A/N: I presently working on the rest of this story, the original ended in a rather abrupt way due to personal loss back in 2000, so I decided that it needs to be reworked and that is what I am doing. I am open to ideas as well, so please read and review. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, well except for Samantha Jenkins, she's one of the residents that lives in my head. The rest belong to Warner Bros., NBC/Universal/Comcast.
With that Dr. Romano led them all down the hall to Kerry's office, once inside Dr. Romano started his tirade.
"What the hell do you think you were doing in there? Never mind that everyone in the hospital heard the shouting match, but it apparently upset," Dr. Romano looked down at the chart that he had grabbed on the way out. "Ms. Williamson. Now I will ask Kerry here to tell me what this is all about."
Kerry told Romano what had transpired up to the point where Romano had come in. "We hadn't been gone for longer than 2 minutes when we head yelling, when we got back to the exam room, Dr. Thomas had physically grabbed Dr. Carter by the shirt and was on his way to throw him out. That is about the time you showed up, Robert."
"Okay, well what do you have to say for yourself Dr. Thomas?"
"Under my medical advisement it seemed to me that Ms. Williamson had improved a great deal and therefore did not need to be admitted to the hospital. Her vitals are stable and she seems to be fine now."
"And how long have you had your medical license for?" Robert Romano pointedly asked Dr. Thomas "Because if I were the doctor treating her I would advise Ms. Williamson to be admitted for observation for at least a night, if not two."
"That may be your opinion, but since she is my patient, I am having her released immediately."
"Dr. Thomas I hereby relieve Ms. Williamson from your care. I will personally oversee her admittance into this hospital. You are now dismissed. Oh, before you go, I will tell you that I am going to confer with your superior about your medical practices and see that you are written up."
"You may do so, but I will contest it to the bitter end."
"Bitter end you say, well how do you explain that you physically attacked a doctor without any provocation at all when he was protecting the patient from your bad medical judgement? Better yet, how will you explain that you told the Chief of the Hospital that he was wrong in his judgement and therefore has no right to say in the matter."
"I have done no such thing, I was doing my job and you three got in the way. I was called down to take over a patient's well being and I did. Drs. Weaver and Carter interfered in my assessment of the patient and therefore caused emotional harm to my patient. I will now go release my patient now, I will probably be talking to you soon, Dr. Romano."
Dr. Thomas stood up and walked out the door. Kerry was the first to respond.
"Robert you aren't going to let him release that patient? If she has another attack and dies it will be the hospital's fault for releasing her early."
Robert just waved his hand and picked up the phone.
"Randi will you call security and have a Dr. Thomas thrown out of the ER please? Thank you." He looked at Mark and Kerry, "he will not have a chance to get Ms. Williamson released, but if you excuse me I have a patient to admit."
Robert stood up, walked over to the door opening it and turned to waited for the others to follow. He then went down the hall to the Trauma room to see how Ms. Williamson was doing.
Upon coming into the room, he walked over to where Dr. Thomas was filling out her release papers and promptly tore them up. He then turned to Samantha.
"Hello, my name is Dr. Robert Romano, I am going to have you admitted for observation. I know you thought you were going to be released, but it is my judgement that you should stay here at least one night to make sure that no complications should arise."
Dr. Thomas glared at Robert and stormed out of the room. That is when he ran into two security officers who were there to escort him out of the ER. The only thing that Robert caught was, "you will pay for this, Dr. Romano. Mark my words."
Carter who had taken a seat next to Samantha's bedside, looked up at Dr. Romano and very quietly said, "thank you."
Robert brushed him off as he did his assessment of Samantha, then turned to Kerry, "would you mind calling upstairs and seeing if they could arrange to have a bed made ready for Ms. Williamson here? A private room please."
Kerry just nodded and walked out of the room and to the front desk to make the call.
"Dr. Carter and Ms. Williamson I am sorry for the outburst earlier, I have taken care of the problem. Dr. Carter could I talk to you for a minute please? We will be right outside."
"Sure," turning to Samantha he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I will be right back okay?"
Samantha just nodded, and squeezed his hand.
Once outside of the exam room Dr. Romano began, "Dr. Carter I hope you are alright with me taking over your patient?"
"Actually I am very glad you did, as you could probably tell I know Sam.. I mean Ms. Williamson."
"That is what I want to know, how well do you know Samantha?"
"She and I were steady in high school, but that all changed after we graduated. I haven't seen or heard from Sam in years, in fact I am wondering what she is doing back in Chicago. I didn't even recognize her when she came in earlier, it was when I went to Randi to have her medical records sent to us that I recognized her name."
"Okay, this is what I am going to do, I am going to have her admitted overnight. I agree with you and Dr. Weaver's assessment of Samantha, she should be kept overnight, especially after having a severe asthma attack. I want you to go up with her when we set up a room for her, I am going to give you two days off, but with the stipulation that she stay with you after being released tomorrow morning."
Carter just stared at Dr. Romano, could this man actually have a heart after all?
