Chapter 9:
"Where are we going?"
"Just stop asking questions. Let's get this show on the road!" Maria hit the gas and the car sped down the street. She only had about five minutes before Alex would be calling her to yell at her for being late. The plan was in motion. She had spoken to Alex that afternoon and her head still hurt from what he'd told her. It was too much too soon. But their time was running out and their actions would decide Liz's future. And Liz would NOT be an old maid. Not while Maria had blood in her body.
"Maria!!! That light was RED."
"Huh? Ah, so what? I'm blonde and can play off colorblind. Don't stress yourself out too much."
"WHAT are you doing?"
"Someone needs your help."
"MY help? Maria... I'm off duty tonight. Ok? I NEED a break." Elizabeth thought back to the phone call earlier that afternoon.
Liz, please pick up. I called you at the hospital but they said you weren't working. I NEED to talk to you. PLEASE. Liz... I love you. I'm leaving tonight. I'm leaving and I want to at least say goodbye. Don't ignore me. Please just pick up the phone, I know you're there. Liz... I'm sor....
The message had ended and she had been crying like a baby. She still felt like crying. She couldn't deal with people who were sick and dying while she herself felt like locking herself away.
"Well, you're a doctor. Your job is to save lives. So SAVE them." They drove up to the front of the hospital and Elizabeth reluctantly got out of the car.
"Go to room 212." She looked back at Maria in confusion.
"What are you doing?"
"Just go."
"I'll meet up with you later." She smiled and got back in the car, leaving Elizabeth alone. She walked into the ER, feeling like admitting herself to the psych hospital. She needed therapy. Her depression was making her want to jump tall buildings. She threw on a lab coat and walked straight to 212 without bothering to sign in. She wanted to know what this was all about.
"Dr. Parker! I'm glad to see you. I really needed a doctor I could trust." Elizabeth stopped at the door and eyed the blonde woman sitting on the hospital bed suspiciously.
"Ms. Evans...?"
"Oh please, Isabel. Don't be so informal. We've met before."
"How can I help you?" Elizabeth checked for a chart and saw none. Was this some sort of joke?
"Well, I've been feeling really bad lately. Severe headaches, nausea, even chest pain. But I hate doctors. So I came to you. I figured knowing you would make it more... comfortable."
"I assume I could help you out."
"Great. Thank you." Elizabeth nodded, still amazingly confused and took out a notepad to record her findings. She clicked her pen as she began to write Isabel's name when she saw the bright lights of the x-ray board go on.
"Oh yea, I forgot to mention. I got these done. I wanted to show you. See if you saw any... irregularities." Elizabeth's head shot up as she stared from the x-ray board, to Isabel sitting innocently on the bed. The lights just flicked on. It's an electrical glitch. Things like that happen all the time.
"What exactly am I looking at?" Elizabeth stared at the strange green shapes on the film.
"What do you mean? You're looking at my blood sample, what else?" Elizabeth held her breath, trying not to laugh in absolute hysteria. She wasn't crazy. Isabel and Max were crazy. They BOTH must have previous medical records documenting mental disease.
"Isabel, I'm sorry to inform you, but that's impossible. Blood cells are red and they're usually round and plump."
"Oh. Well, that would be the case usually. But... we'll I'm not your normal patient." Isabel smiled and it almost frightened Elizabeth enought to run out. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?
"Right. Umm... I need to... uh... get a drink." Elizabeth put down the pad and headed for the door when it slammed shut.
"Uh uh. We need to talk. I'll get you the water." Isabel placed her hand on the bottle of iced tea she had and Elizabeth watched as the liquid swirled around inside and slowly went from brown to clear. Isabel looked down, shook her head as if satisfied and threw the bottle over to Elizabeth.
"What... I mean... how?"
"Everything he told you is true Liz." She looked up into the big angry brown eyes and felt her heart break. She could only imagine how difficult this was on her.
"Oh, THAT'S why you're here. To justify his little alien story."
"Drink the water."
"What?"
