A/N: No, Emil Greystone is not in this chapter. But don't think she's a throwaway character I wrote in just to make it longer. Because she isn't. She'll come up later.
I had SO much trouble figuring out what this quote is from. I can't believe it. It's from one of my favorite movies. See if you can figure it out: "It doesn't do anything. That's the beauty of it!" Haha.
By the way! Yes, it's a bit boring right now. It should start to get better by the next chapter. Lastly, the name "Jayleigh" was my sister's name. She died on November 3, 2003 at the age of three.
Disclaimer: ER isn't mine… if it was, I would have NEVER let Carter go to the Congo… nor would I have killed off Carby! The song belongs to Tim McGraw. The cars mentioned belong to the Cadillac company dudes.
*~LTDan~*
After all this time,
I still miss you everyday
The same world spins round,
I guess some things never change
Sometimes I go out,
But it never feels the same
I still look for you.
Baby some things never change.
When I said I loved you for eternity
I just never knew how true
Those words would be
Just an old love song,
Just a mention of your name,
My heart breaks in two again.
I guess some things never change.
Maybe someday, someone else will set me free.
Until then, I'll live with your love's legacy.
And I'll keep holding on,
Hoping you'll come back someday.
You can rest assured
Baby some things never change.
Girl I'm still in love with you.
I guess some things never change.
I still love you.
~Some Things Never Change by Tim McGraw
Carter stepped off the plane alone, Mrs. Greystone having been picked up immediately by her son. Walking down the stairs and seeing the Chicago Airport felt better than anything he had felt yet. With his bags slung over his shoulders, he continued on to the parking lot.
"Dr. Carter?" said an uncertain male voice from behind.
Carter turned, only to find an obese man he was sure he had never seen before. Assuming it was someone he had met in a previous life, he said, "I'm Dr. Carter. Can I help you?"
"You don't remember me, do you?" The man smiled when Carter didn't say anything. "I had massive burn wounds last year." The man peeled down the collar of his shirt. His entire chest and shoulders were covered in angry scars. Carter inwardly wondering why on Earth this man cared he had treated his burns.
"It's just… I heard you were in the Congo. I wanted to… I'm sure you get this a lot… I wanted to thank you," said the man, as if in response to Carter's thoughts.
Carter smiled. "Actually, no, I don't get that very often at all. It's part of my job… you're welcome."
"So you're back?" the man asked after a small pause.
"Yep. And—ah—I'd better be going if I want my job back." Carter glanced at his watch. He had never been very easy talking to people who treated him only as a doctor who had saved their life. He liked to converse on a personal level.
"Okay. Catch you later." The man took off in the opposite direction toward the air terminal.
Does that guy know what he just said? Carter thought. "Catch you later"? The only way he'll "catch me later" is if he's seriously injured. He laughed aloud at his newfound philosophical look on life. Africa had changed him, whether he saw it or not.
"First," he said to himself, "I'll need a car. To a car dealership." He laughed. He would seem so homely, going to a car lot in the shape he was in. Oh well, he thought, they'll get over it.
Thus, Carter set out on foot, heavy luggage and all, to the nearest car lot.
******
"What can I do for you?" a salesman as soon as Carter had stepped onto the pavement of Bender & Sons' Cadillac, Buick, and GMC. Annoying jerks, he thought as the tall man before him flashed him a smile. This guy was definitely the cover boy for annoying jerks.
"Well… I need a vehicle…" said Carter thickly, suddenly realizing he did not know what kind of automobile he wanted.
"I'm here to help." The man, whose black hair was slicked back, thus furthering his look of mental retardation, stuck out his hand. Carter didn't want to, but he shook his hand anyway.
"What have you got in mind?" the man asked, leading Carter down a row of sport utility vehicles.
Carter gave a short laugh. "I don't know, really. I just got back in the country. Need something…"
"Yeah, I got outta the country sometimes too. Went up to Canada a few times. Do you plan on hauling many passengers?" The man stepped up to a white Cadillac Escalade.
Oh sure, thought Carter, take me to the most expensive SUV in the place. He thinks I'm blind to the way their minds work.
"Well… probably just me…" he responded in a quiet voice.
"Then maybe you'd like to have a look at this…" The salesman walked farther down the aisle toward a silver piece of work. "New model XLR. Want to see the inside?"
Carter sighed. Why not? Ab—everyone at County will think I'm turning into a rich bighead… "Sure."
The salesman grinned again and opened the door. The interior on the Cadillac was dark leather—freshly oiled, by the smell of it. There were two bucket seats; beautiful cherry wood that mixed wonderfully with the rest; a computerized map—all the hi-tech contraptions that would give him a cockier appearance than the exterior.
"I'll take it." Again, he heaved a sigh.
******
Nearly three hours later, Carter pulled up in his new sports car outside his longtime barbershop. Knowing his barber would recognize him, he did not get out for a few minutes. It took him a while, but he finally stepped out of the car, and entered the building.
"Hey, Anthony. I need the usual." Carter cringed. Anthony, his barber, probably did not recognize him at all.
"Er—you'll need to sign in…" said the old man, a faint look of puzzlement on his wizened face.
