The ER was dead, and Carter was on the graveyard shift. He had just finished up old chart reviews and headed off to exam 2 for some shut eye. About twenty minutes later Abbey flicked the glaring light on as Carter popped out of bed.

"John,the police are on the phone from L.A., they need to talk to you", abbey said softly.

Confused as to why the police haf way across the country so urgently needed to speak to him John picked up the phone on line 2.

"Yes, this is John Carter, what can I do for you", he said with a tone of aprehension in his voice.

"We have some bad news about your parents, they were hit head on by a drunk driver, i'm so sorry but the hospital did everything in their power to save them" was the reply on the other end.

John never had much a loving relationship with his parents but was shocked but their sudden death.

"What's wrong?" abbey compasionatly asked.

"My parents are dead", was his only response.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 DAYS LATER

The reality sunk in as the young doctor stood solemnly by the two coffins of his mother and father at the funeral. It was lightly raining, as John stared at the young girl on the other side of the coffin, who he barely recognized as his little sister. He had not seen her since she was about 5 years old, when she was sent to a boarding school in Switzerland, as to not trouble their uncaring parents. Now at the age of 13 she stood ignoring the presence of her older brother, and unphased at the fact that her parents had just died. Carter walked over to kat, which was her nickname, touched her shoulder and said hello. He had not talked or seen her in years and didn't know exactly what to say.

"Who are you?" kat said as an act to deny who he was. She was angry at the world for making her life miserable, no one to love or be loved by.

Carter didn't buy the weak excuse and but played along by telling him that he was her brother John.

He tried to ask how she was but kat blocked him out and turned away. Hurt by his little sister's coldness he tried to make it through the rest of the funeral but could not get her off his mind.

Later that night John sat in his hotel room as he talked to his grandmother on the telephone. The conversation about Katalina came up and who she would live with... and after a long debate Carter's name was the final answer....

The icy girl from his past would now be his responsibility and Carter would have to deal with it....