PLEASE SEE CHAPTER 1 FOR DISCLAIMER, NOTES, ETC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lucy manoeuvred her way carefully down the steps, fully aware that there
was an impatient crowd of El travellers right behind her. Although the
stairs had been salted, there were still patchy spots of ice that made
the descent tricky.
Someone bumped into her shoulder and her right foot slipped out from
under her. In that split second of teetering on the edge of the stair,
she had a vision of tumbling head first down the steep flight.
A strong pair of arms caught her around the waist and pulled her in
close to safety.
"You okay?" Carter asked.
"Yeah," she managed to gasp, her heart still thudding rapidly with
the rush of adrenaline.
Carter swung his head around to stare at the man behind her.
"Hey, watch it, pal. You almost made her fall."
"Sorry," the man said cooly, not sounding the least bit remorseful.
"Mind if I get past you?"
Lucy stepped in front of Carter and grabbed the handrail. She continued
down the stairs as the more adventurous types hurried past them.
Glad to reach solid ground at last, she smiled up at Carter as he
joined her on the sidewalk.
"Thanks for catching me. Falling down the stairs wouldn't have been
a good start to my first day back."
"No, definitely not."
As they walked towards County, Lucy felt very conscious of Carter's
presence by her side. It wasn't uncomfortable but it felt odd.
Perhaps it was an extension of how she'd felt earlier this morning
when waking up in his apartment. She'd been disoriented at first
and hadn't even known where she was. Then she'd realized that she
had slept on his couch all night.
Carter had maintained that it wasn't a big deal and he'd insisted
on making coffee. Not having any dining furniture yet, they'd sat
on the couch for a while, chatting and munching on toast. Between the
two of them they had managed to finish a whole pot of coffee before
realizing they were running late.
So having had breakfast together, they were now entering work together.
Lucy smiled to herself. If one didn't know better, that could easily
be taken the wrong way.
As they approached the emergency entrance they could hear a siren blaring
in the near distance. With a knowing glance at each other, neither was
surprised when an ambulance appeared around the corner and sped towards
the double doors.
"Ready to start your day?" Carter asked.
She could see the glow in his eyes; the way his body was coiled and
waiting to spring into action.
"Ready as I'll ever be," she answered.
They broke into a run to meet the paramedics.
***************
The day went by in a blur for Lucy. It wasn't overly hectic but everyone
was kept busy by a steady stream of patients. She'd been prepared to
answer a lot of questions about what had happened with Brad but none
were asked. That surprised her a little. Some of the staff weren't
exactly known for their tact. The seeming lack of curiosity proved how
preoccupied they were with work or perhaps it was just old news.
Whatever the reason, she was glad for it.
A quick glance at the clock told her she only had an hour left until the
end of her shift. She could hardly believe it. The time had really flown
by today.
Seeing Lily come out of a room with a tray of samples, Lucy caught up
to her. "If you're going up to the lab, can I add this?" She held up
the plastic container filled with the usual yellow fluid.
"Sure, no problem."
"Thanks Lily."
She turned to head back towards the admit desk when she noticed Dr. Weaver
approaching her. "Hi Lucy."
"Hi. You look cold."
Kerry had obviously just arrived. She was still bundled in her coat,
her nose and cheeks slightly red from the wind and chilly air. "I'll warm
up soon. Do you have a minute?"
"Sure."
"Let's go to the lounge then." They were only a few steps away from the
room and Kerry entered first. She'd been hoping that no one would be inside
and she wasn't disappointed. "How has your day been?"
"Pretty good. It's been busy but it feels good to be back," Lucy replied.
Kerry stood in front of her locker, removing her hat and coat.
"Well, I'm happy to hear that." She searched Lucy's face for a moment,
wondering if she was being entirely truthful.
"It's kind of strange though. I've only been away for a few days but it
seems like such a long time."
"Yes, that can happen." Kerry quickly finished putting away her things
and shut the locker door. She turned to face Lucy directly before
speaking again. "I wanted to ask if you've made an appointment to see
a counsellor yet."
Lucy's brow creased and her expression grew troubled. "No, I forgot."
"You need to talk to someone," Kerry said softly, the concern evident in
her voice.
"I know. I will. I honestly just forgot."
"You'll do it today, then?"
"Yes."
"Good. I know I have quite the reputation around here but I'm actually
a good listener. I hope you know you can come and talk to me about anything."
Lucy smiled, nodding. "Thanks Dr. Weaver. You've always been wonderful
to me."
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now."
