Without withdrawing her fingers she rearranged their positions so Sophia was lying on the couch beneath her.

  She kept thrusting her fingers into her. Sophia's hips jerked and her legs flailed like she was trying to move away and move closer at the same time. Katherine’s left hand pinned Sophia’s shoulder down, leaving marks, as she fucked her. Hard. She bit Sophia’s shoulder and Sophia cried.

  Katherine felt her clit pulse under her thumb and knew Sophia was about to climax under her. As Sophia’s body tried to writhe, it was pinned by Katherine’s weight. The power Katherine had over her in every way, just made it more and more heady for Sophia.

  When Sophia orgasmed, she was breathless. Katherine's name coming from deep within her. Her hips jerked as she wanted more and less at the same time. Her body overrun with the pleasure that Katherine had given her.

  They were both breathing heavily. None sure what to say to the other. Katherine couldn't muster the strength to speak. She was spent. She eased her fingers out of Sophia. All she wanted to do was sleep. It seemed like Sophia shared the same sentiment because soon enough, her breathing evened out and her eyes drifted shut. She had fallen asleep and left Katherine alone with her thoughts. Katherine cleaned her up and covered her with a blanket before going upstairs to take a shower. The water ran down her body, washing away the evidence of her sin. She could see red marks on her skin where Sophia had sucked at her in the fogged up glass of her shower. She wasn't sure what tonight had meant to Sophia, but for her it had been powerful. The attraction between them was not one that could be dismissed easily, so she understood why Sophia had sought her out, but their situation remained the same. They couldn't be together.

  Katherine couldn't let her attraction to Sophia jeopardise her profession. She'd worked too hard to achieve everything she had. She wouldn't let her lust and loneliness cloud her judgement to the point where she tarnished the image of professionalism she'd made for herself. She turned o the water and stepped out of the shower. The chill of her towel contrasted with the heat of her body as she wrapped it around herself. She knew she still wasn't ready for anything

  serious. She probably never would be. But, what about Sophia? Was she still on that same page?

  6

  Three loud consecutive beeps broke through the silence and Katherine dashed out of the bathroom to grab her phone. She had set her phone to beep three times whenever she got a call from the hospital.

  "Hello, Dr Ross? There's an emergency. There's a trauma patient who is showing signs of flail chest. We're doing all we can to keep him stable but he can barely breathe. We need you."

  Katherine didn't like operating on trauma patients. It reminded her too much of the night she'd lost Melissa. The ER. The bleeding. The distraught relatives. Even now, she still wished she had had the chance to do that surgery. She might have saved Melissa. Being powerless had been the hardest part of losing her. She shook away the thoughts of guilt and focused on the situation at hand. She may not like it but she had to save him. It was her duty as a doctor.

  "Apply pressure on the flail segment. Make sure you hold the flail segment in place. That'll reduce the chances of it damaging his vital organs. Prep for surgery. I'll be there as soon as I can."

  She cut the call and pulled on her clothes as fast as she could. She had to hurry. She grabbed her phone, wallet and

  keys and ran down the stairs. She stopped short when she saw Sophia’s sleeping form on her couch.

  She searched inside her bag for a sticky note and a pen.

  She placed the sticky note on the nearest wall for support and wrote a quick note. She placed it on the arm of the couch so Sophia wouldn't miss it and then she hastily left the house. It was a little after 3am so there weren't a lot of people on the road. She pushed her accelerator as low as it could go. She'd be at the hospital soon

  SOPHIA WASN'T sure what she had been expecting to happen when she'd made the drive to Katherine's house. All she knew was that she wanted her and she didn't want to end things before they'd even gotten a chance to be together.

  She'd pictured a night of passionate sex and a conversation afterward while they were laying down down together spent from the sex they'd had where they would both agree that they had something too good to just give up. Sure, that was a little too optimistic considering the fact that Katherine had made it clear what their ‘arrangement’ was.

  But what Sophia hadn't been expecting was to wake up naked and alone with a sticky note stuck beside her head.

  Katherine had clearly scribbled the words in a hurry. She hadn't even bothered to completely spell her words. Sophia had thought that she'd left the house to avoid having to deal with her in the morning until she read the note.

  The words Katherine had scribbled floated around in her head “Got to go. There’s a trauma surgery. Last night was amazing, but I'm sure you understand that it can't happen again. Help yourself to whatever you want, then let yourself out."

  Sophia imagined her saying the words in the same detached way doctor's broke the news that a patient was dead and it hurt her. It hurt a lot. She liked Katherine. It hadn't been in her plans to consider a romantic relationship with anybody and yet here she was falling for the beautiful, brilliant doctor who wanted nothing to do with her.

  "Sophia, you're with cosmetic surgery this week." Sophia turned her head towards Maya, her brows furrowed.

  "I was there last week. According to the rotation I'm supposed to be with neurology"

  They had a rotation system at the hospital for the surgical interns. As interns, they weren't allowed to choose their specialties yet. They were supposed to move from one department to the other so they'd devised a weekly rotation system that allowed them to work in all the departments.

