Knowing You Belong
Rachel starts her training, and catches up on the past ten years.
Oh, yeah-apologies in advance to all the Carbies. You really are not going to like me after this chapter. But, you never know who else could return to county!
****
"Welcome to County General, Girls and Boys. I am Dr. John Carter, Chief of Emergency Medicine. These gentlemen behind me are Dr.'s Pratt and Gallant. They are your teacher's, therefore you are expected to listen to them, help where you can, and do exactly what they tell you. You don't need to worry. You will be fine. Believe me, If Dr. Pratt can make it through med school, anyone can. Go ahead, Doctor-teach."
"Thanks for the complement Dr. C. Okay, I guess that we will begin with a tour of the ER facilities, if you will follow me."
Carter watched as Pratt and Gallant led the newcomers around, explaining the security procedures. His eyes kept wandering back to Rachel.
*How on earth is she a medical student? She's little Rachel* he thought to himself. He chuckled and walked towards exam two, to deal with a pregnant teenager, and to try and get her some help.
****
"All right, get me twelve of ativan!"
"Gallant, we have to get his heart beating! Get me the sternal saw, and rib spreaders. Lily, Go get Carter, now!"
"I'm bagging him!"
Pratt looked over at the six med students.
"Hey, you. Rachel, you have seen how to bag a person before, right?"
"Yes."
"Then get over here, and start doing it. Lily, go!"
Minutes later, John ran into the Trauma room. He got the bullet from Pratt, and prepared to crack open the patients chest. He saw Rachel above the young man's head, squeezing the breathing bag.
"You okay, Lily can take back over if you want."
"I think I'm okay."
John proceeded to cut into the patient's chest, and investigate the heart. Rachel looked, and consequently began to feel nauseated. John knew the look on her face.
"Step out, Rach."
Lily took back over the bag, while Rachel continued to watch, but only from a distance. She leaned back on the counter, and felt her body regain some amount of normalcy.
"Forget it. His inferior vena cava is shredded. Bullet passed right through. It's not reparable." John looked at the clock above the door, and noticed Rachel exit the room. "Time of death-7: 36 p.m. Gallant, show your students how to use the death kit."
John pulled off his gloves, and headed toward the ambulance bay. As he expected, Rachel was sitting on the bench, trying to collect herself. He walked toward her.
"Come on. Let's go for a walk."
"But, I'm not done yet."
"You are for now. Your supposed to finish at eight, and that's only twenty minutes away. It's all right."
"Oh, I guess time got away from me."
"Come on."
Rachel stood up, and followed her father's protégé towards Lake Michigan. They came to a stop beside the lake, and looked out over the railing.
"You feeling better?"
"The fresh air is helping."
"It always does. Look, patients will die. You try your hardest not to let that happen, but sometimes it is unavoidable. You'll learn that soon enough."
"Did my dad teach you that?"
"It wasn't Benton."
"So my reaction was pretty normal?"
John nodded. There was a long moment of silence. Rachel broke it by asking him a question.
"So what all has gone on in your life since my dad died?"
"A lot."
"So, start talking."
"About what? So much has happened. Pick a topic."
"Okay. What ever happened with you and that brunette nurse? Abby?"
This caught John off guard. He had not thought about her in a long time.
"Well, things were pretty intense for a while, but she couldn't give up the drinking. She would come home barely able to walk, vomiting everywhere, slurring her words. I couldn't take it. So I broke it off. And then, well, then she kind of lost it. She holed herself up in her apartment for weeks; they brought her into the ER for a drug overdose. We saved her, but she mentally had lost herself. A form of dementia. They put her in an institution, and we have not heard anything since."
"Wow. How long ago was that?"
"Seven years."
"That is really sad. Do you miss her?"
"Really don't even think about her much."
"Oh. Well, what about some of the others? I did not see Susan, or Kerry."
"Susan is the Chief of Emergency Medicine over at Rush. I still see her a lot. She got the job two years after your father died. She really likes it there. I'm sure she'd like to see you at some point. I'll give you her number."
"Great thanks. She was always so good to my father."