Kerry paused while she considered her words. She usually voiced her
opinions without giving much thought as to the manner in which she
spoke but for some reason, she'd developed a bit of a soft spot
for this young woman. She didn't want any hurt feelings so she tried
to choose her words carefully. "I was a little concerned when you were
first accepted for the ER sub-internship. Please don't misunderstand me.
You're a fine doctor and I've been especially impressed by your excellent
bedside manner with the patients. But I wasn't certain if you were
suited for handling ER trauma." She paused again to regard Lucy's
expression. She found a pair of blue eyes looking back at her calmly
with no apparent signs of distress in response to her speech. And so
she continued on. "However, I'm glad to say that I have no more doubts.
You've become a real asset to this department, Lucy. I just wanted to
let you know that."
"Well, thank you for saying that."
Lucy valued Dr. Weaver's opinion and knew she wasn't one to give
idle praise. If she was living up to Dr. Weaver's standards, she must
be doing pretty well. That reassurance meant even more to her now when
she'd been doubting herself. Not doubting her skills, but doubting
whether she truly belonged here.
Today had been a sort of test for herself. During her time off work,
she'd wondered how she would react upon returning to the ER. She'd been
worried that she'd lost her edge; that she wouldn't be able to handle
the pressure. But that hadn't happened. In fact, with Carter at
her side, they'd saved the lives of two trauma patients today.
And that is what made everything worthwhile.
The lounge door swung open and Carter stuck his head inside, his gaze
flickering between the two women. "We could use you out here.
Incoming multi-vehicle MVA. Five victims are on their way in
a couple of minutes." He hesitated, one foot inside the doorway.
"Is everything ok?"
"Fine, Carter," Kerry replied. "We're just chatting."
Before she could say anymore, the sound of raised voices and pounding
feet indicated that the MVA victims had arrived earlier than expected.
The three of them rushed out into the hallway.
***************
"Time of death, 19:32," Lucy said softly, the monotone sound of the
heart monitor ringing in her ears. She switched it off with a final click,
meeting Carter's eyes over the dead body. It really had been a hopeless
case from the start. The fifteen year-old boy hadn't been wearing a
seatbelt and he'd arrived here with blown pupils, no heart sounds,
a C5 neck fracture and a fractured skull. They'd tried to revive him
for thirty-six minutes before Lucy decided to call it.
Lily walked in from the next trauma room, her expression grim.
"How's the father?" Carter asked.
Lily just shook her head, her silence speaking volumes. She left the
room to retrieve two death kits.
Lucy exhaled slowly. "That's so sad."
"Yeah. But you fought hard, Luce. For a while there, I thought we
might get him back." There had been a momentary flickering of life
on the monitor but then it had vanished just as quickly.
"I thought so too." Lucy ripped off her gloves with a quick,
jerky motion. Hastily disposing her goggles and blood-stained gown
into the waste bin, she exited into the hallway. A little concerned,
Carter quickly tossed away his own protective gear and followed after her.
He found her standing against the wall just outside the door, her eyes
closed and her head tilted back. Although he would never admit it
to her, he'd been closely watching over her the whole day, making sure
she didn't push herself too hard. She seemed to have been coping well
and this was the first time he thought she looked fatigued.
"Are you all right?"
It took several seconds for her to respond and she finally opened
her eyes. He could read the transparent emotion in them and realized
she wasn't as fragile as he'd feared.
"I'm fine," she stated shortly. "Just angry, I suppose. He would
probably be alive if he'd worn his seatbelt. Or if his father hadn't
been speeding." She shook her head. "Such a waste. I guess we can't
save them all."
"No. But today wasn't a total loss. We managed to save a couple
of lives," he reminded her. Earlier in the day they'd worked together
to stabilize another MVA patient and the victim of a stabbing.
"Yes we did, didn't we. We make a good team." With a brief hint
of a smile, she seemed to snap out of her reflective state.
"Well, I'll see you later, Carter. There's something I have to do."
"Ok. You want to grab some dinner on the way home?"
"First breakfast, now dinner. What will people think?" Lucy teased.
"It's just a meal," he retorted, feeling his cheeks grow warm.
"I know. Can I take a raincheck?"
"Sure." He watched her head towards the elevators, a little disappointed.
"How's the new apartment?"
He jumped, turning to find Kerry standing a foot away, smiling up at
him serenely. "Geez, Kerry! You scared me."
"Sorry. People usually hear me coming with this thing." She lifted
her cane up slightly. "You must have been lost in thought."
"I guess so." Kerry was too sharp for her own good and Carter wondered
what she was thinking. Better to switch to a safer subject.
"The apartment is great. It's nice to have my own space. Not that I
didn't enjoy staying with you," he hastily added. "But you know what I mean."
