Hello! This is my first ER fan fic…and if it goes the way I want it to, it could be a long continuous one…so please let me know if you are reading it and enjoying it! I have a really developed plotline in my head.

As you may well know, I own absolutely none of these characters. (but boy, would I love to own Robert Romano…ooh baby) They belong to some really rich Hollywood types, of which I am not one. But a new character is added in here, and she's completely mine, and based on a archetype that I know really well. : )

So on with the show.



PREVIOUSLY ON ER:

Romano slams his hands on the boardroom table in frustration. "Why in the hell would you bring this up right before my vacation, Kerry? The PA position can wait two weeks for interviews."


"Robert, I have been trying to get in touch with you for a week on this. We need to move on it. We could use the help in the ER," Kerry Weaver answers, just waiting for the tirade to end.


"We're sorely lacking in fast care abilities. We need the additional staff." Mark Greene interjects.


He loses his patience. "There's no way are you hiring someone while I am gone for the ER. Read my lips. I'll start interviews when I get back. Good day, all." With that, Dr. Romano grabs his briefcase and coat, and stalks out of the boardroom.


Kerry and Mark look at Dr. Anspaugh, who was sitting in on the ER meeting.


"Relax. I'll take care of it for you." Dr. Anspaugh said, as he pushed his chair away from the table, and exits quietly.


"Do you think he means it?" Kerry asked Mark.


Mark shrugs, in an indifferent way.


New Episode:

Dave walks to the desk to see if there are any new patients on the board. It's a slow day in the ER, just your regular medical treatments, and he is bored. He pokes Randi, and starts to walk over to harass Abby when he sees someone approaching the desk.

She's young, undoubtedly, but professional looking. Long brown hair, pulled back into a ponytail. Heavyset, but pretty. The kind of girl you'd see walking down the street on any typical day. Not Dave's type in the least.

"May I help you?" Dave asks politely, wondering what she could possibly want.

"Yes, I am here to see Mark Greene or Kerry Weaver." Slight southern accent. She's taking in the entire ER in one sweeping glance, completely avoiding Dave's curious eyes.

"May I ask who's needing to see them?" What could this girl want with the big guns? He couldn't help but be curious.

"Tell them Melissa Bynum is here. They should be expecting me, I was just hired upstairs." She turns her back on him to wait.

"Hired? Were you?" Now Dave was more than curious. She could be a new nurse, but she looked even too young for that. She couldn't be more than 22.

Impatient, she turns back to them. "Could you just get them please?"

Dave arches a brow. What was with this girl anyway? "Let me show you to the lounge. I'll have them meet you there."

He walks her to the lounge, offers her a seat, and sets out to find Weaver and Greene.

Greene was in exam two, looking over a girl with a broken ankle. "Afraid there won't be any more softball for you this season. That slide completely shattered your distal fibula."

"Dr. Greene? There's someone in the lounge to see you. A new employee?" Dave inserts, wanting to know the scoop, and hoping Mark will tell him.

"A new employee? Since when?"

"Since she came in and said so I guess. She asked for you and Weaver."

"Dave, find Kerry, and tell her to meet me at the lounge. She had better know something about this. Halee? Could you get this girl someone to cast her ankle?" Mark starts moving towards the door.

Halee replies, "Right away, Dr. Greene."

Mark walks toward the lounge, Dave in tow. "Dave, don't you have patients?"

"This girl is YOUNG. I didn't know we were hiring a new nurse, Dr. Greene." Dave is questioning, uncertain.

"We aren't. I am sure that this is just a formality of some sort. Now, get back to work!"

He walks in the lounge to find Kerry in conversation with the girl. "Yes, I started my training at Wake Forest, more specifically, Bowman Gray Medical School, in North Carolina- then did a short internship at Duke University Hosipital in Durham. But I have been looking for a way out of the South, and Chicago seemed ideal. So I sent out some resumes, and came up for interviews. I was really glad to get the interview with Dr. Anspaugh."

Kerry looked up at Mark. "Yes, Mark, this is Melissa Bynum. She's going to be our new Physicians Assistant. Donald just hired her."

Mark covered his surprise with a cough. "He did? Well, it's nice to meet you Melissa. How old are you by the way?"

She sighed, and looked him dead in the eye. "It's nice to meet you too, Dr. Greene. And I am 24, graduated from high school at 16, PA school at 22, and did my internship for 18 months. So
here I am- a girl who's ready to start ignoring age, and start rewarding capability."

Kerry chuckles. She knows what it's like to have a disadvantage in the race. "She's very qualified, Mark. She's had a great deal of training, and seems to know her stuff. I think Dr. Anspaugh made a commendable choice."

Mark just shakes his head. "Okay, Melissa, when did Dr. Anspaugh say you would start?"

"Whenever you'd like. I have to find an apartment, pronto- the hotel's getting a bit pricey. How about Monday?" she says, glancing around the room. "And could I possibly have a tour today?"

Kerry rises to her feet, "Monday would be perfect, and..." opening the door to the lounge, "Dr. Malucci will give you a tour. MALUCCI!"

Dave jumps from his sitting position behind the admit desk, and attempts to look busy. "Yes, Dr. Weaver?"

"I know you're over there slacking, come here. I need you to give our new PA the ten cent tour." Kerry says, trying to scare Malucci into motivation.

"PA? You mean-" Dave begins, and Melissa just smirks at him.

"Yes, this CHILD is a PA- now, Doctor, could I please just have the tour?" With that, she walks down the hall, waiting for Dave to follow her.

Dave quickly trails after her. "Hey, wait!"

"I think she'll be a good addition. She'll keep people on their toes," Kerry commented.

Mark is just baffled. It happened a little too quickly for him. "But what about Romano- he'll have a fit!"

"I know," Kerry replies, smiling almost methodically.

Dave is showing Melissa around, introducing her to the staff. They've ran into Abby and Carter, conferring over a patient with breathing problems and Cleo holding the hand of a child while getting blood drawn.

"So how long have you worked here, Dr. Malucci?"

"Oh, not very long. And you can called me Dr. Dave- everyone does."

"Well, then Dave, you can call me Melissa." She smiles at him, as they walk past some exam rooms and the waiting area. A newspaper was laying on one of the tables. Melissa picks it up.

"I hate looking for apartments. It's such a pain. Looks like there would be a place in this town where I can get a decent, one bedroom that won't break me." She flips to the rental section, and does a quick glance through.

Dave ponders this a second. Should he tell her? "Well, I don't know if it's decent, but there's an apartment open in my building. It's not great, but it's about three miles from here, and the rent's okay."

"Really? You think I could have a look at it?"

"Sure, I'll give my landlord a call. I get off work in about an hour- I'll even show you where the place is."

Melissa smiles. "Dave, that would be great. Thank you so much. Now, you get back to work, and I'll explore a bit on my own. I can figure things out, and you can find me later." She winks, and just walks off.

Dave couldn't help but smile at her. Granted, she wasn't his type, at all…but she was nice, and they could probably be friends.

Suddenly, the communications monitor at the desk blares, "Two GSW victims coming into County, three minutes!"

Randi and Kerry look up from their desk reading, and immediately set into action. "Carter, Benton, Cleo, Malucci! Two majors, three minutes." Kerry announces loudly, while she gears up for the trauma. Out come the yellow scrub covers, the gloves, and the teams await the arrival.