The next day, Stephanie decided to visit the Medic, to do a late thank you for aiding her with her wounds from that escape from that metal giant that chased after her back at her home.

Of course, she had stayed over in the Engineer's room, with his official permission of course.

After she had stayed over at his room for the night, she thanked the Engineer for his hospitality and granted it, before showing her the work he had done.

She said that the design on the blueprint was astounding and can not wait to see what it could do after it's finished.

Stephanie flattered the Engineer, as he was blushing, looking sheepish.

After she had flattered the Engineer, she excused herself to go to have a look around to see what else is in the base.

He accepted the excuse and allowed her to leave, although he was mentally worried about what could happen to her if she was not too cautious.

After she had walked out of the Engineer's room, she wandered through the hallway, looking around for the same Medic Bay's door to look for the Medic.

As she turned around the corner, she saw the Medic Bay's doors, as there was the same hallway that the Medic walked through.

She walked over to one of the doors, and hooked her fingers into the corner of the door, using her strength to pull it open.

After she had got some inches of the door almost open, she got it just enough to fit through the gap.

Still holding the door, she eased herself through the gap and reached the other side, popping out and letting the door close.

When she got to the other side of the doors, she was in the medical room, as she felt a wave of uneasiness over her.

The way of how the room seemed to be, she felt like she was in someone's medical chamber of torture.

Goosebumps rose on Stephanie's skin from the thought of it.

Then, she heard sharp, yet light footsteps coming towards the direction of the Medic Bay, as Stephanie panicked, thinking that a different doctor was coming.

Panicking, she ran underneath one of the rolling trays to hide from the incoming person.

She nervously waited for the doctor to stop and turn around, walking away from the doors.

But, the footsteps got closer and closer to the door.

The Medic Bay's doors suddenly slammed open, causing Stephanie to flinch from the sudden noise.

Stephanie heard the same sharp, but quick footsteps heading to somewhere else, as she peeked around the leg of the moving tray, curious and nervous about who is inside the Medic Bay.

Just as she peeked around the corner, to see the same Medic that saved her from before, but with an annoyed look on his face, as well as a frustrated look too.

She winced when she saw him angry, scared to come out and say hello to him.

He got over to his desk, his red rubber gloved hands gripped the edge, ready to explode at any minute.

Stephanie wanted to get out of the room now, but does not want to hear him screaming out loud.

But, he instead sighed, placing his right hand against his right temple, mumbling something in German which, luckily, Stephanie could not translate with her own mind.

"Warum habe ich mich für diesen Job entschieden, obwohl diese dummen Idioten nicht wissen, wer ihnen mit ihrer Gesundheit geholfen hat?!" he suddenly snapped in German out loud, startling Stephanie from the sudden snap. "Das nächste Mal, wenn ich ihnen geholfen habe, werde ich ihnen eine gute Operation geben, wo sie nicht direkt sehen, wenn sie angreifen!"

He sighed as he placed his hands back down on the desk's side, sighing to himself to calm down from his frustration.

Stephanie wanted to escape from his anger, but something inside of her stopped her from going away and deciding to stay inside, wanting to see more of him.

So, being cautious of his awareness, she slowly moved to a different spot, still out of his sight and hiding underneath a medical bed.

She peeked over the side of the spot of where she is, noticing that the Medic was positioning himself for something until something that he did make her shocked.

He started singing a song.

None of the team members that she had met have sung before, but now a Medic is singing.

Right in front of her!

"🎵Zhere's a certain hellish realm,🎵" he sang. "🎵Reserved for everyone vho yells zhey need the medic!🎵"

Stephanie listened to him singing, her jaw halfway dropped, peeking around the corner of the leg that she was hiding behind, maybe a little too much to let him see her.

"🎵Vhile I'm eating, vhile I'm reading, or excreting on zhe John,🎵" he continued singing, turning around from the desk that he was standing in front of, walking away as Stephanie snapped out of her shocked gaze and hid in the spot of where she was standing, hiding from the Medic, as he continued singing. "🎵Zhere's no hiding from zhe screaming en my mind!🎵"

"🎵Zhere's no place en heaven high, vhere I can crawl avay und die,🎵" he continued, as he picked up his bone saw from his other table right beside him. "🎵Zhe only real solutions absolutely homicide!🎵"

He paused as he stared at his reflection on his bone saw for a moment, before sighing.