"Drink it." Elizabeth opened the top and sure enough, the taste of cold spring water filled her dried mouth.
"Look... I don't know what kind of magic... witchcraft you've got going...."
"Woah! Ok... umm, DON'T call me a witch. It gets ugly at that point. What I'm here to do is ask for your help. Michael is sick. VERY sick. And he might die. We need someone with professional training. Someone who can do all in their power and at least feel sure that they gave it their best. But we can't be exposed. It's too risky. You're the only person who can help us."
"I may not be able to help him." Elizabeth's eyes softened and worry began to fill them. Genuine care and worry that made her heart yearn for Max's comfort.
"But you could assure us that we did all we could. Liz please. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't desperately need you. I'm not one to grovel. And Max... Max needs you. All my life, I've been the only woman he's ever needed. Then he met you and I lost it. But I see how much he cares about you. How much he... loves you. You can't let him leave without at least telling him you believe him. You'll hate yourself for the rest of your life if you don't." Elizabeth saw Isabel's pleading eyes and finally saw a soul. The cold ice princess was gone and Isabel was shining through.
"How much time do we have?"
"About two hours."
"I'll get as may supplies as I can. I hope you have a ride. Mine ditched me." Isabel smiled and Elizabeth smiled back. She'd simply have to try her best to fix the situation she was in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So?"
"Well, it's nothing I've ever seen before. But, I think there's a way to help him. We have to keep him on constant liquids. He's sweating so much that he's constantly dehydrating. Keep him cool. I gave him some soft medication to see if it will remove his headache and sensitivity to light. I hope he doesn't react too strongly to it. But, he seems much better. Whatever Max was doing was working. It just... took a little longer than it should have."
"So we need to get Max back to finish. Until then, we can keep Michael comfortable with liquids and ice and migraine medication?"
"Yup." Elizabeth removed her gloves and rubbed her head exhausted. "I think he'll be ok Isabel." She smiled in triumph, even though she felt as if she hadn't slept in days.
"Thanks to you." They both looked down and saw Michael looking up at them. A faint smile on his face, his long hair sticking to his sides from sweat.
"Michael! Oh God Michael!" Isabel ran to his side, her arms wrapped wildly around him.
"Ok Iz... take it easy. I'm still fragile."
"Fragile my behind. You are quite the heavy man to carry." Maria walked in, a bowl of soup steaming from the tray in her hands.
"You need to eat or you're going to get bony. And bony men look wimpy."
"Thanks for that description Maria." He smiled at her and Elizabeth caught the smile Maria shot back. Hm... there might have been something she missed there.
"No problem chief." Maria placed the tray on his lap and winked as she handed him a small bell.
"Don't get to used to it. And if you ring like a madman I'll shoot you myself." She turned on her heels and headed back out to the kitchen.
"Dr. Parker?"
"Liz, please."
"Liz... I know this has been hard for you to deal with. But... despite it all... I just wanted to say thanks."
"You're welcome." Elizabeth smiled knowingly and began to get up to gather her things.
"It's almost seven o'clock." Michael leaned forward a bit to sip his soup.
"Yes, you should go back to bed as soon as you're done eating."
"Forget about me. I'm talking about you. Are you going to get Max or not?" Elizabeth froze in place at the sound of his name. Max. He was leaving her.
"He's on his way to Washington. Besides, after the way I treated him, I doubt he'll ever want to see me again." She heard what sounded like a weak laugh and looked at Michael.
"Liz, if the way he complained and cried last night is any indication, I assure you the man is in need of your company. Don't let him leave."
"You'll hate yourself for it." Liz turned to the voice at the door and saw Alex.
"You were in on this. You all were."
"Well, someone had to help you. You were being ridiculous." Isabel held out her nails and blew on them.
"I can't believe you guys."
"Stop talking and go!" Maria walked in and pushed Elizabeth and Alex out into the hall. "You've got about twenty minutes. RUN!"
"I'll drive." Alex grabbed the keys and he and Elizabeth went to get back the man of her dreams.
"Where are we going?"
