AN: I wrote this on a train from Chicago to Ann Arbor--inspiration strikes at the most random times, eh? Anyway, please review! Chapter 2 will be up as soon as I finish it. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Scrubs belongs to ABC and Bill Lawrence, and probably a bunch of other people too. But not me.

He's hovering just outside the doorway. He doesn't want to be here. He feels so helpless—he's not used to not being in total control of a situation. Add to that the fact that he shouldn't even care about his patient—he never used to care about patients—but, God help him, he couldn't help but give a damn about this one.

~Flashback~

He pulled off his rubber gloves, snapping them loudly as he did so to distract himself. He had made fun of the kid during his physical to try and keep his professional distance. After all, it wouldn't do any good to go and get emotionally involved, lest the kid run off and tell all his friends that "my mentor has a heart after all!" He suppressed a groan at the thought, and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. All these thoughts were only distracting him from the arduous task awaiting him—filling out the paperwork and delivering the results of the physical to the patient. Vasovagal syncope…

Despite his better judgment, he had agreed to come here, their favorite bar for a surprise party for his 35th birthday. Damn it all if he didn't still have a soft spot for Carla—if it hadn't been for her, he never would have shown up. Well, that's the story he was telling himself. He entered the bar and quickly spotted the group, a familiar head of ridiculously gelled dark hair facing away from the door. He contemplated backing out of his agreement and leaving the bar, but just as he was about to turn, Elliot looked up and, noticing him, waved him over to an open seat…right next to the guest-of-honor. He growled at her indiscretion and succeeded in attracting several strange looks from patrons of the establishment who had been close enough to hear him. Running a hand through his curls, he sighed and made his way to the merry foursome's table.

"Hey, Dr. Cox!" JD exclaimed, thrilled at the older doctor's presence and even more excited to see him take the open seat to his left.

"Happy birthday, kid," Cox muttered, wanting to tell him so much more, if only his friends hadn't been nearby. JD seemed to sense the unspoken sentiments, and shot him a sideways glance he couldn't quite read before announcing to the group, "I'm going up for another appletini. Who wants anything?" Carla, Turk, and Elliot waved him off, but Cox put his hand on the younger man's arm and quietly requested a scotch. JD nodded, said, "I'll be right back," and headed toward the bar.

Cox watched him go, not noticing his overt staring until he heard a louder-than-necessary throat clearing behind him. He turned back to Turk, Elliot, and Carla, sporting respective looks of disgust, intrigue, and smug knowing. "What?" he snapped. "Just wanted to make sure Newbie didn't have too many in him to get to the bar."

"Yeah right, dude. You were totally checking out V-Bear. What the hell, man?" Turk began angrily, before his eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in shock. Cox turned around to see what had happened behind his back that had offset the surgeon's rant. What he saw turned his blood to ice.

JD was swaying on his feet, his eyes rolling back in his head. The drinks he had been carrying back from the bar slipped from his hands, crashing on the floor of the bar, the glasses shattering. Cox bolted out of his seat and rushed to JD's side just in time to catch him as he collapsed to the floor. Cradling JD in his arms, he shouted over his shoulder, "Carla, call 911!" His fingers, fingers that had never shook in crises, were fumbling and slipping, his hands quaking violently as he strained to feel a pulse. He breathed a silent prayer to gods he didn't even believe in, and there it was, beating away far too quickly and erratically. But his stomach dropped when he saw white sputum coating JD's lips. "Heart failure," he whispered, unbelieving.

Please review! Let me know what you thought of it. Chapter 2 up soon.

~CheetahLiv