PART 2:
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"I dunno. I really don't." replied a quiet and defeated Dave.

"Dave you're not just gonna sit here and take it from ol' festess are ya? Come on Dave this isn't like you to go without a fight…"

"Hey Carter-I didn't just pick up and walk out on a whim-she made it perfectly clear that I nolonger worked there. I DID try to talk some sense into her, damnit-I tried all day to change her mind and then I just wound up telling her to go to hell. Hell I called her a 'nazi dyke' so I don't think she's gonna be too sympathetic about my situation."

"But you DO have a serious situation Dave-you have a kid. A child-if you put it that way to weaver maybe…"

"I DID-I told her. She fired me anyway -the spineless satanic…."

"Was that before or AFTER you called her a 'nazi dyke'?"

The two men chuckled lightly as the tension eased a little.

"Seriously Dave, all jokes and name calling aside, I think this is fixable. If there's one thing I've learned in life it's that people are more understanding than you might think."

"Whatever." Sighed Dave not really believing it.

Carter looked at his watch.

"Look Dave-it's late and it's still raining-you're probably exhausted-so why don't you crash here tonight? Maid service and a guest room three times the size of the doctor's lounge ain't too shabby!!????? " laughed Carter nervously.

Dave paused for a moment and then conceded.

"Yeah-thanks man, that'd be nice."

Carter showed Dave to his room which was even bigger than he'd described. It had an en suite bathroom which alone looked bigger than Dave's apartment. Carter left Dave alone to take a long hot soak-after instructing the maid to bring Dave something to eat in a little while.

Carter sat alone in the downstairs living room. His mind raced-and then he got up purposefully making his way towards the door. He had to talk to Weaver. Now.

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Carter sped off in his car towards the hospital. If his calculations were correct Weaver was still on for another hour at the hospital. He would go and talk some sense into her.
For crying out loud –she can't fire Dave. Fair enough-Carter laughed about Dave's 'cow boy' antics –but deep inside he saw a little of himself in Dave. He remembered how he himself used to drive Anspaugh crazy when he was a surgical intern . Hell- Dr Hicks had gone so far as to sternly tell him how he was not 'a law unto himself'. But all he had been doing was trying to help. For the most part that's all Dave was doing. Trying to help. And the same with Doug Ross. Sure they 'd gotten into scrapes; but essentially they meant well. Their intentions were noble. They just wanted to help people.

Now Carter wanted to help Dave.

He pulled into the hospital car park and made his way into the ER.

"Hey Doctor Carter-you're back kinda soon, aren't ya?" remarked Randi her lazy way.

"You seen Weaver?" Carter asked.

"Yeah I think she's in the lounge."

Carter didn't even reply but stormed into the lounge to find Weaver reading a medical journal. She wasn't alone. Mark, Deb and Haleh were also in there.

Carter didn't care. He walked straight up to her and began to speak.

"Dr. Weaver what possible reason do you have for firing Dr. Malucci.?" Demanded an angry young Carter.

Weaver looked at him with a quizzical look on her face before remarking.

"What right do you have to ask me? I don't owe you an explanation…"

"I think you definitely owe an explanation both to Dave and the hospital. He filled me in on what happened today and frankly it stinks. What is he guilty of that at least 80% of the rest of the hospital isn't also guilty of? Sexual conduct on break? Making a mistake? Hell-he's done nothing that at least half of the hospital haven't already done. For crying out loud-you can't fire somebody just because you don't like them…"

"Dr CARTER YOU ARE OUT OF LINE…."

"NO DR. WEAVER- YOU ARE THE ONE OUTTA LINE. You know what the most pathetic thing in all of this is? You had the audacity to condemn Romano when he wanted Legaspi out, but yet you do the same thing to Dave. You openly accuse Dave of being self righteous-but then what is this if not totally self-righteous? "

"Dr Carter I AM WARNING YOU…"

At that moment the door flew open and in stormed a very angry Dr Romano-shouting:

"KERRY WEAVER WHAT THE HELL WERE DOING FIRING THAT MALTUCCI OR MALGOOFY WHATVER HIS NAME IS? I JUST RECEIVED A OHINE CALL FROM HIM STATING IF YOU DON'T REHIRE HIM HE'S GOINGTO THE CHICAGO TIMES WITH A KILLER STORY. ALL ABOUT HOW AN ATTENDING PINNED THE BLAME ON RESIDENTS FOR A PATIENT DEATH-A DEATH WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE ATTENDING JUST ANSWERED THEIR DAMN PAGE!!!!! You want somebody to take some responsibility? Try practising what you preach, you spineless, self centred pathetic excuse for a doctor. " said Dr Romano-the anger in his voice evident of all those in the room.

Weaver went white as a ghost with rage and fear. The other s in the room looked on in shock.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said quietly.

"Oh-oh you don't know?" said Romano with mock sympathy. "You lost your pager moron-and what did you tell me? 'I can't be everywhere at once?' What the hell type of excuse is that? You could have saved that man but you irresponsibly lost your pager-at least that's what a certain waitress at doc magoos confirmed. Had anyone else done that you'd have had them crucified. Try swallowing some of your own medicine. Now Rehire Malucci before we have a wrongful termination suit on our hands, or before you lose YOUR job. Whichever comes first."

With that Romano turned and stomped back upstairs to surgery.

Carter, Mark, Deb and Haleh all looked at each other as Weaver stood in silence.

"Well." Said Haleh. "What happens now?"

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PLEASE R&R.
TO BE CONTINUED.