"I know." She had always valued her independence and preferred to
live alone. She'd only started to take in boarders for financial reasons.
When Carter had shown up at her door, she'd never imagined that they'd
become close friends. She found it rather lonesome now to return to
an empty house, but she supposed she would soon get used to it again.
"So how was Lucy's first day back?"
"She seemed fine. She handled herself well during the traumas."
"And are you speaking as her friend or as Chief Resident?"
Carter frowned as he gazed down at her. "Why do you ask that?"
"I'm wondering how objective you're being. I asked Lucy about her day
and she said it went well, but I don't know if I can take her word for it.
That's why I'm asking you but I realize how close you two have become lately."
"I'm not lying to you Kerry, if that's what you're implying."
He couldn't quite keep the edge out of his voice and Kerry knew she had
touched a nerve. "I'm not implying that at all," she said smoothly.
"If you say she seemed fine, then I believe you."
"Good, because it's the truth. Excuse me, I've got more work to do."
With those parting words he strode down the hall.
Kerry knew that he was annoyed with her but that couldn't be helped.
It was obvious to her how he felt about Lucy. She wasn't as sure about
Lucy's feelings but her instincts told her it wouldn't be long before
the two of them got together. And her instincts were rarely wrong.
For the most part, she'd be happy to see them together. But her
professional side worried that it would be a conflict of interest for
the Chief Resident to be seeing a first-year resident. Then again,
when she'd become head of the ER, her instincts had screamed to kick
Carter out of her basement. In the end, she'd decided she couldn't
bear to do that and he had stayed. Thankfully, no harm had resulted
from that decision.
Perhaps she should leave her nose out of this one and let nature take
its course. That would be the best thing to do. Carter had stalked
away before she'd had the chance to tell him to keep an eye on Lucy
and make sure she was okay. But she got the feeling he was already
doing that.
***************
The next few weeks were busy and tiring but overall, Lucy felt better
than she had in a long while. She quickly dove back into the
gruelling hours that all interns had to endure. But somehow, she found
herself coping with it a lot better now than she had in the past.
Talking with the counsellor helped. They decided on weekly appointments
on a short-term basis. At this point, neither of them felt she would
need counselling for an extended period. He had brought up an interesting
point in their second session. He'd commented that she tended to isolate
herself when she got overwhelmed and stressed out. His suggestion was
to get more support from family and friends.
Her mother had begun calling her more frequently, so that was comforting.
As for other family, none of them lived in Chicago. That left her friends
and she really had been neglecting them lately. It had been easier to
lean on friends when she'd lived in the dorms. But since moving into
her own place, she'd only seen them on rare occasions. They'd stopped
calling to invite her out because her answer always seemed to be
'Sorry, I'm busy' or 'No, I'm too tired'. They'd been surprised and
delighted when she'd gone out for drinks with them last week, and she'd
promised to stay in closer contact with them.
The one person in her life that seemed to be providing the most support
lately was Carter. They seemed to be working a lot of the same shifts
so they would take the El in to work and come home together. She got
the distinct feeling that he was watching over her but she didn't mind.
It made her feel safe and cared for. That was something she hadn't
felt in a long time, even with Brad.
Today was Thanksgiving and wouldn't you know it, she and Carter were
both working the graveyard. Stomping her feet to rid her boots of
excess snow, she walked into the warmth of the ER. Without even
looking around, she could tell that it was a slow evening. There wasn't
any electricity in the air; no hum of tension that seemed almost
palpable during a busy day filled with traumas.
She greeted Jerry at the admit desk. "Slow day, huh?"
He grinned at her. "I'm not complaining. Where's Carter?"
She hoped the redness in her cheeks could be dismissed as being caused
by the frigid air outside. "He stopped by his grandparents' house.
They're having some big Thanksgiving dinner that he'll unfortunately
be missing." He'd told his grandmother several days ago that he
would be working the night shift tonight. She'd given him so much
flak over missing dinner that he'd promised to at least stop by on his
way to work to say hello. "Are you just coming on, Jerry?"
"Nope. Just getting off. I didn't eat a thing all day so I'd have
lots of room for dinner."
Lucy chuckled. "Going to mom's?"
"Yup. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes." He almost smacked his lips,
already envisioning the feast that awaited him. "Man, I'm making
myself hungry."
"Don't forget to leave room for dessert."
"No way. She makes the best apple pie. Oh, there's a woman in chairs
waiting to see you."
"Anyone I know?"
"I don't know. Mrs. Anderson."
She searched her memory but the name didn't sound familiar.
"Okay, thanks. Happy Thanksgiving, Jerry."
