CHAPTER TWO

Cook County General Hospital

County General's lounge area (for the staff).

The lounge area looked like a small apartment. Walking in the door, to your right is the cabinets of food and coffee, along with the refrigerator. Right in front of you is a window. To your left and towards the back, near the window is a table. To the left of the table is a couch. To your far left, to the side of the couch, are a row of lockers, same as on the wall to the left of the door.

A young woman with long, light brown, slightly curly hair is sitting on the couch, looking exhausted.

"What time are you off?" She asked in a tired british accented tone.

At the counter, a tall doctor with glasses, a white doctor's coat, and green scrubs. He had hair all around his head but was bald on top. He was stirring a cup of coffee.

"10am" He answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering if I should stay and wait for you or try and get some sleep."

"Maybe you should ask Romano." He smiled, before taking another sip of his coffee.

"God, I don't know what is wrong with that man but when they find a cure I am going to make sure he gets it right up the ass." She said with frustration. Sighing, she stood up from the couch.

Just then Carter walked in the door and smiled at the two.

"Hey Carter" Elizabeth said with a smile.

"Hey Carter." Mark said also while smiling..

"Hey." Carter said with as much enthusiasm as he could manage.

He walked over to his locker and played with the lock a bit before opening it.

Elizabeth sighed then turned to Mark and said,

"I had better get out of here before Romano decides that he would rather have me here, doing his dirty work, than at home. Sleeping."

"OK." Mark chuckled.

They kissed and said their good night to each other.

"Good night Carter." Elizabeth said.

"Good night, Doctor Corday." He answered.

She left the lounge and headed home.

Carter already had his lab coat on and his stethescope around his neck.

He was just closing his locker when Abby ran in.

"Mark, we have a multi trauma coming in. Car versus pedestrians." She said with haste. She looked at Carter as if to say hello but with no time for verbal exchange.

"Okay. Be right there." Mark answered with a "here we go again" tone.

Abby nodded in understanding and left.

Mark poured out what was left of his coffee down the sink and looked at Carter.

"Carter. We're short doctors. Luka isn't here yet. You want to take this one?" Mark asked.

"Kerry?" Carter asked.

"I'll take care of it."

"I'm up for a trauma today."

"Good." Mark smiled.

Mark walked out the door. Carter prepared himself for his first trauma in four months, hoping to not make a mistake and followed Mark out the door.

The trauma had involved a drunk driver that hit a mother and her two kids.

Result:
Drunk Driver: Up in surgery and probably going to make it.
Mother: Dead
Little Boy (Son Joshua): Surgery, not sure if he'll make it.
Little Girl (Daughter Caitline): Dead

Carter walked out of the trauma room. He pulled off his bloody gloves and gown and threw them into the waste basket.

He started to walk to the left and down the hall but his left leg wouldn't move. He tried to move it but caused pain through his back. He stood there for a few moments before it subsided and he got his leg to move again. He walked down the hall. Behind him where he stood the little girl is lying lifeless on the trauma gurney. She has a tube in her mouth and IV's in her arms. Her chest was bloody from the impact of the car, and her head has a huge, bloody gash on the side. Her beautiful blond hair is now a wet, matt mass of blood. From the look of things, she never had a chance.

NEIGHBORING TRAUMA ROOM

"Time of death, 9:41." Mark deafeatedly announced.

He then put the paddles down and took his gloves and gown off. The nurses were left to clean up.

It was the mother. She was bloody as well and her chest was cracked open. It looked like she had a chance but she just couldn't pull through.

As Mark walked out of the trauma room, Carter walked over to him.

"The mother?" Carter asked.

"Yeah."

Carter just nodded his head in disappointment.

"I take it her daughter didn't make it?"Mark asked

Carter sighed.

"No. She never had a chance. There was just too much damage..How's the driver?"

"Surgery. I think. I'm gonna see how the boy is doing." Mark said.

Carter nodded his head as Mark walked away towards the elevators. Carter then turned towards the admit desk and grabbed a chart. Dr. Weaver walked by Carter and towards the stack of charts.

"Carter. I hope that you are not over doing your patient care." Kerry said.

"No Ma'am. I'm not. This is my first patient today other than the trauma that came in."

"Trauma? Carter. Was Doctor Green with you?" She asked.

"He was working in the other trauma room on the mother and the little girl needed atte..."

"He wasn't supervising? You know the rules and you have already disobeyed them. I haven't given you the okay to work on traumas yet Carter." Doctor Weaver said.

"I don't need a babysitter Kerry. Forget it. I have a patient that needs my medical attention." He said frustrated.

With that Carter walked away and headed towards exam one where his patient awaited him.

"Carter!" She yelled after him. Angrily she turned towards Randi.

"Have you seen Mark?" she asked.

"No." Came the unethusiastic, blunt answer from Randi.

