Disclaimer: I do not own any ER or Third Watch characters.

Chapter Six: One Too Many Emergencies Past Formalities

Saturday 4:51 PM

Emily began to chuckle as the image of Susan being knocked to the ground by a woman dressed as Princess Leia filled her mind.

"Laugh it up." Susan said.

"It's very funny." Emily replied.

"It is." Susan said as she began to laugh, and then gently touch her left cheek and eye. "How worried do you think your parents are?"

"They're probably pretty freaked." Emily replied. "They're pretty protective."

"That's a good thing." Susan replied. "Even if you can't see it right now."

"I know, I mean they do it because they love me. I can deal with it."

"You have a much better attitude about it than I did when I was your age."

"Thanks." Emily said with a chuckle.

"Was it really that funny?" Susan asked.

"You should have seen your face, and then your yelling. It was great."

The elevator doors opened, and faith was sitting in the chairs parallel to them.

"Emily, are you alright?" She asked as she met them at the edge of the elevator.

"I'm fine mom." She replied.

"They told us there was a riot in the ER." Faith stated.

"It was great mom. When Susan saw me she ran over and on our way back to the doctor's desk this woman blindsided her. Then she got decked by this other woman dressed in a Star Trek costume." Emily blurted out.

"Uh huh." Faith said with a confused look.

"It wasn't that dangerous really." Susan added.

"Nice Shiner." Faith retorted.

"Yeah, it's from a trekie." Susan added.

"Oh." Faith replied. "In the midst of all this excitement did Emily tell you Charlie woke up?"

"Yes, and I am so happy for you." Susan said as she hugged Faith.

"Fred is in there with him now. He's still pretty groggy, but the doctors say that it's normal."

"It is." Susan replied.

"You can see him if you want." Faith said.

"I'd love to." Susan replied.

They walked down the hallway for a moment until they came to his room. Faith slowly opened the door. Fred was sitting by a Charlie's bed in a chair.

"Are you ok?" Fred asked Emily.

"It was awesome Dad. There were people running around and yelling. Dr. Lewis got beat up, and…"

"Her first riot was a blast hon." Faith interjected.

The sounds of new voices in the room woke Charlie from his light slumber.

"Mom." He groggily stated.

"Hey baby." She replied as she moved to his bed side. "There is someone here to see you. Dr. Lewis from down in the ER."

"Hey Charlie." Susan stated as she stood beside Faith. "How are you feeling?"

"Ok. Kinda tired." He replied.

"Yeah. I'm glad to see your doing well, you gave us a bit of a scare downstairs."

Charlie smiled.

"All the doctors and nurses in the ER are going to be happy to hear your ok."

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Yeah." She replied, squeezing his hand. "Well, I'm suppose to be downstairs helping the galaxy return to order. I'll come back by before I leave though. Bye Charlie." She stated with a wink at Charlie.

She patted Emily, who was still quietly chuckling, on the back before exiting the room.

"Susan, wait." Faith quietly yelled as Susan was walking down the hallway.

"Yeah." She replied turning around.

"I just wanted to say thanks." Faith stated.

"It was nothing." Susan replied.

"For everything. You've been way to kind." Faith explained.

"Did they say when they would release him?" Susan asked as she nodded to Charlie's room.

"Three or four days." Faith replied.

"What were you in Chicago for anyway?" Susan asked, surprised that it took two days to ask the question.

"We came to see the Knicks play the Bulls." She replied. "Fred's birthday."

"Who won?"

"Bulls, by 12." Faith replied.

"Ah. Well, I have to get to work. But I'll come by before I leave." Susan added.

"See you then." Faith replied.

The ER was full of patients. Luka had been suckered into staying, and Jing-Mei, Gallant, Pratt, and Weaver were all hard at work. Susan approached the admit desk when Luka had just walked up.

"I'm leaving in an hour. I don't care about anything you might say. I'm leaving!" She stated before he could open his mouth.

"How was Charlie?" He asked.

"Oh, Charlie is good. He'll be released in three or four days." She stated.

"That's good. Where are they staying?" Luka asked. "I mean now that they know what they are looking at."

"I'm a shit." Susan stated.

"Really?" Luka stated.

"Yes." Susan stated.

