[justprompts] The Way Back to Me
(Tony is its_irrelevant and used with permission and much love. Nikki as mentioned is stork_inscrubs.)
'Til my head is free from doubt//'Til my lungs sigh right out//'Til I'm wiser//Let the sun//Fall all over me//This life's not living, baby//Living ain't free//If I can't find my way back to me ~Fuel
Noah stood by the cork board outside the cafeteria and scanned over a new flier that had been posted. It had caught his eyes quickly, with large black words that had seemed to pop up everywhere in recent days.
Help Haiti.
He stopped and read over it.
...volunteers will be flown out early on....living quarters will be arranged, but expect sparse conditions...main meals may consist of MRE's and other volunteered food....not to worry about patients and duties at home....extra help as needed around your hospital....asked to stay a minimum of a week...max stays still unknown...
"Spencer!"
Noah glanced over his shoulder and spotted Tony walking up to him. "Hey, Calli." He glanced back to the flier and quickly tore it down and shoved it into his pocket. They could post more. He turned back to Tony as the man reached him.
"How's it going?" Tony asked, patting his back.
Noah shrugged. "Fine."
Tony nodded slowly. "Have you spoken to Sasha Greenberg's parents recently?"
"Why would I?" Noah started walking, and Tony kept to his side.
"Because....she was one of your longest standing patients...because...they brought her here from Chicago for treatment from you, and-"
"Patients die, Calli. It's what we do." Noah's eyes kept to the ground. He didn't want to think about Sasha or her parents...or Tony finding him that day, crying in his office. That was something that would never be spoken of between them if he could help it.
Tony sighed deeply and nodded. He knew better than to push. "Anyway. I was looking for you, I've got a question."
"What's that?"
"Nikki's not feeling well today, and tonight is Trivia Bowl at Hank's."
Noah rolled his eyes. His friends dragged him some weeks, and he really hated it, because all he did was sit and watch people play and drink. "No thanks."
"Look, it's getting close to champions week and Jake, Grace and I don't have a team without a fourth. I'm not asking you to replace Nik, just fill in for her tonight. You never know, you could have fun."
Noah snorted. "I doubt that." He got onto the elevator, stepping aside for Tony to join him. He smiled charmingly at the nurse beside him, who blushed and looked down. Tony shook his head at that.
"You could use a night out."
"So your brilliant idea is to take me to a bar? After the week I've had?" Noah raised his brows and looked at his friend.
Tony sighed. "Alright, not the greatest place, but...well, it's more of a pub?" He smiled.
"No thanks," Noah said, shaking his head. "I've got big plans tonight. I've TiVo'd some Charmed and I'm thinking a marathon with Chinese food is in order."
"...Charmed?"
Noah grinned. "Hell yes. Those sisters are sexy as hell. God, the kind of fantasies those set off..."
"Forget I asked," Tony said, shaking his head again. The elevator doors opened and he pushed his way through the other people to get out. He turned back to look at Noah. "If you change your mind.."
"Hey, tell Nikki I hope she feels better. It shouldn't last. Just make sure she takes her antibiotics, and refrain from sexual activity for a few weeks." He smirked widely as the doors pushed shut, closing off a very repulsed Tony. Noah chuckled and turned to the nurse again. "Don't worry, honey. I was just joking around." He leaned back against the wall of the elevator. "From what I hear? What she has can't be gotten rid of."
***
He dropped his duffel bag at his feet when he found the group. He and a couple others from Jersey had ridden up to New York where they could meet more volunteers and fly out. It was going to be a long flight, and Noah planned on sleeping for as much of it as he could. He was exhausted from all the last minute arrangements he'd had to make.
"Your name?"
"Noah Spencer. Pediatric surgeon at RWJ in New Jersey."
The woman checked her clipboard and nodded. "Right. Okay, thanks for signing up. When we arrive you'll be given your cot number and assignment. Any questions?"
"How many of us are going open ended?"
"Several," she nodded.
"Good. Good." He nodded and hoisted up his duffel bag.
"Anything else?"
