Mark tried hard to block his mind of any thoughts. He was failing
miserably. All he could think about was how Elizabeth looked on the gurney
when she was rolled by him. She had looked horrible.
Blood had never bothered Mark at all, but remembering how much blood
there was around Elizabeth made him throw up. H e tried to get up, but at
the last minute, remembered Ella, who was now resting comfortably in his
arms. So Mark just leaned over and threw up on the floor.
"I should never have left Elizabeth this morning," Mark thought. Of
course, the last bit of logic he had told him that there was no way he
could have known that this was going to happen.
"It should have been me. That should be me on the gurney," Mark
realized. It had been him that Fossen was after, not his family. "I was the
one who helped Adelle put his kid in foster care," He thought, "It should
have been me,"
---------------------------------------------------------
Upstairs in the OR, Romano and Peter worked in complete silence,
except when necessary.
They had already nearly lost Elizabeth twice. The bullet was embedded
not an eighth of an inch away from her heart. So far though, Neither of the
surgeons had seen a leak where the bullet may have nicked the outer wall of
the heart. They had to be extremely careful extracting the bullet. If they
moved the metal instruments the wrong way, they could easily put a hole in
her heart.
So far, they had managed to move the bullet just a little farther
away from the heart so it might be easier to grasp. Now Romano had scarcely
more than an eighth of an inch to pull the bullet out with the metal
instrument.
It was clear that Romano was getting frustrated at having to work so
slow. It was a very tedious process.
Finally, he said, "God damn it!" and stuck his gloved hands into
Elizabeth's opened chest and extracted the bullet by hand.
Peter just looked at him for a second and looked as if he was about
to say something, but then he went about looking closely at Elizabeth's
beating heart, to make sure that there was no hole. As far as he could
tell, Elizabeth had been extremely lucky.
Romano was doing the same thing that Peter was. Even the nurses were
looking, even though it wasn't their job to do so.
Normally Romano would have objected, but today, he did not.
After over forty-five minutes of checking for nicks, satisfied,
Romano and Peter sewed Elizabeth's chest back up.
________________________________________________________________
The ER was in total chaos. There wasn't enough room for all the
patients, and the ones that weren't shot were complaining as loudly as they
could. Even Randi, who never really had much more to do than make a phone
call and answer the incoming calls was being bombarded with patients who
thought she was a nurse.
The trauma rooms were being used, and any where that there was room
to treat a critical patient was full. Nurses were running around
frantically and doctors were yelling orders.
Finally, after nearly two hours of traumas, the ER was left with four
patients pronounced dead, one in a coma that he was unlikely to come out
of, and one in surgery. The doctors now had to deal with the "walking
wounded."
Dr. Weaver was tending to a guy who had tripped while seeking cover
from the shots. She finally noticed that Mark was missing, and that all the
doctors and nurses were within her sight.
"Hey!" Kerry called across the ER, "who's with Mark?"
Luka and Cleo exchanged glances and left the patients they were
treating and ran to the room they had left Mark and Ella in, expecting
something to be terribly wrong.
They stamped into the room and found everything the way they had left
it.
Mark looked up from Ella. Seeing that it was Cleo and Luka, he went
back to looking at Ella.
"Dr.Greene, are you okay?" Luka asked.
"I've been better," Mark responded.
"Umm. trauma's over." Cleo said. She started to walk over to Mark.
Luka looked where Cleo was walking and said, "Watch out."
Cleo looked down and saw a puddle of vomit, "Dr.Greene, are you okay?
Did you throw up?"
Mark didn't take his eyes off Ella, but just said, "Yeah. I'm fine,"
"Do you want some aspirin or something. I'm sure you could use it,"
Luka said, knowing the feeling all to well.
Mark looked as it he was going to say no, but then said, "Actually,
that would be nice,"
"Okay then, I'll. go find some; I guess." Cleo backed out of the
room. The silence was really getting to her.
She walked into the hall, and went to the lounge. She kept a bottle
of Advil in her locker for those days where there was just to much stress.
She opened the bottle and poured a pile of pills into her hand, and
put all but four back into the jar. She walked to the sink, and got a
mouthful of water, and took two of the pills herself.
She was just swallowing when she was interrupted by a voice,
"Aspirin. God's greatest gift. I think I'll dig into my stash."
