Okay, friends. I basically re-wrote this entire chapter, so I hope it's better than before. And I hope you're as glad as I am that I'm finally getting somewhere with this story. It should finally be complete by the end of March. So thanks to everyone who reviewed the old story, or subscribed to Story or Author Alerts.

***

Shortly after JD drifted off to sleep, Carla Espinosa snatched the screaming receiver off its base and crushed it between her right shoulder and her ear. "Admission desk," she deadpanned.

"Hi, sweetie. Will you do me a favor?"

Both correspondents recognized the other's voice, so there was no need for verbal identification. Carla let the forced smile slip off her face and slumped in her chair. "Laverne, it's a zoo down here. Can't it wait?" She heard a deep intake of breath on the line.

"Honey, it's Dr. Dorian."

Scribbling her signature on a delivery slip, Carla switched the receiver to her left ear. "Well, tell him I'm busy. Fourteen new admissions since this morning." She tapped her fingers rapidly on the counter-top.

"Fifteen."

"What?" Carla's eyebrows furrowed together, and she grabbed the computer mouse. "My record says fourteen." She began to scroll down the list of new patients.

Laverne's voice softened. "Dr. Dorian is in room 314, sweetie. Hematemesis."

Carla's fingers froze in their position on the keyboard. Her lips parted in a silent gasp for air as compulsive tears sprung to her eyes.

"Carla?"

"I'll be right there." Carla returned the receiver to its cradle with shaking fingers, leaped out of her chair, and gripped the pink stethoscope slung around her neck as she jogged through the hallway to the elevator.

***

Meanwhile, in Room 314, JD was snoring softly, plagued with unsettling dreams. He was now set up with intravenous nutrition, a pitcher of water, a clean washcloth, and a rectangular plastic bucket, which all rested on a tray at the foot of his bed.

Dr. Cox had dumped all of his patients on Elliot and returned to his protégé's side. He was now leaning against the spattered bay window with his legs spread, his freckled hands resting on the back of his head. Default position for times like this.

Just then, the giant metal door burst open to reveal a petite Latina nurse with rumpled purple scrubs. She wordlessly strode over to JD's side, impulsively placing a hand across his forehead. "Bambi?"

JD stirred and stretched, slightly puzzled by his surroundings. He recognized the familiar face in his field of vision and smiled. "Hi, Carla."

The raspy sound of his voice, though it may have been caused by grogginess, caused a concerned wrinkle appear on her forehead. "Are you okay, honey?" Her maternal instincts were flooding her brain, making rational thought impossible.

JD shrugged and dismissed the inquiry, not wanting to upset his friend. He reached out to grasp Carla's hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'm fine." But the pulsing pain in his stomach defied his words. He repositioned himself and tried to ignore it.

Dr. Cox solemnly ambled over and stood behind Carla, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. His eyebrows furrowed as he silently analyzed the expression on JD's face. "What is it, Newbie?"

Grimacing slightly, JD answered stoically. "Nothing. Minor stomach pain. No problem." He massaged his belly with his fist to no avail. It wasn't going away. Intensifying, if anything.

Perry raised his index fingers to his temples. He'd never been one for superstition, but he seemed to get a thundering headache whenever a patient was about to take a turn for the worse. And his head was pounding. "Carla, can you go get a bag of Demerol, please?" He grabbed a prescription pad from his coat pocket and scribbled down the order, handing it the nurse beside him.

JD looked up, shaking his head. "No, I don't need pain meds. Indigestion," he lied, but pain shot through his abdomen and the twitch of his muscles gave him away.

Carla glanced over at Dr. Cox, who nodded his head ever-so-slightly. She let go of JD's hand and brushed his cheek gingerly with her fingers. "Hold on, Bambi," she said, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

Eyelids drooping, Perry watched her sprint through the threshold and into the hallway, her ebony ponytail swinging frantically. He sat down on the edge of JD's bed. "Just hang on, Newbie."

A nauseous grimace plastered across his face, JD nodded. He was now using both hands to massage his abdomen, but the pain continued to grow exponentially. He groaned quietly.

"JD? Are you okay?"

Unable to respond, JD grabbed for the plastic bucket at his bedside and tucked it under his chin as maroon blood bubbled up from his stomach.

"Whoa, hey. Sit up," Perry ordered, taking the bucket from his protégé's shaking grasp. He waited for JD to swing his legs over the side of the bed, hunched over and quivering. Dr. Cox watched, winced, and held the bucket as JD coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.

After a couple of dry heaves, JD moaned inwardly and pushed away the bucket. He swayed slightly and closed his eyes.

Perry placed the bucket on the bedside table, then turned his attention towards the man beside him. "You okay, Newbie?" he inquired, wrapping an arm around JD to steady him.

JD nodded and rested his head on his mentor's shoulder. "Yeah," was all he could muster. The nausea was fading, but the concentrated pain in his stomach refused to let up.

At this moment, God bless her heart, Carla re-entered with an oblong bag of clear liquid in tow. She rushed over and hung the bag on the metal stand below the nutrition drip. "JD? Can I see your arm, please?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at Perry's uncharacteristically affectionate gesture.

JD thought for a moment, then pushed up his right sleeve.

Keeping an eye on the younger doctor, Perry removed his arm and stood up, helping JD settle back into bed. His head was still pounding, but he knew there were more important things to worry about.

Carla expertly inserted the IV and secured it with medical tape. "It'll take a few minutes to kick in," she told JD absentmindedly.

JD chuckled. "I'm a doctor, Carla. I know how Demerol works."

Carla stared down at JD for a moment before shaking her head. "Of course you do." She ran a hand through his hair with a far-away look in her chocolate-brown eyes. "I… I have to go," Carla mumbled, her voice cracking on the last word.

Smiling weakly, JD nodded. "Thanks, Carla."

Carla wordlessly turned on her heels and began to walk briskly out of the room. But Dr. Cox caught her shoulder mid-stride. She looked up into his freckled face with tears welling in the corners of her eyes.

Neither one spoke as Perry enveloped Carla in his muscular arms. Neither one of them was quite sure who was comforting whom. And neither one of them wanted to break the embrace.

Carla buried her face in his chest, and she felt him rest his chin on the top of her head. She ran her manicured hands up and down his broad shoulder blades, breathing deeply. And they remained in this position until Carla's pager vibrated angrily on her waistband, sending an unsettling shock wave spindling through both of their bodies.

Grabbing the offending device, Carla scanned the message. "I gotta go," she whispered.

Perry nodded silently and brushed the tears from her cheeks. His eyes remained dry.

***

I know life is short, but you'll make mine full of joy if you take 60 seconds to review. I'll respond. Pinkie swear.

~JD