Chapter Text
He knew something was up, he wasn’t a moron for God’s sake. He was the top 10% of his class in his medical school program. So it was a given that he was a highly intelligent person.
It was too bad that Doctors seemed to be the last people on earth to be able to diagnose themselves.
Taryn crossed her arms and shook her head as she heard the vomiting from inside the employee bathroom. Her blonde hair was tied back and her scrubs were wrinkle free. The same couldn’t be said for Levi who looked like he got hit by a bus after he opened the bathroom door and tried to fix his glasses.
“I’d have thought you were just hung over; but this has been, what? The seventh time I’ve heard you puking your guts out in there?” She gave him a pitied look and grimaced at the trace of throw up on her friends shirt.
“God, you’re disgusting. We’re gonna have to get you a new scrub top.” She sighed and went to her locker, pulling out a spare one she kept just in case a patient spit up, bled on, or peed on the one she was already wearing. “Might be a little big…” she held up the shirt and clicked her tongue as her eyes looked between Levi’s tithe body and her plus size scrub type. “It’ll work though.” She tossed it at him and used her pointer finger to direct him back into the bathroom to change.
Levi groaned, holding onto his head. “I’ll just change here. It’s only my shirt.” He tiredly gripped the hem of his scrubs and pulled them up. His arm letting the piece of clothing drop to the floor.
Taryn looked her friend over, her eyes staying on his stomach which seemed to be pronounced. But it wasn’t too weird, he most likely had just eaten a more full meal. Maybe not some type of fast food.
He shimmed on Taryn’s scrub shirt and held out his arms to see how large the thing was on him. “Thanks, I appreciate it.” It would do for today, she was always a big help to him and he’d have to repay her soon.
She waved her hand, “no problem. Here.” She bent down to pick up his stained shirt. “You’re gonna have to wash this.”
He nodded and took his soiled shirt. “Yeah…” he tightened his hold on the material and walked to his locker to toss it inside.
His name tag was clipped to his pocket and his glasses were clasped in place. “Great, I’m ready to go.”
The door to the locker room opened and Dr. Grey walked in. “Where have you two been?! Helm, there’s a man up in trauma that has been stabbed through the abdomen with a wooden stake. Schmitt, woman in the cancer center that possibly will be having a tumor removed. Go!”
The two interns scattered.
-:-:-
Dr. Avery was already up in the room when Levi entered. His face held professionalism but it was clear he was annoyed with Levi’s delay.
“How nice of you to join us Dr. Schmitt.” He turned back to the middle aged woman in the hospital bed. “Carina Alzer, 46, came here with stomach pains and was later diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumors. Currently it’s in stage 1 so we should be able to easily get rid of them.” He gave the woman a smile, “sound about right?”
She laughed and nodded, “down to the last detail. I’ve been dealing with this for months, brought me nothing but suffering.”
Dr. Avery turned back to Levi and frowned, “what happened to your scrubs?”
The younger man stuttered, his eyes blinking nervously through his glasses. “I um, I got something on mine. Dr. Helm lent me her’s.
Dr. Avery nodded, his eyes squinting at him. “Make sure to be on time and have your own scrubs tomorrow.”
Levi was quick to nod, “yeah! I’ll be sure to, I just haven’t been feeling well but I’m fine now- I’ll uh, yeah I’m good.” He gave another nod, his hand nervously playing with the bottom of his shirt, twisting it between his fingers.
Dr. Avery nodded, “alright.” He pointed to Carina and nodded. “You should be all set for surgery tomorrow.”
The woman laughed, “never thought I’d be excited to go into surgery.” Her crows feet crinkled and her laugh lines were broader.
“Schmitt, I’ve got a man in cardio that needs me, think you can finish up here?”
Levi nodded dumbly, “sure, yeah got it.”
Dr. Avery nodded and left, his doctors coat swishing as he left.
Levi attempted to smile at her, “I uh, did he already check your vitals?”
She shrugged, “he messed around with the tubes and wrote in a tablet if that’s what you mean.” He coughed and winced.
“Have the pain meds kicked it yet?” He could tell my her facial expression that she was still uncomfortable.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine dear. Let’s not worry about me, tell me about you dear. That other Doctor didn’t tell me much, only that he’s worried about his girlfriend.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
Levi fumbled with what to say, his hand going to his oversized scrubs and trying to flatten them against his skin. “I don’t know, I don’t do much. I live in my mom’s basement. There’s not much else.”
Carina chuckled, “you dating anyone?”
He bit his lip and went to open his mouth, “I mean no I’m not, not really.” He swallowed and felt his nausea start to return. His stomach flipping and his face paling.
Carina’s face crinkled and she tsked, “oh boy. Who is she?”
Levi straightened up, his lungs taking in a deep breath. “It’s not exactly a she.” He ground his teeth together, worried at what his patient would say.
The older woman laughed, “oh honey, don’t be worried. All boys’ll break your heart. You just gotta move on.”
Levi sighed, “I just thought he liked me, it seemed like he liked me…”
Carina beckoned him closer, her darker skinned hand closing around his. “You're too good for him, you’ll find another handsome man.” She smirked and wiggled her eyebrow, light chuckle leaving her lips.
Levi nodded, “yeah…I’m better than that.” He nodded his head, even if he was completely filled with dread. “I’ll um, I’ll find someone else.” He tried to assure himself of this, his eyes going to the woman in the hospital bed in front of him. “You think I can do it?”
Carina smiled, “course ya’ can.”
Levi attempted to give her a smile but it was more of a grimace. He swallowed down the rising bile in his throat. “Miss. Alzer I’ll um, I’ll be right back.” His shoes skidded as he dashed out of the room.
He raced down the hallway, his quick movements gaining attention from others around him. In particular Chief Karev.
“Slow down, you’re gonna run into someone going that fast.” He frowned when he looked the younger man over. “You alright, Schmitt?”
Levi nodded, “yeah I’m-“ he gagged and his body jerked, his hand coming to clasp over his mouth in an attempt not to spit up all over his boss.
He turned and lunged at the trash can by the nurses station, his body falling to his knees as he emptied what little breakfast he had that morning into the garbage bin.
Chief Karev shook his head, “go home Schmitt. Can’t have you throwing up on the patients.”
The younger Doctor shook his head, his hand coming up to wipe the remaining vomit off of his mouth. “I’m fine, I just ate something bad or something. That’s all.” He shakily stood up and gave the nurse who was shocked at what happened a horrible smile. “Sorry, about that.” He grimaced at his scratchy voice and his most likely unappealing appearance.
The sandy blonde haired man groaned, “look, you’re sick. Go home and rest, when you’re all better come back.”
Levi shook his head, his self confidence shrinking at the look his boss gave him at his defiance. “Sir I can’t do that, I’ll never come back. I’ve been throwing up for over a week. It’s all that happens, nothing more, I puke a couple times and I’m fine.” He shrugged his shoulders quickly, his left hand coming up to fiddle with his glasses.
Chief Karev gave him a worried look, his crows feet showing and his forehead creasing. “Look, head to the clinic and get yourself checked out. Could be the flu, it’s going around.” He shook his head at the Doctor in training who was clueless. With that he walked away.
Levi swallowed down the remaining bile in his throat, his mind clear for the time being. He was to follow Karev’s orders and go down to the clinic.