A Doctor's Dirty Secret [Yellow Perch and Koe-chan]

[BlaqueCatt]

"Isaac, where's your sister?" The auburn-haired young man sighed, lifting his light blue gaze from the pavement of the driveway and turning his attention to his mother. She was pacing back and forth in front of him, her blonde hair flowing loosely from her bun. She had undone her tie and switched out of her heels, but the stress of the workday in the office was still evident in the creased lines marring her pale face. They were waiting for Adelaide, his twin sister, to finish getting ready so they could go out to eat with Mr. and Mrs. Walters, his mother's childhood friends. His mother and Mrs. Walters had stayed in touch since high-school, and they had become even closer since the death of his father.

 

"Hurry up, Ada!" he called, moving away from the side of the car that he had been leaning against. It was cold despite the early spring season, and he didn't want to be stuck standing outside for longer than he needed to. He also wanted his mother to have some time to relax, and his overly-energetic sister was making that nearly impossible. I can't believe we're twins, he thought with a scowl, his eyes narrowing. She's just so...ugh. Isaac and Adelaide were almost identical despite being different genders, so from afar it was easy to tell that they were siblings. However, the similarities stopped there; they were complete opposites when it came to personality.

 

"I'm coming!" a high-pitched voice sang from the doorway as Adelaide skipped out of the house, making sure to shut and lock the door behind her. She had long, straight auburn hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, one that was so long that it reached her tailbone. She had the same eyes as Isaac and their mother, and the same pale skin and delicate facial structure. But while Isaac was dressed in simple jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt, she wore vibrantly colored knee-high socks with a puffy skirt and a t-shirt with a kitten on it. Their mother sighed quietly when her daughter arrived, and Isaac's eye twitched. There's no way she's 19 years old. She dresses like a child. Ada grinned up at Isaac, as she was shorter than him, with mischievous eyes.

 

"Ready to go, little brother?" she asked, laughing when his scowl deepened. She loved to tease him, and it especially bothered him when she acted overprotective.

 

"You're only a minute older than me," he snarled, but she ignored him and raced to the passenger seat.

 

"I call shotgun!" He rolled his eyes, but forced a smile for his mother.

 

"Do you want me to drive?" he asked. She returned the smile, but shook her head.

 

"Thank you, but I can handle it." The older woman slid into the driver's seat, and Isaac took his place in the back.

 

 

Adelaide chattered nonstop for the first half of the ride, up to the point where Isaac was sure that he was going to explode. He forced her to stop and put on music instead. It was just his luck that the radio started blasting pop music, and he covered his face with his hands, groaning internally.

 

"We'll be there soon," his mother reassured him a few minutes after they reached the highway. "It's not too far--" She was cut off by Adelaide cry of, "Mom, look out!" and barely had time to turn her head before they were rammed in the side by a large SUV. Isaac grabbed the seat beneath him and Adelaide latched onto the hanger above the door as their mother struggled to take control of the car and swerve out of the way. The driver of the SUV seemed incapable of stopping, however, and continued to push them. Adelaide screamed as they were pushed off of the highway, the side of the car breaking through the guardrails before the vehicle tumbled down the small hill.

 

Due to the positioning of the car, the back was the first to hit the tree. Isaac's eyes widened, and he let out a grunt upon impact, his body lurching towards the window, his head partially shattering the glass. The force left him instantly unconscious, pieces of glass sticking out of his hair, face, and chest. His head lolled to the side, almost hanging out the window, the rest of his body limp. It took a moment for Adelaide and their mother to recover from the shock, but once they did they were asking each other if they were all right.

 

"I'm fine, mom," Ada said, "are you?" The blonde nodded, twisting in her seat to glance backwards.

 

"Isaac--?" Her hands flew to her mouth as she gasped, her face as white as a sheet. Next to her, Adelaide, whispered, "Oh my god." "Isaac!" The two of them struggled out of the ruins of the car, their mother going to her son while Adelaide took out her cellphone and called for an ambulance.

 

"I can't get him out!" the older woman sobbed, reaching through the hole in the window to gently stroke Isaac's now bloody red hair. The car had been vertically crushed, and Isaac was trapped between the front seats and the tree. "Isaac, wake up! Isaac!" Tears were streaming down her face, and she only looked up when Adelaide approached.

 

"T-the ambulance is on it's way," the young woman stuttered, her hands trembling. She moved to touch Isaac, but froze when she heard a low whistling. It took her a moment to realize what it was, and suddenly she tackled her mother, rolling them out of range before the hood of the car exploded. The force caused the vehicle to lurch sideways, and Isaac was pushed away from the window, his torso skidding across broken glass before smacking into the opposite door.

 

"Isaac!" the two women screamed once they were on their feet again, having been momentarily dazed by the explosion. The front of the car was on fire now, and their mother dropped to her knees, unable to stay standing. They were frozen for several minutes, staring in horror at the wrecked car, before they were swarmed by EMTs and a rescue squad.

 

As the rescue crew worked on putting out the fire and extracting Isaac, the EMTs brought Adelaide and their mother to the ambulance to check them over.

 

"We're fine!" Adelaide snapped, glaring daggers at the men and women in front of her. "It's my brother that needs help!" One of the men pushed her down gently.

 

"We'll get him to a hospital," he reassured them, and they visibly relaxed when someone shouted that they had freed Isaac. "You can ride in the ambulance with him."

