1. Different

"Ugh, I'm thirty minutes away from gettin' outta here." Throwing the patient files on to the nurses station desk, Drake turned to look at his colleague Ashley who appeared just as tired as he felt.

"Oh my God, tell me about it! I feel like I'mma sleep for a freaking week once this shift is over!" Popping her gum she took another sip of her coffee as one of the nurses sidled up to Drake. Bugging her eyes around his frame Ashley stared at her expectantly.

"Dr Graham?"

"Yes?"

"When you have a moment there's a patient in bay three who needs seeing to." She smiled sweetly and held the patient notes against her body.

"Aight I'll be through in a moment." Snatching a bite out of Ashley's donut he grinned cheesily at her disgusted face before following the young nurse down the bustling corridors. It was 1am and his shift was about to finish on the casualty ward. Just one more patient. Not feeling bothered to flick through the notes he questioned the nurse on the patient she was leading him too.

"So what've we got?"

"Sixteen year old female who goes by the name of Onika Maraj. She needs a couple stitches on her forehead-"

"Then why do you need me? You know how to suture, don't you?"

She stuttered momentarily as he kept following behind her, he knew she was young and had obviously just qualified as a nurse. "I-I just wanted you to make sure that it wasn't anythin' more serious y'know? It looks like she had a fair knock to the head." Continuing down the hallway they came to a stop at the bay he assumed this patient was in. Turning to face him she screwed her lips up and handed him the notes before walking to his side. "Oh and if you'd actually bothered to read her notes you'd know she's about twenty-six weeks pregnant too, have fun Dr. Graham." She raised her brow at his dropped face as she carried on walking away from him backwards, turning when she reached the corner.

"Damn, they gettin' younger and younger." He mumbled to himself before quickly skim-reading her notes and pulling the curtain back to enter. There, right in front of his eyes was a young girl sitting on the bed, her legs swinging as she sat waiting.

"Onika Maraj?"

"Yes sir?"

"I'm Dr. Graham, I've come to take a look at your forehead, you mind?" He motioned to her bloody face as he inched closer to her.

"Nope, go ahead."

Gently feeling around the cut she winced as he pressed harder.

"Sorry. Yeah you're gonna need a few stitches in that." He stepped away and gloved up before getting the suture kit ready.

"Aren't nurses 'sposed to do all this?" Her inquisitve voice made him chuckle slightly with his back still facing her.

"Yes. But I was asked to come check it wasn't somethin' more serious. How'd you do it anyway?"

"I fell." She kept her eyes fixed on him as he moved closer but he was too busy concentrating on the equiptment in his hand. "I'on wanna be rude or anythin' but how long is this gon' take?"

"Why? You in a rush?" He tilted his head as he started fixing up her cut.

"Well, if you hadn't already noticed it's 1am and I have a test to study for."

"Word? And you're tellin' me you actually gon' go study?" His suave smile made her look at him weird.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" He moved back a tad as he grabbed another cotton pad to dab at the blood. As he did so she looked down, catching a glimpse of her neat little bump. "Ohhh riiiight, I get it! I forget 'cause I'm pregnant I must be one of those aimless no-hopers right?" Her humourless sarcasm made him cringe.

"Onika, I ain't mean that and I'm not here to judge you-"

"But you are though."

"Excuse me?"

"I know you not here to judge me. But you are judging me, aren't you?"

Pausing for a moment he let his eyes wander up to meet hers. She looked dead serious. "Yeah, yeah I guess you're right. But do you blame me?" He took back his original position as he continued with stitching up her wound.

"Not really, no."

"Well, I'm sorry for judgin' you Onika."

"It's all good Dr. Graham. I understand." She kept her eyes focused on his shirt buttons as he tended to her.

"So, what test you gotta study for?" He asked out of habit, falling back in to his routine of conversing with patients.

"Psychology."

"Oh? You like that sorta thing?"

"Mm. I wanted to be a psychologist when I'm finished school."

