LILLY

I eat my baby carrots in Mr. Diego's room, watching Ellen on the TV. He's been in a coma for six years so he doesn't mind. I think. He doesn't care how loud I chew my carrots or how loud I laugh when I watch cat videos.

A knock comes on the door and Sarah walks in, looking at me with a brow raised "God damnit, Lilly. Show some respect!" I scoff "I show respect by changing his pee bag every day and his catheter every week." I look at Mr. Diego "You don't mind it, do you?" I lower my voice, trying to sound like a man without looking at Sarah "Yes, I do not mind, my dear Lilly. You're awesome and my superhero every time you change my pee bag. Lilly rules!" I look at Sarah "See? He thinks I rule." She puts her hand on her hip "Aren't you suppose to be on your shift?" I shrug "I'm taking a lunch break." She smiles "No, you're not. This isn't your lunch break. It's your hiding-from-work break. Who are you hiding from this time?" She caught me. I smile and offer her a carrot and she takes it "Josh. I can't help myself whenever I'm around him. Made a fool of myself today." She waits for me to tell her "I complimented him on his... you know... the way he puts a catheter in a vagina." Sarah starts laughing "You did not!"

"I did! I didn't know what to say. I panicked. We were setting the patient on the bed and he put the catheter in her vagina and I just happened to compliment him on that."

"Out of all the things you could complement that man on, you complimented him on how he inserts a pee-tube in a woman's coochie?"

I throw my head back and cry out "I'm dumb!"
She hums "Don't have to tell me twice, baby."

"I thought you were my friend. You're supposed to encourage me."

"Hey! I'm not the kind that will give you false hopes. I'm the kind who will curse you endlessly for my enjoyment and then beat the ass of the person who curses at you. Only I can do that, missy."

I blink at her and smile "You love me?" She shakes her head "I don't. Now, get the fuck off Mr. Diego's bed and get to work." I groan "But he's so warm. The perfect cuddly buddy." She shakes her head "You're fucking crazy. Off." And then walks out the door. I look at Mr. Diego and pull his arm from around me and gently keep it on his side, then get off his bed. Fixing his sheets for him "Don't worry, Mr. Diego. We can cuddle tomorrow. Sweet dreams." I kiss the tips of my fingers and touch his chest.

I sigh and walk out of the room, going straight to the front desk where Sarah was "You ruined my time with Mr. Diego." She smiles "Keep it in your pants, pervert. Go check on patient number 12 in the ER. Came with a cut finger." I sigh again and make my way straight to the ER, to bed number 12. I open the curtains and he's a kid, bleeding badly from his ring finger. I smile and put on my gloves "Hi. I'm Lilly. How are you holding up?" The teenager retorted "How I'm holding up? I've been stuck here for an hour with no assistance. All I got was this thick shit to stop the bleeding." I raise my brow "There's no need to curse, kid. You're here with a cut finger while I had number 13 come in here with a glass stuck in the back of his head." That gets him to gulp even though I lied. Number 13 came with a bruised toe.

I remove the gauze and inspect his finger "Just a couple of stitches and then you're good to go."

♡

I stitched his finger up, wrapped it in gauze for some protection, and sent the kid with a healing ointment.

"Lilly!" I turn around to the sound of my name and see that it's Josh. He stands there in his blue scrubs that perfectly match his pretty eyes. Dark brown hair that had been messed up because he's been on shift for the past nine hours and I'd been on for thirteen- but who's counting.
He's a god built into that body. Tall, muscular, and with a lean waist. A small butterfly tattoo on his wrist. He smiles and my heart starts doing the salsa in my chest. The perfect white teeth, straight. A dimple on his right cheek. And another on the left side of his lip "Didn't see you all day, Lil." I smile as I take off the gloves "Oh, I've been busy." Mostly hid in Mr. Diego's room every chance I get after I complimented him on his catheter skills.

He nods "You on a lunch break yet?" I sigh and shake my head "No, I had one early." His smile falls "Bummer. I was gonna ask you to run down to get lunch." Hold up! He wants me to get his lunch? Mean! But then he adds the sugar "And then have it with me." I smile at that "Bummer. I would've loved to get you lunch and then have it with you. I'm still on duty."

