Note: Halfway through writing this chapter I realised where I was going to take this story. I'm very excited to get it finished now, seeing as previous to that, I was coasting a little. Enjoy guys and thanks for reading.
Extra special thanks to those that reviewed.
Part Seven
Carla lightly knocked on the door as she entered.
Perry Cox was laid on the bed, looking exhausted and more than a little battered and bruised. His skin was paler than normal which just made the few red marks that littered his skin stand out even more.
His eyes opened a little, but that seemed to take a huge effort on his part. Carla knew that he hadn't fully recovered from the operation yet, so she just really wanted him to know she was there for him. She held his hand gently and moved close to him so he could see her. He moved his eyes to see her without turning his head and a small smile played across his lips.
"Don't speak." Carla said quietly. "I just wanted you to know we're all here for you. I knew you'd hate for everyone to see you when you're vulnerable so don't worry, I'll hold 'em back until you're better, okay?" She saw another smile. He was glad she got him so well. "I'm gonna let you get some rest. But I'll check in every once in a while, okay?" She kissed the back of his hand and left him alone.
"So what are we supposed to do with this little lady?" JD asked as he played with Dr Cox and Jordan's baby, jiggling her gently in his arms.
"I don't have a clue." Elliot said as she paced up and down, feeling responsible for the abandoned baby. "It's not like we can tell Dr Cox. Or can we?"
"No, we certainly can not!" Carla said as she returned to the cafeteria where she'd left her friends as she went to see Perry. "He's not going to be able to look after her even if we could prop his eyes open long enough to tell him."
"Is he okay?" JD asked, wishing he could have gone to see him, but knowing that his mentor would hate that.
"He'll be fine." Carla said, trying to keep her mind focused on the first problem they had with sorting out Perry's daughter. "Okay, I think we need to try and get Jordan to pick her daughter back up. They shouldn't be separated. I'm sure once Jordan's thought it through, she'll want to come and get her. And if for any reason we can't get hold of Jordan, me and Turk can take her in tonight."
"What are you all still doing here, do we have no work to do?" Bob Kelso asked, walking into the otherwise empty cafeteria.
"Our shifts are all finished, sir." Turk said, speaking for the others as well.
"We're just trying to sort out some loose ends for Dr Cox." Carla added, hoping that the Chief of Medicine wouldn't make a big deal out of this.
"Well..." he mumbled as he walked a little further into the room, before taking in a deep breath, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Do you think you could try calling Jordan to come and picking up her daughter?" Carla asked, touched by Kelso's offer.
"Sure thing." With that, Kelso walked away, not looking forward to the conversation he'd have to have, but knowing it was necessary.
By the time Jordan got back home, the answering machine light was flashing telling her she had a message waiting for her.
She ignored it, needing to sort Jack out first. He's cried most of the way back but he'd had a hard couple of weeks she knew. There was a lot of weird things happening in their family right now. He knew that mommy had been poorly, and daddy had been looking after her. She'd had to tell Jack that his daddy was poorly and needed to stay in hospital for a while. He'd been upset but had wanted to see him, but then after the scene in the cafeteria, Jordan had marched straight out, too ashamed of herself to go back. Jack had kept crying because he wanted to see his daddy, but he also wanted his sister there with them as well. Jordan had made peace with him by saying that daddy needed someone there with him and that why Jennifer was staying and he'd be able to stay there and see him as well soon enough.
It had calmed him for a while but returning home again, she could see his growing agitated by all the changes that were happening.
"Okay sweetie, mommy needs you to be really brave because daddy's not here and you need to be a big boy until he gets back home, okay?" Jordan said as she sat Jack on the couch and bent down to speak to him.
"I don't wanna be a big boy, I want daddy home." Jack said, sulking. He was usually such a happy little boy, she hated seeing him so upset.
"I want daddy home too, honey. But he's got to get better. They can't let a daddy leave the hospital if he can't do his daddy jobs, can they?" She asked him.
"Daddy's always at the hospital." Jack said.
