Chapter Text
Adrianna stared at Harper. Not once had she ever expected Harper to just blindly accuse her of manipulating a trial, let alone report her without any evidence. This was a total turnaround from Adri’s intern year. That time Harper, even though she had been Chief, had waited until there was evidence or in Adri’s case had confessed.
Shock, anger and so many other emotions rolled through the young resident. Once, two years ago, she had put her job, license, and dream on the line to save a patient. Giving Mrs. M the Panacea drug had been and still was in her mind the right thing to do. This, however? Putting a patient in a trial of one of her closest friends and endangering that trial. Adrianna knew how much this trial meant to Elijah.
Finding her voice Adri finally responded to Harper’s accusations – “Why do you assume it’s me?” No matter what she wasn’t throwing Ethan under the bus, Ethan had stood by her through everything Adrianna would do the same even if she was pissed about what he had done.
“Because you did the same thing your intern year! I told you that the rules applied to everyone and that while I wanted you to succeed, the least I could do was make you a lesson to everyone else. I guess you didn’t learn your own lesson,” the scathing retort made the young resident flinch.
Tobias glanced at Harper, “How are so sure it was Mason?”
“Because as I said she did it her intern year – gave a patient an experimental drug and was just lucky that she was able to keep her license and position here at Edenbrook. It’s par for the course,” Harper explained.
At that point, Ethan walked in his face a storm cloud, “What is going on here? I could hear shouting down the hall.”
Harper glanced at him, “She’s done it again, Ethan. She’s gone behind the team's back and the hospital to get our last patient into Dr. Greene and Zaid’s nerve trial. Once again she believes the rules don’t apply to her.”
Adri glanced at Ethan just in time to see surprise flash across his face. He hadn’t expected anyone to find out about what he did, much less pin it on her. No matter, her attention turned back to Harper, “It’s not an FDA approved trial, inserting one patient and making sure he gets the drug isn’t going to break the trial. Besides this is basically exactly what Bloom did with Suzette, isn’t it?”
“And you really think that’s going to matter, Adrianna? You know it won’t!” snapped Harper.
Tobias rubbed his chin and reluctantly agreed, “She’s right, Adrianna. You know Bloom won’t see it that way. He’ll have you before the board and your license revoked if possible. He’ll be furious that you interfered with one of his trials.”
Ethan had been watching Adrianna repeat what he had told her, taking the blame for him. He knew she wasn’t happy with what he had one, with risking his career and the team and yet she was willing to take the fall. He couldn’t let that happen, nor could he let Harper and Tobias think that she had flaunted the rules again. Ethan knew Adri well enough to know that what had happened with Mrs. Martinez would more than likely never happen again. She knew how lucky she was that she got off, even if she believed to this day that she had done the right thing, not that he disagreed with her.
“Harper, enough. Adrianna didn’t do it, I did,” he interjected into the arguments. He watched Adri’s eyes go wide with surprise.
“You, Ethan?” Harper asked in surprise. “I…If I had known it was you I wouldn’t have reported it.”
Adri stiffed and Ethan wasn’t surprised to see her turn and glare at Harper. That was a double standard and one the young resident wouldn’t stand for. “It doesn’t matter, It’s done. Now if you’ll excuse me.” With those words, he turned and left the room.
Adrianna stared at Ethan’s back before turning her attention to Tobias and Harper, “I think it’s obvious we’re not going to be seeing any patients for the day. I’m going after him.” She needed to be with Ethan to make sure he was okay and if he wasn’t to make sure he knew that she would always be in his corner no matter what happened. Just as he had always been in hers. It was the least she could do for the man she loved.
“Ethan, wait, please,” she called out.
Ethan turned to see the young brunette hurrying towards him her face a mask of concern. “Go back to work, Adri. I’m not going to be good company tonight I’m afraid.”
“I don’t care, I want to be there for you. You’ve always been there for me, now it’s my turn. Whatever you need, Ethan, I’m here. Always.” Adrianna knew he wasn’t ready to hear how she felt but she could show it and tell him in other ways.
Ethan stared at the woman before him, he’d never before had someone so unconditionally in his corner. There had been Naveen, yes, but his mentor had always pushed him to be more. Adri, all she wanted was to make sure he was okay and to be there for him if he wasn’t.
“Ok,” he finally said. Grasping her hand the two doctors left the hospital without a backward glance. There would be consequences to deal with, but that could wait until tomorrow. Tonight it was nothing but Adrianna and him.