*****************
"You off?" John asks Abby
"Just now." Abby smiles
"Want to get a late dinner?"
"Late is the word all right, yea let's go." Abby pulls on her coat. "So how are you?" Abby asks as they start walking outside
"I almost feels like I just got over not having Jamie around and then she appears and I don't even know. I was so close Abby"
"That's the hard thing about family, they're so close yet so far away. I think she'll come around she seems smart enough"
"She has to be, she survived the world right?"
"Looks that way." Abby agrees as a fire truck blazes past them. "Whoa, where's the fire?" She jokes
"Over there" John points to a smoky apartment building. "I am so glad we're off tonight. I really am."
"It's been a long day" Abby agrees
"It has, but it's over for now. So let's eat." John takes her hand and they set off.
*********
Jamie woke up at the sound of something slamming into her door. "Go to hell Shane" She calls hoarsely, her head felt heavy and thick. The room was dark and it smelled weird….like smoke…..Shane must of burned something she figured laying her head back down. She was too tired to concentrate.
*********
"Is she ok?"
"She'll be fine"
"She's not awake"
"Can you tell us her name?"
*It's Jamie* Jamie thinks to herself
"Jamie Carter, she's 18. The boy is Shane Barretto."
*Why is Ms. Marshall telling people this?* Jamie wonders she slowly opens her eyes the light blinding her. "Why am I outside?" Jamie asks
"Oh dear child you're all right." Ms. Marshall exclaims
"Why am I outside?" Jamie repeats
"Honey your apartment set on fire and some other apartments did as well."
"How?" Jamie asks struggling to get up.
"Lay down" A paramedic orders her gently pushing her down.
"I'm all right." Jamie insists
"She's a med student" Ms. Marshall explains "She would know."
"It's just procedure." The paramedic explains
"Go with them Jamie" Ms. Marshall says gently
"All right I'll go" Jamie agrees not wanting to further upset the elderly landlord.
"Good, good Shane has gone ahead already in the ambulance ahead of you." Ms. Marshall tells Jamie as they put her in the ambulance.
***************
"What's the call?" Mark asks Malik
"Apartment building went ablaze some burn victims, some smoke inhalation. Next call coming in an 18 year old med-student her boyfriend or roommate was the boy they just brought it with burns." Malik tells Mark.
"Elizabeth take the burn victim I'll take the girl." Mark calls to her getting a sinking feeling in his stomach.
The doors burst open a moment later "She's all right, assertive, reactive just smoke inhalation."
"Hello again Jamie. Do you remember me?" Mark asks her
"Mark Green, I remember lunch today at the café."
"Do you remember what happened?"
"The fire? No, I went to sleep….and I- I remember the door get pounded on and my head felt heavy…."
"You know what that is?" Mark asks checking her pulse
"Smoke inhalation." Jamie mutters
"Doing your homework"
"It's common knowledge."
"Maybe so can you sit up?"
"Yea I'm all right I swear" Jamie says starting to cough
"Whoa lay back down and take slow breaths." Mark instructs "The fire started in your apartment you know. Do you know how?"
Jamie thinks then groans "The towel, Shane threw the towel on the stove while it was still hot it must of caught fire. What's the damage like?"
"Well you wont be staying in your apartment anymore from what I hear."
Jamie groans "I got to go." She says sitting up
"You're not going anywhere."
"I can sign myself out of admittance."
"You know it's not for the best."
"It's for my best interest that's what's important. Where's Shane?"
"Why do you want to see him? Isn't he the cause of it?" Mark asks
"Where's Shane?" Jamie persists getting up pulling her sweatshirt tighter around her.
"Jamie wait up, did anything happen tonight?"
"Why?"
"Cause of this" Mark pushes aside her hair to expose a bruise made from Shane grabbing her.
"What of it?" Jamie asks irritably
"You can get out it this, get away from it."
"There's nothing to get away from."
"That's denial Jamie."
"Call it what you will" Jamie spots Shane inside a room and rushes in "Shane!"
"Why are you up?" He asks "I'm all right just a few burns I tried to be hero and put out the fire."
