Chapter Text
The aftermath of the earthquake had been astonishing. Sure, once tragedy stroke going back to the life before was never easy, but Melendez had found returning to work after two months of recovery had been like entering a new world. Hence astonishing. He would have never thought one night could impact his future like that. Even if he was a doctor and bearer of life changing news had been part of his job since the beginning, even if he had his fair share of bad news. Everything seemed to have changed.
Yes, he had been updated about the changes in the hospital while he wasn’t in and Lim had come to visit him and tell him in person that she had accepted a new job and upon his arrival he’d be the new chief. This had come as a great shock not only to him, but the whole hospital. Melendez had taken it, but it hadn’t seemed real to him.
Not until his first day back at work, her last day. She had everything prepared meticulously, making sure it was a seamless transition and - for him an easy start getting back into work. Even weeks later, he had continued notice she really had thought to take care of everything and left him with nothing but answers, concerning the job.
The official reason for Lim’s departure had been issued by the board three days after she had told him. Lim’s exemplary leading through the emergency response had caught the attention of higher ups and she had been offered a job at the bay area’s biggest hospital. Becoming their new chief of traumatology and starting at the same time a liaison with the government to improve the immediate emergency response protocol. Since the earthquake had shown, it was lacking structure and should a disaster strike a bigger area, they were not prepared.
The unofficial reason hadn’t been too hard to figure out, though. She had gone rouge, in order, to get Neil the second surgery he needed to survive. Still a M&M had ended inconclusive, and Lim had had a fall out with Glassman about the surgery itself, since the president hadn’t been in favour of it. Stating she had been lucky and nothing more, this surgery had been too risky. Both sides had lost their trust in each other. From what Melendez had heard, they had tried, but it had never been the same and both agreed it couldn’t go on like that. Then the offer had arrived and they both had figured it would be for the best.
Lim and he had talked it through. She had told him that she wasn’t mad about how it played out and that she didn’t have any regrets. But she did feel like she had done what she could and the way she had been treated just wasn’t what she wanted out of her job. She had also told him that she was happy for him, to have his chance as chief, that he deserved it. Before she had left the city, he had asked her to stay friends. Audrey had smiled, nodded yes and hugged him goodbye. After her checking on him constantly during his recovery, things had changed, once they were both back at work full time. Since then, they had become acquaintances rather than friends. Checking in from time to time, via text. Sometimes they sent each other a voice notes here and there, but never called or met each other in person. Even if they always said they’d need to catch up.
To be fair, life had thrown them so many curveballs, there hadn’t been too much time for anything other than work, eat and sleep. Neither had what could be called a social life outside of their hospitals.
At first both of them had to settle into their new jobs. Afterwards the pandemic hit and once this was over, then a year had already passed. Both of their jobs were high demanding and the distance between San Jose and San Francisco seemed too far, when you were already emotionally tired. Then Melendez had gone on a medical mission with his team, Lim had taken over extra responsibilities. The pandemic had proven not only the emergency response protocols needed to be worked at, but there was a need to instate new protocols for other crisis as well.
The fact that they managed to text each other every couple of months seemed like a big accomplishment. They had run into each other at two conferences, though, and even manged to have dinner once. And just a couple of months ago, Lim had visited St. Bons for a meeting with the board. Presenting initial ideas about first response management they were trying to implement but wanting to have the input of the biggest hospitals first, in order to include their thoughts and doubts. Every time they had met it had gone over well. They had always had a good time, managing to make the other smile, without bringing up bad memories. After Lim’s last session with the Saint Bons ER team, the whole team had gone out for drinks after work. And it had been great, Cain had even said it felt like somethings would never change. While JT noted that it seemed like this had been the right step for Lim. And Melendez had to agree, she seemed happy and fulfilled. The two of them had met for breakfast the next day and it really had been like it used to be during old resident days He had caught her up with the latest hospital gossip about the people she still knew, complained about the new hires and Audrey had told him about her new tasks, rolling her eyes about the politics she had to play in now and stated how happy she was to be back in the ER more often. They had even hugged goodbye. Promising each other to do that again, soon. That had stayed an empty promise.