Sorry – It's been a few days since I updated this.

I found this chapter quite hard to write, because I wasn't sure whether to go straight to the point or write more first. You will see what I decided to do.

Thanks for the reviews, and as I said, I could go in a few directions with this, so if it starts to sound wrong, please tell me.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or anything to do with the ER.

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Chapter 4

The hours that day passed quite quickly, not too busy, but enough to keep both friends occupied. It was still cold outside, but not freezing, and the rain was coming down like a wall of water.

Abby was quite tired, but still worked her shift well. She was getting used to being both a Medical Student and a Nurse. As soon as she finished her shift she got her bag and coat, although with the weather outside, she'd have been better with a rowing boat. She headed home and slept. After waking up, she made a coffee and drank it before heading back to the ER for her night shift. "Great fun," she thought. She also could not help thinking about Susan, about if there really was something wrong and why she could not seem to talk to her.

Susan also worked her shift and headed home before returning quit early. "If I keep this up, I'll be expected to be early all the time," she thought. She too, also thought about Abby and what their forthcoming conversation would produce. She really didn't want to fight with her again; she didn't fell like it at all.

Susan headed into the Lounge, and found it empty. As she was early she made herself a coffee. She drank it and then went and got her Lab. Coat from her locker. It was nice and clean. She went out to the admit. desk and had a look at the charts that were there. She also looked around her, Abby was not in yet.

Susan dealt with her patient; it was a simple one and looked at her watch, 10.30. It seemed pretty quiet. Susan wondered how long that it would stay like that for. Her thoughts were rudely interrupted by the sound of shouting and screaming. Both she and others looked around. There was a couple fighting in Curtain 3. "Great," thought Susan, "just when I thought that I was in for a quiet night. She managed to subdue the couple and headed back to the desk and sat down. She caught sight of Abby coming out f the Lounge. Abby and Susan walked towards each other.

"Hi," Susan said.

"Hi, what's it been like in here so far?" Abby enquired.

"Not bad, but it seems to be getting a bit busier," Susan replied.

"Let's talk later," Abby said as she saw that there was an Ambulance rolling up into the bay.

It was 11.00. They stepped out into the cool night air and watched the doors bounce open. "Male, 55, chest pains," the paramedic announced. She continues to give out details of his Heart rate and blood pressure on the way to Trauma 2.

The man was checked over by Susan, whilst Abby placed Electrodes on his chest and other nurses took blood and set up an IV drip. Susan thought that he ma be having a heart attack and the monitor and print-out proved her theory to be correct. He was lucky that they had brought him in early and caught it before he became more serious. He was started on drugs and his heart stabilised. "I'll be back in 5 minutes to check on you," Susan said, before heading out of the room towards the desk again. She phoned the ICU and checked that there was a bed for him and also checked the board. "Not bad," she thought, but that could all change quickly. She went back to Trauma 2, as she said that she would and checked him over before sending him up to the ICU. Abby was there. "I must be getting old," Susan said, "I'm tired already and it's only 11.45!" Abby laughed slightly and agreed. "Hey!" Susan said.

"You want to go and get a coffee?" Susan suggested.

"Sure, said Abby.

On their way to the lounge, the were stopped by a nurse who shouted, "Doctor Lewis, there's a double GSW coming in, 10 minutes out."

"Great," Susan and Abby said in chorus.

They changed there course and headed out to the bay instead and started to put on their plastic apron.

 Ten minutes later, two Ambulances arrived. Two people had been shot. One in the chest and leg and abdomen, the other in the arm and leg. Susan took the first man, the more serious and rushed him into Trauma 2. She surveyed his wounds and shouted, "Someone call the OR". His wounds were really bad, he started crashing. "Charge to 200," she shouted, "Clear!" The shocking had no effect. The man's heart still was not beating. She shocked him several times and got a rhythm. She also had to cut open his chest before the surgeons got there. Blood spurted from the incision and went straight on to her shirt, "Great," she thought. It was not long before Doctor Corday arrived.

"Sorry, it took a while," Elizabeth said, "I was in surgery, what have we got here?"

"Gun shot wound to the chest, abdomen and leg, he has crashed, but seems more stable just now," Susan replied.

"I'll take him straight up," Elizabeth said, starting to push the gurney out the door.

Abby looked at Susan as she was pulling off her gloves and apron. She was decidedly blood-splattered all over her nice, clean shirt. She caught Susan's eye and they both smiled at each other. "I'll go get changed, and maybe we could get that coffee," Susan said.

"Yes, please," Abby replied, and they both went towards the Lounge again.

Susan opened her locker and said "Oh no". 

"What's wrong?" Abby asked while making a coffee.

"My spare shirt is in the house; could you please go and get me a scrub top?" She asked.

"Sure," Abby said, "Medium size?" she asked.

"Large," Susan shouted.

Abby went out towards the store room and picked up a large top, which looked rather big. She took it anyway and went back to the Lounge and tossed it towards Susan.

"Thanks, Abby," she said.

"No problem," replied Abby as she placed two mugs of coffee on the table and took a seat, waiting for Susan to finish getting changed.

She finished brushing her hair and closed her locker. She went and sat down beside Abby. She looked at her watch, it was 1.30 already.

"The night's went quick, hasn't it?" asked Abby.

"Yeah," Susan replied.

A long silence then followed. Both felt awkward and it showed. They eventually mustered up the courage to speak, and both spoke at the same time.

"You first," said Susan.

"I didn't know what to say to you, whether to start on something or continue where we finished the other night, and to be honest I don't think that I want to see you blow up like that again," Abby said.

"Me too," said Susan, "I just didn't know what to say."

There was a silence again.

"Well, are you alright?" Susan asked, trying to start a conversation.

"Apart from juggling two roles in this place and working a lot of hours, I'm fine. Are you alright?" Abby enquired.

Susan just looked at her. Abby continued to watch her friend's reaction to this question. Susan shifted a bit in her seat and looked down into her coffee before looking back at Abby.

"I guess that whatever I say here, it won't seem right," said Susan.

Abby just smiled and looked into her eyes.

"Go on, if you want to talk about something, I'm here," Abby told her.

"Thanks," said Susan, "I don't know just quite what to say as we started this the other day and it didn't exactly work, did it?" She asked.

"No, well we could start again, and try not to go at each other this time," Abby suggested.

"Yeah, OK," Susan said.

"so, what was up the other day?" Abby asked her.

"What do you mean?" Susan replied.

"When I came in her after that trauma, you looked as if you had been crying, and then when we went for a break, things weren't exactly great between us," Abby replied.

"I suppose that I have been a bit strange with you recently," Susan said.

"Is there anything that you would like to talk about?" Abby asked her.

Susan seemed to think about this and said:

"Yeah, I guess there is,"

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I know that it seems like a rather strange place to end this chapter at, but I found this one quite hard to write and I need to think about how to write the next one. I may update tomorrow or the day after.

As I said, there are a few directions I go in with this, and if at any part it starts to sound wrong, please tell me.

As always, please Read and Review honestly.