"Just stop asking questions. Let's get this show on the road!" Maria hit the gas and the car sped down the street. She only had about five minutes before Alex would be calling her to yell at her for being late. The plan was in motion. She had spoken to Alex that afternoon and her head still hurt from what he'd told her. It was too much too soon. But their time was running out and their actions would decide Liz's future. And Liz would NOT be an old maid. Not while Maria had blood in her body.
"Maria!!! That light was RED."
"Huh? Ah, so what? I'm blonde and can play off colorblind. Don't stress yourself out too much."
"WHAT are you doing?"
"Someone needs your help."
"MY help? Maria... I'm off duty tonight. Ok? I NEED a break." Elizabeth thought back to the phone call earlier that afternoon.
Liz, please pick up. I called you at the hospital but they said you weren't working. I NEED to talk to you. PLEASE. Liz... I love you. I'm leaving tonight. I'm leaving and I want to at least say goodbye. Don't ignore me. Please just pick up the phone, I know you're there. Liz... I'm sor....
The message had ended and she had been crying like a baby. She still felt like crying. She couldn't deal with people who were sick and dying while she herself felt like locking herself away.
"Well, you're a doctor. Your job is to save lives. So SAVE them." They drove up to the front of the hospital and Elizabeth reluctantly got out of the car.
"Go to room 212." She looked back at Maria in confusion.
"What are you doing?"
"Just go."
"I'll meet up with you later." She smiled and got back in the car, leaving Elizabeth alone. She walked into the ER, feeling like admitting herself to the psych hospital. She needed therapy. Her depression was making her want to jump tall buildings. She threw on a lab coat and walked straight to 212 without bothering to sign in. She wanted to know what this was all about.
"Dr. Parker! I'm glad to see you. I really needed a doctor I could trust." Elizabeth stopped at the door and eyed the blonde woman sitting on the hospital bed suspiciously.
"Ms. Evans...?"
"Oh please, Isabel. Don't be so informal. We've met before."
"How can I help you?" Elizabeth checked for a chart and saw none. Was this some sort of joke?
"Well, I've been feeling really bad lately. Severe headaches, nausea, even chest pain. But I hate doctors. So I came to you. I figured knowing you would make it more... comfortable."
"I assume I could help you out."
"Great. Thank you." Elizabeth nodded, still amazingly confused and took out a notepad to record her findings. She clicked her pen as she began to write Isabel's name when she saw the bright lights of the x-ray board go on.
"Oh yea, I forgot to mention. I got these done. I wanted to show you. See if you saw any... irregularities." Elizabeth's head shot up as she stared from the x-ray board, to Isabel sitting innocently on the bed. The lights just flicked on. It's an electrical glitch. Things like that happen all the time.
"What exactly am I looking at?" Elizabeth stared at the strange green shapes on the film.
"What do you mean? You're looking at my blood sample, what else?" Elizabeth held her breath, trying not to laugh in absolute hysteria. She wasn't crazy. Isabel and Max were crazy. They BOTH must have previous medical records documenting mental disease.
"Isabel, I'm sorry to inform you, but that's impossible. Blood cells are red and they're usually round and plump."
"Oh. Well, that would be the case usually. But... we'll I'm not your normal patient." Isabel smiled and it almost frightened Elizabeth enought to run out. WHAT WAS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?
"Right. Umm... I need to... uh... get a drink." Elizabeth put down the pad and headed for the door when it slammed shut.
"Uh uh. We need to talk. I'll get you the water." Isabel placed her hand on the bottle of iced tea she had and Elizabeth watched as the liquid swirled around inside and slowly went from brown to clear. Isabel looked down, shook her head as if satisfied and threw the bottle over to Elizabeth.
"What... I mean... how?"
"Everything he told you is true Liz." She looked up into the big angry brown eyes and felt her heart break. She could only imagine how difficult this was on her.
"Oh, THAT'S why you're here. To justify his little alien story."
"Drink the water."
"What?"
