Title: Comforting Thoughts
Rating: PG
Spoilers: No
Disclaimer: I don't own nothing.
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Carter walked out of the Lounge, yawning. Abby turned to see him and smiled. She walked up behind him.
"You off soon?" she asked, laughing when he jumped.
He turned and chuckled. "Yeah, I'm off in a couple of hours. Are you?"
"I'm not as lucky. I've got five freakin' hours left, the ER's dead, and I don't know what the hell to do."
Carter laughed at Abby's mini rant. "Yeah, well, I'm sure we'll get some traumas soon."
"I'm still worried about Dave," Abby said, suddenly.
Carter paused. "Yeah, me too," he replied.
"I mean, he just left…and without a coat, too, I mean, he could freeze to death," Abby babbled.
"Abby, I'm sure he'll be fine," Carter said, trying to calm her down.
She took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm sure he will. Sorry about that."
"We all have to let it out sometime," Carter said.
They reached the admit desk and leaned against the counter-top.
"You know, I can come back when your shift's over and we can grab that coffee and pie," Carter offered.
Abby looked at him, a smile creeping across her face. "You'd do that?"
"Yeah, sure I would. I have to make it up to you for blowing you off last time anyway."
She now smiled broadly. "Thanks, I'd like that."
Carter gave her a small nod and a smile. There was a moment of silence between them. Suddenly, the doors to the ER opened and a very messy Dave came stumbling in. Abby and Carter's eyes widened at the sight of their friend and co-worker, who, as he came closer, appeared to have a bluish and pale tint to his normally tanned skin. He also sported a new black eye.
"Oh, no, Dave, what the hell happened to you?" Abby exclaimed, rushing to him. Carter followed suit. Dave looked from Abby to Carter. He shivered.
"I…I for…forgot m-my ja…jacket," he stuttered, barely being able to get the words out of his frozen lips.
"Yeah, no kidding," Carter said. He rushed back over to the admit desk. "Randi, what's open?"
She looked up at him from her magazine and turned her head to look at the board. "Ummm…Curtain three and Exam four," she replied.
"Okay, thanks," he said, already rushing back to Dave and Abby. "Let's get him to Exam four, shall we," he told her, as he helped her walk Dave to the room.
"Haleh," Abby called to the nearest person, "can we can some blankets in Exam four, please?"
Haleh nodded and walked away to find some. Carter and Abby reached the room and lay Dave down on one of the beds. Haleh walked into the room, blankets in hand, along with a new chart.
"Dave?" she asked, confused.
"Hey, Haleh," Dave called to her, "any pretty girls outside?"
Abby rolled her eyes. He may have been disoriented, but his mind certainly hadn't traveled that far. She took the blankets from Haleh and put them on Dave. Haleh shook her head and walked out of the room.
"So, Dave, how far did you get before realizing you left without your coat?" Carter asked.
"I…I don't remember," Dave replied, as he felt his body warming up a little.
Carter and Abby exchanged a quick glance. "And what happened to your eye?"
"Uh…these…these guys…" Dave started.
"Are they the ones that hurt you?" Abby asked.
Dave slowly nodded. "I…I was walking…empty street…buh…baseball bat…took my wallet…"
Carter's mouth fell slightly agape. "Baseball bat?" he asked, looking back at Abby, who shrugged.
"Yeah…yeah, they…they were hitting me…I don't really remember…" Dave replied.
"Dave, Dave, don't worry, it's okay," Abby comforted.
Dave tried to sit up, but winced. He fell back onto the bed. Carter noticed this and furrowed his brow.
"Dave, can you lift your shirt up, please?" he asked.
He nodded, moved the blankets, and lifted his shirt. Carter lifted his eyebrows in surprise at the number of fresh bruises.
"You don't remember any of this?" Abby asked, as Carter quickly got up to check for broken ribs.
Dave shook his head. "Not really…I…I don't know why…I should…I remember the bat and the guys…I don't know…I guess I blacked out…OW! I know I woke up in…in an alley…OW!" he said, yelping in pain when Carter reached the tender areas of his stomach.
"Sorry," Carter said.
"Nobody saw you?" Abby asked.
"I guess not…either…either that or…OW! Or they juh…just chose not to ack…acknowledge me…"
Abby looked up at Carter. "Are there any broken ribs?"
Carter sighed and nodded. "There are three."
Abby shook her head. "Damn," she said under her breath.
"Dr. Carter, they need you for an MVA out here," Chuny said, running in. "Dave?"
Dave waved. Carter ignored their little exchange. "What is it?" he asked, walking out.
"Two white men in their early thirties, hit by a car when they ran out into the street," a paramedic informed him before Chuny could speak.
"Can I help, Dr. Carter?" Michael Gallant asked, running with the gurney toward Trauma 1.
"Uh, sure, Gallant," Carter said to the young hopeful.
"Are you in a lot of pain, Dave?" Abby asked.
"I can take it," Dave assured.
Abby narrowed her eyes. "Are you still cold?"
