
Levi: We've run out of hand sanitizer at the screening station.
Jo: It's in the supply closet.
Levi: I checked there's none.
Jo: Okay check central supply then.
Levi: I did and an ER nurse already took our last one. The next shipment won't come till tonight, what do I do?
Jo: (Sighs) …Do we have rubbing alcohol and aloe vera gel?
Levi: Yeah, last I checked.
Jo: Okay grab the empty bottles fill them with the aloe and alcohol and mix it together. You need to make as much as you can.
Levi: But the rubbing alcohol is for surgery and stitches.
Jo: Okay Levi maybe you haven't noticed but surgeries and ER visits are limited to almost none. So go and make DIY hand sanitizer.
Levi: (Sighs) Just when I think things can't get worse.
(Levi leaves Jo who calls Seattle Pres)
Jo: Quinn, it's Jo I need a surplus of Dapsone, what do you need?
LATER AT THE COVID FLOOR
(Amber defibrillates a covid patient on the ventilator inside the room)
Amber: Charge to 200! (Beeps) Clear!
(The patient is shocked but doesn't respond)
Amber: Charge to 300! (Beeps) Clear!
(The patient still doesn't respond causing Amber to get frantic)
Amber: Push one of epi and charge again!
Nurse Ginger: Dr. Karev you already tried epi three times and shocked him eight times.
Amber: Then I'll do it again now do what I say!
(Maggie enters the room)
Maggie: What's going on?
Amber: (Grabs the paddles) Tell them to push epi and charge again now!
Nurse Ginger: We tried resuscitating for 30 minutes and he hasn't responded. His sats were at 55%.
Maggie: Amber he's gone I'm sorry but he's gone.
Amber: (Breathes heavily) No, no, please no.
Maggie: You did everything you could.
Nurse Ginger: Dr. Karev you need to call time of death.
Amber: (Throws paddles to the floor and yells) Damn it!
(Amber feels tears in her eyes and she tries to control her breathing)
Amber: (Exhales) …time…time of death 13:43.
(Nurse Ginger and the orderlies wheel the body out of the room leaving Amber and Maggie alone)
Amber: (Voice breaking) He…he wasn't 50, he wasn't even 40 he's the same age as my brother Aaron and he…why is this happening?
Maggie: (Sympathizes) I don't know why but I know that we can't let it break us because there are people who need us now more than ever. Did he have any family?
Amber: (Sniffles) His uh his parents and sister are in the tent outside I was gonna set up a meeting online but then… (Voice breaking) how am I gonna tell them they're son died alone in a pandemic? How?
Maggie: You let me worry about that. I'll call them you need a break go outside and get some air.
Amber: (Sniffles) Thank you I need to make some calls.
(Amber stiffly walks out of the room leaving Maggie who exhales in exhaustion)
LATER IN THE SUPPLY CLOSET
(Levi enters the closet to make hand sanitizer and sees Andrew already mixing aloe vera and rubbing alcohol in a bucket with a bleak face)
Levi: No sanitizer at your end?
Andrew: (Bitter) No Schmitt I just thought it would be fun to mix stuff in a bucket while the world is going to hell.
Levi: (Grabs a bucket and joins Andrew on the table) At least this task will guarantee we don't see someone die.
Andrew: (Not in the mood) What do you want Schmitt? I've got a lot of work to do.
Levi: I just wanted to check in on you, you've had a rough few months and I thought you could use a friend.
Andrew: (Sarcastic) It's not that bad I just inherited bipolar disorder from my estranged father, spent the last month in a mental hospital, lost Amber completely and now I'm back in my workplace making hand sanitizer during a pandemic. I figured maybe my luck will change soon and I'll contract this thing and die inside one of those plastic boxes.
(Levi looks at Andrew with a frown behind his mask over his comment causing Andrew to feel bad)
Andrew: (Genuine) I'm sorry Levi, I appreciate what your doing you're a great friend. It's just I've already got enough on my plate without the world turning upside down and Amber ignoring me isn't helping much either. But it is what it is.
Levi: Yeah, I guess that can cause someone to be-
Andrew: (Rants) She isn't looking at me, she barely speaks to me and when she does it's to insult me in front of everyone. She won't hear me out and every time I try to talk to her, she looks at me like she wants to kill me. And I know that I hurt her and that we broke up but we still work together.
Levi: Yeah, I mean that whole lounge thing was pretty bad.
Andrew: (Angrily mixes in bucket) She could at least be civil but no she has to take her anger out at me in every way she can.
Levi: If that were true, she would run you down with her car.
Andrew: (Chuckles darkly) The day is still young. Can you just please talk to her and make sure that doesn't happen.
Levi: No!
