Actually, I saw it more as that she’s worried the shift change nurses will notice something, and is protecting Brendan from being “caught”. In other words, the opposite of nastiness.

Also, Brendan’s face in panel two is absolutely heartbreaking.

ICU in many hospitals moves people in and out fast and hard.

I totally agree. One of my greatest fears is having an argument with someone I love dearly, like my Mom and Dad or my fiance, only to have them die right afterward. To know that the last exchange that I’d ever have with that person was a fight would haunt me forever.

It’s a sign of a great story that we’re attributing motivation to a fictional character! I didn’t read anything more into the doctor’s actions than it was a way for the author to end the scene by having Brendan leave Al’s bedside.

P.S. I’ve been through something like this in real life; I’m gay and an ex was brain dead in the hospital and I had paperwork letting me make medical decisions. It was odd being alone in the room with him – his body was functioning, but I didn’t really feel like “he” was there anymore; I felt I had to stay with him out of sense of duty rather than to comfort or help him. And although we weren’t in a big gay friendly city, the staff and doctors must have guessed I was more than a “friend” and were kind to me and let me stay as long as I wanted.

So much feels in this comic all the time. On another note, I’ve been having trouble figuring out what exactly is being communicated in the doctor’s expression. Props, Blue, for presenting such complicated emotion so well. The face as a whole says “reserved, unattached, businesslike, just do your job and don’t feed into the drama”, her slightly knitted brows seem like a mix of concern and displeasure, yet somehow the eyes scream sadness, pity, and the creeping suspicion that the worst is yet to come.

Either way, being that inconsiderate is inexcusable.