Chapter Three

Hello everyone, so here is this. Max's POV is extremely tough to write. and don't get me started on the medical conditions. Lol. this fic might just be shorter than it is supposed to be because of how i suck at writing medical conditions i know nothing about. next chapter will be in Helen's POV and I'm sure it'll be much more enjoyable than this.

Max

I've never felt the need to resign from a job so badly like I do right now, but then again it'd take more than four old boring looking board members to make me resign. The icy glares they have in their eyes only make me want to not answer the question they've thrown a few seconds ago.

"Listen Dr. Goodwin," The financier starts, to his credit though he doesn't look as old as the rest but his attitude makes him. "We get it, you want to help but-"

"I didn't realise there will be a but in that sentence." I say as I lean forward in my seat and drop the Rubik's cube I've been fidgeting with on the table. "I'm here to help, I did what I had to do to help that poor woman because she deserves a chance and when you look at it from another perspective, Jane's heart was perfectly fine, our treatment got her into this condition."

I hear a hiss and I follow the direction to look at the only woman in the room, Catherine Forbes staring at me through her thin clear glasses "You can carry on with your sass and 'perspectives' talk'" God, I hate air quotes. But probably not as much as I'm about to loathe her. "What we're trying to tell you is that you can't keep making decisions like this and expect to make the hospital better, the budget is already tight as it is. We don't need some goody two shoes-"

"Goody two shoes?" If this woman isn't becoming my favourite person in the whole world. I look up to see Helen standing by the door with a smirk on her face. "Come on, Cathy, you could be a lil' more original than that." She called her Cathy.

The room falls silent, all the nasty looks I was receiving are now directed at Helen as she holds Catherine's gaze. Catherine looks just about ready to charge at Helen when I clear my throat. "Dr. Sharpe?" I hope she isn't doing this for my sake, I shouldn't take her with me if I'm about to lose my job.

"We need you in paediatric." She turns to me. "A baby with a minor case of jaundice."

"I'm guessing it can wait, since it's minor." 'Cathy chirps in. The name is catchy.

I stand up quickly, "We have different definitions of 'minor' in accountancy and medicine." I shake the financier's hand, seeing as he is the lesser evil of the four and beams at them. "We should do this again, when we are all less stressed. Thank you."

I join Helen at the hallway and sigh "I could kiss you right now." I whisper silently and she scoffs.

"I'd rather if you don't."

Of course, that's how she'd react. I should've known.

It's been three days since I started working at New Amsterdam and Helen keeps acting like nothing has happened between us. In fact, after we made the decision to use the VAD on Jane yesterday morning, she has avoided me for the rest of the day.

"Right. So about the jaundice case?" if she wants strictly business, she is getting it.

I've had time to think about Helen and I've come to the conclusion that I like her. I think that has been the case since the first time I saw her in the hospital, I hardly know anything about her apart from the fact that she is an outstanding doctor and she knows it. That is why she is the Head of Oncology in the hospital. I've went through her file twice, to see if I'll pick up anything on her but to no avail. When I started to feel like a stalker in my own body, I dropped it and move to other matters.

And with the way she is acting right now, I know the best option is to give her space.

"Paediatrics." She answers dismissively. "It's not severe, with the right treatment and monitoring, it'll disappear. I just informed you about it so you'd know." She saved me from that god awful meeting. Before I had the chance to acknowledge it, I get interrupted.

"Helen!" a voice shouts and we turn around at the same time to see who I guess is Dr. Panthaki. He practically jogs towards us and takes Helen's hands in his as he stands beside her. My sight follows the movement and I'm pretty sure something shifts in my expression because Helen clears her throat.

"Akash, this is Dr. Goodwin, our MD." She smiles at him. I fight the urge to roll my eyes as she turns towards me and say "Max, this is Dr. Panthaki. He's-"

"I know." Clearly, my jealousy got the better of me. But I know who he is, he is the guy that was chasing her the day I first arrived and he's got the heart eyes look in his eyes, his intention towards her are clear. But if she wants to be with a fellow oncologist who she's running a research with, who am I to stand in the way?

"Hey Mate." Oh, he's got the accent too. And he's calling me mate.

I stretch out my hand towards him "Nice to meet you, mate." I mock and I feel Helen's gaze burning the side of my face so I let go of his handshake and look at her. "Later."

She only nods and I make my way down to Cardiology to receive reports from Floyd on the myocarditis patient, if I'm going to be productive as a Medical Director, I need to cleanse my mind of any Helen Sharpe's thoughts. It's clear she doesn't want anything to do with me, probably because of the working condition we found ourselves in or something is stopping her.

I refuse to believe our night together was just a one night thing, she has so much more to offer. She needs to be loved the right way, from the little she has told me about her ex, she clearly deserves so much more than what she has been receiving.

"If it isn't our MD." Floyd says when he sees me and I smile.

Somehow, I've managed to make friends with a lot of the people working in the hospital. On my first day, it was blatantly clear that I've annoyed most of the staff but I feel the change and I can tell the staffs like it too.

"How is the report coming through?"