He grinned his patented charming grin. "Will there be an in-flight movie or will I just have to find interesting company to talk to?"
741
'Til my head is free from doubt//'Til my lungs sigh right out//'Til I'm wiser//Let the sun//Fall all over me//This life's not living, baby//Living ain't free//If I can't find my way back to me ~Fuel
Noah stood by the cork board outside the cafeteria and scanned over a new flier that had been posted. It had caught his eyes quickly, with large black words that had seemed to pop up everywhere in recent days.
Help Haiti.
He stopped and read over it.
...volunteers will be flown out early on....living quarters will be arranged, but expect sparse conditions...main meals may consist of MRE's and other volunteered food....not to worry about patients and duties at home....extra help as needed around your hospital....asked to stay a minimum of a week...max stays still unknown...
"Spencer!"
Noah glanced over his shoulder and spotted Tony walking up to him. "Hey, Calli." He glanced back to the flier and quickly tore it down and shoved it into his pocket. They could post more. He turned back to Tony as the man reached him.
"How's it going?" Tony asked, patting his back.
Noah shrugged. "Fine."
Tony nodded slowly. "Have you spoken to Sasha Greenberg's parents recently?"
"Why would I?" Noah started walking, and Tony kept to his side.
"Because....she was one of your longest standing patients...because...they brought her here from Chicago for treatment from you, and-"
"Patients die, Calli. It's what we do." Noah's eyes kept to the ground. He didn't want to think about Sasha or her parents...or Tony finding him that day, crying in his office. That was something that would never be spoken of between them if he could help it.
Tony sighed deeply and nodded. He knew better than to push. "Anyway. I was looking for you, I've got a question."
"What's that?"
"Nikki's not feeling well today, and tonight is Trivia Bowl at Hank's."
Noah rolled his eyes. His friends dragged him some weeks, and he really hated it, because all he did was sit and watch people play and drink. "No thanks."
"Look, it's getting close to champions week and Jake, Grace and I don't have a team without a fourth. I'm not asking you to replace Nik, just fill in for her tonight. You never know, you could have fun."
Noah snorted. "I doubt that." He got onto the elevator, stepping aside for Tony to join him. He smiled charmingly at the nurse beside him, who blushed and looked down. Tony shook his head at that.
"You could use a night out."
"So your brilliant idea is to take me to a bar? After the week I've had?" Noah raised his brows and looked at his friend.
Tony sighed. "Alright, not the greatest place, but...well, it's more of a pub?" He smiled.
"No thanks," Noah said, shaking his head. "I've got big plans tonight. I've TiVo'd some Charmed and I'm thinking a marathon with Chinese food is in order."
"...Charmed?"
Noah grinned. "Hell yes. Those sisters are sexy as hell. God, the kind of fantasies those set off..."
"Forget I asked," Tony said, shaking his head again. The elevator doors opened and he pushed his way through the other people to get out. He turned back to look at Noah. "If you change your mind.."
"Hey, tell Nikki I hope she feels better. It shouldn't last. Just make sure she takes her antibiotics, and refrain from sexual activity for a few weeks." He smirked widely as the doors pushed shut, closing off a very repulsed Tony. Noah chuckled and turned to the nurse again. "Don't worry, honey. I was just joking around." He leaned back against the wall of the elevator. "From what I hear? What she has can't be gotten rid of."
***
He dropped his duffel bag at his feet when he found the group. He and a couple others from Jersey had ridden up to New York where they could meet more volunteers and fly out. It was going to be a long flight, and Noah planned on sleeping for as much of it as he could. He was exhausted from all the last minute arrangements he'd had to make.
"Your name?"
"Noah Spencer. Pediatric surgeon at RWJ in New Jersey."
The woman checked her clipboard and nodded. "Right. Okay, thanks for signing up. When we arrive you'll be given your cot number and assignment. Any questions?"
"How many of us are going open ended?"
"Several," she nodded.
"Good. Good." He nodded and hoisted up his duffel bag.
"Anything else?"
He grinned his patented charming grin. "Will there be an in-flight movie or will I just have to find interesting company to talk to?"
741