An All American Love Story
Ch. Eleven: One Long Shift
***Warning, there is 'R' language in this chapter.
Romano parked in the second floor of the parking deck; he couldn't believe all the rain. He had arrived at county twenty minutes after Weaver originally called him. His beeper had gone off five times in the ten minutes it took to drive from Elizabeth's house to the hospital, he knew who it was and didn't bother answering it. Between his head and the rain, he needed to focus on driving, not getting bitched at by Kerry. When he walked into County he was already not feeling well, but the odor of mildew and blood was almost enough to make him gag. A thin layer of water rushed in with every person who walked through the door, it was the worst he had seen it. There were people in gurneys that lined the halls all the way to the admit desk. "Dear God" he muttered to himself not knowing who had walked up behind him.
"God doesn't have much to do with it, but you do." Romano heard over his shoulder. "Who could that be? My conscience maybe? No, the sound is too annoying.oh wait! It's Kerry!" he snarked as he turned around. "Robert I don't want to hear it. When I tell you to be in you better come!" She snapped back. Recoiling from her attack Romano lost his newfound feeling of kindness and popped off again. "Well I'm here aren't I? So why don't you shut your mouth about it and let me get to work."
"Oh go for it, now that we are in up to our ass in patients, dive right in."
"Oh don't blame me for this! Why don't you close us to trauma?"
"Why don't you let me worry about that and you go play doctor."
Romano bit his tongue. He had a great insult lined up, but thought back to the last fight they had. He knew he might win verbally, but nothing would matter since she was still his boss. Calming his voice a little he looked to change the subject. "Can I at least get my head sutured?" "Sure." Weaver added, in the same snippy tone as before. "Stand in line." She pointed at the waiting room before walking away. Romano looked and noticed the huge mass of people. "It's going to be a long night." He said before grabbing the trauma that came in behind him.
He had just walked the gurney down the hallway before Pratt grabbed it as they walked into trauma room one. "It's all me Doc." He added as he greeted Romano. Pratt looked up at Romano, he was soaking wet and his head had started to bleed again. "Go on old man, get cleaned up and grab the next one." Pratt said with his usual cocky smile. Romano was going to fight it just because he hated Pratt. However, as he took a step forward he felt a rush of dizziness. "Maybe I did hit my head pretty hard." He thought to himself as he exited the room. He leaned his back against the wall and looked down at himself. His white, long sleeve shirt was clinging to his sides, as were the pants he was wearing. When he went to walk he saw some water squirt out from his tennis shoes. "Great." He thought. Romano slowly made his way to the closet, where he grabbed some dry scrubs. As he was leaving he bumped into Abby.
"Dr. Romano, what happened?" she asked in a more shocked then concerned voice. "Wow, I guess it looks as bad as it feels." He remarked, blinking a blood drop out of his eye. "Do you know how to suture yet?" he asked, trying hard not to sound condescending. Abby nodded. "I'll have to do it in the lounge though, there are no open rooms anywhere. I'll meet you in there." She added before going to find a kit. Romano walked into the lounge and flopped down on the couch. He sighed as he relaxed into the worn green leather. The surgical lounge was much nicer.
Within seconds Abby was in with a suture kit and some gauze. She grabbed a chair and pulled it in front of him. "There are already sutures in here, did you reopen the lac?" she asked kindly as she put on her gloves. "Yeah I hit it again. I think it's a little deeper this time though." He managed to grumble out. For some reason sitting down had made him feel worse then he had before. Abby nodded as she gave him a shot of Novocain. Sporadically she looked down at his eyes, "I think you have a concussion too. Are you sure you should be working up patients?" All Romano had to do was give her a look and the question was answered. While he watched her work Romano realized he really didn't dislike Abby as much as he let her think. That was true of most people though. Thirty stitches later Abby was done, and not a moment too soon.