"I'm warmer. Don't worry about me, Abby," Dave told her.
"Come on, Dave, tell the truth," Abby snapped.
He looked at her in surprise and she closed her eyes for a moment.
"Dave, I'm sorry. It's just…I'm worried about you. I mean, you just lost your brother…"
He winced when she said that. "Abby, look, I'll be fine. It's just a few broken ribs."
Abby smiled inwardly at the strong will and stubbornness of her friend.
"Well, Malucci, if you change your mind and the pain gets worse, don't hesitate to ask for any pain medication, okay?"
Dave nodded, smiling. "Yes, nurse," he replied.
Abby shot him a threatening glare before laughing. "I'll be back to check on you later."
"Be sure to bring me back some pizza," Dave called before she walked out of the room. She turned and rolled her eyes at him. She walked out of the room and looked around the ER. She sighed and walked into the Lounge for some coffee.
"Dr. Carter, he's in V-Fib," Gallant called out.
"Okay, let's get the paddles. Gallant, have you ever shocked a patient before?"
Gallant gave a quick nod. "Once or twice."
"Good, I'll let you take this then. Charge to 100," he ordered, handing the paddles to the young med student. He took them and positioned them over the man's chest.
"Okay, one, two, three…clear!" he called, shocking the man.
"No change," Chuny called.
"Again, charge to 150," Carter said.
"One, two, three…clear!" Gallant called.
"Still no change," Chuny said again.
"Charge to 200," Carter said, starting to become jumpy.
"One, two, three…clear!" Gallant yelled.
"No change…he's in asystole, doctors," Chuny informed them.
Carter sighed. He looked at the clock. "Time of death, 1:23."
He looked at Gallant, who stood rooted to the spot, paddles still in hand. Carter took of his gloves and walked over to him. He touched Gallant's shoulder.
"Gallant?" he said, softly.
Michael jumped and looked at him. He dropped the paddles. "I'm sorry, Dr. Carter, I didn't mean to freeze like that." he tried to explain.
"Hey, it's okay. Was this the first person you've seen die?"
Michael nodded. Carter nodded in understanding. "I had the same reaction."
"You did?"
Carter nodded again. "It's always hard, man, and it'll never get easy."
Gallant nodded slowly. He looked at the floor. "Hey, the guy dropped his wallet." He bent down and picked up the wallet, opening it to look for ID. His eyes widened.
Carter looked at him oddly. "What is it?"
Gallant looked up at Carter and turned the wallet, showing the driver's license. It was Dave's.
"Oh, crap."
Rating: PG
Spoilers: No
Disclaimer: I don't own nothing.
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Carter walked out of the Lounge, yawning. Abby turned to see him and smiled. She walked up behind him.
"You off soon?" she asked, laughing when he jumped.
He turned and chuckled. "Yeah, I'm off in a couple of hours. Are you?"
"I'm not as lucky. I've got five freakin' hours left, the ER's dead, and I don't know what the hell to do."
Carter laughed at Abby's mini rant. "Yeah, well, I'm sure we'll get some traumas soon."
"I'm still worried about Dave," Abby said, suddenly.
Carter paused. "Yeah, me too," he replied.
"I mean, he just left…and without a coat, too, I mean, he could freeze to death," Abby babbled.
"Abby, I'm sure he'll be fine," Carter said, trying to calm her down.
She took a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm sure he will. Sorry about that."
"We all have to let it out sometime," Carter said.
They reached the admit desk and leaned against the counter-top.
"You know, I can come back when your shift's over and we can grab that coffee and pie," Carter offered.
Abby looked at him, a smile creeping across her face. "You'd do that?"
"Yeah, sure I would. I have to make it up to you for blowing you off last time anyway."
She now smiled broadly. "Thanks, I'd like that."
Carter gave her a small nod and a smile. There was a moment of silence between them. Suddenly, the doors to the ER opened and a very messy Dave came stumbling in. Abby and Carter's eyes widened at the sight of their friend and co-worker, who, as he came closer, appeared to have a bluish and pale tint to his normally tanned skin. He also sported a new black eye.
"Oh, no, Dave, what the hell happened to you?" Abby exclaimed, rushing to him. Carter followed suit. Dave looked from Abby to Carter. He shivered.
"I…I for…forgot m-my ja…jacket," he stuttered, barely being able to get the words out of his frozen lips.
"Yeah, no kidding," Carter said. He rushed back over to the admit desk. "Randi, what's open?"
She looked up at him from her magazine and turned her head to look at the board. "Ummm…Curtain three and Exam four," she replied.
"Okay, thanks," he said, already rushing back to Dave and Abby. "Let's get him to Exam four, shall we," he told her, as he helped her walk Dave to the room.
"Haleh," Abby called to the nearest person, "can we can some blankets in Exam four, please?"
Haleh nodded and walked away to find some. Carter and Abby reached the room and lay Dave down on one of the beds. Haleh walked into the room, blankets in hand, along with a new chart.
"Dave?" she asked, confused.
