Asystole ✷ Mark Sloan

𝟬𝟰𝟰 the dominic effect

𝙓𝙇𝙄𝙑.
THE DOMINIC EFFECT

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I DIDN'T TELL anyone about Petunia.

When Eli asked me if the meeting went okay I just shrugged and off-handedly joked that I was "still standing".

He told me he was pleased and that work would be boring without me and the conversation moved onwards. He didn't ask any questions and I didn't answer any. I was fully aware that shooting my mouth off over a legal situation was not the way to go. I clocked out that evening and made brief eye contact with Katherine in the hallway on my way out.

From the look on her face, I half expected her to pull me into her office for a quick chat, but she kept walking and left me alone to my thoughts.

The rest of the week was uneventful. Easing into January in Seattle felt bizarre, in all honesty, it felt as if no time had passed at all. Consultations flew past, appointments seemed to take half the time and every conversation I had felt empty and completely useless.

I didn't hear about the lawsuit at all, nor did Mark or Arizona approach me to talk about it again.

Before I knew it, Charlie was due home in a day and I was receiving an invitation from Derek, inviting the two of us to a dinner scheduled couple of hours after Charlie's flight was due. He branded it as returning the favour but also mentioned that he had big news.

I eyed him suspiciously but agreed to turn up: I figured that it would be nice to spend an evening outside of my apartment for a change (I hadn't done anything social since Christmas and I almost didn't recognise myself as the introvert I was becoming). I relayed the invitation over the phone to Charlie. I could hear the hesitation in his voice:

"Uh, actually, Andrew needs me to stay in Boston for a couple of more days."

"Oh."

I couldn't cover my disappointment.

I was stood outside my apartment, waiting for some takeout to arrive, arms crossed tightly over my chest as I'd forgotten to grab a sweater. It was Friday night and I'd clocked out early. I scratched my cheek and breathed out, watching breath condense on the air in disdain. His words caused me to frown and want to kick something across the sidewalk. I was really beginning to hate living alone.

"I swear it'll only be a couple of days," His voice sounded small like he was trying not to speak too loudly. It made me wonder idly where he was and what he was doing. "Andrew's kicking my ass about not being here and we've been working overtime trying to get some legal stuff sorted out- even had to fly in Dom from New York?"

Dom. The last puzzle piece of their three-man band.

Calum, Dom and Charlie had all been best friends in college. Both Calum and Dom were distinguished lawyers and were now universally our point in call for any help we needed. Of course, I'd briefly considered calling either one of them for legal council, but I figured that the hospitals' legal team were enough.

Plus, I was hesitant about telling my friends about another professional mistake I'd made when they'd all fought so hard for me to get back on my feet. Dominic Fox was a big indicator that Charlie was really dealing with some shit.

And Dom, well, he didn't like me much anymore.

"Is everything okay?" I sounded tentative.

If Andrew returned Charlie to me all battered and bruised I was going to be peed off. He was already working him to the bone.