"🎵All zhe wounds I've ever sealed, und the boo-boos zhat I've healed, I'm a changed medic!🎵" he sang as he turned around to the front, waving his bone saw around, making Stephanie feel slightly nervous about getting sliced by that steel blade of his own if she was too close to him. "🎵Now, zhese enjuries can stay vhile I blow some noobs avay! Beware zhe medic!🎵"

He placed his bone saw down on the desk and turned back around, as Stephanie hid again, but slightly.

"🎵Zhe Soldier und zhe Sniper, I'm afraid zhey've not got long!🎵" he sang. "🎵Zhe Demoman und Pyro quickly fade!🎵"

He picked his bone saw back up in his hand from the desk that he placed on top of earlier.

"🎵Und zhe medic vill just laugh vhile zhe Heavy's torn en half, by zhe Medic und his bone saw's gruesome blade!🎵" he sang, pointing his bone saw in his hand towards an x-ray of Heavy with a missile inside his body.

Stephanie shudders in worry, concerned to be surgically opened by him for science.

"🎵Now zhe Sniper has jars of jarate, clear glass bottles he fills vith his piss,🎵" he sang, as Stephanie made a slightly disgusted face about that sentences. "🎵Vhen he hits all his foes, he crits all of his blows!🎵"

He paused for a moment, straightening his body up slightly, before holding up his bone saw, triumphantly smiling as he could.

"🎵He has zhat, I have zhis!🎵" he continued, before turning back around, luckily not seeing Stephanie hiding. "🎵Zhe Engineer has electronics, und zhe Spy's got disguises und tricks!🎵"

If she moves from her spot, he might notice her and might catch her.

She shudders quietly to herself at the thought of being caught by him.

"🎵Und zhe Pyro's ensane!🎵" he sang, before adding; "🎵Eh, zhe Scout's kind of lame.🎵"

Stephanie quietly giggled at his response about the Scout.

"🎵Zhey do zhat, I do zhis! I do zhis,🎵" he paused again, laying back first on his medical bed, staring directly up at the ceiling as he stopped singing.

Stephanie peeked around the corner of the table leg, deciding to move now.

So, she quickly moved, as he sat up from laying on the bed, as she went underneath a chair, hiding behind another leg.

She carefully peeked around the corner to the Medic, as he glanced over at the Medic Bay's doors, as he frowned, clenching his fist in anger.

"🎵Ef jou'd like a reason vhy my entire team should die!🎵" he sang, the tone of his voice changed into slight anger. "🎵Zhen, play zhe medic!🎵"

"🎵Vell, my friends, zhe doctor's out,🎵" he paused, striking his fist down on the desk, making Stephanie jolt from the impact of his fist. "🎵Of his vhole mind! So go on, shout! Jou'll get no medic!🎵"

"🎵I don't care about points or payloads only psychopathic sprees,🎵" he sang, pointing at some papers of points, before picking up a spare red glove of his and a blue glove of the BLU Medic. "🎵Nor vhich color team jou're playing, RED or BLU!🎵"

Stephanie listened to him singing, hiding a few times as he moved around, wondering what he could be doing as she feels interested.

He might not be a dangerous doctor, after all, he did save her from danger.

"🎵Und ef I see just one more hat, I'll tear jour ensides out like zhat!🎵" he sang, waving his bone saw in front of him to make a mention of cutting a person's insides out. "🎵Like Saxton Hale on a safari at zhe zoo!🎵"

Stephanie slightly cocked her head to the side when he mentioned someone, feeling confused about that person.

"🎵I'm a physician on a mission und contrition esn't my style!🎵" he continued singing, as he picked up a light cyan blue bottle with his red symbol on the label, before slamming it on the desk, as Stephanie slightly jolted again. "🎵Am I a monster or a man? I cannot say!🎵"

He made a mention with his body and his hands of his MediPack that he continually carries with him on the battlefield as Stephanie watched, luckily not being caught by him.

