"You're still doing the volunteer thing on Saturday right?" My father's gruff voice pulled me from my thoughts the next afternoon.

I looked up at him. He was dressed for surgery.

"Y-yeah," I stumbled over my words.

"Good." He leaned against the frame of the door. "I want to have the Walton name there."

"You could've done it," I pointed out as I closed the chart I had barely been paying attention to.

"I'm on call Saturday," he replied.

"Or you just don't want to do it." I clicked my pen as I leaned back in my chair. "It's important to Mom though, so you're forcing me." I gave him a knowing smile.

"No one likes a smart ass, Reed." 

He pushed himself up and walked away. I shook my head as my phone began to vibrate violently. I picked it up and saw Declan's name.

"Hey," I spoke into the phone.

"You called last night?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to make sure that you were alright." I twirled my pen between my fingers.

"I was fine. I just went to see..."

"Jillian," I finished his sentence for him. "You really need to cut that out. You're playing with fire."

Declan sighed. "Reed could you stop being my psychiatrist and just be my friend."

"I care about you."

"Maybe I need you to care a little less right now," Declan responded. "Spencer and Adam are doing a good job of that."

"Yeah, speaking of those two," I carefully considered my words, "what set you off last night?"

"Don't worry about it," Declan answered. "Less psychiatry, more friendship."

"This is me being your friend."

I heard radio chatter, but couldn't make out the words.

"Control, Adam 147," Declan mumbled quickly, but still clearly enough for me to hear. "I gotta go, Reed."

He hung up the phone before I could even say goodbye. I put my head down on my desk and closed my eyes. The memory of Piper's rejection played through my mind and I cringed.

Idiot.

My phone rang again. This time it was the nurses' station. I picked it up.

"Dr. Walton." I ran my fingers through my hair.

"I noticed something on Jakub's bloodwork and I think you should look at it," the nurse said.

"I'll be there shortly."

I stood up and grabbed my lab coat off the back of my chair. I walked out to the nurses' station and stopped in front of the desk.

"Can I get Jakub's chart please?" I asked the nurse sitting at the computer in front of me. 

She rolled her chair over to where we kept all the charts. She came back and handed it back to me.

I furrowed my brows. "His potassium really jumped."

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Likely the diuretics," I mumbled.

The nurse hummed in agreement. 

I put the chart down and pulled out my prescription pad. I quickly scribbled on it and handed the paper to the nurse. "Give that to pharmacy." I shoved the pad back in my pocket. "I think I'll go visit him."

The nurse raised her eyebrows. "I can just give him the meds when they come in."

"He's my patient." I shrugged. "It's my job."

With that I took off down the hall. I did my best to calm the knots that were forming in my stomach. I had mixed emotions; a slight sense of worry that Piper would be in the room, at the same time knowing that I only offered to come down here to try and see her again.

As I reached the door I put my fist up to knock, then hesitated. I began to question if I was getting in too deep here. Crossing lines I didn't want to cross, but at the same time battled not to. Before I had the chance to overthink too much, I felt my knuckles make contact with the door.

"Jakub?"

"I'm here," his frail gravely voice  called from behind the curtain.

My heart thundered as I slowly peeled back the curtain. I could feel my whole body slump when I saw it was just him in his bed watching an episode of Jeopardy.

"No visitors?" I asked.

"My son is stopping by later." Jakub's face lit up. His happiness lifted my mood slightly; there was something about the old man's smile. "Piper was going to come by, but her sister is coming to town so she called to tell me she had a few things to do to get ready."

"You're very loved," I commented.

"Never take family for granted." He used his good arm to point and articulate himself more.

I smiled, but didn't respond. I felt unsure how to tell a man who believed so strongly in family, that I questioned its validity.

"W-well, I came here because we got your blood work back." I tripped over myself a little as I turned my attention to the door, hoping it would open despite what Jakub had just told me. Focus. I turned my attention back to my patient.

His eyes went wide. "I'm not dying am I?"

I chuckled. "If that stroke didn't kill you, Jakub, I'm not sure anything can."

He smiled warmly.

"Your hyperkalemia is high... I mean... your..." I shook my head.

Did I just tell him his condition was high?

"Are you okay, Dr. Walton?" Jakub asked.

"Y-yeah." I nodded. She's not here, just do your damn job. I took a steady breath. "As I was saying, your potassium is high and a nurse will be by with medication for you."

His smile had disappeared and concern had taken its place. "Is it dangerous?"

"The potassium?"

He nodded.

"It can be. If untreated it can lead to cardiac arrest," I answered.

"I see." Concern danced across his wrinkled face.

"Don't worry, Jakub. Under my care, that won't happen."

His smile reappeared. "I trust you, Dr. Walton."

"Alright, you rest up. And let the nurses know if you need anything, okay?"

Jakub nodded, "Okay."

"Alright." I turned and left the room.

I felt guilty for only visiting my patient on the off-chance I would see his granddaughter. It wasn't who I was. It wasn't the kind of doctor I wanted to be. What I had just done was something my father would do, and if there was anything I was completely sure of in this life, it was that I didn't want to be him.

That Saturday I checked my bag to make sure I had everything I needed.

"Extra scrub top," I muttered to myself. "Stethoscope."

I thumbed through one more time, then zipped the bag up. I carried it out to the elevator where I pressed to go down into the underground garage. When the doors to the elevator opened I pointed at my BMW and I heard it chirp it's announcement of being unlocked. I tossed my bag across to the passenger seat and slid into the driver's side.

I hit the push start in the center console and the engine roared to life. I peeled out of my parking spot and made my way out onto the busy Indy streets. The skies were grey and rain was threatening to fall. I was grateful that I wasn't going to be working outside in the usual heat.

When I arrived at the race, I was met by someone at the entrance. I held up my pass and he directed me to the area that I needed to go.

It was crowded and I could see runners stretching. Spectators lined the sides of the track, loud and rambunctious before the race even began. I saw the tent with the giant red cross on it and I knew that was where I was meant to be. I walked inside and bumped right into a familiar face.

"Piper."

I looked beside her to see a woman with black hair but the exact same vibrant green eyes and large amount of freckles.

"Oh, it's you."