"She's a good person in general."
"Kerry?"
"She got a job in California somewhere. Chief of Staff at a fancy private hospital."
"Really. Wow. That is impressive." This brought about another awkward moment of silence. It was John's turn to restart the conversation.
"So-Vanderbilt, huh? Pretty prestigious."
"Yeah, I guess so," Rachel replied.
"Why there? Something about the South that was alluring to you?"
"Yeah, it's a long way from St. Louis."
"You and Jennifer not getting along-still?"
Rachel laughed at this comment, knowing how true it was. "Nope. After daddy died, I got my life back together. No more drugs, no more crazy boyfriends. I applied myself to school, and decided to go into medicine. Moms husband started drinking and gambling. I tried to tell her, but she denied it all. So after I graduated, I took the money daddy left for my college, and left. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to go as far from Missouri as I could. Tennessee sounded like it was far enough."
"So you were there for-"
"Six years."
"So that would explain the slight southern accent I'm hearing?"
"I guess so. Living in Music City, USA will do that to you."
John smiled. "Any significant others?"
It was Rachel's turn to be caught off guard.
"Um, yeah, actually. I dated a guy named Leo for about two and a half years."
"That's a long time."
"Yeah, but then I caught him with another woman, my roommate to be exact. The old saying is true- you really can't trust musicians."
"Ouch."
"I'm over it. You know, life goes on."
John looked at his watch, and realized that he needed to get back to the hospital.
"You okay now?"
"I'm fine, really."
"Well, let's head back." They walked in the direction of County.
"Dr. Carter, thanks for everything."
"No problem, Rachel. You know that if you ever need anything, I am here. Oh yeah, and you can call me John, outside of the hospital. I think we've known each other long enough for that."
"Okay, whatever. I'll see you later. Thanks again."
He watched her round the corner, and ten he headed back into the ambulance bay doors.
*****PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!*****
I thrive off reviews; so let me know what you think of what has happened to all the characters. I tried to incorporate them all. Did I forget any? Any that you want to see come back? Let me know!
Rachel starts her training, and catches up on the past ten years.
Oh, yeah-apologies in advance to all the Carbies. You really are not going to like me after this chapter. But, you never know who else could return to county!
****
"Welcome to County General, Girls and Boys. I am Dr. John Carter, Chief of Emergency Medicine. These gentlemen behind me are Dr.'s Pratt and Gallant. They are your teacher's, therefore you are expected to listen to them, help where you can, and do exactly what they tell you. You don't need to worry. You will be fine. Believe me, If Dr. Pratt can make it through med school, anyone can. Go ahead, Doctor-teach."
"Thanks for the complement Dr. C. Okay, I guess that we will begin with a tour of the ER facilities, if you will follow me."
Carter watched as Pratt and Gallant led the newcomers around, explaining the security procedures. His eyes kept wandering back to Rachel.
*How on earth is she a medical student? She's little Rachel* he thought to himself. He chuckled and walked towards exam two, to deal with a pregnant teenager, and to try and get her some help.
****
"All right, get me twelve of ativan!"
"Gallant, we have to get his heart beating! Get me the sternal saw, and rib spreaders. Lily, Go get Carter, now!"
"I'm bagging him!"
Pratt looked over at the six med students.
"Hey, you. Rachel, you have seen how to bag a person before, right?"
"Yes."
"Then get over here, and start doing it. Lily, go!"
Minutes later, John ran into the Trauma room. He got the bullet from Pratt, and prepared to crack open the patients chest. He saw Rachel above the young man's head, squeezing the breathing bag.
"You okay, Lily can take back over if you want."
"I think I'm okay."
John proceeded to cut into the patient's chest, and investigate the heart. Rachel looked, and consequently began to feel nauseated. John knew the look on her face.
"Step out, Rach."
Lily took back over the bag, while Rachel continued to watch, but only from a distance. She leaned back on the counter, and felt her body regain some amount of normalcy.