"🎵All I know es zhat my über's locked und loaded like a trooper! Medicare's one shot away!🎵" he sang before positioning himself to his heroic pose, still holding his bone saw in his hand. "🎵Jou zhink I've arrived bearing safety, but I come not vith peace, but a sword!🎵"

"🎵Zhere's a high price to pay for the health I've purveyed!🎵" he sang, before placing the bone saw down on the desk, then his hands, shaking slightly. "🎵All I do, zhey've ignored!🎵"

Then, he turned around from his desk as Stephanie hid again, trying not to be caught by him.

"🎵All I do, I'm abhorred!🎵" he sang out loud, before quieting down slightly.

Stephanie peeked around the corner slightly, watching him as he turned slightly to the side.

"🎵I once was a man who was valiantly healing everyone crying, 'MEDIC!'🎵" he gently sang. "🎵I once healed a Spy vho zhen knifed me goodbye!🎵"

His tone changed from quiet to frustration, as his attitude shifted to slight anger.

"🎵Zhat's vhen I learned to let people die! Let zhem die!🎵" he sang, as Stephanie quietly shudder to herself at the thought. "🎵Leave zhe Demoman for dead! Let zhe Heavy fill vith lead!🎵"

Stephanie flinched when he sang about the Heavy filled with lead, remembering the time that he was shot in the chest by a scattergun when she had first come to the battlefield.

"🎵Meet zhe new Medic! May zhe Pyro be enflamed! May jou loathe zhis wretched game vithout zhe medic!🎵" he continued singing, as Stephanie listened to him.

Then, he snatched a couple of his blank papers from his desk and pushed them away from his body.

"🎵May jour papers all be stolen! Jour intelligence be lost!🎵" he continued singing, not even noticing someone was listening to him. "🎵May your sanviches be full of rancid meat!🎵"

Then, he turned back around, as Stephanie hid again, but peeking around the corner slightly.

"🎵Und zhe first fool zhat I hear vho calls for medic gets zheir rear rent surgically…!🎵" He drifted off when his anger that he has vanished.

He was already tired from moving around in his room and swinging his bone saw around a lot, so, he placed both of his palms on his desk at the bottom of both of them behind his back.

Stephanie waited for a moment, wondering what happened to him, and thought that he was going to have a heart attack since he is old.

But, he instead was panting slightly to himself as he wiped one of the loose locks of his jet-black hair out of his face, pushing it back into place.

So, Stephanie decided to allow herself to get caught by him, but only a little, not too much to make things go out of hand.

Fully turning around from the chair leg, she cleared her throat from being quiet the whole time, to listen to him singing and sang, completing his song for him, "🎵By him, your friendly PH.D., the Medic.🎵"

Her voice captured his attention, so, he glanced up from looking down at the ground, curious about who sang that.

He removed his hands from the desk behind his back, and glanced around the room, looking for the person who sang it, although looked alerted too.

Noticing that he looked alert when she peeked around the corner, she hid again and decided to sing a song that could catch his attention and maybe ease him from his anger and alert.

She vocalized for a moment, singing a song that was from a favorite TV show of hers, except the lyrics were changed for him to listen to.

When the Medic heard her vocalizing, he turned his head towards the noise, but see nothing.

His hand reaches over to the bone saw, but stopped, thinking twice about attacking his intruder.

So, he moved his hand away, deciding to look for the intruder than to attack.

"🎵Why, would you want to be here?🎵" she sang, as he glanced around in curiosity, wondering who is singing the song that just started. "🎵What do you ever, see here?🎵"

"🎵That doesn't make you feel worse than you do?🎵" she sang, as he listened. "🎵And tell me, what's the use of feeling, blue?🎵"

He slightly tilted his head to the side in confusion when he heard that sentence.

What did the person mean by that?

"🎵Why, would you employ them?🎵" she sang, making a gesture to the doors of the Medic Bay. "🎵Subjects that destroyed you?🎵"

"🎵Why keep on giving, hope, oh tell me,🎵" she sang, as he took two steps forward towards where she is singing. "🎵What's the use of feeling, blue?🎵"

"🎵An army has a use, they can go fight a war!🎵" she sang, trying her best to not to bail from being caught. "🎵A Scout has a use, he can tell you what it's for.🎵"

"🎵A Pyro terrifies, a Spy terraforms.🎵" she continued singing, while he was walking towards where she is. "🎵Where's their medic when they need him? You've got to be a medic!🎵"

He looked confused when the person said that he needed to be a medic, so, he looked around, continuing to look for the person responsible for the singing.