"What time do you finish?"

"Not in another three hours. You?"

"Six more."

"We can take a rain check on that lunch?"

"I would love that."

He smiles again and sighs "I'm gonna go." I nod and watch him walk away. I love the way he tucked the shirt off his blue scrubs. Showed off his lean waist and the shape of his back. And those shoulders- Lord, those shoulders.

"Lilly!" I hear my name being yelled and I break out of my daydream and run outside. The ambulance brings the patient on the stretcher. Sarah beacons me to get to her "Male. 50 to 65. Gunshot to his chest. The gun went through his heart. We need to get him a transplant ASAP. Call Dr. Emerson!" I'm quick on my feet, pulling my phone and calling Dr. Emerson. One of the paramedic guys says "He lost a lot of blood. We got called in near a cafe on the 26th. The cafe had shattered glass everywhere. Looks like a fight went down. A gunfight. No one else is in bad shape as much as this guy. A shot through the heart." I take a good look at the man as I'm giving the details to Emerson point by point and then hang up.

Sarah says "You and I are gonna be the head nurses to this man." I nod and ask the paramedic guy "Any ID on him?" He shakes his head, pumping the oxygen pump on the patient's face "None. No ID, and no credit card to get his name. No wallet. Just a couple of thousands of dollars in his pocket in a silver clip. That's about it. No phone either. Where's Emerson?" I reply "He's gonna be here in a minute."

♡

Thankfully the patient was stable. And thankfully he got the transplant he needed. There was still no information on this John Doe. Nada. Zilch.

My lilac scrubs were stained with blood from earlier and unfortunately, I didn't have an extra pair in my locker as I always do. The man was moved into a private ward on an anonymous request that came into the hospital. Which was weird but no one questioned it.
We were looking at his vitals when Sarah says "A shame what this man went through." I nod as I change his IV. She shakes her head "The guy was shot right in the heart. Shit. Must've been a hell of a gun shoot. You think the police are investigating that?" I shrug "I don't know, Sarah. I hope they will. This is awful." She agreed "Yeah. Who do you think he is? The anonymous tip we got earlier definitely has given life to some rumors." My eyes go wide "Really? Like what?" She leans in "I heard from Nurse Becky that this guy is the Don. Can you believe that?" I shush her "Stop. He can still hear you, crazy!" She scoffs "He got out of surgery two hours ago. He won't be up for another five hours. Or seven." I sigh because that was true.
Her phone chimes and she pulls it out, smiling "Is that Declan?" She bites her bottom lip and lies "No."

"Liar! What's going on between you two? You two have been all flirty since he dropped you to work on his Harley."

She wiggled her brow "Can't you tell I'm glowing?" My eyes go wide "Shut up! You slept together?!" She starts giggling, waving her hand at me "We didn't sleep at all." And then adding a wink to that. Then her phone starts ringing "Can you finish up? I need to take this." I nod "Don't be on the phone for too long or I might just have to take it away." She winks one last time before she runs out, with the phone clutched in her hand.

I look at the patient "It's just you and me, Mr. John Doe." The machine starts beeping and my gaze goes to the monitor. Cardiac arrest. I press the red button and straddle his waist, start chest compressions no matter how much my brain went into panic, my body knows what to do. I scream "CODE BLUE! CODE BLUE!" Tears streamed down my cheeks.
A doctor and two nurses run up to me. Including Sarah, her phone buried in the pocket of her scrubs without hanging up the call.
I don't stop chest compression until the doctor takes over. He's quick in instructing us nurses on whatever he needed and whatever he wanted us to do which was awesome at how calm he was at this.
Then the machine starts going back to normal. His new heart rate goes normal. Sarah calls Emerson and he's quick to come to us in minutes to check on this John Doe.
The younger doctor, whose name I read was Patel, said "He would've been gone if it wasn't for Nurse Lilly." Emerson looks at me and says "Good job, Lilly." Sarah smiles at me and I'm about to scream. Getting a compliment from Emerson is like having a spot saved in heaven.

