Magic Smile

Chapter 7: Aftermath (Part 9)

Dr. Karev and I walked out of the OR silently. I wasn't sure if this was the moment I would get fired or congratulated. I did a very risky thing.

"You know I have to tell Bailey right?"

"I understand Dr. Karev." I really didn't want to understand but of unfortunately I did. I'm an intern with no true surgical experience and I just performed a solo appendectomy. Sure Dr. Karev was there the whole time, but he didn't give me any instruction and I just went with my gut.

I worked with the gut of a Montgomery-Sloan. Dad would be proud of me for sure. Mom... she might freak out a bit, but oh well. I just rocked my first surgery!

"Dr. Bailey may I speak to you?"

"What is it Karev I have a colon transplant I need to attend to." Dr. Bailey easily sized us up. For such a tiny lady she sure had the fear factor down.

"It's more of a private matter Chief." I could tell Dr. Karev was trying to get Dr. Bailey away from any crowd but she just would not budge.

"Whatever you have to say Karev can either wait or is just not important."

"Y/n just performed a solo appendectomy." The words quickly came out of Dr. Karev's mouth and within one second Dr. Bailey's jaw dropped to the floor. Considering her stature it wasn't that far, but still very scary! I swear I peed my pants a little.

"Karev are you telling me that an intern performed an appendectomy alone in my hospital?!" Dr. Karev's face flushed as did mine. My palms even got super sweaty. This is definitely going to be the moment I get fired!

"Yes my patient Mia Alvarado had a duplex appendix that y/n caught. I removed the first one, but Mia soon started coding and I had breeched the sterile field. Had the procedure not been done in that moment Mia would have died." Dr. Bailey's lips pursed and she walked right up to me.

Her coffee brown eyes darkened into charcoal as she spoke.

"That girl is to have the best aftercare treatment possible Dr. Montgomery-Sloan. And you better pray to whatever you believe in that you are not a dud. Do you hear me Dr. Montgomery-Sloan?"

"Yes Chief Bailey. I can assure you Mia will get my full devotion."

"Good." And with that Dr. Bailey walked away to perform her colon transplant.

"That went way better than expected." Dr. Karev said with a smile.

"That was better Dr. Karev?" My heart was still thumping out of my chest but according to him that was better. Being fired would've been less scary!

"Yup, now I want you to monitor Mia and only Mia. Page me when she's awake." You nod and start to walk away.

"Oh and y/n?"

"Yes Dr. Karev?"

"Good work today. You'll make an excellent Peds surgeon."

"Thank you Dr. Karev."

"Alex."

"Thank you D-Alex." I don't understand why everyone has him pegged as a jerk. All you have to do is get to know him a little. Alex and I parted and I smiled to myself brightly. I changed into a fresh pair of scrubs and wanted to tell someone I did my first surgery!

The first person that popped into my head was Dr. Robbins. I could picture her smiling proudly at me which made my heart flutter. I saw her on the way to Mia's room, but she only gave me a quick glance before shuffling away.

Ever since we shared that moment in the locker room Dr. Robbins always had to leave in a hurry when I was around. It kind of made me sad. I wasn't sure what I'd done wrong. She was the one who chose to comfort me not the other way around. 

...

I'd spent the last two hours staring at Mia's vitals before she finally started to wake up. I immediately paged Alex.

"Who are you?" Mia asked. I could tell she was pretty groggy, but there didn't seem to be any obvious damage.

"I'm Dr. Montgomery-Sloan. I helped Dr. Alex perform your surgery today."

"She did a great job Mia. You were in the best hands." That soft angelic voice most certainly did not belong to Alex. She said I have the best hands! I swear I almost squealed.

"Dr. Robbins!" Mia smiled at the door frame where the blonde was standing. Dr. Robbins came in the room with her hands in her coat pockets.

"How are you Mia Pia?"

"Sleepy." She was rubbing her eyes and yawning. There was no doubt she'd need lots of sleep while she was here.

"Do you think Dr. Alex and Dr. Montgomery-Sloan did a good job?" Dr. Robbins asked and again she was looking at me with those clear blue eyes like she could hear my thoughts. Hopefully she couldn't hear my thoughts because that would be embarrassing to say the least.

"Yeah Dr. Montgummy-Slow is magic!" At that moment Alex walked in.

"Dr. Alex!"

"Mia!" Alex checked Mia's incisions, making sure the stitches weren't tearing. He gave Mia a few high fives and the three of us left her room. Dr. Robbins was paged away leaving only me and Alex. She always had to leave before I could even think of talking to her about anything other than labs.

"You really did a good job Gummy Bear." Where did that name come from?

"Gummy Bear?" I wasn't sure if it was meant to be an insult or endearing. And I definitely wasn't sure if I liked it.

"Yeah your name is so damn long that you needed a nickname. And all the kids can barely pronounce it. Both Mia and JJ called you Montgummy which reminds me of Gummy Bear."

"I do have a first name." I laughed quietly.

"Yeah, but I like Gummy Bear and interns don't get to pick their own nicknames."

"What was yours?"

"Evil spawn, Dr. Yang gave me that one and it kinda stuck." Alex laughed to himself. It was like he was remembering that moment because his eyes became misty and far away.

"But anyway go have lunch and I want updates every hour Gummy Bear!" Alex said as he walked away. Looks like Gummy Bear is going to stick. It's a good thing I don't hate gummy bears.

I was ready for a full meal when I met Stephanie in the lunch line.

"Did you really perform a solo appendectomy?"

"Alex did most of it I just removed the second one." I shrugged at Stephanie as I got my food.

"A duplex appendix! Those are practically unheard of y/n and you caught it not Karev! Was he angry? I heard he's a real jerk!" Why did everyone say he was a jerk? Where did that even come from?

"He's not a jerk Steph, but no he wasn't mad. I think he was impressed. I just did what any surgeon would. Besides I heard you clipped an aneurysm with Derek!" Those were freaking cool! An appendectomy is so routine.

"I made one incision y/n! You cut out a whole appendix! You're like a god! And it's only the second day!" I am pretty good, but truly I think it was just luck. I'm just glad Mia is alive and healthy.

Steph and I continued eating and it felt good to finally have something in my stomach that wasn't a smoothie or water. Besides Stephanie was pretty cool. I stood with a stretch as my pager went off.

It was mom...911!