"Drink it." Elizabeth opened the top and sure enough, the taste of cold spring water filled her dried mouth.
"Look... I don't know what kind of magic... witchcraft you've got going...."
"Woah! Ok... umm, DON'T call me a witch. It gets ugly at that point. What I'm here to do is ask for your help. Michael is sick. VERY sick. And he might die. We need someone with professional training. Someone who can do all in their power and at least feel sure that they gave it their best. But we can't be exposed. It's too risky. You're the only person who can help us."
"I may not be able to help him." Elizabeth's eyes softened and worry began to fill them. Genuine care and worry that made her heart yearn for Max's comfort.
"But you could assure us that we did all we could. Liz please. I wouldn't be asking if I didn't desperately need you. I'm not one to grovel. And Max... Max needs you. All my life, I've been the only woman he's ever needed. Then he met you and I lost it. But I see how much he cares about you. How much he... loves you. You can't let him leave without at least telling him you believe him. You'll hate yourself for the rest of your life if you don't." Elizabeth saw Isabel's pleading eyes and finally saw a soul. The cold ice princess was gone and Isabel was shining through.
"How much time do we have?"
"About two hours."
"I'll get as may supplies as I can. I hope you have a ride. Mine ditched me." Isabel smiled and Elizabeth smiled back. She'd simply have to try her best to fix the situation she was in.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"So?"
"Well, it's nothing I've ever seen before. But, I think there's a way to help him. We have to keep him on constant liquids. He's sweating so much that he's constantly dehydrating. Keep him cool. I gave him some soft medication to see if it will remove his headache and sensitivity to light. I hope he doesn't react too strongly to it. But, he seems much better. Whatever Max was doing was working. It just... took a little longer than it should have."
"So we need to get Max back to finish. Until then, we can keep Michael comfortable with liquids and ice and migraine medication?"
"Yup." Elizabeth removed her gloves and rubbed her head exhausted. "I think he'll be ok Isabel." She smiled in triumph, even though she felt as if she hadn't slept in days.
"Thanks to you." They both looked down and saw Michael looking up at them. A faint smile on his face, his long hair sticking to his sides from sweat.
"Michael! Oh God Michael!" Isabel ran to his side, her arms wrapped wildly around him.
"Ok Iz... take it easy. I'm still fragile."
"Fragile my behind. You are quite the heavy man to carry." Maria walked in, a bowl of soup steaming from the tray in her hands.
"You need to eat or you're going to get bony. And bony men look wimpy."
"Thanks for that description Maria." He smiled at her and Elizabeth caught the smile Maria shot back. Hm... there might have been something she missed there.
"No problem chief." Maria placed the tray on his lap and winked as she handed him a small bell.
"Don't get to used to it. And if you ring like a madman I'll shoot you myself." She turned on her heels and headed back out to the kitchen.
"Dr. Parker?"
"Liz, please."
"Liz... I know this has been hard for you to deal with. But... despite it all... I just wanted to say thanks."
"You're welcome." Elizabeth smiled knowingly and began to get up to gather her things.
"It's almost seven o'clock." Michael leaned forward a bit to sip his soup.
"Yes, you should go back to bed as soon as you're done eating."
"Forget about me. I'm talking about you. Are you going to get Max or not?" Elizabeth froze in place at the sound of his name. Max. He was leaving her.
"He's on his way to Washington. Besides, after the way I treated him, I doubt he'll ever want to see me again." She heard what sounded like a weak laugh and looked at Michael.
"Liz, if the way he complained and cried last night is any indication, I assure you the man is in need of your company. Don't let him leave."
"You'll hate yourself for it." Liz turned to the voice at the door and saw Alex.
"You were in on this. You all were."
"Well, someone had to help you. You were being ridiculous." Isabel held out her nails and blew on them.
"I can't believe you guys."
"Stop talking and go!" Maria walked in and pushed Elizabeth and Alex out into the hall. "You've got about twenty minutes. RUN!"
"I'll drive." Alex grabbed the keys and he and Elizabeth went to get back the man of her dreams.