Pre-fic ramblings: This is the first fic I've ever written, so basically what I write from now on depends on feedback--please leave a review after reading. Talk to me at itsflp@cheatcc.com. Just stick the title in the subject line, and I'll be sure to read it. I'm really nervous about posting this, I don't know why. Sorry if this thing gets uploaded wrong and it ends up formatted terribly. If that happens I'll try to fix it. Be patient with me. Oh, and I'll try to stay away from medical stuff. Notice I'm not Dr. FLP.
Summary: Carter as Valentine's Day approaches, and Abby's a major character too. I don't really know how else to explain it; you'll just have to take a chance with it, I guess. I started this before I read anyone else's take on the event; please forgive any similarities.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or past storylines, they're property of NBC and John Wells and Michael Crichton, and the other writers. It would be greatly appreciated if you didn't sue. Oh, and the lyrics used are from the song "Thank You" by Dido. Interpret them as you wish. And technically, I don't own the "Honestly Ok" part of the title; I sort of borrowed that from Dido too. I'm not very original, sorry.
~~~~~~~~~~
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
And I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be gray
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad
It's not so bad
~~~~~~~~~~
She was still awake as dawn approached, sitting in her window seat with a blanket pulled tightly around her shoulders. She gazed as best she could through the fog that manifested itself between the panes of glass. Her raw, red hands were wrapped around the steaming cup of tea she huddled over, and she closed her eyes, in an attempt to draw in its warmth.
Slowly sipping the tea, her gaze returned to the window and the outside world unfolding behind it. It really was too early for much of anyone to be out and about in the gray twilight of dawn, but Abby didn't mind. She liked the rain, and besides, the large, falling drops gave her something to watch.
A quick glance at the clock told her that it was time to get ready for work, and reluctantly she left her seat, whispering a silent goodbye to the peaceful raindrops. She hoped a shower and some coffee would wake her up enough for her shift, which was sure to be a nightmare. Well, yeah, it had been a long night, but work wasn't really that terrible. Besides, there was no point in staying at her apartment. Sleep did not come easily.
~~~~~~~~~~
I drank too much last night, got bills to pay
My head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today
I'm late for work again
But even if I'm there they'll all imply that I might not last the day
And then you call me
And it's not so bad
It's not so bad
~~~~~~~~~~
He signed off on the last of his charts, said goodnight (or good morning, rather) to the nursing staff, and headed toward the lounge to grab his coat and make a quick exit. Another graveyard shift was over, and he had the rest of the day off. If he could get out the door before another trauma came in. His outstretched hand was merely inches from the lounge door when he heard a voice interrupt his thoughts.
"Hey, Carter!" Dave Malucci was jogging down the hall. "Hey!"
"What d'you want, Malucci?" Carter pushed though the door with Dave on his heels, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"You off yet?"
Carter was already digging through his locker. "Maybe."
"I'm off in ten. You wanna go looking for chicks?"
"Dave, it's, like, five o'clock in the morning."
"So? We could go to one of those all-night places…" His voice trailed off as his eyes followed Jing-Mei down the hall.
Carter shook his head as he slammed his locker shut. "You are a sick, sick man."
"Are you gonna come?"
"No Dave, I am going to go home. And you should too, before you get caught in here by-"
At that moment, Kerry Weaver poked her head in through the door. "John, we have a multi-victim MVA coming in, can you take it?"
"Actually Dr. Weaver, I was off almost half an hour ago." Noticing the beginnings of irritation on her face, he did his best to feign a look of complete exhaustion, knowing the type of reaction it would produce. "I really just want to get home…"
Yes, there was the sympathy.
"Oh, John, of course." Her line of vision was redirected to Malucci. Before she could open her mouth, he cut in.
"Uh, Chief, I'm off now too; wow, I wish I could just fall into my bed-"
"Nice try, Malucci. You're mine for six more minutes, and you're in luck—the ETA for all your new patients is four. And I want you in the ambulance bay in two of them. Goodbye, Dr. Carter."
Dave groaned. "So much for going home on time. Anyway, you wanna go out tonight then? I know this really great techno club…"
"Forget it, Dave."
"Y'know what Carter? You are one of the most boring people I have ever met. What are you gonna do all day?" His back had been towards Carter when he posed the question; he didn't see the other doctor shift uncomfortably in his step.
"Oh, I don't know. I'll probably catch some breakfast over at Magoo's, then head home and work on some paperwork for awhile,"
I'll get cleaned up…
"drive around the neighborhood."
and climb into bed...
"After I get back, I'll watch a little TV,"
and stare at the ceiling...
"and go to bed."
until I give up on ever getting to sleep.
Malucci opened his mouth to speak, but the voice of Kerry Weaver saved Carter for the second time in two minutes.
"Malucci! Now!"
Carter forced a grin and clapped his friend on the back. "Good luck, Dr. Dave."
He lost himself in thought as he walked briskly through the ER doors, stopping only momentarily to wave to Abby.
"On your way in?" he called across the bay.
"Yup, wish me luck. Is it busy in there?"
"Not really, but there's an MVA due in any minute now."
She made a face. "Good thing I'm only working a twelve-hour shift."
Their conversation was cut short as the ambulances began to pull in. She waved again before moving to aid the incoming paramedics, her dark hair bounding around the tops of her shoulders. He watched the scene from a distance before striding towards his Jeep. Tossing his belongings into the passenger side, he threw himself wearily into the driver's seat, in a sudden hurry to get back to Gamma's. Not that he knew why. Sleep did not come easily.
