Post-Rosalia
As Harry walked out of the OR, Charlotte was waiting at the door. He took off his scrubs and walked out to meet her. Her eyes were glazed over and she was staring into the distance.
“Charl? Why’re you here?”
She jumped, and her eyes focused on him. “Oh! Dr. Müller asked me to come with the results of that other surgeon’s test. If he was positive everyone would have to be tested and he’d have to let them know so-”
“Ah, Dr. Blaylock-Vaughn,” Erhard walked out of the OR, rubbing his hands together. “Thank you for running those tests so quickly. So, what’s the verdict?”
“Negative,” Charlotte replied. “All he has is a common cold. A couple days rest and he’ll be good as new.”
“That’s good news,” Erhard glanced at Harry. “You performed well. I’d like to have you assisting again sometime.”
Harry nodded, a blush creeping across his cheeks. He felt something spike his chest uncomfortably. Like he’s been running for a while and was beginning to develop a stitch in his side.
“Thank....thank you sir,” he gasped.
“Haz? You okay?”
“Yeah just...two minutes...” he sunk to the floor, a hand clutching at his chest. The world was going foggy.
“Haz? Harry?!”
“Dr. Blaylock-Vaughn!” Harry was vaguely aware of Chief Müller kneeling in front of him, hand being pressed to his forehead. He coughed, and something thick and metallic filled his mouth.
He heard Charlotte swear. “Dr. Müller, is it-?”
“It could be. We need to get him onto a ward. I’ll get Gabe to have a look at him, okay?”
“Please, let me help. I could run the tests, I could-!”
“No, you need to...” The world around him faded to black. The last thing he remembered thinking: ‘wow, this is such a cliché way to fall sick’.
***
Charlotte saw the blood that began pouring out of Harry’s mouth. She swore loudly.
“Dr. Müller, is it-?”
“It could be. We need to get him onto a ward. I’ll get Gabe to have a look at him, okay?” Erhard put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, though worry was etched into his eyes.
“Please, let me help. I could run the tests, I could-!”
“No,” Dr. Müller shook his head. “You need to call your parents. Get their permission for emergency surgery if it is needed, and see if they can come.”
“I will but-”
“I also need you to test every person in that operating room, including the patient. We need to make sure everyone is clean.”
Charlotte nodded. “Okay. Okay.”
“RONI?” Erhard called out.
“Yes, Dr. Müller?”
“Can you please alert all members of the surgical team who were in OR 5 from 10:23am to 3:47pm about this incident, and tell them to isolate themselves immediately.”
“Of course Doctor.”
Dr. Müller turned back to Charlotte. “Go and call your parents. I’ll sort things out for your brother.”
She turned and walked away. As she walked down the corridor, nurses and doctors rushed past her. She was vaguely aware of Erhard’s voice shouting commands and random tests being called out. She felt like she was in a dream. It couldn’t be real, it couldn’t be happening. Harry didn’t have Rosalia. Harry couldn’t have Rosalia.
She placed her hand on the cool doorknob of her office and stepped inside. Gabriel was inside, chatting with RONI. He paid no attention to Charl until she sat down and made no move to do any work.
“You alright kiddo?“ he asked her. No response. He waved his hand in front of her face. “Charl? Hey, kiddo!”
He placed the hand on her shoulder, and she jumped. Her eyes met his. They were lost, empty. Gabriel almost drew back from the intensity of the stare. He took his cigarette out of his mouth, and leant on his elbows.
“Charlotte, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing, Gabe. I’m fine.” She turned away and shifted some papers. “We need to order Rosalia tests for the doctors who were in OR 5 from 10:23-15:47 today.”
Gabe nodded RONI who automatically began ordering the tests. He then looked back at a Charl, who had spaced out again.
“Charl, you know that isn’t going to cut it.”
“Huh?” Her eyes focused on him again. “Well, you’re gonna have to deal with it.”
“I’m as stubborn as you, if not more so. Two can play that game, Charl.”
“It’s really not important. I’ll be fine.”
She turned away and began tapping on her computer.
“RONI, disconnect Dr. Blaylock-Vaughn’s computer from the system.”
“I am not-” Gabe glared at the robot and her screen flickered. “Of course, Dr. Cunningham.”
“Hey!” Charl turned angrily to Gabriel. “You moron! I have work to do!”
“Not anymore. Want to tell me what’s wrong yet?”
“No!” Charlotte stood up, fury burning in her eyes. If Gabriel didn’t know her, and she wasn’t so much younger, he might have actually been scared. “I come in here, telling you what work I have to do - as requested by the Chief, by the way - and you have the audacity to disconnect my computer from the servers?! You really are stupid, Gabriel Cunningham. No wonder they dropped you as a diagnostician. You probably couldn’t tell a heart attack from anxiety.”
Okay. That was new. Hm. Gabriel would admit, that stung a little. He hadn’t been an amazing surgeon before and gathering the courage to retrain had been hard. Now he was coming back to his old field to be told he wasn’t good enough? A little voice in his head reminded him that it wasn’t true, that he had left for better opportunities and that Charl was just upset but a louder voice was banging along with ‘what if’s and ‘she isn’t wrong’s.
“Charlotte, I can’t say I understand why you’re angry, since you won’t tell me, but please for the love of all heavenly things: calm down.” Gabriel sat her in a chair, rather forcibly. She said nothing, instead choosing to stare at her hands.
