Fearless (The Night Shift)

Chapter One

It's late on a Tuesday night. Doctor TC Callahan is standing at the Nurse's Station going over a patient's test results when his colleague, Doctor Jordan Alexander approaches him.

'There's an entrapment at the construction site by the airport. The patient needs a field amputation, the chopper will be ready in five. Topher is going with you.' Jordan informs him. 'Drew and I will take over your patients here.'

'You got it.' TC nods, have trauma one ready for when we get back.'

~

Ten minutes later, a young girl wearing ripped jeans with fishnet tights underneath, a black bralette, sneakers and a flannel shirt walks into the ER. There is a shard of glass stuck in her left hand and a laceration to her upper right arm which is hidden by the shirt she's wearing. She walks up to the nurse's station where Nurse Mollie and Jordan are standing, talking and hides her injured hand behind her back.

'Hey, guys,' she starts and they both turn to face her, 'is my dad here?'

'Jae, hey, he's out in the field with Topher. He might be a while,' Jordan informs her, 'shouldn't you be at home?'

'I have a problem.' Jaelyn sighs, revealing her left hand and Jordan gently takes hold of her wrist to examine it. 'I also have a cut on my upper right arm.' Jordan looks around and spots Doctor Paul Cummings.

'Paul.' Jordan calls the young doctor over. Paul stops what he's doing and joins them. 'This is Jae, can you take her to curtain 4, do a set of obs and page Scott? Tell him his favourite patient is down here. He'll know you're talking about Jae.'

'You got it.' Paul nods. He goes to lead Jaelyn away but Jordan stops him.

'One more thing,' she says and Paul faces her, 'she's TC's daughter.' Paul looks at the young girl in shock.

'Surprise.' Jaelyn smiles slightly.

~

Five minutes later, Jaelyn is settled in a treatment bay and Paul is finishing up taking her obs when Scott walks in. She has taken her shirt off so that the laceration on her arm can also be examined.

'What have you gotten yourself into this time?' Scott raises an eyebrow with his hands on his hips.

'I was at a rave, tripped and fell onto some glass,' Jaelyn holds her injured hand up, 'and snagged my arm on something as I went down.' Scott walks towards her and gently takes hold of her hand.

'How much have you had to drink?' Scott asks the young girl as he examines her hand whilst Paul examines her arm.

'Only two double vodka sodas.' Jaelyn replies. 'To answer  your next question, I took a tab of E.'

'What's this?' Paul motions to the large mass on Jaelyn's arm. Jaelyn looks at Scott.

'Teaching moment?' She raises an eyebrow at him.

'Teaching moment.' Scott nods and laughs.

'Jaelyn has Neurofibromatosis Type One, NF1.' Scott tells Paul. 'Were you taught about it in Med school?'

'Very briefly. We didn't go into detail.' Paul responds.

'It's a genetic condition that causes tumours to grow on the nerves. Whilst some people get it from their parents, in other people it's a spontaneous gene mutation. In Jae's case, it was spontaneous.' Scott explains. 'It affects each person who has it differently, for Jae, she has a mild but complex case. The tumour on her arm is called a plexiform neurofibroma, a tumour that forms on or under the skin and affects nerve bundles. The vast majority of people with NF1 only have one. Jae has two. The other is on her left flank. She also has cutaneous neurofibromas, cafe au lait spots, and freckling in the armpit.' He continues. 'She travels to Baylor in Houston every so often for check-ups since we don't have any specialists here.'