Disclaimer :I don't own ER or any of the characters as much as I'd like, I
am merely borrowing them
Laying the Ghosts
The day had been going slowly. Dave sat at the admin desk, absently flicking through the charts he needed to complete. Haleh and Abby were also at the desk, as was Carter, who was wiping his name off the board. "Slow, isn't it," he said to Dave, just as the doors suddenly banged open revealing a gurney being pushed by two paramedics. Carter and Dave ran round to it. "What you got?" asked Dave as they approached. "58 year old male, suspected MI, collapsed on the EL." "Got a name?" queried Carter as they ran alongside it. "No," replied the paramedic. Dave stopped short as he saw the face. Carter looked at him. "Everything OK Dave?" Dave shook himself. "Fine" he replied, as he resumed running like nothing had happened. They entered Trauma 1. "OK, on my count," said Carter as they moved the gentlemen from one gurney to another. The two paramedics left with the other gurney as Carter and Dave began to examine him. Haleh cut off his shirt whilst Abby inserted an IV. A loud beeping filled the room. "He's flatlining," cried Dave, almost in disbelieve. Haleh looked at him oddly. Abby got the crashcart, whilst Dave started chest compressions. Carter grabbed the paddles. "Charging to 100, CLEAR." Dave backed away, the body convulsed and the bleeping continued. Dave carried on with the compressions. "Charging, 200, CLEAR." Again the body jumped, yet the high pitch noise persisted. "C'mon, c'mon," mumbled Dave, as he pumped furiously upon the chest. "Amp of appy," ordered Carter. "OK, charging to 300, CLEAR." Still the monitor bleeped. Dave resumed CPR. "C'mon. You barstard. Don't you die on me," Dave screamed at the body. The rest of the room turned to look at him. He had tears in his eyes and his hair hung in his face as he pushed stubbornly on the guy's chest. "Dave," Carter approached him. "Dave, he's gone." He placed a hand on Dave's arm. Dave sighed, " time of death, 18:02," and with that he ran out of the room, to a stall in the men's room where he throw up violently.
****************************** At the admin desk, Carter, Abby and Haleh were discussing the case. "It was weird," began Abby. "What was weird?" interrupted Weaver who was hobbling past. "Dave, he completely lost it in that last trauma. He was really upset over something. Do you reckon he knew that guy or d'you think he reminded him of someone, or something?" "I dunno," replied Carter. "Either way I don't think Dave wants us to know. At least, not yet." ******************************
Dave stared down at the body, unsure of what to feel, yet feeling everything at once. A sheet had been pulled up to the chin of the body and a tube still protruded from the mouth. The face was deathly pale. "You were a barstard, but I loved you, love you." Dave felt a hand on his shoulder, as he struggled to control the tears. "Who was he Dave?" Carter asked softly. "He was my dad. This is the first time I've seen him since I left home nine years ago." He sniffed. "I guess I'm the only one left." He looked at Carter. "He wasn't a brilliant dad, or even a reasonable dad, but he was my dad and I loved him." Carter put his arm round him, not saying a word, letting Dave talk. "My mom died when I was twelve, d'you know that?" Carter looked at him aghast. "I'm so sorry." "She was picking me up from hockey practice and some guy went into the side of us. I broke both legs and punctured a lung, and she died. How does that work? It was my side of the car, the guy hit. How did I live and she die?" He had tears gently licking the sides of his face, making it shine. His eyes glistened as he continued. "My dad took her death badly. He was besotted with her. Even after all the years they'd been together, he still treated her like a princess. He was lost without her, we all were, me and Katy included." "Who's Katy?" "Katy is, was my elder sister. She died of a heroin overdoes fifteen months after my mom died. She just couldn't live without her mom. They got on like sisters, but a for few months before my mom died, they started arguing a lot over some guy Katy was dating. Mom didn't like him and wanted them to split up, but Katy wouldn't. Katy was devasted she couldn't make her peace with Mom. "So that left