Claire was finally done with the marathon hospital shift from Hell. It had been a long few days, with only quick naps in the On-Call room and whatever passed for food in the cafeteria to sustain her. What had really helped was knowing that there were plenty of competent nurses and doctors stuck in the hospital, too. There were a handful of nurses and doctors back home that she would never trust a patient to, no matter how many hours she'd worked. Claire always put her patients first, because that was her job. People who worked in hospitals, or were in the business of saving lives, didn't do it for the money or fame. They did it to make a difference and to help people.
The first twenty-four hours were spent sleeping for the most part, after a shower and the occasional bathroom trip. When she was finally ready to drag herself out of bed and be productive again, Claire realized her cupboards were basically empty. A trip to the grocery store wouldn't be too bad, so she grabbed her things and made her way there, mentally compiling a list of things she needed and things she wanted. Chocolate and booze were high on the 'wanted' list. She grabbed a basket on her way in and pushed her sunglasses up onto her head, taking a moment to scan the isles.
"Oh what the Hell. Let's just go one by one," she murmured to herself, grabbing whatever appealed to her after checking the price. Claire was always good with a budget, and when to stretch it just a little. As she made her way down the aisles, adding items here and there, she made her way down the bakery section and decided she wanted brownies. Chocolate brownies, with thick icing, chocolate chips, and maybe some sprinkles or something. There was another man already there, perusing the offerings, so she stood just next to him and scanned the options. Finding the package she wanted, she reached down only to find he'd reached for the same thing.
"I don't know if anyone really needs brownies," Claire replied, looking him over critically. He looked a little worn down. "But you could probably use the chocolate about as much as I do. It's my go-to when I need a pick me up. Chocolate just has that way of making you feel better." She offered him a warm smile and held out the container for him. "You should take them."