`Ring ring.
The phone chimed.
Adam swallowed his latest rant about Alex's relentless self-sabotage and picked up the call.
"Leonard?"
"Adam, tomorrow's Saturday—got any plans to kick back?" Leonard's voice hinted at something over the line.
"Oh, really?" Adam's lips quirked up as he played dumb. "Time flies, huh? Been so slammed I forgot. Nah, I'm working tomorrow. What's up?"
"…"
Silence from the other end. Even through the phone, Adam could feel Leonard's mood sour.
"Hahaha!" Adam couldn't hold it in and burst out laughing. "Relax, man, I've got it covered. Sunday's the day—I'll swing by then."
"Heh heh heh." Leonard's grumpy vibe melted away, replaced by a goofy chuckle.
"Just so we're clear," Adam warned, "I'm only setting you up with the chance. I'll introduce you, then I'm out. The rest is all on you."
"What?!" Leonard yelped. "You're leaving me alone with her?"
"Of course you're on your own," Adam shot back. "What, you want me sitting there holding your hand? If it works out, whose win is it—yours or mine?"
"Uh…" Leonard hesitated, clearly torn.
He knew Adam was right. But facing his second-favorite goddess solo? The guy barely had the guts to talk to girls, period.
"How about… it's your win?" Leonard mumbled, half-serious, half-whiny.
"…" Adam's mouth twitched. "You sure about that?"
"Yeah," Leonard said, calculating. "You've got Dr. Adler already. You'll ditch Dr. Plimpton eventually anyway."
"So you're ready to swoop in and pick up the pieces?" Adam asked, floored.
"No, no!" Leonard backpedaled fast. "I just meant, as a friend, I'd be there to… you know, console her."
"Not swooping in, huh?" Adam probed. "Good, 'cause I wasn't planning on anything more than friendship with Plimpton anyway. She won't need your shoulder to cry on."
Dead air on the line again. Adam's mouth twitched—Leonard's disappointment was practically oozing through the phone.
Not swooping in, my foot! Adam thought, stunned. But then again, this was peak Leonard. Chasing Penny, he'd watched her hook up with guy after guy, never giving up, and still landed her in the end.
From Adam's perspective, it was mind-blowing. But in the Western lens? Leonard's move wasn't even that wild. How many TV shows had leading ladies with a mile-long list of exes, yet the hero still fought tooth and nail to win her? Leonard, with his shaky confidence, probably thought tagging along behind Adam to play cleanup was some genius shortcut—especially since Adam's taste was top-tier.
"This guy!" Adam's face darkened.
Leonard might not care, but Adam sure did. No way he'd vibe with a friend poised to swoop in on his leftovers.
"Two options," Adam said firmly. "Drop it, or go after her yourself. Don't even think about playing the rebound guy—I hate that crap from friends."
"Adam, I didn't mean it like that!" Leonard panicked, hearing the edge in Adam's voice.
It'd just been a fleeting thought—he'd never risk ticking off his proudest, best bud over it.
"I swear, I didn't! Let's just hang out with Dr. Plimpton together. That's enough for me," Leonard rushed to say.
"If you're into her, chase her yourself," Adam softened his tone. "We're buds, but we're not gonna be those kinds of wingmen who muddy up the friendship. Got it?"
"Got it," Leonard nodded like a bobblehead.
"Cool. See you Sunday, then." Adam hung up.
"What's with all the staring?" he asked, smirking as he glanced around at the gang.
"'Good friends can't be on the same path'? Why do you have to make it sound so gross?" Meredith snapped, clearly annoyed. "What do you take us women for?"
"Yeah!" Liz piled on. "We're people with feelings, not tools! Women don't belong to anyone. Why can't a woman who's been close to you end up with your friend?"
"Chauvinist!" Cristina added, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
And just like that, the three of them ganged up on Adam.
"See you tomorrow," he said, tossing out the words and bailing. No point in arguing—they'd never see it his way.
Next Day
No big surgeries at Green Clinic, so Adam hit up the ER instead. Susan was stitching up a homeless guy's head wound when he walked in.
"Adam, perfect timing," she said. "We've got a guy who swallowed keys. Go fish 'em out."
"On it," Adam replied, heading over.
"What's the deal?" he asked, spotting a young couple. The guy was gagging, mouth open, while the woman glared daggers at him.
"He swallowed my car keys," she said.
"Didn't want her to leave," the guy said, looking smug despite the discomfort.
"Didn't want me to leave?!" she exploded. "Where were you earlier?! I'm done with you—swallowing keys won't keep me here. Swallow the whole car for all I care—I'm not coming back!"
"Let's get an X-ray first," Adam cut in. He wasn't here for their soap opera.
With Adam on the case, the X-ray tech bumped them to the front of the line—shot and printed on the spot. The film showed the keys lodged in the guy's esophagus.
"I'm gonna use an endoscope to pull them out, Mr. JP," Adam explained, noting the treatment plan. He paused, feeling a weird twinge at the name. JP—flip his old initials, PJ, and you've still got bathroom vibes either way.
The endoscope was a thin tube with a tiny camera and magnet. Adam had JP lie down, slid the tube through his mouth, past the throat, and onto the screen. The keys popped up clear as day—one quick pull, and they'd be out.
Alex, mid-rectal exam nearby, wandered over and smirked. "We're not so different, you and me."
Adam ignored him, focusing on easing the keys out.
Outside
"Who's Dr. Clive?" a low, gravelly voice asked.
"I am," Alex said, peeling his eyes off Adam and turning with a hand raised, flashing his brightest grin.
"Alex Clive?" the voice pressed.
Adam's eyelid twitched, alarm bells blaring in his head.
BANG!
A gunshot rang out.
Time slowed to a crawl. Adam watched the bullet streak through the air. Alex's smile froze, his eyes wide with terror, mouth still shaped around "That's me…"
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