burn. mark sloan

6

"We're going to survive this, right?" George asked slightly smiling as he interrupted my train of horrible thoughts.

"I don't know George." I groaned shaking my head. We were tired, overwhelmed and it's not even half way done. I wonder what's in store for George and I.

"You're a good friend, and a good doctor." George grabbed my hand and gave it a friendly squeeze. Trying to boost my bruised ego. This is the least confident I've ever been in my skills, and I'm one of the best interns here.

"So are you."

"George, you want to get out of Burke's?" I asked finally finding someone that I want to move in with me.

"More than anything." George groaned just thinking of it.

"I have an extra room in my house and it's calling your name. What do you think? You don't even have to pay rent." I actually kinda smiled just thinking of it.

"I say yes, but why don't I have to pay rent? I'll feel bad living off of you. And did you say you have extra rooms?" George said while I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Uh, I own the house so there isn't any rent to pay, and I have three extra rooms." I mumbled playing with my nails, which badly needed a manicure.

"Are you like a secret millionaire and you haven't told us?" George joked but I couldn't tell he was joking so I got nervous.

"Uh what did you say? Who told you-" I got cut off by a confused George.

"Calm down I was just joking roomie." George patted me on the back as I fake laughed trying to save myself from that embarrassing moment. I'm making it so obvious.

"I knew that.." I uttered as I left to go 'get coffee' but I really just needed to talk to my sister. I need her right now.

I looked everywhere for my sister, until I found her in the attending lounge. I snook into the lounge and sat down next to her. I set down a cup of coffee infront of her, and took a long sip of mine trying to think of something to say.

"Lauren. I'm sorry I haven't reached out. I wanted to really bad. I had nights I would stare at the phone too scared to click the call button. I needed my sister and when you finally come I shut you out, and I'm sorry for that." I shallowed my prided and apologized, and it surprisingly felt good.

"It's not your fault. We moved across the country to get away from our family and we still ended up in the same hospital. It's fate, we need each other. After all I can't do this alone, I need you Lucy but I need Lucy Moore not whoever Lucy Allen is. Why did you make yourself a fake life?" Lauren asked as we both kept looking straight ahead at the blue wall. We couldn't look at each other, even though we need each other.

"It was easier, I always take the easiest way. Just ask dad that's what he'll tell you." I let out as felt my ego get stepped on by my dad again. This is why I left Massachusetts, he can ruin everything even by being across the country.

"What is going on with you? You're a damn good doctor I thought you knew that." Lauren tried to boost my ego and it was kinda working. I just needed to get this all off my chest.

"Laur, I should probably go prep Tyler." I said with a smile, a real smile. I left the lounge and went to go prep Tyler.

"What's up Tyler? You ready to be tumor free?

Tyler stares ahead, slightly scared at me approaching him. He doesn't respond he just grips onto a brown stuffed bear. I could sense his nervousness a mile away.

"Don't be nervous...Dr. Moore is good. Maybe she will even give you superpowers." I tried to encourage the nervous little boy, I'm very good with kids. I knew he liked superhero's since his mom hung up a picture from Halloween with him dressed as iron man.

"Powers?" He seemed less scared upon hearing the suggestion as he whispers, trying to sound brave.

"Who's your favorite superhero?" I questioned checking his heart beat with my light purple stethoscope.

He pauses before replying in a slightly quieter voice "Iron Man." His eyes are still gripped to the stuffed animal as if it is giving him all the bravery he has, but he is a strong boy who is gonna kick this tumors butt.

"Ohhh that's a good one, I like iron man. He's brave and never gives up, you're kinda already like him." I told him making him smile. That smile was enough to turn this horrible day upside down, but then I remembered that the morgue guy said we are gonna have three more deaths today. Good thing I don't believe in that...right?

"I am?" He asked seeming a bit more at ease now that he hears a potential similarity between him and iron man.

"Definitely, when you go in there be like iron man, okay?" I said as I was close to finishing his prepping for surgery.

"I can try...I won't have armor though." He sighed while glancing back down at the stuffed animal.

"You don't even need the armor, that's how strong you are." I sat down on his bed next to him not taking him to surgery just yet. I could tell he was still scared, and we still had twenty minutes until surgery starts.

"I'm strong?" Tyler muttered as his brows look up in a mix of confusion and shock as if I just told him the most amazing thing ever.

"You might be the strongest kid I know." I was really trying to boost his confidence after everyone was trying to boost mine.

"I'm strong." Tyler basically bragged as his brows now look up at me excitedly while he grips onto the stuffed animal even more, no longer feeling scared of having surgery. He has the wide eyed expression of someone just filled with inspiration and confidence in their mind.

"That's the way to think, Tyler. We should get going, you ready?" I checked my watch, it was time. He won't be one of the three, if there even are three.

"I'm ready! Ready to beat this tumors butt!" Tyler said confidently, still thinking like Iron Man. He holds on to Mr. Cuddles tightly and looks at me.

"That's what I'm talking about Tyler!" I give him an enthusiastic high five and start strolling him to OR 1. He smiles brightly the whole way.

"You got this...okay." I remind him to be like iron man as we make it the OR door.

"I got this." He let out confidently before gripping Mr. Cuddles even closer to him.

"I'll be right here the whole time cheering you on." I told him. Tyler nods once, his face still excited as Mr. Cuddles remains gripped onto his hand, his courage growing with every breath.

The nurses and anesthesiologist took him away, and I had to go scrub in. I looked at my sister's purple scrub cap covered with flowers, it matched my stethoscope. I watched her say "sept" which means seven in French seven times. That's her superstition before surgery, it seems like everyone has one.

The surgery started and before I knew it the tumor was out. Lauren did it. The whole time I kept looking over at Mr. Cuddles. The stuffed animal brought comfort to Tyler. Surgery brought comfort to me, y'know saving lives.

"Tyler wasn't one of the seven." Lauren sighed in relief as she ripped off her mask. I was a bit taken back at the fact that she believed that stupid myth.

"Laur you don't really believe that? Do you?" I questioned washing my hands again while a smile think about how I helped save a little boys life.

"We all have our own superstitions. Who am I to knock someone else's?" Lauren let out a chuckle.

"It's the end of the night and we have only had 6 deaths." I told her looking at my watch, it was 12:01. What did I say? Superstitions, juju, and luck is all fake and once again I'm right.

1408 words
"We should stick together your my bestfriend i love you forever"