July 20, 2001

Week 9 of Pregnancy

Randi and Dave dashed into the ER from the pouring rain. It had been raining straight for the past twelve hours with no stop. Randi told Dave about the last time they had weather like this was when Dr Ross worked her and he saved a young boy's life. They looked around the ER.

'Has it been this quiet all night?" Dave asked as Cleo walked by.

"Yup. I think they're afraid of the weather." She chuckled to check on her only patient.

"I can't complain. It gives me more time to make out with my girl." Dave smiled as Randi shook her head and walked to the admit desk/

"We're working, Sweety.' She chuckled sitting down in her chair. Amira smiled at her.

"How you feeling?" She asked.

"I have to pee every five seconds and my breasts are really sore. I am starting to get heartburn as well, but i'm not throwing up anymore." Randi chuckled, "Never ask a woman in her first trimester how she's feeling." Amira laughed loudly.

"I've learned my lesson." She said. Randi chuckled softly looking around for something to do. A clap of thunder caused her to jump. The lights flickered slightly.

"Please don't go out." Kerry said putting her chart away. "Randi, check to see if the back up generator is set up."

"Right." Randi picked up the phone o call maitnance.

"Dr. Malucci, find something to do." Kerry said. Dave sighed.

"There's nothing here." He said.

"There is a man with hemorrhoid in five." Kerry said handing him a chart.

"But Chief!"

"Malucci, now."

"SOMBODY HELP ME!" A man carrying a woman burst through the ER. Dave smiled and grabbed a gurney. He pushed it over to the man and they put the woman on the gurney. The looked like she was burnt to a crisp. Her skin was still smoking.

"I'm Dr. Malucci. What happened?" He asked pushing the woman into trauma one. "Chuny, get the burn unit down here. Get a morphine drip, saline...What happened?"

"We were trying t get out of the rain...w-when..She got hit by lightening. Her clothes caught on fire. I tried that stupid stop drop and roll thing. It took me a minute to put the flames out." Dave nodded as he cut the burnt clothes off of her. Her skin stuck to some of the pieces.

"Get Dr. Greene in here now please." Dave said almost gagging on the smell of burning flesh. Yosh nodded and dashed off.

"Is she going to be all right, Dr. Malucci?" The man asked. Dave shook his heed.

"I don't know." He said as Mark walked in.

"What happened and how bad?" He asked.

"Got struck by lightening." Dave said, "Ah...third degree burns...I think...90%."

"Jeez." Mark mumbled. "Call the OR." Mark check the woman's pupils as her moniter started to beep.

"She's in V-fib." Lydia said.

"Shit." Dave cursed grabbing the paddles, "Charge to two fifty."

"Careful." Mark warned him.

"I've got it under control, Boss." Dave said putting the paddles onto the woman's chest. "Clear."

"Clear." Lydia said and Dave pressed the buttons. Within a second, the woman's chest caught on fire again. Mark threw a blanket over her trying to smother the flamers. Dave jumped back coughing. The beeping stopped.

"Are you okay, Malucci?" Mark asked.

"Yeah...yeah." He said.

"Burn unit is here." Chuny said.

"Finally."

* * *

Dave threw his gloves off as he finished with his burn victim. He walked to the front desk.

"Where's Randi?" He asked writing up a chart.

"Getting sick." Frank said. Dave nodded. As the lights flickered again, Kerry growled.

"Did Randi call maintenance?" Frank nodded.

"Yes, but there was no answer." He said as the light did one final flicker and went out completely. The ER was surrounded in complete darkness. A few people screamed. Kerry growled loudly reaching underneath the admit desk and grabbing some flashlights.

"Okay, Malucci, go down to maintance and see why the back up generator isn't kicking in." He said handing him a flashlight, "Carter, Mark, and Jing-Mei check on the patients. Have the nurses pump if necessary."

"Got it Chief." Dave turned on his flashlight and walked down the hallway. He walked to the bathroom, "Randi, you still in here?"

"What the hell happened?" She called out following the light beam until she found Dave.

"The lights went out." Randi rolled her eyes.

"What about the generator?"

"That's what I'm checking on right now." Dave said taking her hand, "Come on." Randi nodded and went with him. They carefully walked down the stairs towards the maintenance room. Randi knocked on the door.

"Mr. Saint-Paul?" She called out opening the door. They walked into the room, "Mr. Saint-Paul?"

"He has to be here some- shit." Dave spotted Mr. Saint-Paul lying on the floor. He was bright red. Dave dashed to his side. "Mr. Saint-Paul, can you hear me?"

"My chest." He mumbled. Dave nodded loosened the man's shirt.

"Randi, take the flashlight and go upstairs." Dave said, "Get a back board and get a vile of tPA. It's in the supply closet. Just grab it and a needle and if anyone asks...don't even bother to answer. I don't know if we made it in time." Randi nodded and dashed upstairs. Dave looked around the room. He stood up and went over to the hospital's control panel. He managed to find the backup generator. "I hope I am not screwing this day up even more." Dave took hold of a red level and pushed it. He closed his eyes as abnormal sounds echoed throughout the room. Lights started to come on. "Great!" Dave smiled brightly. He had restored power to the hospital.

"I've got it Dave." Randi ran back in and put the backboard down. "No one asked. You got the lights back on. How did you do it?"

"I wild guess." He took the medication from Randi and loaded it into the needle, "Okay. Hopefully this will make you feel better." Dave injected the maintenance man. "You think You can help me carry him upstairs." Randi nodded.

"I can manage." She said helping him with the board.

"On my count. 1...2....3."

* * *

Dave stood in the doorway watching Mr. Saint-Paul sleeping. He was stabilized and would be fine with in a few weeks. Kerry patted him on his back/

"Good work, Dr. Malucci." She said.

"Huh?" He glanced down at her. She smiled.

"You saved the day, Dave. Thank you and good work." Kerry said before walking off. Dave smiled.

"You're welcome." He said and glanced back at the admit desk where Randi was busy taking a call. Dave chuckled softly. He had saved the day and it felt good. With the help of Randi he had saved a man's life. Of course he did that everyday but somehow this one felt different.

***

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