"Forget it. His inferior vena cava is shredded. Bullet passed right through. It's not reparable." John looked at the clock above the door, and noticed Rachel exit the room. "Time of death-7: 36 p.m. Gallant, show your students how to use the death kit."
John pulled off his gloves, and headed toward the ambulance bay. As he expected, Rachel was sitting on the bench, trying to collect herself. He walked toward her.
"Come on. Let's go for a walk."
"But, I'm not done yet."
"You are for now. Your supposed to finish at eight, and that's only twenty minutes away. It's all right."
"Oh, I guess time got away from me."
"Come on."
Rachel stood up, and followed her father's protégé towards Lake Michigan. They came to a stop beside the lake, and looked out over the railing.
"You feeling better?"
"The fresh air is helping."
"It always does. Look, patients will die. You try your hardest not to let that happen, but sometimes it is unavoidable. You'll learn that soon enough."
"Did my dad teach you that?"
"It wasn't Benton."
"So my reaction was pretty normal?"
John nodded. There was a long moment of silence. Rachel broke it by asking him a question.
"So what all has gone on in your life since my dad died?"
"A lot."
"So, start talking."
"About what? So much has happened. Pick a topic."
"Okay. What ever happened with you and that brunette nurse? Abby?"
This caught John off guard. He had not thought about her in a long time.
"Well, things were pretty intense for a while, but she couldn't give up the drinking. She would come home barely able to walk, vomiting everywhere, slurring her words. I couldn't take it. So I broke it off. And then, well, then she kind of lost it. She holed herself up in her apartment for weeks; they brought her into the ER for a drug overdose. We saved her, but she mentally had lost herself. A form of dementia. They put her in an institution, and we have not heard anything since."
"Wow. How long ago was that?"
"Seven years."
"That is really sad. Do you miss her?"
"Really don't even think about her much."
"Oh. Well, what about some of the others? I did not see Susan, or Kerry."
"Susan is the Chief of Emergency Medicine over at Rush. I still see her a lot. She got the job two years after your father died. She really likes it there. I'm sure she'd like to see you at some point. I'll give you her number."
"Great thanks. She was always so good to my father."
"She's a good person in general."
"Kerry?"
"She got a job in California somewhere. Chief of Staff at a fancy private hospital."
"Really. Wow. That is impressive." This brought about another awkward moment of silence. It was John's turn to restart the conversation.
"So-Vanderbilt, huh? Pretty prestigious."
"Yeah, I guess so," Rachel replied.
"Why there? Something about the South that was alluring to you?"
"Yeah, it's a long way from St. Louis."
"You and Jennifer not getting along-still?"
Rachel laughed at this comment, knowing how true it was. "Nope. After daddy died, I got my life back together. No more drugs, no more crazy boyfriends. I applied myself to school, and decided to go into medicine. Moms husband started drinking and gambling. I tried to tell her, but she denied it all. So after I graduated, I took the money daddy left for my college, and left. I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to go as far from Missouri as I could. Tennessee sounded like it was far enough."
"So you were there for-"
"Six years."
"So that would explain the slight southern accent I'm hearing?"
"I guess so. Living in Music City, USA will do that to you."
John smiled. "Any significant others?"
It was Rachel's turn to be caught off guard.
"Um, yeah, actually. I dated a guy named Leo for about two and a half years."
"That's a long time."
"Yeah, but then I caught him with another woman, my roommate to be exact. The old saying is true- you really can't trust musicians."
"Ouch."
"I'm over it. You know, life goes on."
John looked at his watch, and realized that he needed to get back to the hospital.
"You okay now?"
"I'm fine, really."
"Well, let's head back." They walked in the direction of County.
"Dr. Carter, thanks for everything."
"No problem, Rachel. You know that if you ever need anything, I am here. Oh yeah, and you can call me John, outside of the hospital. I think we've known each other long enough for that."
"Okay, whatever. I'll see you later. Thanks again."
He watched her round the corner, and ten he headed back into the ambulance bay doors.
*****PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!*****
I thrive off reviews; so let me know what you think of what has happened to all the characters. I tried to incorporate them all. Did I forget any? Any that you want to see come back? Let me know!