"Perfect, just like the surgery." He beams. "We are glad to have you. And when I say we, I mean everyone. The patients, doctors, other workers and-"

"The board members would like to differ."

"That bad?" it's more of a statement because he knows it'd be that bad.

"It was not somewhere you'd want to be." I sigh as I sit in the chair opposite him. "There was a lot of finger pointing happening but Dr. Sharpe saved the day."

"She did, didn't she?" now he looks wholly interested as his gaze left his computer and turns back to me. "Let me guess, Catherine Forbes was there."

"She was." I say. There's something I don't know because Floyd lets out a chuckle and I tilt my head in confusion. "Crazy woman."

"She is." He agrees as he turns back to the computer and presses a key. The printer beside me starts printing out as he stands up and walks to me. "The important thing is that, the woman can't cross Helen and she now knows that Helen has got your back." Does she though?

"Why can't she cross Helen?" a woman in her position, with that icy glare, I find it hard to believe innocent 5'2 Helen Sharpe intimidates her.

"Lauren Bloom tells the story better than anyone." He picks up the documents and hands them to me. "Keep on with the good work." He says sincerely. This place is filled with good people that keep motivating me; the likes of Catherine Forbes cannot let me lose hope in New Amsterdam. "And, don't give up on Sharpe."

I'm surprised that he knows something. But I'm more surprised at the fact that he decided to talk to me about this. "Why do you say that?"

"That moment in here the day you arrived, we knew something was up." Floyd smirks. "Y'all speak too loud in the hallways."

We really don't. I feel my cheeks warm up in spite of myself as I nod. I might have just found a friend in Floyd Reynolds.

"Max!" Bloom shouts from the door. "I need your help in the ER." She looks tired and disorderly, without waiting for my answer, she turns towards the direction of the ER and I follow, hot on her heels.

"You don't look too good."

"This is my 30th hour on my feet; of course I won't look good, Max."

"Uh, we don't have a system for you to be pulling outrageous shifts."

"You made many of the workers quit, remember?" she throws back and I nod.

"Yes, but I didn't exactly fire them." I explain, making her huff out a breath. "They feel the need to quit because New Amsterdam will finally get a system that works and that doesn't suit their selfish needs so-"

"Max!" she stops, rubbing her temples. "I adore you, honestly. I do." She says as she looks at me. "And I love what you are doing to the place but can we focus on this homeless drunk dude that was hit by a bike and cannot stop hitting on my ER staff?"

"Yes sure."

"Thank you." She sighs as she starts walking again. "His CT shows he has concussion, we'd like to keep him but he is a mean drunk. You have a way with words, maybe you could help?"

We arrive at the ER and my sight lands on the patient in question. For some reason, I've always had a soft spot for homeless people. I can go as far as to say I became a doctor because of one. One that saved my life almost at the expense of his when I was eight.

"Alright, you're done for the day." I turn to Lauren and she scoffs.

"No, I-"

"Lauren, I'll handle this." I nod reassuringly, realising that she has lost the battle she sighs. "Besides, I need your full energy when you tell me about Sharpe and Cathy."

Regardless of her situation, she laughs out loud "Let me guess, Floyd has been feeding you with stories."

"Well, we spend most of our free time together." I shrug. "Certain topics get discussed."

"Certain topics like my best friend?" she smiles mischievously.

"Like I said, you're done for the day." I walk away to the homeless guy, grabbing a sitting stool with me to his bed. I stare at his appearance, from his tattered trousers to the heavy jacket he is wearing –and it is not season for jackets- to his unclean hair.

"Did the pretty girl send you to kick me out?" he slurs out, his teeth are not any better than his hair as he grins at me. Maybe I should get him down to Dental when he's done here but first things first.

"We are not going to kick you out." He looks surprised at the calmness of my voice. Maybe he expects me to treat him worse. "How did you get hit?"

"I dunno, it all happened too fast." He answers, looking defeated. "I guess I was in the wrong lane or something. Biker stopped to check if I was okay. I was at the time but not anymore."

"Well, sir-"

"Call me Chris."

"Okay, Chris." I smile. "You have a concussion and it doesn't go well with alcohol. I'd really appreciate if you let us look after you for the next few hours."

He stretches on the bed and smirks at me "I'm okay with that, this is nicer than our shitty shelter."

"Good, then I expect you to be nice to the nurses too." My palm finds his shoulder. "They are here to help you, they are here for you. They'll give you something that will help you rest, Okay?"

"Yeah, okay." He looks exhausted from all the cahoots he's been causing as he yawns, the alcohol finally getting the better of him.

"I'll check up on you later." I say but he turns around without giving me an answer.

Five hours later, it's almost sundown and I'm done checking up on all the cases that need my help. The last patient I saw was a cancer patient under Dr. Stauton and as a doctor and medical director, I know I'm not supposed to be negative but it's hard not to feel worn down when you see some patients. Shauna, the patient is just seventeen years old with stage four lungs cancer and the condition she is in breaks my heart. Her body is rejecting almost every treatment she has been receiving. Even Dr Stauton, a direct and callous doctor seems to be moodier than ever and I know it's because she's taken the patient's condition to heart even if she won't admit it. But that is the thing about humanity; it shows even when we try our damndest best to hide it. "I'm going to die, aren't I?" Shauna had asked me and when I told her we won't let that happen, I felt like the worst doctor ever. We aren't supposed to lie to patients but we are not supposed to fill them with false hopes either.