"Yeah, you too."
She scanned the waiting area as she walked towards it. Only three
people were present; an elderly man, a middle-aged woman, and a young girl.
"Mrs. Anderson?" she called out, approaching the woman and the girl that
was quietly seated beside her.
"Yes," the woman replied, turning her head.
"I'm Dr. Knight. You wanted to see me?"
The woman stood, her face breaking out into a wide smile. "Yes, I did.
You don't remember me, do you." It was more of a statement than a
question.
Lucy slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't." But there did seem
something vaguely familiar about her.
"Perhaps you'll remember my daughter, then." She coaxed the girl out
of the chair to stand beside her. "Say hello, Corinna."
"Hi," the girl said shyly, her voice soft.
Lucy looked down at her for the first time. Although her features had
matured a little and she'd grown taller, she instantly recognized
the girl. "Corinna," she marvelled, her voice coming out in a
low gasp. She stared down at the sweet, freckled face that had
haunted her for some time.
"My name was still Nelson back then but I've remarried now," Mrs. Anderson
explained. "We're just visiting in Chicago so she can see her father."
"The last time I saw you, you were taking Corinna back home to Cleveland.
She was in a coma."
"That's right," Mrs. Anderson affirmed. "It was touch and go for a while."
As she spoke, she smoothed the girl's hair back. "It took three weeks for
her to come out of the coma. And then it was a long, difficult road
to recovery. But here we are."
"Here you are," Lucy echoed. She found herself at a strange loss for words.
She felt so much joy at seeing Corinna alive and well, and yet she couldn't
express it.
"Well, I...we just wanted to come by and thank you in person. I asked for
Dr. Carter too but he's not in."
"No, he should be here shortly."
"If it weren't for the two of you, we would have lost her." Her expression
grew more serious as she gazed at Lucy solemnly. "Thank you for everything
that you did." She then shared a look with her daughter and urged her
forward with gentle hands. "Corinna has something to tell you too."
Lucy bent down to Corinna's level as the girl stepped forward, hesitantly at
first, her eyes focused on Lucy's face. Encouraged by the kindness she
saw there, she gave Lucy a hug and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for
saving me," she whispered.
Lucy felt tears gathering in her eyes as she hugged the girl back.
"You're welcome," she managed to say, her words sounding choked.
After saying goodbye and watching them leave, Lucy sat down heavily.
The man they had been sharing the area with had been led into an
exam room, so she was alone now. She felt free to give in to her tears.
"Luce, what's wrong?"
She sniffled, finding Carter hovering over her with a worried look.
Without thinking, she got up and flew into his arms.
He rocked back slightly from the force of it and wrapped his arms
around her. After walking into the ER just moments ago, the first
thing he'd seen was Lucy sitting forlornly in chairs, softly crying.
He had no idea what had happened and was growing more concerned.
"What's wrong?" he repeated, stroking her back. She said something,
but her face was buried in the front of his coat. "What?"
She lifted her face up to his. "Nothing's wrong. I'm happy." Her eyes
still shone with tears but something else emanated from them as well;
an inner radiance that lit up her whole face. Feeling ready to burst
with happiness, she almost laughed at the confusion she read in his eyes.
His face was just inches away and she pressed her lips against his.
Instantly she pulled back, wondering what on earth had made her do that.
"Corinna's alive," she blurted out.
His mind still reeling from the kiss, he found he couldn't think.
What had just happened here? Breaking away from his embrace, Lucy explained
how she had just been talking with Corinna and her mother. Her excitement
was evident in every word and gesture, and he smiled as she finished
the story. "That's great. So many times the patients leave here and
we never know what happened to them. It's nice to know we did some good
that day."
"That's one fight that we won." Lucy paused, feeling some of her elation
give way to embarrassment. "Sorry about attacking you like that.
I didn't hurt you, did I?" she joked lamely.
He laughed softly. "No. And don't be sorry. I'm just glad to see you
happy again."
Lucy didn't know what to say about the impulsive kiss, so she decided
not to comment on it at all. Instead, she asked about his visit to
his grandparents' house.
He grimaced and asked if they could talk about something else.
"How about dinner later at Doc's?" she suggested. "I hear they have
a real turkey dinner with all the trimmings."
"You're on."
"Hey, can someone help me!" called a frantic voice from the doorway.
Carter and Lucy looked at each other with a mutual sigh.
"Shall we, Dr. Carter?"
He gestured for her to lead the way. "After you, Dr. Knight."
Although it was nothing more than a figment of his imagination, he still
felt the warmth of the kiss upon his lips.