Lydia burst into the lounge, "We need you guys! Someone jumped in front of the El, he's at the door now!" she yelled as both Abby and Romano got to their feet. "Thanks Abby." Romano got out before they both ran out of the lounge and were greeted by the trauma gurney. "Page Carter!" Romano yelled as he listened to the paramedic tell him the patient's sats. Romano led the gurney into trauma room two and preceded to bark out orders to Carter, who had just joined them. After a difficult intubation and a central line, the three of them tried to look for the man's most critical injury. "You page surgery?" Carter asked a nurse as he stabilized the patient's neck. Just as Abby turned him over the machines started to scream. "He's in v-tech!" Abby yelled as she laid the man back down. Romano looked over at the nurse, "Charge the paddles! Let's go!"
In the next room Pratt's patient was stable. He looked over and watched all the commotion of trauma room two. Feeling it was his duty to help he walked in. "What can I do?" he asked in his usual cocky voice. Without looking over Romano answered him with a snap, "We've got it. Clear!" he yelled as he set the paddles and shocked the patient's chest. This hostility annoyed Pratt. He quickly gloved up and slid over next to Romano, accidentally pushing him. "Damn it Pratt! Don't you listen?" Romano yelled as the paddles charged again. "Clear!" The patient jumped again as the electricity surged through his heart. "I said back off!" Romano spoke more forcefully this time, pushing Pratt back with his shoulder.
Carter noticed what was going on, and could foresee it ending badly. "He still hasn't gotten a rhythm, charge again?" he asked Romano, making it clear to Pratt that Romano was the doctor in charge. Romano shook his head as he tried to focus again. "Yeah, charge to 320." Feeling the mood change Pratt walked over to the patient's head. "So Carter, what you want me to do?" Carter shot him a look before Romano shocked the paddles again. This time there was a rhythm. "All right." Carter said aloud, "Let's get this boy stabilized." Romano nodded. "Abby, this man's femurs are both broken, what is the first thing we should check for?" Romano asked. "Pulse in the foot." She quickly responded. "Make it so. Carter, let's tap this guy's belly for blood so we can tell the surgeons what to look for." Carter nodded as he grabbed the lavage kit. Romano looked around; everyone was doing their job brilliantly.
A few seconds after Carter made the small incision the patient's pressure dropped sending the machines back into a shrill scream. "Let's get two units of O in here and find some type specific." Romano started, "He's bleeding from somewhere, we have to find it." The last remark was directed at Carter but Pratt used it as an opportunity to barge in. He scooted back in next to Romano. "Try the." Pratt tried to speak but was cut off again. "God damn it get the fuck away." Romano yelled, shoulder checking Pratt backwards.
"I'm just trying to help you little weasel."
"We don't need any help. You're just pissing me off!" Romano yelled before turning back to his patient.
"Look you little midget, it's not my fault I'm a better doctor then you!" This remark spun Romano around on his heels. "You just don't listen! Get out!" he yelled back. Carter, trying to save the patient, decided to stand behind Romano. "Pratt! Go find something else to do!" Now, being given an order by two doctors, he finally decided to listen, but not before adding one last insult. "You know, I didn't think the hospital was covered to let washed up, gimp doctors work on people." This sent Romano over the edge. Before Pratt could turn around, Romano swung his right fist, connecting with Pratt just under his jaw. This sent them both to the floor. After they both landed Pratt grabbed Romano's shirt and brought him into a head butt, breaking his nose. He rolled over on top of Romano, slamming his back against the ground.
After being slammed twice on the linoleum Romano brought his foot up and kicked Pratt squarely in the chest, sending him back into the pulse ox machine. Before Pratt could reach his feet Carter had him by the arm, and Luka joined them, pulling Romano back to the floor. Hearing the yelling from admit, it didn't take Kerry long to walk in. "What the hell is going on?" she yelled as she looked around the room. Abby was doing chest compressions on the patient while Pratt and Romano lay on the ground, being held back by Carter and Luka.