Kerry rolled her eyes and crutched off towards the suture room, keeping an eye out for Mark.

EXAM ROOM ONE

"Mr. Schell?" Doctor Carter asked.

"Yeah." Mr. Schell answered.

"I see you've been complaining of chest pain, fatigue, dizzyness and headaches."

"That's right."

Carter took his stethescope from around his neck and put it to the man's chest.

"Can you take a deep breathe for me?"

'Breath'

"Okay, one more time."

'Breath'

"You look a little pale Mr. Schell. When was the last time you've seen a doctor?"

"A couple months ago. I had a bladder infection. They gave me some antibiotics. Seems to have worked. What do you think it is Doc?"

There was some hesitation from Mr Schell.

"You think it might be Leukemia?"

"Well. I want to run some tests to find out."

Carter put his stethescope back around his neck.

"Are you familiar with Leukemia?"

"My mom, wife and daughter died from the disease.

"Can you lay down for me?" Carter asked.

Mr. Schell layed down and Carter probed his stomach and sides asking if there was any pain. When Carter probed his left side Mr. Schell acknowledged that there was.

"I'm sorry."

"Me too. I don't want to go the way they did. I don't have the strength anymore."

"Well, it could just be a small virus and I'll check and make sure the infection hasn't come back. A nurse will be in and make you more comfortable. Okay?" Carter said in the most reassuring way he could.

Mr. Schell nodded his head in agreement.

Carter walked out of the room to order the tests. He started to feel nauseous and headed to the bathroom. He walked into the bathroom. It was empty and peaceful. He turned the sink faucet on and splashed some water over his face. He exhaled deeply and turned the water off. He walked out of the bathroom and walked to the admit desk, got the tests ordered.

Luka had arrived. The ER was pretty slow this morning.

Carter walked to the Lounge to get some coffee.. No one else was in the room. He walked over and poured himself some coffee and added what he wanted to it. Then he sat down on the couch, rubbed his neck and took a sip.

"Hey Carter?" Abby called to him.

Carter looked towards the voice and saw Abby in the doorway.

"Abby? What's up?"

"The labs are back on your Mr. Schell."

Carter thought that he must have dozed off. He got up and threw his empty coffee cup away. Abby handed the labs to him.

"Oh man." He wiped a hand across the back of his neck and exhaled.

"Thanks."

"Oh, Carter?"

"Yeah."

"Weaver's looking for you as well."

Carter sighed in a laughing way.."Thanks for the warning."

"Welcome." Abby smiled.

Carter walked over toward the exam room and opened the door.

"Hey Doc." Mr. Schell said, noticing Carter had entered the room.

"Hey Mr. Schell. How are you feeling?" he asked.

"A little better since I got the IV."

Carter pulled a stool that was sitting nearby and sat down next to Mr. Schell's bed.

"Mr. Schell. Your labs came back and it shows that your white blood cell count was twice what it should be."

"I take it that's not a good thing."

"It tells us that your body is fighting a virus."

"So.... I have a virus."

Carter could hear the question and hope in his voice.

"Mr. Schell your blood shows high white cell counts and with your symptons, it's ..." Carter paused.

"Leukemia..." Mr. Schell finished.

"I'm sorry. Is there someone you want me to call?"

"No. There is no one."

"Are you sure?" Carter asked.

"Yeah, I just need to be alone for a moment."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Thanks Doc."

Mr. Schell put his hands over his face. Carter looked at him wanting to say more but he got up and walked towards the door. He turned around and said,

"If you need anything just ask."

The man waved his hand in acknowledgement. Carter walked out the door and put the chart on the stack of already looked at patients. He picked up the phone and called for the oncologist to see him. He saw Abby and Luka walk into the lounge. He did not really want to go in there but he needed to sit, lay down, get some coffee. Anything to get some quiet. He walked to the lounge and opened the door. There was Abby and Luka laughing about something that happened earlier with a patient.

"Hey Carter." Luka said still with a smile on his face.

"Hey." Abby said.

Carter cleared his throat.

"Hey."

Carter suddenly felt dizzy and leaned against the wall. The color had drained from his face.

"Carter are you okay?" Abby asked walking over to him. Luka had become aware of Carter's appearance and walked with Abby toward Carter.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just not feeling well. Probably dehydrated or something." Carter said.

Yeah right. He felt like he was about to pass out and die and his leg was numb. The wave of nausea and dizziness passed and he started to feel a bit better. The color or what was there to begin with returned and he stood away from the wall.

"Maybe you should tell Weaver that you're not feeling well, and go home." Luka suggested.

"Yeah right. Not after this morning."

"What happened this morning?" Abby asked.

"Nothing, forget it. I'm fine. I have work to do." He said rather sharp.

With that he turned and walked out the door, limping.

"Is he limping?." Luka said.

