Chapter Text
Connor wasn’t sure about how to feel after his first day at Med. It definitely could have been worse. He could have never made it to the hospital and even though one of his patients was dead, a kid had gotten a new pair of lungs. Also, most of the people he had worked with had been nothing short of welcoming - that one guy aside. All in all, Connor thought maybe it hadn’t been such a bad idea to come back home. At least until Doctor Charles and Sarah Reese found him at the end of his shift:
“Doctor Rhodes,” Charles started. “Do you mind if we talk for a minute?”
Connor couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow as his gaze traveled between the two.
“Sure,” he answered nonetheless.
Charles smiled and gestured towards a free osculation room which only confused Connor further. However, he went without another word, guessing he’d know what this was all about soon enough.
“Reese has expressed some concern regarding your involvement in the accident this morning,” Charles said finally.
Connor wanted to laugh.
“Well, thank you for your concern,” he said instead. “But, I assure you, I’m fine.”
The other two exchanged a look and Connor’s mirth started to dissipate. Clearly, he was still missing something important.
“Doctor Charles?”
“Reese here has observed you having a… conversation with seemingly no one,” the older man explained at last. “Multiple times today.”
Okay, this had to be a prank of some sort.
“What?” Connor said. “What are you talking about?”
“She said she first noticed it back when you arrived this morning but didn’t think much of it,” Charles added. “But then she heard you do it again in the doctors’ lounge.”
“In the -” Connor started. He shook his head. “Did Reese really miss the six feet tall redhead I was talking to? The one who, as he so promptly informed me, also happens to be the senior resident in this ER?”
That seemed to catch Charles’ attention but rather than turn towards the med student, he looked at Connor as if he had said something utterly fascinating.
“Can you tell me more about this… redhead?”
“Are you serious?” Connor replied.
He was starting to get annoyed. However, when Charles nodded, Connor merely rolled his eyes and sighed before he added:
“What do you want me to tell you? I didn’t even get his name now I think about it,” he trailed off briefly but Charles only nodded encouragingly. Connor sighed again. “He is from Chicago. Canaryville, actually. And that’s basically it. I mean he asked why I didn’t put my patient on the hypothermic protocol and where did I study.”
“Canaryville?” Charles repeated after a beat.
Connor nodded, exasperated.
“Huph, would you mind coming with me, Doctor Rhodes?” Charles said. “There is someone I would like you to meet.”
Connor just wanted to tell him to fuck off at this point. He was tired of whatever this was. But he couldn’t, couldn’t he? He ended up nodding his approval, again, and Charles walked them to an elevator. Thankfully, he didn’t press the button to the Psychiatric Department but to... the ICU? Reese and he followed the older man to a private room, one of those dedicated to long-time care patients. Charles knocked on the open door, getting the attention of a thirty-something man sitting next to the bed.
“Hi Jay,” Charles said. “Do you mind..?”
“Depends,” the man - Jay - answered as he got up from his chair. “Are you here to try and psych me again or..?”
“We are here for Will, actually,” Charles replied, audibly amused.
“Sure,” Jay agreed.
He shrugged but Connor could tell his nonchalance wasn’t authentic. He looked exhausted too, Connor noted as they entered the room. And Connor still had no idea what they were doing here. He was about to interrogate Charles when his gaze fell on the person in the hospital bed a few feet away from them. His shock was so strong his professional demeanor slipped for a moment.
“What?” he started. “I don’t understand. What happened?”
Connor looked back at Charles who was silently studying him.
“What happened to him?” Connor repeated. “I saw him half an hour ago, he was fine.”
“What are you talking about?” Jay asked.
And his voice and oblivious confusion brought Connor back to the full reality at hand. He was standing there with this guy’s - whoever he was - family. He couldn’t act like this.
“Is he the man you saw?” Charles asked.
And Connor opened his mouth but didn’t answer at first. What the hell was going on?
“Yeah, yes, I guess,” he said after a beat. “Who - what -”
“Doctor Halstead was injured during the attack against the ED a few months ago,” Charles explained at last. “He has been in a coma ever since.”
What?! There had to be a mistake. Connor had seen him walking around the ED all day. He had talked to him, multiple times. The man was fine. And definitely not in a coma…
“He was indeed Senior Resident of the ED,” Charles added. “And he did grow up in Canaryville.”
Charles looked to Jay for confirmation and also he was still confused, the man nodded. Still, Connor didn’t understand how this was possible. What had happened. Was he having hallucinations involving a coma patient he had never met? Was the man actually walking around and having everybody fooled?
“I -” Connor started then trailed off briefly. “Okay, you know what, you got me, it was really funny. But I’m going to go home now.”
“Doctor Rhodes,” Charles tried.
“No,” Connor said firmly. “I don’t know what you are playing at but unless you actually believe I suffer from some kind of brain injury and cannot do my job, I’m going to go home now and come back to work tomorrow and forget this ever happened.”
And on those words, Connor walked to the door.