She had, in fact, not spoken — she was still sedated — but I understood, hearing his question, that I would lie to this man about everything from this moment forward, because he had just told me, without knowing it, that he was still hoping to finish what he had started.

He exhaled, slowly, and I watched the relief move through his shoulders, and it sickened me.

“When she wakes up, call me,” he said.

And then he gave me a sad, lingering smile, and said the thing that has echoed in my head ever since.

“You always save everyone, Ivan.” The automatic doors slid closed behind him, and I stood alone.

And I understood that he had said it as a lament — that in his mind, I had ruined a perfect plan by being, of all the doctors in the city, the one on rotation.