The blank wall lost Barney's attention as his head snapped around. It was one of the nurses, one whose name he couldn't quite remember. It didn't surprise him that she knew his; Barney was a staple around the children's ward by now. Probably meant he wasn't working hard enough. "Yes?"
He nearly cringed at the sound of his own voice. It was hopeful. Hopeful, and cracked with an age-worn grief that those hopes were, once again, about to be dashed.
"Doctor Murdoch's asking to see you in his office."
Barney blinked. "His office?" That hadn't happened before, not even when the very first tests came back. The doctor who administered those came to talk to Barney personally. Allie's caregivers had since switched up numerous times, doctors and nurses alike, but Doctor Murdoch was the longest-running one so far. He'd never called Barney into his office before, either. "Where's Allie?"
The nurse smiled gently. Barney couldn't tell if there was pity in it or not. "She's fine. She fell asleep during the last one, poor thing. She's just resting now; you can see her in a minute."
If there was any kind of change, surely the nurse would have told him already? Barney got to his feet as slowly as he dared, trying to think through the haze that was still gripping him and showing no signs of letting go. "Where is she?"
"She's in the recovery room. We'll bring her back to the ward while you're with Doctor Murdoch, I promise."
Barney shook his head. "The recovery room? Why is she there?"
Now there was definitely pity in the smile, but something... something else, as well. Something Barney couldn't quite place. "We had to do a couple of the tests over, that's all. I promise you, Barney, she's fine. She's awake, and refusing to sleep, and very much her normal self, don't you worry."
Barney felt a small smile break. Allie had always been able to do that, even when she wasn't there - make him smile, regardless of what else was going on. "Alright," he relented. "Where's the office, again?"
Which was how he found himself standing awkwardly in the doorway of an office he'd never been to before, and - for once - with absolutely no idea of what he was about to hear. "You, uh... you wanted to see me?"
no subject
The blank wall lost Barney's attention as his head snapped around. It was one of the nurses, one whose name he couldn't quite remember. It didn't surprise him that she knew his; Barney was a staple around the children's ward by now. Probably meant he wasn't working hard enough. "Yes?"
He nearly cringed at the sound of his own voice. It was hopeful. Hopeful, and cracked with an age-worn grief that those hopes were, once again, about to be dashed.
"Doctor Murdoch's asking to see you in his office."
Barney blinked. "His office?" That hadn't happened before, not even when the very first tests came back. The doctor who administered those came to talk to Barney personally. Allie's caregivers had since switched up numerous times, doctors and nurses alike, but Doctor Murdoch was the longest-running one so far. He'd never called Barney into his office before, either. "Where's Allie?"
The nurse smiled gently. Barney couldn't tell if there was pity in it or not. "She's fine. She fell asleep during the last one, poor thing. She's just resting now; you can see her in a minute."
If there was any kind of change, surely the nurse would have told him already? Barney got to his feet as slowly as he dared, trying to think through the haze that was still gripping him and showing no signs of letting go. "Where is she?"
"She's in the recovery room. We'll bring her back to the ward while you're with Doctor Murdoch, I promise."
Barney shook his head. "The recovery room? Why is she there?"
Now there was definitely pity in the smile, but something... something else, as well. Something Barney couldn't quite place. "We had to do a couple of the tests over, that's all. I promise you, Barney, she's fine. She's awake, and refusing to sleep, and very much her normal self, don't you worry."
Barney felt a small smile break. Allie had always been able to do that, even when she wasn't there - make him smile, regardless of what else was going on. "Alright," he relented. "Where's the office, again?"
Which was how he found himself standing awkwardly in the doorway of an office he'd never been to before, and - for once - with absolutely no idea of what he was about to hear. "You, uh... you wanted to see me?"