#i had hand surgery so not only did i need naked nails for the procedure

[llamatheist]

Wild how painting my nails with my favorite shade of polish completely turned my mood around.

I can't be depressed when I'm this pretty.

[just-dreaming-marvel]

Love and Medicine ~ 8

MASTERLIST

< previous chapter

Word Count: 4,175ish

Summary: Your roommates are annoyed and Gamora is determined to make you jump through hoops.

Notes: This is based off of Grey’s Anatomy 1x07. I do not own Marvel or Grey’s Anatomy.

When your alarm went off, you were naked in your bed. With a naked Steve beside you. A small groan passing between his lips, Steve reached around you to turn off the alarm clock and then cuddled into you.

“Hmmm,” you hummed, enjoying his arms around you way too much. “You have to get up now.”

“What?” Steve mumbled, half asleep. “What time is it?”

You smirked, rolling on top of him. “It’s 5:20, and I have pre-rounds. And you,” you booped his nose, “have to leave before they see you.”

You gave him a small kiss before rolling off of him.

“Oh, come on, now,” Steve grumbled. “Why don’t you just let them see?” He quickly rolled on top of you, pinning you down.

“No!”

“Please!”

“No! No!”

He began placing kisses all over you. Saying, ‘please’, between eat kiss.

“Steve!” You squealed. “St-stoppp!

~~~

“You two get any sleep?” Scott asked, walking into the kitchen where Val and Clint were eating.

“Oh, she could oil the bedsprings as a courtesy or at least buy a padded headboard,” Val complained.

“So, uh, who’s the guy?” Clint asked.

“You think it was just one guy doing all that work?”

“Yeah, do you mind if I don’t think about that?”

“Oh, you jealous, Barton?” Scott teased.

“I’m not jealous.”

“Well, I am,” Val responded. “But at least I know she’ll be having a long day at work.”

They all froze when they heard a floor board near the top of the stairs squeak. The three of them rushed over to the doorway, wanting to see who was coming down the stairs. Steve snuck down the stairs and out the door, seen by Val, Clint, and Scott.

“Well, at least we know that brain surgery isn’t his only skill,” Val commented, going to get more coffee.

“They—they can’t be…” Clint stared at the front door in shock. “He’s… he’s our boss.”

“Yep,” Scott replied, glancing at his watch. “We’re late. You know, she has been scrubbing in a lot lately on his surgeries.”

“No, Y/N wouldn’t sleep with him just to… no.”

“Well, if she’s not ashamed of it, why is she keeping it a secret?” Val wondered.

“Maybe she didn’t. Maybe it just happened. You know, spontaneously, last night.”

“Good morning,” you greeted, entering the kitchen.

“Morning,” Val and Scott responded.

“So…” Val started, “it sounded like you were having some pretty radical sex last night, all night long. Who was the guy?”

“No one you know,” you lied with a shrug.

Clint, Scott, and Val all gave each other a look.

“We’re late,” Scott said. “Let’s go.”

~~~

“I’m gonna beed a major rush to make it through this day,” Clint said in the locker room. “I need a kick-ass surgery.”

“Ooh, you a bad boy last night, Clint?” Peter taunted.

“No,” Val answered for him. “That would be Y/N.”

“You a bad boy, Y/N?”

“Do tell,” Natasha urged.

“Nothing to tell,” you shrugged.

“That says it all, huh?”

Val slammed her locker door shut, annoyed at your lies.

“Sorry, I have a sex life,” you apologized.

“Don’t apologize,” Peter said. “Embrace it. Share it. Count me in.”

“Yeah, next time, just let me know if I need to go to a hotel so I can get some sleep,” Val said.

“Am I missing something?” You asked.

“You were just a little loud,” Scott replied.

Everyone left except you and Natasha.

“Do they know it’s Captain McDreamy keeping them up all night?” Natasha asked.

“I hope not,” you answered. “I already have Gamora riding me, I don’t need my roommates thinking I’m getting special treatment.”

~~~

You yawned as you and Natasha met up with the other interns and Dr. Gamora. You just hoped that you didn’t look as tired as you felt.

“Barton, Romanoff, Lang, Quill, go on to the clinic,” Gamora ordered. She looked up, catching Clint watch Steve through a window. Steve was putting in eye drops. “Barton, patients are waiting.” Clint scurried off. “You two,” Gamora motioned to you and Val, “come with me. Val, you’re hanging with me today.” Steve walked over. “Good morning, Dr. Rogers.”

“Dr. Gamora,” he replied as you yawned. “Late night, L/N?”

“No,” you responded, “caffeine just hasn’t kicked in yet.”

“If you’re at all religious, you would want to start praying it kicks in soon,” Gamora retorted. “There’s a consult in the pit. Girl with a fever and abdominal pain. After that, Lee in 3311 needs his meds. Mr. Jackson’s IV fell out, and he’s a hard stick. Post-ops in 1337, 3342, 3363, and 2381.”

You had nodded along, trying to get your tired brain to understand what she was saying. “3381, 3342, 3363,” you repeated, “and 23… 81?” 

Gamora simply glared at you instead of answering what you needed. “Why are you still standing in front of me?”

You quickly hurried down to the pit, not wanting to get on Gamora’s bad side anymore than you already were. You started your consultation with an eighteen year old girl named Jessie Todd. Her mother and father were both accompanying her. Jessie seemed nervous, biting her nails.

“I think she got some bug on her trip to Mexico with her friends,” Mrs. Todd said. “I told her not to go to a third-world country, but does she ever listen?”

“She’s been weak ever since and she’s lost weight,” Mr. Todd worried.

“Barely,” Jessie mumbled.

“And this morning, she passed out in the shower.”

“When was the trip?” You asked.

“A couple weeks ago,” Jessie answered. “I’m really fine. I just have a fever.”

“Okay, well, will you lie back for an exam for me?”

“No, please, I don’t need an exam. Just give me some antibiotics and send me home.”

“Well, maybe it is just a fever, but they called down for a surgeon, so I have to give the ok to let you go. So just let me do the exam.”

“Do the exam,” Mr. Todd urged.

“No. This is crazy. I’m fine.”

“For God's sake, Jessie, I don't want to spend my entire day here,” Mrs. Todd exclaimed.

“You know, actually, Mrs. Todd, this might be easier if we had some privacy,” you told the parents, sensing that Jessie was worried about their reactions to whatever was going on. “So would you two mind leaving the room?”

“That’s fine,” Mr. Todd said, guiding his wife away.

Jessie lied down and you began to push at her stomach.

“Ow,” Jessie complained. “Don’t push so hard.”

“Can you lift your shirt so I can examine your stomach?” You requested. With a sigh, Jessie slowly lifted her shift, revealing pink scars. “Where did you get these? Jessie… you've had surgery recently. These scars are still pink.”

“Don’t tell my parents.”

“You did this in Mexico so your parents wouldn't know? What did you have done?”

“I can’t tell you.”

“Jessie—“

“I can’t!”

With a sigh, you walked away, ordering a CT for Jessie before heading to help the other patients that Gamora had for you.

~~~

You at just finished Gamora’s last job for you when she paged. You were quickly to go find her.

“You paged?” You questioned, finding her near a nurses station.

“Where are we?” She asked.

“I did the consult, did the IV, the meds, the Post-ops, everything.”

“How is your pit patient?”

“She’s febrile and has peritoneal signs.”

Both you and Gamora’s attentions go to Natasha, who is walking by looking ill.

“You alright, Romanoff?” Gamora wondered, not caring all that much.

“Fine,” Natasha responded, waving it off as she kept going. “On my way back to the clinic.”

“Anyway, about the pit patient.”

“I think she had some sort of illegal surgery done in Mexico,” you stated.

“Botched abortion?”

“No. She has four laparoscopic scars on her abdomen and won't say what they're from, the parents are clueless.”

“She’s a minor.”

“Seventeen. Freshman in college.”

“You order up for a CT?”

“Yes,” you nodded.

“So while she's there, the nurses couldn't get a Foley on Mr. Garay. He may need a Coude cath if you can't get a normal one in there. Write up post-op notes on all surgical-floor patients that had surgery within the last 24 hours. Be sure to document their EKG's and x-rays. Hunt them down if you can't find them.”