I push open the door to the rooftop and breathe in the fresh air when a voice from afar speaks up "If you're looking for a hideout, this one is taken."

Of course, she is here. I have spent almost two hours in Oncology and she was not there, "We shared a king sized bed." I point out as I start walking towards her. "I'm sure we could share this rooftop." I say as I lean against the banisters beside her. "Who are you hiding from?" I ask her, if she refers to this place as hideout, she's clearly running away from something.

"Research results." She pauses. "The whole of Oncology." I chuckle at her answer.

"You're the head of oncology; it'll be pretty hard for you to run away from it."

She sighs as she looks forward into the city, she has a ring on her left middle finger and she is playing with it "I know, but on days like these when being a doctor doesn't always pay off, I want to run away from everything." Her gaze turns to me. "But I can't."

"I know the feeling." I tell her.

"So, what are you running from?" she dismisses the topic, I smile as I turn my back to the city while staring at her.

"I just needed fresh air, some cases are suffocating."

"Shauna?" she asks, with a knowing and pity look on her face. I only nod in response. "Yeah, Dr. Stauton needs to be commended for handling it so well, I can never be that strong."A shadow falls over her face as she looks ahead and I wait a few seconds, just looking at her before I respond. She is breathtaking.

"We are all different doctors, Helen." She stops looking ahead and duck her head. I hope she isn't about to cry. "We handle our patients differently, you wouldn't be head of oncology if you are not strong." I give her shoulder a little squeeze and she sighs, I move my hand away not to ruin the moment. "So, who did you rush off to see the other morning? Sounded like a medical emergency."

She lets out a chuckle and her mood shifts a bit "My neighbour, Lily, she was in labour at the time." She turns around to look at me. "Actually, she was a few days overdue and her husband was freaking out, so she called me. Though, she has given birth to Lizzy. A very pretty baby girl." She looks happy talking about Lily and her baby and I wonder if she is imagining what having hers would feel like. "Let me guess, me saying Dr. Sharpe into the phone was what gave me up."

"Yeah." I laugh. "But, something must have given me up too? I had a first aid kit in my living room." I joke and she rolls her eyes.

"Nope."

"You asked if I was a therapist and I said more or less."

"You remembered all that." She states, she doesn't sound surprised. Just impressed. "And you're not making any sense, you know." She says, turning to our real conversation.

"Not even the multivitamins? And how I know they help with a hangover?"

"No, Max." She laughs. "Not even the multivitamins because everyone can walk into a pharmacy and buy multivitamins and Google tells you what helps with a hangover."

I take a complete different turn from that discussion, "I saw you that afternoon you know." She turns sharply and I continue quickly. "Here in New Amsterdam. But honestly, I thought you were a patient. That's why I was quick to approach you at The Tavern, it wasn't right, I know. But if a patient was self-destructing, I wanted to talk them out of it."

"Yeah, now that I think about all that, I'm not proud of my behaviour that day." Her hand moves to tuck her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, but it's understandable." If I spend so long wanting something, something I would be incredibly good at and it goes to someone, I would be pretty upset too. "You were walking out of the hospital and Dr. Panthaki was calling you but you didn't stop."

"God, no." She looks embarrassed. Her palms move to cover her face. "Do you remember everything?"

"I have a good memory." I shrug. "And I pay attention. I was standing by the door, waiting for Ron when all that happened, it's pretty hard not to notice what is going on in front of you." She turns to look at me and I smile at her, as if to tell her I'm not judging her. "But when we talked and you mentioned something about going for another appointment, I thought you were neither a patient nor a doctor. I just assumed something else brought you to New Amsterdam." I don't know how the conversation takes a complete one eighty but I guess it's now or never.

She listens to me attentively and I can tell she is starting to get how everything happened. Because for some reason, I think she believes I know who she was before everything that happened that night. "If I had known you were a doctor here," I continue "it doesn't matter how attracted I am to you. I wouldn't have taken it that far. You clearly respect professionalism and I'm giving you the space you clearly need but I'm here, you are going to see me every day." I pause. "We are going to come in contact with each other almost every other day so I guess it's safe to say we're stuck with each other. I'm not asking you to change your mind. I'm telling you that we're adults and we can be professionals, you don't have to avoid me."

"I'm not avoiding you." She tries to deny it without looking at my eyes and I chuckle.

"But you are." I tell her. "And it'll get tiring, so I guess it's better if we just become comfortable around each other and be friends." She scoffs absentmindedly, which makes her gaze fall back to me to see if I've noticed her scoff, so I nod.

She sighs. "Okay, then. Friends." She answers with a smile. That smile. Shit. I don't know if I just bullshitted myself by talking about things that I wasn't supposed to talk about in the first place.

..

Don't forget to tell me what you think about this! I'm open for suggestions and ideas.