Title: Daddy
Author: Kate
Category: CH/DR/(MG)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I'm just borrowing.
Archive: Sure, just tell me first.
Spoilers: Great Expectations
Summary: What if Carol had bled to death during her c-section in "Great Expectations"?
Dr. Coburn looked at the clock. "Time of death: 2.15 pm".
Mark nodded sadly. He just couldn't believe it. Only an hour earlier she'd been alive talking to him, and now she was lying dead on the operating table with her stomach cut open. Why did she always have to be so damn stubborn? Her stubbornness had killed her.
Mark could feel that his eyes became wet and just by looking at his dead friend, made him wanting to scream and hit someone. He looked over at Abby and dr. Coburn who were preparing to finish the rest of the c-section.
"Is the baby in the nursery?" he asked.
"Yes, a nurse took her. She's fine", Abby answered.
"Yeah", Mark murmured thoughtfully. "She and her sister are just motherless. The day they enter the world, their mother dies. I can't believe I was so stupid. For once I'd wish I didn't listen to her!"
Abby looked at Mark. He was obviously very sad and bitter, which he wasn't alone of being, but also most feeling guilty. "She desperately wanted to keep her uterus and both you and I know that she knew the risk. You supported her like a good friend should do".
"What a great friend", Mark said sarcastically. "I let her die. Good friends don't do that". Suddenly hundreds of flashbacks flipped through his mind. Something told him that he'd been in this situation before. Then he suddenly realised that this really reminded him of the Jodie O'Brian-case 5 years earlier.
"Look, Mark", dr. Coburn began. "This is not your fault. It was her choice, and we, Abby and I, weren't able to save her. You are not the one who should be having problems sleeping tonight thinking of what you could have done or not". Dr. Coburn was obviously very upset of the loss of the patient, one of their hospital's best nurses. It was never easy to lose a patient but when it was someone you knew or worked with, it was unthinkable. "Do you know who the father of the babies is?"
Mark nodded. He remembered when he promised Doug to look after Carol. Just by thinking of how he'd betrayed Doug made him sick. "They split up 9 months ago, and he moved to Seattle".
"Could you phone him?
"Sure. Do you want me to call Carol's mother too?"
Dr. Coburn shook her head. "I'll take care of that".
Mark walked out of the OR. How on earth was he going to tell Doug about Carol? As far as he knew, Carol had never told Doug about the twins. In fact, she'd never told him she was pregnant even though Mark had tried to talk her into it. This would come as a great shock on Doug. Carol was dead and he was now a single parent of twins he never knew existed.
Trying to avoid his colleagues in the ER, Mark decided to use the phone upstairs in the geriatrics. He just didn't know how to tell them about their head nurse. Nervously he dialled Doug's number while he tried to figure out what to tell his friend. After a few rings he got the answering machine. Mark wasn't sure whether he was relieved or not.
"Hi, Doug. It's Mark. When you hear this message can you please call me as soon as possible? It's urgent. Okay…? Bye"
Since Doug didn't answer the phone at home, he tried to reach him on his mobile and the hospital he'd said he worked. They told Mark that Doug was on a holiday for the rest of the week, but when he'd explained the situation for them they promised to page him.
Not being able to do much more than wait, Mark knew he had to go down in the ER and face the others. On his way down, he realized he couldn't wait till Doug returned from his holiday. Doug had to know as soon as possible. When he got out of the elevator he could see the rest of the staff working their hands off, which relieved Mark. He managed to track down Kerry and Elizabeth, who just had finished sewing his father's laceration in the head.
"Hey, I need to talk to two you right away", he said trying not to look too sad.
"Sure", Kerry nodded. She and Elizabeth followed Mark into the lounge.
Even though Mark tried to hide his sorrow Elizabeth knew something was wrong. "What is it, Mark? Is Carol
okay?"
Mark hesitated a little, unsure of how he should begin, before he answered. "No, she isn't".
"Has something happened?" Kerry asked.
Mark nodded slowly. "Carol had a prolapsed cord so she was taken to the OR for a c-section. When the baby was out, they began to close but her uterus was bleeding and Janet started to prepare for a hysterectomy. Carol refused, and for some reason I was stupid enough to listen to her and supported her in her decision, so the hysterectomy was cancelled. Abby Lockhart and dr. Coburn weren't able to stop the bleedings before it was too late, and…. she died 25 minutes later".
"Oh, God, Mark…No…". Elizabeth stirred shocked at Mark, not being able to believe it. Carol was dead. Gone. Gone forever.