"Everybody up!" she yelled again. "Carter, Luka, you two take over. Romano and Pratt, outside now!" Quickly all members did as they were told. As soon as the doors closed from the trauma room Kerry was yelling out reprimands. "What the hell do you think you two are doing?" she asked rhetorically. "I have two of my doctors fighting, while a patient is in V- tech? I don't fucking believe it!" By now the whole of the hospital staff was staring at the three of them. "I don't want to know what brought this on, and frankly I don't care." She quickly shifted things over to Romano as she pointed her finger at him as she spoke. "Robert, you are a senior attending. You should know better then to put a patient's life at stake while you go duke it out with a resident!" Romano opened his mouth, trying to explain his actions, but was interrupted again by Weaver, "And I don't want to hear your excuses! You are suspended until further notice." Romano closed his mouth after he heard her words. He looked around. The whole hospital had come to a stand still as they all stared at him. "Now do you have anything else to add before you go home?" she asked him. Romano couldn't speak. He knew if he opened his mouth he would loose he job. Instead he shook his head as the muscles in his jaw clenched together. He threw off his trauma gown before he walked past Kerry and headed for the door. "And Robert!" Kerry shouted before he could reach the exit. Romano didn't turn around; instead he just stopped to listen. "If you ever pull this again, you're fired."
Romano couldn't stop the muscles in his body from twitching. He was so angry he couldn't even think. Leaving his things in the hospital lounge he walked out into the rain for his car. Back inside the hospital a cocky smile formed on Pratt's face. Kerry was about to turn and go back to work until she saw it. "And as for you." She said, snapping Pratt's head back to her direction. "You're suspended too. Get out." Pratt's mouth dropped open as he walked back to admit trying to explain his actions away to Kerry. Back in the trauma room Carter, Luka, and Abby had gotten the man stable enough to transfer to the OR. After he was Abby went to clean up. "I can't believe Pratt, what an asshole. He deserved to be hit." She said to Luka. "That's the first time I have even seen Romano not have something to say to Kerry." Luka responded back. Abby touched his shoulder before walking back into the hallway. "Oh I'm sure he had something to say, he was just smart enough to not do it for once."
Romano sat in his car. He couldn't believe such a good day had ended so bad. He concentrated on his breathing, trying to calm himself down before starting the drive home. To his surprise he had been at the hospital longer then he had thought. He came in a little after five and it was now almost nine. Finally he felt he was calm enough to safely drive home. Romano wiped his hand on his scrub top before clenching the steering wheel. It hadn't taken him long to learn how to do most things with one hand, least of all drive. He pulled out of his spot and made his way out of the hospital garage into the street.
There was no one on the road driving, which was strange for Chicago, even with the miserable weather. Romano drove to his house on autopilot. His mind was still racing with past events. He knew he should have held his temper, but it had been a long time coming with Pratt. He tried to convince himself that Pratt's words weren't true. Finally he pulled into his garage. He quietly made his way upstairs and into the shower. Placing his hand against the wall he leaned into the showerhead as it sprayed his body with steaming hot water. After a strangely refreshing shower he threw on an undershirt and some loose flannel pants before he walked downstairs. Romano searched through his refrigerator for some dinner. Unfortunately he had not gone shopping like he planned and didn't have anything substantial to eat.
He rubbed his face as he rolled his neck along his shoulders thinking of what to do. After ordering from his favorite Chinese restaurant, Romano called for Gretel and sat down on his couch. His big shaggy dog hopped up too, laying her massive head on his lap as he turned on the TV. Not finding anything on he grabbed the remote for his stereo, he always liked music better anyway. The first CD in his track would work just fine. He closed his eyes as Hootie and the Blowfish belted out soothing melodies.
Shortly after ten Romano's doorbell rang. Gretel got up to bark, but with a single command from her master she quickly stopped and laid back down. Romano grabbed his wallet from the desk and opened the door. "$10.50 right?" he started to say before he looked up. There, standing in the rain, was Elizabeth holding his Chinese food. She looked pissed off and extremely concerned at the same time. "I paid the delivery boy for your dinner. He just drove off." She told him. "Can I come in?"