“Right away.”

~~~

You were exhausted by the time Jessie’s CT scans came back. Gamora was really working you to the bone. Of course, it didn’t help that you had spent most of the night up with Steve, having some of the most enjoyable sex you’ve ever had. But that wasn’t the point. Scans in hand, you found Gamora at the nurses station near the lobby.

“Dr. Gamora?” You walked up to her. “Jessie Todd’s abdominal CTs.” You handed her the scans.

She took them, holding them up to study them. “Is this girl fat?”

“Not at all,” you shook your head. “She’s a normal college kid.”

“So,” she handed the scans back to you, “what do you see?”

You took them back and studied them yourself. “Her stomach’s stapled. She’s had a gastric bypass.”

“And a bad one at, at that.”

Jessie Todd was moved into a patient room. So you and Gamora requested to speak to her parents outside of the hallway. You were tasked to explain to them what at happened.

“Gastric bypass is a procedure normally done on obese patients to help them lose weight,” you stated, after telling them what their daughter had done.

“Jessie?” Mr. Todd questioned. “She doesn’t need to lose weight.”

“Are you kidding?” Mrs. Todd responded. “This means the world to her. But it is so typical of this girl to take the easy way out. She's done it with everything since she was a little kid.”

“Mrs, Todd, nothing about this is gonna be easy,” Gamora said. “She's gonna face a lifelong struggle with malnutrition unless she has surgery to reverse the procedure.”

“Do the surgery,” Mrs. Todd ordered before turning to her husband. “I told her to watch the freshman 15. Don't eat junk, exercise. But when she came home Christmas, who had to take her out and buy her a brand new pair of size 6 jeans because she couldn't get in the ones I got her last summer?”

“Chrissy, you know, she tries so hard,” Mr. Todd retorted. “She does. She gets good grades. She gets A’s.”

“She had illegal surgery in Mexico.”

“Unfortunately, there were complications with the bypass,” Gamora stated.

“What do you mean?” Mr. Todd asked.

“She has what looks like an abscess under her diaphragm, and edema, which is a swelling of the bowel wall. I can't say for certain she'll recover completely.”

“Just do whatever you have to do to make her well, ok?”

“Of course, sir.”

Gamora walked away, and you stayed to check up on Jessie. It was then that Mrs. Todd entered Jessie’s room, angrily.

“Before you guys start,” Jessie quickly said, “I know you’re mad.”

“Disbelief, Jessie,” Mrs. Todd exclaimed. “Just disbelief.”

“I’m just concerned,” Mr. Todd added, much more calmly than his wife. “Where did you get the idea to do this?”

“The internet,” Jessie answered quietly.

“But, honey, there is a healthy way to lose weight,” Mrs. Todd said.

“Yeah, I tried that, but...it doesn't work for me like it does for you.”

“Hey,” Mr. Todd said, putting a hand on his daughter’s leg, “you don’t need to lose weight.”

“What are you eating?” Mrs. Todd quickly wondered. “And how much have you been working out? I mean, you know, most of the time, when people hit their target weight, they have to work to stay there.”

“Everyone gains weight in college, Mom,” Jessie responded. “It’s—it’s stressful. There’s... there's not enough time for exercise. I just thought if I wasn't worried about my diet, then… I could focus more on my studies.”

“So you took yet another shortcut? Life doesn’t work that way, Jessie.”

“Chrissy!” Mr. Todd exclaimed.

“What? You want to argue this?”

Huffing at his wife, Mr. Todd turned to you. “She has so much potential, if she would just apply herself—”

“Okay, okay,” you interrupted, having heard enough. “I think we should focus on taking care of your daughter. And, Jessie, your parents agree, the best thing to do is to reverse the bypass.”

“No!” Jessie shouted. “No, it's my body. I do not want surgery again. Please?”

“There were serious complications. And this is about your health.”

“But I’d rather be thin.”

“Well, I’m afraid the choice isn’t up to you,” Mrs. Todd responded.

~~~

With a sigh, you found yourself pushed up against the wall in the stairwell. You were tired and so over Mrs. Todd.

“Long day?” Tony’s voice came closer.

You opened your eyes to see him walking up the stairs. “You could say that,” you responded. “How’s trying to get a date with Dr. Potts going?”

“Not so well,” he sighed, coming to leaning against the wall beside you. “I’ve been bringing her coffee or tea every morning though. I’m trying.”

“You really screwed up,” you giggled.

“You’re telling me. How are you and Steve?”

“We’re… fine.”

“He told me you were up all last night.”

“What?!”

“Okay, he didn’t tell me. But I can see how tired both of you are. It doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”

“It’s that obvious? Tony, are you serious? This could totally ruin—“

“Woah, woah, woah. Calm down there, Y/N. I’m just playing with you. Gosh, you need to take a chill pill or something.”

“Sorry, sorry. I’m just… I know we shouldn’t be doing what we are doing.”

“But you enjoy it too much to stop. I get it… I just wish I was getting some too.”

~~~

Natasha was standing in the hall looking nauseous.

“Romanoff!” Clint called, excitedly hurrying up to her. “I’m scrubbing in on a hemispherectomy with Rogers.”

“Get out!” She responded. “I would kill for that.”

“We're gonna cut out half a girl's brain and it's going to work. It's outrageous. Almost makes it hard to hate him.”

“Why do you hate him?”

“Oh, no reason.”

“You know about him and Y/N, don’t you?”

“You know?”

“When are you gonna figure out that I know everything?”

Noticing Val walking up from behind, Clint pointed at Natasha. “She knows.”

“What?” Val questioned. “About Y/N and the Captain?”

“It’s been going on for, like ever,” Natasha commented.

“Seriously?”

“And you didn’t tell us?” Clint wondered.

“Ooh, you’re a gossip, huh?” Natasha responded.

“I am not!”

“I am,” Val said.

“He’s about to go into major brain surgery on no sleep? Not very responsible.”

“Jealous much?” Natasha chuckled. “Sex all night isn't about being responsible.”

“No,” Val agreed, “it’s about sex all night. I can't believe you're not more pissed off about this, you of all people.”

“Well, Y/N works hard all day. She’s good at her job. Why should you care how she unwinds? I mean, you like to bake all night. Some people like to drink. Others like an occasional screaming orgasm.”

~~~

Gamora and you were carefully operating on Jessie in the OR. Gamora was letting you help with more than you thought she would.

“Handle with care,” Gamora advised as she handed you Jessie’s bowel. “This things—“

“Full of gunk,” you responded. “I know.”

“We need to free the bowel from the adhesions caused from the abscess. This poor girl. What was she thinking?”

“She wants her mother's approval. She wanted to please her.”

“And this damage is the result? Here, resect that.”

“Needle-tip Bovie, please,” you requested, handing the bowel back to Gamora.

“When you’re done here, you have post-ops waiting.”

“I know, Dr. Gamora.”

“Natasha also has the flu. So, you need to pick up the slack in the clinic as well.”

“Look, I’ll mop the floors, okay?” That earned you a glare from Gamora. “Sorry, that was inappropriate.”

“It's not the only thing that's inappropriate. While we're on the subject, you care to tell me what you think you're doing?”

“Look, I'll jump through hoops if you want me to. But what I do what I leave this hospital is my business.”

“Half this hospital knows your business. Flu isn't the only virus spreading around here.”

“I made a choice, and I know you don't respect me for that choice. But I'll live with the consequences.”

“Then I'll have lots of hoops for you to jump through.”

“I've done everything you've asked me to do. I may not do it your way but it gets done. So whatever else you got, bring it on.” 

Suddenly, Jessie’s bowel burst. Spraying you with toxic waste. You could hear the people watching in the gallery go, ‘ew’.

“Okay, Dr. L/N, now that you’ve drained the organ, we can attempt to repair it,” Gamora said.

“Now my day is perfect,” you muttered.

The nurses tried to clean you up the best they could as you operated. Though they seemed to only make it worse. After the surgery, you and Gamora headed out into the hallway together.

“I need a shower,” you commented.

“No, I need a shower,” Gamora retorted. “You need to go tell that girl's parents what kind of kid they're getting back.”

“You're not gonna let me shower first?”

“That would be a hoop, would it not?”

“It would qualify.”

“Shower first, then.”

You rushed to the locker room. Val and Natasha were already there.

“Ew, what smells?” Val asked as you passed her.

“That would be me,” you answered, "or more specifically, my patient's insides all over me.”

“That makes me strangely happy.”

“Oh, Y/N,” Natasha grimaced, “you smell like—“

“Karma.”

“What?” You asked Val.

“Nothing.”

“Something vile is stuck in your hair,” Natasha told you, pointing to your hairline. “You know, just go stand over there, please.” She shooed you to the other side of the aisle.

“Ugh, how much do I love being a surgeon right now?” You mumbled.