♡

"I can't believe Emerson complimented you," Sarah said. I smile and shake my shoulders "Cause I'm the man!" She shakes her head "Stop it." I do instantly and brush my hair in the locker room. Freshening myself up for the rest of the hours.

♡

CARTER

Elijah walks into my room and says "He's up." I'm quick in pulling my cock from the nurse earlier and getting on my feet, leaving the girl behind.
I wear my pants and then I'm out the door with my shirt in my hand. I wear it while the bitch in my room keeps screaming to come back. I sigh "Tell someone to finish up with her if she wants it that badly." Elijah shakes his hand "You're a douche."

We make our way straight to my father's room and I met up with Nico, standing right in front of us. His jaw clenched and I can't help the smile on my face spread because that much he was annoyed by my presence. Fucker.
One of the other men opens the door for us but Nico stops Elijah by putting a hand on his chest and then looks at me "Only you." I step in without giving him a reaction.

The door closes behind me and I see my father laying on the bed, an oxygen mask on his face. Tubes connected to his chest and the back of his hand. He slowly turns his head to me and holds up his hand, his voice muffled "Carter," Even after many years in America, he still had a thick Italian accent.
I gently sit beside him and take his hand "How are you feeling?" He breathed heavily "Like I've been shot." And then laughs at his joke. I smile and shake my head. He coughs and gulps "Shouldn't have done that." He looks at me with his brown eyes that were the same as mine "You know what the doctor told me?" I keep quiet to listen "He told me to retire today."

Fuck, I knew what was coming.

I shake my head as his grip on my hand gets tighter "You are my son. It is your birthright to take over this cartel. Carry on my legacy."

"No, thanks."

His voice raises up and so does the beeping of his heart machine "I spent Forty years putting fear in people's hearts in the name of Romano and-"

"And you made enemies out of them too. Look where that got you."

"Non fare il furbo con me, ragazzo (Don't play smart with me, boy). You're gonna take over after me."

I pull my hand from his grip and stand up "I fucking don't." He grunts in pain but manages to sit up "Pensi che la vita sarebbe tutta fiori e fate, ragazzo (You think life would be all flowers and fairies, boy)?" He did that whenever he was fed up, and spoke Italian without even knowing "Te ne vai e loro ti daranno la caccia (You leave and they will hunt you down)." I nod and open my arms "I'm fine with that. I'd rather have three years to myself and die at the barrel of their gun rather than stay alive for another twenty years and then die knowing I didn't do shit in life."

"Questo è tutto il veleno che tua madre ti ha messo in testa (This all the poison your mother put in your head)."

I hated when he bought up my mother like that "Non ha mai sbagliato! (She was never wrong!)" He scoffs "She was a woman filled with countless fears. She gave birth to a pathetic child." I retort "And she married a pathetic man. How can you say that about the woman you loved?"

"Because she was my woman. I can say whatever I want about her."

It was no use to get through to him. No fucking use to fighting. I tell him "The only way you're gonna stop me from walking through those doors is with a bullet to my fucking head. I don't wanna fuck with this anymore. I am done." I turn around to walk but he says "I'll make you a deal." I stop and I listen with my back to him.
"If you can kill Rossi, kill his entire familia, kill his gang and take over his business... I will let you go. I will protect you till the end, protect you from all the things that you call bullshit, and then you can go. Be free or whatever shit-show you wanna spend your life in. Deal?" I turn around to face him "No strings attached? I just have to kill Rossi and then I can vanish?" He nods "Kill Rossi, you can go wherever you want. I will protect you and you can have ten years to yourself without any fear." I swallow but I didn't believe anything he said. I will never trust him. Not after her.

I turn around and I walked out of there with that deal in my head. It looked like my only way out of this shit show. Might be easier than just disappearing one day.

I'm walking toward my side of the house and I'm met with Elijah, perched up on my fucking couch with chips and my iPad. He smiles when he spots me "How did the deal with your old man go?" I scoff and take away the packet of cheese balls "Fuck you for finishing these." He licks his cheese-covered fingers but I tell him "He wants me to end Rossi." He sighs, the playfulness leaving him "You're fucked. I'm fucked. We're fucked. Ending Rossi is mission fucking impossible. Has the old man gone crazy?" I laugh "He's been crazy since the day I was born."

