A/N: Written on the plane on the way to Kenya whilst watching Spiderman 3, which is a really odd film btw! I can't quite remember what spurred this fic, but after hours of not doing anything a lot I came up with this!
Back on Track
Lauren jumped into the front seat of her mother's convertible.
"I'm telling you now, you're not going to that party!" her Mom stated sticking the keys into the ignition.
"Why not?"
The car now on and in reverse, holding the back of the seat she looked backwards and started to move off. "Because I said so."
"That's not a reason!"
"Sure it is! I'm your Mother, what I say goes."
Lauren leant her elbow on the car door, the window down. She was in a huff. She'd wanted to go in the new outfit she had just bought! And she was positive Rory would love it.
Lauren's Mom turned out of the parking lot, the light's green for her to carry on straight across. So it was safe to say it was a surprise when a red hummer came rushing into Lauren's side of the car.
-x-x-
"Pile up at a crossection, we've got one trauma with severe crush wounds, a critical and a man with a few Laes to his face, five minutes out."
"Okay. Ray, Greg and Hope take the trauma, "Luka began to reel off, "Abby and Morris take the crit, and Gates the Laes are all yours."
"Gee, thanks," Tony mumbles under his breath, disappearing after the rest of them into the ambulance bay.
"You get all the best jobs, Gates. Man I wish I was you.." Morris started, and stopped himself in his tracks. "No, wait, I don't!"
"Very funny, Morris."
"King of the humour me!"
They were interrupted by the shrill sound of sirens as three ambulances came racing into the bay.
"Okay, Abby, we're up!" Morris calapped his hands together, grating the side of Lauren's Mom's gurney.
"Can you tell me your name, mam?!" Abby asked before looking to the paramedic for the vitals.
"Lucinda, Lucinda Regis," her speech was clear but you could never be sure. They began to wheel her into the hospital as pickman gave them the vitals.
Ray, Greg and Hope made their way to the second ambulance as the doors of the rug were opened.
"We've got a 16-year-old female, severe crush injuries to the lower legs," Ray's heart skipped a beat, "minor, mainly superficial cuts and bruises over her face and arms. Unresponsive but pupils are reacting. Equal about 4mm. BP..." The rest was lost as Ray found this was all too familiar.
-x-x-
"Somebody call surgery!" Greg called, "We're gunna need a consult and fast."
"Neela's in exam three, I'll go get her." It was anything to get away from the reminder of what had happened nearly a year and a half ago.
'He always knows where she is.' Greg smiled to himself before taking his attention back to the girl on the gurney.
-x-x-
"Hey, Neela, we've got a severe crush wound to the lower leg, superficial cuts and bruises-" he paused and Neela knew something was wrong. He was white as a sheet and practically trembling.
"How bad is it?"
"It's bad." He looked to the floor and exited the room, Neela hot at his heels.
"And what about you?"
"I'll live, I did live. She might not be so lucky. Possibility of a collapsed lung. We'll know more in a moment."
"Are you sure?"
"yeah, I'm sure. She is in worse shape; trapped in a car for nearly an hour, force of a hummer going about 80kph."
"Poor kid, "Neela said as they reached the trauma centre.
"I'd say it could be worse, she could be dead already."
"Okay, Greg, got an update?"
"Severe crush wounds to the lower legs, 3 cracked ribs, left lung collapsed, BP dropping. And her pulse is dangerously low."
"Okay..."
-x-x-
Lauren's surgery had gone well, her collapsed lung had re-inflated and the ribs would mend well.
Ray stood outside of her room in the ICU, staring through the glass, down to where her legs should have been. He felt hot tears prickle in the corners of his eyes. He felt a small hand interlock with his own, but he didn't need to look to know whose it was.
"I just wish there was more he could have done for her, you know." He sniffed as the first tear dripped down his face. He looked down from the window to his feet.
"There was nothing more they could have done for her."
"I know."
"But she's young, she's healthy. If you can do it so can she." Her voice was calm, and sincere, she smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his body. "She'll get through this."
They stood and watched her a little longer, only interrupted from their silence when Lucinda appeared at her daughter's bed side. She grabbed her hand and tears began to fall uncontrollably. She kissed her daughter's forehead over and over again.
"I love you so much!" She broke down again, resting her head on her arm and continuing to cry.
"Come on let's go," Neela said with a small squeeze of his hand.
"One more minute." Ray let Neela's hand fall to her side and pushed the door to Lauren's room.
-x-x-
"Mrs. Regis?" The distraught woman looked up; Ray had half expected her to snap at him, to tell him to leave her alone. But she didn't.
"Yes, Doctor?"
"My name is Doctor Barnett, I was one of the doctors who worked on your daughter. And, I just wanted to say that I know what it's like."
"How can you possibly know what it's like?" she snapped with teary eyes.
Ray lifted his trouser legs up to reveal the two prosthetics.
"A year and a half ago I got hit by a truck. They couldn't manage to save my legs. I spent eight months in recovery and coming to terms with it mentally. But now I'm back and I'm chief resident. My life is back on track. I just wanted you to know." He offered a small smile before turning to walk out.
"Thank you, Doctor Barnett. Ray smiled once more heading out the door and shutting it safely.
-x-x-
"Let's go home, Roomie."