***Warning, there is 'R' language in this chapter.
Romano parked in the second floor of the parking deck; he couldn't believe all the rain. He had arrived at county twenty minutes after Weaver originally called him. His beeper had gone off five times in the ten minutes it took to drive from Elizabeth's house to the hospital, he knew who it was and didn't bother answering it. Between his head and the rain, he needed to focus on driving, not getting bitched at by Kerry. When he walked into County he was already not feeling well, but the odor of mildew and blood was almost enough to make him gag. A thin layer of water rushed in with every person who walked through the door, it was the worst he had seen it. There were people in gurneys that lined the halls all the way to the admit desk. "Dear God" he muttered to himself not knowing who had walked up behind him.
"God doesn't have much to do with it, but you do." Romano heard over his shoulder. "Who could that be? My conscience maybe? No, the sound is too annoying.oh wait! It's Kerry!" he snarked as he turned around. "Robert I don't want to hear it. When I tell you to be in you better come!" She snapped back. Recoiling from her attack Romano lost his newfound feeling of kindness and popped off again. "Well I'm here aren't I? So why don't you shut your mouth about it and let me get to work."
"Oh go for it, now that we are in up to our ass in patients, dive right in."
"Oh don't blame me for this! Why don't you close us to trauma?"
"Why don't you let me worry about that and you go play doctor."
Romano bit his tongue. He had a great insult lined up, but thought back to the last fight they had. He knew he might win verbally, but nothing would matter since she was still his boss. Calming his voice a little he looked to change the subject. "Can I at least get my head sutured?" "Sure." Weaver added, in the same snippy tone as before. "Stand in line." She pointed at the waiting room before walking away. Romano looked and noticed the huge mass of people. "It's going to be a long night." He said before grabbing the trauma that came in behind him.
He had just walked the gurney down the hallway before Pratt grabbed it as they walked into trauma room one. "It's all me Doc." He added as he greeted Romano. Pratt looked up at Romano, he was soaking wet and his head had started to bleed again. "Go on old man, get cleaned up and grab the next one." Pratt said with his usual cocky smile. Romano was going to fight it just because he hated Pratt. However, as he took a step forward he felt a rush of dizziness. "Maybe I did hit my head pretty hard." He thought to himself as he exited the room. He leaned his back against the wall and looked down at himself. His white, long sleeve shirt was clinging to his sides, as were the pants he was wearing. When he went to walk he saw some water squirt out from his tennis shoes. "Great." He thought. Romano slowly made his way to the closet, where he grabbed some dry scrubs. As he was leaving he bumped into Abby.
"Dr. Romano, what happened?" she asked in a more shocked then concerned voice. "Wow, I guess it looks as bad as it feels." He remarked, blinking a blood drop out of his eye. "Do you know how to suture yet?" he asked, trying hard not to sound condescending. Abby nodded. "I'll have to do it in the lounge though, there are no open rooms anywhere. I'll meet you in there." She added before going to find a kit. Romano walked into the lounge and flopped down on the couch. He sighed as he relaxed into the worn green leather. The surgical lounge was much nicer.
Within seconds Abby was in with a suture kit and some gauze. She grabbed a chair and pulled it in front of him. "There are already sutures in here, did you reopen the lac?" she asked kindly as she put on her gloves. "Yeah I hit it again. I think it's a little deeper this time though." He managed to grumble out. For some reason sitting down had made him feel worse then he had before. Abby nodded as she gave him a shot of Novocain. Sporadically she looked down at his eyes, "I think you have a concussion too. Are you sure you should be working up patients?" All Romano had to do was give her a look and the question was answered. While he watched her work Romano realized he really didn't dislike Abby as much as he let her think. That was true of most people though. Thirty stitches later Abby was done, and not a moment too soon.