Summary: Carter as Valentine's Day approaches, and Abby's a major character too. I don't really know how else to explain it; you'll just have to take a chance with it, I guess. I started this before I read anyone else's take on the event; please forgive any similarities.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or past storylines, they're property of NBC and John Wells and Michael Crichton, and the other writers. It would be greatly appreciated if you didn't sue. Oh, and the lyrics used are from the song "Thank You" by Dido. Interpret them as you wish. And technically, I don't own the "Honestly Ok" part of the title; I sort of borrowed that from Dido too. I'm not very original, sorry.
~~~~~~~~~~
My tea's gone cold, I'm wondering why
I got out of bed at all
The morning rain clouds up my window
And I can't see at all
And even if I could it'd all be gray
But your picture on my wall
It reminds me that it's not so bad
It's not so bad
~~~~~~~~~~
She was still awake as dawn approached, sitting in her window seat with a blanket pulled tightly around her shoulders. She gazed as best she could through the fog that manifested itself between the panes of glass. Her raw, red hands were wrapped around the steaming cup of tea she huddled over, and she closed her eyes, in an attempt to draw in its warmth.
Slowly sipping the tea, her gaze returned to the window and the outside world unfolding behind it. It really was too early for much of anyone to be out and about in the gray twilight of dawn, but Abby didn't mind. She liked the rain, and besides, the large, falling drops gave her something to watch.
A quick glance at the clock told her that it was time to get ready for work, and reluctantly she left her seat, whispering a silent goodbye to the peaceful raindrops. She hoped a shower and some coffee would wake her up enough for her shift, which was sure to be a nightmare. Well, yeah, it had been a long night, but work wasn't really that terrible. Besides, there was no point in staying at her apartment. Sleep did not come easily.
~~~~~~~~~~
I drank too much last night, got bills to pay
My head just feels in pain
I missed the bus and there'll be hell today
I'm late for work again
But even if I'm there they'll all imply that I might not last the day
And then you call me
And it's not so bad
It's not so bad
~~~~~~~~~~
He signed off on the last of his charts, said goodnight (or good morning, rather) to the nursing staff, and headed toward the lounge to grab his coat and make a quick exit. Another graveyard shift was over, and he had the rest of the day off. If he could get out the door before another trauma came in. His outstretched hand was merely inches from the lounge door when he heard a voice interrupt his thoughts.
"Hey, Carter!" Dave Malucci was jogging down the hall. "Hey!"
"What d'you want, Malucci?" Carter pushed though the door with Dave on his heels, a hint of annoyance in his tone.
"You off yet?"
Carter was already digging through his locker. "Maybe."
"I'm off in ten. You wanna go looking for chicks?"
"Dave, it's, like, five o'clock in the morning."
"So? We could go to one of those all-night places…" His voice trailed off as his eyes followed Jing-Mei down the hall.
Carter shook his head as he slammed his locker shut. "You are a sick, sick man."
"Are you gonna come?"
"No Dave, I am going to go home. And you should too, before you get caught in here by-"
At that moment, Kerry Weaver poked her head in through the door. "John, we have a multi-victim MVA coming in, can you take it?"
"Actually Dr. Weaver, I was off almost half an hour ago." Noticing the beginnings of irritation on her face, he did his best to feign a look of complete exhaustion, knowing the type of reaction it would produce. "I really just want to get home…"
Yes, there was the sympathy.
"Oh, John, of course." Her line of vision was redirected to Malucci. Before she could open her mouth, he cut in.
"Uh, Chief, I'm off now too; wow, I wish I could just fall into my bed-"
"Nice try, Malucci. You're mine for six more minutes, and you're in luck—the ETA for all your new patients is four. And I want you in the ambulance bay in two of them. Goodbye, Dr. Carter."
Dave groaned. "So much for going home on time. Anyway, you wanna go out tonight then? I know this really great techno club…"
"Forget it, Dave."
"Y'know what Carter? You are one of the most boring people I have ever met. What are you gonna do all day?" His back had been towards Carter when he posed the question; he didn't see the other doctor shift uncomfortably in his step.
"Oh, I don't know. I'll probably catch some breakfast over at Magoo's, then head home and work on some paperwork for awhile,"
I'll get cleaned up…
"drive around the neighborhood."
and climb into bed...
"After I get back, I'll watch a little TV,"
and stare at the ceiling...
"and go to bed."
until I give up on ever getting to sleep.
Malucci opened his mouth to speak, but the voice of Kerry Weaver saved Carter for the second time in two minutes.
"Malucci! Now!"
Carter forced a grin and clapped his friend on the back. "Good luck, Dr. Dave."
He lost himself in thought as he walked briskly through the ER doors, stopping only momentarily to wave to Abby.
"On your way in?" he called across the bay.
"Yup, wish me luck. Is it busy in there?"
"Not really, but there's an MVA due in any minute now."
She made a face. "Good thing I'm only working a twelve-hour shift."
Their conversation was cut short as the ambulances began to pull in. She waved again before moving to aid the incoming paramedics, her dark hair bounding around the tops of her shoulders. He watched the scene from a distance before striding towards his Jeep. Tossing his belongings into the passenger side, he threw himself wearily into the driver's seat, in a sudden hurry to get back to Gamma's. Not that he knew why. Sleep did not come easily.
