He paced around the surgical waiting room, fearing that if he stayed still for just one second, the guilt would consume him. If only he'd gotten there a few seconds earlier, none of this would have happened.
They had planned to go out for drinks after work, to celebrate Viv being promoted. Instead, they were sitting in a hospital, fearing the news that their friend might be dead.
Danny watched Martin's pacing. He wanted to yell at him, tell him to calm down that nobody blamed him, but he knew from experience that it wouldn't work. Martin's strange notion that he had to be perfect all the time grated on Danny's nerves sometimes, but tonight it was different. Danny hoped that Samantha would pull through, if for nothing else than for Martin. He wasn't sure Martin could cope if she died.
Vivian watched Martin's pacing. Martin and Samantha had become closer over the past few months, for which she was grateful. Everybody needed friends, and Viv wasn't too sure if Martin had any. First one in and last one out, he was the loner of the group. Although he'd developed into a good addition to the team, learning quickly, he was still somewhat on the outside, and her heart sometimes ached for him. But his damn stubbornness kept her, and probably the rest of them from reaching out to him. She wondered if there was something going on between them underneath the surface, and if not, why. She saw the chemistry growing between them, and knew Jack did too. She knew they'd be perfect for each other. But, she also knew that they'd both been burned in the past, and that it was probably those memories that kept them from reaching out for each other.
The weary doctor walked into the waiting room, still wearing his green scrubs. He looked over the group assembled, a plump black woman and a young Hispanic male who were sitting calmly with worry etched on their faces, and a young Caucasian male who would probably wear a hole in the carpeting if he didn't stop pacing.
"Family with Samantha Spade?" The two in the seats snapped to attention, perched on the edge of their chairs. The man who was pacing stopped pacing, and all three were looking at him intently.
"We're the closet thing she has to family in the city. Her family lives in the Midwest somewhere." The young man who was pacing answered. "Is she okay?" He asked, and the doctor could hear the guilt in his voice.
"She's in recovery. She began to wake up a little, and she asked for a 'Marty.'" The doctor said, and judging by the reactions, the pacer was 'Marty.'
"Where the hell did she come up with that one?" The Hispanic male said, smirking at 'Marty,' who glared right back at him. After a few seconds his gaze returned to the doctor.
"Can we see her?" He asked.
"Only one of you can. When she gets brought to her room then you all can, but for now just one."
"You go Martin." The seated male said. "She asked for you, and besides, I think you need to before the guilt consumes you." The woman agreed silently by nodding her head.
"I'm going to go see if Jack's had any progress contacting her family." She said, standing. "Thank you so much Doctor." She said, looking at the doctor. Turning to Martin, she said, "Tell her that I'll come visit her tomorrow."
"Tell her the same for me, and that we all love her." The other man said, standing as well. The two made their ways to the door, and the doctor led Martin into the recovery room, where the only occupant lay pale and barely conscious on a white stretcher and hooked up to various tubes.
The doctor didn't escort him to the young woman, but he was near enough to hear the dialogue when Martin arrived.
"Marty."
"Shush, you're going to be fine."
"You're here."
"Of course I am. Danny and Viv are too, the doctor said only one person's allowed."
"Thank you. For saving my life."
"Get some sleep." Looking up, the doctor saw the young man stroking the young woman's blonde hair. He smiled to himself. She was lucky to have a young man like that, the doctor thought as he slipped out of the room, leaving a nurse in charge.