“Kid, please tell me what’s wrong. I can’t read minds,” Gabriel softened his voice to the one he used for younger patients. Charlotte looked up at him.
“Fine,” she said hollowly. “You want to know? Harry just collapsed in the corridor, coughing up blood. Chief Müller reckons it’s Rosalia, and he could die. We can’t operate without my parent’s permission. We’re stuck in a limbo, wanting to help him but not being able to. It’s fucking terrifying.”
Charlotte wiped at her face angrily. When had the tears started coming? Gabriel looked at her pityingly.
“That’s awful...I’m so sorry that happened. I’ll do my best to help him,” he laid his hand across hers. At that point she just burst into tears. Gabriel drew her in for a hug. “It’s okay kiddo, he’s gonna be okay. We’re gonna keep him alive.”
She sobbed for a good five minutes. When she drew back, she grabbed a tissue from her desk and apologetically offered the box to Gabriel.
“Sorry...I really made a mess of your shirt...”
Gabriel waved his hand at her. “You needed to cry it out kid. Don’t sweat it.”
Charlotte nodded and turned to her desk. Her phone glinted in the sunlight, reminding her of a task at hand.
“I have to call my parents...?” She said.
“You askin’ me or telling me?”
“Telling?”
“Go on then, call ‘em. Want me to leave?” Gabriel put his cigarette back in his mouth.
“No. I might...need you to talk to them. Stay, just in case.”
Gabriel nodded. “Alright kiddo. Stage is yours.”
Charlotte nodded, taking a deep breath and steadying herself. Her hands shook slightly as she called her mom.
“Charl? You need more advice with Rosalia?” Great. Of course it was her dad who answered. The one time she cared and it was the parent she didn’t want to talk to.
“No it’s not that...” She bit her thumbnail.
“Then why’re you calling? I’m sure you’re busy yourself, what with the outbreak.”
“Where’s mom? I really need to talk to mom.”
“Charl, what’s wrong?” Markus’ tone grew serious.
“Nothing I just - I really need to talk to mom okay?” She was on the verge of tears again. Her throat felt like it was closing up on her.
“Charlotte...”
“Please dad-” She choked back a sob. “Please go and find mom.”
“Okay, okay. Stay on the line,” She heard the phone being placed down and a door opening and closing. It was silent, save for the crackle of white noise and machinery. The door opened again, and the phone was picked up.
“Charl?” Valerie’s voice was concerned. “You alright honey?”
“Mom!” Charlotte gave up, letting the tears fall.
“Hey hey, what’s wrong? Are you crying?”
Charlotte couldn’t reply, and instead passed the phone to Gabriel. He took it and put it to his ear.
“Mrs Blaylock-Vaughn? Good afternoon, I’m Gabriel Cunningham. I work for Caduceus with Derek Stiles, although I was a diagnostician for many years. Yes, I trained your daughter.” Gabriel paused. “She’s okay. However, I have some news about your son, Harry. Are you someplace you can sit down?”
***
“Thank you for your time.” Gabriel was writing notes down. “That was very insightful. Yes, if you could come here as soon as possible. Don’t throw work out of the window - please try to arrange it properly. We’ll take good care of him. Bye for now.”
He ended the call, and passed the phone back to Charlotte. They sat in silence, until RONI startled them with a loud beep.
“Dr. Blaylock-Vaughn, all the tests for the doctors present in OR 5 from 10:32-15:47 today are negative for Rosalia.”
“...thank you. Please let them know.”
“Hey, kiddo?”
Charl looked at Gabriel. He was fidgeting: pulling his cigarette out, tapping it, putting it back in; rolling his sleeves and unrolling them. Charl noticed all the little motions and drew her own conclusion.
“What did my mom tell you?”
Gabriel’s eyes widened. “You sure you wanna hear it? It’s not gonna be easy to take, kid.”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay then. Have you actually checked Harry’s medical records?”
“No?”
Gabriel closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. An odd movement, not quite suited to him. “If you had, you would’ve found out that Harry contracted Rosalia at 4 years old.”
“He what?!”
“It was treated, thankfully, and he made a full recovery.”
“Why didn’t mom and dad tell us this?!”
“It was probably just something they didn’t want to scare you with. And there was no point, when since Post-Rosalia didn’t exist. Except, it does.”
“And that’s what Harry has?”
“It’s very likely, Doctor.” RONI flickered to life again.
“Perfect timing as ever, RONI.”
“Well then, we need to find a treatment!” Charlotte stood up.
“Woah, slow down kiddo,” Gabriel stood in front of the door.
“Dr. Blaylock-Vaughn, Chief Müller requested that you, Dr. Müller and Dr. Stiles go to Mexico, specifically to where Miss Rosalia Rossellini died. You will be required to get samples of flowers and the research that Dr. Sartre had.”
Charlotte tipped her head at Gabe, a smirk playing across her features. “Let me go, Gabe.”
The man sighed and stepped aside. Charlotte left the room, the door swinging shut behind her slowly. Gabriel ran a hand through his hair; the last hour had been exhausting and confusing, to say in the least. He was drifting off to sleep. That’s what he needed, a good old nap-
“Dr. Cunningham, would you like to play a game of cards?”
“NO!”