As I walk down the path, I spot Michael in the midst of his group of 'friends' before he spots me. I don't know why he still associates himself with them, he's made it very clear to me he doesn't like or care about them. Yet he still walks along almost happily, speaking with only a slight crease in his eyebrows, unlike the usual one. The one I'm used to seeing is as deep as the grand canyon, and I've spent many a moment daydreaming about smoothing it.

His eyes drift between a loud-talking Becky and then Nat, before they settle on me. His eyes seem to light and a grin spreads across his face. That fills me with the most warm feeling of pleasure I've ever felt. It's hard to believe the mere sight of me could fill him with such happiness. I grin back. He looks almost adorable with a hat tucked over his head to shield the cold of New York in November, I just want to hug him.

So when he speeds around his friends to meet me, I do, wrapping my arms around his neck. He pulls me in closer by the waist, to his snow-flecked suit jacket. "Hi," I whisper, resting my head on his chest. "Hey." He smiles, and I can't help but wonder why he's making such a big show of us, I never thought public displays of affection would be his thing.

"You on your way to your dorm?" I nod, smiling. "Yeah." His friends keep walking slowly. I raise an eyebrow as they whisper amongst each other, hushed giggles and words. They whisper, look at me, laugh and then do it again. I've always hated that uneasy feeling, and from the way Becky's frowning with shame, their comments must be terrible.

Michael lifts my chin so I look at him, his smile spreading further. "I'll see you this weekend at the hospital, right babe?" God, every time he says that it's like we've just gotten together again, when in reality it's been more than a week. 

I blink hard, and nod. "Yeah, but I've got a few surgeries, you might not see me much." He shrugs, leaning closer. "We'll find time."

When his mouth latches onto mine, I make it a point to ignore the hoots of his friends a few feet away from us. He chuckles, parting from me gently and swiping his thumb over my cheekbone. "I'll see you then. Yeah?" I nod, standing there as he backs away slowly. "Sure thing." He bites his lip staring at me, and then slowly turns, running to catch up with his friends. I hear the vague sound of them teasing, pushing his shoulder, but he brushes it off.

Ana walks up beside me, frowning. "I seriously thought it wouldn't last more than five minutes." She adjusts her wool scarf, and as she frowns at something in the distance I find myself thinking of the cruelties of wool production. I should be thinking of what she did.

I shrug. "Whatever. What could go wrong?" I keep walking, but she doesn't follow."

"Everything." Her voice is hollow and lonely, but knowing. What could she know that I don't?

****

I toss my bloody scrub cap into the associated bin before leaving the OR, swiping my hands together happily and approaching the nurse's station. I need to update the post-op charts. 

My body shivers involuntarily as Michael slides up behind me, his arms wrapping around me from behind. "Wow, you smell like sterilizer." He whispers in my ear, his fingers digging into my scrubs just a little bit. I jump, smiling. "Yeah, it was a good surgery. The aneurism popped and squirted blood all over me, but after that it was very fun."

I look up to see Will frowning at us as he erases the sections of the OR board, the surgeries that have already been performed. Michael follows my gaze, pulling me even closer. The tension is hard to move and breathe through. Fed up with the constant competition between them (which to me is completely ridiculous given the fact that Will is my boss) I look down and ignore it.

"I'm not hip with this whole... Will thing. I see the way he looks at you." "Michael," I sigh, trailing off and not bothering to finish the sentence. "Tellhim to fuck off." I shake my head. "I can't do that, he's my boss." "You can and you will," He says sternly, turning me to look at him. "It's not appropriate. Not to mention..." He leans in closer. 

A trend I've noticed in the time we've been together is that he only seems to be into the affection when someone else is watching. I always thought It would be the oppossite, but I guess not. It shouldn't bother me, but my gut is getting on my nerves these says with all these allegations...

"Fine. I'll tell him whatever's happened has to end now." He nods once, kissing the tip of my nose in a very un-Michael like manner. "Good. I don't want him to look at you... or even breathe near you. That's my job." I guess I shouldn't mention how close he got to me while 'instructing' me on how to clip an aneurism. Though he knows I could've done that in third grade.

I turn back to my charting, but Michael doesn't seem to be going anywhere. "I'm gonna be at the house tonight," He purrs into my ear, leaning even closer. I hear the sound of the phone ringing in the background, someone should answer that, it could be a patient in need. "So you're gonna come see me right?" 

I shrug, distracted by the phone. "Maybe, I guess if I can find a ride-" "Good." He leans into my neck, and just as he's about to make contact, a male voice scares us both. "Junior!" Will barks, his eyes narrowed into two small slits.

"Yeah?" I gulp, suddenly having the urge to shrink down and hide under the nurse's station. "Phone." He mutters, holding up the receiver. I didn't even see him walk over here. Michael glares daggers at him and Will returns the hatred, letting the phone clatter on the desk before I rush and pick it up.

