Disclaimer: I do not own these characters although I would like to.
Author's Note: This is my first fanfic, so please read and review. It would be greatly appreciated.
Also, I actually have not seen any of the later Season 7 episodes, so I'm not sure which nurses are still there and which are not. As a result, please bear with the fact that I might mention a nurse who is currently not there anymore or something like that. Thank you for your patience.
"Oooh, Weaver's on a rampage today," Chuny said, passing a file to Malucci.
"Isn't she everyday?" Dave sniveled.
"Nah, she is definitely mad today!" Randi said, popping a piece of gum into her mouth. "I mean, haven't you heard?"
"Heard what?" came the collective response.
"The rumors."
"What rumors?" All the nurses and Malucci gathered around Randi and leaned in with anticipation, ignoring one of the patient's mother – a Mrs. Gilcreast who was demanding that someone take a second look at her daughter's infection.
"Well," Randi lowered her voice so as to not draw attention to the group that had amassed, "I heard that an ER doctor's leaving."
"So, why does Kerry have to be so mad," Malik said, shrugging his shoulders.
Randi punched him. "Well, obviously, because it is going to be really hard to find a good replacement at this time. Most doctors have settled their plans for next year. And we really can't afford to lose another doctor. I mean, we're busy enough as is."
"Who's it gonna be? Do you know?"
Randi shook her head, "Nah, but maybe –"
"I heard something…" Haleh popped in.
"What?" everybody asked.
"I think it might be Carter."
The group drew back in shock. "Nah," and "No way," and "He would never leave us," came the replies. "I mean, Carter's been here forever. He's part of the family. There's no way he's leaving."
"Yeah, well, all I know is that he can't be Chief Resident, and he sure ain't too happy about it…"
"What do you mean? And how do you know?"
"Okay, I heard certain people talking, and apparently, Kerry won't even consider Carter's app 'cause of the…" she mimicked a hypodermic needle injection.
"Damn, that's harsh. I mean, he's been looking forward to this whole Chief Resident thing for what? Five, six, seven years?"
"So, who's up for it?"
"I think Dr. Chen's the prime candidate."
"Ha, that's gonna be fun-ny – watching Carter take orders from Chen."
"Right, very funny," Conni added, tilting her head, "especially when Carter's not gonna be around to throw a fit…"
Everybody was silent.
"But Carter –"
"What about Carter?" Carter had just stepped up to the front desk to talk to Mrs. Gilcreast who was still ranting and raving.
"Uh, well, uh…" Everybody threw one another nervous looks, all waiting for someone to say something.
After an awkward silence, Randi chuckled, "Heh. We were just discussing who was better looking – you or Kovac…" Obviously, her imagination wasn't working all that well, because the minute those words came out of her mouth, Randi knew she had made a big mistake.
"Heh, really?" Carter looked interested, "So, Dave, what's your call?"
Malucci drew back, giving Randi a death glare for putting him in such an awkward position. He snorted, "Well, of course, I'm the best looking…"
Randi decided to save Dave's ass. "Carter, I say you, man. I mean, Kovac's dark, melancholy, suave, charming personality may work on some girls, but you're just a real puppy dog."
Lily laughed, "Nuh-uh. I mean, no offense to you, Carter, but Kovac's the man. How can you possibly resist those brooding eyes of his? He fulfills every girl's fantasy."
"Yeah, well, Kovac only has eyes for Abby."
"Well, so does –" But Dave had quickly clasped his hand over Lily's mouth, but Carter hadn't seen, since he had just been diverted by Mrs. Gilcreast again.
"So does who?" he asked turning back to the group.
"So do a lot of people. I mean, Malucci, you could have a thing for Abby, too, right?"
"Yeah, sure, but aren't we totally digressing here."
"Oh, shoot, Kerry's coming. Everybody run for cover…" Yosh said, diving behind the desk.
Carter paced back and forth on the pavement, making large gestures and speaking in a very agitated tone. Jing-Mei had been watching him walk to and fro and frankly, it had already made her very dizzy, even though, of course, it had only been about three minutes.
