This has been a long while coming, I know, but something really odd happened to me this week. I got a life. As well as that I have struggled with this part of the fic a little. I find myself spending a lot of time, not writing a whole lot. Anyway, this chapter is short because if not it would have been really long.
Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and offered their advice, it is much appreciated. Believe it or not, I am reading your fanfiction too, but I am unable to review at all and am getting very angry with the people at who don't reply to my emails. Anyway, I'll say it on here, since I know that some people, if not all that many, are still reading this. As well as Circles by Naomi P, I am also enjoying Pillow by me.apparently, The Burn by girlintheyankeeshat, Oblivion by VjeraNadaLjubav, both Things Will Never Be The Same Again and Fear of Flying by Mrs Clooney Husbands & Wives, Friends and Ex-Lovers by Imagine 6, In Care of Thee Rhubarb Tart and finally Life by gezzy.
And now you know why it's taking me so long to update!
Oh, just thought I should mention that I have no medical knowledge whatsoever, but did research (watch ER) the elements I would need to make this chapter fairly accurate. Obviously I will have made some mistakes, and I would appreciate people pointing them out if they can so I don't make them again.
One last thing, I'm English. So if I have made some errors in language, I would appreciate that being pointed out also. I did change torch to flashlight, but then afterwards wondered if there was another word for the type a doctor uses . . . Oh and I had a funny feeling Americans wouldn't say dressing gown, but I couldn't think of an alternative so left it as it was.
Chapter 7
Luka considered pretending he hadn't heard Susan calling to him and making a run for it, but the angry tone of her voice told him that was not such a good idea. He turned and saw her leaning over someone on a gurney that the paramedics had just brought in. God, he really didn't need this. He had only been on a couple of hours and he was already a member of the walking dead. The patient really would be better off with Susan as their doctor and she had been on all night. He wished he had gone home. Well, there was no getting around this now, maybe he would leave after this patient.
He jogged over to them but froze when he saw her. She was in a half-sitting position on the gurney, and wearing only a thin dressing gown which she had pulled around herself tightly. Her eyes were half closed and her face looked deathly pale.
He blinked twice, almost hoping he was imagining her. He wouldn't have been surprised if he had been what with the state he was in, but no, she was still there, and the shock in her eyes as she looked up and saw him forced him to accept he wasn't looking at someone else.
Before he knew it, he was at her side, looking down at her.
'Kate? What happened? Are you okay?'
Susan looked up, and the confusion she felt at Luka's knowing the woman's name quickly subsided as she took in the mixture of shock and worry that was clear on his face. She glanced down at the woman, who looked ghastly pale and was shaking a little, and obviously avoiding Luka's eyes. She was laid slightly on her side with her legs half pulled up to her, in what looked a very uncomfortable position. Her arms were around her middle, holding the short dressing gown in place, which exposed a scatter of small bruises on her long legs. A few small cuts could also be seen on her neck, and one cheek looked quite swollen. Susan groaned inwardly, she had seen this before, and if Luka knew this woman he really shouldn't be her doctor.
Susan spotted a flash of blue scrubs out of the corner of her eye.
'Abby!' she yelled. 'Can you take this woman to Trauma two? I'll be there in a second.'
Abby jogged over, looking from Susan to Luka, who was taking in the patient's cuts and bruises in shock. 'Sure,' she said, pushing the gurney away with the help of the paramedics.
Luka moved to follow, but Susan caught his arm. 'Luka, do you know her?'
'Err, yes. Is she okay? Did the paramedics say what happened?' His eyes darted back and forth from Susan to the direction Abby had just taken the woman. Susan noted how distressed he looked, and the worry in his eyes.
'Luka, how do you know her? Is she a patient? A friend?'
'Yes. Yes, she's . . . a friend.'
'Well then you shouldn't be her doctor. You carry seeing patients, I'll come and tell you when I've finished examining her.'
'What? No, I'm fine.'
'This isn't just about you Luka, it's what's best for her too and you know it.'
Luka looked down at Susan frowning, and for a moment she thought he was going to concede that she was right, but then he quickly turned and ran down the hall after them before Susan could stop him. Susan had no choice but to follow him, her tired legs protesting angrily. God, this was the last thing she needed.
Oh God, what had he done? What had she done? Had she gone back to the boyfriend she mentioned once? Had he done that to her? If not, then who? Some guy she met in a bar? Would she really be stupid enough to go off with some creep? Of course she would. She'd gone home with him hadn't she? Maybe she'd been drugged. She looked pretty out of it. But then she probably wouldn't need to have been drugged. She had already drunk quite a bit when he'd seen her. God, why had he just let her go? He'd seen what state she was in, and he'd just let her go. He hadn't even tried to follow her, to walk her home safely. After all, it was his fault she was in such a state in the first place. It was because of the way he'd treated her that she'd been so upset. So vulnerable.
He burst into the trauma room but stopped in the doorway, taken aback by how small she looked on the bed. He heard Susan come in behind him, and quickly pulled himself together.
He walked over to her side. 'Kate, what happened?'
'Nothing,' she said, her voice barely audible, her eyes deliberately avoiding his.
He placed his stethoscope on her chest, and although the action was gentle she winced slightly. He slowly moved her gown a little to reveal a harsh bruise underneath. She made no move to stop him, but turned away, closing her eyes tightly.
'I feel okay now, I just fainted,' she said without conviction. 'I want to go home.'
'Kate, you were unconscious for a bit. We need to do some tests to make sure you're okay,' said Luka softly. 'Abby, how is she?'
Abby paused momentarily, confused by the situation. 'Err, BP's 100 over 60, SATS are good.'
Luka gently turned Kate's head to face him and checked her pupils.
'Follow the light, Kate,' he said, moving the small flashlight from side to side.
'Okay start a second line and put up another litre. Do a crit, tox screen, check her glucose and dip a urine to start.'
He saw how Abby looked to Susan for confirmation, he ignored them both, but thought Susan must have agreed anyway, because Abby got to work. Just then Gallant walked into the room.
'Dr Lewis, there's an ambulance pulling up now. Gun shot victim in a critical condition,' he said.
Susan paused, unwilling to leave Luka unattended. 'Luka, you should take it, I can take this patient.'
'I've got this Susan,' Luka said coldly, without turning to look at her.
'Luka, I think . . .' Susan trailed off, reluctantly accepting that arguing with him was useless.
'Keep an eye on him,' she whispered in Abby's ear as she left the room.