"Next time just call the fire department."
"It was already so out of hand though"
"Then get me out."
"Mark can I talk to you outside?" Elizabeth asks
"Sure." Mark follows her out.
"Mark's he drunk, you can smell it on his breath and see it just looking at him."
"I think he's also hitting her." Mark replies
"Can't we do something?"
"She's leaving, signing herself out, he'll probably do the same."
"Why would she stay with someone like him?" Elizabeth wonders aloud
"Cause he could of had me out on the streets at anytime but he knows I want to be a doctor and lets me stay I owe everything to him." Jamie says opening the door coming out of the room. "I want- we both want the papers to sign our releases."
"I'll get them" Elizabeth goes off
"Jamie you said you'd call if anything happened." Mark says in a hushed voice glancing at Shane as he gets himself out of bed.
"I said I would, but nothing happened."
"You're lying to me Jamie, just like you lied to me about being Carter's sister." Mark states he watches her surprised reaction "Yea we do talk, there's a way to find out everything."
"What's going on?" Shane asks walking out "You all right? You're not going to pass out are you?" He asks taking hold of her hand
"No, let's go sign those papers and get out of here." Jamie says looking coldly at Mark.
"Later doc thanks for all your help" Shane nods as they leave.
Mark sighs and rubs his eyes "They're gone." Elizabeth tells him "Just signed out"
"I wish she would stay around long enough for Carter to catch up with her, then maybe she'd get some sense knocked into her."
"She's a teenager, free spirit finally set free, she needs to do this on her own."
"Yea well if Rachel ever thinks she'll get away with anything like this she's got another thing coming." Mark replies
**************
"Thanks for not saying anything." Shane thanks Jamie
"Dr. Green knows don't get all happy and excited" Jamie says as they take a seat on the train.
"Yea but he wont say anything and besides it's not like I meant it." Shane shrugs it off
"You know you're impossible. I love you for keeping me off the streets and not bailing on me with the rent, but you're too much. You can't do this when you get upset. And you do every time. Then you thank me for not saying anything. You know the second I get done with school I'm out of here."
"I don't mean it, I don't mean to hurt you." Shane exclaims
"Then stop. Prove it. I need to stay where I am finish school I can't afford to lose this scholarship, my career will be over if I do. I can't drag you to court for a suit, I can waste the time or money it would cost." Jamie replies looking out the window.
"Look" Shane says angrily grabbing onto her wrist. He looks down "God help me." He whispers dropping her arm "I'm sorry Jamie please"
"Save it Shane it's a waste of time. Let's go." She says getting off the train.
****************
"Shit! Look at this place. What are we going to do?" Jamie exclaims walking through what was once their apartment. She goes into her room and grabs her money and purse. She grabs a suitcase and packs her clothes in it and grabs a few things that were left un-charred from her room.
The rooms smelled like smoke and the walls were blackened covered and stained from the flames and the firemen's work putting it out. She found her cell phone and walks out.
"Where are you going?" Shane asks walking out of the kitchen
"I'm not staying here, there's no way we can and there's no vacancy in this building, I'll probably go to Amanda's"
"Why don't we just rent out a motel room for tonight and figure out what we're going to do tomorrow." Shane reasons "Ill even pay I figure I owe you."
"For everything you've put through you owe me a lot more then a motel room" Jamie replies
"You know it's mostly your fault, if you weren't such a bitch I wouldn't be angry."
"Yea but you'd still be drunk. Even if I didn't say anything you'd still be like this, at least this way I say what's on my mind. But no I don't want to stay with you tonight I'll manage." Jamie replies walking out.
*******************
"Jamie what are you doing here?" Amanda asks groggily opening the door to her dorm room.
"My apartment went on fire, I'm all right but I can't stay there."
"It's about you've gotten some sense in you, come in" Amanda opens the door.
Jamie hands her the suitcase "Keep this here, Shane will probably be around later looking for me, let him in let him see I'm not here. I'll call you tomorrow." Jamie turns and leaves before Amanda could protest.