 

It had taken only a few minutes for the ambulance to arrive at the hospital, but for the two women it felt like years. Isaac was brought to the emergency room, as shrapnel had embedded itself into his side after the explosion, and while Adelaide and their mother didn't want to leave him, they knew that they would only get in the way. On the overhead, a woman's voice called for someone named Bucher.

[YellowPerch]

The days duties for Doctor Busher consisted of clinic duty and assisting in two surgeries that were scheduled both for earlier in the day. No more then an hour between the two. He was currently in exam room three with a a young teenage patient worried and anxious about his diagnosis with his out of control acne. Doctor Busher knew very well that the young boy was causing the aggressive acne by applying women's blush on his face to cover it up. After prescribing an acne cream of high quality and informing the patient to stop covering his face with make up he left the room to head back to the clinic desk. Jessica was the clinic receptionist and kept all files of patients for that day in order. Doctor Busher, noticing that she was currently on the phone nodded to her and placed his file on her keyboard. Jessica threw him a thumbs up and went back to her phone call.

 

Doctor Busher looked at his watch: 6:15pm. His shift still wouldn't end for another forty-five minutes. He sighed, but quickly received the next patient file. The last patient file for the night. Doctor Busher was headed to exam room one when not only his beeper went off but an intercom announcement of his presence was needed immediately. Placing the file down on the desk he wasted no time rushing to the ER. Once he had gotten there he had found an ambulance bed being wheeled in, heading for room four of the ER

 

"No not that room!" He called out to the nurses and paramedics wheeling the bed. "That room hasn't been cleaned yet. Get the patient in room six."

 

In no time at all the patient was rolled into the room, lifted onto a hospital bed and his file was being read to Doctor Busher. At that same moment, Doctor Busher was being sterilized and prepared for the examination. With his gloves on and wet with alcohol and his mask pulled over his mouth and nose Doctor Busher began his work.

 

"Nurse, tell me what happened. I need my tools!" The nurse with the file stepped out of the way momentarily so that the others can assist him. "Nineteen year old boy named Issac. Car accident occurred and the vehicle exploded. Due to the explosion he was impaled by metal from the car." Doctor Busher scowled at the state the patient was in. Instantly prioritizing the metal instead of the glass he began his work. As he did so, the nurses as skillful as they were began cleaning the patient of the glass.

 

Doctor Busher was working fast at making incisions around when he could and pulling the metal peace, as gently as he could, out of the patients side. Even in his unconscious state the patient groaned in pain. As much as he was worried about the wound, he was concerned about the patients state of consciousness.

 

"How long has he been in an immobile state? He asked whoever would answer him. Luckily enough he had one of the paramedics filling him in on all they knew from what he was told. "He was unconscious when we got to the site."

Doctor Busher scowled at that. That meant that the patient hit his head in the accident. Which also meant that he could have serious head damage.

"As soon as we are done with this I need a CAT scheduled stat!"

In unison, the nurses all assisting him answered.

 

It was long and treacherous work. But after a long, long hour, possibly even longer, no one was really keeping track of the time, the most worrisome of the situation was done. The metal in the patients side was removed and his wound was stitched. Nurses were working on removing the last of the glass shards. The patient was put on a blood transfusion. Once all the shards were removed the patient was moved into a room so he could get a CAT scan done. Doctor Busher would take this time to speak with the family. To learn more and assure them that the patient would be okay now.

 

Doctor Busher removed his gloves. Grabbing the end of each pair and rolling them into the other. He left the mask on, not until he left the ER did he actually begin removing his mask. He let it hang from his right ear as a nurse caught him in hopes he could sign something. When she left and turned to face down the hall where he hoped to find the family another nurse caught him instantly.

 

"The CAT scan shows no damage to the skull." She waited for him to answer before leaving.

"The CAT is good. I don't see anything that was caused by the accident. I'll be going now to speek with the family. Make sure his IVs are set up right and that he's comfortable." He turned as the nurse did and the left in their own separate ways.

[BlaqueCatt]

After being cleared by the EMTs, Adelaide and their mother had joined Isaac in the ambulance on their way to the hospital. The blonde woman had held her son's hand the entire time, and it took some coaxing for Adelaide to get her to let go once they arrived. Both of them wanted to be there for Isaac during the surgery, but they knew that they would only be bothersome, so instead they went to the waiting room. While Adelaide stood with her arms crossed over her chest, eyes locked on the door to the emergency room across the hall, their mother sat completely still, her head in her hands and her eyes closed as she tried to steady her breathing. Her husband had died in a car accident, and she wasn't sure she would be able to come back if she lost her son as well.

 

"Mom," Adelaide murmured, and the older woman looked up as a young doctor with vibrant pink hair approached. She stood with her daughter, both of them about the same height, and tried to compose herself. Her business face was nowhere to be found, however, and she bit her lip to try and hold back tears. Beside her, Adelaide took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

 

"How is he?" she asked, her voice a shaky whisper. There was a desperate light in her bright blue gaze, as if she were refraining from letting herself become too hopeful. For once in her life, Adelaide's expression was stoic, her eyes hard and guarded as she stared at the man in front of her; her protective streak had appeared, and those who were close to her knew to be wary when she was in such a state.

