flatline [m.s]

xii.

- - -
at the end of the day, when it comes down to it, all we really want is to be close to somebody. so this thing where we all keep our distance and pretend not to care about each other, it's usually a load of bull.
- - -

derek is attempting to examine richard, but he keeps moving and dodging whilst lia frowns at her father from the visitor's chair.

"okay, stop it," derek instructs as richard continuously tries to push the doctor off him.

"okay. stop. that's it," richard scolds.

"that is not it," derek says, continuing the examination by shining the torch in richard's eyes.

"come on, please, stop it," richard pleads, fed up of being a patient, rather than a doctor at seattle grace mercy west.

"that is not it, dad. hold still," lia interjects, just wanting her dad to sit still for five minutes.

"how can i hold still when derek is poking me?" richard raises his eyebrow at his daughter who is busy shaking her head at him.

"i have to poke you to discharge you," derek argues, walking to the foot of the bed to write in his patient file.

"what makes you think he wants to be discharged?" adele says entering the room, causing richard's head to snap up to look at his wife with a shocked expression. "derek, don't you know that this hospital will crumble unless richard's here holding up the walls?"

"adele, you're supposed to be in the virgin islands!" richard exclaims, as he watches his wife hug and greet their daughter.

"oh you are in five kinds of trouble, mr. man," adele says, approaching the bed and kissing richard on the cheek. "you had brain surgery and didn't tell me?"

"it was just a small procedure," he replies, nonchalantly.

"it was brain surgery!" lia interjects.

"i didn't want to ruin your vacation," richard tells her.

"you don't know what a vacation is, dad. how would you know how to ruin mom's?" lia asks, earning a laugh from derek and her mother.

"well anyway, how did you find-" richard cuts himself off and glares at derek. "you called my wife?"

"you called mine," derek smugly grins at richard, who remains silent. "look, it wasn't me who called adele."

"then how did you find me?" richard raises his eyebrow, at his wife.

"i called mom," lia admits, standing up from her seat, and walking to stand next to derek. "and now that she's here; i'm hoping she can keep you in line so that i can get back to being a doctor."

"you get back to work, sweetie," adele smiles, as richard scowls at lia. "i'm going to take your father home, and make sure he gets plenty of rest."

"plenty of rest," richard scoffs. "i've had plenty of rest, what i need is for me to get back to being a doctor."

lia and adele both roll there eyes whilst derek chuckles at richard. "it's good to see you," he smiles at adele before exiting the room with lia.