Chapter 3 - The Ripple Effect
By evening shift change, the story of what happened in Trauma Bay 3 had spread through the hospital grapevine like wildfire. By morning, it had reached administrative channels.
Ashlin tried to keep her head down, but as she walked down the second-floor corridor toward the pharmacy, she noticed the way doctors and senior nurses looked at her differently. There was no more casual condescension. No more dismissive waves when she tried to report charting discrepancies.
Even Dr. Rener nodded respectfully when she passed him near the medication room.
"Carver," a deep voice called out from behind her as she reached the nurses' station.
She stopped, turning slowly.
Wade Holt was sitting in a wheelchair, refusing to let an orderly push him, using his strong arms to propel himself forward with stubborn military pride. He wore civilian sweatpants and a gray zip-up hoodie, though his posture remained ramrod straight despite the lingering soreness in his chest.
"Chief Holt," Ashlin said flatly, checking her watch. "You're supposed to be resting in room 412."
"I don't rest well in rooms that smell like bleach and formaldehyde," Wade said, halting his wheelchair right in front of her desk. He looked up at her, his expression a mixture of stubborn curiosity and genuine respect. "Besides, I talked to your nursing supervisor this morning."
Ashlin’s stomach dropped. "You spoke to Director Vance?"
"I did," Wade nodded. "I told her that your clinical assessment saved my life, and that your situational awareness was superior to the attending physician's. I also asked why a combat veteran with your specific operational record and commendations is running night shifts in a quiet municipal hospital instead of working trauma flight or military liaison."
"That is none of your business, Chief," Ashlin snapped, her voice dropping to a fierce, dangerous whisper as she leaned over the desk. "You don't know me. You don't know my service record, and you certainly don't have the right to dig into my personnel file just because you were too arrogant to realize your own chest trauma."
Wade didn't back down. He held her gaze steadily. "You're right, I don't know you yet. But I know brotherhood. And I know what it looks like when someone is running away from something they survived."
Before Ashlin could formulate a sharp retort, her pager buzzed aggressively against her hip.
May you like
Code Blue - Room 414.
Without another word, Ashlin spun on her heel and sprinted down the hallway toward the west wing, leaving Wade sitting in his wheelchair, watching her vanish around the corner with a quiet, determined look in his eyes. He wasn't going to let her disappear back into the wallpaper. Not anymore.
