The Nurse's Station

My Best Friend

“Elliot, can I talk to you for a second?”

She didn’t bother to look up from the chart she was reading. “Not now, I have to figure out what’s wrong with this patient before he dies, then grab some dinner before I pass out, do rounds, live through who knows how many codes, then Jordan–”

“Please?” JD interrupted, his voice soft and sounding almost scared.

Elliot looked up. “Are you okay?” The answer was obvious, but she didn’t know what else to say. JD was paler than usual, which was quite a feat for him. His hair was down and hung in his face and made him look sick. In fact, she wouldn’t be surprised if he was running a light fever.

He shook his head. “I need someone to talk to.”

“I’ll find someone to cover my shift and meet you by my car, okay?”

JD nodded miserably and walked off, none of his usual bounce evident.

Eyebrows furrowed, Elliot turned to Carla. “Do you know where Dr. Cox is?”

Carla snorted. “I don’t think he’s the best one to cover for you. Here, give me the chart and let me find someone for you, okay? Bambi needs you.”

Elliot gratefully handed over the chart and quickly changed out of her scrubs before going down to her car. She hadn’t seen JD this upset since his dad died and she wondered briefly if his brother died. But that didn’t make sense; she had just seen him, and he was perfectly healthy. Maybe he got hit by a car, or…

She reached her car and got in. She turned to JD and asked, “What happened?”

JD shook his head. “I don’t want to talk yet. Can we just go get drunk or something?”

Elliot gave him a worried look but did as he asked, driving them to the nearest bar, the one they always went to. When JD saw where they were, he said, “Not here. Someplace I’ve never been before.”

“Oh my god. It’s Dr. Cox, isn’t it?” Elliot asked suddenly, pulling out of the parking lot. “Did you two get into a fight or something?”

JD turned away, resting his forehead on the window. “Yeah, I guess,” he mumbled.

“What happened?” she repeated.

“Later,” JD replied. “Alcohol first.”

They rode in silence, Elliot taking them to a place she and Jordan had gone to once, before deciding it was too seedy and foreboding, even for them. But something told her this was the right place to go to, so she did, finding a parking place without too much difficulty. They went inside and up to the bar, Elliot getting a club soda and JD a scotch.

Elliot raised an eyebrow. “I thought you hated scotch.”

JD drank the shot in a single gulp, making a horrible face as he did. “I do,” he said, turning red. He tapped the glass on the counter, signaling for another.

Elliot eyed JD, scared for her friend. As a doctor, she knew that he shouldn’t be drinking so much when he was only used to appletinis, but she also knew that he wouldn’t listen to her, no matter what she said. At least he was sipping it this time instead of immediately downing it.

“Do you want to talk?” she asked gently.

“I dunno,” he said sullenly. “I fucked up. End of story.”

“It can’t be that bad,” Elliot replied. “Everyone makes mistakes. I’m sure if you just give him time to cool down…”

JD laughed darkly. “I doubt it. It’s not like he can just forget what I said.”

“What did you say?” she pressed. “I promise I’ll still be your friend, no matter what.”

“I–” JD was cut off by Elliot’s pager.

“Frick!” she yelled, reaching down to see who it was. Instead of the hospital or Dr. Cox, it was Jordan’s cell phone. “Oh, fuck,” Elliot whispered. “JD, can you hang on a second?”

He nodded, finished his drink and ordered another as Elliot grabbed her purse and ran outside. She dug her phone out of her purse and flipped it open. Surprise, surprise – five missed calls, all from Jordan. Swearing again, she dialed her number.

“Where the hell are you?” Jordan yelled. “You haven’t your answered your phone and if you don’t get your ass back to the hospital right now, we’re going to be late, and my mom’s never going to let you live this down.”

“Jordan, I’m sorry,” Elliot started. “I can’t make it. Is there any way you can reschedule?”

“Reschedule?” Jordan exploded. “No, I can’t fucking reschedule! You have all of one night off every other year, and if Mom doesn’t meet you soon, she’ll have my head, as if she doesn’t already. I swear to god, Barbie. Where are you?”

“With JD,” Elliot replied angrily. “Something happened with your precious Perry, and he’s a total mess. I need to stay with him. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She hung up and turned the phone off before going back inside. She knew she was going to pay for this later, but right now JD needed her.

He was right where she left him, nursing his third scotch. He looked up when she sat down, and she saw that his eyes were red rimmed. He looked back into the amber liquid, finally understanding what Perry saw in it.

Elliot rested a hand on his back. “Talk to me.”

“Well…”

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My 40 Snapshots

by Nicole Merrill