Written by my friend Maike, whose first language is NOT english. Saying that, she did do a really good job, and I thank her so much for writing this when I had lost my muse.
The doors to the ER slid open and Sam stepped through, walking past crying and pained looking patients with various injuries plaguing them. God, how she had missed this place.
When Sam awoke that morning, Luka was still sleeping. She took a moment to watch him, how his lips were slightly open, breathing evenly. He lay on his side facing her and his eyes were moving beneath his lids. He looked so peaceful like this. Not wanting to wake him, she quietly climbed out and got dressed before making herself a cup of coffee and heading to the El.
Walking up to admit she was greeted by the sight of a busy looking Frank who was sorting through files, all the while glancing up as if he was looking for someone. Frank noticed her and gave her a nod.
"You starting today Sam?"
"Yep."
"Good. We could really use some help in here…"
"Gee, Frank, it's good to see you too," she answered sarcastically, smiling at him and walking to the lounge.
As she stepped in, she was hit by absolute darkness. When her eyes became accustomed to the dim light, she saw Abby lying on the sofa, her mouth slightly open and her stethoscope on the floor. Sam went quietly, as not to wake Abby, to her locker and got changed.
She felt a little nervous about coming back after this rather long break from work. What if she forgot how to do her job? What if she forgot where everything was, what certain symptoms hint at? What if people think she's too slow, too forgetful, too uncoordinated?
She slammed her locker shut, totally lost in her thoughts and worries and jumped when Abby sat upright on the sofa and began to talk.
"I'm awake! I just lay down for a minute!"
When Abby realized it was Sam who was staring at her wide eyed, she first slumped back into the sofa sighing "Oh Sam, it's you", and then got up to greet Sam.
"It's good to have you back. How are you feeling?"
"Great," she lied through her smile. "Can't wait to get started."
After half her shift was over Sam hadn't helped with one single trauma. Susan had told her to start slowly so she could get accustomed to the business of an ER again. So Sam applied casts, sewed, cleaned and bandaged wounds. Although she was glad that Susan had cut down her responsibilities, Sam missed to help with those traumas.
Standing at admit, putting back files of patients that had already been treated and getting new ones from the rack and bumped into Haleh who was angrily muttering under her breath.
"What's up?" Sam questioned, while looking through the top file, glancing at Haleh.
"Oh it's nothing. Just this really annoying patient that just doesn't want to calm down for his infusion."
Seeing her chance for a little more action Sam asked, "You need some help?"
"No thanks, I'll just wait for Carter to -"
Sensing that Haleh just refused her help because it was her first day back and wanted to do her some good, Sam interrupted her.
"Come on Haleh, I think we can manage alone."
With that she began to walk away and after a few steps looked back only to see Haleh still standing at admit.
"Are you coming?"
Laughing slightly she answered: "I'm on my way dear…"
The old man struggled out of Sam's grasp again.
"Sir, please. You need this infusion. You are dehydrated."
Sam tried to calm him down while Haleh tried to make him sit back down, as they both grappled for an arm.
"Sir," Sam began again, "I promise I won't hurt you."
She tried to explain it to him in the simplest way
"I will just give you some water through this little tube so you don't feel dizzy and sick anymore. Doesn't that sound good? No more feeling sick?"
The old man nodded slightly and stilled his movements.
"Okay, that's great. Haleh, can you give me the –" Sam started to say but saw Haleh hand her the needle and tube at the same time. "Thanks."
While Haleh held the man's arm in place Sam put the needle inside his vein.
"See, you're doing great!" She connected the tube with the infusion and placed it on the rack IV stand before walking out.
Walking through the corridor, Haleh was talking to Sam about the gossip she had missed. Suddenly, an unnoticed a hand snuck out of the drug cupboard and caught Sam's hand, pulling her to the hand's owner. Outside in the corridor, Haleh kept on walking. And talking. When she wanted to look at Sam she wasn't there and Haleh stopped, looked around and when she realized that Sam was nowhere to be seen she turned, shaking her head in confusion.
The owner of the hand pulled Sam to him and whispered, "I missed you this morning."
"Yeah, well, I had to go to work," Sam answered innocently and gave him her best smile.
Luka stuck out his bottom lip, "But I didn't get a chance to say good-bye!"
"Well, you could make up for that…"
Luka bent his head down and inched his lips towards Sam's when they heard someone call:
"Double MVC rolling up!"
Sam sighed in frustration (she had missed him too that morning) and Luka straightened, smiling apologetically at her and walking out with Sam in tow. They arrived at admit just in time to see four traumas being rolled in. Luka rushed towards the third while Sam stood next to Frank, unsure whether she should disregard what Susan had said or comply. The next second Susan came rushing in with the fourth patient and looked at Sam.
"Could you give us a hand Sam?"
"Sure," was all she could say and ran after Susan.
"Sam, phone surgery and ask for someone to come down"
Feeling completely back to her old self and feeling confident again she did what Susan had asked for. When the needed surgeon had still not arrived after fifteen minutes of trying to stabilize the patient Susan asked Sam to look for him herself.
Covered in blood, Sam went out and rushed past the other three patients, along the corridors not bothering with the elevator and bounded up the stairs, ignoring the jarring in her leg, her hair flailing about her shoulders and finally ascended onto the surgery floor.
Looking left and right down the sterile corridors, she decided on left and turned that way when, from her right, she heard an all too familiar voice:
"Sam? Is that you?" Sam spun around and came face to face with an all too familiar man.
"Paul?"