MEERA

The past week has been absolute fucking hell.

Ivan went radio silent, refusing to answer any of my texts or calls and I was growing more concerned for him.

The last time we talked was two weeks ago and the whole city had gone to shit a couple of days later.

Today was especially brutal.

It was a busy as soon as I walked in. I changed into my scrubs, tossed away my stuff, and hightailed it to the ER where patients kept coming.

I could already feel the fatigue before coffee even touched my lips.

Several casualties had come in first, some in really bad shape. Others treatable, like small cuts and bruises.

The nurses were keeping track of the patients, directing us to each other the rooms. Without them, this whole hospital would've been in chaos.

Dr. Salk and Dr. Jenner, the two doctors from the night shift, had come in to assist. Both a bit cranky from being woken up but quick to assist when Dr. Carlson assigned them to triage.

Blood was everywhere. I felt like I needed a Hepatitis shot after this was. The OT room where I was at was rife with palpable tension.

Currently one man in his late thirties had a gunshot wound to the chest was in bad shape on my operating table. Classic case of hemothorax and a perforated lung. Thankfully the bullet was lodged, meaning that it stopped some of the bleeding but the accumulation of blood was stopping him from breathing freely.

"I need a chest tube!" I reached my hand out blindly. Someone put a chest tube in my hand. I didn't see who, I just felt it to make sure that it was the right size. I felt along his ribs, counting the intercostal spaces. My fingers grazed  the sixth space, just underneath his pectoral.

The smell of iodine could be smelt through my mask as I applied it over the area.

"Scalpel, Doctor Saravana?" One of my nurses asked.

I held my hand out and nodded. "Yes. Please."

I made a small incision about three centimeters at the site of the intercostal space, just wide enough to fit in a clamp and my fingers. Blood spilled out, coating my gloves hands. "I got it!" Samantha, the head nurse, started to dab the excess blood away.

"How's his vitals?" I asked as I slipped my fingers along side a clamp, trying to make a hole in the muscle and pleural fascia.

I needed to get this chest tube in now or else his vitals would drop further.

"No improvement." Samantha said, her hands on the gas bag. "Blood pressure I low, heart rate too."

"We need to get a move on." I said, glancing up at the EKG machine to check his vital. "He doesn't have much time."

I guided the chest tube in, carefully using my finger as a guide. I didn't feel any resistance which was good. A typical pneumothorax would heal on its own but given how large this one was, it was going take him twenty four hours for him to be able to breathe again. Even longer to leave the hospital. Hopefully his lungs wouldn't collapse again.

"Okay," I said, nodding in satisfaction at my work. "Observe him for the next twenty four hours. Make he gets some penicillin, I don't want that to get infected."

I sutured up, ensuring the chest tube was correctly in place before handing him over to my team and moving on to the next patient.

And I continued on like that. One patient after another till I felt like my legs were going to give.

A woman screamed in pain when I popped her dislocated shoulder back in place. Another man, a little younger, had a broken leg that I had to place nails in just to ensure that he'd be able to walk again in the future. Several men had the same type of abrasions and lacerations, it was a car accident that I had learned later on.

Everything smelled of blood and antiseptic. I felt tired. The ward was filling up with patients.

It was awful.

We lost a few people and it wasn't even noon.

One woman had been shot in the face. I couldn't intubate at all, her face was a mess and she bled out too quick for us to resuscitate her. I had to tear myself away. Dr. Carlson had closed her eyes as she was wheeled away by the nurses.

It was At two o'clock exactly, the patients trickled to a stop. I didn't know what had happened to cause this many people to come it at once but I had a bad feeling about it.

I just hoped that Ivan or men didn't come through that door. I don't know if I could stop myself from trembling if I had to operate on Ivan. In between patients, I made my way to the lounge.

I brewed a cup of lukewarm coffee, sipping from it automatically as I counted the seconds. Dr. Carlton had ordered us to go home once the reserve team or doctors came in. Haley, Dr. Salk and Dr. Jenner all looked dead on their feet, smelling like disinfectant and blood. One by one we left, except for me.

I had been running from room to room, stabilizing and treating patients. My reserve doctor was yet to arrive so I was left alone and exhausted.

I thought I could get five minutes to close my eyes.

"Dr Saravana!" Felix came running in, huffing and puffing as if the devil was chasing him.

He looked frantic in the hallway, glancing around for somebody. My first thought was that he was hurt. And the second was what if Ivan had been hurt too?

"Felix!" I called out, my coffee forgotten. I ran over to him, carful not to slip on the blood that was still being mopped up. I grabbed him by his forearms, checking over him to make sure he was okay. "Felix! Look at me! What's the matter?!"

"I'm okay!" He wheezed, gripping my hands. "I'm fine, Angel. But is Sophie! Please! You have to come and look at her. She fainted."

I didn't know who Sophie was but I nodded.

"Andre!" I yelled out. I quickly corrected myself. "Dr. Carlton!"

"What?!" The senior doctor yelled from down the hallway. He came running out of the room, his gloved hands covered in iodine and what I assumed to be blood. "I'm in the middle of a procedure. What is it now?!"