He was right there. "That's because daddy has to make people better. So that other families can be together, just like the doctors are making him better now so he can come back to me and you." Jordan said.
"And JD." Jack added.
"What?" Jordan asked, a frown creeping across her brow.
"Jenny's not coming home?" Jack asked, looking frightened for his sister.
"Oh... sweetie, of course she is. I don't know what I was thinking." Jordan lied, knowing all too well who her mind was on.
"Mommy?"
"Yes honey?"
"How did you hurt daddy?"
For the second time that day, Jordan was speechless.
"I think we should head home." Turk said, looking at his wristwatch. The night was drawing in and they all needed to be back here tomorrow.
"I guess there's nothing else we can do." Elliot said, sliding off the table she was sitting on
"I don't know." JD said, looking apprehensive. "What if he wants something?"
"That's what the nurses are there for buddy." Turk said.
"Actually baby, I was thinking I might stay." Carla said, hoping her husband would understand. The look on his face said he didn't.
"I meant the nurses that are working." Turk repeated.
Rolling her eyes, Carla sighed. "If it were JD in there you'd want to stay and I wouldn't question you."
"I just don't want you to make yourself ill." Turk said.
"I'll probably get plenty of sleep. I just... I can't leave him there alone when Jordan's not even here."
Turk leant forward and kissed Carla's lips. "That's why I love you baby. You care so much."
Carla went to the entrance with her friends as they left, before she returned to sit with Dr Cox.
Jordan had taken Jack back to bed and left him sleeping peacefully.
She'd ended up telling Jack she'd hurt daddy's feelings and that she felt very bad about it. It still took him a while before he drifted, but she stayed there with him while be dozed, playing gently with his hair and rubbing his forehead in a gentle motion, watching as her son feel into sleep.
Once he was sleeping deeply, she left him alone and played the message on the machine. It was Bob Kelso, who she didn't expect a call from. He sounded concerned as he asked her to come and collect her daughter. He told her that Carla and Turk were looking after her for now, but that couldn't stand for very long. She knew that and a slow feeling of resentment came upon her as she knew she'd have to pick the little girl up again soon enough. She figured she should call Bob back, tell him that she'd get Jennifer tomorrow and let Jack spend some time with Perry.
She just needed to get herself through the night now. She moved across to the bottles of drink that stood on the shelf and poured herself out a glass of Perry's scotch.
The room was peaceful when Dr Kelso quietly entered the room.
Perry was sleeping soundly and Carla was curled up on the chair next to the bed. He knew she shouldn't be the one who was here with him tonight, but he was glad someone was. Carla looked round, sleepily and locked eyes with Kelso.
"I'm sorry if I woke you." he said, practically whispering to her.
She looked round to see if Perry had been disturbed and found he was still out of it. She got up and moved over to Dr Kelso. "It's okay, I wasn't asleep." she replied still speaking quietly. "How come you're still here?"
"Oh, I don't know. Someone's got to take his on his patients." Kelso said, motioning to Perry. Carla moved slightly so she could see Dr Cox from where she was standing. "It's strange isn't it." Kelso said after a few minutes of quiet between them. "He just doesn't look right being that quiet and... peaceful."
"I know. I already miss him pacing up and down the halls. Ranting at everyone. That whistle." Carla smiled.
"Those damn stupid looking sports tops he wears." Kelso added, knowing how much Perry loved them.
"I love the fact he always comes through for us." Carla said, the smile a little sadder than before.
"He comes through for everyone. I don't mind admitting that without him here, this hospital would be a lot different."
Carla nodded, not quite trusting her voice to speak again. Even knowing that he was okay, he only had a broken arm, she couldn't help but get a lump in her throat thinking about this place without him here. "God, could you imagine if he could hear us now." Carla said, a laughed sob escaping her throat.
"We'd never hear the end of it." Kelso agreed. "I best get on. If he needs anything, make sure he gets it." Bob said, emphasising the word anything.
Note: I'm thinking the next chapter might have Perry a little more conscious! Fun!
