Annie just finished up stitching up a little boys arm and placed gauze and some tape over it. She looked toward the parents who were clutching each other in a death grip looking at what just happened with their son. The 9 year old was playing catch outside with his dad when all of a sudden he jumped trying to cleverly catch the ball. Instead of catching it, he fell right into the glass door shattering it and cutting his arm with a piece of glass stuck deeply inside his flesh.

She turned completely in their direction. "He will be in pain for the next week, try not to have water penetrate the wound as much as possible. You need to change the gauze every day and place a new one. I suggest giving him children's Ibuprofen for the pain, but make sure he takes it with food." She advised, while they nodded in understanding.

"You will also need to make a follow up appointment in five days with his primary care doctor for a check-up. His doctor should be able to remove the stitches in about two weeks, maybe less." She continued as she jotted notes in his file. "Do you have any questions?"

"No, thank you for taking care of our son." The father spoke up.

Annie smiled at them, "You're welcome, take care kiddo." She winked at the boy and smiled, he waved to her with his good hand. She closed the door behind her and went directly to the nurses station, finishing the chart notes.

Annie ran a hand over her face tiredly. She took a glance at her watch, two more hours to go...it was one of the longest, slowest days she's felt pass by. Although they were busy in the ER, it wasn't intense and chaotic like it usually was which Annie was relieved for.

She's paying the price for over working herself this past week. She was utterly exhausted, and all she wanted to do is sleep.

"Hi there, how you holding up?" Mark, the chief of staff came behind her and whispered in her ear. She looked back at him, his face only mere inches from her own. He smiled handsomely. His dark eyes narrowing as he studied her.

She liked Mark a lot, he was charming, easy going and incredibly handsome, but he wasn't Julien. She didn't feel a strong connection with Mark but friendship now, her crush on him long gone.

Julien pushed her passed her comfort level, he tested her limits and kept her wondering his next move. Mark was Mark. Although a player, he had a good heart and she just knew he didn't play games when it came to her.

She smiled at him and looked down at his lips which were beautifully shaped for his strong features. "Fine." Annie whispered back, looking back down at her paperwork. She squirmed in her seat as Mark stayed hovering, invading her personal space. She started toying with her ID badge that was around her neck.

"You look beat down, been a long time since you've been here." He commented as he grabbed a near by chair and sat next to her. Annie was relieved when he sat down, being able to breath normally again. He took out a pen and snatched the chart she was working on.

"How'd the kid do? Is he doing okay after you gave him the stitches?" He scribbled his signature to finalize the discharge papers on the chart.

"Yes, he did fine. And I explained everything the parents needed to do post treatment." Annie explained. Mark handed her the boys chart and sat back in his chair lazily.

"It's been a rather steady day, you wanna catch something to eat with me, I'm taking a break, and as I said before you look beat down, looks like you can use it."

He had a point she was beat she couldn't wait to go home and relax.

"You know Mark, I have a very demanding job with my father's company, it isn't easy. I've been finalizing contracts and reports all week, it's been exhausting." She told him as she sat back in her chair and stretched her arms up. I've been working even harder to avoid him, she told herself. 

"I know, and thank you for filling in today, you're a great asset...so how about it, go out on a date with me?" He smirked his charm shinning through. He was definitely persistent. 

"I'll grab something with you but to consider this a date, out of the question." She smirked back at him.  She enjoyed teasing him, he was easy to talk to.

"Deal." Amusement dancing in his eyes. He held out his hand for her to shake.

She shook his hand, "Deal." He held her hand and stood up pulling her up with him.

"At least it's a start." He winked.  Annie rolled her eyes at him.

He turned to one of the nurses, "Sandy, I'm taking a short break, I need to grab something to eat, if I'm needed page me. Oh, and Annie is coming with me so have someone cover for her."

The nurse smiled at him sweetly, "Yes sir." A slight blush staining her cheeks as she looked down. Annie wanted to laugh out loud at the display but held herself in check, some things never change she thought, shaking her head.
*********
Annie and Mark were heading toward the entrance of the ER's sliding glass doors of the hospital's entrance. A man burst in carrying what looked like an unconscious woman in his arms, shouting "I need a doctor!"

Annie didn't pay attention to the man or his voice or she would have recognized it was Julien. All she could think about is how to get this woman help. Her instincts and training came to the forefront as she and Mark spurted into action.

"Get me a gurney right now!" He screamed at a passing nurse.   "What happened?" He asked the man as he took the lady from his arms. Annie looked down at the female and her breath caught in her throat, Oh no Phaedra! She then looked up and saw Julien in a distressed state.

He instantly saw her as well, his eyes widening and understanding settled in their depths. "She was pale in the morning and in a lot of pain, she is on her monthly cycle. I came back from work to check on her but she wouldn't respond.  She looked paler and her skin was cool to the touch. I checked her pulse and it was weak. I came here right away." Julien explained. 