“Karma,” Val laughed.

“What does karma have to do with anything?”

“I'm just saying, you've been given all the best surgeries. And now you smell like putrid goo. And you're giving off a stench. Karma's a bitch.”

Gamora walked into the locker room. “Dr. Rogers needs an intern in surgery,” she stated. “Which one of you is clear?”

“I’m good!” Natasha raised her hand. She was still looking pale. “Where do you want me?”

“You need to lie down somewhere.”

“I’m fine, I’m completely healthy.”

“L/N?” 

“Of course,” Val grumbled.

“What is your problem?” You asked Val, annoyed.

“Um, you! Cause apparently you can help Captain McDreamy in ways the rest of us can’t.”

“You did not just say th—“

“Yes, I did!”

“Hey!” Gamora called out. “Natasha, hemispherectomy in OR 1 with Dr. Shepherd. Go.”

Natasha nodded and hurried away. Val marched off as well.

“Apparently, I’m not the only one with hoops,” Gamora smirked.

~~~

After showering, you found Mrs. and Mr. Todd in the lobby. As you walked, you explained to them what had gone on in surgery.

“We were able to reverse the gastric bypass, but we did lose a significant portion of her bowel,” you told them. “And because of the short gut syndrome, Jessie will never eat normally again.”

“Ok, wait, do…” Mr. Todd tried to put his thoughts together. “How do we help her here?”

“Well, getting proper nutrition will be a lifelong problem for Jessie.”

“Great,” Mrs. Todd murmured, annoyed, “as if we already don't have our hands full with her.”

“She gets good grades. She stays out of trouble. She's smart. I just think she feels like nothing she does is good enough for you.”

“If you somehow think that I'm responsible for this…”

“I think Jessie is killing herself to please you.”

“Oh, please. You have no idea what's going on in that girl's mind.”

“You're her mother. She worships the ground you walk on. She didn't do this for herself.”

“I think that this situation is completely—“

“Chrissy, shut up,” Mr. Todd interrupted.

Both you and Mrs. Todd looked shocked as Mr. Todd walked faster to Jessie’s room.

~~~

Clint had had an interesting day, to say the least. He had discovered that the anesthesiologist in Steve’s surgery was drunk. Bringing up to Dr. Rogers, both the anesthesiologist and Dr. Rogers got mad, throwing him out of the surgery. Which is why he needed another intern.

Durning the surgery, Natasha and Dr. Rogers quickly realized that Clint had been right. Allowing Natasha and another doctor to close, Steve requested Clint to met him outside of the OR.

“Let me explain,” Steve began.

“It’s fine,” Clint responded.

“No, there is a code among doctors. We're not supposed to ask each other questions, not within the walls of this hospital.”

“Okay, so, I was out of line.”

“No, you weren't. I was. I was out of line. Somebody should have taken responsibility. It should have been the guy doing the cutting. It should have been me. You didn't deserve what happened to you today. You did the right thing code or no code.” Steve held out his hand for Clint to shake. Hesitantly, Clint shook it. “You saw me leave the house this morning, didn’t you?”

Clint pulled his hand away. “Oh, was that you?”

“Hmm. I’m not using her. And I don’t favor her.”

“She’s pretty great, you know.”

“Mm-hmm. I know.”

~~~

You went to Jessie, getting her into a wheel chair so that you can walk her around while talking to her alone. You had made a phone call, and you needed to tell her about it.

“Did you fix me?” Jessie asked, after the two of you walked in silence for awhile. 

“No, not completely,” you responded.

“So, I won’t get fat?”

“No.”

“Oh. That’s awesome.”

“Jessie, I’ve asked social services to contact your parents.”

“What? Why?”

“They can help you.”

“With what?”

“You don't know this yet, but life isn't supposed to be like this. It's not supposed to be this hard. And your mom… she isn’t suppose to treat you this way.”

~~~

You were so extremely grateful when you were finally allowed to go home. It was late, so you were expecting your roommates to be asleep. When you entered the kitchen, you found Val frosting a cake.

“I thought you’d be asleep by now,” you commented, searching for food.

“Yeah, well, I’m not,” Val retorted. “If you wait a few minutes, you can have a piece of cake. Baked it chock-full of love. Actually, chock-full of unrelenting, all consuming rage and hostility, but it's still tasty.”

“So you know?”

“I know.”

“Well, do you want the long, sordid version, or do you want the short version, where I started sleeping with a guy who turned out to be my boss?”

“Neither.”

“Val, cut me some slack here.”

“No. You went to Dartmouth. Your parents— don’t get me started on that. I know you’re trying to hide who your parents are. But I know. You grew up— look at this house! You know, you walk into the OR, and there isn’t anyone who doubts that yo should be there. I… I grew up in a trailer park. I went to state school. I put myself through med school by posing in my underwear. You know, I walk into the OR, and everyone hopes I'm the nurse. Y-you have their respect without even trying, and you're throwing it away for...what? A few good surgeries?”

“No. It's not about the surgeries. It's not about getting ahead.”

“Then what? A little hot sex? You're willing to ruin your credibility over that? I mean, Y/N, what the hell are you doing?” You huffed, shaking your head. “Oh, my… you’re falling for him.”

“I am not.”

“Oh, you so are.”

“No, I’m not.”

“You so are. Damn it, you poor girl.”

“You know, it's just that he's just so… And I'm just… I'm having a hard time.”

"Wow, you're all, uh, mushy and… warm and full of secret feelings.” Val handed you a piece of cake.

“I hate you!” You snatched the cake from her. “And your cake.”

“My cake is good. So, um, how hot is the sex?”

“Val.”

