Lights Out
by Navessa Allen
Contents
13. Aly
Overview
Aly arranges DNA testing on Josh's hair samples while wrestling with growing feelings for him, and asks him for space, which he reluctantly grants with a warning. At the hospital, she confronts Bradley Bluhm, a wealthy rapist who walked free, and narrowly avoids his manipulation tactics. The chapter ends with Aly triggered into a traumatic flashback of her mother's death while treating a car accident victim.
Summary
Aly visits Veronica (Vern), a forensic lab tech, to run DNA tests on the hair and bloody bandages from Josh. Despite Aly's guilt over jumping the line, Vern insists on running the tests during her breaks. Aly subtly warns Vern away from her crush, Greg, who has mob ties.
Josh texts Aly apologizing for the 'LOL' tracker stunt and going too far. Aly admits she needs space, fearing she's developing real feelings for him. Josh agrees to give her a few days but warns he'll come for her after that. He posts an overtly sexual video captioned 'Mommy and Daddy time,' which captivates Aly and his followers.
Days later at the hospital, Aly learns that Bradley Bluhm—the rapist who walked free thanks to his billionaire family's lawyer—has returned after being beaten in a bar by his victim's brother. With no male nurses immediately available, Aly volunteers to treat him. A call comes through for her, which she assumes is Josh watching over her.
Brad is charming but predatory, with eyes Aly compares to a serial killer she once treated. He provokes her with a false narrative about consent. When he tries to grab her, Aly dodges and taunts him with a 'shrimp-dicked' insult. Brad fakes a panic attack, demanding the petite Erica replace her—which Aly recognizes as a setup to target a victim resembling his last one. Aly pulls Erica away and HR gives her an unofficial warning.
Later, Aly is called to help a car accident victim—a middle-aged woman with dark hair impaled by metal—triggering a flashback to her mother's death when Aly was 16. She breaks down, unable to continue, reliving sitting beside her dying mother covered in blood.
Who Appears
- AlyTrauma nurse who arranges DNA testing, sets boundaries with Josh, confronts a rapist patient, and is triggered by a flashback to her mother's death.
- JoshAly's stalker/love interest who texts her apologizing, agrees to give her space, and posts an overtly sexual video; likely watching over her at work.
- Veronica (Vern)Pink-haired Latina forensic lab tech who agrees to run DNA tests on Aly's samples during her breaks despite a heavy backlog.
- Bradley BluhmWealthy accused rapist returning to the ER after a beating; manipulative, predatory, fakes distress to swap nurses to a victim-lookalike.
- TanyaAly's senior nurse coworker and friend who avoids treating sexual predators and watches over Aly while she handles Brad.
- EricaJunior nurse with petite build and dark hair whom Brad tries to demand as his replacement nurse, prompting Aly to pull her away.
- BrinleyCoworker nurse who shares information about Brad's lawyer and family's threats against the hospital.
- DebSenior nurse who explains how Brad's lawyer prevented his arrest and DNA collection.
- HannahHR representative who gives Aly an unofficial warning while sympathizing with her response to Brad.
- BenHospital security guard who responds to Brad's faked outburst and recognizes him from a previous incident.
- AmitStrong male nurse typically assigned to problem patients, but pulled away to help an unstable patient in another room.