"🎵Yes, of course, we still hate it, and we're always thinking about it,🎵" she sang, as he was getting almost close to her. "🎵But now there's nothing we can, do, so tell me, what's the use of feeling, what's the use of feeling, what's the use of feeling blue?🎵"

He continued listening to her singing, feeling confused, but, as well as slightly relaxed that someone else understood that he is frustrated.

Although alert for the intruder, he wanted to catch the person instead of harming, so, he looked down on the ground, knowing there is someone smaller than anyone.

"🎵Oh, how can you stand it to be here with it all?🎵" she sang, as he was getting closer to where she is. "🎵Drowning in all of this rage! Wouldn't you rather forget, oh?🎵"

"🎵Won't it be grand to get rid of it all?🎵" she sang. "🎵Let's make a plan of attack! Start looking forward and stop looking back, well!🎵"

He got closer until he caught sight of her, standing there singing to herself, mostly to him, not noticing the shadow looming over her.

"🎵Yes, of course, we still hate it, and we're always thinking about it.🎵" she sang, not noticing him peeking around the corner of the chair's leg, seeing her standing there, singing her song for him. "🎵Don't you know I hate it, too?🎵"

That sentence made him feel both confused and shocked.

She hates it too?

"🎵But, tell me… What's the use of feeling…?🎵" she slowly trailed off when she noticed there was something off. "🎵What's the use of feeling…? What's the use of feeling…?🎵"

She stopped and turned around to whoever was staring at her, and instead was face to face with the Medic, now seeing her underneath a chair.

Stephanie jolted when she saw him, gasping slightly.

Immediately, she wanted to run away from him, because of her fear of doctors, but she instead was frozen to the spot, as she was shaking from head to toe.

She noticed he was staring at her, with a confused look on her face, so she decided to finish the melody she started.

So, she shakily, but managed to finish the song, while he was watching her.

After she finished the song that she was singing, Stephanie felt that she was going to be in trouble, or punished.

"Jou vere zhe one zhat vas singing zhat song?" he instead questioned her, startling Stephanie as she flinched from the sudden sound of his voice.

She paused for a moment, gathering her courage to speak and stammered, "Y-Yes, I was. And I… was listening to your song too. It is good, like mine."

He slightly blushed at her response to his song as she glanced away from his gaze, looking embarrassed that she is caught singing one of her favorite songs.

And felt like she was not supposed to be here too.

Suddenly, she was gently picked up from her hiding spot from where she was without her noticing.

The object that she was lifted up is something red and rubbery, as she jolted from the sudden grab.

She glanced down at her waist, to notice she is gently grabbed by his rubber-gloved hand, getting picked up from where she is, before placed down onto another rubbery surface underneath her, as a stable platform for her to be on top of.

After she was placed into his other hand, she was not doing anything but was trembling a bit, still trying to get used to being picked up all the time when they want her around.

And maybe trying not to be terrified of him?

She was lifted up to his chest and gently placed against it, she felt a little more relaxed than being nervous.

Stephanie absent-mindedly placed her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

He did not mind her leaning her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat, so he just slowly stood up from kneeling down on the ground, as Stephanie hunched up a bit, but relax slowly.

After the Medic got up from the ground, he walked over to his desk and carefully removed her from his chest, as she moved her head away from his chest.

Then, he gently placed her down on the surface of the desk, as she wobbled a bit when she was placed onto, before turning around to him, as he was just standing there in front of her.

"So, vhat brought jou here?" he politely asked, as he walked around the desk, sitting down onto his black wheelie chair, and picking up a white cup of coffee with his symbol on the side.

She remembered what she was doing and answered his question, "I was just coming here to do a late thank you for savin' me on the battlefield."

He nearly choked on his coffee after he had taken a sip.

Startled that he nearly spews his coffee out of his mouth, she backed up slightly to not get any coffee all over her and trying not to trip over anything.

But only a few came out instead of a lot of what she had expected.

After he unexpectedly spat out a bit of coffee, he placed the cup down right next to him, but away from where Stephanie is.

"Wie bitte?" he politely asked, in fluent German, slightly clearing his throat from the leftover coffee.

Understanding what he meant in German, she answered, repeating her words to what she said to him, "I said, 'I was just coming here to do a late thank you for saving me on the battlefield.'"