TO BE CONTINUED
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Lucy manoeuvred her way carefully down the steps, fully aware that there
was an impatient crowd of El travellers right behind her. Although the
stairs had been salted, there were still patchy spots of ice that made
the descent tricky.
Someone bumped into her shoulder and her right foot slipped out from
under her. In that split second of teetering on the edge of the stair,
she had a vision of tumbling head first down the steep flight.
A strong pair of arms caught her around the waist and pulled her in
close to safety.
"You okay?" Carter asked.
"Yeah," she managed to gasp, her heart still thudding rapidly with
the rush of adrenaline.
Carter swung his head around to stare at the man behind her.
"Hey, watch it, pal. You almost made her fall."
"Sorry," the man said cooly, not sounding the least bit remorseful.
"Mind if I get past you?"
Lucy stepped in front of Carter and grabbed the handrail. She continued
down the stairs as the more adventurous types hurried past them.
Glad to reach solid ground at last, she smiled up at Carter as he
joined her on the sidewalk.
"Thanks for catching me. Falling down the stairs wouldn't have been
a good start to my first day back."
"No, definitely not."
As they walked towards County, Lucy felt very conscious of Carter's
presence by her side. It wasn't uncomfortable but it felt odd.
Perhaps it was an extension of how she'd felt earlier this morning
when waking up in his apartment. She'd been disoriented at first
and hadn't even known where she was. Then she'd realized that she
had slept on his couch all night.
Carter had maintained that it wasn't a big deal and he'd insisted
on making coffee. Not having any dining furniture yet, they'd sat
on the couch for a while, chatting and munching on toast. Between the
two of them they had managed to finish a whole pot of coffee before
realizing they were running late.
So having had breakfast together, they were now entering work together.
Lucy smiled to herself. If one didn't know better, that could easily
be taken the wrong way.
As they approached the emergency entrance they could hear a siren blaring
in the near distance. With a knowing glance at each other, neither was
surprised when an ambulance appeared around the corner and sped towards
the double doors.
"Ready to start your day?" Carter asked.
She could see the glow in his eyes; the way his body was coiled and
waiting to spring into action.
"Ready as I'll ever be," she answered.
They broke into a run to meet the paramedics.
***************
The day went by in a blur for Lucy. It wasn't overly hectic but everyone
was kept busy by a steady stream of patients. She'd been prepared to
answer a lot of questions about what had happened with Brad but none
were asked. That surprised her a little. Some of the staff weren't
exactly known for their tact. The seeming lack of curiosity proved how
preoccupied they were with work or perhaps it was just old news.
Whatever the reason, she was glad for it.
A quick glance at the clock told her she only had an hour left until the
end of her shift. She could hardly believe it. The time had really flown
by today.
Seeing Lily come out of a room with a tray of samples, Lucy caught up
to her. "If you're going up to the lab, can I add this?" She held up
the plastic container filled with the usual yellow fluid.
"Sure, no problem."
"Thanks Lily."
She turned to head back towards the admit desk when she noticed Dr. Weaver
approaching her. "Hi Lucy."
"Hi. You look cold."
Kerry had obviously just arrived. She was still bundled in her coat,
her nose and cheeks slightly red from the wind and chilly air. "I'll warm
up soon. Do you have a minute?"
"Sure."
"Let's go to the lounge then." They were only a few steps away from the
room and Kerry entered first. She'd been hoping that no one would be inside
and she wasn't disappointed. "How has your day been?"
"Pretty good. It's been busy but it feels good to be back," Lucy replied.
Kerry stood in front of her locker, removing her hat and coat.
"Well, I'm happy to hear that." She searched Lucy's face for a moment,
wondering if she was being entirely truthful.
"It's kind of strange though. I've only been away for a few days but it
seems like such a long time."
"Yes, that can happen." Kerry quickly finished putting away her things
and shut the locker door. She turned to face Lucy directly before
speaking again. "I wanted to ask if you've made an appointment to see
a counsellor yet."
Lucy's brow creased and her expression grew troubled. "No, I forgot."
"You need to talk to someone," Kerry said softly, the concern evident in
her voice.
"I know. I will. I honestly just forgot."
"You'll do it today, then?"
"Yes."
"Good. I know I have quite the reputation around here but I'm actually
a good listener. I hope you know you can come and talk to me about anything."
Lucy smiled, nodding. "Thanks Dr. Weaver. You've always been wonderful
to me."
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now."
Kerry paused while she considered her words. She usually voiced her
opinions without giving much thought as to the manner in which she
spoke but for some reason, she'd developed a bit of a soft spot
for this young woman. She didn't want any hurt feelings so she tried
to choose her words carefully. "I was a little concerned when you were
first accepted for the ER sub-internship. Please don't misunderstand me.
