Warning

“Violet?” I heard someone’s voice pull me away from sleep. A warm hand fell on my shoulder and shook me gently. “Vi, wake up.”

“Is anyone dying?” I groaned, my face buried in a pillow.

“No.” the voice replied and I found myself instinctually drifting off to sleep again. The owner of the voice shook my shoulder again.

“Five more minutes, mom.” I said into the pillow, my voice tired and distant. I heard a quick laugh, the hand still on my shoulder.

“Vi, wake up. It’s me, Sid.” He said and I opened my eyes, lifting my head from the stretcher that I was laying on. Sure enough, there he was, standing in jeans, hoodie and a Penguins baseball cap on the surgical floor at seven in the morning. He looked just like he did when we first met outside the hospital. I looked at him through hazy eyes and got up, slightly disoriented. I had been sleeping on a stretcher in the hall of the ICU, my pager resting by my ear. I sat up and stretched my arms out over my head, checking my watch.

“It’s 7:13 am.” I said matter-of-factly and he grinned, nodding.

“Lucy said you had a rough night on call, I just came by to see if you wanted to go get breakfast.” He said and I shook my head, smiling a little. I peered around him down the hall to see if the coffee cart was there, getting up as it appeared in my blurry vision.

“Are you asking me out?” I asked and he laughed, putting his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

“Yeah, I guess I am. “ he said and I gave a little eye roll and smile, moving passed him to the coffee cart. “Come on, Vi. I know you’re hungry.”

“Tall black coffee, please.” I said to the coffee cart attendant. “How could you possibly know that?” I asked Sid, digging in my scrubs to find two dollars. Sidney extended out two crisp bills to the man and shrugged.

“Because you’re always hungry.” He said with another grin and I laughed.

“Alright, let’s go. Thanks for the coffee, by the way.” I said, walking down the hallway to grab my coat from the intern lockerroom.

“No problem. You look like you need it.” He teased and I smiled, shaking my head in mock-offense.

“Rude.” I said, walking into the locker room. Sid hung by the doorframe and I grabbed his arm. “You can come in.”

On the bench across from my locker, Kat was sitting down and putting her wild black curls in a ponytail. “I’m not trading my heart transplant for your little appy. That’s for children. Any monkey can take out an appendix.” Kat snapped at Mark, who was pulling on his scrubs. Sid leaned against the set of lockers, nobody turning their attention to him.

“When are you going to hop on your broomstick and fly back to Malibu?” Mark

“Bite me, evil spawn.” Kat said, standing up and turning to go out of the hallway. That was when she noticed me putting away my stethoscope and taking off the top of my scrubs to reveal my long sleeve undershirt. “Where are you going? Oh, hey Sidney.” She said and he gave her a small wave.

“Out of this hospital.” I said and Mark smirked at me.

“We have on call rooms here—“ he said and I reached over to hit him.

“I’m going to go get breakfast. I get to operate on a spinal tumor the size of Texas this afternoon.”

“You’re going to be operating with Hansan?” Kat asked and I noticed Sidney frowning. I just shrugged and slid out of my bottoms and into jeans.

“He’s my boss. He’s our bosses boss, actually. I don’t really have a choice. “ I said, slipping into a deep purple sweater. “Plus, wait to you see the films of this thing. It’s massive and cutting into the cord.”

“Wait, he’s actually trying to take it out?” Mark asked, everyone suddenly more concerned with the tumor instead of the attending surgeon. Except for Sidney, who just seemed confused now.

“Yep. Have fun with your appendectomy.” I said with a grin, grabbing my coat.

“God, she’s evil.” I heard Mark comment as Sid and I walked out.

When we were out on the streets, I felt the cold hit my face and my eyes begin to water. I stopped and sneezed, closing my eyes and covering my mouth with my gloved hand. I sneezed again and shook it off, continuing on.

“You seem a little…under the weather.” He commented and I shrugged it off.

“I’m not sick. I never get sick. This is just …something else. “ I said. There was no way I was getting sick before my big surgery. That wasn’t acceptable and I wasn’t going to allow it.

“You seem sick.” He said with a smile as we crossed the street, closer to the diner. He grabbed the door open and I walked in, feeling the warmth of the place hit me instantly. I could feel my nose get runny so as Sid grabbed a booth and placed an order for a diet coke for me, I went to the bathroom.
Staring at my reflection, I saw the dark circles under my eyes and my pale skin, and my cheeks looked ruddy. The skin around my nose and my top lip was red, I basically looked awful. I blew my nose for a minute and then felt my forehead. It was a little warm, but the diner was warm from the heat too. I shrugged it off and went back into the restaurant, sliding into the booth quickly as I reached our table.

“So how’s your head?” I asked nonchalantly and he shrugged.

“I’ve been feeling a lot better, thanks.” He frowned a little, looking from his drink back to me. “Look Vi, I’m sorry for wha—“

“Don’t worry about it Sid. “ I said, sniffling a little and waving him off. “It’s not your fault, or anybody’s fault really. Except my own, I should have came into it more prepared.”

“Okay there’s no way anybody could have been prepared for that.” He said and I just took a sip of my diet coke, sniffling again and rubbing my eye. It had started to water more.

“It’s fine, really. I’m completely over it.” I assured him, putting in my order for a hamburger and fries and sniffled again. I frowned, momentarily angry at my body. There was absolutely no possible way I was getting sick.

After lunch—which had lasted almost two hours—I grabbed my coat, made one more trip to the bathroom to get tissues, and were out.

“Violet, you don’t look so good.” He said as I nestled into my coat more, freezing. I shook my head, blowing it off.

“Nah I’m fine, I swea—“ I sneezed, looking back up at him with watery eyes. Goddamnit. His hand went to my forehead and I backed away.

“Holy shit, Vi, you’re burning up. You can’t go back to the hospital.”

“No no, I’m not. I’m really cold actually. And plus, my apartment is being fumigated because Lucy had a thing for eating Lucky Charms in bed and there’s ants. “ I explained, feeling a little drowsy. “So I’ve been on call in the hospital and just sleeping there, which is perfect because I get all the best surgeries.” I said, sneezing twice after.

“Yeah, okay. You’re coming back with me.” He said, grabbing my arm and walking in the direction to the parking garage.

“Wait! No, what? I have my surge—“ I sneezed three times and frowned, shutting up and following Sid. When we got into his car, I bucked in and tried to gain warmth by snuggling in my coat. Sid just handed me his hoodie, which I subsequently used as a blanket, and leaned against the window. The drowsy delirium of my fever started to hit me, along with the heat of the car, and I just let my eyes close.