Lydia burst into the lounge, "We need you guys! Someone jumped in front of the El, he's at the door now!" she yelled as both Abby and Romano got to their feet. "Thanks Abby." Romano got out before they both ran out of the lounge and were greeted by the trauma gurney. "Page Carter!" Romano yelled as he listened to the paramedic tell him the patient's sats. Romano led the gurney into trauma room two and preceded to bark out orders to Carter, who had just joined them. After a difficult intubation and a central line, the three of them tried to look for the man's most critical injury. "You page surgery?" Carter asked a nurse as he stabilized the patient's neck. Just as Abby turned him over the machines started to scream. "He's in v-tech!" Abby yelled as she laid the man back down. Romano looked over at the nurse, "Charge the paddles! Let's go!"
In the next room Pratt's patient was stable. He looked over and watched all the commotion of trauma room two. Feeling it was his duty to help he walked in. "What can I do?" he asked in his usual cocky voice. Without looking over Romano answered him with a snap, "We've got it. Clear!" he yelled as he set the paddles and shocked the patient's chest. This hostility annoyed Pratt. He quickly gloved up and slid over next to Romano, accidentally pushing him. "Damn it Pratt! Don't you listen?" Romano yelled as the paddles charged again. "Clear!" The patient jumped again as the electricity surged through his heart. "I said back off!" Romano spoke more forcefully this time, pushing Pratt back with his shoulder.
Carter noticed what was going on, and could foresee it ending badly. "He still hasn't gotten a rhythm, charge again?" he asked Romano, making it clear to Pratt that Romano was the doctor in charge. Romano shook his head as he tried to focus again. "Yeah, charge to 320." Feeling the mood change Pratt walked over to the patient's head. "So Carter, what you want me to do?" Carter shot him a look before Romano shocked the paddles again. This time there was a rhythm. "All right." Carter said aloud, "Let's get this boy stabilized." Romano nodded. "Abby, this man's femurs are both broken, what is the first thing we should check for?" Romano asked. "Pulse in the foot." She quickly responded. "Make it so. Carter, let's tap this guy's belly for blood so we can tell the surgeons what to look for." Carter nodded as he grabbed the lavage kit. Romano looked around; everyone was doing their job brilliantly.
A few seconds after Carter made the small incision the patient's pressure dropped sending the machines back into a shrill scream. "Let's get two units of O in here and find some type specific." Romano started, "He's bleeding from somewhere, we have to find it." The last remark was directed at Carter but Pratt used it as an opportunity to barge in. He scooted back in next to Romano. "Try the." Pratt tried to speak but was cut off again. "God damn it get the fuck away." Romano yelled, shoulder checking Pratt backwards.
"I'm just trying to help you little weasel."
"We don't need any help. You're just pissing me off!" Romano yelled before turning back to his patient.
"Look you little midget, it's not my fault I'm a better doctor then you!" This remark spun Romano around on his heels. "You just don't listen! Get out!" he yelled back. Carter, trying to save the patient, decided to stand behind Romano. "Pratt! Go find something else to do!" Now, being given an order by two doctors, he finally decided to listen, but not before adding one last insult. "You know, I didn't think the hospital was covered to let washed up, gimp doctors work on people." This sent Romano over the edge. Before Pratt could turn around, Romano swung his right fist, connecting with Pratt just under his jaw. This sent them both to the floor. After they both landed Pratt grabbed Romano's shirt and brought him into a head butt, breaking his nose. He rolled over on top of Romano, slamming his back against the ground.
After being slammed twice on the linoleum Romano brought his foot up and kicked Pratt squarely in the chest, sending him back into the pulse ox machine. Before Pratt could reach his feet Carter had him by the arm, and Luka joined them, pulling Romano back to the floor. Hearing the yelling from admit, it didn't take Kerry long to walk in. "What the hell is going on?" she yelled as she looked around the room. Abby was doing chest compressions on the patient while Pratt and Romano lay on the ground, being held back by Carter and Luka.