He felt slightly surprised, as Stephanie mentally felt worried about what he was thinking about.

She came to him to thank him for saving her on the battlefield when she first arrived.

No one had thanked him before and only appreciated his work quietly.

He felt confused about why she decided to thank him?

"Vhy zhanking me?" he asked, sounding confused.

"Because without you, I wouldn't be here talking to you about why." she softly explained. "And, you are an amazing person that ever had come to my rescue."

He slightly blushed as he glanced away from the remark, as Stephanie mentally giggled at his slight blush.

"And, to let you know, I'm not flirting," she added. "I'm telling the truth."

"Understand," he acknowledges, as he took a sip of his coffee, his time, not choking.

Stephanie gently smiled to herself, as she walked over to his left arm, walking around the arm and sitting down right next to his thumb, where he can see her without having to look far away from him of where she was standing at.

He did not do anything when she sat down right next to his hand, as he placed his cup down, deciding to let her sit there.

But, he was confused about why she seemed to be hesitant a few times?

"So," Stephanie spoke, glancing up at his gaze. "How are you?"

"Eh," he responded. "I have a lot of vork to do und I don't have anyzhing else to do since I have already finished zhem."

"You do?" Stephanie asked, sounding confused.

"Ja, of course," he responded to her question. "Ever since I haven't gotten ento my vork, I have less of paperwork to do."

"Maybe all the stress is doing that?" she suggested, gently shrugging her shoulders.

"Ja, zhat could be et too." he agreed, nodding his head gently.

Stephanie paused for a moment, glancing away from the Medic, as he noticed her bandages around her palms, remembering the time that he mended her wounds.

"Er, ma'am?" He questioned, as Stephanie glanced back over to him, snapping out of her thoughts. "Are jou also here for a checkup too?"

She was going to reject that she was not here for that, because of her fear of doctors, but stopped herself, remembering the wounds might get infected if she refuses.

Stephanie glanced down at her hands for a moment, before responding, "I suppose that too."

She felt hesitant to be examined by the Medic, since what had happened to her back after she was born.

Stephanie mentally pushed the memory away, as the Medic placed his left hand down in front of her, as she got up from the desk and slowly climbed onto his palm.

After she had climbed into the middle of his palm and sat down, the Medic lifted her up to his face, as she mentally felt like she wanted to back out of the offer, but stopped herself, although shaking a bit.

The Medic noticed her shaking and felt confused about it, but felt concerned about her injuries.

He did do some medical treatment on it to keep it from infecting, but he was not too sure since she has been behind the walls of the base, she might have gathered some dust while walking.

Stephanie slowly eased herself down, mentally repeatedly telling herself that he will not cause any harm to her or try any medical treatments on her.

Needles, for instance.

She forced the thought in her head away to focus on what she is doing and moved her sleeves up to show him the bandages, along with her pant legs too.

The Medic patiently waited for her to push her sleeves up to show him the bandages, but mentally questioning himself of why is she shaking at this moment.

And why is she hesitating at some moments?

Did something happen to her in her life to fear a medic?

Randomly guessing, he chose that she was scared of medics because of the needles or surgeries.

After she pushed her sleeves up to her elbows, along with her pant legs to her knees, revealing the bandages that he had wrapped after their last appointment, not touched either.

"Gut, gut," he softly mumbled to himself, as he stood up from the desk, carrying Stephanie in his hand, as she wrapped her arms around his thumb, to be safe as he walks. "Jou didn't mess vith zhem."

Stephanie glanced away for a moment, looking a little sheepish about if she did, he would be angry at her for what she did.

He walked over to one of the medical tables and placed her down, before kneeling down on one knee and looked at her at eye level, as his chin was on top of the surface.

Stephanie felt nervous about what he was doing as she stared up at his eyes, noticing he was actually observing her as she sat there, mentally feeling uneasy.

She watched as his steel-blue eyes glance around her, looking at every detail on her.

Stephanie felt like she wanted to tell him she is not comfortable with him staring at her, but kept it in her mind, deciding that asking him would make him irritated.

After a few minutes of observing her, he got up from kneeling down to her level, as she flinched slightly, but relaxed.