“What? Come on, my girlfriend broke up with me, I’m not getting any. Help a girl out with a few details.”

~~~

Steve showed up at your door an hour later, exhausted as well. You two headed up to your bedroom. You were both on either side of the bed, pulling back the covers.

“You know,” Steve slurred, “we could just…”

“Sleep?” You finished.

“We could, yeah, if… if you want to.”

“Yeah?”

You both crawled into bed. You turned off the lamp beside you before cuddling into Steve’s side. He reached over and turned off the lamp at his side.

“I could get used to this,” you whispered, falling asleep.

next chapter >

NOTES: from now on the taglist when be added by a reblog. I will reblog it using my second account, @just-dreaming-marvel-2​​​. Just so that my main page doesn’t get too cluttered.

If you want to be added to the tag list, please dm me or send in an ask.

[horrorslashergirl]

Slasher OC: The Shadow

Authors Note: New baby coming through! New baby coming through! Yes, Sir I made another slasher original character, because ideas come and they need to be known.

Full Name: Unknown Nickname: The Shadow, The Lurking One, Salem Age: Late 30s Gender: Male Nationality: American Occupation: Serial Killer, supposed Surgeon/Pathologists Location: USA, Massachusetts, Boston Hair Color/Style: Unknown Eye Color: Unknown Height: 6'5 Body Type: Athletic Languages: English Attire: He wears a pristine black tailored-suit; a black tail-coat with a black button-down, black slacks, and a black vest, the tie a scarlet red. He wears luscious leather Oxfords and black leather gloves along with a black fedora. The last touch is a leather Doctor Plague mask, not one glimpse of skin on display.

Weapons: Shotgun, Throwing Knives, Scalpel, Clamps, Retractors

Biography:

The name was given by authorities of this infamous serial killer as Shadow, which creates havoc in Massachusetts cities, mostly Boston, Salem, and Cambridge. He also received the nickname Salem due to him being more like an urban legend or entity than a human being.

He targeted people at night, most of them being young women, but also adult males or anyone that dares to interfere with his killings. His procedure of murder is so close to perfection that the police investigators suspect him as being a surgeon or pathologist, due to the operating mood to be so precise.

What makes his killings apart from the other serial killers is that he always takes something from his victims; be an eye, a kidney, even the heart, the crime scenes always leave the authorities speechless, the scenes so brutal that they don't let photos be taken to the public eyes.

The authorities had interviewed and questioned over 200 people; surgeons, butchers, criminals in order to find the identity of the serial killer known as Shadow, with no success.

The only one who encountered Shadow and managed to survive was a young college student, named Giulia, who didn't make it out unscarred. She was found by the police half-naked on the streets, running away from the serial killer.

She was found with her hair burned to the scalp by an acidic battery, her canine teeth pulled out, and without nails on her finger.

When questioned by the investigators she made a morbid description of the infamous murderer.

'He is tall and in all black. He doesn't seem human. No human could do this. He pulled all her skin off like she was a rabbit. His voice, makes me wanna throw up, it's so raspy it makes me wanna be deaf so I cannot hear it anymore in my head. What he did to the other girls...I cannot describe. He said that I'm perfect. What was that supposed to mean?'

The events destroyed Giulias's mind and life, now being interned into an Asylum due to severe trauma, leading to aggressive outbursts, nightmares, and constantly hearing his voice.

Personality:

'Shadow', according to the crimes and Guilas vague description, shows characteristics most serial killers have; brutish, sadistic, cruel, aggressive, sneaky.

Despite these negative aspects, he also shows a high superiority on the intellectual level, especially considering that he sends mocking letters to the police, taunting them. This aspect is interesting due to the modern world, he writes classic letters like in the old days. His writing style, very neat and cursive, suggests that he is a highly educated man, especially when he puts in letters quotes from history, literature.

One of the letters sent to the police:

'Dear Boston Police Sir and Madams,

This morning, I was making coffee and listening to one of the ol' classics of Camille Saint-Saëns - Danse Macabre, when the News started on the television and I was so flattered when I was the main attraction told by the news lady, but I must say that the words used to describe me as a Jack-The-Ripper-Ripoff wasn't very equitable, although he is highly fascinating, I advise keeping insults to yourselves, ignorant rats. I don't have tolerance for uneducated low-lives. Now that this has been clear, how are the investigations been so far? All good? Still, trying to figure little ol' me out? My provenance? Think about me as you describe me; a shadow, meaning that I could be right now listening to you chit-chatting over coffee and cigarettes in your cozy offices. Oh! How's my dear Giulia? I haven't heard from her whereabouts since the tv news about her being locked to the lunatics. Ha! She was the perfect little one until she decided to destroy my recreation room. Rude little wench. Anyway, I do hope you all have a gruesome day with more bodies to come.

Yours Truly, The Shadow

P.S: Detective Donald, I give all my greatest greetings to your wife.'

He has shown to have a God complex, mocking the police every chance he has; cheeky, intelligent and sporting a ghoulish charisma, Shadow basks into the terror he inflicts on others.

According to his letters by the police, Shadow gave some clues to the investigators; he is a bachelor.

'I do get lonely, officers you know? Being a bachelor isn't quite a piece of cake and I must say I'm very picky with women. They all scream when I play with my scalpel down their pretty little necks.'

He also stated that he is quite wealthy.

'Money makes me sick. They all think that if you got the greens you're oh so smart, but their brains are as dead as they will be once I have my hands on them. I do have too much money, sometimes stashes of them on the table by the gramophone.'

Power/Skills: Genius-level intellect Immense wealth stashed (according to his letter) Expertise in psychology and surgery Surgical and medical prowess Evasion Stealth Murderous expertise Skilled usage of weaponry Skill in hand-to-hand combat Knifesmanship Torturous expertise Ruthlessness Fearlessness Psychopathic nature Deception Expert manipulator

Hobbies:

Killing people, operating and torturing them, finally stealing something from their bodies, leaving the bodies to the police to be found.

Listening to music, reading all types of books from history to literature to medical books.

Watching the news about him.

Mocking the police officers and investigators.

Crimes: Serial Homicide Terrorism Torture Stealing Body Parts Brainwashing Mutilations Stalking

Type of Villain: Ingenious Serial Killer

[defibrillation-and-lactation]

Captured Agents

TRIGGER WARNING: medical/resus related content below

Story ideas came from nhattan212 on DeviantArt.

Somewhere out in Asia, there is a mad doctor and scientist, named Dr. Andy. He has his own secret underground laboratory where he experiments and creates drugs and technology to alter the human body. His mission is to recruit as many henchmen as he can, then modify their bodies to have strong power and abilities. He wants to use these super henchmen to assist him in overthrowing the government.

His most recent endeavors involve him stealing supplies that would help him create drugs and machines to make his henchmen powerful. He has been going to government buildings that carry the things he needs and has disguised himself as a government worker. Some of the real government workers have started to become suspicious of him and alerted officials higher up.

This has led to an investigation into why these supplies have gone missing and who is the one behind it. The government has chosen two female agents to help locate and capture the thief. They are Agent Xi and Agent Mira. Both of them are military trained government officials who specialize in spying and close quarters combat.

It was Wednesday morning. Agent Xi and Mira start their mission today. They are deployed to the location where Dr. Andy commonly stole stuff. Around 9:00 am, Dr. Andy shows up at the back of the government building in a truck. He was wearing a gas mask and gloves. He enters the building and starts collecting some chemicals. He stuffed them in a black bag that was on top of a utility cart. That’s when Agent Mira walked in and saw what he was doing.

“Hello, sir! What are you doing here collecting all of these chemicals?” Mira said.

“I-I’m gathering supplies that a client bought so I can deliver them later today.” Dr. Andy said, trying to make a quick lie.

“Oh really? May I see your identification card, please?” Mira replied.

“S-sure.” Dr. Andy said, hesitantly taking out his fake credentials.

“Hmmm. I’ve never heard of any Andy working here. You must be new” Mira said to him.

“Yeah I am. I started here a week ago.” Andy said nervously.

“Well, employees like you should be in training for a few weeks before you gain access to this place.” Mira responded.

“That’s strange. They told me to start working here today!” Andy said to her.

“Well I’m not buying that answer. Agent Xi! I’ve found the suspect.”

Agent Xi burst into the room. She pointed a taser gun at the mad doctor.

“Hands up! You’re under arrest for theft of government resources.” Agent Xi said in a loud, stern voice.

Dr. Andy raised his hands slowly and gently tapped the back of his left glove. This set off a small grenade on his pants, dispersing a gas that can knockout people in seconds. He made it himself in his laboratory.

Agent Xi shot her taser gun at the suspect when she heard the explosion. He quickly dodged it and ran behind a counter. Mira and Xi both inhaled the gas and starting gasping for air. They quickly collapsed and fell to the ground. Andy poked his head from cover and saw the two girls on the ground. No other security guards or staff members were present.

“Yes! Not only have I gotten the supplies I needed, I also have two little guinea pigs I can use.” He whispered happily to himself.

Dr. Andy gathered all the drugs he needed and put them on the bottom of a cart. He picked up the two women and laid them on the top of the cart. He brought the cart to his truck and loaded the supplies inside. He dropped the the women’s bodies in the back. He then sped off back to his lab to get to work on making his dreams come true.

