Authors Note- So this is chapter two, and Liby wrote this one... I think everyone will be thrown for a moment when they read it. Thanks for the reviews, we really appreciate them!
Disclaimer- Still not ours.
Rating- Um, still G-PG I'd say.
Chapter Two
It seems to be one of those never ending, forever dragging days. I cannot see straight, my head is pounding, and I still have eight more hours to go on my shift. Why did I become a nurse again? I should have listened to my brother and became an accountant or an investment banker. Someone with nine to five hours and weekends off. But no. I had to rebel and now I'm stuck here. I regret divorcing Richard. He makes enough to support a few families. I could have stayed at home and lounged around. Why did I choose this? Or I could have finished medical school and set up a small practice somewhere. Yet I'm a nurse at the most chaotic ER in the Midwest. I drop off another chart and walk toward the doors. The cool wind hits my face and wakes me up a bit. I meet the ambulance and take a patient with Luka. We walk off towards trauma one, but then Chuny takes over for me. I go back to the desk and take the next chart of the day. I see a man standing by the board and walk up to him.
"Excuse me, are you supposed to be back here?" I see him turn around. Short brown hair, much taller than me, and deep brown eyes.
"I work here." I shoot him a questioning look and he looks around, probably searching for a familiar face.
"So do I." Nice job, Abby. State the obvious.
"I'm Carter." I nod my head and hand him a chart.
"And I need a doctor. Come on." I hear his feet hit the floor behind me and I slowly lead him into the suture room.
"This is Mr. Douglas. He has end stage lung cancer." I check the man's stat's and give the new doctor a look. I've never seen him before, or worked with him. I think I've heard stories about him. He used to work here before his wife died. I don't know much. I hand him the chart and he marks the man's condition.
"Let's keep him as comfortable as we can. Is the family on the way?" I nod my head reflexively and he puts the chart onto the bed. He starts towards the door and I follow him.
"I'm Abby, by the way." He acknowledges me with a slight nod of his head and a smile.
"We'll be working together for a while." I roll my eyes.
"Yeah. Unfortunately. Give me a margarita and a beach instead." He laughs a little. I'm serious about that. I need a drink. A strong one. Tonight. I cannot deal with place anymore.
"I can't do that, but how about a coffee?" I didn't even realize when we reached the desk.
"I'll take you up on that offer later. Your buying, by the way." He shakes his head mockingly at me and I roll my eyes. I cross Mr. Douglas's name off the board and look around. The rack is filling up by the second. I watch him pick up another chart and shoot me a look. I look around and no one else is around me besides Jerry. I throw my hands up in defeat in follow him towards the exam room. He passes Susan and she shoots him a smile and a hug.
"Hey, how's it going?" I walk a bit closer to them.
"Good." Susan notices me and starts to smile.
"Yeah, well you are working with the ER's best nurse." I walk past him and grab the chart out of his hands.
"She's a known pathological liar." I walk into the room and start to grab the woman's blood. She is complaining of a headache and fever, but nothing else is working. She looks jaundice as well. I take the tube, label it, and drop it into the bag. I watch him look into her eyes, run some simple diagnostic tests, and then leave her with some comforting words. I follow him outside the room.
"What do you think?" He runs his hand through his hair and sighs.
"Amphetamines." I nod my head and make a note on the chart to keep an eye on her. Over-dose victims can have substantially life-threatening high blood pressure. I put the chart in the tray and follow him. I don't know. I haven't felt this comfortable around someone in years. I know it takes me a while to warm up to someone. I've been through hell and back; I don't know who I can trust and who I can't. I thought Richard was love. What a lie; he was a horrible mistake. I've made a lot of them too. I don't know. I think misery seems to follow me, like it's permanently glued to me. My life is slowly spinning out of control; everything is blurring together. I don't know what I want out of life anymore. I sit down at the desk and look around. I can't see straight anymore. I've been on for twenty-four hours straight without an ounce of sleep. If I wanted those types of hours, I could have finished medical school. He walks in front of me and gives me a funny look.
"Are you okay?"I nod my head and push my bangs out of my eyes.
"I'm taking a break. Find someone else to torture." I slowly trudge to the lounge and take a cup out of the cabinet. I pour myself some of the steaming brown liquid and throw two teaspoons of sugar inside. I collapse against the sofa and Luka walks in. He gives me a sympathetic look and sits down next to me. He places a kiss on my forehead and pulls me closer to him. I don't know if I love him. He's always been there for me. The first guy I've dated in a while. I let my body go limp in his arms and his hand runs up and down my shoulders. I sigh and he kisses me again. He's physically the best thing for me right now. I can't get hurt. I can't be in pain. No emotional ties. Nothing. I feel him ease himself off me and head towards the door.
