Chapter Text
Neil Melendez had been gone from St. Bonaventure Hospital for the last three and a half years. He left after he had narrowly survived an abdominal injury that should have killed him. Now, he was walking back in to the place that he never thought that he would see again.
Melendez had often wondered how his former colleagues were getting on, especially his ex-girlfriend. Many times he had wanted to reach out to them…to her, but he would put the idea aside. Though she had broken up with him, Melendez after time and distance realized how much he blamed Audrey Lim for things that were not in her control. She had tried to support him when he was facing doubt in himself, but Neil lashed out. When Lim tried to be his boss he called her out as trying to show off in her new position. Melendez had even blamed her for his patient’s death. If that was not enough he told her that their relationship killed people.
After Melendez had left to finish healing and then joining Doctors Without Borders, he reflected back on everything that he had said and done to Audrey Lim. He felt ashamed and like a first class schmuck. Yes, they both had screwed up their relationship. The only difference was, Lim owned up to her faults, while he put all blame onto her. Neil had wanted to reach out to her. To apologize to Audrey for being so hateful and cruel to her. Hell he had even told Claire Browne that he loved her. He did it because he knew Lim was nearby and could hear him. Neil saw the brokenness in her eyes after she had managed to save him. While everyone was celebrating around him, she stepped back. Claire was on his bed, holding his hand, but he had wished that it was Audrey. When he went to thank her before he left to go home to recover, he found her where she loved to be most, in the middle of saving someone’s life. Melendez sat in his wheelchair looking down at the operating room. Just as he was about to leave Audrey looked up at him. With a quick nod of her head, she went back to saving her patient. That was the last time he saw her.
Two months after he left the hospital, Neil had broken things off with Claire Browne. He got the all clear from his doctor, and then he was on a plane heading for the Sudan.
Now, as he walked the hallways of the hospital that he had once called home, Neil wished that he had stayed in contact with his friends. He had no idea what had transpired over the last three and a half years. Neil could not wait to find out. Most of all he could not wait to see the one that he let get away.
“Holy shit! Dr. Melendez!! Is that really you?” Neil jumped at the sound of the voice calling to him. When he turned around he came face to face with Morgan Reznick and a resident whom he did not recognize.
“Morgan, it’s great to see you.” Melendez said taking the hand that she had offered.
The blonde smiled, “Wait until everyone hears that you’re back.” She looked at the resident beside her, “Oh, Dr. Melendez this is our new first years Danny Perez. Danny, this is Neil Melendez the best cardio thoracic surgeons that you will ever meet. He worked here, but after recovering from a traumatic abdominal injury Dr. Melendez left us to go practice medicine in war zones. Our loss their gain, but damn it if Andrews does not fight to bring him back then he’s a bigger ass hat than Dr. Lim gives him credit for.”
Melendez chuckled as he shook the tall resident’s hand. He was about to say something when Morgan grabbed him by the arm and said, “Come with me. There are so many people who are going to want to see you!” Before Melendez could have the chance to respond he was being pulled onto the hospital elevator. Reznick gave a smirk, Perez looked hesitant and Melendez was half smiling as the elevator doors closed.
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Nearly an hour later Neil Melendez had met up with so many from his past. He was saddened to learn that Deana Petringa had died. He had been shocked to learn that Claire Browne had moved to Guatemala and was a chief of staff at a hospital there.
The cardiologist thoracic surgeon was happy to learn that Shaun had married Lea. He loved hearing how things went leading up to their almost wedding.
Melendez was floored to learn that Morgan Reznick was a foster mother to a little girl, and she was in a possible relationship with Alex Park.
Glassman and Andrews each talked to him about coming back to work at St. Bonaventure. He told them that he would consider it.
One thing he noticed was that noticed was that not once had anyone mentioned Audrey Lim. He did not even know if she still worked at the hospital.
“I know what you’re thinking.” Morgan Reznick’s voice broke through his thoughts.