Mark put Phaedra down on the bed a nurse rolled towards him and put a still unconscious Phaedra down. Annie and Mark quickly started rolling her away towards one of the ER rooms, Julien behind them.

"I need an IV started right away, blood needs to be drawn and sent to the lab ASAP! Get body warmers started and place them around her body along with warmed up blankets." Mark directed to Annie, she nodded and ran out of the room to get what was needed quickly.

"How long has she been on her period? Is it heavy? How many pads is she going through a day?" Mark shot off his questions one after the other in Julien's direction as he checked her eyes with his flashlight. He went around the bed to the other side and started up a monitor hooking Phaedra to it.

"I don't know! I'm her brother. All I know is that I have never seen her like this before." Julien answered him.

Annie walked in with another nurse and started applying warming bags around Phaedra's body along with a blanket. Annie took out Phaedra's arm and prepped it enable to withdraw blood. She glanced in his direction and instantly felt something deep within her open. He looked so lost and helpless and incredibly panicked for his sister.

She look out the syringe and withdrew one tube of blood placing a cotton ball in place of the needle, placing tape over it. "Take this to the lab immediately, test for blood type, abnormalities and blood loss. I need the results back immediately!" Annie directed the other nurse and she rushed out holding the blood. Annie continued working setting up an IV.

Mark rushed out the door and came back quickly rushing back to Phaedra's side. He put smelling salts under her nose trying to wake her up. Her head immediately jerked to the side.

Mark, Annie and Julien sighed in relief as they witnessed the movement.

Annie glanced back at Julien as he raked his hand through his hair, exhaling loudly then looked back to Phaedra. "Phaedra look at me, can you tell me what you have been feeling, you're at the hospital..." Annie talked in a comforting tone but Phaedra only looked at her confusion.

"Why?" She croaked, her voice was strained, barely loud enough that they could hear and squinting against the light.

"You're at the hospital Phaedra, I'm Mark your doctor, we need to know what you're feeling, you were unconscious, are you in pain?" Mark tried.

Phaedra looked his way confused, her eyes scan her surroundings and saw that she wasn't in her room or on her bed.

Julien approached her bedside, the worry evident on his face. "Answer them, love. I found you unresponsive and rushed you here. Tell them what's the matter." She stared right into his eyes for a moment then she looked away and placed her hand on her pelvis. "I-It hurts h-here...I feel cramping, a-and weak...I'm on my period and I have a very bad headache." She told them as she clutched her head turning it to the side.

Mark and Annie looked at each other. "How long have you been on your period? Has it been heavy...?" Annie asked her soothingly.

"It's been 3 days and I-It's been very heavy. I am in so much pain, I can't take it anymore..." She began crying. 

Annie took her hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly. Her other hand brushed Phaedra's hair from her face. "Shhhh, you'll be okay, we're here to help. How many pads do you go through in a day?"

Phaedra sniffled, Mark handed her a tissue from the table on her side. Julien came to Annie's side closer to his sister and squeezed her leg that was covered with blankets. "I-I don't know...a lot, it seems like every two hours it was full. And the cramping never passed..."

"I'm going to go check on the tests, you're feeling the symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome, and the excessive bleeding is what is causing you to be weak. We've set you up on an IV," Phaedra looked down at her arm. "You're most likely iron deficient, the tests will tell us more...I'll be right back." Mark informed them and exited the room.

"Phaedra I'm going to go get you a heating pad for the cramping, heat usually helps, and I'll grab you a pad too. Do you need anything else?" Annie asked. Phaedra shook her head and smiled weakly at her. "Okay, hang in there... One of the nurses will be here with you until I get back." She squeezed her hand again and turned glancing at Julien from under her lashes.

He stared at her, an unreadable emotion crossing his features. She side stepped him and left. Goosebumps erupted on her skin knowing he was watching her leave. Feeling lightheaded suddenly, she shook her head awake. She went to the nurses station, instructing one of the nurses to stay with Phaedra until she got back.

Annie made her way to the employee supply room swiping her ID badge in order to grant her access. She located the section she wanted and heard the door she entered from close and found the heat pad and then the menstrual pads, cradling them in her arms. 

She laid her head against the shelf needing a few seconds to take deep breaths. He overwhelmed her senses and they had seen each other for only fifteen minutes. This is why she avoided him, her feelings and emotions always made her feel weak and conflicted. Oh did she try to act indifferent, holding her emotions in check and she felt like she succeeded. But all the times she's avoided him came rushing at her all at once like a speeding train.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Annie stiffened, straightening away from the shelf and slowly turned to that smooth British accent. She held her breath.

He had followed her into the supply room...

She knew she was pale from her fatigue but she felt whatever color she might have had left drained from her face.
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Thanx, Shaz