burn. mark sloan

18

I was filling out paperwork for Sloan like I always am, as I let his coffee get cold next to me. When I heard a familiar voice. "trade you?" Vicky called out who was also filling out forms.

"Vicky." I said as I walked up to her. She looked like she could use some comforting.

"Insurance forms. Donna gets the surgeries and I do the forms. Super fun." Vicky joked with a smile.

"You seem to be handling this remarkably well." I complimented her for being very supportive to her uh husband? Wife? Her significant other!

"Well I left at first. When she-when he told me. You plan a life together you know? Kids and suddenly that's all out the window. Suddenly your husband is this other girl in your house who's borrowing your eye liner and waxing her legs." Vicky explained making my heart physically feel bad for her but we were both still smiling.

"But you came back... why?" I asked. Some might say I'm prying a bit too much but I do get very involved with my patients.

"Honestly, right now. I have no idea...I'm really going to miss the penis." Vicky told me as we both went back to filling out paperwork.

"Maybe Sloan will let you keep in a jar." I joked and immediately felt like shit for saying that. Mark and Alex must really be rubbing off on me. I should've said something more supportive not you could keep in a fucking jar!

"Sorry, oh my gosh. I am so sorry." I immediately started apologizing for that completely unnecessary and unprofessional comment but she just laughed.

"No it's fine." Vicky continued to laugh at my comment so I allow myself to laugh with her.

"I have to get Donna's test results. I'll see you later Vicky." I excused myself after looking at the time. Hopefully everything is okay, this couple does not need anymore drama.

I got the scans and the test results. I'm not supposed to look at them before Mark but fuck that. I pull them out of the yellow envelope and see that Donna has breast cancer. Holy fucking shit! I have a shocked look on my face as I deliver the results to Sloan.

We go into Donna's room to break the news. I stand two big steps behind Dr Sloan but close enough so I can still see there reactions.

"I'm sorry, Donna, the labs done lie." Dr Sloan broke the news in the nicest way possible. I forget the fact that Mark is a McDick and I only feel sadness for this couple.

"Breast cancer?"

"I'm sorry...I'm really...the needle aspiration showed abnormal cells in your tissue. Rare, but it happens." Mark explained as I noticed Vicky looking at me.

"So the hormones I've been taking are essentially giving me cancer?" Donna questioned clearly in shock. This is shocking, completely surprising.

"Yes, that's why we need to stop the hormone therapy and start the treatment." Sloan said.

"Or the cancer will get worse. The operation?" Donna questioned also joined her wife and looking at me. I was trying to avoid eye contact since I'm a very sensitive woman.

"There would be no point. Once we stop the hormones your breasts will shrink, your facial hair will grow back." Mark informed her still doing that caring man voice.

"She'll be a man again." Vicky uttered.

"What if we do the operation? I keep taking the hormones, what then?" Donna asked but that would put her life at risk. Is that worth it? Maybe. I don't know.

"Donna you really want to treat this now while it's still in its early stages." Dr Sloan advised which was good advice but we don't know what it's like in her shoes. We don't know how much being a woman means to her.

"So if I keep taking the hormones..." Donna trailed off as she continued to look me at.

"You'd be feeding the cancer." I finished her sentence for me finally bring myself to make eye contact with her.

"I could die? Are you saying if I become a woman, I could die?" Donna questioned in a louder voice. I just nodded yes for my response.

Dr Sloan and I leave the room and let the couple talk about this.

"So what happens with Donna now?" I ask as I sit behind the counter and Mark leans on the counter watching my every move.

"She goes back to being an unhappy man who's stuck with a penis. There are millions of us out there." Mark answered making me stop filling out the paperwork to look at him. What the hell?

"You're unhappy with your penis?" I asked just to make sure I'm picking up what he's putting down.

"I could be a lot less unhappy. Maybe it's for the best that he slept with that old lady. Maybe he did need space. Maybe you two aren't meant to be together. I think you should let him go. You don't want to drink from a poisoned well do you?" Mark gave me relationship advice. Can you believe that? McWhore is trying to give me real advice? As he gives me the McSteamy face. Yuck. And I don't even like Alex...I did let him go, and he let me go.

"Dr. Sloan? You have to talk to her... she wants to go through with the operation." Vicky interrupted our conversation with her worry for her significant other. Mark looks down and sighs at this information, Vicky looks at me.

We go in to talk to Donna hoping she won't go through with this.

"I've wanted this since before I can remember. I've waited forever. I'm not stopping now." Donna insisted on having this surgery.

"Donna listen to me."

"If you don't do the operation, I'll go to New York and find another doctor." Donna told Mark. She really wants this. It will help her sleep better at night, but she can't sleep if she's dead.

"You're going to have a hard time finding a surgeon." I said trying to somewhat defend Mark. Just to show her that two doctors think she shouldn't do this.

"I'll find one." Donna let out.

"Donna I'm trying to save your life." Dr Sloan replied still in the caring doctor voice but a bit more direct.

"As a man. I am not a man. I'll fight the cancer, I'll just fight it as a woman." Donna responded determined to get this surgery and be a woman.

"For God's sake, wake up Daniel!" Vicky shouted as she stood up. She bottled her feelings down and they are finally exploding.

"My name is Donna." Donna murmured. We all were staring at her like she was crazy. This is crazy.

"I'm not going to stand by and watch you kill yourself." Vicky scoffed as her eyes watered. She grabbed her purse and walked out like she told me she did once before.

"I need Vicky to love me. But I need her to love...me." Donna uttered as she spoke to the ground.

1185 words
"I can't change"