me and Dad. He was devasted when Mom died, but after Katy he just lost it completely. He started drinking more, but still was my dad, but he couldn't cope. I remember the first time he hit me. He was so upset afterwards. He kept apologising and promised he'd never hit me again. But he did. For silly things like, leaving a plate in the sink or for not cleaning my shoes. He broke my arm once for playing music too loud, and you see that scar there," Dave lifted his scrub top and pointed at a long, thin white line across his torso, "that was caused by being pushed through a fence after I forgot to mow the lawn. Eighteen stitches it took to close that up. He was always so sorry afterwards though. He'd go out and buy me a new album or a new basketball, just something to show he was sorry, and to say he'd never do it again. Yet he always did." Dave sighed. The tears were falling fast now. "I shouldn't be telling you this." "You don't have to if you don't want to. But if it makes you feel better talking about it, I'm happy to listen." "Yeah, it does a bit. I've never told anyone about my dad. I think some people guessed, but they never did anything about it. Even if they had of reported it, I'd have denied it, cos they'd have taken me away and I didn't want to go. I know he hurt me and I hated him for it and despised being with him, living in the fear that he'd suddenly snap and start pounding me with his fists. But, but, but." "What Dave?" Asked Carter. Dave had tears streaming down his cheeks; his face was red and his eyes puffy. "But, I guess I thought that he'd go back to who he was before the accident. Deep down inside I believed he would, but he never did. I just wanted him to love me. That's all I wanted, you barstard," he screamed at the body. His knees suddenly buckled beneath him and he slide to the floor. Sobs racked through his body as he cried uncontrollably. Carter knelt down and held him. "Why Carter? Why do these things happen?" "I dunno Dave. No one does." They stayed there for what seemed like forever, Dave sobbing in Carter's arms. Then, finally, Dave stood up. "Thanks Carter," he said softly, holding out a hand and pulling Carter to his feet. "Thanks for helping me lay the ghosts to rest." He looked at the body. "Bye Dad." Then pulled the sheet over the head.
Laying the Ghosts
The day had been going slowly. Dave sat at the admin desk, absently flicking through the charts he needed to complete. Haleh and Abby were also at the desk, as was Carter, who was wiping his name off the board. "Slow, isn't it," he said to Dave, just as the doors suddenly banged open revealing a gurney being pushed by two paramedics. Carter and Dave ran round to it. "What you got?" asked Dave as they approached. "58 year old male, suspected MI, collapsed on the EL." "Got a name?" queried Carter as they ran alongside it. "No," replied the paramedic. Dave stopped short as he saw the face. Carter looked at him. "Everything OK Dave?" Dave shook himself. "Fine" he replied, as he resumed running like nothing had happened. They entered Trauma 1. "OK, on my count," said Carter as they moved the gentlemen from one gurney to another. The two paramedics left with the other gurney as Carter and Dave began to examine him. Haleh cut off his shirt whilst Abby inserted an IV. A loud beeping filled the room. "He's flatlining," cried Dave, almost in disbelieve. Haleh looked at him oddly. Abby got the crashcart, whilst Dave started chest compressions. Carter grabbed the paddles. "Charging to 100, CLEAR." Dave backed away, the body convulsed and the bleeping continued. Dave carried on with the compressions. "Charging, 200, CLEAR." Again the body jumped, yet the high pitch noise persisted. "C'mon, c'mon," mumbled Dave, as he pumped furiously upon the chest. "Amp of appy," ordered Carter. "OK, charging to 300, CLEAR." Still the monitor bleeped. Dave resumed CPR. "C'mon. You barstard. Don't you die on me," Dave screamed at the body. The rest of the room turned to look at him. He had tears in his eyes and his hair hung in his face as he pushed stubbornly on the guy's chest. "Dave," Carter approached him. "Dave, he's gone." He placed a hand on Dave's arm. Dave sighed, " time of death, 18:02," and with that he ran out of the room, to a stall in the men's room where he throw up violently.
