Title: Abby who?
Author: AnnaSun
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimers note: I don't own ER but I do this fanfic
Chapter 1
Author's Notice: I'm no Doctor so I may be wrong about some medical terms. I hope you enjoy reading it.
Abby didn't know how she had got here or why she was here either. She tried to clear her foggy mind but the fog wouldn't lift. She was lying on a bench outside 'County Cook General Hospital.' Her clothes were worn and dirty and she tried to forge the urge not to be sick. Suddenly she heard a noise from above her. It was faint but she managed to hear the sound of her name being called.
"Abby is that you?" It was John Carter. He stood over her frail form.
Abby didn't say a word and only nodded yes before opening her eyes. The cloud in her head started to clear and her blurred vision caught sight of Carter's legs in front of her face. She blinked trying the clear the mist and when it did so she attempted to sit up. Her body protested and the collapsed, Carter catching her as she nearly hit her head on the iron arm rest of the bench.
"God Abby what happened to you?"
Abby didn't say anything.
Carter propped her up against the bench and began to examine her. From what he could see she had a deep cut to her head, blood around her mouth area and her arm was hung limply at her side. He looked at her worryingly. Her breathing was coming out in ragged gasps and she looked as if she would soon loose consciousness at any moment. Carter put a firm grip around Abby's shoulders and looked her in the eyes.
"Abby can you tell me what happened?"
Abby still didn't reply. She just gave him the look of a pained expression and her eye lids started to close.
"Abby stay with me." Carter shouted, shaking her a little.
Her eyes stayed firmly closed and he laid her body back down on the bench.
"I'm going to get some help."
He raced back inside the hospital in search of someone to help him. He ran to the desk to see if anyone was there but there was only Frank who was stuffing himself with donuts. He ran down the first corridor and into another one. As he was turning the third he bumped into Susan who was carrying a patient's folder. Her folder went flying to the floor and the documents sprayed out everywhere.
"Susan I'm sorry." he said, beginning to pick up the documents.
"That's okay. Why are you in such a hurry?"
Carter looked up from a document he was holding.
"It's Abby-" he stopped, a worried look coming over Susan's face.
"Abby?" Susan questioned.
"Yeah I found her outside. She's in a bad shape."
"Do you know what happened?" Susan asked, picking the rest of the documents up. She followed Carter outside.
"No she hasn't said a word."
Susan followed Carter over towards the bench where he thought Abby was laying. She wasn't there.
"I swear she was here when I left."
Both Susan and Carter began to scan the area for Abby.
"Do you see her?" Susan asked.
"No-" Carter looked over by the alleyway "There. She's over there."
Abby was standing by the bins. As Carter and Susan got nearer she started to stagger over. She only got within a few feet and Carter was able to grab her before she collapsed.
"I'll get a wheelchair." Susan said.
"No I'll carry her. She needs medical attention right away."
Carter started to walk back to the hospital when Abby started to cry. Her wails were loud and she started to struggle in Carters arms.
"Shhh Abby. Shhh." he tried to quiet her down. She cried even more.
"Shhh. Shhh" he whispered into her right ear "It's okay. You're safe now."
Abby calmed down and sobbed occasionally shaking at the same time.
Carter got her inside.
"Trauma 1 or 2?" Susan asked Carter.
"Let's get her to a cubical. I don't want to free up one of the trauma rooms if a major accident comes in."
Susan nodded and guided Carter over to the nearest cubical. He laid Abby down on the bed and Susan started to undress her into a gown. Carter had turned around to give Abby some privacy.
"Look at this." Susan called and Carter turned around. There was a seatbelt mark gliding across Abby's chest and abdomen.
"You think she was involved in a car accident?" Carter inquired.
"Looks like it" Susan replied.
When Abby was fully dressed, Carter felt Abby's forehead.
"She feels cold." he stated, "Can you get a warm litre of saline and a warm blanket."
"Okay" Susan replied, heading out the cubical.
As Susan made her way down the hallway Dr Weaver stopped her.
"Where have you been? I've been looking for you."
"It's Abby" Susan started "Carter found her outside. She's in a bad shape. Carter's looking after her in a cubical."
"I see. I'll leave you two in charge of getting Abby better. If you need me I'll be in my office Tell Abby to get well soon."