Dr. Andy arrived at his headquarters around noon.  He entered and parked in his underground garage. He ordered a utility cart and a large stretcher down there to transport his stolen goods. He loaded all the chemicals onto the cart had a couple employees bring them to storage room. He then picked both girls he kidnapped and secured them onto the huge stretcher. He then transferred them to his laboratory where he had a massive operating room inside.

Dr. Andy opened the door to his lab and inside was a floor that was split into two rooms. The left side was a laboratory where Andy would create weapons, technology and drugs to help him get closer to taking over the country. On the right side, is an operating room with multiple operating tables. It was loaded with many monitors and medical equipment to perform surgeries, procedures, and many experiments with the products made in the lab.

Dr. Andy wheeled the two girls into the operating room and parked the stretcher next to two operating tables that were very close to each other. He lifted Xi off the stretcher and set her on the left table. Then, he pulled Mira off the stretcher and placed her on the table on the right. Both of them laid there unconscious on the tables. He unzipped the zipper in the middle of their black suits, revealing two pale, slender torsos. Both of them had a normal sized pair of breasts. Both were braless and their nipples were erect from being exposed to the cold air in the room.

Making sure they were still alive, He checked their eyes. He pulled out a penlight from his lab coat. He gently opened Xi’s eyelids shined it into both of her eyes. Her pupils contracted quickly. Next he checked Mira’s eyes. He shined the same light in her eyes and her pupils shrunk quickly. He checked both of their radial pulses. There appeared to be a steady, normal pulse, so they seemed to still be alive and well. He put on his stethoscope and approached Mira. He placed the stethoscope in the the middle of her chest. What he heard sounded normal. He moved down to the bottom of her chest and listened there. He heard a normal heart rhythm. He turned around and listened to Xi’s heart. In the middle of her chest he heard a steady beat. The bottom of the chest showed no problems either. Both seemed to be in good condition.

Next, he stripped them naked. He untied their boots and pulled them off. He pulled off their black socks, uncovering two pairs of clean feet. He pulled them out of their black suits, revealing two slim, naked bodies. Xi was wearing black panties, while Mira did not have any at all. Dr. Andy slid off Xi’s panties and put them aside. Both Xi and Mira were now completely nude. They were still out cold from the gas that Andy used on them. He was free to do whatever he wanted to them.

First, he started inspecting the bodies. Both had medium short hair. Xi had black hair. Mira’s hair was brown. Their faces were free of any blemishes. He opened their mouths and saw good hygiene in both of them. Their teeth were shining white with healthy pink gums. Both of them had a slim torso with a little definition in their abs. Their bellies were nice and firm. Andy had a little fun poking and pressing their stomachs. He spread their navels wide open with his fingers, poking and stroking them. He gave both of their stomachs a gentle massage, rubbing them softly. He moved on to their breasts. They were firm and springy. Dr. Andy played around with them, squeezing and and softly compressing them. He pinched their nipples, twisting them as well. He gave their breasts a massage, cupping them with both hands and giving them a firm rub. Their arms were thin with a little tone in them. Their hands were small with evenly cut fingernails. Their thighs were nice and thick. They had a little muscle to them as well. He gave them a firm squeezing and rub down, feeling their femoral arteries as well. His hands went swiftly down to their legs. They were thin, with some muscle in their calves as well. Andy moved on to their feet. They were nice and smooth. He gently caressed them and ran his fingers through their toes. Their nails were nice and and evenly cut. Their pubic hair were shaven clean. He spread open their vaginas with his fingers, showcasing some nice, pink, tender flesh. He rubbed their clits in a circular motion, then slowly stuck in a couple fingers inside for a few seconds. No foul odors was to be detected.

Next he checked their blood flow. He took out a Doppler and some gel. He poured a bit of gel on the doppler and some on their stomachs. He massaged the gel across their whole stomach. Their bellies were glistening with the surgical lights above making them shine. He moved the Doppler all across their abdomen and found no issues with their blood flow there.

“Okay, they seem to be pretty healthy. Time to start the experiments.” Andy said, as he gathered some ECG leads. He placed 3 leads on both of the girls’ chests. He turned on the heart monitors and connected the leads to them. Their hearts were beating at a normal, steady rhythm around 70 beats per minute. Dr. Andy was ready to start some testing. He walked to his lab and grabbed some syringes and some test tubes and bottles filled with various solutions.

He came back in to the operating room with a box and a mischievous smile on his face. From the box he pulled out a syringe and a bottle of orange liquid. He stuck the needles into the bottle and filled them with the orange serum. He took a couple of alcohol wipes and cleaned up the girls’ arms. He lined up the syringes at their arms. He injected both of the women simultaneously. He quickly bandaged up their injection site and waited for a reaction. In about 30 seconds, he started to notice some changes to their body. Both of them started to develop some tone in their abs. Their biceps and forearms became much more muscular than they were were before. Their thighs became much thicker and more defined. Their heart rates now hovered around 100 beats per minute.

After a minute had passed, their muscular transformation had peaked. Bulging arms had replaced their previously small size. Their legs and thighs were now extremely thick. Their stomach now donned a chiseled six pack and their breasts had grown from an average size to a much larger size.

Their heart rates started to shoot up to dangerous conditions. They were pumping furiously around 180 beats per minute. Their previously limp bodies started to twitch. It started as a couple muscle spasms and quickly escalated to full blown seizing. Dr. Andy pressed a button on the wall to contact help.

“Hello? Any nurses available?” Andy asked to everyone in the medical area of his headquarters.

“Yes, there are seven nurses on duty right now!” A nurse responded.

“Okay great! I need two nurses and two crash carts in the operating room, stat! Two of my test subjects are crashing!” Andy explained to them.

“We will be there in a moment, sir!”

Ten seconds later, the doors to the OR flung open and a bang was heard when the doors hit the wall. Two nurses appeared rushed in with fully loaded crash carts. Both were pretty busty and had long, brown hair. The one on the left left wore glasses. The one on the right had a small burn mark on her right cheek.

“Nurse Angel, start working on the girl on the left. I’ll work on the girl on the right. Nurse Hannah, help us with the supplies and equipment.” Andy ordered.

Everyone got to work hastily. Both Andy and Angel started compressions on the girls. Angel did chest compressions on Xi, while Dr. Andy did stomach compressions on Mira. Xi’s breasts jiggled with each pump from the nurse. Mira’s firm stomach was being harshly pushed in by the force of Andy’s strong hands. After a couple rounds of compressions, they used an ambu bag on them. Both of their still bodies rose and fell gently with each puff of the ambu bag. Their bellies expanded and contracted slowly with air. After that, they continued compressions, but switched methods. Xi was now being given stomach compressions and Mira received chest compressions. Angel was pumping Xi’s rock hard abs, while Andy was compressing Mira’s huge chest.

Nurse Hannah prepped the defibrillators and gel while keeping everything nice and tidy. She observed the scene and made sure everyone had quick access to their tools and equipment.

After another round of compressions, Dr. Andy looked up at the monitors above him. He saw two weak, unsteady pulses that were keeping the two alive. Audible alarms started sounding, indicating an irregular heartbeat.

“Okay, we got v-fib on the monitors! Let’s shock them at 100 joules.” Dr. Andy said to Nurse Angel.

“Understood” Angel responded.

Both of them grabbed the paddles and cranked the knob on the machine to 100J. They were already gelled up by Nurse Hannah.

“Charging” both of them said, rubbing the paddles together.

​Angel placed the paddles in the middle of Xi’s breasts and on the side of her left tit. Andy places the paddles in the center of Mira’s chest and on her right breast.

“Clear!” Both exclaimed, warning everybody to stand back.

Mira and Xi’s bodies twitched from the shock. Their breasts jiggled slightly as the electricity surged through their chest. Dr. Andy looked back up at the monitors. Both of them had a fast, erratic heartbeat around 160 beats per minute.

“Still irregular. Charge up to 200 joules and shock em’ again!” Dr. Andy ordered.

Both turned their dials up and charged the paddles. Mira and Xi still appeared lifeless on the tables. They only had a short amount of time left. Their chests gleamed from the conductive gel. They were getting more pale by the minute.

After the defibrillators were done charging, both Dr. Andy and Nurse Angel placed the paddles back on the girls.

“Clear!” Both said, announcing the next shock.

The girls torsos jump slightly. Their backs arched up for a second as the higher level of energy coursed through them. Their breasts bounced greatly as their bodies slammed backed down on the tables. Moans could be heard from both of the girls. The shock had helped them regain their consciousness. The monitors showed a fast, but normal sinus rhythm and the alarms had now gone quiet.

“My girls have a normal rhythm now, but I think they are starting to wake up” Dr. Andy said, slightly panicking.

The girls coughed a bit, then looked around in confusion. Their blurry vision quickly became clear and they saw Dr. Andy right in front of them.

“Dr. Andy?” Both of the girls questioned.

“What are you doing with us? Where are we?” Mira asked, trying to make sense of what was going on.

