Disclaimer: I don't own ER or any of these characters, etc. I also don't own the lines I've stolen from the show!
I've attempted to write a trauma scene, but since I know nothing about the medical world, it might not be accurate – but I hope you get what's going on.
Chapter Six – First Day Back
Susan took a deep breath as she stood behind the door that lead from the doctor's lounge to the ER. It was her first day back at County and she was feeling nervous. Telling herself not to be stupid, she opened the door and saw a gurney fly past. As she stepped into the corridor, she heard a familiar voice.
"I heard it but I didn't believe it!"
Susan smiled. "Malik!"
Susan laughed as Malik ran over, picked her up and spun her around.
"We missed you!" he said, flashing his usual cheeky grin.
"I missed you too," Susan replied, as they walked over to the desk.
"Dr Lewis, welcome back!" Jerry said.
"Thank you, Jerry," Susan said. "So, what have you got for me?"
"Mmm, do you want an easy start or do you want to be thrown into the deep end?" Jerry asked, flicking through the charts.
"There's a patient in curtain area three suffering from constipation. I think it sounds like the perfect first day back patient," came a voice from behind them. "Good morning, Susan."
"Good morning, Mark. Remind me, why didn't they cut out your sense of humour when they were hacking away at your brains?"
Mark laughed. "No? Ok, give it to Carter," he said to Jerry, making them all laugh.
"Don't you people have work to do?"
Kerry Weaver was approaching the desk. Malik made a quick exit, while Jerry started fiddling with some papers, trying to look busy.
"Glad to see nothing changes," Susan whispered to Mark.
"Oh, Susan, welcome back," Kerry said.
"Thanks," Susan said.
"Have you signed up for any patients yet?"
"Oh, um, I was just checking in with Jerry," Susan stuttered.
"Well, there's a girl in exam two with stomach ache," Kerry said, handing her a chart.
Susan took the chart, and with one last roll of the eyes at Mark, she made her way to exam room two.
An hour later, Mark was stood at the admit desk when Susan came over and slammed her charts on the top with a heavy sigh. Mark looked up.
"Having a good day?" he asked.
"Remind me why I came back here?" Susan asked, frustrated.
"Oh, I don't know, the peeling paint, the frequent flyers, the lousy pay," Mark joked. "What's up?"
"I've just sent a fifteen year old girl who's pregnant. And she thinks she's lucky because she has an ectopic pregnancy and so has to have an abortion. Without sounding like an old grump, I just can't believe kids these days."
"Wow, it didn't take you long to get back into the doom and gloom of things. I think I know what you need," Mark said, picking up a gown. "How about a nice, bloody trauma?"
Susan looked up at Mark, raising her eyebrows. "How bloody?"
"Bucket loads!"
Susan smiled. "Ok, you're on," she said, just as the doors swung open.
"We've got an 43 year old male here, involved in an MVA," said Doris.
Susan followed Mark into trauma room one. They were joined by Abby, Haleh and Chuny.
"Ok, on my count. 1…2…3" Mark said.
"Let's hang some 0-neg, and type and cross four more," Susan said.
"B.P.'s low, 80 over 40," Abby said. "Hold on, he's going into arrest."
Mark started compressions.
"He's not breathing," Chuny said.
"Intubation kit," Susan said, going round to the top of the table. "7.5 ET tube."
"This isn't working," Mark said, watching the monitor. "Let's get a thoracotomy tray."
Susan and Mark were both on the right side of the patient. Mark made the incision in the chest.
"Rib spreaders," Susan said, holding out her hand ready to take them.
"Clamp," said Mark. "And lets get some suction in here."
Mark and Susan were bent over the patient, working together in perfect sync just as they always had. They didn't notice Elizabeth come in.
"Did you need me in here?" she asked.
"No, try next door," Mark said, without looking up. "Come on, where is it? Ah, got it!"
"He's in fib," Halah said.
"Internal paddles," Susan said. Abby passed her the paddles. "Clear!"