"You off?" John asks Abby
"Just now." Abby smiles
"Want to get a late dinner?"
"Late is the word all right, yea let's go." Abby pulls on her coat. "So how are you?" Abby asks as they start walking outside
"I almost feels like I just got over not having Jamie around and then she appears and I don't even know. I was so close Abby"
"That's the hard thing about family, they're so close yet so far away. I think she'll come around she seems smart enough"
"She has to be, she survived the world right?"
"Looks that way." Abby agrees as a fire truck blazes past them. "Whoa, where's the fire?" She jokes
"Over there" John points to a smoky apartment building. "I am so glad we're off tonight. I really am."
"It's been a long day" Abby agrees
"It has, but it's over for now. So let's eat." John takes her hand and they set off.
*********
Jamie woke up at the sound of something slamming into her door. "Go to hell Shane" She calls hoarsely, her head felt heavy and thick. The room was dark and it smelled weird….like smoke…..Shane must of burned something she figured laying her head back down. She was too tired to concentrate.
*********
"Is she ok?"
"She'll be fine"
"She's not awake"
"Can you tell us her name?"
*It's Jamie* Jamie thinks to herself
"Jamie Carter, she's 18. The boy is Shane Barretto."
*Why is Ms. Marshall telling people this?* Jamie wonders she slowly opens her eyes the light blinding her. "Why am I outside?" Jamie asks
"Oh dear child you're all right." Ms. Marshall exclaims
"Why am I outside?" Jamie repeats
"Honey your apartment set on fire and some other apartments did as well."
"How?" Jamie asks struggling to get up.
"Lay down" A paramedic orders her gently pushing her down.
"I'm all right." Jamie insists
"She's a med student" Ms. Marshall explains "She would know."
"It's just procedure." The paramedic explains
"Go with them Jamie" Ms. Marshall says gently
"All right I'll go" Jamie agrees not wanting to further upset the elderly landlord.
"Good, good Shane has gone ahead already in the ambulance ahead of you." Ms. Marshall tells Jamie as they put her in the ambulance.
***************
"What's the call?" Mark asks Malik
"Apartment building went ablaze some burn victims, some smoke inhalation. Next call coming in an 18 year old med-student her boyfriend or roommate was the boy they just brought it with burns." Malik tells Mark.
"Elizabeth take the burn victim I'll take the girl." Mark calls to her getting a sinking feeling in his stomach.
The doors burst open a moment later "She's all right, assertive, reactive just smoke inhalation."
"Hello again Jamie. Do you remember me?" Mark asks her
"Mark Green, I remember lunch today at the café."
"Do you remember what happened?"
"The fire? No, I went to sleep….and I- I remember the door get pounded on and my head felt heavy…."
"You know what that is?" Mark asks checking her pulse
"Smoke inhalation." Jamie mutters
"Doing your homework"
"It's common knowledge."
"Maybe so can you sit up?"
"Yea I'm all right I swear" Jamie says starting to cough
"Whoa lay back down and take slow breaths." Mark instructs "The fire started in your apartment you know. Do you know how?"
Jamie thinks then groans "The towel, Shane threw the towel on the stove while it was still hot it must of caught fire. What's the damage like?"
"Well you wont be staying in your apartment anymore from what I hear."
Jamie groans "I got to go." She says sitting up
"You're not going anywhere."
"I can sign myself out of admittance."
"You know it's not for the best."
"It's for my best interest that's what's important. Where's Shane?"
"Why do you want to see him? Isn't he the cause of it?" Mark asks
"Where's Shane?" Jamie persists getting up pulling her sweatshirt tighter around her.
"Jamie wait up, did anything happen tonight?"
"Why?"
"Cause of this" Mark pushes aside her hair to expose a bruise made from Shane grabbing her.
"What of it?" Jamie asks irritably
"You can get out it this, get away from it."
"There's nothing to get away from."
"That's denial Jamie."
"Call it what you will" Jamie spots Shane inside a room and rushes in "Shane!"
"Why are you up?" He asks "I'm all right just a few burns I tried to be hero and put out the fire."