Andrew: Please you're her best friend and she won't kill you if you talk to her for me.
Levi: No, she will kill me if she thinks I'm taking your side. She is working in a hospital in the middle of a pandemic a week after her ex lied to her and make her feel like an idiot.
Andrew: It wasn't my intention to-
Levi: Your intention doesn't matter what matters is that Amber is rightfully angry and pissed and this mess where we have to make our own hand sani adds that tenfold. So, no I will not talk to her and I suggest you don't either. She needs space from at least one life crisis and that includes you. You owe her that much.
(Andrew sighs and continues to mix the items together)
LATER OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL
(Amber is on the phone with Aaron)
Amber: Aaron you need to leave the store and quarantine now.
Aaron: (In the grocery store in Rapid City) It's really not a good time, Amber, I dropped off the supplies and I have another shipment to deliver by next week. If I don't ship it-
Amber: I know but I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't serious.
Aaron: Come on kid they thought Ebola came to the US but-
Amber: Ebola didn't spread as fast as covid. Your 600 miles away from Iowa, think of how many people you'll expose yourself to, think about Emma. You could get infected and pass it on to her, she could die, you both could.
Aaron: (Sighs) I don't have anywhere to stay in South Dakota.
Amber: You do I already set you up at the Fairfield Inn your covered for the next 14 days.
Aaron: What?
Amber: Don't argue with me okay. I just called time of death on a 35-year-old man who had a tube down his throat because of this virus. He was only two years younger than you and he's dead. Alex is in another state and he can't travel and neither can you right now. I'm thinking about you because you clearly won't. Please Aaron, I'll cover the rest of your expenses just tell me you'll do this.
Aaron: (Knows she's serious) Okay I'll do it. Anything for you kid.
Amber: Thank you call me if you need me to transfer money or if you have any symptoms and I'll contact Rapid City general. Bye.
(Amber hangs up the phone and takes a deep breathe before putting on her mask and going back inside)
LATER AT THE COVID FLOOR
(Amber approaches Maggie)
Amber: Maggie?
Maggie: Oh god what now?
Amber: It's Ellen her sats are at 85 now and she's coughing persistently even with 100% O2. I think it's time to put in the ventilator.
Maggie: (Groans) Does she consent?
Amber: She did I asked an hour ago.
Maggie: Okay then let's go.
(Amber and Maggie go to Ellen's room when they hear the monitor flatlining)
Maggie: Damn it she's in V-fib! We need a crash cart stat!
(The nurses bring in the crash cart. Amber puts the pads on her torso while Maggie grabs the paddles)
Maggie: Push one of epi in the IV. (Amber pushes epi) Charge to 150, clear!
(The paddles thump but Ellen doesn't respond)
Amber: (Distressed) Please Ellen don't let this thing win.
Maggie: Charge to 200, clear!
(The paddles thump but Ellen still doesn't respond)
Amber: Please!
Maggie: Charge to 300, clear!
(The paddles thump)
CUT TO BLACK
SCENE: COVID FLOOR
(Amber and Maggie stand outside as they wheel out Ellen's body in a bag. They both silently and numbly walk away from the room when Amber's phone dings)
Amber's phone: (Text from Nurse Taylor) 'Mr. King is asking to talk to Ellen, put her on?'
Amber: (Breath shakes) I can't do this.
Maggie: It's okay I'll be with you.
Amber: No Maggie I-I-I can't do this I can't go down there and tell that man that his wife died… (Voice breaking) That she died alone in that room with no one by her side. I was on the phone with him and I told him I would take care of her. I told him I would try everything to make sure she was comfortable.
Maggie: And you did, we did everything we could.
Amber: (Shakes with grief) N-No Maggie I-I can't tell him I-I can't-
Maggie: Not here come on.
(Maggie gently leads Amber to a supply closet where they are alone)
Maggie: You lost your patient, you tried to do all the right things but you lost your patient. You've lost more patients in this one day than you have the three years you've worked here. I can't change that and neither can you. What is happening right now isn't just happening to you it's happening to everyone. Including that husband in the tent who needs to know that his wife died. So, until then just stand here in this closet, cry, get it all out of your system, and then pull yourself back together again. Go.
(Amber stands in the closet silently for a moment before leaning forward touching her knees allowing her tears to come out. Her crying turns into sobbing as she slides down the floor and curls up in a ball with her knees drawn up against her chest. She continues to sob for a few moments with Maggie watching the wall out of respect)
Maggie: Okay, that's enough.
Amber: (Stops sobbing and sniffles)
Maggie: Pull yourself back together and come with me to tell Mr. King what happened. Come on.
