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"You can't die. Please don't die."
Sydney repeated it like a mantra, as if those 6 words could somehow save Maggie's life. She's a doctor, though, and a naturally pragmatic person, but hope was all she had right now. Hamza wasn't - or couldn't - give any updates on Maggie, how well she was doing with him slicing up her head. The thought made her sick, but she had to get to her. Sydney could wait. Maggie could not.
"You really love her, don't you?"
She was shocked out of her introspection, Alex making a comment. Sydney blinked then turned her head, mouth hanging open in surprise. Thoughts were racing through her mind, each trying to come up with an appropriate answer. She was about to close her mouth and respond when Alex was pulled away, although it wouldn't have made much difference. Everyone must have figured it out by now, how the two used to danced around each other. At least, if it wasn't that, Sydney asking about Maggie whenever something came up must have made it glaringly obvious.
~~~
Many minutes - maybe hours, had passed, how many though, Sydney wasn't sure. Each second seemed to blend into the next. With how slowly time seemed to be passing now, Maggie asleep in her bed, it may as well not exist. Eventually, she woke up, and a sigh that was held for many hours was finally released.
It took Sydney some time to work up the courage to go in, her pacing back and forth or busying herself with paperwork. They hadn't seen each other in over 9 months; how was Maggie going to take it?[,
"Dr Katz," Maggie breathed out with a wide smile, "as I live and breathe."
Apparently very well.
"Well, glad you're doing both." Sydney forced out, a small laugh tacked on the end. "Can I come in?"
"Well, if you're here to kiss me, Alex beat you to it."
"D-Do tell?" Sydney moved forward, another laugh tagging along as she leaned against the side of the bed. Thoughts raced through her mind as she struggled to look Maggie in the eyes, and with a quick glance to the floor, she continued.
"We were all really worried about you." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she took in a breath, "I thought-"
"It's okay, I'm fine." Maggie interrupted her with a smile. Sydney cocked her head in return, putting on a face of disbelief.
"You're in the ICU, Maggie, how could you possibly make this glass half full?"
"Well, you're here." Maggie responded, eyebrows raised up high and her upper lip quickly pulling over her bottom one until she settled into a small smile.
"... I am." Sydney agreed after a moment, and shifted around beside the bed.
A small inhale from Maggie, and she breathlessly replied, "So good to see you.", with a tight smile and happy eyes. Sydney returned her smile, the pair entering a comfortable, yet short-lived silence.
"My patient, Shelby Hart-"
"Yeah, she's good, out of the woods - baby too."
"That's great."
"Yeah, I'll keep you posted." Sydney said with some finality, clearly content in her bedside position.
"... I think I'll focus on myself for a while." Maggie said after a beat.
"That... sounds like a plan." Sydney hesitated, reaching to hold Maggie's free hand. She gently ran her thumb over the back of Maggie's hand, tracing small circles for a moment.
Sydney looked back up, the incessant beeping of the heart monitor snapping her back.
"Ah, I keep telling them to lower the AC in here, I'll get you another blanket-" She started, making a move to leave. Sydney was stopped, though, by Maggie's hand holding tightly on to hers, and a simple 'Stay' uttered by her. She stopped in her tracks, slinking back to her bedside position. When Sydney finally remade eye contact, Maggie quirked her brow.
And in that moment, Sydney fully realized how hard she had fallen.