Cleo turned around to find Abby behind her, "Oh. Yeah. Hi." Cleo
acknowledged the nurse, "Have the police caught that guy yet?" Cleo asked.
"Nope. Another two people came in. He took hijacked their car."
They're find though one just had a mild concussion, and the other had been
shot in the upper arm. He's still waiting for someone to take the bullet
out."
Cleo sighed, "How many people are going to have to die before they
catch this guy? Come on, it can't be that hard,"
"I don't know," Abby said, "All I know is that we need a lot more
people."
"Well, I gotta go," Cleo said, "Dr.Greene needs some aspirin."
"How's he doing? I hope he's doing okay." Abby said.
"So far, he hasn't done much. He's talking some." Cleo said, as she
walked out the door.
-------------------------------------------------
Dave finished stitching a man's arm up. The man was jabbering on
about how he almost got shot by some lunatic on the street. Dave didn't
stay to listen. He simply got up and filled out a discharge sheet. Then he
finally went off in search of Lydia.
He found her in the lounge, getting ready to go.
"Lydia, Glad I caught you. You need to bring some identification to
the airport. Remember, Rachel gets in at gate C17 at 11:00, okay?" Dave
reminded her.
"Yes, I remember. Now, I have to go before I get pulled into another
trauma." Lydia said, leaving.
She left, leaving Dave in the lounge, in the ER, where all chaos was.
Just then, Kerry walked in with Luka. Apparently, they were in the middle of a conversation. ".How did she go into a coma? My god, you were sewing her up! How did we all miss internal bleeding?" Kerry asked, disbelieving. Romano and Peter followed in behind Kerry. "It didn't show up on any of the abdominal scans. We don't know how it happened. When we looked at her stomach. some big bruises had shown up. Since we were working on the heart, no one thought to check the abdomen area," Peter said slowly, choosing his words carefully. Kerry looked from one man to the other, expecting an explanation. Dave, who had gone unnoticed by the three other doctors in the lounge, cleared his throat, and said, "So. how did she get the bruises?" Kerry jumped, startled, at the voice. She almost lost her cane, but quickly got it back. She was about ready to turn around to yell at Dave, but Romano stopped her. He was about to say something, but then at the last minute, looked at Peter awkwardly. Peter took a breathe and said, "The goddamn maniac.he." Peter couldn't say it. This is what he said about his patients to their families. Not about one of his best friends. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he blinked them back, because he refused to cry in front of his co-workers, especially Romano. Romano couldn't take it, "He beat her.that's all there is too it. He beat her and then shot her. Elizabeth." Romano now wanted to cry. Going against common belief, he actually did care about things other than his dog. He too, though, was to proud to cry in front of his co-workers. Kerry didn't want to cry. She was in shock. She was still a little bit in denial about all of this happening in the first place. This was just too much to absorb in one day. Dave just said, "Oh my God. I'm gonna kill him, if I get the chance,"
Kerry looked up and turned around. Dave could see that tears were now streaking down her face, "I think we all feel that way," She said. There was a horrible silence that followed. _____________________________________________________________________ After a while, and after everyone had sat down to think, Peter said, "Who's gonna tell Mark?" At that, all eyes looked at each other. No one wanted to be the bringer of bad news. Finally, when Romano couldn't put up with the silence, and the images that filled his mind, he stood up and said, "I'll do it," ____________________________________________ Lydia craned her neck to find Rachel. She hadn't seen her in years, so she had no idea as to what she looked like. She was just looking for a girl getting off the plane from St.Louis. Finally, a girl that strongly resembled the young Rachel that Lydia remembered, got off the plane. Lydia hurried to meet her, "Rachel? Rachel Greene?" Lydia asked the girl. "Yeah," Rachel replied, "It's me," A stewardess came up behind Rachel and asked Lydia, "Are you Lydia Write?" Lydia nodded and took out her driver's license and showed it to the stewardess. The woman looked at it for a moment, and then satisfied, gave it back to Lydia. Lydia and Rachel stood awkward for a moment and then Rachel said, "I want to go see my dad, and Elizabeth." Lydia nodded, and said, "Do you have any bags to pick up?" Rachel said "No. Didn't have time to pack. My mom gave me a blank check just in case I stay long enough that I need clothes. She gave me money to pick up a toothbrush and stuff." Lydia nodded, "Save your mom's money. The hospital has all