(Maggie holds out her hand and Amber grabs it pulling herself up off the floor)
Amber: (Sniffles and composes herself) Okay.
(Maggie and Amber leave the closet and depose of their gowns before getting in the elevator)
LATER AT THE WAITING TENT
(Amber and Maggie approach Marvin King inside the tent)
Maggie: Mr. King?
Marvin: Dr. Pierce, how's Ellen? Is she okay?
Maggie: (Swallows) …Marvin your wife's O2 levels were at 85% and we-
Marvin: What does that mean?
Amber: It uh it means that her lungs were working harder and harder to breathe and the oxygen in her blood was dropping.
Marvin: I-Is she okay?
Maggie: Marvin…we were gonna put in a ventilator to help your wife breathe more easily and hopefully keep the virus at bay but…before we could she went into cardiac arrest.
Marvin: (Eyes widen in shock) …W-What?
Amber: We uh we tried to resuscitate your wife multiple times but-
Marvin: (Tears form) No. (Voice breaking) No please no.
Maggie: I am so sorry Marvin but the damage was too extensive and it happened so fast. She died Marvin.
Marvin: (Sobbing) No, please tell me she didn't die in there alone, please! Please tell me she didn't die of some damn virus!
(Marvin continues to sob in his chair and Maggie rubs his back in comfort while Amber sniffles looking at the ceiling in despair over her new reality)
LATER THAT NIGHT IN THE RESIDENCY LOUNGE
(Amber sits on the table exhausted with Levi on the couch looking at his mask in despair and Taryn is on the bench eating cookies in sadness. Nico walks inside with Andrew by his side)
Nico: Hey just wanted to come and check on you guys as per the chief's orders. How's everyone doing?
(They all sit there in silence and despair)
Nico: Yeah, I figured as much. The ortho floor is empty because all elective surgeries are cancelled. (Sighs) I swear I hate covid for taking my dream job away from me and forcing me to live in this nightmare.
Amber: (Disgusted) What did you just say?
Nico: I just said-
Amber: That covid is a bitch for taking away your precious job on top of all the deaths and sickness going on around the world. But your Mariners job was taken so that takes precedence above all else. Poor Nico he has to treat people like the rest of us.
Andrew: Amber that's not what he was saying.
Levi: Okay, I think-
Amber: (Frustrated) You want to know how we feel? We feel awful not because we had our careers taken from us but because we spent the last 18 hours watching people get sicker. We didn't cut or even put on a bandage we just fended off death for a while. And now you have the gall to whine about you losing your six-figure salary?!
Nico: Karev, I feel your frustration I-I do and-
Amber: (Yells) My frustration? Why don't you come up to the covid ward and share my frustration instead of sitting around bitching about you losing your perfect life while you work in an empty floor doing nothing!
(Levi and Taryn look at the two in shock. Andrew looks at Amber in sympathy over her anger)
Nico: I didn't mean it the way that it sounded. You may think that I don't care but I do.
Amber: (Scoffs) Really? How many patients did you lose today in an empty room while their families were outside in a fucking tent?!
Nico: I can't escape this damn thing either! You think you're the only one whose had it tough today? This morning before I came in a woman, a total stranger, told me to go back home and take all my filthy diseases with me.
Andrew: (Looks down in sadness)
Amber: (Slightly calmer) I'm sorry that's terrible.
Nico: I was born and raised in Sacramento but because of how I look I have to be accused of starting this whole virus. Yes, I may have spent the day rearranging elective surgeries and calling hospital connections. But do not think for one moment this hasn't hit me hard too. Despite what you think I am human.
(Nico leaves the room slamming the door behind him. Amber exhales in exhaustion while Levi and Taryn look at her in disbelief, Andrew gingerly approaches her)
Andrew: Are you okay?
Amber: (Sniffling) What the hell do you think? (Shakes her head) Can you just go? I feel as awful as I do without you being here.
(Andrew looks at her hurt but grimly nods and walks out of the room leaving the three residents to wallow in their sadness)
Levi: Amber we're all exhausted and tomorrow won't be any better but maybe it'll help if we don't hate each other along the way.
Amber: (Nods) I know, I know.
(Amber sighs and sits back down on the table. Taryn hands her an extra bag of cookies that Amber gratefully eats)
CUT TO BLACK
APRIL 8, 2020
SCENE: COVID FLOOR
(Jo stands outside a patient room shocked by Meredith inside in bed. Andrew and Webber come out of the room)
Jo: What happened?
Andrew: Hayes found her outside in the parking lot she collapsed. Her covid test came back positive.
Jo: (Sighs) Damn it, what happens now?
Webber: We're putting her on four liters of oxygen via nasal cannula and already booked her for a CT scan. Hopefully she only needs two weeks in a hotel room if she gets better.
