Blue.

Emanuel stood by the Nurse's Station, lost in thought and stuck in a singular moment as Sanbridge General buzzed with activity. Doctors and Nurses alike, moved back and forth in their usual flurry, shouting orders or speaking with the Patients they treated.

Emanuel still felt down-spirited after his conversation with Elias, that had taken a wild and unexpected turn. Which left him thinking of his options, for he had already put in the request for a transfer to the day-shift. Hoping that it would ease his and Elias' mind and put them both at peace. Knowing they could spend more time with each other.

Unfortunately, Emanuel's request was denied under the terms that the Day shift already had enough Doctors with his skills. The Night Shift was something that Emanuel knew well, and he was a Familiar face in the Emergency Ward. Yet that didn't strike Emanuel as reason enough for him not to be granted the transfer, knowing that his relationship with Elias suffered because of the hours.

They hadn't drifted apart yet, but Emanuel knew that it would eventually happen if he didn't break up his folly grounds. For the day when Elias grew old enough to not need him, was fast approaching and he was heavily bereaved by the thought.

"Dr. Rosario," Dr. Claymore approached Emanuel from behind, flashing him a wide smile that flattened the moment she got a glimpse the saddened look in his big, brown eyes.

"Hey, Nat."

"Final preliminary results from Vincent Kelsey's surgery and discharge form," she said as she dangled a thin, blue file jacket in her hands.

"How's everything looking?" He queried as he took the file, neglecting to open it.

"Everything looks great so far, he just has to be mindful of stressing his arm and he'll heal perfectly."

"Will he be able to use his arm to its full ability again?"

"In about three months, yes." She nodded and Emanuel managed to smile, for she had offered good news to give to Vince.

"Great! I'll go and inform him now. You think you could get Dr. Lynch down here? I need his final Psych Eval,"

"Sure, no problem but I'm thinking that you might need him to discuss something other than just Vince Kelsey's mental state." Dr. Claymore stated and Emanuel sighed in contempt.

"What do you mean?" He queried coyly and she frowned.

"Don't be coy," she warned.

"We're on the clock, what else is there to converse?"

"The fact that you've been distracted lately, and I know it isn't Work."

She rose an eyebrow and Emanuel scowled down at his fingers, idly interlocking with each other as a means to occupy his fidgety hands. She knew something was bothering him deeply, and she grew concerned with his state of mind.

"What's going on, Manny?"

Emanuel suddenly felt the urge to remember their friendship, despite it always being on a professional level. Natalie was attentive to her profession, but also attentive to the people she worked with as if it were her family of four. She cared enough to delve, and though some deemed it inquisitive, Emanuel found it refreshing and welcomed it.

"I'm thinking about transferring to the Day shift," he posed and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Why would you want to do that?"

"Because," he began but paused in hesitance, worrying that divulging his personal life to the very last margin, would make him seem anything but professional.

She noticed his hesitant look, and sighed as she leaned against the Desk, her arms stuffed into her Lilac Scrubs.

"You know you can talk to me right?" She peered up at him, a reassuring smile on her face that broke down his defenses, causing him to sigh in bereavement.

"This morning when I was making Elias breakfast, we had a little talk and,he's growing more impatient each day."

"It's complicated when both Parents are separated, and one of them works late hours. It took some time for the twins to get used to me being on the night shift, but they all came around. I'm sure Elias will too,"

"That's the thing," he said. "It's been four years, and with every passing month I feel like he's gonna ask to go live with his Mother instead."

Natalie pursed her lips as she felt a sudden bout of pity for Emanuel, who was an honest and caring person with a heart of gold. Perhaps it was time for him to step down, and start working from an Office but they both knew Emanuel Rosario well enough. He was a man with dignity and purpose, who survived on the intrinsic life force that only saving people in the Emergency Room could bring.

"Well, everyone here would miss you." She said with a wry smile, masking her sadness with the thought of him leaving the night shift. "Have you spoken to Dr. Chasity?" Natalie sighed and Emanuel's gaze flew to her in astonishment.

"How do you-, wait a minute. You know?" He asked with bulged eyes and Natalie rolled her silver-green orbs.

"Umm, who doesn't?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow and suddenly Emanuel felt faint.

"Besides, you two banter way too much to not be involved apart from working together." She gestured with her hand waving in dismissal.

"Oh god," Emanuel buried his face in his hands, his elbows propped against the Desk.

"Hey, we all saw it coming even when you didn't, we even had a bet." Natalie smirked and Emanuel rubbed at his face, groaning out in complete frustration.