 

Meanwhile, Isaac had been brought to a new room, one that was unoccupied by another patient, after the CAT scan. There had been no damage to his skull, but the brain was a tricky thing, and it would have to wait until he woke up for the doctors to get a more accurate diagnosis. The nurses had undressed him for the surgery, and he was clad in the traditional hospital gown when he was placed in the bed and covered with crisp white sheets. His pale skin was covered with bandages; his arms, legs, and torso had been wrapped to cover the wounds caused by the glass and metal, and gauze was also tied around his head where a gash had appeared when he hit the side of the car. They had given him pain medication, but not enough to keep him asleep. It was necessary for him to regain consciousness, and if he didn't, it meant that there was more to his injury than previously thought.

[YellowPerch]

Doctor Busher approached the only two women around the waiting area of the ER. As soon as he was within three feet of them they both stood. He sympathized with the mother. Although her stance showed how strong she could be, her expression and about-to-cry eyes told him she would break down any moment. No matter the news was good or bad. The young girl beside her held strong. He could tell that she would keep strong for her mother. He stopped in front of them and let a small smile cross his face.

 

"The surgery went well. He made it through without any problems at all." Then his smile left him. "However, he still hasn't woken up. The gash on his head seemed to have done its job in causing him to lose blood. But even if he was just knocked unconscious, he should have been showing some sort of sign of waking up....and he hasn't"

 

Doctor Busher waited a moment in case the two had anything they wanted to ask him. When it was his turn to speak again, he added:

"He did lose a good amount of blood. He's on a blood transfusion as we speak. We also have him on pain medicine, not enough that will keep him sated, but enough to null his pain. A CAT scan was done on him and nothing bad showed up in the images. Unfortunately, with his brain being more inactive then not, we can't really tell if there is something causing him to remain unconscious. I'm afraid to say it, but our only option right now is to wait for him to wake up on his own."

[BlaqueCatt]

Their mother released the breath she hadn't know she had been holding and covered her face with her right hand, inhaling deeply through her nose as she tried to calm herself. It was a relief to hear that the surgery had gone well, and it took all of her willpower to stay standing and keep from sinking into the chair behind her. Adelaide grasped her arm gently yet firmly, holding the older woman's trembling body upright. A few moments passed, and then their mother lifted her head, blinking away the tears with a determined expression on her face. Her hands clenched when Dr. Busher said that Isaac still hadn't woken, but she had steeled herself by this point and was confident in her ability to remain steady. Both she and Adelaide nodded after the pause, and they listened intently when the man continued.

 

"May we see him?" the younger woman asked, staring up at the doctor with wide blue eyes that sparkled with an array of emotions. "I...we know we can't do anything now, but..." She trailed off, swallowing the lump in her throat--her voice had cracked--and continued, "We want to be there for him." Bills and other potential financial issues were the farthest things from the minds of the two women. All they cared about was making sure that Isaac was okay before learning the visiting hours and going home. They would need time to recover from the shock, but they would come back each day, praying desperately for the young man to wake up.

[YellowPerch]

Doctor Busher gave the mother credit. If he had known his own mother like he did, he knew she'd be in tears. Holding herself in a ball on the floor. He was sort of glad, he realized, that he didn't have to try and comfort the mother like he's had to before. It was never an easy topic. He smiled once more when the mother asked if the two could see the patient. A nurse ran over to him and handed him a chart. Skimming it ever so quickly, he closed it again. Looking up at the two again he nodded and answered:

 

"Yes, you can see him. He's stable right now and in a relaxed state. I'm sure it wouldn't hurt for the two of you to go and visit him."

 

With those words he turned and had them follow him. When reaching the room he turned back to them and let them in first. He pulled his stethoscope from around his neck and listened to the beat of the patient's heart. Nothing was abnormal, all was good. Then he lifted the sheets and hospital gown to take a look at the wound. It was still very tender, he could tell by the color. Putting the the sheet and gown back he wrote something in his chart. He noticed the two family members watching him. Doctor Busher spoke up to them.

 

"For now he should be fine without anymore check ups. A nurse will be in every two hours to take a look at his IV drip and give him mre medicine if he needs it. I'll let the nurses know, but the two of you are more then welcome to stay the night. I can pull in a cot or two for the both of you if you find sleeping in those chairs might be uncomfortable. I will be here for another half hour, if anything is to happen please call out to me. I'll be in that office across the hall."

 

He pointed out the door to a small office just across from the room they were in now. It was a joint office for the doctors on duty for the ER. Of course he wasn't on duty. But he was willing to stay after his scheduled hours to make sure a patient and their families were comfortable. After taking his "bow" he closed the door behind him, leaving the mother and sister in the room with the patient.

[BlaqueCatt]

Before the doctor reached the door, the older woman reached out and gently grasped his sleeve, willing him to face her. When their eyes met, there was a small smile on her face, and her gaze was full of gratitude. "Thank you," she said softly, and her grip tightened slightly. "Really, I..." She sighed and shook her head. "Just, thank you." She pulled away and took a few steps back, folding her hands in front of her. There was a brief pause, and then she dug into her pocket, pulling out a slightly bent business card. "Here, if he wakes up while I'm working," she said, handing it to the man. It read, Bethany Ellis, Emerson's Real Estate. She nodded to him again, then turned back to her daughter, who was sitting in a chair by the side of the bed.

