The Doctor's Heart

The First of Many?

A/N: Maybe another three to four chapters in this arc? I'm trying to wrap it up quickly.

Goldeneye Riza was officially released from bed rest and allowed to return to surgery. She still ached, badly from where Alice had cut her but that would fade within the week. She still had multiple Red Hair pirates hovering over herself and Johnny. Johnny's heart replacement surgery would occur at the end of the week. He had strength but Riza was worried about potential rejection. His body would be put through the works over the next several months. Riza kept herself busy in the ER with Redfern, trying to teach the intern like a good resident should while mulling over Booth's offer. And she was offering a lot. Research grants, offices, interns, a personal lab and even offered a raise from her wage when she left which wasn't anything to sneeze at. Riza kept herself busy to keep herself from ogling Booth's offer.

Redfern was willing to learn and didn't talk trash about her crew anymore at least from what Riza heard. Redfern took all the shit that Riza threw at her in stride. Riza was almost impressed until Redfern asked, "What's it like to be a pirate?" The bright curiosity in her tone threw Riza. She posed by Riza's shoulder peering down in the trauma patient that Riza's hands were in. A Jane Doe from the docks.

Riza almost preferred her hating the crew, entirely because she recognized the look in Redfern's eyes. "What?"

"What's it like to be apart of the Red Hair pirates?" She reiterated, hesitantly.

"I heard you the first time, why do you want to know?"

Redfern's eyes widened at her mistake and tried to backtrack but Riza wasn't giving up so easily. "N-no reason, Goldeneye! Just curiosity!"

Riza smirked down at the younger woman, pausing her work and turning her head to meet Redfern's gaze. "If you don't want to answer, I could send you on rectal exams for the rest of the day until Johnny's transplant?"

"I'll take it." Redfern retreated out of the OR to scrub out.

"Huh." Riza muttered, turning back to her patient on the operating table. She would've done anything to avoid being stuck on recitals when she was an intern. Her golden gaze flickered over to a nurse. "Anne, can you tell little Goldeneye to scrub in. She could learn a thing or two. Damn and get Alice too. Jane Doe about four months along. What happened to you, honey?" Riza asked the unconscious woman.

Three hours later, Jane Doe was taken to intensive care for the night. Riza has high hopes for the girl and hoped that she'll make it through recovery. Riza completed the tedious paperwork to glance up at a clock on the wall. It was time to prep Johnny for surgery. Riza growled as her stomach knotted in nerves but she stood and headed to Johnny's room.

Riza stepped into the room and took a spot by Johnny's bedside to give the boy, some emotional support. Shanks and the rest of the crew weren't permitted access in the prep stage. The anesthesiologist and Lucy were walking Johnny through the surgery while nurses bustled about. Riza stood beside the bed as Lucy explained the heart transplant to Johnny. Redfern stood on the other side of the bed, fidgeting with her clipboard. "This needs to happen first?" He asked Lucy but he looked to Riza for the answer.

"Yes, I have doubts that your heart will make it though the strain of the other necessary surgeries. Besides that, you have the heart now. You might not have it then." Riza recited the practiced phrase, she's told hundreds of patients this but this was different. She knew this young man since he set out with the crew. Riza reaches out and rested a caring hand on Johnny's shoulders. "You'll be fine, I'll be assisting the surgery."

Johnny nodded and looked over to Redfern who offered a shaky smile and slight nod. "Okay, I'm ready."

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