Melendez looked at her with a smile, “I bet. Nothing stays hidden from you.”
“Damn straight.” The younger woman replied, “Dr. Lim is off today, but I will take you to where she is.”
Melendez raised an eyebrow, “Won’t she be upset that we are showing up on her doorstep on her day off?”
Reznick smirked as she walked with him through the hospital, “It’s game day. Dr. Lim is not at home.”
Melendez looked confused. Morgan laughed, “You’re going to have to see it for yourself.”
With that the two quickly headed for the hospital garage. Morgan was going to drive him to where Audrey was. He was nervous and excited all at once.
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As they arrived at the VA, which had completely shocked Neil Melendez that Audrey Lim was there. Morgan explained that Dalisay Villanueva had a boyfriend who abused her.
Morgan told him how Audrey had taken the nurse into her home when Villanueva left him. As they walked towards the gymnasium Reznick explained how Owen had attacked the nurse on the night of Shaun and Lea’s wedding. The blonde also told him about the attack on Audrey after she had discovered the injured nurse.
Reznick told him about the shooting, a guard being stabbed and she and resident Asher Wolke as well as a patient were taken hostage. She told him everything that went down during Lim’s subsequent two life saving surgeries. Before they entered the gymnasium Morgan told him that when Audrey finally woke up they soon discovered that due to a complication from one of the surgeries Audrey discovered that she was paralyzed from the waist down. That’s why they were at the VA. Audrey had joined a wheelchair basketball team. Their new resident Danica Powell introduced her to the sport. It had helped Lim to become less angry towards Shaun who she had blamed for her paralysis.
Morgan went onto explain how Shaun and Glassman had even tried to come up with a way to reverse the paralysis, but that come to an end when they discovered there were nerves that along with the cortical ischemia that she had suffered. There was nothing that they could do. While Murphy had taken the news hard according to Morgan, Audrey accepted it. She started playing basketball, tennis and many other things.
Now, Neil Melendez sat in the stands watching his ex play basketball from a wheelchair and she was as always kicking ass.
“She looks really happy.” Melendez said more to himself, but loud enough for Reznick to hear him.
Morgan looked at him with a smile, “She honestly is.” Melendez smiled back at her and focused on watching the game.
After a few minutes whistle sounded as a horn sounded. The game had ended. Audrey’s team had crushed their opponent. Neil watched as Lim’s team shook hands with the losing team. Then they congratulated each other.
Reznick stood up and headed court side Melendez quickly followed. Soon they were standing on the side of the court and Audrey saw Morgan and waived. She had not yet noticed Melendez as he was standing back and off to the side.
Lim wheeled over to Reznick with a smile, “Morgan, you actually came. Color me surprised. Now I owe Clay twenty bucks. Both he and his partner said you’d show.” Lim fake groused.
Clay Porter wheeled over with his hand out, “Pay up!”
Lim smacked his hand, “I will after I shower and change.”
Morgan laughed, “I wasn’t going to, but an old friend stopped by and wanted to see you, Audrey. I brought him with me.” Morgan stepped aside and Melendez stepped forward.
Lim who had been looking at Clay turned and gasped in surprise when she saw a face that she had so desperately missed.
Melendez smiled, “Looking good out there, Mi Amor.”
Lim glared at him for a moment before she replied, “Go back to wherever you came from.” She turned her chair to face Reznick, “You could have just not bothered to show up.”
With that she wheeled herself off the court.
Clay looked at the two doctors before him, “Way to piss her off, but at least I finally get to put a face to the man who stole her heart and still owns it.” Clay looked Melendez up and down, “Man am I going to enjoy watching her make you work for her forgiveness. Good luck with that.” He finished and wheeled his way to the locker room.
Morgan looked at a dejected Neil Melendez, “Clay’s right. You do have your work cut out for you. Dr. Melendez, you really did a number on her.” She could see the tears in Neil’s eyes, “It’s going to take time, but trust me. You got this. Have faith.”
With those words the two friends left the VA gymnasium together.
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