"So much for discretion," He grimaced with a scoff and Natalie patted him on the shoulder.

"That's not the issue right now, I think you should get that Transfer."

"Really?" He asked, befuddled and she nodded with a reassuring smile.

"Totally, I'd hate to see your relationship with that genius boy of yours suffer." Natalie said as she offered him a warm smile.

"Dr. Claymore needed in OR-3, paging Dr. Claymore." A voice chipped in over the intercom and Natalie groaned out loudly.

"Go on," He chided with a smile and she simply nodded, spinning on her heels.

Emanuel watched her retreat and shook his head as he clutched the file in his hands, his fingers tapping on it idly. His first thought was to visit Vince, to give him the update but even then he felt too cornered to be chastised by the man's icy stare. He didn't know what it was with Vincent Kelsey, but there was something that he couldn't quite decipher.

"Dr. Rosario? Is you ok, boo?" Emanuel spun around at the sound of the familiar southern voice, forcing a smile in Effie Bort's direction.

Effie was a well known Nurse on the Nightshift, with a sharp mouth and the attitude of ten Black Women in one room. Everyone knew when she was at work, and they also knew better than to question her, for she was a serious woman with a spit-fire urgency and a no-nonsense demeanor.

A little on the plus size, Effie Bort was at least 5 feet 4 inches, with flawless ebony skin and perfectly white teeth that shone like pearls when she smiled. Among her best physical attributes, was her glorious Afro of thick, naturally brown curls bunched atop her round head that made her hazel brown eyes pop.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked with an awkward grin and she frowned at him, not entirely convinced.

"You're tapping your fingers like you have the jitters and your face looks like you just swallowed a fly, wondering if it's gonna lay eggs in your stomach lining." She rolled her eyes as she ambled forward, placing her hands akimbo.

"That obvious?" He queried with a sigh of defeat and she nodded with a comforting smile.

"Back when I was your age, honey, I was a profiler for behavioral skills and I know something is chewing you up inside," she stated matter of factly and Emanuel rose his left eyebrow in question.

"So you were a Shrink?" He asked and she slapped his hand.

"Ow! Ok don't mention the S word." He winced as he rubbed at his upper right arm. "That's abuse you know,"

"Boy hush, you'll get over it. What you won't get over is whatever it is that's eating you up, and you know I care about you, so tell me what's wrong, sugar." She chided sincerely, her southern accent thick and demanding.

"I want to transfer to the Day shift, but I keep worrying that it'll change things."

Effie nodded in understanding, and her lips twisted up into a slight frown.

"You're wondering if working on different shifts will change what you and Brandan have?" She asked and Emanuel's gaze widened instantly as he glowered down at her.

"Gosh, does everyone know about us?!" He grew hysteric and Effie shot him a coy smile.

"Boo, let me let you in on a little secret that seems to elude even you despite having the highest IQ up in here." She stated firmly and he peered down at her with curious eyes.

"Errbody know what's going on with you and Dr. Blue-eyes." Effie rolled her eyes and Emanuel groaned, burying his head between his palms, yet again flushing under her suggestive gaze.

Emanuel shouldn't have been surprised that people knew about him and Brandan, and it bothered him that everyone else did but Elias. So he made his mind up at that very moment, to tell Elias as soon as time permitted.

Sanbridge General was a close knit community, and news travelled in hordes by the mouth, especially over break. It was only a matter of time before they put one and two together, and figured out that he was secretly dating a colleague. But it wasn't a phenomenon, for many of the Nurses had slept with Doctors, or other Nurses.

Emanuel recoiled at the thought of being ashamed of his union, yet he was only Human and he needed to at least pursue another romance. Jasmine Lance, the Mother of his Son was something of a High School sweetheart, but they soon called it quits when Emanuel realized his attraction to the same sex.

He didn't shy from telling her, and it came out in an argument just years before the present day. But Emanuel could remember the fervid feeling of unrestraint and weightlessness that he felt after coming out, that pushed him towards being more conspicuous.

Coming out to his Colleagues was even easier than he thought, and nobody judged nor chastised him for his preferences. They all had warm things to say and also warmer hugs, that portrayed how proud they were of him, for accepting who he was and what he liked.

"This is embarrassing," Emanuel spoke as he wiped at his face, suddenly feeling tired all of a sudden.

He quickly checked his watch, noting that he had 8 hours left until his shift was over and he dreaded having to wait that long. He needed to finally tell Elias about Brandan, even if it was the second most scariest thing he had ever thought to face.