  This week Sophia was supposed to work in the neurology department. She'd been looking forward to learning from Dr.

  Carter.

  "Well apparently, you impressed Dr. Mitchell. She asked for you specifically"

  That eased Sophia's frown. Dr. Mitchell was a petite woman with a bright smile and an even brighter mind. Last week she'd given the Sophia and the other interns are series of tests to test their ability to think on their feet. She'd taken simple questions and twisted them, adding her own situations and conditions. The questions were easy enough to understand and answer, if thought about in a simple way.

  But a large number of people had thought about the questions too much, thereby complicating the test even further for themselves. Not surprisingly, a lot of people had failed. But Sophia and a few others hadn't and she'd praised them for it, gifting them all apples to celebrate their success.

  Sophia guessed that Dr. Mitchell had personally requested for all the people who'd passed to join her today.

  Sophia thanked Maya and headed for the cosmetic surgery department.

  ”CAN YOU DO IT?"

  Sophia was sure the look on her face was the same as everybody else's. Dr. Mitchell wanted them to assist her in a full body lift surgery. This would be her first ever surgery.

  And it was a procedure as di cult and risky as this. Her heart beat sped up.

  "You're all very promising interns. There's no need to be scared. I'll be there every step of the way. All you have to do is help me.” Dr. Mitchell said.

  No one said anything and she sighed.

  "There's also the option of leaving my o ce right now and revoking your internship so people who are actually serious about saving lives and helping others can take your place. I realise that I made the mistake of letting you think you had a choice in this matter. You're doing it. All of you.

  You are scrubbing in with me. So you better put on your big boy and big girl pants." Dr. Mitchell looked seriously annoyed.

  “Yes, yes, I’m in.” Sophia was keen. The others followed suit.

  Sophia didn't understand what the woman had expected.

  That because they'd passed her test, they'd jump at the chance of operating on a real person after only a couple of weeks as interns?

  Dr. Mitchell walked out of her o ce and Sophia guessed she was going to prep for surgery and she expected them to follow her.

  Okay. Okay. Sophia could totally do this. She recalled Dr.

  Mitchell's explanation of the procedure and recited it to calm

  herself.

  To lift the lower body, all they had to do was make incisions similar to a bikini pattern to tighten the abdomen.

  Sophia knew that they may have to make use of liposuction in order to achieve the desired outcome. Deep sutures and skin tapes or clips would be used to close the skin incisions.

  When it was broken down that way it didn't seem so scary.

  Sophia made herself calm down then she went about prepping herself for surgery.

  After she scrubbed in, she couldn't help but pause before she entered the O.R. She wasn't a religious person at all, but she said a prayer to steel herself and then she walked in as though the O.R. was where she was born to be.

  "CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST EVER SURGERY!" Sara screamed from the phone. She smiled wildly and stuck the camera close to her face.

  Sophia couldn't help but think that she had got lucky in the roommate department. She'd responded to an ad that they'd put on social media. She'd been desperate for an apartment and their o er had been perfect for her. They each had their own room and they all contributed to the rent and other bills. The best part was that they were all surgical interns so they got each other.

  Sophia liked the fact that neither of them were overly dirty or overly crazy. They had no significant drama or baggage. They just wanted to be surgeons. She’d heard stories about people having crazy roommates so she'd been hesitant to move in with strangers, but thankfully everything worked out.

  Sara and Jenna had known each other since their high school days. They'd been best friends for years. They had

  been through medical school together. Sometimes Sophia joked that they'd probably get pregnant at the exact same time, so their kids could be born on the same day.

  Sophia laughed at Sara's antics and raised her glass of wine so Sara could see it. They were in Sophia's bedroom, celebrating her first ever successful surgery with a bottle of fine white wine. She hadn't been the one in charge but she had definitely done her first cutting on a live person, and that in itself, was worth a celebration.

  "Thank you. I really wish you were here so you could celebrate with me."

  Sara was at the hospital working a night shift. Sophia didn't understand how she could stay so energetic.

  "I'll drink a glass of wine when I get home on your behalf." Sara said and Sophia smiled at her.

  Jenna leaned on Sophia's shoulder and clinked her glass with hers.

  "Now spill. Did Travis really vomit after you guys were done?"

  Sophia chuckled a bit at that. Travis had walked out of the operating room looking green and unsteady but instead of bending over and vomiting like she had expected him to he'd leaned against the wall and got himself under control.

  "No. He did look a bit green but he kept the contents of his stomach to himself."

  They talked for ages. Sophia gave them details of the surgery. She told them how Dr. Mitchell had had her make the first incision. Her hands were shaking so badly, then she'd recited the procedure in her head and steeled herself. It hadn't been easy but she'd done it. And she had been worried that the patient's anesthesia would wear o and she'd wake up and start screaming in pain. First surgeries were nerve wracking. Sophia wasn't sure how she'd handle her first solo surgery when the day finally came.

  Jenna talked about her first surgery too. She told them how she'd been so scared the patient would stop breathing that she kept monitoring the vitals like some kind of maniac.