"Okay—" Carter picked up the clipboard on the counter in front of him. "John—" he whispered to himself, "—Carter."
Anthony's eyes widened in apparent recognition. "John Carter? Dr. John Carter? From Cook County General?"
Carter gave his award-winning smile. "Yep. That's me."
"I heard a rumor you went to Africa." Anthony seemed to be taking in Carter's less-than-jake appearance. "Is it true?"
"I was in Africa for almost three years, Anthony. Can't you tell?" He pulled at the same thick bunch of hair that had fallen in front of his face on the plane ride home.
Anthony gave a laugh that quickly turned into a severe cough. "You alright?" Carter asked, stepping uncertainly toward him. He automatically put a hand to his back.
When Anthony nodded and the coughing subsided, Carter attempted to return to the waiting room, which was completely empty.
"Get in here, you. I'm giving you a haircut, aren't I? Free of charge." Anthony smiled toothlessly, setting up a chair.
Carter turned a grinned, sitting down in the chair. "You remember how I cut my hair, don't you?"
Anthony laughed a rattling laugh. "Of course!"
******
By one o'clock the next morning, everything was taken care of. Everything he owned was in the Carter mansion, and his car was parked outside it. Now there was just one thing left to do…
******
Carter stood outside Cook County General. His hands in his pockets, his breath visible in front of his face, he took a solitary step forward. This is it, he thought. He had never, ever thought returning would be so hard. What, exactly, was difficult, he still did not know.
Gulping involuntarily, he took another two step toward the double doors only a few yards away, a sign labeling it EMERGENCY ROOM directly above them. A few steps later, and he was looking through the glass at the admit desk.
Oh God, was all he could think. Slowly, he opened the door, and the head of the man at the admit desk turned, seemingly automatically, toward him.
"Dr. Carter?" said the man.
Carter bit his bottom lip and raised his eyebrows. "Hey Frank," he said I a rush, as he did often when he was caught up in something, or nervous.
"You're back!" Frank yelled, pointing out the oh-so-obvious. He ran, or, rather, waddled toward Carter.
Carter made up his mind a split second. "Frank, do you know where Abby Lockhart is?"
"Abby?" Frank said, as if he had been pulled abruptly out of a trance. He scratched his half-bald head (which, Carter noticed, was balder than it had been when he left). "ICU, I think. She spends a lot of time up there. Check the exam rooms if she's not there."
Carter's brow furrowed. "ICU? She's okay, right?"
"Yeah… yeah, she's fine." Frank tilted his head to the sight slightly, as if he wanted to say more, but thought better of it.
"Does she… work up there, or something?" Carter persisted.
Frank looked down at his watch. "Well," he said, a bit too loudly, "you'd better get up there. It's late, and she'll probably be leaving soon."
Carter looked, mystified, at Frank, but continued walking down the hall toward the stairs.
******
Thanks to sheer dumb luck, no one saw (or, perhaps, he thought, recognized?) Carter as he made his way to the Intensive Care Unit. He reached the level, and walked down the receptionist's desk.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for Abby Lockhart. Frank at the ER admit desk said she was up here—"
"Dr. Lockhart?" said the receptionist, a set of oddly cold black eyes boring into Carter's chocolate-brown ones.
"Er—I suppose." When did she become a doctor?
"Next floor up, last door at the end of the hall on the left. Room 403." She paused. "Have you been here before? I'm sure I know your face…"
"Used to," responded Carter before walking the length of the hall to the stairs. He had intended on seeing Abby again, but what was he doing? This soon, the first person he went to see. In the back of his mind, he knew she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. And God knew he still loved her more than ever.
He reached the door labeled 403. The patient's name was Jayleigh, and her doctor was Sam West—someone he had never heard of. The door was partially open, so he knocked, then pushed it open without waiting for a response.
A sharp gasp escaped his lips at what he saw. Abby was sleeping softly next to a small child—the patient. The small girl in the bed was hooked up to so many tubes, monitors, and various other equipment, Carter was barely able to count them.
He stepped up to her, wondering who she was. Her head was narrow, and covered in curly blonde hair. Her skin was fairly dark, and her eyelashes were long and black. Carter decided quickly she was beautiful.
Suddenly, Abby stirred. Carter watched her sadly as she woke.
"Carter?" she said when her eyes opened and she caught sight of him standing above the little girl.
"Hi Abby." He couldn't help but grin at her dumbfounded expression. "I'm back."
*~LTDan~*
Response to Reviews
DreamChaser78: Yeah, I was looking for who the original singer was. I found that Bon Jovi redone it, but I could NOT find the original singer. Bah.
Anon: You want me to answer that? 'Cause I dunno why you don't like it. I think it's a bit stupid, but that's just me. I'm going to assume you've never written anything. If you have, then I want to know what your problem is. Authors love reviews! That's why we ask for them.
MaryKate113: I have posted again. There we go.
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Jennifer: Well, is it okay if you read more? I'm sure I can record myself reading it aloud and mail it to you, but will this work? Hehe.
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Cait: Well, I could reply to that in a very scathing manner, but I just lost my little sister, and am not up to it.
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