"Honey, If Brandan likes you as much as I think, he gon hafta understand." Effie acknowledged chastely and Emanuel blinked rapidly.

"If he doesn't, then you can kick his ass to the curb cuz between you and me, boo boo, you two don't exactly have anythang in common, and I'm sorry to harp on it but you know Effie don't see and not speak." She snapped dramatically and pointed a finger at him, as if scolding him but her words had opened up a new thought inside him.

Something that wanted her to be right, and another that wanted her to be wrong because he was certain he had feelings for Brandan Chasity. Almost as much as he was certain that telling Elias about him would be challenging.

"I'm not exactly worried about me and Brandan, it's Elias." He said and she nodded in realization.

"I see," she said and he nodded down at her.

"Mhm,"

"Well, now that you say that, the night shift is a lil too intense for a single Father to deal with and, that boy gon need his Daddy around. Not just there to pick him up from school, or drop him off at his Momma's."

"At least you understand, but Scarano doesn't."

"Boy, that man don't understand the concept of Family. Hell I wouldn't be surprised if he was an Alien," Effie scoffed, and they both chuckled at their equal disdain for their Boss.

"I'm going to ask again, and if he can't give it to me. Then I'll quit,"

"You say what now?!" Effie's eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

"If he doesn't give me that transfer, I'll quit. There's four major Hospitals in Los Angeles, I'm sure one of them would take me and give me the day shift." He shrugged and Effie gazed at him with a troubled look.

"I can't even be mad at you, honey, cuz as a Mother I know what it means to make sacrifices for yo kids. If I didn't have my Carlos, I'd be a Model but instead I became a Nurse and gained a few pounds here and there,"

"A few?" He asked and she rose her hand to smack his arm again, and he flinched whilst chuckling.

"I'm joking, I believe you." He said sincerely and she rolled her eyes.

"Well, good luck with that, boo. I hope it goes well for you, and if you should ever leave. Just know that this old Goose will miss yah," she said as she gathered him in a warming embrace that calmed him.

"Thanks Effie," he said but before she could reply, the Phone at the reception area rang loudly and she sighed as she unwrapped her arms from around him.

"Duty calls," she said with a condescending grunt as she patted him on the shoulder and walked off.

Emanuel smiled as she retreated then spun on his heels, making his way down the wide hallway until he came upon a glowing sign that read Admittance Ward.

A few Rooms were empty along the way, and others had Patients with all sorts of ailments, that made Emanuel a bit nauseous. He hurriedly found Vince's Room, surprised to find the door open with Vince sitting upright with a tray before him.

Emanuel scowled at the overcooked Rice and Black Beans, grimacing as the thought of having to eat the ghastly Hospital Food, made him sick. Vince poked at the beans with a plastic spoon, that he had used to eat the apple flavored Jello. The only thing that was enjoyable about Hospital Dining, and it made Emanuel giggle at the thought.

Vince peered up at Emanuel with a skeptical glance, but followed his eyes down to his plate, conjecturing why the Doctor had laughed.

"It's not gonna be so funny when you have to eat it," Vince said with a hint of teasing in his voice.

"Oh no, I make my own Food." Emanuel chuckled as he strode forward, pausing at the foot of the Hospital Bed.

"Lucky," Vince snorted, but the warming smile on his face opened a gateway to cordiality, that Emanuel was overly appreciative of.

"I wouldn't call it that,"

"Dr. Rosario, right?" Vince queried as he gazed up at Emanuel.

"That I am, how are you feeling, Mr. Kelsey?"

"It's Vince,"

"Excuse me?" Emanuel shot Vince a confused glance and he chuckled deeply, his deep baritone vibrating in Emanuel's eardrums in an oddly pleasurable way.

"You can call me Vince, you're my Doctor not my Employee," he mused and Emanuel's cheeks tinted pink, but he buried his face in the files as he opened them. Silently hoping that Vince hadn't seen the flushness in his cheeks, for even the thought of blushing that way sounded silly.

"O-ok well, Vince. I have your file here, and I have good news."

"That's comforting, whatcha got for me?" He asked and Emanuel's eyes rose from the set of papers within the file jacket.

"Well, you'll make a full recovery in about eight weeks but for the next twelve to sixteen it's best if you not stress your hand too much. Also you'll need to revisit on May 5th to have the stitches removed from both your eye, and the 30th to remove the ones from your arm."