that stuff. Come on let's go." Lydia picked up a fast pace through the airport, but soon found herself running to catch up with Rachel. Rachel ran out the automatic door, and was about to cross the busy airport drive, when Lydia caught up with her, "Slow down honey," In response, Rachel kept running. Seeing that nothing would slow Rachel, Lydia yelled, "Mine's the third to the left on the second level!" and then sprinted across the road to catch Rachel. ----------------------------------------------------- Robert Romano walked slowly towards the exam room where Mark was waiting with Ella. He walked as slow as possible. Romano never dreaded any moment in his life as much as the one that was about to come. Romano never had a problem telling a patient's family that the patient was dead or brain dead or something. He never stayed to listen to them cry; he always let a nurse console them. Then, he would forget those people and move on to the next patient. Mark, though, was different. Romano knew he couldn't leave. Not because he would be disapproved of, but because he knew that the second he shut the door, he'd feel guilty if he didn't stay. Soon enough, the door was upon him. Romano took a deep breath, and opened the door. Cleo and Luka looked up to see who it was. Seeing it was Romano, they knew what was coming. "Would you excuse us Dr.Finch, Doctor." Romano drew a blank on Luka's name. Instead of finishing for Romano, Luka just followed Cleo out the door. Romano studied Mark for a minute. Mark was still watching Ella. Romano could see the hurt and tears in Mark's eyes. Romano cleared his throat. When Mark didn't look up, he said, "Dr. Greene" Mark just nodded to show he was listening. Romano bit his lip. He didn't know how to tell Mark about Elizabeth. He didn't even know how to accept it himself. So, Romano just began. "Elizabeth. Elizabeth made it through the surgery. umm. but." Romano looked at Mark. Mark had now looked up, expectantly, bracing himself for what was to come. His eyes showed love, hate, sadness; but what Romano saw was fear. ".Elizabeth. she. she went into a coma." There. He had said it. Romano didn't want to look at Mark; he didn't want to see the reaction.; but Romano made himself look. Somehow, he had to. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw though. Mark was crying. The only person he had ever cried in front of was Elizabeth, when his dad had died. Ella was starting to slip from his grasp, but he was to distracted to notice. Romano noticed though, and gently took Ella out of Mark's arms. Romano hadn't known what to expect. He didn't think Mark would cry though. Mark just didn't seem like that kind of man to Romano. Mark's eyes were filled with pure fear now. Fear of losing Elizabeth. Fear of losing everything he loved. Pure Fear. Romano had to look away. He couldn't take it any more. He looked down at the baby in his arms, and saw the most innocent thing he had ever seen in his life. Ella was sleeping restlessly. It must have been a very troubled sleep. If Romano remembered correctly, Ella was scarcely a month old. A month old, and the possibility of losing her mother.
Just then, Kerry walked in with Luka. Apparently, they were in the middle of a conversation. ".How did she go into a coma? My god, you were sewing her up! How did we all miss internal bleeding?" Kerry asked, disbelieving. Romano and Peter followed in behind Kerry. "It didn't show up on any of the abdominal scans. We don't know how it happened. When we looked at her stomach. some big bruises had shown up. Since we were working on the heart, no one thought to check the abdomen area," Peter said slowly, choosing his words carefully. Kerry looked from one man to the other, expecting an explanation. Dave, who had gone unnoticed by the three other doctors in the lounge, cleared his throat, and said, "So. how did she get the bruises?" Kerry jumped, startled, at the voice. She almost lost her cane, but quickly got it back. She was about ready to turn around to yell at Dave, but Romano stopped her. He was about to say something, but then at the last minute, looked at Peter awkwardly. Peter took a breathe and said, "The goddamn maniac.he." Peter couldn't say it. This is what he said about his patients to their families. Not about one of his best friends. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he blinked them back, because he refused to cry in front of his co-workers, especially Romano. Romano couldn't take it, "He beat her.that's all there is too it. He beat her and then shot her. Elizabeth." Romano now wanted to cry. Going against common belief, he actually did care about things other than his dog. He too, though, was to proud to cry in front of his co-workers. Kerry didn't want to cry. She was in shock. She was still a little bit in denial about all of this happening in the first place. This was just too much to absorb in one day. Dave just said, "Oh my God. I'm gonna kill him, if I get the chance,"