"I have to get back. Go lie down for a few minutes. We'll be okay." I nod my head and curl my feet up on the couch. I lie my head down on my arm and my pounding head comes back into focus. This is pointless. I roll over to the other side and rub my temples. I'm cursed. I'm permanently cursed. The door opens and I hear Chuny's shrill voice echo through the room. I"m needed. I"m always needed, but for the wrong reasons. This day will never end. I walk towards the ambulance and meet Susan outside.
"You waiting for the MVA?" She nods her head and runs her hands up and down her shoulders trying to stay warm.
"How's he doing?" Does she think I can read her mind or something? God, Susan, get your act together.
"Who?" She looks at me and rolls her eyes.
"Carter." Oh. Him. I nod my head. He seems to be falling into the pattern very nicely, except that it will take him a few days to remember people's names. I dig my hands into my pockets and look around the ambulance bay. The sun was shining a few minutes ago, but when it found out I was coming outside, it ran and hid. That's my theory. I'm sticking to it.
"How long have you known him?" She shrugs her shoulders.
"Since I was a resident. He was my med student for a while. He was such a geek. He had a crush on me." I look at her seductively. She starts to laugh, shaking her head.
"Nothing happened!" I nod my head understandingly.
"Sure... Sure... Sure..." I see him start to walk out and I shoot her a smile. She starts to giggle and I walk towards the ambulance. I take the gurney from the paramedics and listen as they rattle off stats and situation as Susan follows on the other side. Carter follows behind us, simply observing. I pull out a pair of gloves, throw a pair at Susan, and throw a pair at him. He works here too. I follow Susan's orders throughout the diagnosis stage and set the drugs into motion. After about twenty minutes, our patient is stabilized and waiting for Elizabeth to get down and take him up to surgery. I stay behind and note the drugs used and the dosage. I clean up quickly and throw away the used needles. I walk out and almost plough into Carter.
"I'm sorry." He starts to laugh.
"Way too many people." I roll my eyes. Yeah. It's called a hospital sweetie, sick people come here.
"Can I get your help? I have a rape kit to complete."I cringe at the thought of completing a rape kit. It's the worst thing that can possible happen to a person. I know from personal experience. An experience I do not want to repeat either. I nod my head sombrely and mentally prepare myself for what's about to come. Never a boring day. And I still haven't had a good cup of coffee. And it's not even noon yet. Someone please put me out of my suffering.
Disclaimer- Still not ours.
Rating- Um, still G-PG I'd say.
Chapter Two
It seems to be one of those never ending, forever dragging days. I cannot see straight, my head is pounding, and I still have eight more hours to go on my shift. Why did I become a nurse again? I should have listened to my brother and became an accountant or an investment banker. Someone with nine to five hours and weekends off. But no. I had to rebel and now I'm stuck here. I regret divorcing Richard. He makes enough to support a few families. I could have stayed at home and lounged around. Why did I choose this? Or I could have finished medical school and set up a small practice somewhere. Yet I'm a nurse at the most chaotic ER in the Midwest. I drop off another chart and walk toward the doors. The cool wind hits my face and wakes me up a bit. I meet the ambulance and take a patient with Luka. We walk off towards trauma one, but then Chuny takes over for me. I go back to the desk and take the next chart of the day. I see a man standing by the board and walk up to him.
"Excuse me, are you supposed to be back here?" I see him turn around. Short brown hair, much taller than me, and deep brown eyes.
"I work here." I shoot him a questioning look and he looks around, probably searching for a familiar face.
"So do I." Nice job, Abby. State the obvious.
"I'm Carter." I nod my head and hand him a chart.
"And I need a doctor. Come on." I hear his feet hit the floor behind me and I slowly lead him into the suture room.
"This is Mr. Douglas. He has end stage lung cancer." I check the man's stat's and give the new doctor a look. I've never seen him before, or worked with him. I think I've heard stories about him. He used to work here before his wife died. I don't know much. I hand him the chart and he marks the man's condition.
"Let's keep him as comfortable as we can. Is the family on the way?" I nod my head reflexively and he puts the chart onto the bed. He starts towards the door and I follow him.
"I'm Abby, by the way." He acknowledges me with a slight nod of his head and a smile.
"We'll be working together for a while." I roll my eyes.
"Yeah. Unfortunately. Give me a margarita and a beach instead." He laughs a little. I'm serious about that. I need a drink. A strong one. Tonight. I cannot deal with place anymore.
"I can't do that, but how about a coffee?" I didn't even realize when we reached the desk.
