Disclaimer: See other chapters.
Author's note: I don't know how Ella Greene would be in the future, but this is my best shot at it.
Arianne's day was slowly creping along, not one patient in four hours. She was getting nervous; because she was dead certain that the calm before the storm had arrived. It was only a matter of time before a major pediatric trauma would come in. Taking this opportunity she went to visit her best friend, who also worked for the hospital as a lawyer.
Ella Hanovern nee. Greene had always been Arianne's best friend. They had a bond that no one else understood, mainly due to the loss of a parent before they could make any memories of them. Arianne was the maid of honor in Ella's wedding, and godmother to one of Ella and her husband Mike's three daughters. Arianne always knew that she would have a friend in Ella, and Ella a friend in her.
Knocking on the door to Ella's office, she accidentally opened it. Ella was then phone, but flashed a smile, and motioned for her life-long friend to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. After a few minutes, the phone call was ended and the conversation begun.
"Hey ya. What's going on in the ER?" Ella said, putting her reddish blond hair back into a clip
"The calm before the storm."
"Sounds like a blast."
"Have you heard stories about Carol Hathaway and Doug Ross?"
"Same one's as you I'd imagine. Why do you ask?"
"Because I went out with their son last night!" giggled Arianne
"Don't they live in Oregon or something like that?"
"Seattle, Elly, Seattle. They're in town for a few days, and I literally bumped into him."
"Only you could get a guy who lives on the other side of the county." Ella said laughing, her eyes brightening
"I know. That's the Carter in me coming out. Abby was so kind enough to point out to me."
"Well from what I heard…"
"I've heard the stories too."
"Well just be careful. I mean we have a Ross and a Carter going out. This had outta be fun to watch."
"Thanks for all the support." Arianne said mockingly
"Any time. You know that."
"And the storm has blown in!" Arianne said as she turned off her beeper, and sprinted out the door.
"Bye to you too!"
Arianne hurried to the elevators, so that she wouldn't waste time going down the steps. She looked at her watch…and saw 1:25.
"Shoot! He's going to be here in five minutes, and I have a major trauma coming in." she thought as the elevator stopped on the ER's level.
Running to the Admit desk, she asked when the trauma was going to be in.
"ETA is in 2 minutes Carter."
Arianne put on the tissue paper coverings as she ran out in the ambulance bay. Chuny and Abby were out there before Arianne arrived. As soon as she did their conversation died down very quickly.
"Let me guess. You two are talking about me and Shane?"
"Well, Carter you do have to admit this is quite the story." Abby relpied
"Yeah, it's kinda of scary; the way this place works." Chuny added
"He's going back to Seattle in a few days, so don't make a big issue of it."
The ambulance came in with a five-year-old girl who fell from her fourth story apartment balcony. Arianne worked on her for almost an hour, but when she fell, she had massive internal bleeding. Eventually she lost too much blood to be replaced and died. Arianne had to tell her parents, but they didn't believe that their daughter died. She took the grieving parents into the trauma room, and explained what everything was for and what exactly they did. She let them stay in the room with their baby and told the nurses to wait a bit before going in there clean up.
It was just about three in the afternoon when Arianne finally made it out into chairs to see if Shane was still there. She saw him trying to get a pop out of the vending machine, and failing. He so cute just standing there, trying to figure out what he was doing wrong.
"Hey stranger." Arianne said, startling Shane
"Oh, hi. I was just getting something to drink."
"I can see that. Here, let me try."
Arianne got next to the machine and pushed it backwards. The drink came out and she handed it to her visitor.
"How did you know to do that?"
"Easy, I've been working here for awhile."
"So what took you so long?"
"I really don't want to talk about it. Hey, do you want to go on the roof and talk? I really need some air."
"Sure. You OK? I mean your not gonna pass out or anything?"
"Just had a really bad trauma, and I need to get out of here." Arianne said as she walked toward the elevator, motioning Shane to follow.
The ride to the roof was crowded, and due to the humidity, almost unbearable. Finally, after stopping at all the floors but one, the two got off.
"So is where you go when you need to get away?"
"No usually I go to my friends office."
"Why aren't we there then, if you don't mind me asking?"
"I've been getting some grief about last night from people."
"About how our fathers were infamous for their relationships?"
"How did you know?"
"Lucky guess. Changing topics, my nana's funeral is the day after next, and if you could, I'd like you to come."
"I have the day off, so just tell me what time and I'll be there."
"The service is at one-thirty in the St. Joseph orthodox cathedral on Gragen St."
"Ok, I know where that is."
"Hey, do you want to go out for coffee or something tonight?"
"I can't tonight. I'm pulling a double shift. One of the other peds doctor's wife had a baby last night so I said that would cover his shift."
"I totally understand." Shane said, and then looked at his watch "I have to go, Dad wants to go and show me some sites."
"Ahhh… yes the fine city of Chicago. I'll go back down to the ER with you."
Shane offered his hand to Arianne and they started to the elevator. No one wanted on, so they went straight to the ER.
"Carter! There is a ten-year-old who needs suturing!" Kerry yelled
"I have to go. The monster is on the loose."
"Bye." Shane said and walked out of the ER