Both girls started trying to get up. Their whole mission was to go after Dr. Andy. Before they could make any real moves, Nurse Angel and Dr. Andy found and grabbed anesthesia masks. They quickly put them on the girls and turned on the anesthesia tank in the cart. Within a few seconds, the girls went from flailing around to slowly falling back down on the operating table.

“Crisis averted.” Nurse Angel said.

“Thanks ladies for helping me with the .”

The girls were now asleep on the table. Dr. Andy and Nurse Angel secured their bodies in place with restraints at their wrists and ankles.

The effects of the super strength serum had now faded. The girls were no longer extremely muscular. Their breasts had shrunk back to their original size. It seems they had returned back to normal. Andy needed to work on making the serum work longer and put in less cardiac stimulants. The only thing left to do now was make sure the agents didn’t wake up and try to take down Dr. Andy again.

Dr. Andy walked into the laboratory next door to gather some brainwashing equipment. He took two syringes and two vials of a clear solution. He took them back into the operating room and started his final experiments for the day.

He filled the syringes with the clear solution. Inside the solution was a brainwashing fluid and a microchip. Andy hoped the solution would erase most of the girls’ memories and replace them with a mindset that made Dr. Andy their master. The microchip would be used as a tracking device to see where the girls were at all times.

Dr. Andy wiped the girls’ shoulders again with alcohol wipes. He took the syringes and injected both of them simultaneously, just like the first time. After patching up the injection site, he closely monitored the test subjects. So far, nothing strange had happened for a few minutes. He decided it would be a good idea to take them off of the anesthesia and let them recover. He turned the valves on the tanks of anesthesia and closed them tight. He took the tape off that was securing their masks in place and lifted them off their faces. He loosened the restraints keeping them in place, leaving them free. It was now time to wait until the anesthesia fully wears off and for them to wake up.

Dr. Andy and the nurses closely monitored the girls’ vitals. He worked on some more electronic ideas and chemicals for future experiments. The nurses stayed in the operating room just in case something happens so they can notify Andy. He checked in every so often to see if they woke up.

After a couple hours, Andy walked into the room to see how they were doing. That’s when the girls finally started to wake up. They slowly opened their eyes and started rubbing them. They looked around the room as their vision began to come back. Their EKGs looked pretty stable and hadn’t changed much since being down for a couple hours. As they observed the environment around them, they spotted Dr. Andy and kept a relaxed face. He was a little scared about this experiment. He kept a taser on standby just in case they tried anything funny.

“Hello Master.” Mira said, in a calm normal voice.

“Do you have any work you need us to get done?” Xi asked, in a normal, slightly robotic tone.

“U-ummm...”

“...Not right now, but I will have some soon.” Dr. Andy said, in awe and confusion about what he just did to these women.

“Yes!!! I’ve done it! I’ve got two slaves for my mission. This feels strange, but it’s amazing as well.” Andy said quietly to himself. He was truly in shock about what he has created.

After a few moments of comprehending this situation, Dr. Andy suddenly got a great idea. He really enjoyed inspecting the girls when they were unconscious on the operating table. Wanting to do more of that, he asked the girls kindly if they could act unconscious for them.

“Hey ladies. I know this may seem a bit weird to ask you, but could you two lay back down on those tables and act like you are knocked out? I need to inspect your bodies a bit.”

“Okay Master!” Both of them said gladly. They then laid back down and closed their eyes.

Dr. Andy immediately got to work on inspecting them once more. This time, he went back and forth between the girls after he played with each part of their bodies.

He started by playing with their nice silky hair. He ran his hands through their hair and gently stroked it. Then he grabbed a penlight and checked both of their eyes again. Their pupils responded normally to the light. Both of them however, were struggling to keep them open with the bright light shining into their conscious eyes. Next, he moved on to their faces. He squished and rubbed Xi’s cheeks around. Her face was soft and smooth. He opened her mouth and saw bright white teeth and light pink gums. Her tongue was colored the same as her gums. He looked at Mira’s mouth too, seeing the same thing there as well. Shiny teeth, with clean gums and tongue. Both were blessed with lovely, luscious lips. As he was doing this, the girls were letting out soft, quiet sounds. Their faces were tensed up a bit as well. They were not used to doing this.

“Okay girls, I know you’re trying your best, but I think it’s best that I put you two to sleep. I’ll administer anesthesia through gas.” Dr. Andy said to them. He wanted total silence throughout his examinations.

“Good idea, Master.” Mira said to him.

Dr. Andy pulled out some supplies from a cabinet in the room. They were fresh new anesthesia masks and tubing. He attached the tubing to the masks and then connected them to the tanks of anesthesia used earlier. He then gently set a mask onto Xi’s face and secured it with some tape. He then quickly went over to Mira’s side and placed her mask on her face and taped it on. Next, he went in between their beds, where the tanks were.

“Ready?” Andy announced.

The girls nodded in response. He turns the valves open and lets in the anesthesia into the masks. In a matter of 30 seconds, the girls drifted off into a deep sleep. Andy was now alone with the women in complete peace.

He then resumed his examination. He started again by checking out their arms. He lifted Xi’s arms a bit, checking her radial pulse at the same time. They were soft and lean. He let her arms drop down. They hit the ground at a normal speed. Totally limp. He then checked out Mira’s arms, again playing with them, checking her pulse and playing with them. Her arms had slightly more muscle. He let them drop too. It made a little louder thump as it made contact with the table. Next thing to inspect was her torso.

Dr. Andy started with Mira. His hands gravitated to her chest. He began kneading her breasts like dough. They were nice and soft. He played with her nipples, twisting and turning them with his fingers. After that he moved onto Xi’s breasts. He again massaged them, giving them a firm rub, tweaking her nipples as well. They were magnificently elastic, bouncing beautifully as he played with them. His hands went down to her stomach. He gave it gentle compressions. He gave her a massage around her navel, then proceeding to spread her belly button a bit. He enjoyed very second of this. He then started on Mira’s belly. He carefully rubbed down and squished her stomach. He poked and prodded at her navel, gently massaging it too. After that, it was time for the lower body.

He began with their thighs, giving them a firm squeezing. They were nice and thick, being smooth to the touch. He quickly gave their thin, but strong legs a little rub. He ran his hands down their legs to their feet. Their feet were nice and light colored, being a little red at the bottom. Their toenails were well pedicured. He gave their feet a little massage treatment, running his fingers between their toes as well. Now he moved on to their vaginas. He spread them open simultaneously  with two fingers. Their lips were normal with a slight puff to them. He stuck a couple fingers inside and started rubbing them around inside. After he took them out, there was a noticeable amount of juice on his gloves. He took them off and put on a new, dry pair. The only thing left to do now was examine her backside.

Dr. Andy went up and shut the valves to the anesthesia tanks closed. He took off the girl’s masks, knowing it would probably be a couple hours before they woke up. He lifted up Mira and turned her around. Her back was now facing up. Andy did the same with Xi. Now he could properly check their backside.

He looked at Xi’s back, seeing a healthy spine with nothing unusual to see. He gave her a back massage, firmly rubbing from the top to the bottom. He approached Mira and saw a nice, perfect back as well. He gave her a similar massage moving from the upper back to the lower back. Both had smooth, warm skin there. From that, he starting looking at her butts. He gave Mira’s ass a firm kneading like he did with her breasts. He did the same to Xi as well. Both butts were smooth and slick. They were nice and tender, jiggling vigorously with gentle slaps. Down he went, moving to her thighs again. Grabbing Xi’s thighs firmly, he gave them a little rubbing. Mira’s thighs were given a firm rub as well, releasing a little built-up tension. Down to their calves, he gave them a soft stroking. To their heels, he rubbed them up in a circular motion, relieving them of some pain from daily training. He then ran his hands down the soles of their feet, applying gentle pressure to them. After that, he was satisfied with his examination of them. He turned the women around and laid them back down to how they were positioned before. He then called a nurse to watch them until they woke up. They would be shown the rest of the lab the next day. It was time for Dr. Andy to rest.

On that day, that night. His plan to take over the government advanced a step. He plans to work a lot more on his minions and take them along on his missions. The possibilities with his new members seem endless. He went to bed, hoping the next morning, he could get to know his new henchmen even stronger, smarter and overall just better. The girls slept next door, waiting for the next orders from Dr. Andy.

THE END

[clive-owen-and-the-knick]

ENTERTAINMENT

Cocaine Withdrawals and Blood Transfusions: Clive Owen On The Season Finale Of 'The Knick'

By Matthew Jacobs

10/18/2014 12:24 AM ET

Updated Dec 06, 2017

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead. Do not read on if you haven't seen the Season 1 finale of "The Knick."

"The Knick" ended its 10-episode debut season on Friday, and the hope each character found in his or her new beginnings was bookended with a sense of dread. Thackery discovers an unfortunate way to kick his cocaine habit in the form of 1900-era heroin. Barrow bests Bunky Collier, but Mr. Wu learns of his manipulation. Cornelia's wedding day arrives, but she's haunted by the thought of her clandestine abortion and her feelings for Dr. Edwards. And Edwards himself is given the chance to shine while Thack is out of commission, but he's left bloodied in the streets, knowing Cornelia is off vowing to love another man. No character wins, but the show surely does. This was a stunner of a season finale, exemplifying the best of Steven Soderbergh's slow-burning drama. HuffPost Entertainment caught up with star Clive Owen, who plays Thackery, to discuss the finale.