 

Adelaide sat completely still, her hands in her lap, staring at Isaac with an incomprehensible emotion in her eyes. Her back was rigid, and it seemed as though she was thinking very deeply. Bethany knew not to disturb her daughter when she was like this, so the mother took a seat in the other chair. She reached out and took Isaac's hand, rubbing her thumb over the pale skin in soothing circles. After a few moments of this, the tears began to fall again, but silently. Bethany sniffed softly, wiped her eyes with her sleeve, then abruptly stood. "I have to call the others. I don't want them to worry." Adelaide nodded, and her mother bit her lip. "I'll get drinks. Do you want anything special?"

 

"...just water." Bethany sighed inwardly, then made her way down the hall to the cafeteria. Adelaide closed her eyes once she was gone, inhaled deeply, then shut the door. She stood with her hand against the wood for a minute, then returned to the bed. She buried her face in her arms, and now that she was alone, she broke down into near hysterical sobs. This went on for a while, and she forced herself to stop when she heard someone approaching. She furiously wiped her eyes and steeled her expression just as Bethany reentered. The mother had a knowing look on her face, but said nothing, simply handing her daughter a water bottle. They spent the next two hours in the room, but they couldn't stay the night. Bethany had to work and Adelaide had a job interview in the morning. After a few kisses and whispered words, the two women left the hospital.

[YellowPerch]

Doctor Busher was nearly stunned by the gentle grasp of his sleeve. He listened to her heart felt thank you and smiled with a nod upon her finishing. When she handed him a business card he read it. Noticing both her name and number. With this he wouldn't have to bother the with gathering information they already had or needed to confirm. He went through all his preparations before leaving the room.

 

It wasn't until he finished his paperwork for his clinic work did he notice the sister of his patient leaning against the wall. Then he watched as she returned to the room and sat on the chair. He knew all to well what those things meant. He watched too many family members swallow their pride and hide away their emotions. He felt an overwhelming feeling of pain ran through him. He was about to stand up and offer his advice to her when the mother returned. He sat back down and pulled out the business card.

 

Bethany Ellis. Mother. He pulled out the file of his patient and wrote that down. He began reading through it. Checking off what he needed to and adding information in. He took note of the vitals recorded at such a time and recorded so and so's name for who took the vitals. By the time he was done with all of that, he noticed his shift had ended thirteen minutes ago. He also noticed Bethany and her daughter leaving the room of his patient. Sliding his white robe off his shoulders, hanging it up where his spring coat was and grabbing both his coat and laptop bag he locked out the office door. Hoping to catch up with them.

 

When he found them again he called out. Not loudly, but enough for them to hear him. Luckily he was born with the graces of having such a heavily low voice. "Mrs. Ellis?"

[BlaqueCatt]

Bethany paused mid-stride when she heard her name being called. She turned, slightly surprised to see that it was Dr. Busher, as his low voice did not seem to match his appearance. Adelaide seemed anxious to leave--she was more emotionally drained than she had ever been, even with her father's death, and the pain conflicted uncomfortably with her bubbly personality--so the blonde handed her daughter her purse and said quietly, "Call a taxi and wait for me outside." The younger woman gave her mother a grateful look before taking the small handbag and continuing towards the elevator. Meanwhile, Bethany closed the distance between herself and the doctor and put on a friendly smile.

 

"Hello, Dr. Busher. What can I do for you?" Part of her was expecting horrible news about Isaac--something they may have just discovered--and her heart clenched at the thought. Now is not the time to be getting depressed, she scolded herself in an attempt to keep from reverting back into the uncharacteristic wreck she had been earlier. Adelaide and Isaac need me more than ever now. "Is...is everything all right?" she asked after a moment's hesitation. Her piercing blue eyes scanned the taller man's face as she searched for an answer in his expression.

 

While the mother and doctor talked, a nurse entered Isaac's room to check his IV and take note of his vitals. She gave him a small, pitying smile as she gently tucked him in and brushed the hair from his eyes. The smile vanished, however, when she saw a speck of red on the pure white pillow. Carefully, she tilted his head to the side, her green eyes widening as a sizable amount of blood revealed itself. Swallowing, she turned on her heel and marched over to Dr. Busher, her face calm yet her pace urgent. She inwardly cursed when she noticed that the patients mother was with him; she wouldn't want to hear this. "Dr. Busher," she called, trying to ignore how the mother flinched, "They need your help in room 3." This was a lie, and it was with relief that the nurse saw Bethany relax. When their conversation was over, she would inform the doctor that the other surgeon that had been working with him on Isaac had forgotten to check his ears for debris.

[YellowPerch]

Doctor Busher noticed the uncertainty in Bethany's stance. When she enclosed the rest of the space between them so that they could speak comfortably he quickly spoke to ease her mind. Knowing very well that she was now worried he had some dreadful news about her son.

 

"Do not worry. Your son is perfectly fine. I wanted to inform you that I have been assigned as your sons primary doctor in this case. My team and I will be the ones personally handling your son and his condition."

 

He smiled down at the woman. Comforting her with his words as he also held out his hands. He continued to speak.

"I'm currently heading home at the moment, but I have both my pager and cellphone on so that I can be called at any time."

 

He wanted to make sure that she understood he was determined to keep her son safe and comfortable throughout his time here at the hospital. Living by himself in a studio apartment made it easier to stay and leave when he needed to. Which was good, because being a doctor in training you never knew when you'd be called. When he was about to say more to the woman a nurse, walking urgently came towards them. Calling to him as she did so.

 

Worried that it was this woman's son he asked hurriedly what was needed of him fr the nurse to be calling to him. Luckily she was calling him for some other reason. Saying his goodbyes to the mother he left with the nurse back to the ER area.