"Next time just call the fire department."
"It was already so out of hand though"
"Then get me out."
"Mark can I talk to you outside?" Elizabeth asks
"Sure." Mark follows her out.
"Mark's he drunk, you can smell it on his breath and see it just looking at him."
"I think he's also hitting her." Mark replies
"Can't we do something?"
"She's leaving, signing herself out, he'll probably do the same."
"Why would she stay with someone like him?" Elizabeth wonders aloud
"Cause he could of had me out on the streets at anytime but he knows I want to be a doctor and lets me stay I owe everything to him." Jamie says opening the door coming out of the room. "I want- we both want the papers to sign our releases."
"I'll get them" Elizabeth goes off
"Jamie you said you'd call if anything happened." Mark says in a hushed voice glancing at Shane as he gets himself out of bed.
"I said I would, but nothing happened."
"You're lying to me Jamie, just like you lied to me about being Carter's sister." Mark states he watches her surprised reaction "Yea we do talk, there's a way to find out everything."
"What's going on?" Shane asks walking out "You all right? You're not going to pass out are you?" He asks taking hold of her hand
"No, let's go sign those papers and get out of here." Jamie says looking coldly at Mark.
"Later doc thanks for all your help" Shane nods as they leave.
Mark sighs and rubs his eyes "They're gone." Elizabeth tells him "Just signed out"
"I wish she would stay around long enough for Carter to catch up with her, then maybe she'd get some sense knocked into her."
"She's a teenager, free spirit finally set free, she needs to do this on her own."
"Yea well if Rachel ever thinks she'll get away with anything like this she's got another thing coming." Mark replies
**************
"Thanks for not saying anything." Shane thanks Jamie
"Dr. Green knows don't get all happy and excited" Jamie says as they take a seat on the train.
"Yea but he wont say anything and besides it's not like I meant it." Shane shrugs it off
"You know you're impossible. I love you for keeping me off the streets and not bailing on me with the rent, but you're too much. You can't do this when you get upset. And you do every time. Then you thank me for not saying anything. You know the second I get done with school I'm out of here."
"I don't mean it, I don't mean to hurt you." Shane exclaims
"Then stop. Prove it. I need to stay where I am finish school I can't afford to lose this scholarship, my career will be over if I do. I can't drag you to court for a suit, I can waste the time or money it would cost." Jamie replies looking out the window.
"Look" Shane says angrily grabbing onto her wrist. He looks down "God help me." He whispers dropping her arm "I'm sorry Jamie please"
"Save it Shane it's a waste of time. Let's go." She says getting off the train.
****************
"Shit! Look at this place. What are we going to do?" Jamie exclaims walking through what was once their apartment. She goes into her room and grabs her money and purse. She grabs a suitcase and packs her clothes in it and grabs a few things that were left un-charred from her room.
The rooms smelled like smoke and the walls were blackened covered and stained from the flames and the firemen's work putting it out. She found her cell phone and walks out.
"Where are you going?" Shane asks walking out of the kitchen
"I'm not staying here, there's no way we can and there's no vacancy in this building, I'll probably go to Amanda's"
"Why don't we just rent out a motel room for tonight and figure out what we're going to do tomorrow." Shane reasons "Ill even pay I figure I owe you."
"For everything you've put through you owe me a lot more then a motel room" Jamie replies
"You know it's mostly your fault, if you weren't such a bitch I wouldn't be angry."
"Yea but you'd still be drunk. Even if I didn't say anything you'd still be like this, at least this way I say what's on my mind. But no I don't want to stay with you tonight I'll manage." Jamie replies walking out.
*******************
"Jamie what are you doing here?" Amanda asks groggily opening the door to her dorm room.
"My apartment went on fire, I'm all right but I can't stay there."
"It's about you've gotten some sense in you, come in" Amanda opens the door.
Jamie hands her the suitcase "Keep this here, Shane will probably be around later looking for me, let him in let him see I'm not here. I'll call you tomorrow." Jamie turns and leaves before Amanda could protest.