You're a fine doctor and I've been especially impressed by your excellent
bedside manner with the patients. But I wasn't certain if you were
suited for handling ER trauma." She paused again to regard Lucy's
expression. She found a pair of blue eyes looking back at her calmly
with no apparent signs of distress in response to her speech. And so
she continued on. "However, I'm glad to say that I have no more doubts.
You've become a real asset to this department, Lucy. I just wanted to
let you know that."
"Well, thank you for saying that."
Lucy valued Dr. Weaver's opinion and knew she wasn't one to give
idle praise. If she was living up to Dr. Weaver's standards, she must
be doing pretty well. That reassurance meant even more to her now when
she'd been doubting herself. Not doubting her skills, but doubting
whether she truly belonged here.
Today had been a sort of test for herself. During her time off work,
she'd wondered how she would react upon returning to the ER. She'd been
worried that she'd lost her edge; that she wouldn't be able to handle
the pressure. But that hadn't happened. In fact, with Carter at
her side, they'd saved the lives of two trauma patients today.
And that is what made everything worthwhile.
The lounge door swung open and Carter stuck his head inside, his gaze
flickering between the two women. "We could use you out here.
Incoming multi-vehicle MVA. Five victims are on their way in
a couple of minutes." He hesitated, one foot inside the doorway.
"Is everything ok?"
"Fine, Carter," Kerry replied. "We're just chatting."
Before she could say anymore, the sound of raised voices and pounding
feet indicated that the MVA victims had arrived earlier than expected.
The three of them rushed out into the hallway.
***************
"Time of death, 19:32," Lucy said softly, the monotone sound of the
heart monitor ringing in her ears. She switched it off with a final click,
meeting Carter's eyes over the dead body. It really had been a hopeless
case from the start. The fifteen year-old boy hadn't been wearing a
seatbelt and he'd arrived here with blown pupils, no heart sounds,
a C5 neck fracture and a fractured skull. They'd tried to revive him
for thirty-six minutes before Lucy decided to call it.
Lily walked in from the next trauma room, her expression grim.
"How's the father?" Carter asked.
Lily just shook her head, her silence speaking volumes. She left the
room to retrieve two death kits.
Lucy exhaled slowly. "That's so sad."
"Yeah. But you fought hard, Luce. For a while there, I thought we
might get him back." There had been a momentary flickering of life
on the monitor but then it had vanished just as quickly.
"I thought so too." Lucy ripped off her gloves with a quick,
jerky motion. Hastily disposing her goggles and blood-stained gown
into the waste bin, she exited into the hallway. A little concerned,
Carter quickly tossed away his own protective gear and followed after her.
He found her standing against the wall just outside the door, her eyes
closed and her head tilted back. Although he would never admit it
to her, he'd been closely watching over her the whole day, making sure
she didn't push herself too hard. She seemed to have been coping well
and this was the first time he thought she looked fatigued.
"Are you all right?"
It took several seconds for her to respond and she finally opened
her eyes. He could read the transparent emotion in them and realized
she wasn't as fragile as he'd feared.
"I'm fine," she stated shortly. "Just angry, I suppose. He would
probably be alive if he'd worn his seatbelt. Or if his father hadn't
been speeding." She shook her head. "Such a waste. I guess we can't
save them all."
"No. But today wasn't a total loss. We managed to save a couple
of lives," he reminded her. Earlier in the day they'd worked together
to stabilize another MVA patient and the victim of a stabbing.
"Yes we did, didn't we. We make a good team." With a brief hint
of a smile, she seemed to snap out of her reflective state.
"Well, I'll see you later, Carter. There's something I have to do."
"Ok. You want to grab some dinner on the way home?"
"First breakfast, now dinner. What will people think?" Lucy teased.
"It's just a meal," he retorted, feeling his cheeks grow warm.
"I know. Can I take a raincheck?"
"Sure." He watched her head towards the elevators, a little disappointed.
"How's the new apartment?"
He jumped, turning to find Kerry standing a foot away, smiling up at
him serenely. "Geez, Kerry! You scared me."
"Sorry. People usually hear me coming with this thing." She lifted
her cane up slightly. "You must have been lost in thought."
"I guess so." Kerry was too sharp for her own good and Carter wondered
what she was thinking. Better to switch to a safer subject.
"The apartment is great. It's nice to have my own space. Not that I
didn't enjoy staying with you," he hastily added. "But you know what I mean."
"I know." She had always valued her independence and preferred to
live alone. She'd only started to take in boarders for financial reasons.
