Part 2b
"You son of a bitch," she hissed, barely controlled anger resonating through each word. At her words, the three observers turned to them almost in unison, and Carter exited a suture room and removed his gloves, depositing them before halting in the middle of the hall, watching as Kerry's head snapped up and she glared at the man with all she had in her. "You son of a bitch!" she repeated, her voice raising in volume and pitch, but still quiet enough not to attract any more attention. She began to shake her head almost violently. "No. I'm not, no," and she thrust the papers back at him, turning away, but he reached forward and grabbed her elbow more gently than he had two days before.
"Kerry, it's a good deal, the best you're going to get. I'm not paying… I won't give up…" he seemed to stumble over his words, and she turned back to him, "I can't be responsible for this. I won't be. I don't want this… this…it." He waved the papers in the air, and she looked into his face as if seeing him for the first time.
Her eyes flitted to the desk and she sighted a pen, taking it into her hand. Closing her eyes for a moment, she sighed, uncertain of what she was about to do. "Where do I…?"
He sighed, visibly relieved. "Here…" he waited for her to finish, "and here, and here." On the last line, she hesitated for a few more seconds.
"What have I done?" she thought to herself, but laid the pen back on the counter, took one look at him over her shoulder as he folded the legal documents and placed them back in his briefcase. "You're the bastard, Ellis," and she turned and crutched away, leaving the four witnesses to stare at him as he watched her go, an almost remorseful look on his face.
Carter cut him off a few seconds later as he neared the exit and whispered to him beneath his breath, "You've got what you wanted, West, I hope you're happy. You've just destroyed her, you know that? Now stay the hell away from her!" and he stormed away towards the lounge and Kerry.
She ignored Carol and Doug as she entered, and walked straight to the table and sat across from Jeanne, leaning her head on her hand and her crutch against the table as she turned to look out the window. "My God," she thought, "What have I done?" For the legal documents she'd held in her hands moments before had been headed with the line Renunciation of Antenatal Paternal Rights. "I'm sorry," she whispered beneath her breath again, and this time Jeanne didn't catch it.
Carol and Doug watched she and Jeanne curiously for a moment, then returned to their own conversation before Carter entered. He caught sight of the two women and moved to take the other seat, asking before he could stop himself, "Are you okay?" And she nodded before she could think about any other answer, and he shook his head at her and sighed, "Liar."
"I…" she sighed, then looked at him, really looked at him, and he reached for her and pulled her to him in an at-first-stiff hug, as she fought back more tears. He knew, she realized then, what she'd done, what the papers she'd signed were and that she'd signed away any chance of having a normal family her child would have. And he didn't blame her or hate her. He'd meant what he'd said, he believed that she could do it without Ellis West, and that faith made her lower lip tremble and her hands move to his shoulders, accepting the embrace. He didn't blame her, and he didn't hate her.
All movement and conversation in the room ceased then, and she turned her head into his shoulder, unable to stifle the tears that followed her gasp. "What have I done?" Kerry asked, her voice more a cry than anything else. "Oh God, what have I done?"
Jeanne moved forward and patted her friend's back, unsure what was going on as Carter moved his chair closer to hold her more tightly. Carol and Doug exchanged glances, curious and concerned and Doug's slightly angry and protective – something he never expected to feel in conjunction with a certain redhead he more than obviously disliked. Sighing, he admitted to himself that even she was human.
"The right thing," Carter replied, "The best thing for you both. You did the right thing."
"Doesn't feel like it," she whispered, and the waterworks seemed to cut off of their own accord as she regained some of her composure, and Jeanne handed her a tissue, ever the patient friend.
"What's wrong, Kerry?" she asked, this time determined to get answers out of her friend. She was surprised a moment later as Kerry began to speak without urging.
"I just signed papers agreeing that Ellis had no paternal rights to his own child," Kerry sighed, and glanced at Carter from the corner of her eye. She could hear Carol gasp from the couch, and Jeanne reached forward and dried her tears, clasping one hand in her own.
"You're pregnant?"
Kerry nodded, calm and rational, moreso than she'd been in days, "It was an accident, but he was angry, and told me to get rid of it."
"You're going to keep it?" Doug interjected himself into the conversation.
"Yeah," she whispered, the tiniest of smiles on her face as Carter's hand moved to her shoulder and Jeanne held her other hand. "I am." After a pause, she glanced at Carter, "We're gonna be okay."
"Yes, you are," he whispered back, and grinned at her next words.
"Okay, Carol. Let the rumor mill have it," she paused, lips quirking up into a grin, "And let me know which book Jerry's running, I might want to place a bet or two myself."