"What's happening in room 3?" He asked the nurse beside him as he dropped his coat and back at the nurses counter so that he could go check on the patient.

[BlaqueCatt]

When the man told her that her son was safe for the time being, Bethany visibly relaxed and her smile became less forced. Raw emotion welled up in her eyes with his words, and it took all of her willpower to keep from crying again. "Thank you so much," she whispered, as she was able to hear the honesty in his voice. He truly wanted to take care of her son, and for that she would be eternally grateful. I may not have been able to save Thomas, but I will not lose my son to the same fate. She was placated for the moment, and even though she was startled by the sudden appearance of the nurse, she felt much calmer than she had before as she approached the elevator that would take her to Adelaide, who was waiting outside the main entrance with a taxi.

 

Once Bethany was gone, the nurse's false easiness faded and her mouth settled into a thin line as she grimaced. "It's not room 3," she explained, not seeming guilty at all. "I didn't want her to worry, but it's about her son." A flash of irritation sparked in her gaze, and her body trembled with the aura of her maternal tendencies. "I found blood on Mr. Ellis' pillow. I think there's debris lodged in his ear that the surgeon with you forgot to check for." She snorted, grabbing Yuki's hand and dragging him briskly towards Isaac's room. "When I get my hands on him, he'll be sorry! We work so hard, and out priority is the patients, yet he ignores something this dangerous!" The anger vanished and was replaced by worry. "He could have permanent hearing issues because it was left untreated."

[YellowPerch]

The minute the nurse spoke he stopped walking. Finding out that the nurse had lied for good reasons, he became concerned and anxious when she spoke of his patient's name. He hadn't exactly spoken until the nurse grabbed a hold of his hand and bruseguley began pulling him to Isaac's room. When she mentioned debris being lodged in Isaac's ears he immideiatley began wlaking faster. Even passing the nurse, already pulling out his extra gloves form his pants pocket and slipping them on.Clearing his throat and speeking, a determined and stern voive broke through the room.

 

"Get the surgeon here now! If I recall his shift ends at 8:30. I need another nurse in here!"

 

He didn't have his tools on him. Having left them in his bag at the nurse's station. Luckily enough a nurse came running in with her own set of tools. She handed him the otoscope and as Doctor Busher set it in his his ear so he could see the nurse checked his vitals. Looking in his right ear first, Doctor Busher did find the debri. A good amount of it stuck right in his ear canal. He clicked his tongue, a motion he never used in his office of work. But the fact of his partner having missing this upset him.

 

He backed away, walked to the other side of the bed and found the same amount of debris in Issac's left ear. Finished, Doctor Busher backed away, gave the nurse back her otoscope and shouted for the three nurses at the station.

"I need him back in the operating room! We need to remove the debris in his ears!"

 

Instantly the nurses began to work. Scurrying around the ER area like little mice scurrying to escape. However, the nurses had experience in this. They new just how to run and dodge when needed. Issac was moved to room two and placed on the operating table. In that time Doctor Busher was being prepped once more for surgery. A surgical cap on his head, a surgical mask covering his mouth and nose, surgical booties were put on over his shoes and a surgical gown was slipped on and tied behind him. He was ready for surgery now. And there was no way he was going to let anything else happen to his patient. Even if it cost him his job, Doctor Busher was willing to help his patients to no ends.

[BlaqueCatt]

Even with all of the people rushing around him with their loud voices and the clattering of tools, Isaac did not wake up. This would have been extremely alarming if not for the fact that for the first time since the accident, he showed some sort of response to stimuli. When the otoscope was inserted into his right ear, which was significantly more damaged than his left, his upper body twitched and he made a soft sound of distress in the back of his throat. Two of the nurses noticed this, and they shared a look of relief before lifting the young man onto the gurney that would transport him to the operating room. "He's not unresponsive anymore," they reported as they pushed the padded cart alongside Dr. Busher. "That rules out a coma." A coma had been what the doctors and nurses had feared the most, and a great weight was taken off of their shoulders when they discovered that it was no longer an option.

 

While the surgery was being prepped, the nurse who had found Yuki had made her way to the employee lounge where Dr. Stephen, Dr. Busher's partner, was sorting out papers before placing them in his briefcase. Her sharp green eyes narrowed, and she stormed over to him, not even bothering to conceal her fury. He jumped slightly when she stopped in front of him--as she had slammed her foot down rather harshly--and smiled upon recognizing her. However, the smile faded when he realized just how furious the woman was.

 

"What's wrong?" he asked, genuinely confused. Dr. Stephen had always been a bit spacey, but he was kind and it had never interfered with his work before. At least, not before that day.

 

"The patient you performed surgery on was found bleeding from his ears!" she snapped, as if that explained everything. And to a doctor, it did. His face visibly paled as the error of his ways fully dawned on him.

 

"Oh my god...I'm such an idiot!" He was on his feet in an instant, not even bothering to stop and call his wife to let her know that he would be late getting home. While Dr. Stephen cared about his patients, it was not to the dedicated extent of Yuki, and because of this he found himself worrying about the state of his job and his reputation as much as Isaac's well-being. It was too late for him to take part in the procedure, so he stood outside the door to the operating room, trying to ignore the dark glares that the more sensitive nurses gave him.