"Wanted? You changed yo' mind or somethin'?

"No. I can't exactly pursue that anymore can I?" He heard the defeat in her voice as her eyes remained fixed on his shirt. Pulling away to grab yet some more cotton he looked at her. She was so young.

"Why not?"

"Seriously? Look at me! I'm sixteen and pregnant, I got no hope. Maybe you were right to judge me."

There was something about her that was different. Most pregnant teens they had to deal with were obnoxious, cocky and dare he say it a little bit on the slutty side. But Onika? She was definitely different.

"You really wanna be a psychologist?"

She nodded smally. "Yes."

"Well then, you go for it. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. We need more people like you around. You have ambition."

"Really?" He smiled genuinely at how surprised she sounded.

"Really." Pulling his gloves off he immediately disposed of them before putting another pair on. "Aight, that's all sorted. You're gon' have to come in again soon to get those removed. But now we gotta take a look here." He pointed to her bump as he threw away the used cotton pads and put away the suture kit. "You wanna lay back for me?"

She did as he asked and settled herself on the bed before talking again. "How old are you?"

"Sorry?" He chuckled genuinely at her blunt questions and made his way back over to her.

"I'on mean it in a rude way, it's just you be lookin' mad young to be a doctor." She chewed on the inside of her cheek allowing her dimple to appear briefly.

"Do you always ask so many questions Onika?"

"Yep. So? How old are you?"

"Wow." Shaking his head and smiling he lifted her shirt a little to spread the gel on her swollen stomach. "If you must know Miss Maraj, I'm twenty-seven." Instead of answering she just nodded and gasped at the cold substance on her skin. It was silent again as he watched the monitor screen, her baby looked fine and nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

"It's so small." Her voice made him turn back to look at her, she was staring intently at the image on the screen.

"Yeah she is isn't she?"

"She? You mean, it's a girl?" Her eyes connected with his as he witnessed her reaction.

"She sure is." He wrinkled his brow. "You weren't told at your last scan?"

"This is my first scan. I haven't had any others." She folded her lips as she kept hold of her shirt, ensuring it didn't fall back on to her stomach. He couldn't believe how blazé she was acting. Like all of this was nothing. Not at all in a bad way, she just didn't seem fazed by anything.

He let her finish looking at her baby before he packed everything up. "Well you gotta make sure we get her looked at more often, kay?"

"Mmkay. Thanks Dr. Graham." She rolled down her shirt and slid off the bed before grabbing her book bag, throwing it over shoulder casually as she motioned to leave.

"Uhm, Onika where you goin'?"

She looked at him as if he was stupid. "The zoo, you wanna come?" Shaking her head she looked at him more seriously. "I'm going home. That okay wit'chu?"

"No, you're a minor. I can't let'chu go 'til a parent or guardian comes for you."

"Well, you gon' be waitin' an awful long time then." Waiting for a response she sighed when he just kept staring at her. "Can't you jus' let me go and say that my parents came?"

"No. Now come sit back down. I'mma go make a phonecall." Huffing frustratedly she sat herself back down on the bed.

"They not gon' answer, so I wouldn't waste my time if I was you." She knew he was going to look through her previous notes and find her home number. And she was right, nobody would answer. Her older brother moved out months ago, her Mother had done a runner with her younger brother and her father was a raging alcoholic and a drug addict.


"Well, how were you gon' get home anyway?"

"Walk."

"It's nearin' 2am not to mention the fact that it's rainin' cats and dogs out there and you're tellin' me you were gon' walk home? How far away do you even live?"

"Yes I was actually, and not that far to be honest. Now, are you gonna let me leave or am I gon' have to camp out here for the night?"

"I've already told you. I'm not allowed to let'chu go, now stay here whilst I go make a call." He waited for her to nod before moving back out to the nurses station. During the time he was gone Nicki, as she was more commonly known, managed to talk a stranger into acting as her guardian before Drake returned.

