DISCLAIMER: Medical Investigation and its characters are the property of NBC. No infringement intended.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Caught
By ralst
A thud sounds first and then a squeal, both soon followed by the echo of running feet. Doors open and close, and finally Miles wanders into the conference area; his cheeks red and eyes concentrating on the floor. Stephen is the next to arrive, his cheeks only slightly less red and a smile straining to break free across his face.
Frank's smile is less restrained. "I guess you'd call that an indepth interview," he says.
Stephen laughs and Miles breaks into a grin.
All noise stops as Natalie and Eva enter the room; the latter hastily tucking in her shirt. Miles' gaze once again becomes focused on the floor, his grin little more than a distant memory.
"Nat?"
Natalie ignores Stephen's real question, or what she assumes that question would be considering the encounter he and the others walked in on, and motions towards the screen. "A cluster of four patients reporting respiratory discomfort and lower limb paralysis have presented in south Memphis."
Despite the images on the screen all eyes remained on either Natalie or the floor.
"We've been asked to intervene by the chief of staff at -"
"It won't happen again."
All eyes turn to Eva.
"It was unprofessional and it won't happen again," she repeats.
The men's embarrassment wars with their amusement at the usually unflappable press liaison. Stephen feels he should mention something about office protocol but his words are forestalled by Natalie's rather forlorn, "It won't?"
"Not -" Eva takes a step forward but forces herself not to reach out to the other woman "- here."
Natalie looks confused and the men start to look for the nearest exit.
"It won't happen again here," Eva emphasises the last word and prays Natalie will understand the distinction.
A touch of red enters Natalie's cheeks and she suddenly discovers the spot on the floor that had entranced Miles earlier. Her smile prompts a similar one from Eva and before anyone knew what was happening the room was filled with smiling faces; none of whom could quite bring themselves to tell Eva about her mis-aligned buttons.
The End