[YellowPerch]

Yuki had already started the surgery. There was no time wasting. The amount of blood Isaac had already lost was unnatural and settled uneasy in Yuki's mind. He held out his hand to a nurse who passed him a pair of tweezers. These were different from normal tweazers. These were longer and slimmer. Used specifically for removing unwanted things from someone's ears. It was time consuming, and every couple of minutes he needed to stop and move away for a nurse to wipe the blood away.

 

He noticed the slight glares of his nurses looking behind him. Curious he looked back, there he saw Doctor Stephen standing on the other side of the door. Looking in through the small window on the door he could tell the guilt the Doctor felt. But now wasn't the time to work everything out. Without acknowledged the other doctor, Yuki returned to removing the debris. It was harder now, the blood that rapidly poured it's way out of his ears was making his canal black.

 

He grimaced and squinted, trying to use his head lamp and magnifying glass to find the debris. Fifteen excruciating minutes later only the left ear was done. Yuki turned to a nurse who wiped away his sweat with a towel. He looked at the vitals machine, nothing was wrong. Nothing out of the normal. A nurse wheeled his stool he used over to the other side of the bed. She then wiped the blood from Isaac's right ear just before Yuki began working once more.

 

Ten minutes passed before Yuki realized that he wouldn't be able to get the last piece of debris out. He backed away and removed his blood covered gloves before heading to the door and talking through the small intercom to Doctor Stephen.

"I'm going to have to cut and open his ear more. The last and biggest piece is lodged to far into his ear canal that I risk damadging his ear drum. You know very well what will happen if I have to do the surgery as well."

 

Doctor Stephen nodded and sighed heavily. Because of his mistake, this young boy could suffer severe ear loss. He pressed the button to the intercom to speak back to Yuki.

"You have to do it, Doctor Busher. We will deal with his ear loss when the time comes."

 

Doctor Busher stood quiet for a moment. Then nodded firmly, before going back to the table and Isaac. He grabbed another pair of gloves.

"We are going to operate. Keep cleaning out the blood when I need you to. We can call the Mother tomorrow morning."

[BlaqueCatt]

The surgery was a relative success, but the original lack of treatment did not go unpunished. While the debris was cleared and Isaac was not rendered deaf, he would have extreme sensitivity to loud noises as well as occasional lapses of the ability to hear. After the procedure, which had taken over an hour, Isaac was returned to his room and kept under constant surveillance should the bleeding resume--it was not unheard of for fresh wounds to tear, especially while the patient was asleep. Nurses trailed in and out of his room throughout the night, and for that period of time there was no change in his condition. He was stable and sleeping restfully, and there was no cause for alarm. However, the next day brought with it both a pleasant and an unwanted surprise.

 

The nurses had reported nothing wrong, but it was Dr. Busher's duty to see to his patient, so before he made the call to Bethany the nurse in charge of Isaac's care at the time accompanied him to the room. She wrote something on his chart before handing it to the taller man and excusing herself. At first, it seemed like nothing had changed. A few moments after the nurse exited the room, though, the young man on the bed twitched. He inhaled deeply, then let out a soft groan of pain an confusion as his eyes fluttered open. Crystal blue eyes, much lighter than that of his mother's, squeezed tightly together before opening. He winced at the brightness of the fluorescent lights above him, but when he moved to roll onto his side and hide his face in the pillow, a sharp pain flared in his side.

 

"What...?" He slowly sat up, one hand covering his eyes. His head throbbed, his side burned, and there was a strange, dull ache in his ears. Where am I? He took a moment to steady himself, then lowered his hand and blinked several times before glancing around the room. The first thing he noticed was the white interior. Then he registered the bed, and the monitors, the bandages and the smell of antiseptic. I'm in a hospital. But why? Suddenly his focused switched to Dr. Busher, who was standing by the doorway. Isaac frowned, his skin unnaturally pale from blood loss and his bright red hair drooping in its disheveled state. He must be my doctor. "Why am I here?" The roughness of his voice surprised him.

[YellowPerch]

With the surgery lasting as long as it did, even though it was a success, Yuki had decided to spend the rest of his night at the hospital. He slept when he could, and woke every two hours to check up on Issac. On any normal day, Yuki would be up at six o'clock, gearing and ready to go to work. This morning however he stayed in his make shift bed he had put together on the floor of the on-call doctor's office. When seven o'clock came, Yuki groaned and woke slowly. His back was sore, and he was pretty sure he would have a good kink in his neck all day.

 

Around seven-thirty, Yuki had managed to look somewhat presentable. In his bag he always kept a change of clothes, tooth brush and paste and a small container of hair gel. Being able to change his clothes felt good, and although he couldn't shower, the gel helped maintain his hair like he always did. His only problem now was having to shave. A five 0'clock shadow covered his chin. He scratched at it and sighed. There was no helping that case. Then he brushed his teeth. And immediately he felt so much "fresher".

 

He needed to call the mother. But before doing so he would check in on Issac first. The nurse who worked with him last night accompanied him to Issac's room. As he went about check his vitals and what IVs needed to be changed, the nurse checked and wrote in his file. After having done so, she passed the file to Yuki. He walked over to the counter that stood closest to the door and began reading the file. He had no idea what was happening behind him.

 

When he stepped towards the door to take the file back to his office and call the mother, did he hear a voice. He stopped, listened. Then heard it again. He spun instantly looking at the boy on the bed. Yuki's eyes widened ten times bigger then normal. At least, that's what it felt like. He called out of the room.

"Nurse!"