"Hey, Haleh," Dave called to her, "any pretty girls outside?"
Abby rolled her eyes. He may have been disoriented, but his mind certainly hadn't traveled that far. She took the blankets from Haleh and put them on Dave. Haleh shook her head and walked out of the room.
"So, Dave, how far did you get before realizing you left without your coat?" Carter asked.
"I…I don't remember," Dave replied, as he felt his body warming up a little.
Carter and Abby exchanged a quick glance. "And what happened to your eye?"
"Uh…these…these guys…" Dave started.
"Are they the ones that hurt you?" Abby asked.
Dave slowly nodded. "I…I was walking…empty street…buh…baseball bat…took my wallet…"
Carter's mouth fell slightly agape. "Baseball bat?" he asked, looking back at Abby, who shrugged.
"Yeah…yeah, they…they were hitting me…I don't really remember…" Dave replied.
"Dave, Dave, don't worry, it's okay," Abby comforted.
Dave tried to sit up, but winced. He fell back onto the bed. Carter noticed this and furrowed his brow.
"Dave, can you lift your shirt up, please?" he asked.
He nodded, moved the blankets, and lifted his shirt. Carter lifted his eyebrows in surprise at the number of fresh bruises.
"You don't remember any of this?" Abby asked, as Carter quickly got up to check for broken ribs.
Dave shook his head. "Not really…I…I don't know why…I should…I remember the bat and the guys…I don't know…I guess I blacked out…OW! I know I woke up in…in an alley…OW!" he said, yelping in pain when Carter reached the tender areas of his stomach.
"Sorry," Carter said.
"Nobody saw you?" Abby asked.
"I guess not…either…either that or…OW! Or they juh…just chose not to ack…acknowledge me…"
Abby looked up at Carter. "Are there any broken ribs?"
Carter sighed and nodded. "There are three."
Abby shook her head. "Damn," she said under her breath.
"Dr. Carter, they need you for an MVA out here," Chuny said, running in. "Dave?"
Dave waved. Carter ignored their little exchange. "What is it?" he asked, walking out.
"Two white men in their early thirties, hit by a car when they ran out into the street," a paramedic informed him before Chuny could speak.
"Can I help, Dr. Carter?" Michael Gallant asked, running with the gurney toward Trauma 1.
"Uh, sure, Gallant," Carter said to the young hopeful.
"Are you in a lot of pain, Dave?" Abby asked.
"I can take it," Dave assured.
Abby narrowed her eyes. "Are you still cold?"
"I'm warmer. Don't worry about me, Abby," Dave told her.
"Come on, Dave, tell the truth," Abby snapped.
He looked at her in surprise and she closed her eyes for a moment.
"Dave, I'm sorry. It's just…I'm worried about you. I mean, you just lost your brother…"
He winced when she said that. "Abby, look, I'll be fine. It's just a few broken ribs."
Abby smiled inwardly at the strong will and stubbornness of her friend.
"Well, Malucci, if you change your mind and the pain gets worse, don't hesitate to ask for any pain medication, okay?"
Dave nodded, smiling. "Yes, nurse," he replied.
Abby shot him a threatening glare before laughing. "I'll be back to check on you later."
"Be sure to bring me back some pizza," Dave called before she walked out of the room. She turned and rolled her eyes at him. She walked out of the room and looked around the ER. She sighed and walked into the Lounge for some coffee.
"Dr. Carter, he's in V-Fib," Gallant called out.
"Okay, let's get the paddles. Gallant, have you ever shocked a patient before?"
Gallant gave a quick nod. "Once or twice."
"Good, I'll let you take this then. Charge to 100," he ordered, handing the paddles to the young med student. He took them and positioned them over the man's chest.
"Okay, one, two, three…clear!" he called, shocking the man.
"No change," Chuny called.
"Again, charge to 150," Carter said.
"One, two, three…clear!" Gallant called.
"Still no change," Chuny said again.
"Charge to 200," Carter said, starting to become jumpy.
"One, two, three…clear!" Gallant yelled.
"No change…he's in asystole, doctors," Chuny informed them.
Carter sighed. He looked at the clock. "Time of death, 1:23."
He looked at Gallant, who stood rooted to the spot, paddles still in hand. Carter took of his gloves and walked over to him. He touched Gallant's shoulder.
"Gallant?" he said, softly.
Michael jumped and looked at him. He dropped the paddles. "I'm sorry, Dr. Carter, I didn't mean to freeze like that." he tried to explain.
"Hey, it's okay. Was this the first person you've seen die?"
Michael nodded. Carter nodded in understanding. "I had the same reaction."
"You did?"
Carter nodded again. "It's always hard, man, and it'll never get easy."
Gallant nodded slowly. He looked at the floor. "Hey, the guy dropped his wallet." He bent down and picked up the wallet, opening it to look for ID. His eyes widened.
Carter looked at him oddly. "What is it?"
Gallant looked up at Carter and turned the wallet, showing the driver's license. It was Dave's.
"Oh, crap."