"Looks that way." Abby replied.

As Carter was walking out the lounge door he heard Weaver call his name.

"Carter!"

He stopped, but did not turn around and instead waited for her to catch up to him.

"Carter, we need to talk."

"No, you need to talk, there is nothing to talk about."

She gently led him back into the lounge. She saw Abby and Luka.

"Don't you two have patients?"

Luka and Abby had expressions of 'whoa' and were on their way out.

"Carter, you were not supposed to work on trauma's unless you were supervised."

"I'm not a med student, I'm a doctor Kerry. I know what I'm doing."

MEANWHILE

Mark walked up to the admit desk.

"Randi, where's Kerry?"

"Said something about finding Dcotor Carter."

"Do you know where?" He asked her.

Randi looked at Mark, chewing gum...

"Heard voices coming from the Lounge."

"Thank you." Mark said.

He walked in the lounge door and heard the argument between Kerry and Carter.

"You're a doctor that's on probation for abusing narcotics."

Mark saw Carter's blank and hurt expression.

"Hey! What's going on here?"

"I'm getting yelled at for doing my job."

Kerry gave Carter a look of you're going to get it now.

"Kerry I was there."

"You were in the other trauma room."

"It was a multi trauma he was here and ready to work."

"He is not supposed to work trauma's unless one of us are in there wit.."

"Kerry drop it. It's finished. He needs to get back into the work. Carter did as I asked him to. He was only doing his job."

Mark stared at Kerry, not backing down.

"Fine." Kerry said as she stormed out of the exam room.

Carter started to walk towards the door as well, but then Mark stopped him.

"Carter you did nothing wrong."

"I know."

"You okay."

"Yeah I'm fine. Just tired."

Mark nodded his head and Carter walked out. The rest of Carter's shift went better than he had expected. Before he was about to leave, as he put the last chart in the stack, Mark walked up to him.

"Back again Dr. Greene?"

"Yep. Pulling a double."

Carter saw what was in his hands and they both started to walk towards the bathroom. He never thought that peeing in a cup could be so hard. After what seemed like hours he put the cap on the less then half filled cup and gave it to Mark.

Mark walked out the door and Carter walked to the sink to wash his hands.

When he was done, his thoughts were racing. He threw the paper towel in the trash and walked out the door.

As he opened the door to the lounge he heard Abby call his name.

"Carter!"

Carter turned around.

"What?"

"Your Mr. Schell passed out."

Carter ran after Abby towards Exam One. Mr. Schell was laying on the ground. Carter checked for a pulse then with Luka's help got him back on the gurney. Carter tried to get a response from Mr. Schell. They got him back on the monitor and reinserted the IV.

"What the hell was he doing up?!" Carte ryelled.

Mr. Schell started to come around.
"Mr. Schell? Mr. Schell?"
"What?" He asked confused.

"You passed out."

"I needed to use the restroom. I guess I got dizzy."

"You're sick. You don't need to be up." Carter said. "We can give you a foley so you don't have to get up."

"No."

"How about a pan and some privacy." Abby offered.

"Do I have any other choice?" Mr. Schell asked with humor in his eyes.

The three of them left the room to give Mr. Schell some privacy.

"Has Oncology been down for him yet?" Carter asked.

"I don't think so." Abby replied.

Carter sighed.

"God. Have to do everything around here."

Carter walked away to call Oncology again. He made the call. Abby walked up next to him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. I called Oncology again. They said they'd be down in twenty minutes. I'm off so I was wondering if you could make sure that happens."

"Sure." Abby smiled.

"Thanks."

Carter walked back to Mr. Schell's room. He had peed.

"Mr. Schell." Carter said with a cheery tone. "Feeling better?"

"Oh yeah. Much better." He smiled.

"Oncology should be down for you in a few minutes."

"Thanks doc."

Carter nooded and smiled then left the room. He walked to the lounge and opened the door. He walked to his locker and opened it, took off his lab coat and stethescope and hung them in his locker. Then took out his coat and put it on. He pulled out his brown bag and put the folder into his bag and put it on over his head, having the strap settle across his chest on his left shoulder. He shut his locker and looked at his watch. 10:01 PM. Taking a deep breath, he walked outside. His footsteps seemed loud and out of place. He made it to the EL paltform and when it arrived he got on. The third stop he got off and walked slowly home. He was going to go home, change, then drive to Mercy hospital. Something was wrong. He felt scared and wasn't sure if he wanted to know if there was something wrong with him. Maybe he was just over reacting, you know maybe there was nothing wrong with him and he was just having side effects from the Naltrexone. He reached his apartment building and made his way to his apartment. He opened the door and took off his bag and coat and threw them on the couch. He threw his keys on the table near the front door. He walked to his bedroom and changed. Ten minutes went by and he was in his jeep on his way to Mercy.