Medical Center. VIP Ward.
"Adam, save me quick!"
Barney let out a pitiful scream for help.
"Stop flailing around!"
Adam warned, trying to stop Barney from thrashing like a wild dragon.
But Barney, gripped by fear, couldn't stop wiggling, desperately trying to shake off the tail stuck to his backside.
Adam had no choice. Timing it just right, he shot his hand out like lightning, grabbing the golden eyelash rattlesnake by its weak spot—seven inches from the head. With a firm tug, he pried its jaws off Barney's butt and yanked it free.
"Get the antivenom!"
Adam, still pinching the snake, barked at the nurse who'd just rushed in. "And call someone from Animal Control while you're at it!"
"Yes, Dr. Duncan!"
The nurse nodded and bolted off.
"I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die!"
Barney caught a glimpse of the whole snake that bit him and wailed in terror.
"Adam?"
James piped up, his voice tight with worry.
"Don't sweat it," Adam said with a grin. "This snake already bit its owner earlier, so the venom's mostly spent. A shot of antivenom, and he'll be fine."
James let out a relieved breath.
"You're still laughing?!"
Barney jabbed a finger at Adam. "James, get me outta here quick! If I stay any longer, I'm seriously toast!"
"I'm not laughing at you," Adam said, still smiling. "This is just my professional doctor-smile—y'know, to calm patients down. It's not personal."
"Yeah, right!"
Barney, a seasoned guy who'd seen it all, wasn't buying Adam's smooth talk for a second. He knew Adam was cracking up at him.
"Alright, Barney, chill," Adam said, dropping the act and chuckling openly. "We're buddies, right? Seeing you like this is hilarious—can't I laugh a little? Don't tell me you've never cracked up when a friend's made a fool of himself!"
"…"
Barney froze. He couldn't argue—he was the king of laughing at others' expense.
"See? That's the spirit!"
Adam smirked, satisfied, then turned to James. "Me laughing just proves it's not a big deal. Would you rather I looked all grim and serious?"
"Heh."
James couldn't help but chuckle too.
Patients and their families always preferred a doctor's smile over a stony face—it was the difference between good news and bad.
By now, Animal Control had shown up. They'd been scouring the hospital with staff, and after Adam's call, they hurried over to bag the golden eyelash rattlesnake he was holding. The nurse also swooped in and gave Barney his antivenom shot.
Barney kept griping about wanting to ditch this "cursed place," but James, taking Adam's advice, figured it was smarter to stay for observation. A concussion plus a snakebite? Not exactly stuff to mess around with.
The Medical Center was top-notch and had been handling Barney from the start—switching hospitals now would've been nuts.
Adam didn't care either way. He'd said his piece; Barney could stay or go. Honestly, though, he kinda thought Barney and the Medical Center were jinxed together. Stick around much longer, and Barney might turn into a full-on comedy act—pat-reon:belamy20—and not the normal kind, either. More like the wacky, nonsensical type.
Leaving officially? That'd be like Master Wang Chongyang emerging from retreat. Sneaking out? More like Ouyang Feng running into Hong Qigong. Who knew if Barney'd end up collecting the full set of the Five Greats—North, South, East, West, and Center?
And if things got really absurd, there was still that "Invincible East" fan, Mr./Ms. Carlton, lurking around. That high heel that nearly took Barney out? Yep, Carlton's doing.
Following the wild logic of The Eagle-Shooting Heroes, if James accidentally blurted something crazy later, it'd be a riot to watch—but creepy as hell to think about.
---
That night.
Adam was back at it, hosting Alice Gray's little late-night study session.
It was winding down near midnight when—ring ring ring!—his phone buzzed. Before he could grab it, it rang three times and stopped.
"Alright, let's call it a night," Adam said with a smile, wrapping things up.
"Why not check who it was?" Liz asked, curious.
"No need," Adam replied, grinning. "Harassment calls like that happen all the time. Better when they hang up on their own."
"Heh!"
Meredith let out a sly, knowing laugh. As a seasoned pro, she had a sixth sense for these things. She knew something was up.
"Heh," Adam shot back, meeting her smirk with one of his own.
"Got a hot date, huh?"
Christina's sharp little eyes glinted with mischief as she teased, "Bet it's that leggy detective chick who stopped by today, right?"
"No way!"
George's face twisted with a mix of disbelief, envy, and saltiness.
"Who knows?"
Adam kept his cool, smiling casually. "Not our business anyway. Get some rest, folks—early rounds tomorrow!"
"That's what we should be telling you," Meredith quipped, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Adam just grinned at her. Fresh off being publicly dumped as the "abandoned side chick," Meredith couldn't stand seeing anyone else happy and carefree. Adam got it. He didn't hold it against her.
Besides, he didn't have time to bicker. He had to hustle back and go over the case with Kate. This murder case must've been a real doozy—Kate wasn't letting even the tiniest lead slip by. It was the middle of the night, and here she was, dragging a barely-involved doctor like Adam into a late-night case chat.
Man, cops and docs have it rough, Adam thought with a sigh. "Guess I'll help out where I can."
---
Next day. 4:30 AM.
Sky still dark.
Adam rolled out of bed like clockwork.
"I'm heading out," he said, fiddling with the police pistol, holster, and badge for a sec. That badge especially? Super handy. Flash it one-handed at your chest, and boom—bad guys freeze. Felt pretty badass.
He chuckled, set the gear back on the nightstand, then picked up the leather jacket from the floor, the jeans by the window, and tossed them on the bed. The high heels on the bed? Back to the floor they went.
"Catch you later," he said to the lump under the covers.
"Mmm," came a lazy hum from the sheets.
When you've got everything under control, there's no rush. Last night's case chat? With Adam's genius brain picking apart the clues, all the tricky bits smoothed out. So Kate was treating herself to some rare shut-eye instead of bolting to the precinct for overtime.
---
Medical Center. Locker Room.
"Don't be too eager during rounds later," Christina was whispering to Liz and Meredith.
"Why not?"
"Just trust me, okay?"
"Heh."
"Don't believe me? You'll regret it. I've got a big surprise up my sleeve."
"For real?"
"Watch my cues. Meredith, snap out of it—you too!"
Adam strolled in just in time to catch Christina's hushed scheming. "What's the gossip?" he asked, popping open his locker with a grin.
"Nothing!"
Christina's face shifted the second she saw him. She clammed up, shot Liz and Meredith a look, and zipped off.
"Heh."
Adam caught on instantly. Christina must've sniffed out a juicy surgery somewhere and was scared he'd swoop in and steal it.
Hope it's not too good, he thought. Otherwise… young lady, face the storm!
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