  Sara was nervous for her first surgery. She didn't say it in so many words but Sophia knew that Sara felt like she'd mess up her first surgery. Sophia made a mental note to talk to her about it later.

  "I have to go. The others are probably wondering where I am by now."

  "Alright then. I'll have one more glass of wine for you"

  Jenna said with a wink. Sara laughed and waved goodbye before disconnecting the call.

  "One more glass then we'll go to bed okay?" Jenna asked and Sophia nodded her head in agreement.

  They refilled their glasses, saluted each other and then downed the drinks. They'd had enough wine for the night.

  Anymore and they'd both have hangovers at work the next day.Sophia flopped on her bed and Jenna left the room with a goodnight thrown over her shoulder.

  Sophia snuggled under the covers and it didn't take long before her eyelids started to droop. All the thoughts of surgeries and wine silenced as she drifted o into a peaceful sleep.

  7

  Katherine had known this would happen eventually.

  She knew that the interns had some sort of rotation system so they could learn from all the di erent departments. She'd known that eventually she would have to teach Sophia. Katherine knew she could be professional about it but she wasn't sure Sophia could. Ever since that night at her house Katherine was sure Sophia had been avoiding her on purpose. They never ran into each other anymore and on the o chance that they did, Sophia didn't acknowledge her, she simply looked away. It was hard, but Katherine understood that she was hurting. But now, they would have no choice but to work together, she was curious as to how Sophia would behave or react. They were going to spend the whole week together and Katherine would do her job regardless of the issues between her and Sophia.

  But at the same time Katherine understood Sophia's stando shness. She would be unfriendly too if she'd been treated in such a way. Katherine had felt bad about it at first.

  It didn't sit right with her that she'd left nothing but that rude note. She hadn't even apologised. She knew she'd hurt Sophia but it was for the good of them both. Sophia now wanted nothing to do with her.

  A knock sounded on her door, pulling her from her thoughts.

  "We're all here, ma’am," the intern said, she could tell he was a little nervous by the slight break in his voice and Katherine smiled a bit. The interns had convinced themselves that she was strict and mean, so they were a little scared of her. She didn't mind it though. If they felt that way then there was no way they'd disrespect her or act nonchalant in her presence. She pulled herself up from her chair and adjusted her clothing. She'd instructed the interns to wait outside till they were all present and now they were.

  That meant that she was about to see Sophia again.

  How would Sophia handle things this week? Was she capable of being professional, or would she let her emotions control her?

  Katherine sighed in reply to her questions. She didn't know Sophia well enough to guess how she would behave.

  There was only one way to find out, and it was to face the situation head on.

  "Alright. You can all come in."

  She walked to the front of her desk and sat on it as the interns filed in. There were six of them in total and Katherine noticed that Sophia had been the last to walk in.

  Her head had been dipped, but Katherine caught sight of the frown that marred her lovely face.

  "Good morning. I'm Dr. Katherine Ross, although I'm sure you already know that." Her voice didn't hold any particular emotion. She was watching Sophia to see how she would react.

  "We'll be working together for quite a while so I feel it's appropriate for me to tell you my rules."

  She felt unease spread through the room. She could practically hear them whispering it to each other the rumours

  were true. She is strict! Sophia's head shot up at that.

  Katherine guessed that she was used to responding to her.

  "I have just two rules. They're not di cult to follow. The first is that I require obedience. Do whatever I tell you to, and we shouldn't have a problem. The second is more of an expectation than a rule. I expect you to be diligent and hardworking. I do not appreciate people who are lazy or nonchalant. If you're working with me, then I expect nothing but your best and then some. Do you understand?"

  A chorus of replies ranging from yes to yes ma’am echoed in her o ce and Katherine nodded her head in satisfaction.

  "I've been paying attention to your performance in other departments and I have noticed one thing that you all have in common."

  There was an uncomfortable pause like everyone was trying to guess what they had in common with the person they were standing next to. Sophia tried to look unbothered but Katherine could see her tension in the sti way she stood.

  "You're not pushing yourselves."

  The confusion was easy to see. They were all wondering what she meant. Even Sophia didn't try to hide her confusion. Her brows were furrowed and her lips were flat.

  "In the departments you all do scut work and assist in surgeries when you're needed. You do what you're ordered to, which is good. But only to an extent."

  Katherine had Sophia's full attention now. Her face was alive again. It was something Katherine decided she liked about Sophia. Regardless of their personal involvement Sophia didn't mind learning from her. She wanted to listen and improve.

  "When I was an intern, I used to spend most of my free time in the ER. The pit.” Katherine couldn't help the passion

  that slipped into her voice. She could tell she’d got their interest.

  "Whenever there was an emergency we'd rush down and o er to assist in any surgery. We were determined and knew what we wanted. But you," she made sure she met each of their eyes letting them know she was talking to them directly, before she continued, "you shy away from surgeries because you're scared or you're not confident in your abilities. And it's pathetic."

  She knew there was even more tension in the room now.

  They were probably o ended. But she couldn't bring herself to care.

  "You all plan to be surgeons someday. One day you're going to be the only thing standing between a patient, and death. You are going to hold life and death in your hands.