After The Storm (Sequel)

Trial and Error

Liliana's pov

Starting the morning I was exhausted as I prepared for another day working on Kimmie's case. Unfortunately, our project didn't get approved to receive the grant because the panel felt it was too risky, especially for a minor. Alex and I were still moving forward with it even though we had no idea how we would fund it.

We had barely gotten any rest the last couple of days as we tried to make progress with our research. We have been practicing on models, but with no success. This is a surgery that's never been done before and there's still so much to figure out. I was exhausted and drained. I had barely gotten any rest over the last couple of days.

"You okay?" Jackson asked walking over to me in the attending' lounge as I took a Tylenol.

"I'm fine. Just a headache." I waved him off. "I'm exhausted from working on this case." Exhaustion and stress always gave me headaches and dealing with the combination of both it was no surprise that my head was pounding.

"You need to rest. You haven't been getting more than an hour of sleep these last couple of days?" He sighed.

"Once we're able to figure out how to make this surgery possible for Kimmie I'll get some rest." I shook my head as I took a sip of water. "How did Isabella do with daycare this morning?"

"She was fussy this morning. I think the change in schedule over the last few days is making her cranky." Since I've been at the hospital so much lately Jackson has kept Isabella at his house for the last few days. She's never been away from our house for more than two days, so of course she was grumpy.

"I know." I sighed. "No matter what happens with this case I will make sure that I have Isabella tonight. I promise." I said as my pager went off. "I have to go." I sighed.

- -

"Tell me you have good news," Alex said as he met me in the hallway.

"I have good news." I nodded.

"The models are holding up to the ultrasound?" He asks.

"Nope. I  melted three more this morning." I shook my head.

"What? You found a way to dissipate the heat." He frowned.

"Not yet, which explains the melting." I said.

"Okay, you found the right resonant frequency?"

"No, that's the hardest part." I frowned.

"So what's the good news?" He huffed.

"I called in reinforcements." I smiled as we walked into the conference room where Tom Koracick sat.

Everyone seemed to hate Koracick, but I actually found him entertaining as well as a brilliant surgeon. He's Amelia's mentor and he came into town after her tumor removal. While he was here I enlisted his help in the neuro department and from my experience, I felt like he would be the perfect person to assist Alex and I with Kimmie's case.

"Dr. Garcia, how's it going?" He smiled charismatically as he stood up giving me a hug.

"This is the good news?" Alex scoffed.

"Thanks for coming." I said to Tom waiving Alex off. "This is Alex Karev, my partner on this project. It seems you two already met." I said noticing the tension.

"We have." Alex nodded.

"Karev, how do you fit into all of this?" Tom asked. "Neuro. Uh, interventional radiology?"

"No, peds surgery."  Alex scoffed. "My patient inspired this study."

"Oh. When Garcia said "on the team", I figured that meant you were a player, but hey, mascots are important." He said smugly. "Those t-shirt guns don't fire themselves.