And when Jeanne began to laugh, so did the other two, and Doug and Carol soon joined in, then moved to the table to ask for details with curiosity they normally weren't allowed to display around their Dr. Weaver. Ten weeks, she'd told them, the morning sickness wasn't terribly bad, though Carter certainly disagreed; yes, she'd gone to Mercy and yes, she was taking her vitamins. Things were fine, the amniocentesis would be in five weeks, the first sonogram in two. She was going to be okay, and Jeanne was going to be an Aunt. Kerry glanced at Carter, who looked at her and then grinned at Jeanne before announcing to them, with a grin on his face and a proud look in his eyes, that he was going to be an Uncle.
And she'd laughed, forgetting Ellis West and her child's lack of a father, her crutch and the difficulties that would come as the pain was already worsening, for a moment, she'd been more sure of herself and of them, and she glowed. Though it had always seemed to be just an old wives' tale, Jeanne grinned wider and told her, "I'm so happy for you, Kerry. You're absolutely radiant."
Then Carol added, "Forget that idiot of a pharmaceutical rep," she grinned devilishly, "You've got friends!" And Doug nodded.
"Oh that makes me feel so much better," her voice was sarcastic but her words sincere, and she laughed to herself, wondering at Doug's sudden generosity before she remembered that he'd always loved babies and children of all kinds, and that once upon a time during a residency years ago, they'd been friends.
"Hey, I'm good with babies!" Carol argued wistfully, remembering the support Kerry'd shown in the months past and the mistakes she'd offered to cover up. What goes around comes around, she figured.
Kerry smiled then, allowing a hand to glide down protectively to her stomach, and the room was quiet as they all absorbed the new information.
It struck Carter strongest then, that their Dr. Weaver was gone forever, and in her place was someone he was already beginning to fall in love with all over again. "You should rest," he informed her, and she rolled her eyes at his protectiveness even though she was flattered and slightly appreciative.
"Yes, you should," Jeanne added, "And I know Exam Four is empty, so we should escort you down there and then order some food for dinner."
"No, you mean you should drop me off, lock me in, order food, and start placing your bets," she corrected.
"That too," Doug grinned, and Carter stood up, handed her her crutch as was becoming his custom, and pushed her toward the door. "Girl or a boy?" Doug pondered aloud, "Let's go talk to Jerry," and he and Carol exited the room, leaving Jeanne to sit alone at the small table.
"Oh, Kerry," she sighed, "when are you going to see what's right in front of you?" the PA shook her head, the real betting pool that had been causing a stir was going to be rocked by this one. Though it wasn't Carter's child by DNA, Jeanne had a feeling this was the push that both the resident and attending needed. So she stood to her feet and hurried from the lounge to change the date she'd placed her bet on before someone else got there first.
"You son of a bitch," she hissed, barely controlled anger resonating through each word. At her words, the three observers turned to them almost in unison, and Carter exited a suture room and removed his gloves, depositing them before halting in the middle of the hall, watching as Kerry's head snapped up and she glared at the man with all she had in her. "You son of a bitch!" she repeated, her voice raising in volume and pitch, but still quiet enough not to attract any more attention. She began to shake her head almost violently. "No. I'm not, no," and she thrust the papers back at him, turning away, but he reached forward and grabbed her elbow more gently than he had two days before.
"Kerry, it's a good deal, the best you're going to get. I'm not paying… I won't give up…" he seemed to stumble over his words, and she turned back to him, "I can't be responsible for this. I won't be. I don't want this… this…it." He waved the papers in the air, and she looked into his face as if seeing him for the first time.
Her eyes flitted to the desk and she sighted a pen, taking it into her hand. Closing her eyes for a moment, she sighed, uncertain of what she was about to do. "Where do I…?"
He sighed, visibly relieved. "Here…" he waited for her to finish, "and here, and here." On the last line, she hesitated for a few more seconds.
"What have I done?" she thought to herself, but laid the pen back on the counter, took one look at him over her shoulder as he folded the legal documents and placed them back in his briefcase. "You're the bastard, Ellis," and she turned and crutched away, leaving the four witnesses to stare at him as he watched her go, an almost remorseful look on his face.
Carter cut him off a few seconds later as he neared the exit and whispered to him beneath his breath, "You've got what you wanted, West, I hope you're happy. You've just destroyed her, you know that? Now stay the hell away from her!" and he stormed away towards the lounge and Kerry.
She ignored Carol and Doug as she entered, and walked straight to the table and sat across from Jeanne, leaning her head on her hand and her crutch against the table as she turned to look out the window. "My God," she thought, "What have I done?" For the legal documents she'd held in her hands moments before had been headed with the line Renunciation of Antenatal Paternal Rights. "I'm sorry," she whispered beneath her breath again, and this time Jeanne didn't catch it.
Carol and Doug watched she and Jeanne curiously for a moment, then returned to their own conversation before Carter entered. He caught sight of the two women and moved to take the other seat, asking before he could stop himself, "Are you okay?" And she nodded before she could think about any other answer, and he shook his head at her and sighed, "Liar."