"Hello?" "Skipper!" Moonsie's urgent and strained voice sounds through the reciever. Warmth spreads through me, I haven't heard my mother's voice since she dropped me off at school over a month ago. I had no idea what was in store. Speaking of, Michael winks at me, and mouths 'be there at 9' before speeding off. 

"Moonsie! It's so good to hear from you," I smile. "Never mind that! Where are you?" She chokes, and I practically taste how stressed she is. "What? What're you talking about? I'm at school, remember? New York. How did you get this number?" She doesn't even know about the internship. "Um, I don't know... but please, you know that I hate liars." "Liars? What are you talking about?" "That pipe-dream school of yours in New York! You're 11 years old, you should be focused on where you are." "11? What're you talking about, I'm 15-" "And you know there's no way I could afford that no matter how many shifts I took at the diner-"

"Moonsie! Don't you remember? I'm 15, and you dropped me off here at St Mary's Prep School and College at the end of September." There's a long pause, where only her breath can be heard through the microphone. "You are?" She asks weakly. "15?" "Yes, Moonsie." I answer softly. She's always had spells of forgetfulness, it's always been her, but this is worse... worse than I've ever seen before.

"And you're alright?" "I'm perfectly fine." I assure her, nervously tapping my fingers against the counter top. "Alright.... I was just worried, I... didn't know where you were, you didn't come home from school..." It's 8:30 at night, but I don't point that out. "It's fine. Why don't you get some rest? I'll see you during the holidays, alright?" "Right. I love you dear." I return the affection before hanging up the phone.

Gears turn in my mind, worry flowering in my chest. Moonsie's never forgotten my age or where I was. As an aspiring Neurosurgeon, this scares me and baffles me out of my mind. Maybe she's just having a bad day, it couldn't be evidence of any medical problem. Yes, that's what's happening. Moonsie had a long day at work, and she just needs some rest. I'll give her a call sometime in the near future to make sure she's ok.

As I walk down the snow-dusted concrete path leading from the hospital, I can't help but think about Moonsie again, think about her and obssess over her well-being. I wish harder than I ever did that I had a father, because if I did I'd know that someone I trust is there to take care of her. 

There were always little things, she would forget the names of things, put things in the wrong places. I never worried about that, until now...

I should go and do some studying, get my mind off of it, or sleep on it. Moonsie will be just fine. She will.

****

The time Moonsie forgot to pick me up from school in 1st grade plays through my head, I remember it vividly. It's one of my first memories of her spells, it's funny how they only started happening after my Dad left. I was so small, the smallest in my class (I still am unfortunately), and I was the only person left at school at 6:30 at night. Me and the Janitor, who waited with me so he could lock up the school after I was gone.

She claimed to have a busy shift at the diner, and she forgot all about me. I believed her for a few days, until she forgot to feed my dog Ezra. He 'ran away,' but I never told Moonsie that I knew the truth. I just began walking to and from school, promising to meet her at the diner right after.

"Hello! Earth to Princess Skipper?" An irritated male voice snaps me out of my walk down memory lane. My heads snaps up to the figure in front of me, Michael, with an angered look on his face and his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes are angry, almost cold. "What the hell?" He grumbles. "What's your problem?" I demand. I was so lost in a trance I couldn't feel the numb cold in my fingers or his presence as he walked across the campus to meet me. 

"Last night!" I cock my head in confusion. "What?" "I asked you to come see me at my house last night, and you didn't come. I waited half the fucking night for you!" I blink rapidly, shaking my head. I completely forgot about him, worries about Moonsie's mental health were clouding my mind. For some reason, I don't wanna tell Michael about this. It seems a little too private, even for my boyfriend. It seems a little too private, even for my boyfriend. It sounds weird still to call him that.

"I... don't have a car, Michael. It was late, I don't really wanna talk to Ana at the moment, and it's not like drive myself." I know it's weak, but it was the best defense I could come up with and refrain from mentioning Moonsie.

He scowls, looking off into the distance. "You don't have a car. That was the only problem there? You didn't feel it necessary to maybe... call?" I almost laugh in his face at that suggestion, thinking about how awkward it would be to call Michael. "I don't have your phone number." "Yet you have Will's," He points out angrily as he stalks away from me.

"Michael-" "End of conversation." He snaps, disappearing into the glittering white flakes falling from the sky. Of course he's pissed at me.

Michael is always pissed at me. It seems never-ending. 

GOD SORRY FOR THE LATE UPDATE GUYSSS. I wanted to update yesterday but.... shit happens :) I kinda hate this chapter and I don't know why but oh well. Vote and Comment, that would be amazing!