Kerry was giving it her best shot, again, to get Romano to see reason. Now that she knew that she was time looping she had managed to avoid Kim in the beginning of the day. Still, as fun as it had been to screw with Romano's head, she had to figure out what event it was that she had to change, what she had to do to get out of May 17th 2001. Talking hadn't worked the first time, maybe violence would. "We're all overworked Robert, but you can't insinuate that you're going to fire someone every time you get frustrated."
Romano was in pure surgeon mode, cocky as hell and ready to go toe to toe with anyone, even Kerry Weaver. "I wasn't insinuating, she's fired."
"Robert."
"Cleaning out her locker right now so I'm told."
"Robert, you can't do that."
Romano sing song-ed the next three words, pleased with himself, "I just did." The elevator dinged and opened up onto the ER.
"Robert, this is a county facility employees cannot be summarily fired."
They walked through the ER, and Kerry was pretty sure that Romano was going fast just to try and loose her in the crush of patients, doctors, PAs, and Nurses. "Well Doctor Legaspi was already on probation for that other matter."
Kerry was boiling, "Yeah, and she was exonerated."
To his credit, Romano slowed down as they got near the admit desk, "And since then she's had a history of violation of institutional policy."
Kerry couldn't believe it, she was saying all the same things, he was saying all the same things. It pissed her off. "Like what?"
"What do you care, it's not your department."
"I deal with that department and she's a good doctor. Robert..."
Romano had more up his sleeve, "A good doctor who has had more than thirty delinquent charts awaiting discharge summaries."
Kerry rolled her eyes, "And so does half the staff."
He had even more, "She used the county telephone watch line for a personal long distance call."
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
They stopped at the end of the desk, "Ah, she yelled at a patient in a public setting."
"You're trying to find a way to fire her." Kerry leaned hip against the desk. She would need something to hold her up for what she was going to do next. "There's plenty of written documentation..."
"No, Robert, you're a petty tyrant with a short man's issues who sees a woman he can never have, a bright young talent where you're over the hill. You see a blonde that won't fall into your bed or under you spell and if you can't have her, neither can the hospital. It's despicable, and it's not the way any administrator should ever act."
Kerry managed to hit him right in the nose, she could feel the bones under her left fist, the blood spurted out and he swore in a language she didn't know. "You deserve more you bastard, but..."
Haleh came rushing up to them. "Doctor Weaver."
"Give him a minute."
"It's Adele, she's been shot." Both Kerry and the bleeding Romano focused on Haleh. "Adele Newman, that maniac shot her at her house."
Romano was still catching up, whereas Kerry had already been through Adele being shot twice. "The social worker?"
oOOOOo
Kerry caught Kim before she went into the psych ward. "Who is she?"
"Who Kerry?"
"Lori, the woman in your apartment."
Kim shook her head, "No one Kerry, I have to clean out my locker, finish off my patients."
Kerry put a hand on Kim's chest and pushed her back against the wall, "Who. Is. She?"
"She's a cousin, she's staying at my place because hers is being fumigated. I have a big family. Let me go Kerry."
"You lied."
"You..." Kim shook her head and pushed Kerry back, "I'm not doing this, okay, we're not doing this. It's over, move on with your life Kerry. That's what I'm trying to do."
Kim went into the Psych ward and Kerry stood there for a second, a small smile came to her face, "The first good news since this infernal loop started. They weren't going out." She did a fist pump. "Yes." She bumped into Cleo. "Oh, sorry about that. Are you okay?"
Cleo shook her head, "How do you do it Kerry?"
Kerry thought for a moment, "Sometimes you care too much Cleo, and sometimes you care too little. You need to be... just be with them, try to find a balance between just the medicine and just the patient. You're very smart, and for the most part you have a good bedside manner, you just need to find your center of balance and you'll be fine. Hey... for a few years there I was a little too interested in the medicine as well. You can do it though. Trust me. If Doug Ross can be successful, you can too Doctor Finch."
Cleo stared at Kerry for a moment, "Thank you..."
Kerry shook her head, "You won't remember it..."