"I have to go!" I exclaimed, gathering all of my things and chucking them blindly in a duffle bad with a giant Red Cross on the side. Looks like I'd be using my bag of emergencies after all. "I don't know who this Sophie is but it must be urgent if they sent someone to come get one of us personally.

"It's Sophie!" Felix explained to him, his foot tapping of the ground. "She complained of chest pains and fainted!"

"Wait?! Sophie? As in the Sophie!" He exclaimed, his eyes went wide and he lowered his glanced hands to the side. "Go quickly! Come back later!" Dr. Carlton picked up son penicillin and bandages, throwing them into the back and zipping it up for me. "Listen, don't worry about anything. I can have someone else cover your patients. This is important. If something happened to Sophie, then that man of yours will never let the staff of this hospital to rest in peace."

"Thank you—-wait what?" I stuttered. "He's not my man—!"

Felix took my bag and started to run. "Sophie now. Ivan later," he said over his shoulder.

Dr Carlson prodded me with his elbow. "Go," he said. "The reserve doctors are coming in soon. We got this."

"Thank you!" I said breathlessly. I ducked into the lounge, grabbed my coat.

Felix had come here on his bike. He shoved a helmet in my hands and told me to get on. I did so without hesitation. My heart was beating out of my chest, countless thoughts running through my head as I thought about several dreadful outcomes. All I could think of was blood and death, the city stank of that smell. Small skirmishes had become a battlefield of epic proportions and I was in the smack dab middle of it, patching the soldiers of the Farewell family and sending them out to fight as if they were expendable toy soldiers.

He took us to Greenwich. A dark blue townhouse had several men standing in front of it. I'd never been here before. On approach, they each started to tell and point their guns at us. Felix ripped his helmet off, yelling at them to move as I ran past them and into the house. He was right behind me.

He led to a small study that overlooks the back garden. An elder woman with auburn hair and a floral dress laid on the couch, a young girl with her same hair crouched on the ground next to her prone form. There's tears on her face and her cheeks are splotchy patches of red. For a brief second, I'm blow away by just how lovely she is—curly chestnut hair, blue eyes like pools, and a delicate nose. She looked as if she was in her teens, probably around Amara's age.

"Felix!" The girl exclaimed, when she saw us. Her blue eyes were watery with unshed tears. "I don't know what to do!"

I kneeled down next to the woman and smiled at the girl. "Good morning! I'm Dr. Saravana. Everything's going to be okay. I'm here now and I'm going to help your mom."

"What's wrong with her?!" She didn't greet me, she cried out instead.

"I'm not sure but I'll figure it out." I promised her, giving her my best reassuring smile. "Can you tell me your name, sweetie?"

"Irene." She whimpered out, "My name is Irene."

"Okay, Irene." I said, pulling out my stethoscope out of my emergency bag. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"She—she was on the phone with my brother and said she felt faint. Then she collapsed."

"And how long ago was this?" I placed my fingers in her pulse and began counting. I couldn't send any abnormalities, no sudden upticks and thready pulse. I wrapped the cuff of the apparatus around her right forearm, making sure it was secure.

"About five minutes ago."

"Did she wake up?"

"Yeah! But then she fainted again!" The girl cried out. I could see tears in her eyes, she was nearly hysterical. "I don't know what to do!"

Felix grabbed her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, telling her it would be okay.

The were two ways to check for blood pressure. One was the auscultatory method and the other was palpitation method.  I was using the auscultation method, feeling with my fingers and listening with my stethoscope.

It was an old school method, not many people used it. I guess I was a little old school, it was what my mother taught me and it was what I was familiar with.

"Her systolic has dropped a bit." I said, watching the thin column of Mercury climb up close to 110. I slowly let air out of the cuff, listening to the sound of her heart beat. As I expected it started back up around 70. I lifted her eyelids up, checking her pupils with my flashlight. They contracted and then relaxed. Good. This wasn't a concussion.

"Does your mom have a history of hypertension?" I asked.

"No." She shook her head.

"Diabetes?"

"No. She doesn't."

"Okay."

A typical case of vasovagal syncope. Otherwise known as fainting. It's common and thankfully harmless depending on the patient. A simple trigger or any sort of stress can trigger it. The sudden dilatation of blood vessels and there went your blood pressure. First was the dizziness, the palpitations and finally you faint. Of course, the patient would recover naturally but it wasn't good to let them be in that state for long. Fortunately, I knew what to do. I reached into my bag for some smelling salts.

"These should do it." I glanced over at Irina who was biting her lips. "Irina, can you get a glass of water. I think your mother will need it when she gets up. And if you can, add a little bit of sugar in."

It took only ten minutes to get Sophie conscious again.

Her eyes fluttered open to reveal warm green eyes. They looked exactly like Nat's. Irina and I helped her sit up, my hand resting on her upper back as I monitored her vitals.

"How do you feel, ma'am?"

She glanced around the room. Her green eyes were a bit hazy and out of focus as she took in her surroundings. Felix gave me a concerned looked when she didn't answer back immediately.

"Well," she said in a low voice, "I suppose I'm alive....not much good that'll do."