"Facts."

"He is trying to strike a deal with me."

"About?"

"I end Rossi and then I'm free. He's giving me ten years to myself. Ten years of protection and solace."

He stands up instantly "Please tell me you fucking denied it!" I shrug "I didn't say anything." He goes ballistic "You're fucking considering it!"

"I said that I didn't say anything."

"Don't bullshit me! I know you!" He tries to calm down "Your father is a fucking two-headed snake. One head strikes the deal and the other bites in the ass. You take this deal, and we're in fuck ton of shit from that second on."

I just stare. Waiting for him to calm down and he knows it all too well that he smiles "You have something in mind, don't you?" I smile "We're gonna find Rossi and then strike a deal with my father. Win-win." Elijah shakes his head "It's win-loose, you idiot. Rossi isn't some mouse waiting for us to trap him with cheese. He's a fucking cheetah. Too fast, too vast. If we get caught, you know he isn't generous enough to put a bullet through our head. He will fuck us up till we beg for mercy." I nod "That's why we find him first. Just us."

♡

LILLY

I feel all excited without the number of times people compliment me. Praise me for saving a man. Gosh, it all felt so nice and I felt appreciated. Strutting down the hall with a cup of ice-americano as a treat for myself, I hear Josh call my name again "Lilly!" I turn around with the straw between my lips, feeling cocky as ever. Couldn't help the smile at all. He smiles down at me, the height difference making my heart go all bouncy "I heard what happened today. I'm so proud of you. Heard you got complimented by Emerson himself." My toes fluttered in my crocs but thank lord no one can see them.
Josh leans closer and my eyes go wide. His smile is playful when he plays slightly with my name tag "I was thinking we could go somewhere after our shifts. Somewhere nice to eat and maybe you can come back to my place for a nice nap?"

Score! This was code for sex between us nurses. Nap at each other's place was the most romantic thing ever. And I've been dreaming about Josh taking my virginity since the first year of medical school. Once I heard he preferred girls that were virgins, Oof, I'll let him have a go at me any time. At least I'll be free from the virgin names Sarah calls me since I told her.

Virgin Lilly, Saint Lilly, Lass, Vestal Virgin Lilly, and so on.

He tilts his head flirtatiously "You up for that, Lilly?" His hand trails up to pinch my chin between his thumb and forefinger and I melt right then and there. Mouth open. Eyes wide. Josh is touching me. Not a friendly nudge or a friendly elbow touch. He's touching me. This is awesome. He leans closer to take a sip from my ice-americano and then says "Bitter, but I know you'll taste sweet." And with a wink, he leaves.

I got winked at, he drank my americano, he touched my chin, I got invited for a 'nap', and I'm a hero because Emerson said 'good job.' Can't this day get any better?

I sigh and then look at my watch. Shoot! I was supposed to check up on our patient twenty minutes ago. Shoot! I'm gonna get yelled at by Emerson. Shoot! There goes my chance of having the night of my life. Stupid, Lilly!

I get to the floor and I find the hospital bed empty. My eyes go wide and I run to the nurse at the reception outside "The patient in that room- did Emerson take him somewhere?" The nurse shrugs "No, he went home two hours ago. He kept you in charge after Dr. Patel." I panic "Where's Dr. Patel?"

"In the O.R. What's wrong?"

"Spread the word. We got a CODE GREEN. Patient elopement. Look for the John Doe!"

I run back to the door and I curse at myself for putting the blinds down.
I run to the bathroom to see if anyone was in there but no one was. Where was John Doe?!
Suddenly, there's chaos outside, security running out as well as the nurses because of the code green. I messed up.
I sigh and walk out of the bathroom, not knowing how to explain this all when I suddenly hear the door of the room close. There stands a guy in a golden mask. My breathing perks up but he tilts his head at me "You're coming with me." I run over to the nurse's bell, to pull the alarm but he's on me in seconds.
And then something pushes into my skin, sharp and it stings bad. And then I'm done. I'm losing myself to the blurry world that goes dark in seconds.

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

Not a healthcare professional so I don't really know medical stuff. This all is just made from my head.

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Love, Hope
♥️♥️