Did you study cocaine withdrawal to decide what that would look like once Thackery's supply runs out?

I did as much research as I could. The great thing is that cocaine shortage again was based on fact. Everything in the show is inspired by real events. The idea of starving Thackery of his drug and then coming back and this more than ever was a brilliant way of climaxing. To go through that period of struggle, of not having the drug and then getting it and taking too much, was always, I felt, a great way to build him toward the end.

Nurse Elkin's role in procuring cocaine is fascinating. Does Thackery really love her, or does he only appreciate when she can do things for him?

I think by that time he’s a desperate addict. When she delivers that and when she finally comes through with the cocaine, he’s like, "She’s the most beautiful, loving person." He’s a desperate addict by this point. Just the fact that she’s delivering what he needs is everything.

We see him compete to advance various surgical procedures, but he does it mostly out of ego so he'll always be considered the best. How much does Thackery actually care about medicine?

I really do think by the ending couple of episodes that he’s completely lost his way. He’s a complete paranoid, competitive mess by the end. He is brilliant, but by this point he’s in a desperate place and he’s not thinking straight. That’s kind of where we’re taking him -- he’s heading for a fall.

Many of the surgery scenes are both graphic and relatively primitive. Is there a doctor on set guiding how they should look?

Yes, we had the most amazing expert, a guy called Dr. Stanley Burns, who runs this archive of literally hundreds of thousands of photographs from this period in the world. The show is like his fantasy come to life. He has an unbelievable wealth of material; he has medical documents that were handed between doctors at the turn of the century, he has instruments that were used at the time. He was there for every single operation and would be able to describe exactly how it would have been done, so we leaned on him tremendously.

That blood-transfusion scene in the finale is wild. Surely some of that is CGI.

Really, I have to say that the prosthetics guy on this thing did an absolutely unbelievable job throughout, and there’s so little CGI in this whole series. Everything is totally convincing, even to the naked eye, including that transfusion scene. That was the one scene where I remember I turned to Steven at one point and said, “How on earth are we ever going to bring back Thackery from this?” Will we ever be able to redeem him from this? I mean, in such a coked-up state, to be attempting something like that with this poor little girl, it’s a wild as it could get. But that’s the make of the show.

Do you think Bertie made the right choice in remaining so loyal to Thackery, especially at the end when he realizes what's been going on?

It’s difficult because Thackery does eventually go off the rails, but there’s no question that, at the beginning when we meet him, Thackery is a genius. He’s learned an incredible lot. That’s the journey of what happens, but there’s no question that Bertie would have learned an awful lot, but he’s also had to withstand an awful lot.

What do you think happened to Abigail and her syphilis nose?

We might not have seen the last of her. I won’t say any more on that.

We've seen shocking surgeries all season, but the most jarring moment probably comes when we see that Eleanor's teeth have been removed because that's how doctors thought they'd cure mental illness.

I agree with you. It is shocking, and what’s shocking is that that was the practice at the time. That was real. They actually really did think that. And the scary thing, when you do a show like this, is that what we’d be doing in 40 or 50 years’ time would make us think, "How on Earth could we have thought that was right?" How on Earth could a doctor really have believed that?

It must be hard to shoot in contemporary downtown New York but make every scene look and feel like it's set in 1900.

Steven has just the most incredible people around him that he’s been working with for a long time. What was really incredible is when you film on one of those outside days, you’d come to the exterior of the hospital and you’d walk on and everything would already be up and running. You’d do a shot in the carriage and it would pull up and you’d get out and 20 minutes later we’d be on to something else. It was so incredibly efficient, and they were so focused in getting those big outside scenes nailed so quickly. There were very challenging days -- we were shooting real New York Chinatown for 1900 Chinatown. We’d find a block in there that we’d dress and shoot, but you can imagine the logistics of trying to pull that off. They went in there and they were just incredibly together.

What's the most fascinating thing you've learned about medicine in 1900?

The thing that you’re kind of left with is just how much they were shooting from the hip. It was a time of change; things were coming big and fast. They were rethinking things on a weekly basis. At the time, doctors were sharing information across America and Europe. It was a wildly exciting time in terms of the breakthroughs they were making, probably this time in this period more than any other period.

You've worked with Robert Altman, Mike Nicholas, Alfonso Cuarón and Spike Lee. What does Steven Soderbergh, the consummate multitasker, bring to "The Knick" that no other director could?

I think the reason no other director could have taken this on and done it the way that he did it is that he has done everything. He directs, he operates, he lights, he edits, and it’s a singular vision. It’s 10 hours of television that completely comes back to one man and a singular vision. To have that is really extraordinary because I don’t know of any of the other directors you mentioned or any director that I’ve worked with who could do that and could hold the whole canal like he approached it at the speed with which he approached it. And he dealt with something so rich and detailed. He’s extraordinary in that way; there is no one like him. For an actor to work with that is a real privilege because he’s so on top of all aspects of what’s going on that you’re kind of left just worrying about your acting, which is a great place to be because you’re so sure. It’s a one-stop gig. You know that it all comes back to him. There’s something kind of great about that, about shooting a scene and there not being that dialogue of, “What if we did this?” or “What if we did that?” No. It goes back to that guy and his vision and his taste and his talent. I’m telling you he’s a hugely, hugely impressive person.

When does Season 2 start filming?

We go into pre-production soon and I think I’m heading out to New York for January.

What do you hope to see in Thackery's future now that he's been exposed to heroin?

He's been so edgy in his story and so visceral and dangerous. What’s great is the idea of being able to go into the next season and it could just pick up and hit the ground running, taking it further and exploring new territories. I’ve got a number of the scripts already and it’s just really exciting where we can take it.

[cathcacen]

Ora asks Rei to be her bridesmaid; Rei decides she can give Ora this one thing.

FULL FLUFF.

She’s been running over her to-do-list for days now. Congratulations and well-wishes have been flooding her e-mail and news feed since news got out that Heulan had popped the question, and she’s grateful for the outreach of love and joy.

How did it happen, most had asked. When’s the wedding? Who are your bridesmaids? Where will the wedding be held?

That tart looks amazing! Rei’s comment on her accompanying Instagram picture had made both her and Heulan laugh.

There’s so much to think on and it makes her nervous. Her first wedding had been quick and simple. They hadn’t been able to afford a big ceremony, so Dillon and her had gotten together some of their closest friends from school, signed some papers, and had brunch after at the local diner of their small, sleepy town. She’d worn a white dress – short, with ruffled sleeves and soft blue flowers at the waist and hems.

It had been a pretty good day.

That had been years ago, and she’s since lost contact with those friends. Lorcan had offered his best wishes, but had also refused to be a part of the bridal party when she’d called to tell him. The two girlfriends she’d stayed in touch with from high school were both unable to make the dates - a pity, but not unexpected. She was glad for Sava, who had agreed without pause to fill bridesmaid shoes, but wasn’t too sure Rei would take to the request with as much eagerness.

Just ask her, Heulan had said. See what she says.

The hospital is busy as always during lunch. She navigates across the crowds, wheelchairs, and gurneys, hugging a large brown bag to her chest. There are sandwiches inside, hearty dark bread with roast beef and plenty of olives. Heulan had packed two lemon meringue tarts and a pomegranate soda for them to share.

Rei is sitting at a table in the centre courtyard, close by a large, modern decorative fountain. A huge textbook lies open on the table before her, hair bundled up into a thick, messy bun and a flask in her hand.

“Big surgery coming up?”

“Ora, hi!” Rei’s eyes brighten up, and she gestures to the chair beside her. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Heulan made sandwiches.” Ora dumps the bag onto her friend’s lap, then shrugs off her jacket before taking the offered chair. Once seated, she takes a good, hard look before beaming in response.

Rei looks well. It’s been two years or so since they’d become friends, and in that time, she’s seen her go from jittery and irritable, to resigned and distressed, to just being herself. She wonders if this is Rei from before - closer to the smiling medic she’d once seen in the papers, younger and happier, with a face that suggested innocence.

The haunted look has diminished in her friend’s eyes, but she wonders if it will truly ever go away. Still, Ora has to admit the present is good enough - Rei trusts her, and she’s well, safe, and happy.

Be kind to strangers, dad always said. And they’ll be kind to you in return.

“I believe congratulations are in order?” Rei upwraps one of the sandwiches. She’s grinning broadly, evidently pleased by the new development. “When’s the big day?”