When Carter had shown up at her door, she'd never imagined that they'd
become close friends. She found it rather lonesome now to return to
an empty house, but she supposed she would soon get used to it again.
"So how was Lucy's first day back?"
"She seemed fine. She handled herself well during the traumas."
"And are you speaking as her friend or as Chief Resident?"
Carter frowned as he gazed down at her. "Why do you ask that?"
"I'm wondering how objective you're being. I asked Lucy about her day
and she said it went well, but I don't know if I can take her word for it.
That's why I'm asking you but I realize how close you two have become lately."
"I'm not lying to you Kerry, if that's what you're implying."
He couldn't quite keep the edge out of his voice and Kerry knew she had
touched a nerve. "I'm not implying that at all," she said smoothly.
"If you say she seemed fine, then I believe you."
"Good, because it's the truth. Excuse me, I've got more work to do."
With those parting words he strode down the hall.
Kerry knew that he was annoyed with her but that couldn't be helped.
It was obvious to her how he felt about Lucy. She wasn't as sure about
Lucy's feelings but her instincts told her it wouldn't be long before
the two of them got together. And her instincts were rarely wrong.
For the most part, she'd be happy to see them together. But her
professional side worried that it would be a conflict of interest for
the Chief Resident to be seeing a first-year resident. Then again,
when she'd become head of the ER, her instincts had screamed to kick
Carter out of her basement. In the end, she'd decided she couldn't
bear to do that and he had stayed. Thankfully, no harm had resulted
from that decision.
Perhaps she should leave her nose out of this one and let nature take
its course. That would be the best thing to do. Carter had stalked
away before she'd had the chance to tell him to keep an eye on Lucy
and make sure she was okay. But she got the feeling he was already
doing that.
***************
The next few weeks were busy and tiring but overall, Lucy felt better
than she had in a long while. She quickly dove back into the
gruelling hours that all interns had to endure. But somehow, she found
herself coping with it a lot better now than she had in the past.
Talking with the counsellor helped. They decided on weekly appointments
on a short-term basis. At this point, neither of them felt she would
need counselling for an extended period. He had brought up an interesting
point in their second session. He'd commented that she tended to isolate
herself when she got overwhelmed and stressed out. His suggestion was
to get more support from family and friends.
Her mother had begun calling her more frequently, so that was comforting.
As for other family, none of them lived in Chicago. That left her friends
and she really had been neglecting them lately. It had been easier to
lean on friends when she'd lived in the dorms. But since moving into
her own place, she'd only seen them on rare occasions. They'd stopped
calling to invite her out because her answer always seemed to be
'Sorry, I'm busy' or 'No, I'm too tired'. They'd been surprised and
delighted when she'd gone out for drinks with them last week, and she'd
promised to stay in closer contact with them.
The one person in her life that seemed to be providing the most support
lately was Carter. They seemed to be working a lot of the same shifts
so they would take the El in to work and come home together. She got
the distinct feeling that he was watching over her but she didn't mind.
It made her feel safe and cared for. That was something she hadn't
felt in a long time, even with Brad.
Today was Thanksgiving and wouldn't you know it, she and Carter were
both working the graveyard. Stomping her feet to rid her boots of
excess snow, she walked into the warmth of the ER. Without even
looking around, she could tell that it was a slow evening. There wasn't
any electricity in the air; no hum of tension that seemed almost
palpable during a busy day filled with traumas.
She greeted Jerry at the admit desk. "Slow day, huh?"
He grinned at her. "I'm not complaining. Where's Carter?"
She hoped the redness in her cheeks could be dismissed as being caused
by the frigid air outside. "He stopped by his grandparents' house.
They're having some big Thanksgiving dinner that he'll unfortunately
be missing." He'd told his grandmother several days ago that he
would be working the night shift tonight. She'd given him so much
flak over missing dinner that he'd promised to at least stop by on his
way to work to say hello. "Are you just coming on, Jerry?"
"Nope. Just getting off. I didn't eat a thing all day so I'd have
lots of room for dinner."
Lucy chuckled. "Going to mom's?"
"Yup. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes." He almost smacked his lips,
already envisioning the feast that awaited him. "Man, I'm making
myself hungry."
"Don't forget to leave room for dessert."
"No way. She makes the best apple pie. Oh, there's a woman in chairs
waiting to see you."
"Anyone I know?"
"I don't know. Mrs. Anderson."
She searched her memory but the name didn't sound familiar.
"Okay, thanks. Happy Thanksgiving, Jerry."
"Yeah, you too."