"Will I be prescribed any drugs? I hear this thing is gonna be painful,"

"Yes, and I'm glad you asked because our affiliate Pharmacy on 4th street will provide you with everything you need." Emanuel stated reassuringly and Vince nodded, his lips parting in gesture.

"Which is?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and Emanuel fixated his gaze back on the Files.

"Five weeks of Metadextromol for the pain, and 6 weeks worth of Dydrasalitus, which is an antibacterial medicine used to ward off any infections. Also you'll need ten days worth of Amprocetaform," at the mention of the last drug, Vince's eyes narrowed.

"Isn't that anti-rejection medicine? Why do I need that?"

"Well, during the surgery we had to utilize an artificial extension to merge both ends of the Ulnar Artery back together, but don't worry it's scientifically tested and proven very efficient in cases such as yours."

Vince didn't seem pleased by this revelation and Emanuel grew worried that he'd not take well to it, for the look on his face was evidence enough of his disapproval.

"What if my body rejects it?" He asked and Emanuel's eyebrows furrowed.

"It's not a possibility that it will reject it, but the Medicine is only a precautionary measure."

"Hmm," Vince huffed.

"The extension was formed from a silicon material that is consistent with your epidermal structure. Only difference is, it's more tensile and lessens the risk of you tearing your Ulnar artery again anytime in the future." Emanuel stated assuredly.

"Medicine and it's advancements, whatever happened to just dying of natural causes." Vince grimaced and Emanuel peered down at him, dazed.

"Except you were stabbed," Emanuel posed and Vince averted his gaze, watching the Food before him.

Vince's gaze drifted to the chai, his face softening as he thought of Emanuel sleeping in it. He didn't know whether to be disappointed or relieved that it wasn't a Family member, but it nagged at him incessantly.

"You know, when I woke up three days ago in this bed I didn't expect to find a total stranger sitting in that chair," Vince remarked in a deepened voice as his eyes travelled back to Emanuel, who posed a slight scowl that wrinkled the skin between his eyebrows.

"Nobody came to visit you?" Emanuel asked incredulously and Vince shot him a blank look.

"Lets just say, they aren't exactly big fans," he scowled and Emanuel felt a sudden tug at his chest.

Emanuel began wondering what it would be like, to wake up in a Hospital bed with nobody by your side but the Doctor who had saved you. To Vince it would have been flattering, but instead it felt a little too pathetic and tacky but Emanuel only wondered why he didn't have any visitors. He had been there for four days, all alone with nobody concerned for him or his wellbeing, and Emanuel found it entirely preposterous.

"I'm s-sorry, I-I well, they must be very busy."

"Yeah, busy resenting me but hey I can't complain. I made my bed and now I'm sleeping in it, needles, thorns, wasps and all." Vince pursed his lips in a dismissive gesture, whilst Emanuel tried finding another subject that could help distract the man from his disappointment.

"Well, if it's any consolation. I'm a Doctor and a very good one too, but I still have issues earning the approval and support of my Father, who's a General in the US Army.

Vince peered up at Emanuel, understanding the thought very well. Army Fathers tended to want their Sons to follow in their footsteps, instead of settling for a prissy job such as Medicine. Of course majority of all Fathers were the same in any career, for Vince had that exact sentiment and he felt somehow attached to Emanuel because of it.

"Sorry to hear that," Vince's features softened, but Emanuel simply waved him off.

"Ehh, these days I seem to be drifting apart from everything that I hold dear because of this Job, so the old man might have a point." Emanuel spoke and Vince gazed up at him, feeling a sudden burst of emotion.

"Any advice on how to deal with it, Doctor?"

Vince kept his eyes glued to Emanuel, tracing every inch of his face with his deep gaze, that burrowed holes through the man's skull. Both men entirely sympathetic towards each other, as they both had relatable issues that they faced with Family.

"If you love your Job, and you know you're good at it then don't be sad when the people who are supposed to support you don't, we can't all have acceptance from the people we care about."

"That's actually good advice," Vince chuckled and Emanuel grinned down at him.

"It is, isn't it?" He asked and Vince laughed heartily.

A laugh that vibrated and resonated through Emanuel like a beacon that lit a candle he had long since put out, with no intention of setting ablaze again. A silent moment passed between them, and Emanuel shied away from Vince's curious, ocean blue gaze.

"Well thanks, Doc, for making sure that I'm living and breathing and also for that pep talk. You're really good at this," Vince commended and Emanuel blushed wildly at the compliment.

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