Kerry looked up and turned around. Dave could see that tears were now streaking down her face, "I think we all feel that way," She said. There was a horrible silence that followed. _____________________________________________________________________ After a while, and after everyone had sat down to think, Peter said, "Who's gonna tell Mark?" At that, all eyes looked at each other. No one wanted to be the bringer of bad news. Finally, when Romano couldn't put up with the silence, and the images that filled his mind, he stood up and said, "I'll do it," ____________________________________________ Lydia craned her neck to find Rachel. She hadn't seen her in years, so she had no idea as to what she looked like. She was just looking for a girl getting off the plane from St.Louis. Finally, a girl that strongly resembled the young Rachel that Lydia remembered, got off the plane. Lydia hurried to meet her, "Rachel? Rachel Greene?" Lydia asked the girl. "Yeah," Rachel replied, "It's me," A stewardess came up behind Rachel and asked Lydia, "Are you Lydia Write?" Lydia nodded and took out her driver's license and showed it to the stewardess. The woman looked at it for a moment, and then satisfied, gave it back to Lydia. Lydia and Rachel stood awkward for a moment and then Rachel said, "I want to go see my dad, and Elizabeth." Lydia nodded, and said, "Do you have any bags to pick up?" Rachel said "No. Didn't have time to pack. My mom gave me a blank check just in case I stay long enough that I need clothes. She gave me money to pick up a toothbrush and stuff." Lydia nodded, "Save your mom's money. The hospital has all that stuff. Come on let's go." Lydia picked up a fast pace through the airport, but soon found herself running to catch up with Rachel. Rachel ran out the automatic door, and was about to cross the busy airport drive, when Lydia caught up with her, "Slow down honey," In response, Rachel kept running. Seeing that nothing would slow Rachel, Lydia yelled, "Mine's the third to the left on the second level!" and then sprinted across the road to catch Rachel. ----------------------------------------------------- Robert Romano walked slowly towards the exam room where Mark was waiting with Ella. He walked as slow as possible. Romano never dreaded any moment in his life as much as the one that was about to come. Romano never had a problem telling a patient's family that the patient was dead or brain dead or something. He never stayed to listen to them cry; he always let a nurse console them. Then, he would forget those people and move on to the next patient. Mark, though, was different. Romano knew he couldn't leave. Not because he would be disapproved of, but because he knew that the second he shut the door, he'd feel guilty if he didn't stay. Soon enough, the door was upon him. Romano took a deep breath, and opened the door. Cleo and Luka looked up to see who it was. Seeing it was Romano, they knew what was coming. "Would you excuse us Dr.Finch, Doctor." Romano drew a blank on Luka's name. Instead of finishing for Romano, Luka just followed Cleo out the door. Romano studied Mark for a minute. Mark was still watching Ella. Romano could see the hurt and tears in Mark's eyes. Romano cleared his throat. When Mark didn't look up, he said, "Dr. Greene" Mark just nodded to show he was listening. Romano bit his lip. He didn't know how to tell Mark about Elizabeth. He didn't even know how to accept it himself. So, Romano just began. "Elizabeth. Elizabeth made it through the surgery. umm. but." Romano looked at Mark. Mark had now looked up, expectantly, bracing himself for what was to come. His eyes showed love, hate, sadness; but what Romano saw was fear. ".Elizabeth. she. she went into a coma." There. He had said it. Romano didn't want to look at Mark; he didn't want to see the reaction.; but Romano made himself look. Somehow, he had to. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw though. Mark was crying. The only person he had ever cried in front of was Elizabeth, when his dad had died. Ella was starting to slip from his grasp, but he was to distracted to notice. Romano noticed though, and gently took Ella out of Mark's arms. Romano hadn't known what to expect. He didn't think Mark would cry though. Mark just didn't seem like that kind of man to Romano. Mark's eyes were filled with pure fear now. Fear of losing Elizabeth. Fear of losing everything he loved. Pure Fear. Romano had to look away. He couldn't take it any more. He looked down at the baby in his arms, and saw the most innocent thing he had ever seen in his life. Ella was sleeping restlessly. It must have been a very troubled sleep. If Romano remembered correctly, Ella was scarcely a month old. A month old, and the possibility of losing her mother.