Nathanael Hollis's Story

Addison was so startled to hear the sound of a voice, his voice in particular, and dropped her mobile to clatter to the floor. She bent to pick it up quickly before sitting straight in her chair and looking over at her new doctor, her pale blue eyes staring in shock at who she saw.

It was that intern, that guy who'd helped her out when she was younger and had been really sick. She realized she still hadn't responded to him and did so, " Yeah, that's me." She smiled at the man, hating that she'd ever had a crush on this guy and that he had to be good-looking. It just wasn't fair. " But I don't exactly recall your name?" Her eyes were apologetic as she waited a few moments to hear his response, if her had one, before deciding to answer his question on why she was currently in the room in front of him today.

" I'm part of the new study they started up a few weeks ago," Addy started, taking her time with her explanation, " The medication they made is designed to help the immune system to identify pathogens and destroy them before they harm the body, which wasn't happening before like that time you helped me. So, in short, we hope for the medication to make my immune system more like yours or any other person." She spoke in a plural as though more than one person were with her other than herself but, other than herself, she meant her parents and her little sister who hadn't come on this visit.

" Is that what you were looking for?" Addison asked lightly, pushing her phone into her pocket before clasping her hands together on her lap.

Addison laughed softly at this, trying not to feel weird that her doctor wasn't much older than herself and had given permission to call him by a nickname. " Alright then," she hesitated but continued, " Doctor Hollis...?" It felt odd but she was supposed to be respectful, right? Unfortunately....

Shaking her head caused her curls to bounce against her back, " No," she replied as her lips turned up into a smile to show that she was, in fact, amused. " I don't need to look at the file, it's all in here." Addy released on hand to tap her temple lightly with her finger before bringing it back to her lap.

" Uh huh," the seventeen year old muttered, her eyes bored already even though the tests hadn't started. " Oh, and you know I have to come in everyday, right?" Addison asked quietly, her eyes gauging Nathanael's reaction. Would he be surprised, annoyed, or just be friendly and say he looked forward to it like Doctor Doyle had done. The sweet, sweet old man.

She was glad she'd worn a halter top, mainly for the sun but also if he was drawing blood. She hated pulling up her sleeves or taking off a heavy sweater but, of course, never complained about it. Addy pulled her arms out of her black jacket and stuffed it behind her on the chair, " You'd think I knew it was coming or something," she added in a slightly louder tone.

" So, let's get this done and over with." She was happy that taking blood was only a once or twice a week occurrence... Addison hated needles with a passion not that anyone knew that.

Addison nodded, hiding a smile. Seeing him everyday definitely wouldn't bother her, she just hoped the fact that her small crush she'd had hadn't been easily detected when she was younger. She could feel it resurfacing and practically hitting her dead in the face as though to say I'm still here!

" So do I," she responded, keeping her tone light as she kept an eye on her breathing. One part about being sick and constantly in and out of hospitals; it absolutely sucked to hate needles especially since you tended to get quite a few. Pale eyes pointedly avoided looking at the needle as she studied Nathanael's face.

She could tell he was taller than her, it'd be odd if her wasn't, and looked pretty healthy. As befitted a doctor. He had grey eyes that tended to smile when his lips did, showing he was a relatively good natured man. Addison ignored the slight pinch as the needle went in and exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, keeping her eyes calm and her body relaxed. She'd learned long ago that it hurt more when you were tense.

" So," the blonde began, honestly curious now. " you became a doctor. Was that before or after you helped me?" This was partly a joke, " Do you like it?" Yup, this was definitely Addison trying to keep her attention off the needle. Classic. She felt like hitting herself in the forehead, that's how stupid she felt.

The teenager nodded her head slowly, doing the math out in her head. He was right, Addison had been ten at the time she had met him.

" Yeah," the blonde answered, " Seven years, that's a long time.." Her aqua eyes were thoughtful as she considered what to tell the doctor, pulling her arm back toward her petite body. " But you haven't missed much. Hospital visits, boy drama, graduation.." She listed them off easily, shrugging as she did so. " Honestly, that's nothing," Addison smiled at Nathanael before adding, " Anyway, enough about me. You're a doctor now, eh, Nate. How do you like it?" Her words were smooth, no hesitation this time as she slipped into using the nickname he had said she could.

" It's my pleasure," Addy responded, bowing her head as she held in a laugh. " I do what I can to make things easier." She shifted in her seat, hiding her confusion as she looked over at the doctor. " Well, of course it does. And what do you mean?"

Addison nodded, " That's true.. They definitely do. And sure, why not?" The blonde watched Nate as he rinsed his hands, having always found doctors to be somewhat interesting to watch. Sadly, this one in particular had caught her attention. Second time's a charm? She didn't want to go for 'third', three seemed to be her unlucky number lately.

She stood slowly, stretching her long legs as she felt for her cellphone in her pocket. Her over-size white bag, which acted as a school bag for her, sat leaning against the chair leg on the floor. Her meds were inside.. Addison had to take two pills twice daily of one type and another at lunch time. Every. Single. Day.

It truly was a hassle but she figured it was worth it. And, even though Nate was her doctor, she always felt weird taking pills in front of people. She'd most likely walk into the bathroom after eating or, even better in her eyes, just wait until she got home to take that particular little blue capsule. After all, it didn't seem to hurt her.

While she'd had these thoughts racing through her mind, Addy had had a smile don her lips and had bent to pick up the bag to swing it over her shoulder. " Do you want me to wait outside?" After she'd entered this new program she noticed they worked differently than the hospital itself did, as odd as that sounded.