John Dorian's Final Realization

Chapter 9: My Runaway Thoughts

Dorian inhales deeply, despite the aching of his ribs he hold it deep within himself. Waiting... waiting... "Yes!" The final boss explodes into bags of gold and various piles of loot.

"I'm glad to see you're doing better." He felt Kim press her lips against the top of his head while she passed by. The scent of vanilla and lavender trailed behind her as she shrugged a coat over her narrow shoulders. "Are you alright by yourself for a while? I was planning to meet with a friend today but I could stay here with you instead if you like. It's up to you."

He paused his game and tilted his head up to look at her. "That sounds fine to me. What time will my new 'sitter be here? Is it Turk?" Kim rolled her eyes at the babysitter comment.

"No, and make sure to actually talk to him. He came a long way just to see how you were doing."

"Oh?" His eyes wandered back to the screen as possibilities filled his mind. 'Dan, maybe?'

"Uh huh." She slid on her now-too-small shoes and opened the door. "Love you, JD! We will be back soon!"

"You too!"

The door closed and JD's fascade fell away: his smile faltered, his shoulders slumped, and a sigh escaped his lips. Finally he could stop sugar-coating his inner feelings and just be for once. He could hurt openly without worrying about being dragged back to Sacred Heart or freaking out his friends. Instead, he could escape that same pain and his own thoughts through the wonders of his PS2. With just a tap of a few buttons, he was engulfed in a fantasy world far more interesting than his own dreary, gauze-coated one.

He had closed the disc drive and settled himself for the long wait for the PS2 to acknowledge the disc inside it when he heard two stiff knocks from the front door. "Coming!" He pushed a few loose locks back into place, straightened his shirt, and rolled to the door.

"Hell-" He swung the door open with a wide grin and a gust of cold air flew past him. "-Oh..." The young doctor was as motionless as a statue while a long shadow was cast over him.

"Hello, John. May I come in?"

~

"Kim."

"Perry." The cafe was lit warmly by faux antique light bulbs and both doctors' hair glistened slightly as the rainwater that drenched them both mirrored the lamps about them. "You said you wanted to ask a few more questions?"

He nodded, eyeing his cup suspiciously as he pulled it from his lips. 'I asked for black coffee. Why do they have to add sugar to every damn thing they toss at us here?' Cox considered talking to the ex-intern that had served them, Cabbage, but reconsidered as he noticed the crease in Kim's face. He had seen it in all his regular patients and ex-wife today as well. He rubbed the swollen lump on his jaw uselessly. "One of our more..Excitable geriatrics wasn't properly sedated before his colonoscopy. Found out just a few seconds too late."

Briggs smiled sympathetically. She had nearly lost an eye once in the past while attempting to remove a patient's urinary stone. "So, was there anything in particular you wanted to know or-? I just thought we went over everything already.."

"We did. I just need a few clarifications. Now. Can you go over the week prior to the accident and since one more time for me?" He pulled out a pen and his face now only reflected complete interest and focus. Kim adjusted herself uncomfortably on her hard chair and rehearsed the long story once more. Her voice melding into the white noise of the cafe's chatter and clanking surrounding them.