****************************** At the admin desk, Carter, Abby and Haleh were discussing the case. "It was weird," began Abby. "What was weird?" interrupted Weaver who was hobbling past. "Dave, he completely lost it in that last trauma. He was really upset over something. Do you reckon he knew that guy or d'you think he reminded him of someone, or something?" "I dunno," replied Carter. "Either way I don't think Dave wants us to know. At least, not yet." ******************************
Dave stared down at the body, unsure of what to feel, yet feeling everything at once. A sheet had been pulled up to the chin of the body and a tube still protruded from the mouth. The face was deathly pale. "You were a barstard, but I loved you, love you." Dave felt a hand on his shoulder, as he struggled to control the tears. "Who was he Dave?" Carter asked softly. "He was my dad. This is the first time I've seen him since I left home nine years ago." He sniffed. "I guess I'm the only one left." He looked at Carter. "He wasn't a brilliant dad, or even a reasonable dad, but he was my dad and I loved him." Carter put his arm round him, not saying a word, letting Dave talk. "My mom died when I was twelve, d'you know that?" Carter looked at him aghast. "I'm so sorry." "She was picking me up from hockey practice and some guy went into the side of us. I broke both legs and punctured a lung, and she died. How does that work? It was my side of the car, the guy hit. How did I live and she die?" He had tears gently licking the sides of his face, making it shine. His eyes glistened as he continued. "My dad took her death badly. He was besotted with her. Even after all the years they'd been together, he still treated her like a princess. He was lost without her, we all were, me and Katy included." "Who's Katy?" "Katy is, was my elder sister. She died of a heroin overdoes fifteen months after my mom died. She just couldn't live without her mom. They got on like sisters, but a for few months before my mom died, they started arguing a lot over some guy Katy was dating. Mom didn't like him and wanted them to split up, but Katy wouldn't. Katy was devasted she couldn't make her peace with Mom. "So that left me and Dad. He was devasted when Mom died, but after Katy he just lost it completely. He started drinking more, but still was my dad, but he couldn't cope. I remember the first time he hit me. He was so upset afterwards. He kept apologising and promised he'd never hit me again. But he did. For silly things like, leaving a plate in the sink or for not cleaning my shoes. He broke my arm once for playing music too loud, and you see that scar there," Dave lifted his scrub top and pointed at a long, thin white line across his torso, "that was caused by being pushed through a fence after I forgot to mow the lawn. Eighteen stitches it took to close that up. He was always so sorry afterwards though. He'd go out and buy me a new album or a new basketball, just something to show he was sorry, and to say he'd never do it again. Yet he always did." Dave sighed. The tears were falling fast now. "I shouldn't be telling you this." "You don't have to if you don't want to. But if it makes you feel better talking about it, I'm happy to listen." "Yeah, it does a bit. I've never told anyone about my dad. I think some people guessed, but they never did anything about it. Even if they had of reported it, I'd have denied it, cos they'd have taken me away and I didn't want to go. I know he hurt me and I hated him for it and despised being with him, living in the fear that he'd suddenly snap and start pounding me with his fists. But, but, but." "What Dave?" Asked Carter. Dave had tears streaming down his cheeks; his face was red and his eyes puffy. "But, I guess I thought that he'd go back to who he was before the accident. Deep down inside I believed he would, but he never did. I just wanted him to love me. That's all I wanted, you barstard," he screamed at the body. His knees suddenly buckled beneath him and he slide to the floor. Sobs racked through his body as he cried uncontrollably. Carter knelt down and held him. "Why Carter? Why do these things happen?" "I dunno Dave. No one does." They stayed there for what seemed like forever, Dave sobbing in Carter's arms. Then, finally, Dave stood up. "Thanks Carter," he said softly, holding out a hand and pulling Carter to his feet. "Thanks for helping me lay the ghosts to rest." He looked at the body. "Bye Dad." Then pulled the sheet over the head.