She scanned the waiting area as she walked towards it. Only three
people were present; an elderly man, a middle-aged woman, and a young girl.
"Mrs. Anderson?" she called out, approaching the woman and the girl that
was quietly seated beside her.
"Yes," the woman replied, turning her head.
"I'm Dr. Knight. You wanted to see me?"
The woman stood, her face breaking out into a wide smile. "Yes, I did.
You don't remember me, do you." It was more of a statement than a
question.
Lucy slowly shook her head. "I'm sorry. I don't." But there did seem
something vaguely familiar about her.
"Perhaps you'll remember my daughter, then." She coaxed the girl out
of the chair to stand beside her. "Say hello, Corinna."
"Hi," the girl said shyly, her voice soft.
Lucy looked down at her for the first time. Although her features had
matured a little and she'd grown taller, she instantly recognized
the girl. "Corinna," she marvelled, her voice coming out in a
low gasp. She stared down at the sweet, freckled face that had
haunted her for some time.
"My name was still Nelson back then but I've remarried now," Mrs. Anderson
explained. "We're just visiting in Chicago so she can see her father."
"The last time I saw you, you were taking Corinna back home to Cleveland.
She was in a coma."
"That's right," Mrs. Anderson affirmed. "It was touch and go for a while."
As she spoke, she smoothed the girl's hair back. "It took three weeks for
her to come out of the coma. And then it was a long, difficult road
to recovery. But here we are."
"Here you are," Lucy echoed. She found herself at a strange loss for words.
She felt so much joy at seeing Corinna alive and well, and yet she couldn't
express it.
"Well, I...we just wanted to come by and thank you in person. I asked for
Dr. Carter too but he's not in."
"No, he should be here shortly."
"If it weren't for the two of you, we would have lost her." Her expression
grew more serious as she gazed at Lucy solemnly. "Thank you for everything
that you did." She then shared a look with her daughter and urged her
forward with gentle hands. "Corinna has something to tell you too."
Lucy bent down to Corinna's level as the girl stepped forward, hesitantly at
first, her eyes focused on Lucy's face. Encouraged by the kindness she
saw there, she gave Lucy a hug and kissed her cheek. "Thank you for
saving me," she whispered.
Lucy felt tears gathering in her eyes as she hugged the girl back.
"You're welcome," she managed to say, her words sounding choked.
After saying goodbye and watching them leave, Lucy sat down heavily.
The man they had been sharing the area with had been led into an
exam room, so she was alone now. She felt free to give in to her tears.
"Luce, what's wrong?"
She sniffled, finding Carter hovering over her with a worried look.
Without thinking, she got up and flew into his arms.
He rocked back slightly from the force of it and wrapped his arms
around her. After walking into the ER just moments ago, the first
thing he'd seen was Lucy sitting forlornly in chairs, softly crying.
He had no idea what had happened and was growing more concerned.
"What's wrong?" he repeated, stroking her back. She said something,
but her face was buried in the front of his coat. "What?"
She lifted her face up to his. "Nothing's wrong. I'm happy." Her eyes
still shone with tears but something else emanated from them as well;
an inner radiance that lit up her whole face. Feeling ready to burst
with happiness, she almost laughed at the confusion she read in his eyes.
His face was just inches away and she pressed her lips against his.
Instantly she pulled back, wondering what on earth had made her do that.
"Corinna's alive," she blurted out.
His mind still reeling from the kiss, he found he couldn't think.
What had just happened here? Breaking away from his embrace, Lucy explained
how she had just been talking with Corinna and her mother. Her excitement
was evident in every word and gesture, and he smiled as she finished
the story. "That's great. So many times the patients leave here and
we never know what happened to them. It's nice to know we did some good
that day."
"That's one fight that we won." Lucy paused, feeling some of her elation
give way to embarrassment. "Sorry about attacking you like that.
I didn't hurt you, did I?" she joked lamely.
He laughed softly. "No. And don't be sorry. I'm just glad to see you
happy again."
Lucy didn't know what to say about the impulsive kiss, so she decided
not to comment on it at all. Instead, she asked about his visit to
his grandparents' house.
He grimaced and asked if they could talk about something else.
"How about dinner later at Doc's?" she suggested. "I hear they have
a real turkey dinner with all the trimmings."
"You're on."
"Hey, can someone help me!" called a frantic voice from the doorway.
Carter and Lucy looked at each other with a mutual sigh.
"Shall we, Dr. Carter?"
He gestured for her to lead the way. "After you, Dr. Knight."
Although it was nothing more than a figment of his imagination, he still
felt the warmth of the kiss upon his lips.
TO BE CONTINUED