"Zhe scratches jou have luckily has healed, but I don't know about the bruise that you have," he spoke, as Stephanie listened to him. "Did et heal?"

She reached up to the side of her head, feeling where she had an impact of the strange metal object, noticing it did not hurt anymore, even when she poked a little too hard.

"I think so," she answered, moving her hand down from her temple. "It doesn't hurt that much anymore."

He slightly nodded his head in understandment, and picked Stephanie up again, before placing her into his left hand, as she just sat there in the middle of his palm.

"Zhat's gut." he sighed, lifting her up to his eye level, as she absent-mindedly pulled her sleeves back down over her arms. "Es zhere anyzhing else jou feel?"

"Truthfully…" she drifted off, glancing away for a moment. "I'm a little scared."

A confused look appeared on his face after she had responded to his question, as she felt more uneasy about him.

"Vhy?" he asked, moving his hand over to his shoulder. "Vhy are jou scared?"

He gently placed her down onto his shoulder as she moved over to the side of his neck, taking two handfuls of his collar.

"I, uh, well…" she stammered, shaking a bit as the memories of the doctor that scared her half to death haunted her mind.

Stephanie did not feel comfortable explaining what happened to her about doctors when she was little and does not want to explain why, because of how scary it was.

But, she wanted to tell him to get it off her chest, so she decided to tell him why.

"After I was born, I was taken from mom for a moment," Stephanie explained, as the Medic sat back down on the chair, listening to Stephanie's story, as he was patient with her, allowing her to take some time. "To be cleaned."

"But, after I was washed," she paused, shaking a bit before Stephanie sighed. "I was covered with a towel, and instead of trying not to scare the baby, this nurse was being careless with me."

She recalled the memory when she was little, her mother telling her the story about what happened to her and why she was scared of doctors.

"And, I was wrapped with the towel around my body, not being careful of scaring me, and I was terrified," Stephanie explained as it got off her chest. "And, another reason why I am scared of doctors is not because of needles,"

She paused as she chuckled softly to herself from the ridiculous fear of needles, as the Medic rolled his eyes in slight amusement.

"I, uh, am scared of being opened up for getting surgery and many other things that I am scared of." Stephanie finished, sounding sheepish and a little uneasy.

The Medic stared at her for a moment, as Stephanie felt more sheepish, before he glanced away, chuckling softly.

"Jou're not zhe only one vho es scared of needles." he chuckled, as Stephanie's sheepish turned to confusion.

"Who?" Stephanie curiously asked.

The Medic glanced over at her, with a smirk on his face, and responding to her question, "Et es Scout."

Stephanie paused for a moment, thinking about his answer, before softly giggling.

"Scout's afraid of needles too?" she asked, sounding a little amused about Scout's fear.

The Medic nodded his head and smiled, chuckling to himself too.

Stephanie softly chuckled along with him before thinking about something else.

"Hey, uh, I didn't get your name," she said, glancing over at him. "But, my name is Stephanie, Stephanie Nova Rose Allen."

He glanced over at her and responded, "Augustus, Augustus Ludwig es my name."

"Is it okay if I call you Dr. Ludwig then?" Stephanie asked, mentioning his last name.

"If jou vant." The Medic responded. "But, I prefer to be called zhe Medic."

Stephanie nodded her head and glanced away, thinking to herself for a moment, as she gently rubbed her left arm, that is not covered in the bandages anymore.

The Medic glanced back over to his papers, thinking to himself for a moment, as Stephanie continuing to rub her left arm, looking a little awkward.

Then, the Medic Bay's doors opened, revealing to be the Scout coming in.

Before he could say something, he noticed Stephanie on the Medic's shoulder, looking calm while looking at him.

"Ja?" the Medic asked, as Stephanie listened to the conversation between the two. "Vhat es et, Scout?"

The Scout turned his attention to the Medic and answered his question, "I just came here to get a checkup since ya always ask us to get one."

The Medic rolled his eyes, and Stephanie continued listening to the conversation, not even bothering to ask them a question.

They both calmly talked about their appointments, and mostly about battle positions, and the Soldier.

Something from the back of Stephanie's head told her she might want to meet the Soldier once more and try to get her backpack back before things might get worse.

But, she did not feel like this time was not the perfect time to get her backpack back from the Soldier's room.

So, she decided to wait for the right time.