 

As he waited for the nurses to come in he sat beside Issac, using the typical doctor's stool. He smiled at Issac and started checking his vitals all over again. Even if the patient didn't like all the commotion at once.

 

"Hello Issac. My name is Doctor Busher. I've been in charge of taking care of you while you were here. Can you tell me what happened? What caused you to come to the hospital?"

 

He finished checking his vitals. Took out a pen from his white lab coat and opened up Issac's file. His vitals had gradually gone up, now that he was awake. Yuki waited for Issac to talk before doing anything else. He even ignored the nurses now as they went about checking everything Yuki didn't

[BlaqueCatt]

The young man winced slightly when Yuki shouted for the nurse, and the tingling in his ears became more of a pulsing. He closed his eyes for a moment, fighting a bout of nausea. When they reopened, he was surprised to see the doctor sitting right in front of him. How did he move that fast? The other man either had super-speed or Isaac was having trouble processing what was going on around him. "Hello Isaac, my name is Dr. Busher." A frown appeared on the red-head's face, and he studied the pinkette's expression, seemingly searching for the answer to an unspoken question. There was no response, however, and Isaac sighed as he subconsciously held out his arm for the nurse to draw blood, not even paying any attention to her. It was clear that he was naturally calm and intuitive.

 

"I don't know what happened," he admitted, startling a few of the nurses. "Everything before now is either blank or too fuzzy for me to understand. I didn't even know my name until you told me." His facial features remained neutral, as if he was used to suddenly waking up without a clue as to who he was. Internally, Isaac was battling between the side of him that wanted to freak out and the side that was trying to analyze the situation. The struggle was hurting his head even more, so he shut out his thoughts and focused only on what was in front of him, namely the doctor, whom he hoped could explain what had transpired.

[YellowPerch]

"You...didn't know your name until just now?"

Doctor Busher stopped and closed the file. He put the pen back in his front coat pocket and asked the remaining nurses to leave the room, closing the door behind them. He looked back at the boy and furrowed his brows together. He didn't understand why he would-He realized, was it possible, Issac developed amnesia. With his head injury it was very possible. Yuki checked Issac's head injury while he told him exactly how he got there.

 

"You were in a car accident Issac. According to the police report, and your own family, the car swerved and rolled off the road. It hit a tree from its side with you sitting in the back seat. You suffered a great injury to your head, hence why its wrapped in gauze. And had to undergo two surgeries from the accident."

He pointed to both injuries. The one in his side and then his ear.

"Speaking of surgeries. How does your right ear feel? Can you hear me alright?"

 

At this time, normal doctors would be taking down notes. Writing all of this down in their files. But at that point they no longer became a doctor, but a counselor, a records keeper. Doctor Busher didn't want to be that, he wanted to understand his patient more. Yuki waited for Issac to process this new information. Now might even be a good time to call the mother. If Issac didn't know his name, then it was very possible he didn't know that he had a family either.

[BlaqueCatt]

Isaac was slightly surprised by that information. I was in a car accident? But I don't usually drive. He frowned suddenly; there was something--or someone--he was trying to remember, but nothing was coming to him. No...she usually drives. A blurred image of a woman popped into his head, and while he vaguely recognized her, he couldn't place a name to the face. He bit his lip, his brows furrowing as he sank back into his thoughts. He said I was with my family...is she my mother? An aunt? There was a brief pause, and then he realized, They'll be upset that I've forgotten them. Isaac sighed, releasing his lip from his teeth; he wasn't really looking forward to the inevitable confrontation he knew that he would be having with the unknown woman. He didn't think he disliked his family, but he had a feeling that there was one member who was, in his opinion, outrageously hyper.

 

"I can hear you," he responded to the question instantly, lifting his blue eyes to meet the doctor's gaze. "But there's a strange ache, and sometimes your voice echoes." Subconsciously he put his hand to his side, placing his palm gently over the bandaged wound. The searing pain had faded, but there was still a dull reminder of its presence. I have amnesia and needed two surgeries...It must have been a pretty bad crash. His expression hardened. "The to women with me--" How do I know there were two? "--were they injured as well?"

[YellowPerch]

Doctor Busher nodded when Isaac responded to his question. He would make sure to lower his voice just a bit more in hopes he coould keep the sudden echoing from happening. He wouldn't want to cause Issac too much discomfort. Then he scrunched up his face in confusion. He can remember there being two women with him in the car. But that's about all he could remember for now. Yuki answered Issac's question in a quieter tone then he used previously.

 

"The two women, your mother and sister, they didn't suffer any life threatening injuries. A couple of scratches and a bruise or two is all they got."

 

Doctor Busher held out his hand and had Issac squeeze it as tightly as he could. Nothing in his brain was affecting his sense of touch. That was good. He then had Issac follow his finger with his eyes, without moving his head. All was good with this test as well. All in all, his brain didn't seem to be seriously affected by the accident. Which meant Doctor Busher could give his all into trying to help Issac regain his memory.

[BlaqueCatt]

So one of them was my mother. He was relieved to hear that neither one had been seriously injured, but for some reason he had a feeling that his mother was blaming herself for the accident. Was--is--she that kind of person? Isaac obediently squeezed the doctor's hand as hard as he could, and his show of strength reassured the fact that there was no problem with his motor functions. His crystal blue eyes followed the doctor's finger, and though the action gave him a small headache, it wasn't a major problem. That's all well and good, but what about my ears? Even with surgery I don't think his sounds should be as distant as they are.

