Nice to be on Ice.

One Can Only Hope Fan Fiction Challenge July/August 2006

Setting: Under the summer heat the ER is dying from exhaustion.
Elements: Sporting event (they can either be watching or participating), the word apples and a minor injury (eg graze, cut, twist or sprain).
Word limit is 2500 no minimum.

There was one word for today and that was hot. Chicago heat just sucked the first heat wave of the year and just like tradition out goes the air conditioner. County seemed to have two temperatures, the place was either too hot to handle or freezing. The air conditioner seemed to work fine on New Year's Day.

They were all standing around the admit desk, grumpy patients waiting to be seen, doctor exhausted from the heat and the never ending stream that seemed to come in. Tempers were short every where and that never made things any easier for the doctors.

"Come on Carter." Susan said, "it's the same thing."

"No it's not you are comparing apples to oranges there Susan." Carter answered.

"Oh wise one," She joked back. "Tell me then what is the difference."

"Uh Chicago White Soxs are American League, the cubbies are National League to start with." He answered back.

"So living in Chicago I can't be a White Soxs fan."

"You got to be kidding, root for the cubs." Carter moved to pick up a chart glancing at the baseball game on the TV.

"How many more hours we got left." Susan asked.

"Susan you've been on what three hours?" Carter shrugged his shoulders. "It's the heat, makes you feel like you've been here for hours. You still have hours to go."

Susan smacked him with the chart she was holding, "just for that you get this lovely twisted ankle in exam three."

"Can't be that bad." Carter said looking at her, "you take it."

"Nope, all yours." Susan answered back, "you owe me several as it is. Besides I want to go get a coke and hide my head in the freezer, maybe sneak down to the morgue where it's colder and take a nap."

"That's so wrong." Carter said looking at her, "just wrong."

"Got a better idea." She asked.

Abby came walking out of the lounge looking rather fresh and perky, both of them stopped what they were doing and just glared at her.

"What?" Abby asked as she noticed the looks.

"It's 102 and you look like you it's comfortable." Carter said.

"I am," She replied as she picked up a chart. "The ankle in three's been taken care of." She said looking at Carter. "Very easy and simple sprain that I fixed up."

Carter and Susan looked at each other, both looking more worn out than she was and they wanted to know what was up with that. "What's the secret here, how are you beating the heat and the need for a nap."

Abby grinned and lifted up the back of her shirt where she had to well placed ice packs.

Carter and Susan couldn't help but laugh, "does that really work?" They asked.

"Yeah that and I had one on my neck while I was grabbing a break in the lounge. It's a real pick me up." She said as she walked off down the hall.

Carter and Susan just looked at each other before they headed down the hall to take Abby's advice. Snatching up ice packs and sneaking into the lounge for a quick break, it sure was nice to be on ice.