"You are aren't you." Luka said as he walked away.

"You'll pay for that." Susan yelled in his direction.

How could I have been so dumb, Susan thought. They're going to be in town for almost a week. They can't stay here. Not all three of them, not comfortably.

Weaver walked up as Susan was standing there in her thoughts. "I didn't realize you were still here Susan." Weaver stated, snapping her back to reality.

"I just got back from seeing Charlie Yokas." She explained.

"I heard he woke up. I'm happy for you." Weaver added.

"Yeah it's a relief. How are our galactic patients?" Susan asked.

"They're all in restraints." Weaver said with a smile. "You should go home Susan."

"I'm off in an forty five minutes." Susan replied

"Luka is here. In fact I think he stayed so you could go. So go, you haven't been home in close to forty eight hours."

"Ok. Thanks Kerry." Susan stated as she headed for the lounge. As her mind processed the thought of going home and taking a hot bath, and sleeping in her own bed, her body caught up with last two days. Sheer exhaustion set into Susan's body. The kind that makes you get done with whatever is left to do in a hurry.

Susan quickly opened her locker and grabbed her coat and purse. Within minutes she was back, walking down the hallway to Charlie's door.

"Knock knock." She stated as she opened the door slowly.

"Hey Dr. Lewis, back so soon?" Emily stated.

"How's it going?" Susan asked. There was the other bed in the room that Emily was laying on, and the nurses had brought in another cot. Looking at this Susan knew she needed to convince Faith.

"Charlie is just happy there is a TV in his room." Faith added.

"Can I talk to you a minute?" Susan asked.

"Yeah sure." Faith said as the two women moved outside the hospital room.

"I can't believe I didn't ask this before. I blame it on sleep deprivation, but you guys are going to be in town for a while. You're going to be here most of the time, so it doesn't make sense to get a hotel room. So I want you guys to stay at my apartment. In fact I insist. Before you say anything let me finish. I have a guest bedroom, plenty of room, food, and a hot shower."

"Susan, we couldn't." Faith stated.

"You should. You all can't sleep in that room. And I eat in this cafeteria too often, one meal a day here is enough. I have a spare key you can have. You can come and go as you guys need."

"I don't know, I mean that's asking a lot of you. We couldn't."

"I insist." Susan firmly stated.

"Susan…" faith said.

"I think we're one too many emergencies past formalities. I want to do this Faith." Susan argued.

"I think we are too. Your sure this ok?" Faith asked.

"I'm positive." Susan replied.

"I guess we'll take you up on the offer then." Faith said. "Let me tell Fred and Emily, and grab the bags."

"Ok." Susan stated, pleased that Faith agreed to take her up on the offer. In truth they were one too many emergencies past formalities. Hell, when Susan thought about it she realized they had bonded. Their lives connected by the way they had been impacted by one another. The ordeals they had been through were situations that rocked people to their cores. They've come out, not unscathed, but in one piece. Strengthened by what has not killed them, and emerged as friends. At least in Susan's mind.

"Ready?" Faith asked as she and Emily emerged from the hospital room.

"Yeah." Susan replied as she smiled. "Fred staying with Charlie tonight?"

"Yeah. Susan, thanks again. I mean this is…"

"Hey, what are friends for?" Susan added as Faith was finishing her statement.

"How's your niece?" Faith asked as Susan pressed the elevator button.

"Good. They are living in a town in Kansas now."

"That's good. A lot of tornados though." Faith said.

"That's what I said, but they have a cellar." Susan added as the elevator door opened and they got on.

"That's good." Faith replied as the elevator door shut.

One Month Later

"Morning Susan." Luka said with a smile.

"Morning Luka. Good to see you here on time."

"There is a first time for everything."

"I guess so." Susan replied as she opened her locker and began to put her things away.

"Have you talked to Faith lately? How's Charlie?" He asked.

"Impaled twenty four year old rolling in." Chuny stated as she popped her head into the lounge.

"They're good. Charlie is back to normal." Susan added.

"Want to guess what he's impaled with?" Luka asked as Susan shut her locker.

"Twenty bucks says it's something metal."

"Too broad, take a real guess." He stated as they exited the lounge and headed to the ambulance bay.

~THE END~