"I…" she sighed, then looked at him, really looked at him, and he reached for her and pulled her to him in an at-first-stiff hug, as she fought back more tears. He knew, she realized then, what she'd done, what the papers she'd signed were and that she'd signed away any chance of having a normal family her child would have. And he didn't blame her or hate her. He'd meant what he'd said, he believed that she could do it without Ellis West, and that faith made her lower lip tremble and her hands move to his shoulders, accepting the embrace. He didn't blame her, and he didn't hate her.
All movement and conversation in the room ceased then, and she turned her head into his shoulder, unable to stifle the tears that followed her gasp. "What have I done?" Kerry asked, her voice more a cry than anything else. "Oh God, what have I done?"
Jeanne moved forward and patted her friend's back, unsure what was going on as Carter moved his chair closer to hold her more tightly. Carol and Doug exchanged glances, curious and concerned and Doug's slightly angry and protective – something he never expected to feel in conjunction with a certain redhead he more than obviously disliked. Sighing, he admitted to himself that even she was human.
"The right thing," Carter replied, "The best thing for you both. You did the right thing."
"Doesn't feel like it," she whispered, and the waterworks seemed to cut off of their own accord as she regained some of her composure, and Jeanne handed her a tissue, ever the patient friend.
"What's wrong, Kerry?" she asked, this time determined to get answers out of her friend. She was surprised a moment later as Kerry began to speak without urging.
"I just signed papers agreeing that Ellis had no paternal rights to his own child," Kerry sighed, and glanced at Carter from the corner of her eye. She could hear Carol gasp from the couch, and Jeanne reached forward and dried her tears, clasping one hand in her own.
"You're pregnant?"
Kerry nodded, calm and rational, moreso than she'd been in days, "It was an accident, but he was angry, and told me to get rid of it."
"You're going to keep it?" Doug interjected himself into the conversation.
"Yeah," she whispered, the tiniest of smiles on her face as Carter's hand moved to her shoulder and Jeanne held her other hand. "I am." After a pause, she glanced at Carter, "We're gonna be okay."
"Yes, you are," he whispered back, and grinned at her next words.
"Okay, Carol. Let the rumor mill have it," she paused, lips quirking up into a grin, "And let me know which book Jerry's running, I might want to place a bet or two myself."
And when Jeanne began to laugh, so did the other two, and Doug and Carol soon joined in, then moved to the table to ask for details with curiosity they normally weren't allowed to display around their Dr. Weaver. Ten weeks, she'd told them, the morning sickness wasn't terribly bad, though Carter certainly disagreed; yes, she'd gone to Mercy and yes, she was taking her vitamins. Things were fine, the amniocentesis would be in five weeks, the first sonogram in two. She was going to be okay, and Jeanne was going to be an Aunt. Kerry glanced at Carter, who looked at her and then grinned at Jeanne before announcing to them, with a grin on his face and a proud look in his eyes, that he was going to be an Uncle.
And she'd laughed, forgetting Ellis West and her child's lack of a father, her crutch and the difficulties that would come as the pain was already worsening, for a moment, she'd been more sure of herself and of them, and she glowed. Though it had always seemed to be just an old wives' tale, Jeanne grinned wider and told her, "I'm so happy for you, Kerry. You're absolutely radiant."
Then Carol added, "Forget that idiot of a pharmaceutical rep," she grinned devilishly, "You've got friends!" And Doug nodded.
"Oh that makes me feel so much better," her voice was sarcastic but her words sincere, and she laughed to herself, wondering at Doug's sudden generosity before she remembered that he'd always loved babies and children of all kinds, and that once upon a time during a residency years ago, they'd been friends.
"Hey, I'm good with babies!" Carol argued wistfully, remembering the support Kerry'd shown in the months past and the mistakes she'd offered to cover up. What goes around comes around, she figured.
Kerry smiled then, allowing a hand to glide down protectively to her stomach, and the room was quiet as they all absorbed the new information.
It struck Carter strongest then, that their Dr. Weaver was gone forever, and in her place was someone he was already beginning to fall in love with all over again. "You should rest," he informed her, and she rolled her eyes at his protectiveness even though she was flattered and slightly appreciative.
"Yes, you should," Jeanne added, "And I know Exam Four is empty, so we should escort you down there and then order some food for dinner."
"No, you mean you should drop me off, lock me in, order food, and start placing your bets," she corrected.
"That too," Doug grinned, and Carter stood up, handed her her crutch as was becoming his custom, and pushed her toward the door. "Girl or a boy?" Doug pondered aloud, "Let's go talk to Jerry," and he and Carol exited the room, leaving Jeanne to sit alone at the small table.
"Oh, Kerry," she sighed, "when are you going to see what's right in front of you?" the PA shook her head, the real betting pool that had been causing a stir was going to be rocked by this one. Though it wasn't Carter's child by DNA, Jeanne had a feeling this was the push that both the resident and attending needed. So she stood to her feet and hurried from the lounge to change the date she'd placed her bet on before someone else got there first.