"Look I know that I may act like a sonofabitch all the time, but you deserve better. And since it is almost Christmas, well let's just say I am starting to feel that Christmas spirit come over me. You have been through hell this year, and I want to see you find some happiness. I was wrong when you came back from rehab, you are a great doctor to this hospital and it is my judgement that you deserve some personal time to yourself."
"Thank you Dr. Romano, you don't know what this means to me. If you don't mind though I would like to get back to Samantha now."
"You are welcome and please call me Robert."
"Thank you Robert, you can be a wonderful man. I promise not to let others know it though."
"That would be greatly appreciated, can't let them know that I do have feelings."
Laughing Robert let Carter go back to Samantha.
Carter chuckled on his way back to Samantha's side, he sat down and stoked her cheek. She had fallen asleep, and he was glad she was finally getting some rest. Stifling back a yawn, he reached over and intertwined his fingers into hers. He couldn't believe that Sam was back in his life, but he hadn't had a chance to find out if she wanted him back in hers. He hoped in his heart of hopes that she would take him back. As he placed his arm on the rail, then laid his head down on top of it and closed his eyes, within minutes he was asleep.
Kerry walked into the exam room and saw that Carter had fallen asleep. She really didn't want to wake him up, but they were going to take Samantha up to her room. She went up to Carter and shook him slightly.
"Carter... Carter..."
Carter startled awake, "huh? Oh Kerry, what's wrong? Is Samantha okay?"
"Carter calm down, she's okay. They are ready for her upstairs, you want to take her up now?"
"Yes, did Dr. Romano speak to you?"
"Robert explained to me that he was giving you some time off to take care of Samantha. You know he surprises us sometimes, but don't get used to it."
"Actually I was shocked when he told me to take the time off. In fact, he told me to call him Robert as well, and apologized for what he said to me when I came back from rehab. It's weird, I know you said not to get used to it, but something inside me tells me otherwise."
"The only thing that Mark had to say was 'has hell frozen over again?'"
Laughing Carter just nodded his head, then turned towards Samantha, she seemed to be waking up a little. Opening her eyes she spotted John looking at her with worry etched across his face.
She started to say something but Carter stopped her, "shhh, Sam. It's okay, I am going to take you up to your room now."
"I am so sorry to cause you so much pain John, I love you. I always have, please forgive me?"
"Sam not now, we will talk later after you have rested some more."
"Mmm, thanks for everything." She reached for his hand and grasped it.
"Well let's get you up to your room and get you settled in. Then I want you to rest, okay?"
"Yes, Dr. Carter."
Carter unlocked the gurney and then wheeled her towards the elevators. He pushed the up button and waited for the elevator. While waiting he stroked her cheek, he felt he had to pinch himself to believe that his beloved Samantha was really here. The elevator opened and he pushed the gurney into the elevator, pushing the floor he needed, the doors closed.
Samantha gently pulled him down to her, "John there is something I want to tell you, but I think I know of something else that will suffice." She lifted her head and kissed him gently on the lips.
Carter startled over her actions, but didn't want the kiss to end. He pulled away afterwards and looked into Samantha's eyes.
"Oh Sam, why did you leave me so long ago? I have tried to forget you, but I never did."
"Shhh, John I had my reasons and at the time I thought they were for the best. And I too have never forgotten you, when we get to my room we have a lot to talk about."
Carter leaned down and quickly kissed her again, as he pulled up the elevator doors opened. Standing up again, he pushed her out and down the hall to her room. He adjusted her bed, and made sure that the bed was locked in place.
Carter then turned to Samantha and asked her, "would you mind if I went back downstairs and signed off? I will be back shortly, I promise."
"Only if you could bring me back some chocolate pudding, not the stuff from the hospital, but the real stuff. I have a craving for it."
"I think I can do that, I know of a great place to get it."
Carter leaned down and hugged her, then turned to leave. He walked into the ER and signed himself out. As he was walking out of the ambulance bay to head to Doc's he bumped into Dr. Thomas.
"Sorry about that, sir."
"Watch where you are going young man. Oh it's you, why can't you just leave me alone?"
"I said I was sorry, I am in a hurry."
"Oh I just bet, so where do you buy your drugs at? The alley just down the street from some poor soul who could have a better life than selling drugs to a doctor who should have been fired that day."
Carter blinked his eyes, he tried to keep his temper down, but it was failing miserably.
"Look you don't know me, and I really don't wish to know you. But if you will excuse me I have to go."
Carter started walking away, but suddenly found himself spun around and punched in the face. Grunting Carter reacted without thinking, he retaliated back with a punch of his own, but missed. Dr. Thomas had ducked out of the way, he grabbed Carter by the neck and threw him down on the ground. Pinning him to the ground he began pummeling Carter, and yelling at him.
"Thanks to you I don't have a job anymore, if you had only left when I asked then I wouldn't have to spend Christmas without a job."
Carter couldn't say anything, he just prayed that someone would come and pull this man off of him before he did some real damage. A few seconds later he felt the weight lift off of him, but he couldn't feel much except the pain cursing through his body. He glanced up and saw Dr. Thomas being dragged away, taking a deep breath or at least as deep as he could, he went to stand up. He got to his knees and collapsed.
End Part 2