She marks Rei’s open page before closing the book and pushing it away to make space for the boxes containing the tarts. “We’re looking at mid-June right now. I’d have brought you a slice of that tart, but...” I ate it all. She can’t contain her grin. The memory of the tart - a dark chocolate and berry beauty with its adorning ring is still fresh in her mind. “Anyway, I haven’t seen you in a while so I thought I’d come by and have lunch with my favourite doctor.”

Something flashes in Rei’s eyes, but she lets out a laugh half a second later, the sound coming out a bit half-hearted. “That’s because I’m the only doctor who’ll run a trauma for a kitchen injury. You’re lucky the ER was empty that night.”

She can’t help but to laugh at that. “How’re you doing?”

Rei shrugs. “Patients to see, people to treat.” She jerks her head towards the book. “We’re working on a big case. Conjoined twins and some shared organs. The surgery’s later this week, so I’m just looking up some old cases to see if there’s anything I’ve missed.” The doctor takes a bite of her sandwich, leaning back in her chair. “What about you?”

“Making some decisions and getting used to this.” The ring still feels foreign on her finger, but she likes it there. She loves the way the light catches off the stone, and it isn’t until she looks up that she realises Rei is watching her, evidently amused. “I’ve asked Sava to be my bridesmaid.”

“That’s nice. You can play with her hair all you want then, in the name of picking out an appropriate hairstyle for your big day.” Rei uncaps the soda and takes a drink before handing it over. “That should be fun, right?”

She lets out a delighted chuckle. “Yes. Anyway, I wanted to ask if you’d be my bridesmaid, too.” She’s a little nervous. “We were going to pick a modest kind of dress, with sleeves and a high back, so you won’t have to worry.”

The doctor starts, and for a moment, she’s worried she’s said something to offend her. Then she looks down at her hands, before managing a bare, slightly sheepish sort of smile. “Ah, I’m sorry, Ora.”

“Oh.” Ora slumps a bit, and can’t help the disappointment from seeping into her voice. I guess she’s not really up to things like this yet. “It’s okay, forget I asked.” She tries for a smile as she reaches for her own sandwich, taking her time unwrapping it. “You’ll still come, of course?”

Rei’s face is slightly flushed; the woman looks a little embarrassed. She’s finished with her sandwich by now, crumpling up the foil and setting the neat little ball atop her book. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. And if you need any help leading up to the event itself, let me know. I can lend a hand.”

“Nah, no worries.” Ora nudges one of the lemon tarts across the table. “I know you’re busy with work and all. Just show up and enjoy the food and music, and we’ll all have a good time.” She pauses to chew. “I promise I won’t try and set you up with anyone. No awkward table arrangements and all.”

That coaxes a laugh out of her friend. “Thanks.” Rei pauses before leaning forward, and she stops mid-bite to meet the hazel-green eyes. “And I really am sorry.”

She puts down her sandwich and grabs her friend’s hands. As disappointed as she is, she understands - Rei has enough on her plate. And even though it’s been years since she and the steely-haired man had parted ways, she knows the doctor is still hurting and missing him.

It must be hard to love someone that much, especially knowing you can’t be with them.

“Don’t be silly, Estonia.” She beams, bouncing a bit on her chair. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”

The surgery is a success. She’s scrubbing her hands and nails clean post-op, barely able to keep from laughing in delight when the Chief of Surgery pokes her head into the room.

“Well done, Naveau.”

Anarei glances up with a smile. She hopes the barely-contained glee isn’t too obvious. The adrenaline is still pumping within, and she can feel her heart thumping against her chest. “Thank you, ma’am. Jacobs and Hendricks will be handling the post-op procedures. I was just going to go give the news to the parents.”

The Chief nods. “Keep me posted. I’ve got some papers waiting to hear back on this surgery, too. Will you be available for a soundbite or a quote?”

Her smile falters a bit. “Nah, you go ahead and speak for me, ma’am.”

By the time she’s finished speaking to the frantic parents and looking through the post-op charts, it’s well into rush hour traffic. She takes her time in the hospital showers; most of the doctors have gone home for the night and the stalls are all empty. She plays some music from her phone and settles on the floor, relaxing as the hot water beats down her neck.

Now that the excitement has died down, she’s starting to feel the full effects of exhaustion from the past week. She’s had some trouble sleeping - a combination of guilt and nightmares, coupled with news from the warfront about the discovery of three double agents and their immediate disposal has kept her on edge. She doesn’t recognise their names, but she’s terrified for Sagen’s life.

She lets out a breath. At the very least, the surgery had gone well, and she would have the next day off to rest a bit at home. The thought was surprisingly unpleasant. Now I have no excuse. Ora’s request lingered in her head, the memory of the woman’s crestfallen face biting at her conscience.

She knows it was a shitty thing to do, refusing her friend’s request. Ora’s been amazing over the past two years - the woman is relentless in her desire to be  present in her life. By all accounts, she’s a good person, and an even better friend.

It makes her feel like shit.

Dr. Starke brings it up ever so often in their sessions. Her scars - the battle wounds on her back that she’s yet to deal with. Most days, she covers them up with her clothes. She’s still avoiding the plastics fellows in her hospital.

She’d seen Hayes a couple of months back on a consult in a hospital across the country, and he’d asked if she’d needed help with the scars. He’d meant well, she knows, but it had felt so personal somehow, so unnecessary.

No, she’d told her old colleague. You haven’t earned the right to see me naked.

She’d added that last bit as a joke, and to his credit, Hayes had taken it with a lighthearted laugh.

It’s ridiculous, she knows; she hasn’t been photographed since her return, when the papers’ photographers had been determined to capture her from every unflattering angle. But to be a part of Ora’s bridal party meant subjecting herself to more scrutiny than she was ready for at the moment. There would be far too many pictures and potential dancing with an unknown groomsman. And on top of that, it felt so damn unfair to subject the other bridesmaids to a summer wedding in fully-covered, thick and heavy sequinned dresses.

She sighs, brushing the matted curls from her face as she leans back against the wall. The cold tile brings shivers down her spine. I miss Sagen.

It’s past nine by the time she steps out of the bathroom, freshly laundered and ready to go. She’s not very hungry when she gets home, but there’s a brown bag in front of her door with a tall cup of coffee, a sizeable tumbler containing chicken soup, and a slice of matcha chiffon cake.

The note reads: “Hope your surgery went well! Call you tomorrow - need to do some shopping!”

She shakes her head, smiling. Ora, you’re too nice for your own good.

Later, as she’s painting her nails with one of the three precious bottles she’d received for her birthday - a shiny, sparkly rose-gold - she makes up her mind.

She forces herself to acknowledge the situation. Sagen isn’t here and I’ll miss him no matter what. The nightmares will come no matter what. People will stare and talk no matter what. She bites her lip. But Ora’s seen to it that I’m far from alone, so why can’t I give her this - just this one day, in return?

Ora is still in her pajamas when she shows up at her loft the next morning. It’s early - close to eight, and the sun isn’t fully in the sky yet, so the look of confusion on the ginger’s face is understandable. “Rei? What’s up?”

She shoves a binder folder into her friend’s arms, determined to get to work. “I looked up some bridesmaids dresses online last night. All of these would probably work for Sava.” Reaching out, she flips open the folder and stops at the page she’s after. It’s a pretty dress, a pastel buttercup yellow, lightly beaded with flowing skirts. There are no sleeves, and the back will more than likely show off the welts on her body. “I’m fine with all of these, and if Sava picks a design that has no sleeves, I’ll just wear a shawl.”

Ora blinks sleepily at her, evidently dazed, so she takes the opportunity to shove another folder into her arms. “Oof. Rei wha--?”

“This one is a list of restaurants, cafes, and hotels that serve high tea. I’ve compiled pictures and menus - pick the one with the most appealing dessert list, and we’ll throw your bridal shower there.” She nudges Ora aside, tugging the redhead into the loft and shutting the door behind them. “If you want a hen’s night, we can arrange for that too, but I put my foot down at shady clubs.”

Ora rubs at the back of her head; the confusion slowly recedes, before her face brightens. She starts to smile. “Are you saying-”

Anarei manages a shaky chuckle, then shoves the last folder at her friend. “This one is the portfolio of a photographer whose work I like. He used to be a wedding photographer, but is currently attached to a paper. Take a look and see if you like his work - if you do, we can engage him for your special day.”

“Oh my god.” Ora puts down the folders, then glances aside at her. “Did you even sleep last night?!”

“Maybe an hour or two.” She flexes her fingers; the nail polish gleams in the early morning sun. “Full disclosure - I have no idea how to bridesmaid and I’ve never done this shit before, but I’ll do it for you.”

Ora frowns, taking her hands. “Hey, are you sure? I’m really happy you want to do this for me, but I don’t want you to push yourself.”

She shakes her head. “I promised.” The honesty in that answer surprises her, and she looks down at her feet. “I promised… someone important, that I would fix myself. I can’t let Dzisna hold me back from living my damn life any longer. Especially if I’m going to fix myself.”

It’s the first time she’s addressed the incident directly with Ora. It feels good to clear the air. Ora’s hands tighten about her own, and she squeezes back, grateful.

“Okay.” Ora’s smile is radiant. “Save a dance for me?”

“Anything for the bride.” She twirls the redhead around, then shoves her towards the bedroom. “Now go get dressed. I need breakfast, and then we’ve got some shopping to do.”