As always Kerry felt it was her duty to stay calm and be the reasonable one. "Have to told anyone else yet?"
"No", Mark shook his head slowly while looking down at his shoes. "It's just you two, dr. Coburn, Abby Lockhart and I who know. I don't know how to tell the others".
"I don't want to say it in a speech-kind-of-a-way. So, why don't we get the others in here like we do when there are short meetings? I want, as much as you, to get this over done with. Get as many as you can to a quick "staff meeting" in 15 minutes. Okay?" Kerry said and walked out of the lounge leaving Mark and Elizabeth alone.
"Have you told Doug yet?" Elizabeth asked with tears in her eyes.
Mark whipped away some of Elizabeth's tears. "I tried but he's on holiday and is not answering his mobile phone or page. That's why I have decided to go and get him myself. I just can't sit here and wait for him to come home. He's got two daughters who need him".
"Do you think he'll take care of them?"
"I hope so. He has to, but if he hasn't changed since the last time I saw him, I know for sure that he'll be the best father they ever can get".
There was a long silence. Mark sat on the table watching his fingers while Elizabeth was looking out of the window. It was snowing.
"There's no point of celebrating Thanksgiving today", Elizabeth eventually said. "I have nothing to be thankful for".
"Me neither".
15 minutes later the most of the staff was in the lounge. Since Mark had followed Carol upstairs and helped her the last couple of hours of her life, he was the one to tell the rest of the doctors and nurses about their head nurse. Once he'd said it everyone began crying and asking questions. Mark had never heard so many "why"-s before and it ached in his heart when he thought back a couple of hours earlier, when Carol was still alive laughing and joking like she always does….did.
Mark's shift started in 6 hours but Kerry told him she'd cover for him so he could get to Doug. He was already restless when the plane to Seattle finally took off. This was going to be a long flight, he thought. Suddenly he felt scared to face Doug after what he'd done. If it wasn't for him Carol would have been still alive. Doug had been easy going with most things but when it came to Carol, he was another man. There were, in a weird way, two Dougs. The one who was his friend and the other one who was engaged to Carol. Now would probably both of them disappear.
When they finally arrived in Seattle Mark was the first to get out of the plane. Since he'd planned to return as soon as possible he'd just put some clothes in his backpack, which he had with him on the plane. He ran out of the airport and jumped in to a cab and gave the chauffeur Doug's address. Even though the ride only took 10 minutes Mark thought it felt like an hour. When they arrived at Doug's Mark paid the chauffeur and headed to the door. As suspected no one was home. He called the hospital once again to check but he was still on holiday.
After Doug had left Chicago he and Mark had spoke a couple of times on the phone. Mark could remember that Doug had talked about a boat he'd bought. Leaving his backpack by the door Mark went down to the water and quay. He could see the rope that belonged to the boat. Doug was obviously on a holiday at the sea, although Mark didn't understand why he was on a little boat at this time a year. He returned to the house where he picked up his mobile phone. Suddenly he heard a familiar tune from inside. Doug *really* was on holiday. He'd left his mobile and pager at home. All he could do now was wait. Fortunately Mark was prepared for this so he opened his backpack and took out a blanket, a warm sweater, a flash lighter and a book, and began to read. Two hours later he was sound asleep.
"What are you looking for?", Carol asked playing with her hair.
Mark shrugged. "Mmm…I don't know".
"Am I boring you?"
"Noo…", Mark said trying to convince her he was enjoying himself. "Wanna just talk?"
"Sure". Carol quickly sat up in her bed. She was so bored right now.
He reluctantly turned from the TV. "What do you wanna talk about?"
"I don't know", Carol shrugged. She could see Mark slowly turn back to the TV.
"The post game show's on!"
"Whew!" Carol said sarcastically raising her eyebrows.
"Oh my God!" Mark suddenly exclaimed. When he looked around he saw the unfamiliar surroundings and then he remembered he was at Doug's, at least outside. The dream had been so real. God, he wanted to go back to that conversation, when Carol was still alive.
*******************Flashback***********************
"A girl?"
Carol nodded. "A girl".
"A trouble maker already?" Mark smiled. "Are you hanging in there?"
"It's brutal, Mark". Carol said and Mark could see a few tears in her eyes.
"One down, one to go".
"Uh uh". Carol shook her head. "I quit".
"I don't think you have much of a choice".
"Well, you know you could shoot me", Carol said ironical.
"Yeah, if it comes to that", he laughed.
"I'm sorry to pull you away from your Thanksgiving dinner".
"Are you kidding? I'd rather be here".