 

"Were there any complications with the surgery?" he asked, leaning back against the pillows, which a nurse had propped up against the headboard. He was glad to be awake, as he felt as though he had been sleeping forever, but while his mind was active his body felt sluggish. It was obvious that he needed to rest, but he had many questions. "And what about my memory? Will it come back with time or will I need therapy?" The thought of having to talk to someone about his emotions was unappealing, as he was a very private person, but he would do it if he had to. For himself and his family. Speaking of which...I don't remember him mentioning my father. Do I even have one? The thought brougth with it an ache in his chest, which only served to confuse him.

[YellowPerch]

Doctor Busher allowed Issac to rest for the time being. He would check back in with him later for his ears. After just waking up after some time meant he would need time to gain all his senses back. Yuki made sure to note his functions in the file later, he didn't want to miss information that might be needed later on. Yuki gently pulled back some of the bandadge of Isaac's head wound, then did the same to his side wound. He wanted to make sure none were needed of any urgent attetion. They didn't, they were definitely swallen and red, but there was no need to worry about them. Even the stitching was holding like it should have.

 

"The surgery went well. We were able to remove the glass shards that littered your skin, and were able to stitch up your wound without any problems."

Doctor Busher pointed to his right ear, indicating Issac's own ear surgery.

"And your ear surgery went better then I had thought. I was worried that you would have lost all your hearing abilities."

 

He smiled at Issac, relieved to the most he could be, that the boy was as responsive as he was. Even coma patients take days to regain senses and start to respond. Doctor Busher thanked the nurse who had propped the pillows for Issac s she left the room and turned back to Issac just as she exited the room.

"Issac, do you remember your mother and sister's names? Do you remember anything else now that I've said anything to you."

[BlaqueCatt]

The red-head's eyes had slipped closed while Yuki was checking over his wounds, and while he flinched and made quiet sounds of discomfort, he didn't give the other man any real recognition until the doctor spoke again. He blinked and turned his head to look at the pinkette, trying to ignore the irritation he felt when his eyes continued to try and close against his will. So it went well. Maybe this is just a stage. Unfortunately, Isaac would have to live with sensitive hearing for the rest of his life, but it wouldn't be majorly debilitating. "Not anything concrete," he replied, shifting a bit as he tried to get more comfortable. His head had started to hurt again, and his vision was slightly fuzzy as he was being overcome by exhaustion.

 

"I think that my mother is an emotional person. And..." He paused, trying to find the right words. After a moment, he scrunched up his nose, making a face. "I think my sister is really annoying." He probably shouldn't have been saying such things about people he barely remembered, but he was never one to tell a lie to make people comfortable. He was very blunt at times, though he was very good at reading people. "Actually..." His voice had gotten softer as he started to drift off. "You never mentioned my father...was he there too...?"

[YellowPerch]

Doctor Busher noticed with each question and action he took, that Isaac was gradually growing tired. Unfortunately he would need to keep Issac awake for at least another hour before he could get some rest. Then he would call his mother and tell her about everything. When Issac mentioned the feelings he got from trying to remember his family he chuckled. Holding up his hand in apology.

 

"Forgive me for laughing. I'm glad you have some sort of memory. You can feel inside you what it would be like if you had completely remembered them. That's a good sign that your brain is trying to function the right way."

 

Yuki was going to call in a nurse as he stood up from his stool when Issac spoke up again. This time asking about his father. Yuki slightly let his shoulders slump. He himself didn't know the history of not seeing his father here, nor if he even had one. But he was not about to lie to his patient.

 

"I'm sorry, Isaac. Since you first came yesterday afternoon, I haven't once seen your father." He shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't even know if you have one. I wasn't given much of that information yet for your file. I'm about to go call your mother, though. Would you like me to ask her at all? Or would you like to ask her yourself when she comes to visit you?"

 

While waiting for Issac's response he waved down a passing nurse and asked her to get some medicine for Issac's discomfort. Although, he never said anything, Doctor Busher could tell by his flinching and small movements when he examined him. And then asked to get some medicine to keep his system awake, so that he wouldn't fall asleep within the hour he needed to be awake. When she left he turned all his attention back to Issac.

[BlaqueCatt]

Isaac sighed heavily, trying not to express his annoyance at the fact that his body refused to listen to him. It was rare for him not to be in control of himself, and this was an experience he wished he could have avoided. "Don't worry about it," he mumbled, waving his right hand in a gesture of dismissal before resting his palm on his forehead. The lights were beginning to affect his concussion, and the throbbing in the back of his head had returned. "I'm sure you're not the only one who has laughed at Ada." His eyes flew open despite the pain, his expression one of shock. My sister's name is Ada? His gaze met Yuki's, gauging his reaction; however, it seemed that the doctor hadn't noticed, as the older man was hung up on the fact that he knew nothing about Isaac's father.

 

"I'll ask her," the red-head responded, his lips pressing into a thin line. "I feel strange when I try to think about him, so it's likely that he's not around. It would probably upset her if you asked over the phone." There was a pause, and then he added, "It would be best if you told her about my amnesia when she arrives. I...I think she might not take it well if she's alone." His eyes closed again and he rubbed his temple with two fingers. While it would be a relief to take something for the pain, he disliked the idea of being so drugged that he couldn't do anything--not that he could do anything at the moment--and his wary expression as he watched the nurse leave conveyed that clearly.