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CODE BLUE
015. BREAK ON THROUGH
season two, episode fifteen
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JOANNA ARRIVED IN SEATTLE A WEEK EARLIER THAN PREDICTED. Her off days should have lasted until January 10th, but instead, Dr. Bailey had been placed on house rest and the nurses had gone on strike. Howfucking perfect.
Things were comfortable in Chicago. She could operate in practically any surgery she wanted, she didn't have to fight anyone for O.R. time. She was living with Connor as she had for most of her life. When she was at his house, Connor would assume a parent-like role, and it felt good to be babied by him. To not have to pretend to be strong. She could just be herself, and she would be forever grateful for that.
When she arrived at Seattle Grace Hospital, a large group of nurses was protesting in a picket line in front of the hospital, chanting 'Fair hours, fair wages!' She found her terrified interns standing at the end of the picket line looking at it all.
"Good morning," Joanna said, clearing her thoart, and startling her interns.
"Doctor Rhodes!"
"You are back!" Mia said happily, relief clear in her voice.
"Yes I am," she smiled. "What are you doing standing here?"
"Can't, can't cross the picket line," Adam muttered. "I can't."
Joanna gave the doctor a sympathetic look, wondering if he was feeling overwhelmed by the yelling.
"I don't like it either, Adam," Mia said sweetly. "But what choice do we have? We took an oath to heal. You're a healer."
"Come on, guys," Joanna said, pulling her interns with her. As escorted her interns inside, the nurses calmed down.
She was approached by Katerina, one of the head surgical nurses. "Dr. Rhodes," she called. "We made a list of patients with special care, please make sure they are looked after."
"Of course," Joanna said politely as she took the small notebook from her.
"Ava Jenkins in PEDS, Room Forty-One, Fourteen. It's almost time to change her dressing and it's scary for her but if you sing the alphabet or the 'wheels on the bus' song she can handle it," Olivia said.
"Mrs. O'Brien, Twenty-four, twelve. She'll have a major panic attack if they don't check on her at least once an hour," Tyler added.
"Mrs. O'Brien in twenty-four twelve is allergic to chocolate but she pulls the allergy sticker off her chart every chance she gets," Debbie commented.
