"Not Too Much To Ask." - Part Three

"So, Abby. You, Dave, whole day off?" Randi raised her eyebrows. "Have a good time?"

"Yes, thank you." She replied neutrally.

"Good, good."

"So," Randi asked with a pop of her gum. "Where is he?"

"Getting coffee."

"Ahh."

"Here." He handed her a polystyrene cup, and they began walking to the lounge.

"Not as good as mine, " He told her as he held the door open, "but we've really got to get up earlier to enjoy that."

Abby paused in the doorway, as she saw Luka as his locker, then continued.

"Definitely. New alarm clock, first thing on my list." She opened her locker. "Louder. And more insistent."

"And angrier." Abby looked at him. "Some alarm clocks just sound angrier than others. Sort of a 'get up or else' ring."

Abby put on her 'right, whatever you say,' face, to Dave annoyance. "Hey, Luka, don't some alarms just sound more aggravated?"

"I wouldn't know." He replied quietly. "Excuse me."

"Nice one Dave." Abby waited at the door as he put his stethoscope around his neck.

"What I can't talk to the guy because he's your ex? Come on Abby."

Abby shook her head as they approached the desk. "I didn't say that."

"No, but you meant it."

"How do you know what I meant?"

"Trouble in paradise?" Mark Greene interrupted. "Morning Dave, do I ever have fun for you after you're day off." He held out three charts.

Dave looked up at the board. "Can I guess?" Mark shrugged. "Hemerriods, puking twins, butt boil."

"Three for three." Abby commented, peering over Mark's shoulder.

"Wanna help out?"

Abby scoffed. "I think not. I have more important things to do."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Helping Cleo."

"Sorry Dave." Cleo told him as Abby followed her towards the Peds ER."

"Yeah, I'll bet." Dave muttered. He walked into Exam three.

"Hello, Mrs. Lochley, I'm Dr.Dave. This must be Anne and Aimee. I see housekeeping found you some buckets."

--

Dave dumped some charts in the discharge pile. "What a day."

"And it's only ten o'clock." Randi added.

"Do you ever go home?" He asked her, irritated.

"Nope."

Dave shook his head and then quickly sighed the charts he just finished.

"We've got a GSW to the chest, on it's way." Chuni handed him a gown.

"I've got it," Dave called finally glad to be rid of butt boils and ulcers. "Find Greene. ETA?"

He heard the sirens in the bay, "Oh, about now."

"16 year old GSW to the right side of the chest, no exit wound, unconscious on scene, lost a pulse on the way but we got her back." They steered into Trauma One. "Resps 21, but shallow."

"Thanks Doris." Dave told the paramedic.

"See you next time." The two paramedics cleared out as Dr. Greene entered.

"Dave?"

"GSW to the right chest, shallow breath, could have a tension pnemo."

"What do you want?"

"Chest tube, cross table C-spine, chest CT – we need to find that bullet. Chest tube tray! Any idea what blood type yet?"

"Here."

"I'll intubate." Mark offered.

"Good morning all." Elizabeth Corday entered, as collected as ever. "What is it?"

"Got it." Dave exclaimed successfully as Dr. Greene finished the intubation.

"Want to fill Dr. Corday in?"

"Sure. GSW to right chest, Dr. Green intubated, had a tension pnemo, but a well placed chest tube solved that… just about to get some x-rays."

"Good." Corday listened to the girl's chest.

"How's the belly?" Mark asked.

"Looks fine." Corday told him.

"Got the portable x-ray." Abby told the room as she and Malik wheeled it in.

"Thank you Abby." Dave told her.

"Anytime."

"Lets get ready to shoot."

A few seconds later, Dave pulled off the protective cover. "Put a rush on those would you?"

"I think I can manage that." Abby left quickly.

"I've got the type specific." Chuni told them.

"Squeeze it in them."

The heart monitors began to beep rapidly.

"We need to open her chest, now." Corday told them.

"Go for it." Dave told her.

"Rib-spreader."

"Oh man." Dave shook his head. "De-fibulators ready please?"

Corday peering into the girl's chest. "Can't see anything."

"Dave," Mark told him, "get round and have a look at this."

Eagerly, Dave peered over the surgeons shoulder.

"Check the arteries around the wound." Mark instructed

"Look clear."

"Can you see the heart?"

"Yep."

"Check that too then."

"Nothing."

"This blood's coming from somewhere!" Corday snapped.

The monitor began a continuous beep.

"V-tach, damn." Corday swore.

"Charging 100."

"Clear!" Dave called.

The monitor continued.

"Someone book an OR." Corday called out.

"Assuming she starts ticking over again." Dave commented, to Corday's annoyance.

"Charging 180."

"Clear!"

"Again."

"Charging 180."

"Clear!"

The monitor began to beep more regularly.

"Oh, thank god."

"Found your bullet." Abby told them. She placed the films on a light board. "There. Looks like it's about to embolise the pulmonary."

"Roll her on her side." Corday instructed. "The OR?"

"Booked, OR 4." Malik told her.

"Lets go then."

A few minutes later Dave peeled his gloves off beside the elevator.

"Think she'll make it boss?"

"You got her into the elevator alive, you've done your job." Mark told him, taking in Dave's dejected look.

"Nice work Malucci."

Dr. Dave smiled in shock. "Thanks."

--

"Yes, OR 4. 16 year old. . . No, I'm not family, I work in the ER. . . no don't put me on. . ." Dave sighed heavily.

"No luck with surgery." Abby asked gently.

Dave smiled weakly at her. "No. I keep being put on hold. No one knows anything."

"You did your best."

"I know. Still holding." He said into the phone.

Abby looked at him for a minute. "Are you ok?" She frowned slightly with worry.

"Yeah." He reassured her. "I'm fine."

"This girl just seems to have hit a nerve with you." She pressed.

"Don't worry about me, really." Dave smiled. "I'm Dr. Dave remember? The wise-cracking, insensitive - yes, I'm here!" Dave's face brightened, only to drop a few minutes later. "Dr. Corday." He told the other end slowly. "British. Red-hair. Annoyingly good at her job?" Abby smiled.

"Hey Abby."

"Hey Carter. How's it going?"

Carter shrugged. "Could I see you in Exam One for a minute?"

Abby paused, then made her decision. "Yes. Yes, it is." She glanced back at Dave, who had banged his head on the desk in frustration – apparently on hold again.

--

"You know Carter, there is something I've been meaning to tell you. You see, this whole sponsor thing isn't - "

"I know." He interrupted.

"You do?" Abby pulled back, mentally, in shock.

"Yes. And I have the solution."

"You do?" Abby asked him.

"I found a permanent sponsor."

"Really?" Abby sat on the bed. "When? Who? When?"

Carter smiled. "Last night. Where were you? – No, don't tell me. And it's Ben. " And Abby's blank look, he added. "You know Ben. He works as a nurse at Mercy?"

"Yeah, I know Ben."

Carter paused. "This is okay right? I mean, it was only temporary and I definitely got the impression I was interrupting the other night…" He ended with a 'wink-wink-nudge-nudge-you-know-what-I-mean' grin.

"Yeah." She agreed, unfocused.

"So, thanks. You've been great Abby. It's meant a lot, having you there."

"No problem."

"Anyway, my shift just finished, so I'm out of here before they drag me in for an MVA or something. See you Abby."

"Bye." Abby sat on the exam bed a little longer, in shock and feeling, oddly, let down.