Medical Center.
MRI Room.
Darren and his crew had gone back to the ward to rest under Lexie's lead. Adam and Peggy were poring over Darren's brain scans, figuring out the virus injection plan—placement, dosage, timing. They simulated it in their heads, tinkering away until evening rolled around.
Christina popped in, itching to join the action. But Adam was just the data guy here, and she ended up standing there, glaring and questioning her own IQ, unable to do squat.
"Alright, that's it," Adam said, finalizing the plan with Peggy's help.
"Can I watch in the OR?" Peggy asked out of nowhere.
"You want in the operating room?" Adam raised an eyebrow. "We're cracking open a skull—it's not pretty. Most people can't stomach it."
"The MRI scans and your descriptions aren't quite the same as the real thing," Peggy explained. "I want to see it up close, get a real feel for it. Plus, I've never seen you work. I'm curious—think of it as a mental reset."
"Deal!" Adam chuckled, agreeing on the spot.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Christina cut in. "Adam, you sure? Last month, a resident got chewed out by the hospital for letting his girlfriend watch from the gallery. You forgot? And now you're bringing Peggy into the OR?"
"Peggy's different," Adam shot back. "She's the math consultant for this clinical project—part of the team. Checking out the progress firsthand? Totally legit."
"…Whatever makes you happy," Christina muttered, at a loss.
She'd never seen Adam like this. Live and learn, huh?
"Settled then," Adam said, brushing her off. He started running Peggy through OR protocol. Watching was fine, but no messing with the surgery. He was all for her seeing him in action and getting that mental break—two thumbs up! 😊
Take that one culture-defying genius who posed as a top mathematician, flexing during a movie shoot and casually solving the Poincaré Conjecture—one of the seven big math mysteries—in an Easter egg with a fresh approach. Word was, he was just a mathematician unwinding through filmmaking. Thing is, he nailed it so hard, everyone pegged him as a big-shot director and forgot he was just a brainiac chilling out. If he could pull that off, why not Peggy? Maybe after watching surgery and soaking up Adam's medical spiel, she'd turn into a legendary doc herself—mid-operation, inspiration striking, scribbling a proof for another math puzzle on a patient's forehead or heart…
Uh… okay, scratch that! 😅 Surgery's not a movie set—etching on brains or hearts is a hard no, even with a lightbulb moment. But for a super-genius like Peggy, turning a mental reset into a masterstroke? Totally plausible. Picture Sheldon, stuck in a career slump, joining Leonard's gig to cope—watching Rajesh work for 10 minutes and whipping up a simple program to replace him. Talent's real, folks—don't sleep on it! The gap between average and genius? Way harsher than you think.
Adam could spark ideas for Peggy any day, but a brain break like this? Solid move. Plus, he looked damn good at work. Once Peggy saw it, she'd be fangirling hard back home. Not that Adam was fishing for that—he just wanted the best research vibe for her. All for humanity's sake, of course! 😉
Plan locked, Adam took Peggy—and a clingy Christina who wouldn't quit—back to the ward to confirm the surgery details with the Covingtons.
"Why're you out here?" Adam asked, spotting Lexie by the door. She perked up when she saw them, stepping forward, and he got a hunch.
"Uh…" Lexie hesitated, sneaking glances at Peggy like she was Penny or Bernie hiding something R-rated from Sheldon.
"Something awkward inside?" Adam rephrased.
"Yeah," Lexie mumbled. "Darren and his war buddy are… catching up."
"…" Adam's mouth twitched.
Catching up? Just say they're sparring with bayonets, geez.
"Shouldn't we hurry this up?" Peggy asked, confused.
"Ahem," Adam coughed, not keen on Peggy witnessing that mess—or risking his own eyeballs and sanity. "Grey, go tell them we're starting soon. No injuries, alright?"
"Injuries? How do you get hurt catching up?" Peggy tilted her head.
"Uh…" Adam shot her a later look. "I'll explain another time."
"Yes, Dr. Duncan!" Lexie raised her voice on purpose, knocked a couple times with dramatic pauses, then slipped inside.
Old Man Covington and the VA staffer came back just then. Adam led Peggy in, laid out the surgery plan, got their nods, and kicked prep into gear.
"Dr. Adler, this is another perfect blend of medicine and math. Looking forward to you and Dr. Duncan teaming up again," the surgical director said outside the OR, all warm and fuzzy as Peggy suited up in scrubs.
Adam smirked at Christina's gobsmacked face nearby, tossing her a knowing glance. See that?
"Peggy, follow me—here's how you scrub in…" Inside the washroom, Adam coached her through the disinfection routine.
"You sure you can focus with Peggy right there?" Christina snarked from the sidelines. "Those smoldering eyes—I'm worried about a malpractice suit."
"What do you know?" Adam deadpanned. "That's the fire of hope. With Peggy here, this second surgery's got a shot. Me looking pumped is normal, right?"
"Heh," Christina scoffed, not buying it.
She wasn't blind—guys loved a uniform fantasy, and doctor-nurse getups were peak classics. Peggy in scrubs, mask up, those lively, gorgeous eyes peeking out? Even she couldn't stop staring—Adam didn't stand a chance.
"Tonight's a damn good night to save lives. Let's get to it," Adam said as lead surgeon, glancing at Peggy beside him, then scanning the team with a smile. "Scalpel!"
The sharpest nurse handed it over fast.
Adam dove in, expertly opening the skull, revealing the root of human smarts underneath. He paused, checking Peggy—no flinch. Cool as ever, he waved her closer, letting her get a clear view, syncing it with the scans and his earlier rundown to tweak her mental picture.
(Chapter End)