Summary: Your grandmother is about to have surgery, and she's trying to set you up with her doctor, Doctor Melendez.

QOTP: What do you want to happen in season three?

Word Count: 1270

You're halfway across country for work when your grandpa calls and informs you that your grandmother is about to have her long awaited kidney-pancreas transplant because of her Type 1 diabetes and failing kidneys. Of course, you get on the next flight to San Jose, where your grandparents decided to move after retirement.

You run into the hospital room, exhausted and panicked, in the middle of a conversation they're having with the doctor, who — you have to admit — is pretty good looking.

"Hey, Nana," you say, breathless. You lean down and hug her, then your grandpa.

"This is Doctor Neil Melendez," your grandma says to you. Then, she turns to the doctor. "This is my granddaughter, Y/N. And you know-"

"Here we go," your grandpa mumbles.

"- she's about your age."

You sigh. "Nana-"

She cuts you off. "I'm trying to help you, you know. He's a good-looking young man — and he's a surgeon."

"Nana!" you shout, looking at her incredulously. You can't even bring yourself to look at Doctor Melendez to gauge his reaction.

"Your mother would like him a lot," your grandma says.

You almost roll your eyes. "Good for mom. I don't need help; I'm not looking right now. Especially not when you're about to have surgery."

She relents. "Alright, alright, fine. Just keep it in mind."

"Oh, my gosh," you mumble.

Doctor Melendez simply says, "I'll be back with the anesthesiologist," then walks out. He's probably embarrassed — though not a much as you — and who knows what else.

You start to say something to your grandma, then change your mind and follow Doctor Melendez out. He's about halfway down the hall, walking briskly, so you call out to stop him. "Doctor Melendez!" He stops, then turns and walks back toward you, meeting you halfway. You sigh. "I'm so sorry about her. She does stuff like that all the time."

To surprise, he cracks a small smile. "It's alright; I've heard it a few times before."

"I've heard it a thousand," you say, causing him to laugh. There's a long pause after that, and it's then that it hits you — the operation, what could happen. "Um, before you go..." you start, holding back tears. "Do you... Do you think this will work? That she'll be okay?"

He thinks for a moment. "All surgeries have risks — some more than others — and this is no exception. But... she'll be okay. I promise."

You nod, say a quiet thank you, then head back to your grandmother's room. Meanwhile, Melendez is still standing in the hallway, unaware that Doctor Shaun Murphy heard the whole thing until Shaun says, "You told us never to make promises."

Melendez hesitates. "And I was right, you shouldn't."

"Then why did you just make a promise?"

"Because... I'm an idiot."

////

The next morning, it's time for your grandmother's surgery. Your parents, who live on the east coast, are still on their way.

"Good morning," Doctor Melendez says, walking in as the anesthesiologist is administering anesthesia to your grandmother.

"Morning," you grandfather replies, though he's noticeably nervous.

"Morning," you grandmother says. "Doesn't my granddaughter just look wonderful this morning?" she adds.

"Nana."

"Just throwing that out there..."

Melendez chuckles, then changes the subject, telling you how long the surgery will take and reminding you of other basic things.

Just before your grandmother is taken to the OR, Neil makes eye contact with you and nods slightly. You nod back, and then he's gone.

It makes you feel a little less stressed.

////

The surgery took six hours, during which you and your grandfather had to occupy yourselves and your parents arrived at the hospital. Finally, though, it's over, and your sleeping grandmother is back in her hospital room.

"The surgery went well," Dr. Melendez says quietly. "She'll need to stay here for about another week, and she'll have to have regular imaging and check-ups for a while, but she's going to be fine."

"Thank you," you reply, which your grandfather and parents echo.

He smiles, seems like he's about to say something else, then decides better of it and leaves. You look back at your grandma, then tiredly put your head on your mother's shoulder and doze off.

////

"What's wrong?! What's happening?!"

The shouting wakes you, and you're so disoriented that you don't know who the people running around the room are for a few moments. It takes you a few moments more to figure out what's going on.

Something is wrong with your grandmother.

You sit up, panicked. Your mother was already up, so she must've moved you at some point during your nap. There's shouting, but also nurses trying to calm your family down and help your grandmother.

Then, Melendez runs in, surgical residents behind him. You're not even thinking when you say, "Neil?!"

In the two days you've known him, you've never called him that. In fact, you've only heard his first name spoken once. But that's what comes out of your mouth anyway.

He glances at you quickly, but his attention is devoted to your grandmother. To keeping that promise he made.

The nurses have managed to get your family away from the bed, so they're back in the corner with you again, watching. Melendez and the others are saying things you don't understand, then they start pushing her out of the room.

"Emergency surgery," Melendez says quickly by way of explanation. He's nearly out the door when he adds, "I'm keeping my promise!"

"What is he talking about?" your mother asks. "What promise?"

You finally notice the tears coming out of your eyes and close them, taking a deep breath. "She's going to be okay."

////

It seems like days before your grandmother is out of emergency surgery, though it was only a few hours. The new pancreas started leaking fluid into her abdominal cavity, but Melendez and the other doctors were able to fix it.

He looks exhausted when you see him again.

"Hi, Y/N," he says, a small smile on his face. You're a little shocked by his using your name, and he chuckles at your expression. "I just figured we were on a first name basis now."

You shake your head, laughing. "I honestly don't know why I said that. It just kind of... happened."

"Well, I don't mind you calling me Neil from here on out."

You blush. Then, your grandmother — who was talking to your parents — asks, "Are you two flirting?"

"Nana!" you shout. Neil just laughs.

"I'm not objecting," your grandmother replies. "I'm actually encouraging it."

"Me, too," your mother adds, causing you to sigh.

"I am so sorry," you say to Neil.

He laughs again. Then he leans forward a little and talks quietly, preventing your family from hearing. "We could talk privately outside, if you want?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I think that would be best," you reply. You follow him out, ignoring your grandmother and mother's comments.

Once you're in the hall, Neil stops. "I kind of agree with your grandmother, actually."

"What?" you ask dumbly.

"She said you looked wonderful this morning, and that was true. And she really wants us to go out — at least once — and... I do, too," he says, smiling. "I mean, your family already likes me, so why not?"

A smile grows on your face. "I would love to go out with you."

His expression matches yours. "Great. I'm free tomorrow evening."

"Me, too."