flatline [m.s]

cxxxvi.

- - -
the organs in the human body have entirely different functions. the cells which make up those organs act independently of each other.
- - -

mark is driving to work whilst lia sits in the passenger seat, looking at a property listing mark found, and darci is sat in her car seat in the back.

"you like the tile and the master bedroom suite?" mark asks, briefly turning his head to look at his wife who nods. "and you like the way the french doors open out to the deck?"

"yes, i love everything so far," lia confirms. "i especially love that i didn't have to do anything to find it."

"meow," darci sounds from the back seat.

"meow. that's right, darci. that's what a cat says," lia smiles, turning her head to look at darci before turning to look at mark who's pulled the car to a halt at the lights. "honestly, just go for it with the house, and i'll sign anything i need to. and then once it's all gone through and ready, bring me out for a big reveal."

"you want a big reveal?" mark raises his brow.

"i want a big reveal," lia nods.

"rawr!" darci sounds again.

"good, darci. rawr. that's what a lion says," lia smiles at darci again before she and mark both turn to face forward where they see a lion run across the road. "is that a..."

"that's a lion," mark confirms whilst sharing a look of bewilderment with lia.

"rawr," darci laughs.

- - -
but in a healthy body, seemingly independent cells quietly depend on the functioning of the others. because when one system stops working, the others can't function for long.
- - -

"a lion? an actual lion?" alex asks lia as the two of them walk through the hospital.

"looking at me like i was lunch," lia nods.

"are you sure it wasn't a mountain lion or... maybe a well-fed cat?" alex questions.

"i was staring at simba," lia assures as jo approaches them.

"dr. webber, i'm on your service today," jo informs lia as she hands her some patient charts.

"okay," lia nods.

"hey," jo softly smiles at alex who walks away.

"i- i saw a lion today, walking across the street," lia tells jo. "mark and i were driving to the hospital, and it was just there in the street."

"alex isn't talking to me," jo announces.

"okay, how come no one is concerned about the fact that i saw a lion walking around seattle?" lia chuckles and furrows her brow.

"sorry," jo shakes her head. "i was just, uh-"

"you can't force alex to open up. you have to just let him come to you. in the meantime, look at this," lia hands jo her phone that is currently displaying an image of the lion. "animal control came. one dart, and he was down."