Disclaimer: Again, I do not own any characters on ER. I am not profiting from this, except for having fun.

PG - For one bad word and some pregnancy talk. The rating will get higher in later chapters, but I'm just establishing things now. Please be patient. It will get better.

Chapter 2 - Control

As Kerry sat at her desk, her eyes wandered up to the clock on the sidewall. It said 2:38 pm. She'd been there since 6 o'clock this morning and the piles on her desk didn't seem any shorter. She was stressed. She got up to take a little break, but just when she stood up, she remembered she needed to talk to Gallant about his request for a month's leave of absence. Apparently, he wanted to go practice medicine at his old military camp that was shorthanded and needing someone to fill in until they could find a replacement. He said it could be anywhere from a week to a month. He wasn't sure. Kerry wasn't too keen on this idea, because they were already shorthanded as it was and she really needed him there.

As Kerry got off the elevator on the first floor, she looked around for Gallant, but couldn't see him anywhere. Carter whizzed by her saying, "Hey, Kerry," but was gone by the time Kerry responded back. She was just about to give up and come later when things weren't as hectic (like that happened), when she heard a loud clang from a room behind her and a woman yelling. She decided to check it out and get involved.

"Now ma'am, you're gonna have to calm down," stated Luka as he tried to push the fairly large, hysteric pregnant woman back onto the bed.

"No," she screamed, "don't touch me." She looked at Kerry. "I want another doctor. He wants to take my baby."

"Apparently, Ms. Clayton doesn't trust foreigners," replied Luka to Kerry.

"When I'm asleep, he's going to cut out my baby and take him to his country, I know it. You don't know. I've seen it. They did it to my best friend's cousin. It's their plan to control our country. You listen to me. I'm right-"

"Alright," stepped in Kerry in her authoritative, yet civil tone, "just calm down. What seems to be the trouble?"

Although Kerry addressed her question to Ms. Clayton, Luka thought he should answer before Ms. Clayton just continued with her accusations. "She came in with some abdominal pain and mild bleeding. I was going to do an ultrasound, but she won't let me."

"Has she had a previous pregnancy?" she asked Luka.

"Yes. This is her third child," he answered.

"Okay, ma'am," Kerry said, now speaking to Ms. Clayton, "Dr. Kovac is one of the best doctors in the hospital. He's been here a long time and I can guarantee he is not going to harm you or your baby-"

The woman almost went white with fear as she grabbed Kerry's arm and pleaded with her. "No...no...I need another doctor please-"

"Miss, I understand you're upset, but we have to examine you to make sure there's nothing wrong with you or you're baby."

"You think there's something wrong with my baby?" She was still scared out of her mind; now with yet an additional fear.

Kerry continued trying to calm her down in now a bit gentler tone, "I'm sure there's probably nothing wrong at all, but since this is you're third child, the placenta could be constricting the cervix and causing you to bleed. We just want to be sure. We want to make sure you and your baby are perfectly healthy."

She started to relax a bit.

"So just let Dr. Kovac examine you and then you can lea-"

Ms. Clayton's fear returned, "No, not him! Somebody else!"

Kerry knew all the doctors were busy and shifting doctors around could get confusing. It could cause some of the doctors to not get along. She was about to continue her persuasions, when a new voice appeared on the scene.

"What seems to be the problem here?"

Kerry turned to see Dr. Romano walking over and then standing next to her looking at the patient. Kerry glared at him briefly, the way she frequently did, before acknowledging him. "Robert, everything's under control here."

"Welllllll, I don't know about that. I could hear the screams all the way from the cafeteria. It seemed to be disturbing everyone's most satisfying lunch of day old meatloaf and cold pea soup."

Not knowing Dr. Romano, the patient seemed pleased to see him. She spoke in her most calm voice yet. "I was merely wanting to see a different doctor, but she wouldn't let me."

Dr. Romano glanced at Luka, then at Kerry, "Huh. Well, I see no problem in that. Seems like a reasonable request to me. We'll make sure someone else comes in here as soon as possible."

There was an awkward silence as Kerry continued glaring at him before she said, "Fine!" and stormed away. "Asshole," she muttered under her breath. Maybe he heard her, maybe he didn't. Who cares. She knew she was now his boss and she could have told him to take a hike, but she felt that would just cause more trouble than it was worth. If he wanted to think he was the big cheese over the ER, she didn't care. At least she doesn't have to deal with him quite as much as she used to. She was walking briskly back to the elevator when Gallant spotted her.

"Oh, Dr. Weaver, did you get my req-"

"Not now Gallant. Hold the elevator!" Gallant watched as she stepped on, pushed a button and the doors closed swiftly behind her.