It’s early, far too early. I’m late, I’m always late, that’s my M.O. Doctor Carlin stood over her operating table. She stared at its hard surface; she ran her fingers across the top, caressing the firm metal. She flinched suddenly, Tom lying on the table below her, his haunting gray eyes staring accusingly back at her.

Suddenly Spencer was hunched over a toilet in the lady’s room heaving the meager contents of her stomach into the basin. Her eyes watered and she choked in need of air. Breathe, just breathe. She told herself. Her hair was being pulled back away from her face. She shuddered as she wretched once again. A soft hand came to her back and tried to assure her that it would be ok.

The blonde stood up slowly, her legs wobbly.

“Here” said the person behind her, the figure clutched her forearm and steadied the young doctor. Spencer turned around and a slender woman with straight raven hair stood in front of her. She was wearing a pair of khakis and a pink button-down shirt over which sat a white lab coat with the name Doctor Woods written across the corner pocket. She couldn’t have been a year past twenty-five. Her eyes were warm with concern, “Come on lets get you cleaned up”.

She ushered Spencer over to the sinks and as the blonde splashed water on her face, Doctor Woods stood patiently waiting with a paper towel in her hand. The blonde looked up from the sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Finally she glanced up towards the other girl. The raven haired girl stretched out her hand and dabbed the water off of Spencer’s cheek.

“You’re sick” Doctor Woods stated, it wasn’t an accusation more of an observation.

The young doctor snatched the paper towel away from her and dried off her face. “I’m not sick, I’m fine Kyla”.

She shoved past the other girl and slammed open the bathroom door returning once again to the operating room.

“Why aren’t we setting up? I have an elective valve scheduled for 7 am” Spencer exclaimed raising her hands above her head in exasperation.

Ashley was seated on a chair in the corner her feet kicked up on a nearby countertop, she watched the two continue their discussion.