Not nice

It takes all Scott has, not to let his face show the agony he was feeling as he receives Katie’s words. It was true. She didn’t remember anything. All the time they’d spent together…everything they had gone through…everything they had shared…their future plans… It was all…gone.

Swallowing hard, Scott musters up the best smile he can, though what he really wants to do is curl up somewhere and cry.

“Thanks. I, um…guess I was just trying something new for someone who liked it.” He pauses, not really knowing how to respond. “I’m doing alright,” he finally replies casually, even though it feels like a lie. “Everyone’s been pretty worried about you. They’ll be thrilled to know you’re awake.”

An awkward pause follows. All Scott wants to do is go to her. All he wants to do is take her in his arms, hug her, kiss her, tell he how much he’s missed her, even though it’s only been a couple days. And he can’t.

Shifting his weight, he finally turns back to the door. “Good to see you, Katie. I’ll catch you back at work once you’re up and at ‘em again.”

Back out in the hall, he takes a deep breath as if gaining oxygen for the first time. His eyes tell all as he glances between the others waiting in the hall. Looking down, he starts for the end of the hall. “I’m going home,” he says quietly. “Unless something changes, I, um…I’ll see you guys back at work.” He doesn’t wait for a response, but aims for the exit, unable to stand it here any longer.

Jason watches him go, and lets out a long sigh. “Ya know…he and I don’t get along all that great, but right about now, I feel pretty badly for him.” He shakes his head. “And I still don’t know why Katie broke up with him. I guess it doesn’t matter much now.”

Con purses his lips in thought, not liking how this felt either. “Well…how about someone going and telling Dr. Fuller Katie is awake? Nate, would you mind? She might also have some advice as to how the rest of us need to deal with this. Whether we need to tell Katie all, or break things to her slowly.”

Not wanting Katie to be alone for too long, he takes his turn. Poking his head around the doorway, he breaks into a smile before entering. “Well, Kat, you’re awake!” He comes up to her bed and ruffles her hair. “Don’t you know it’s not nice to scare a big guy like me?”