"Everybody up!" she yelled again. "Carter, Luka, you two take over. Romano and Pratt, outside now!" Quickly all members did as they were told. As soon as the doors closed from the trauma room Kerry was yelling out reprimands. "What the hell do you think you two are doing?" she asked rhetorically. "I have two of my doctors fighting, while a patient is in V- tech? I don't fucking believe it!" By now the whole of the hospital staff was staring at the three of them. "I don't want to know what brought this on, and frankly I don't care." She quickly shifted things over to Romano as she pointed her finger at him as she spoke. "Robert, you are a senior attending. You should know better then to put a patient's life at stake while you go duke it out with a resident!" Romano opened his mouth, trying to explain his actions, but was interrupted again by Weaver, "And I don't want to hear your excuses! You are suspended until further notice." Romano closed his mouth after he heard her words. He looked around. The whole hospital had come to a stand still as they all stared at him. "Now do you have anything else to add before you go home?" she asked him. Romano couldn't speak. He knew if he opened his mouth he would loose he job. Instead he shook his head as the muscles in his jaw clenched together. He threw off his trauma gown before he walked past Kerry and headed for the door. "And Robert!" Kerry shouted before he could reach the exit. Romano didn't turn around; instead he just stopped to listen. "If you ever pull this again, you're fired."
Romano couldn't stop the muscles in his body from twitching. He was so angry he couldn't even think. Leaving his things in the hospital lounge he walked out into the rain for his car. Back inside the hospital a cocky smile formed on Pratt's face. Kerry was about to turn and go back to work until she saw it. "And as for you." She said, snapping Pratt's head back to her direction. "You're suspended too. Get out." Pratt's mouth dropped open as he walked back to admit trying to explain his actions away to Kerry. Back in the trauma room Carter, Luka, and Abby had gotten the man stable enough to transfer to the OR. After he was Abby went to clean up. "I can't believe Pratt, what an asshole. He deserved to be hit." She said to Luka. "That's the first time I have even seen Romano not have something to say to Kerry." Luka responded back. Abby touched his shoulder before walking back into the hallway. "Oh I'm sure he had something to say, he was just smart enough to not do it for once."
Romano sat in his car. He couldn't believe such a good day had ended so bad. He concentrated on his breathing, trying to calm himself down before starting the drive home. To his surprise he had been at the hospital longer then he had thought. He came in a little after five and it was now almost nine. Finally he felt he was calm enough to safely drive home. Romano wiped his hand on his scrub top before clenching the steering wheel. It hadn't taken him long to learn how to do most things with one hand, least of all drive. He pulled out of his spot and made his way out of the hospital garage into the street.
There was no one on the road driving, which was strange for Chicago, even with the miserable weather. Romano drove to his house on autopilot. His mind was still racing with past events. He knew he should have held his temper, but it had been a long time coming with Pratt. He tried to convince himself that Pratt's words weren't true. Finally he pulled into his garage. He quietly made his way upstairs and into the shower. Placing his hand against the wall he leaned into the showerhead as it sprayed his body with steaming hot water. After a strangely refreshing shower he threw on an undershirt and some loose flannel pants before he walked downstairs. Romano searched through his refrigerator for some dinner. Unfortunately he had not gone shopping like he planned and didn't have anything substantial to eat.
He rubbed his face as he rolled his neck along his shoulders thinking of what to do. After ordering from his favorite Chinese restaurant, Romano called for Gretel and sat down on his couch. His big shaggy dog hopped up too, laying her massive head on his lap as he turned on the TV. Not finding anything on he grabbed the remote for his stereo, he always liked music better anyway. The first CD in his track would work just fine. He closed his eyes as Hootie and the Blowfish belted out soothing melodies.
Shortly after ten Romano's doorbell rang. Gretel got up to bark, but with a single command from her master she quickly stopped and laid back down. Romano grabbed his wallet from the desk and opened the door. "$10.50 right?" he started to say before he looked up. There, standing in the rain, was Elizabeth holding his Chinese food. She looked pissed off and extremely concerned at the same time. "I paid the delivery boy for your dinner. He just drove off." She told him. "Can I come in?"