They all looked up at the monitor, as the line started to move.
"He's got a rhythm," Abby said.
"That's what I like to see," Mark said, smiling at Susan. "Let's move him upstairs."
Mark and Susan wheeled the patient out the door, leaving Abby, Haleh and Chuny to tidy up.
"Looks like some things never change," Chuny said. Haleh responded with a knowing look. Only Abby was aware that Elizabeth had just put her head around the door. She left without saying a word, and walked over to the reception where she found Susan and Carter laughing.
"Have you seen Mark?" she asked.
"He's just taken a patient up to the OR," Susan replied.
"Can you ask him to come find me when you see him, please?" Elizabeth asked.
"Sure," Susan said, as Elizabeth walked away.
Carter looked at Susan. "Did I sense some tension there?"
Susan shook her head, in slight exasperation. "It doesn't seem to matter what I say or do, she seems to have some problem with me."
"I wonder why?" Carter said, sarcastically.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Susan asked.
"Nothing," Carter laughed. "It's just, you know."
"No, do you want to tell me what I'm missing?"
"It's just, you and Mark. There's always been something between you," Carter answered.
"Mark and I are friends. We've only ever been friends," Susan said.
"Yeah, in action. But what about thought?"
Susan was quiet. Carter could sense he was nearly overstepping the line.
"Look, friendship or otherwise, you and Mark have always been close. Who wouldn't be jealous of that?"
"You think Elizabeth is jealous?" Susan asked, surprised.
Carter laughed again. "Susan, you flew to New York to be with him when he was having brain surgery. Who else did?"
Susan was silent again. They were interrupted by Chuny.
"Hey Carter, your old guy in curtain three is coming around."
"Thanks, Chuny," Carter said, starting to move. "Elizabeth'll get used to it. If you and Mark are just friends, then she has nothing to worry about, does she?"
Susan watched Carter walking away, lost in her own thoughts. She knew she was glad to be back in Chicago, glad to be back in Mark's company, but was it any more than that? Susan had dated in Phoenix, and one had developed into a serious relationship, but for some reason it hadn't been enough. Was Mark the reason none of these relationships had worked out? Susan didn't know. It was too late now, anyway. Mark had Elizabeth and they were going to have a baby.
"Dr Lewis?" Abby interrupted Susan's thoughts.
"Mmm? Sorry, Abby, I was in a world of my own," Susan said, shaking her head.
"There's a little girl in curtain two with asthma. Could you take a look at her?"
"Sure," Susan said, following Abby and pushing her thoughts into the back of her mind. 'The last thing I needs right now is more complications.'
As the day continued, Susan settled into her usual way of working. Her quick diagnostic skills, her easy banter with the patients and her usual upbeat temperament brought, as Lydia pointed out, a breath of fresh air to the ER. She even found time to debate with Dr Benton as to whether medicine or surgery was the best treatment for a cardiac patient.
By the end of her first shift, Susan was exhausted. She'd forgotten how fast-paced working in a County hospital could be and she was counting the minutes until she could go home and relax.
When she was finished with her last patient, a Mr Summers who had swallowed his false teeth, she made her way to the lounge.
"Susan!" Kerry called after her.
Susan turned around, dreading what was coming next.
"I need you to cover for Chen tonight, she's gone home with a fever of 104," Kerry said.
"Please tell me you are joking," Susan pleaded, hoping that she was being wound up.
"Sorry," Kerry replied, and she continued on her way without giving Susan a chance to refuse.
Susan hung her head and sighed.
"Hey, what's up?" Mark asked.
"It's my first day back and Kerry's already roped me into pulling a double," Susan moaned.
"Great!" Mark said.
Susan looked at him, clearly not impressed with his response.
"What I mean is," he said, putting his arm around her shoulders and steering her back to the desk, "is that I get the pleasure of your company tonight."
"You're working too?" Susan looked up and asked.
"Yep."
All of a sudden, working the grave yard shift didn't seem so bad after all – to either of them.