xxv. babysitting
2.20

Derek and Atlas are waking down some trail in the park, Snacks is running ahead barking. His yellow leash tucked into Atlas's pocket.

Derek picks up a stick of the ground and throws it far and Snacks chases after it. Atlas is walking beside Derek when he turns to look at his friend, "Why snacks?"

Atlas lets out a groan, everyone having asked him why the dogs name was 'snacks'. "It was unique."

"How's your and Finn? The teacher?"

Atlas's smile drops, "we broke up."

"What, why?" Derek snaps his Atlas.

"He, uh, just had something else planned for his life, we had different plans."

Atlas takes a swig of his water bottle to avoid any more questions about the break up. Derek doesn't catch that Atlas doesn't wanna talk about it anymore though. "How'd the interns take it?"

"They were sad — especially Oliver and Izzie. Anyways, what about you, don't you have any problems you want to tell me about?"

"Truthfully, at this moment in time I don't have any problems. Not a single one." Atlas smiled gently at Derek who's eyes were filled with some kind of happiness.

╚═ ☆ ═╝

Atlas, along with the interns stand together in Denny's patient room. This was the first time that he had been called onto this particular case — Burke had felt like he could use another hand despite being the cardio chief.

"Denny Duquette. Age 36." Izzie starts.

"37 in 3 weeks." Denny, the patient smiles at Izzie.

Izzie returns the smile, "37 in 3 weeks. He's having difficulty breathing and chest pains." She presents.

"How are his breath sounds?" Atlas looks up from Bailey's baby — William Bailey Jones ( also known as Tuck ) who's trucked into the mothers arms.

"Still a little junky. He has a build up fluid in his system." Izzie answers looking over to Atlas.

"Hey did you just call me a junkie?" Izzie tries not to smile shaking her head. "That's not very nice."

"Denny, you're congestive heart failure is getting worse despite the meds." Burke says to the patient.

Denny nods, "Alright so how do we proceed?"

"Doctors how do we proceed?" Burke asks the room.

Izzie goes to answer but Alex beats her to it, "Titrate up his nitrate drip and continue with diuretics plus—"

Izzie interrupts Alex, "ACE-inhibitors, Beta-blockers and start dobutamine."

Atlas chuckles at the childish behaviours.

"I also want his ins and outs recorded and one of you monitoring him at all times." Burke pointedly looks at all the interns.

Izzie immediately puts up her hand, "I'll stay."

"Me too." Alex, who feels threatened moves closer the patients bed.

Atlas sends Alex and Izzie a pointed glance.

╚═ ☆ ═╝

Atlas who had been in the ER and heard the screaming of a child went running towards the ER doors. "Dr. Bailey!" He notices her son crying in her arms.

The ambulance stops wailing and Bailey quickly turns around to face Atlas.

"Here, let me take him." Atlas reaches out to take the child, only for Bailey to pause, but once she sees the patient being wheeled into the hospital she detaches the baby from herself and hands him to Atlas.

"You're going to watch him?" Bailey asks in confirmation.

"Yeah, yeah, I have no surgery's." Atlas holds the slightly crying baby to his chest and sways back and forth.

Bailey hands Atlas the baby bag before rushing off into the hospital leaving Atlas holding an upset little baby.

"We're gonna have so much fun little man."

╚═ ☆ ═╝

"The itsy bitsy spider crawled up the water spout." Atlas wiggles his fingers watching as Tuck poked his tongue out and reached to touch the adults fingers.

"Down came the rain, and washed the spider out." Atlas made a swooshing noise as he swiped his fingers forwards.

"Out came the sun, and dried up all the rain, and the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again" Atlas poked the baby's cheek lightly which caused Tuck to erupt into giggles.

Atlas continued to sing nursery rhymes as he did finger movements to the songs. He kept humming along as he picked up the child and held him close.

Atlas rocked the child back and forth as he walked down the hallways of Seattle Grace. He wondered an observation deck where Derek was operating on a patient with an aneurism.

Atlas took a seat on one of the chairs as he watched the surgery, not knowing that the OR staff could hear him. He placed Tuck on his lap so the child could watch the surgery aswell.

"See that, that's Derek." Atlas pointed at Derek and Tuck followed the action.

"Yeah. See, that's Dereks, he's uncle Atlas's and mommy's friend." Atlas told the little boy quietly.

Tuck babbled in joy as he watched Atlas point down at the OR.

Tuck pointed at the dirty blond. And Atlas smiled, "Yes. That's Meredith. She was uncle Olly's girlfriend." Atlas giggled causing Tuck to follow the action and giggle.

Derek looked up at the OR gallery and waved.

"Look Tuck. Der waved at you. Can you wave?" Atlas placed his own hand on Tucks and helped him wave.

╚═ ☆ ═╝

Atlas had given Tuck to Bailey awhile ago and now was walking towards the Attendings lounge so he could change into his civilian clothes.

Atlas reached the his cubby and pulled of his scrub top not knowing someone else was in the room — but it didn't matter to Atlas.

"You were great with Tuck today." Derek cleared his throat from behind Atlas.

"Thank you." Atlas nodded as he turned around to look at the dark haired attending. Derek couldn't help but let his eyes glance at Atlas's chest.

"So uncle Atlas. It's got a ring to it."

"It sounds so much better than uncle Der."

Derek let out a dramatic gasp as he placed a hand over his heart. "I'm hurt Atlas, I'm hurt."

Atlas faked a pout, "you'll be okay, Der-bear."

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hello! we're getting closer and closer to the end of act one!

anyways — how is everyone? remember to take a break!

as readers ( please give me some feedback!) is there anything you'd like to se me happen?