******************End Flashback****************************
Author: Kate
Category: CH/DR/(MG)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. I'm just borrowing.
Archive: Sure, just tell me first.
Spoilers: Great Expectations
Summary: What if Carol had bled to death during her c-section in "Great Expectations"?
Dr. Coburn looked at the clock. "Time of death: 2.15 pm".
Mark nodded sadly. He just couldn't believe it. Only an hour earlier she'd been alive talking to him, and now she was lying dead on the operating table with her stomach cut open. Why did she always have to be so damn stubborn? Her stubbornness had killed her.
Mark could feel that his eyes became wet and just by looking at his dead friend, made him wanting to scream and hit someone. He looked over at Abby and dr. Coburn who were preparing to finish the rest of the c-section.
"Is the baby in the nursery?" he asked.
"Yes, a nurse took her. She's fine", Abby answered.
"Yeah", Mark murmured thoughtfully. "She and her sister are just motherless. The day they enter the world, their mother dies. I can't believe I was so stupid. For once I'd wish I didn't listen to her!"
Abby looked at Mark. He was obviously very sad and bitter, which he wasn't alone of being, but also most feeling guilty. "She desperately wanted to keep her uterus and both you and I know that she knew the risk. You supported her like a good friend should do".
"What a great friend", Mark said sarcastically. "I let her die. Good friends don't do that". Suddenly hundreds of flashbacks flipped through his mind. Something told him that he'd been in this situation before. Then he suddenly realised that this really reminded him of the Jodie O'Brian-case 5 years earlier.
"Look, Mark", dr. Coburn began. "This is not your fault. It was her choice, and we, Abby and I, weren't able to save her. You are not the one who should be having problems sleeping tonight thinking of what you could have done or not". Dr. Coburn was obviously very upset of the loss of the patient, one of their hospital's best nurses. It was never easy to lose a patient but when it was someone you knew or worked with, it was unthinkable. "Do you know who the father of the babies is?"
Mark nodded. He remembered when he promised Doug to look after Carol. Just by thinking of how he'd betrayed Doug made him sick. "They split up 9 months ago, and he moved to Seattle".
"Could you phone him?
"Sure. Do you want me to call Carol's mother too?"
Dr. Coburn shook her head. "I'll take care of that".
Mark walked out of the OR. How on earth was he going to tell Doug about Carol? As far as he knew, Carol had never told Doug about the twins. In fact, she'd never told him she was pregnant even though Mark had tried to talk her into it. This would come as a great shock on Doug. Carol was dead and he was now a single parent of twins he never knew existed.
Trying to avoid his colleagues in the ER, Mark decided to use the phone upstairs in the geriatrics. He just didn't know how to tell them about their head nurse. Nervously he dialled Doug's number while he tried to figure out what to tell his friend. After a few rings he got the answering machine. Mark wasn't sure whether he was relieved or not.
"Hi, Doug. It's Mark. When you hear this message can you please call me as soon as possible? It's urgent. Okay…? Bye"
Since Doug didn't answer the phone at home, he tried to reach him on his mobile and the hospital he'd said he worked. They told Mark that Doug was on a holiday for the rest of the week, but when he'd explained the situation for them they promised to page him.
Not being able to do much more than wait, Mark knew he had to go down in the ER and face the others. On his way down, he realized he couldn't wait till Doug returned from his holiday. Doug had to know as soon as possible. When he got out of the elevator he could see the rest of the staff working their hands off, which relieved Mark. He managed to track down Kerry and Elizabeth, who just had finished sewing his father's laceration in the head.
"Hey, I need to talk to two you right away", he said trying not to look too sad.
"Sure", Kerry nodded. She and Elizabeth followed Mark into the lounge.
Even though Mark tried to hide his sorrow Elizabeth knew something was wrong. "What is it, Mark? Is Carol
okay?"
Mark hesitated a little, unsure of how he should begin, before he answered. "No, she isn't".
"Has something happened?" Kerry asked.
Mark nodded slowly. "Carol had a prolapsed cord so she was taken to the OR for a c-section. When the baby was out, they began to close but her uterus was bleeding and Janet started to prepare for a hysterectomy. Carol refused, and for some reason I was stupid enough to listen to her and supported her in her decision, so the hysterectomy was cancelled. Abby Lockhart and dr. Coburn weren't able to stop the bleedings before it was too late, and…. she died 25 minutes later".
"Oh, God, Mark…No…". Elizabeth stirred shocked at Mark, not being able to believe it. Carol was dead. Gone. Gone forever.