"No answer, do you-" He stopped when his eyes fell upon the stranger stood in the corner. "Who's this?"

"My uncle, he works 'round the corner. He's come to pick me up so can I go now?" Drake flicked his eyes between the two of them before nodding unsurely.

"I guess so, just make sure you keep on top of your appointments Onika."

"Thanks, and I will." She smiled sweetly as she passed him. "Oh and it's Nicki by the way. Nobody calls me Onika anymore."

"Aight, I'll see you around Nicki, and take care of yo'self. I'm not puttin' anymore stitches in that face of yours." He smiled as she did too, exposing her perfect teeth and adorable dimples.

***

Making his way out to the parking lot he cussed quietly as he threw his coat over his head to shield himself from the rain. It was 3am and he was only just heading home. It had been a super long day and he couldn't wait to just get back. Unlocking his car from a few footsteps away he jogged slightly to try and get out of the thundery weather. As he did so he looked up only to see her small figure stood hunched on the side of the road. Trying to determine if it was her or not he squinted in the little moonlight there was.

"Nicki?" He called out a few times but the rain was coming down so hard it was muffling his yells. Finally he got a response as she turned to look his direction but immediately turned and started walking away. It was her, he recognised her book bag slung carelessly over her shoulder. Throwing his stuff onto the passenger seat he shut his door and ran over to her. "Nicki? Onika, I know that's you." Eventually catching up to her he placed his hand on her upper arm. "What the hell are you doin'?! I thought your uncle came to get'chu?" He scanned his eyes over her shivering body. She was absolutely soaked. "Without even hesiatating he pulled her closer. "Come on, we gotta get you outta the rain." She didn't protest as he guided her over to his car, swiftly opening the passenger door for her before moving his stuff to the backseat. As soon as he hopped in his side of the car he shut the door, instantly blocking the volume of the rain out. All he could hear now was her breath as she shuddered, noticing this he quickly turned the engine on and clicked the heat on to full whack. "Why were you just stood out in the rain like that? And at 3am too?"

"Aren't y-you gon' get in shit for havin' m-me in your car?" Her voice was shaky too as she spoke, not once looking at him.

"Well, I won't be praised for it...But you didn't answer my question. Why aren't you at home? You're sixteen and four and a half months pregnant!"

"You think I'on fuckin' know that?!" Shaking her head she reached fo the handle but his strong hand stopped her.

"Wait! I'm sorry I didn't mean to shout.." He trailed off and stared forward for a moment. "Look, I'mma take you home, where'd you live?"

"No! Please, I'on wanna go back there!"

"Hey, hey calm down." Placing his hand on her forearm he watched her for a while as she kept her gaze fixed on her bump, hidden slightly under her coat. "What am I doing, I'mma get in so much shit for this." Rubbing his spare hand over his face as he whipsered to himself he turned back to look at her. "You can come stay wit'me for the night. And tomorrow you're gon' tell me what's happened, kay?" Seeing her nod submissively he set the car into drive and headed back to his apartment. He was crazy for doing this, it was his job on the line but he couldn't just leave her out in the cold. She obviously had nobody to call and no place else to go.

***

After setting up the guest room he showed her around and gave her some spare clothes and something to eat before letting her shower and go to bed. He heard her crying but left her alone, giving her some space. He stopped up a while longer, sharing a texting conversation with Ashley and a large glass of wine before heading up to bed too. Looking in at her on the way past she was fast asleep. How could nobody be wondering where she was? Who she was with? If she was even still alive? He shut her door a bit more and pondered as he performed his usual rituals and settled himself in bed. She had a lot of explaining to do tomorrow, but he wasn't going to hassle her. His main priority was that she remained safe and if that meant staying with him for a couple days, maybe even a week, then that's what he'd do.

*Alright that's it! My first chapter....like I said I'm not a professional fiction writer so please excuse any errors or sloppiness!! Hope this was at least a little bit interesting :/ I guess I'll soon find out huh?*