Walking On A Thin Line

Chapter 1

Cassie Robertson made her way through the waiting room of Chicago Med, and over to the desk. A face looked up from her computer and greeted her.

"Hi, you must be Cassandra."

"Cassie," she said quickly. "I'm looking for Maggie."

"You found her. You ready to start?"

"I am," she said as she took a sip of her coffee from the commuter mug she held in her hand.

"Welcome. Come on around, we'll get you situated."

Cassie walked around to the other side of the desk.

"So, Loyola, huh?" Maggie asked.

"Yes. UIC didn't offer the APN program."

"Yeah, they changed their program. Not sure why."

"Morning, Maggie," came a male voice from behind her.

"Morning, Dr. Halstead. This is Cassie Robertson, our ACNP student."

Will gave her the once over. Dark hair and blue eyes. Not what he expected a Cassie Robertson to look like. "Welcome. You at UIC?" he asked as he shook her hand.

"No, Loyola," she said.

"Good school," he said as he picked up a chart.

The doors burst open, and paramedics entered with a gurney.

"What have we got?"

Maggie and Cassie took off from behind the desk.

"Trauma 1," Maggie called as everyone jumped into action.

Cassie stepped back to observe how the ER team worked together. She didn't want to mess up their routines. They had all worked together and knew everyone's next moves. On the other hand, she was an experienced ER nurse, and knew her way around a trauma. 'Damn the torpedoes,' she thought. 'I'm in.'

"You holding up okay?" Dr. Choi asked Cassie as they finished another trauma.

"Fine," she said.

"You're doing well."

"Thank you, Dr. Choi. I do love Emergency Medicine."

He nodded. "A lot of nurses don't. A lot of nurses are afraid of it."

"From what I've seen here, the nurses do love it. And they're awesome at it."

"Thinking about joining us when you're done?"

"I like Lakeshore."

"Too bad. We could use you here."

"I think that's up to Mrs. Goodwin isn't it?"

"Yes, but if you prove yourself, she'll hire you."

"I'm not looking for a job, Dr. Choi. I am perfectly happy at Lakeshore."

"Okay, but think about it. Like I said, we could use you here."

Cassie made her way back to the station, and picked up a chart.

"I see Dr. Choi is trying to recruit you," Maggie observed.

"He is, but I'm perfectly happy at Lakeshore."

"For now."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning Chicago Med gets in your blood. You'll see before your rotation is up."

Six feet of pissed off tall, dark, and handsome passed in front of Cassie's eyes. He picked up a chart, and mumbled something to Maggie.

"Dr. Rhodes, this is Cassie Robertson, our ACNP student."

Connor looked up at Maggie. She tilted her head toward Cassie. He glanced over at her. "Morning," he said abruptly.

He scribbled something on the paperwork. "Maggie, can you help me in Trauma 4? You can come too," he said to Cassie, almost as an afterthought.

"Be right there," Maggie said.

"I take it he doesn't like students?"

"He doesn't like anyone right now. His girlfriend just broke up with him and he's pissed off at the whole world. Don't take it personally. Once he sees that you're perfectly capable and a CEN, he'll back down. Besides, his bark is worse than his bite."

"Peachy," Cassie said as she and Maggie started toward Trauma 4.