Jo: Okay who's gonna cover her service?
Webber: You are.
Jo: (Shocked) What?
Webber: Bailey is busy as it is, Dr. Fox made me chief of chiefs so I'll have my hands full that leaves you to take on Grey's patients. Can you handle it?
Jo: Of course, whatever I can do to help you focus on Meredith. I'll um…I'll call Alex and let him know, he should know.
Webber: Yeah, he should. I'll update you and him when something changes. I have to go back in and check her sats.
(Webber goes back inside leaving Andrew and Jo out in the hall)
Jo: (Exhales) Just when you think the world can't get any worse someone says, 'hold my beer'.
Andrew: Yeah, you realize that Grey followed protocol and yet she still got infected. It's…it's unbelievable.
Jo: Yeah, well pandemics don't care if we follow protocols. Covid has taken a lot from us, our parents, our grandparents, our nurses even our doctors. And we can't do anything about it because we don't know what to do with something of this magnitude. I…I feel like there's no happy ending to this no matter what we do.
Andrew: This might end one day; I mean I'm sure people felt the same with the Spanish flu and that was back when people didn't have the resources we have now. For now, we try to slow the spread and…and protect the people we love from this no matter what.
Jo: (Gives Andrew a knowing look)
Andrew: I know that we broke up but I still love Amber, there's always gonna be a part of me that loves her. I am grateful to have had her in my life because she saved me when I couldn't save myself. I want her to be in my life for a long time even if it's as a friend and I can't have that if she continues to think she's above this virus. You know I'm right.
Jo: (Sighs) I care about her Andrew, she's my sister, she's my best friend. I just…I'm just hoping she can see when she needs to step back for her own sake.
Andrew: You and I both know that despite her trying to act aloof and unattached Amber is the one of the most selfless people in this hospital. She's so busy taking care of other people that she's forgetting to take care of herself. You need to make her remember because we can't lose her not to this because she deserves better even if she doesn't think so.
Jo: (Sighs) Yeah, I know and I will handle it right now even if I have to drag her out of that damn floor kicking and screaming. I gotta go, keep me posted on Grey.
(Andrew nods and Jo leaves to get changed and leave)
LATER THAT NIGHT AT ALEX AND JOS HOUSE
(Jo burst through the door to find Levi in the living room watching Gilmore Girls)
Levi: Hey, we're halfway through season 2, do you want to join us?
Jo: Where is my sister?
Levi: In the basement, she headed straight for the shower when she got back. I think she's still in there.
Jo: How long has she been under hot water?
Levi: (Checks his watch) Um 25 minutes, I think.
Jo: Perfect the germs should be off her by now.
(Jo goes downstairs to the basement and hears the shower running. She opens the bathroom door and pulls the curtain wide open finding Amber inside naked and taking a shower)
Jo: I am done being the cool sister.
Amber: (Shocked and covers herself with her arms) I am naked!
Jo: (Ignores her) In less than a month our entire lives have imploded. My husband left to visit his kids in another state, you moved out of DeLuca's and then two days later a pandemic hit. Your alone by choice and I am alone by law and we're forced to adapt to a world we don't recognize anymore.
Amber: (Shower still running) Naked in here Jo, very naked and very wet.
Jo: Meredith Grey tested positive for covid an hour ago!
Amber: (Shocked) …What?
Jo: Hayes found her in the parking lot she collapsed and is in a patient room for respiratory support. She is in a patient room right now despite that fact that she is just over 40 and healthy and has followed protocols diligently. You are overexposing yourself and putting yourself in danger and I am not gonna let you do that anymore.
Amber: Jo-
Jo: No, I don't want to hear any arguments. I don't care what you have to say, you are my only family right now and I cannot lose you. I cannot lose you to an unknown virus from another country because you deserve to die in bed when your old and wrinkly and surrounded by your family and friends. You do not deserve to die alone in a sterile box before you even reach 30, I can't allow that to happen so I am done being the cool sister. Right now, I am not asking you I am telling you to cut back your hours in the covid floor.
Amber: (Still covering herself) Okay, I will!
Jo: (Shocked by her compliance) Really? Just like that?
Amber: (Sighs) Alex and Andrew have been badgering me and I told them I would think about. I was already leaning towards cutting back but you ambushing me in the shower I am currently using and telling me one of my bosses is admitted has made me agree to it. Happy now?
Jo: (Exhales in relief) So happy, I would hug you but six feet.
Amber: (Nods as the shower runs) Yeah plus I am currently wet and naked so…
Jo: Right, I'll be upstairs in my shower.
Amber: Okay.
(Jo leaves the bathroom and Amber closes the shower curtain)