flatline [m.s]

clvii.

- - -
the body is an infinitely complex mass of interacting systems. people like to think doctors see it all clearly.
- - -

"morning," richard sighs when approaches lia and jackson as they're busy looking at the o.r schedule.

"is that your name i see on the o.r board this afternoon?" jackson raises his brow.

"well, it's just a chole," richard shrugs. "getting my feet wet."

"are you sure you're ready?" lia turns to him. "i mean, it is your first day back."

"i'm ready," richard assures. "and i'm stepping down as chief."

"wait, what?" lia and jackson both say in sync.

"i know i've said it before, and then ended stepping back up again. but i have other important things in my life that i want to focus on. this time i'm ready," richard assures. "as of tomorrow, dr. bailey is the new chief of this hospital."

- - -
but it's not always obvious what's a hiccup in the system and what's full-on medical disaster.
- - -

"bailey? bailey? miranda bailey?" mark repeats, his voice raising an octave each time, as he and lia are walking down the o.r corridor.

"uh-huh," lia nods.

"did he tell you he was planning on stepping down?" mark turns to his wife.

"you know my dad," lia shrugs. "he doesn't tell me anything."

"but why bailey? i mean, there's a perfectly good chief standing right here," mark gestures to himself and lia rolls her eyes.

"of course there is, babe," lia pats mark's arm. "i do not know what he was thinking."

■ ■ ■

"dr. webber," lia hears her name being called as she's walking through the hospital lobby.

"uh, mr. and mrs. niles," lia greets when she turns around to find anna, one of her old patients, and her husband, james, holding their baby, and a map of the hospital.

"we kinda got turned around on our way to admitting," james explains.

"oh, oh, not a problem," lia shakes her head as she notices ben walking by, and she stops him. "dr. warren, uh, mrs. nile's is scheduled for a mastectomy tomorrow. uh, why don't you show her and her husband up to the fifth floor?"

"sure," ben nods.

"is this the little man?" lia turns to the baby in james' arms. "he's gotten so big. it feels like just yesterday that i was delivering him. he is just adorable."

"he's not so adorable at four in the morning when he's screaming and won't take a bottle. can we just get to the room?" anna asks blankly before stepping away.

"it's kind of been a rough week," james tells lia in a lowered voice. "she had to stop nursing. his here just won't eat."

"here. why don't i take you up?" lia offers as she takes gus from james. "you know, you can try a little sugar water on the bottle, just until he gets used to it."