"Carter, could you please stop pacing? You're really making me terribly nervous."
"- I mean, what makes Kovac so appealing? Why does everybody like him over me? I mean –"
"Carter? Carter!" Jing-Mei practically shouted over the roar of the passing cars. "You dragged me all the way out here just to ask what makes girls like Kovac more than you?"
Carter shrugged his shoulders. "Well, sorta."
"God, Carter, I hate to be insensitive to your problems, but honestly, I can't believe I'm wasting my break on this."
Carter quickly sat down on the bench beside her, stuffing his hands deep into his lab coat pockets. "Look, Deb, you know I like Abby, right?"
Deb smacked her lips. "Hmmm, well, watching the way you act around her and Kovac and the whole Oklahoma road trip thing, I deduced that much…'
"But she still clings to Kovac. I mean, can't she see that we – she and I – are absolutely perfect together? I mean, what does she see in Kovac? He's –"
"He's charming, dark, mysterious, handsome, melancholy…"
"Yeah, yeah, I already got that this morning."
"But it's true!" Jing-Mei persisted. "He's beautiful."
Carter stared at her. "So, between him and me, on looks, who would you go for?"
"Hate to burst your bubble, Carter, but in that department, Kovac is way ahead of you." She had to be honest.
"But what about on personality?"
Deb looked at him with pursed lips, deep in thought. "Well, I don't exactly know Kovac that well, but based on what I know of you, I still have to go with Kovac," she said, punching him lightly. She got up. "Look, Carter, next time you need a compliment, you should know better than to come to me…" she said, half-smiling.
"Well, I couldn't exactly go to anybody else to discuss these problems. I mean, Abby and Kovac are definitely out; Mark and Corday are too busy with themselves; Malucci's a no; Cleo – I think she hates me, and Kerry –"
"Oh, okay, I get it, Carter. I'm the last resort, huh? Oooh, that is definitely the way to win a compliment from me…" she laughed and turned to go.
"Aw, but come on, Deb, just one eety beety compliment, just to get me through the day?" His puppy eyes were acting up again.
"Carter…" she said, rolling her eyes.
"Pul-lease."
Not that puppy face again. Man! Why does he do that? "Fine, fine…here, let's see," she said, tapping her index finger on her chin, then with a sigh, she launched into her "let's encourage Carter" speech, "Okay, by and by, Abby will realize that you are really the only person for her, because not only do the two of you need each other, you both complement one another in just the right places. Moreover, you really are such a puppy dog, so honestly, how could any girl resist?" Then added, "Good enough?"
"You really believe that?"
"Course, Carter," Jing-Mei replied, tugging at her stethoscope, "In fact, I'm depending on it."
"Huh?"
She got up and started to walk way. Tilting her head, she flounced her hair and said, "The sooner Abby dumps Kovac for you, the sooner I can get a piece of the hunk of Croatian hotness."
"Deb, you
wouldn't…" Deb could never do a thing like that… I mean, she's so, she's so…
"I'll bed him like I did Rambo the Supernurse." She had this voluptuous look in her eyes.
Then again, maybe she could… "Deb, you're starting to scare me…I mean, that's so out of character for you…"
Jing-Mei laughed again. "Look, Carter, there are things you don't know about me, but seriously," she said, scanning for just the right phrase. Then it hit her. "You and Abby have been through so much together. You understand one another." She paused for dramatic effect. "Really, you guys are two peas in a pod."
"Two peas in a pod? You really mean it?"
Jing-Mei looked into those brown eyes again and half-sighed, remembering what her Uncle had said. '…ah, two peas in a pod…well, don't get too attached…' "Yeah, Carter, I really mean it." Just seeing the smile that lit up his face then was worth a ton of gold. She couldn't help smiling too. "Now, I'll leave you to revel over it…" she said, heading back to the ER. Sometimes, talking to Carter could really be the crowning moment of the day, she thought, as she walked through the sliding doors.
"Yeah, two peas in a pod…" she murmured under her breath.