"I'll take you up on that offer later. Your buying, by the way." He shakes his head mockingly at me and I roll my eyes. I cross Mr. Douglas's name off the board and look around. The rack is filling up by the second. I watch him pick up another chart and shoot me a look. I look around and no one else is around me besides Jerry. I throw my hands up in defeat in follow him towards the exam room. He passes Susan and she shoots him a smile and a hug.
"Hey, how's it going?" I walk a bit closer to them.
"Good." Susan notices me and starts to smile.
"Yeah, well you are working with the ER's best nurse." I walk past him and grab the chart out of his hands.
"She's a known pathological liar." I walk into the room and start to grab the woman's blood. She is complaining of a headache and fever, but nothing else is working. She looks jaundice as well. I take the tube, label it, and drop it into the bag. I watch him look into her eyes, run some simple diagnostic tests, and then leave her with some comforting words. I follow him outside the room.
"What do you think?" He runs his hand through his hair and sighs.
"Amphetamines." I nod my head and make a note on the chart to keep an eye on her. Over-dose victims can have substantially life-threatening high blood pressure. I put the chart in the tray and follow him. I don't know. I haven't felt this comfortable around someone in years. I know it takes me a while to warm up to someone. I've been through hell and back; I don't know who I can trust and who I can't. I thought Richard was love. What a lie; he was a horrible mistake. I've made a lot of them too. I don't know. I think misery seems to follow me, like it's permanently glued to me. My life is slowly spinning out of control; everything is blurring together. I don't know what I want out of life anymore. I sit down at the desk and look around. I can't see straight anymore. I've been on for twenty-four hours straight without an ounce of sleep. If I wanted those types of hours, I could have finished medical school. He walks in front of me and gives me a funny look.
"Are you okay?"I nod my head and push my bangs out of my eyes.
"I'm taking a break. Find someone else to torture." I slowly trudge to the lounge and take a cup out of the cabinet. I pour myself some of the steaming brown liquid and throw two teaspoons of sugar inside. I collapse against the sofa and Luka walks in. He gives me a sympathetic look and sits down next to me. He places a kiss on my forehead and pulls me closer to him. I don't know if I love him. He's always been there for me. The first guy I've dated in a while. I let my body go limp in his arms and his hand runs up and down my shoulders. I sigh and he kisses me again. He's physically the best thing for me right now. I can't get hurt. I can't be in pain. No emotional ties. Nothing. I feel him ease himself off me and head towards the door.
"I have to get back. Go lie down for a few minutes. We'll be okay." I nod my head and curl my feet up on the couch. I lie my head down on my arm and my pounding head comes back into focus. This is pointless. I roll over to the other side and rub my temples. I'm cursed. I'm permanently cursed. The door opens and I hear Chuny's shrill voice echo through the room. I"m needed. I"m always needed, but for the wrong reasons. This day will never end. I walk towards the ambulance and meet Susan outside.
"You waiting for the MVA?" She nods her head and runs her hands up and down her shoulders trying to stay warm.
"How's he doing?" Does she think I can read her mind or something? God, Susan, get your act together.
"Who?" She looks at me and rolls her eyes.
"Carter." Oh. Him. I nod my head. He seems to be falling into the pattern very nicely, except that it will take him a few days to remember people's names. I dig my hands into my pockets and look around the ambulance bay. The sun was shining a few minutes ago, but when it found out I was coming outside, it ran and hid. That's my theory. I'm sticking to it.
"How long have you known him?" She shrugs her shoulders.
"Since I was a resident. He was my med student for a while. He was such a geek. He had a crush on me." I look at her seductively. She starts to laugh, shaking her head.
"Nothing happened!" I nod my head understandingly.
"Sure... Sure... Sure..." I see him start to walk out and I shoot her a smile. She starts to giggle and I walk towards the ambulance. I take the gurney from the paramedics and listen as they rattle off stats and situation as Susan follows on the other side. Carter follows behind us, simply observing. I pull out a pair of gloves, throw a pair at Susan, and throw a pair at him. He works here too. I follow Susan's orders throughout the diagnosis stage and set the drugs into motion. After about twenty minutes, our patient is stabilized and waiting for Elizabeth to get down and take him up to surgery. I stay behind and note the drugs used and the dosage. I clean up quickly and throw away the used needles. I walk out and almost plough into Carter.
"I'm sorry." He starts to laugh.
"Way too many people." I roll my eyes. Yeah. It's called a hospital sweetie, sick people come here.
"Can I get your help? I have a rape kit to complete."I cringe at the thought of completing a rape kit. It's the worst thing that can possible happen to a person. I know from personal experience. An experience I do not want to repeat either. I nod my head sombrely and mentally prepare myself for what's about to come. Never a boring day. And I still haven't had a good cup of coffee. And it's not even noon yet. Someone please put me out of my suffering.