As always Kerry felt it was her duty to stay calm and be the reasonable one. "Have to told anyone else yet?"
"No", Mark shook his head slowly while looking down at his shoes. "It's just you two, dr. Coburn, Abby Lockhart and I who know. I don't know how to tell the others".
"I don't want to say it in a speech-kind-of-a-way. So, why don't we get the others in here like we do when there are short meetings? I want, as much as you, to get this over done with. Get as many as you can to a quick "staff meeting" in 15 minutes. Okay?" Kerry said and walked out of the lounge leaving Mark and Elizabeth alone.
"Have you told Doug yet?" Elizabeth asked with tears in her eyes.
Mark whipped away some of Elizabeth's tears. "I tried but he's on holiday and is not answering his mobile phone or page. That's why I have decided to go and get him myself. I just can't sit here and wait for him to come home. He's got two daughters who need him".
"Do you think he'll take care of them?"
"I hope so. He has to, but if he hasn't changed since the last time I saw him, I know for sure that he'll be the best father they ever can get".
There was a long silence. Mark sat on the table watching his fingers while Elizabeth was looking out of the window. It was snowing.
"There's no point of celebrating Thanksgiving today", Elizabeth eventually said. "I have nothing to be thankful for".
"Me neither".
15 minutes later the most of the staff was in the lounge. Since Mark had followed Carol upstairs and helped her the last couple of hours of her life, he was the one to tell the rest of the doctors and nurses about their head nurse. Once he'd said it everyone began crying and asking questions. Mark had never heard so many "why"-s before and it ached in his heart when he thought back a couple of hours earlier, when Carol was still alive laughing and joking like she always does….did.
Mark's shift started in 6 hours but Kerry told him she'd cover for him so he could get to Doug. He was already restless when the plane to Seattle finally took off. This was going to be a long flight, he thought. Suddenly he felt scared to face Doug after what he'd done. If it wasn't for him Carol would have been still alive. Doug had been easy going with most things but when it came to Carol, he was another man. There were, in a weird way, two Dougs. The one who was his friend and the other one who was engaged to Carol. Now would probably both of them disappear.
When they finally arrived in Seattle Mark was the first to get out of the plane. Since he'd planned to return as soon as possible he'd just put some clothes in his backpack, which he had with him on the plane. He ran out of the airport and jumped in to a cab and gave the chauffeur Doug's address. Even though the ride only took 10 minutes Mark thought it felt like an hour. When they arrived at Doug's Mark paid the chauffeur and headed to the door. As suspected no one was home. He called the hospital once again to check but he was still on holiday.
After Doug had left Chicago he and Mark had spoke a couple of times on the phone. Mark could remember that Doug had talked about a boat he'd bought. Leaving his backpack by the door Mark went down to the water and quay. He could see the rope that belonged to the boat. Doug was obviously on a holiday at the sea, although Mark didn't understand why he was on a little boat at this time a year. He returned to the house where he picked up his mobile phone. Suddenly he heard a familiar tune from inside. Doug *really* was on holiday. He'd left his mobile and pager at home. All he could do now was wait. Fortunately Mark was prepared for this so he opened his backpack and took out a blanket, a warm sweater, a flash lighter and a book, and began to read. Two hours later he was sound asleep.
"What are you looking for?", Carol asked playing with her hair.
Mark shrugged. "Mmm…I don't know".
"Am I boring you?"
"Noo…", Mark said trying to convince her he was enjoying himself. "Wanna just talk?"
"Sure". Carol quickly sat up in her bed. She was so bored right now.
He reluctantly turned from the TV. "What do you wanna talk about?"
"I don't know", Carol shrugged. She could see Mark slowly turn back to the TV.
"The post game show's on!"
"Whew!" Carol said sarcastically raising her eyebrows.
"Oh my God!" Mark suddenly exclaimed. When he looked around he saw the unfamiliar surroundings and then he remembered he was at Doug's, at least outside. The dream had been so real. God, he wanted to go back to that conversation, when Carol was still alive.
*******************Flashback***********************
"A girl?"
Carol nodded. "A girl".
"A trouble maker already?" Mark smiled. "Are you hanging in there?"
"It's brutal, Mark". Carol said and Mark could see a few tears in her eyes.
"One down, one to go".
"Uh uh". Carol shook her head. "I quit".
"I don't think you have much of a choice".
"Well, you know you could shoot me", Carol said ironical.
"Yeah, if it comes to that", he laughed.
"I'm sorry to pull you away from your Thanksgiving dinner".
"Are you kidding? I'd rather be here".
******************End Flashback****************************