Honestly, I wasn't sure how to respond to that. I guess Farewell's reacted differently to near death experiences. Most people would've started freaking out then lose consciousness all over again. At least my patient was lucid and I didn't see any sign indicating a concussion.

It took only thirty minutes to move Mrs Farewell to the sitting room. Irene and Felix scrambled around like headless chickens; bring me water, blankets, and several packets of biscuits. The smell of green tea and ginger Walter from the kitchen, settling into the room and making me crave a strong cup of my own to relieve my headache.

"So you're Dr. Saravana?" Mrs. Farewell—Sophie said in weary tone. She gave me a kind smile that reminded me of Anya. "I've heard much about you but nobody told me just how wonderful you are." It was strange to talk to her. She had Ivan's blue eyes and his nose. It was surreal.

"Good things I hope?" I asked as I checked her blood pressure once more. She looked pale but thankfully she was going to faint again now that she had sugar and water.

"Oh yes. Naturally." She smiles. It reminded me of my mother—warm and comforting. I have to look away before my own conflicted feelings bubble up into my throat. I swallow it down, banishing it to the darkest part of my soul. "Anya has told me quite a bit about you. She's terribly impressed by you."

"I'm glad I make a good impression."

"Ivan, too." She winks. "But you already knew that."

I feigned ignorance. "Perhaps."

"Strange." Sophie said, glancing down at me. "I always wondered what type of woman Ivan liked but now I know that prefer someone with a good head on their shoulders."

Felix bursts out into laughter in the kitchen, choking on his tea. Irene claps him on the back several times, glancing between me and her mother with inquisitive eyes. Those blue yes widen when she realises who I am, her hand coming up to her mouth.

I nearly dropped the blood pressure cuff in shock. My face flushed with heat, my ears felt like some had stuck a hot poker inside of my head. I heard Felix chuckle behind me and I shot him a nasty glare that shut him up quickly. I cleared my throat. "Ma'am," I said in my most professional tone, surprised that I could even speak. "Mr. Farewell treats me well....as an employee."

"Of course," she winks. "I know."

I wanted to take a swan dive out through the first story window.

"Any other questions?" I ask, hoping to divert this very awkward exchange.

"Yes," she says, a grin that's so mischievous that an image of Nik flashes through my mind. "Are you single, Dr Saravana?"

"Any other questions other than that?"

"Well.....I suppose I could ask my prognosis."

"You're going to be fine," I assured her, patting her hand. "I suggest lots of rest and plenty of fluids. You'll be up and walking in no time, ma'am."

"Oh, please." She placed her hand over mine. "Call me Sophie."

"Um...." I glanced over to Felix, silently asking for help. "I don't thing that would be professional of me to......"

Felix held a glass of water in his hand, looking up at me. He looked nervous as he wait for me to approach him. I know what he's going to ask me before he even says it.

"Dr. Saravana," Felix said, giving Sophie the glass of water with glucose powder mixed in. "We have a few of our men who've been hurt. Do you think you could...." He trailed off giving me an expecting look that I couldn't turn down.

I sighed, knowing that my job wasn't done yet. Oh well, another day in the life of the amazing Dr Meera Saravana. "Lead the way!"

"You're the best!"

I grin, ignoring the way my back aches as I straight up. "I know, Felix."

The rest of the day is spent treating injured men and women in Sophie's Parlor. Booodied cotton, iodine, stringed and forceps are everywhere in one giant mess. By the time that it's over and the last person is out the door, I stretched my limbs feeling the tension settle down and wash away as if it were dirt on my shoes. I'm no where near refreshed, I smell of blood and antiseptic.

Eddie had arrived in the chaos, assisting me while Felix was called out on an emergency. For a moment, I think that this is the protection that ivan meant for me. A gaggle of security guards for a single doctor felt over kill but if it was either Felix or Eddie, I'd be more comfortable.

He opened the door for me and directed me into the room. "You should wait here. The car will be here soon—-and don't you dare think of taking the bus!"

"What would we do without you, Eddie?" I asked as I slipped past him into the room.

"Crash and burn." He said, his face neutral. "Thank you."

"For what?" I asked, mentally checking out of the conversation.

"For taking care of Sophie." Eddie smile lightly. "Sophie is wonderful and kind but she tends to.......hyperfixated on anyone Ivan shows interest in."

"Oh. So that's what that was."

"Don't worry about it. She likes you and she's hated most of Ivan's previous girlfriends."

I balked. "Girlfriend?!" I nearly screeched. "Felix! I'm not dating him!"

Eddie rolls his eyes. "Look. I don't have to time to go over the intricacies of you and Ivan clean affection slash attraction for each other so I'm just going to let you rest in this room and make sure Sophie doesn't try to leave. Again."

"Why?" I asked, crossing my arms. "I have to finish my shift."

He gave me a flat look. "Dr. Sable from the night team came in, you can take the evening off. You deserve to get some rest." he said, guesturing to the couch. "Please, I insist."

I rolled my eyes and entered the room. The worst case scenario is that was going to die and the best was that I'd be able to go home so I could change out of my blood stained scrubs.

"Fine." I said. "But I want to talk to Ivan."

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't even have to ask. He's already coming here."