Title: Love's Twisting Maze
Note: This is assuming that Cleo and Peter's relationship was kept secret, and that no one at the hospital knew about it. This is only my third fan fiction so please r/r and let me know what I can do to improve my writing.
Disclaimer
: I don't own any of the characters in this story, and sure as heck not making
money off 'em.
" Carter, a 25 year old male who crashed his
snowmobile without a helmet, is on the way here. Get ready in trauma 3, ETA 2
minuets." Keri said as she hurried on her way to see her patients. Carted
hurried off to trauma 2 to prepare for the incoming trauma.
" Pulse 110, bp 140/90, we tubed him
in the field," a young paramedic yelled as they entered the room. Benton came
in and joined Carter, ordering him to rapid bolus her with 75 grams of
manntiol. Suddenly the boy went into defibrillation, Carter swore as a nurse
handed him the paddles. Despite all his efforts the boy wouldn't respond and
the T.O.D was called. Carter tore off his gloves and gown in frustration and
slowly walked down the hall to deliver the news to the young boy's family.
Mean while in trauma one Cleo was
working on an 11-year-old female who was found unconscious in the water after a
boating accident. When she arrived at the ER her bp was 70 palp and her pulse
was 140. Cleo started an IV and tubed her with a 6.5 endotracheal tube. She gave her lidocaine, and because her
heart rate was only 32, she added
atropine and epinephrine. " Shit, her peripheral vein had collapsed," Cleo
muttered to no one in particular. She quickly realized that she needed an
external jugular vein cauterization. Haleh helped her with it and it went off
with out a hitch. As they were about to head up to the O.R. the girl went into
fibrillation.
" Charge to 200, clear," Cleo said
she placed the paddles on the girl's chest but to no avail. "300, clear," she
said, but the girl didn't react for the second time. " 360, clear," Cleo almost
yelled in frustration as she again place the paddles on the girl's chest, but
her efforts were futile, eventually they called the TOD at 19:26. Frustrated,
Cleo ripped off her protective clothing and left the trauma room, running
straight into Carter
" I'm sorry Carter, I didn't see you
coming," Cleo apologized as she knelt down to pick up the charts that fell to
the floor.
" No problem Cleo, it's been along
day," Carter replied with a heavy sigh.
" Yeah tell me about it, I just lost
an 11-year-old girl."
" I know what ya mean, I just lost
25-year-old guy. That one hit a little too close to home." As Cleo handed him
the charts he suddenly realized how beautiful Cleo was.
" When do you get off tonight?"
Carter asked, unable to tear his eyes away from hers.
" I'm off at eight, why?"
"I was wondering if you'd like to
grab a drink with me, just blow off some steam?" Carter said nervously.
" Yeah sure, how about I meet you at
the Blues Tavern, at say 8:30?" Cleo said, referring to a local jazz club.
" Sure, see ya then." Carter replied
as they walked down the hall to deliver the grim news to the respective
families.
Later
that night at the Blues Tavern:
" Did I tell you how beautiful you look tonight
Cleo?" Carter asked as he took another sip of his strawberry zinfandel.
" About 10 times, but thank you!"
" Hey, how about we finish off the
drinks at my place, I have discovered jazz really isn't my cup of tea," he
said.
" Sure, but I thought you were still
living with your grandmother."
" As much as I love gamma, I had to
get a place of my own. I recently got a little apartment not far from here."
"In that case, lets go." They walked
out of the tavern hand in hand laughing. They talked all the way to Carter's
place, conversation was just so easy between them.
After about two more drinks Carter
just couldn't resist the urge any longer. He swooped Cleo up in his arms and
carried her to the bedroom. There they remained until the early hours of the
morning.
" Cleo, you were magnificent,"
Carter said as he rolled over and faced Cleo.
" Yeah, you to," she said, a lot
less enthusiastically then Carter.
Hey babe, what's wrong? Come on,
relax" he coaxed.
" That's easy for you to say, your
not the one that just cheated on Peter Benton."
" WHAT?!"
