Chapter Text
Zoey finalized the last line of code and submitted it to the server. She breathed a sigh of relief as she sat back in her chair and looked up at the ceiling. Their long week had finally paid off, the SPRQ Watch was coming along nicely, it wasn’t ready yet, but it was getting there. She glanced over at her team and saw that everyone was gone, except for ever-faithful Max. She checked the time and realized that it was 6:30 PM.
“I’m finally done with this section. How’s it going for you?” She asked the man sitting at the desk across from her.
“Oh, I’ve been done for fifteen minutes. You were reviewing your lines and didn’t hear me ask you if you needed help. I went ahead and ordered the Thai food for tonight so I can pick it up on the way to your place, ” he said smugly. He tossed his ball of red play-doh into the air, caught it, looked over at her, and sent her a wink.
“Well, good thing we planned for movie night during lunch then, isn’t it?” Zoey smiled and gathered her things. “I’ll see you at my place, then?”
Max nodded and rose from his chair, “Sounds like a plan. I’ll grab the food and be there soon.”
Zoey paced her living room anxiously. It was now 8:15 PM, Max was late, which wasn’t unusual, but he was never THIS late. Sure he was sometimes late to work, but he was typically early for movie night. She had tried calling him but it went straight to voicemail. Maybe his phone died…
She tried to put it out of her mind, he must have a good reason for being late. Maybe the new Thai place looked sketchy so he decided to get food from somewhere else, or maybe he had gotten a flat tire.
It was 8:37 PM when her phone finally rang, she looked at the caller ID relieved to see Max’s name.
“Max! Where are you? Did you forget where I live, again?”
“Is this Zoey Clarke?” an unfamiliar female voice asked.
Zoey felt her stomach drop, “This is she.”
“My name is Gina, I’m a Physician’s Assistant at UCSF Medical Center. We have a Maxwell Richman here and you are the emergency contact listed in his phone.”
Zoey’s felt her chest constrict, finding it hard to breathe as she listened to the PA and tried to respond.
“Oh my god, is he okay?”
“He was in a car accident, he is in emergency surgery now.”
“I’ll be right there,” she gasped. “Where do I go once I get there?”
Gina proceeded to give her instructions to the surgery waiting area before Zoey thanked her and hung up the phone. Her hands were shaking as she put her jacket back on and grabbed her purse. She was on autopilot as she drove to the hospital and went to the waiting room, letting the desk know she had arrived.
She sat for what seemed like hours but when she looked at the clock it had been only two minutes. She pulled out her phone, still shaking and dialed the number of the person who had always been able to fix everything.
“Dad?”
Mitch Clarke sprinted through the doors of the hospital, only slowing to a fast walk when prompted to do so by the receptionist as he made his way to the surgery waiting room. He rounded the corner and saw a familiar, frazzled mop of red hair seated in a corner chair, facing the doors to the OR. He walked over to her, saying her name softly, causing her to lift her head from her hands and look up at him with tear-stained cheeks and red eyes. She jumped to her feet, pressing herself against his chest, and wrapped her arms around him. He enveloped her in a tight hug, wishing he could take away her pain and worries. They stood there for a moment, Zoey sobbing in his arms, while Mitch held her. Taking a shuddering breath, she pulled back from him and sat down, wiping her eyes.
“All I know is what I told you on the phone. He was in an accident and he’s in emergency surgery. I don’t know what happened…he was supposed to meet me at my apartment for movie night. He was picking up dinner… and he didn’t show up ….I got worried and then...then they called.”
Mitch watched his daughter closely as she stared at the door that led to where the surgeons were fighting to save her best friend.
Eventually, a woman emerged and approached them, “Are you here for Maxwell Richman?”
Zoey rose to her feet and nodded. “I’m Gina, the physician's assistant helping with Max’s case. You must be Zoey, we spoke on the phone earlier.” Zoey introduced Mitch and the PA continued, “I’m going to tell you what I can. Max was in a car accident. A car ran the red light at an intersection and hit the passenger side of the car and pushed his vehicle into oncoming traffic. From what the police officers and paramedics said, he hit his head against the window of his car door and the steering wheel hit his torso. He had some internal bleeding and that is what they are taking care of now.”
“You said he hit his head?” Mitch asked warily.
“We rushed a full-body CT scan when he arrived to make sure he had no other damage and his brain appears to be okay, for now. Nothing emergent, we just need to monitor for any issues. Once we finish surgery, he will be taken to ICU. Only family is allowed to visit there…you are his emergency contact. Are you family?”
“I’m the closest he has. His family lives across the country and they don’t speak,” she answered quietly.
“Since you are his ICE contact in his phone, I can allow that. Do you have a way to reach his family? They should be informed.”
Zoey nodded, “If you have his phone, I can get their numbers for you.”
“It will be taken to his room along with his belongings. We will let you know when we are done.” With that, Gina turned, leaving through the double doors.
Mitch let out a breath that he hadn’t realized he was holding. He knew how close Zoey and Max were, they had been best friends since the day they met five years ago. If she lost him...He shook his head, he didn’t want to think about it. He waited by her side until the nurse came out and showed her to the room they were taking Max to now that he was done with the surgery. He was safe and headed to the ICU, now they just had to wait for him to come out of the anesthesia. Things would be better tomorrow…he hoped.