"I will. Thank you"
Susan returned a few minutes later and started the IV.
"Has she said anything?" she asked Carter.
"No."
Just then Abby began to awake more, her face contorted in pain.
"I'll go get some morphine." Susan wrapped the blanket around Abby and walked out the room.
"Hey Abby." Carter said.
Abby looked at him blankly.
"It's Carter. John Carter. Remember?"
Abby frowned, shaking her head.
"Don't worry Susan and I are going to take care of you. Alright?"
Abby nodded.
Susan returned and gave Abby some morphine.
"The pain will go away soon." She said, smiling at her.
Carter looked at Abby's mouth. He pulled a penlight out of his pocket.
"Can you open your mouth for me Abby" he instructed.
Abby looked at him blankly and tears rolled down her cheeks. Susan took hold of her hand and stroked it back and forth with her thumb.
"Carter's just going to examine you Abby. He won't hurt you. You know that don't you?"
Abby nodded.
"Good can you open you mouth up then so Carter can look inside?"
Abby nodded again and opened her mouth. As she did so a trickle of blood flowed out the corner of her mouth. Susan got an emesis basin and held it under Abby mouth as Carter shone the penlight inside.
"What do you see?" Susan asked.
"There's a lot of blood." He went and filled a glass with water and then returned, handing it to Abby.
"Rinse and spit" he ordered and she did so.
He shone the penlight back inside.
"It looks like she's bit her tongue. There's a deep cut. She'll need stitches."
Carter removed the penlight and smiled at Abby.
"That's wasn't so bad was it?"
Abby shook her head.
"I'm going to look at your head next." Carter said and shone the penlight in front of Abby's eyes.
"Pupils are dilated and sluggish. Planter reflects also delayed but negative. We'll need to get her a head CT."
"Right I'll go page radiology. I think we should speak with neurology. Abby seems to be very disorientated and hasn't said much." Susan said and got out her pager.
"Okay good idea." Carter replied.
"Abby have you got any neck pain?"
Abby nodded and Carter felt her neck. She winced in pain.
"We'll need to get a neck x-ray to rule out any breakages. She could just have some whiplash but we need to be sure." He found a neck collar and placed it on Abby.
Abby started to get very dizzy and couldn't seem to focus any move. She began to feel extremely nauseous and started to get frantic.
"What is it Abby?" Carter asked, seeing Abby get aggravated.
"Sick" she barley managed out.
Carter quickly understood what she was saying and shoved the emesis basin under her mouth as she began to heave, coughing at the same time. She couldn't catch her breath and started to wheeze with each cough. Susan returned to the room indicating to Carter that she had paged radiology. When Abby had finished being sick Carter got his stethoscope off from around his neck and placed the end pieces into his ears.
"I'm just going to listen to your lugs, Abby."
He placed the cold disk onto Abby chest but she pulled away muttering to her self.
"I hurt," she admitted, like a small child.
"We both know you do Abby and we're trying to help you." Susan said. "Let Carter listen to lungs. You sound like you having trouble breathing."
"Smoke" Abby said, tears in her eyes.
"You inhaled smoke?" Carter asked.
Tears fell down Abby's cheeks as she nodded. Susan took her hand once more stroked it back and forth for comfort.
"We'll let's have a listen and then I can get you on some oxygen. Then I can examine your arm. Alright?" Carter said.
Abby nodded, though still quite unsure.
"Take a deep breath for me." Carter instructed and Abby complied.
"Good" Carter shifted the disk around before placing it back around his neck.
"Breath sounds are a little strained. Susan get her on 100% oxygen."
Susan nodded.
"We'll get a chest x-ray to rule out she hasn't popped a lung."
"Okay Abby all that's left his to check you arm."
"Chest" Abby said, "I hurt"
"You're chest hurts? Can I take a look?"
Abby nodded and Carter lifted up Abby's top. He pressed down on her chest and abdomen.
"Does that hurt?"
Abby nodded again.
"It looks to me as if you've bruised them. I'll put some ice bags on them in a moment to reduce the swelling."
Abby nodded.
"Right then lets look at your arm."
He tried to move Abby's arm to get a better look but she moved away. She pulled her knees up onto a tight ball and tried to ignore the pain in her arm. The morphine hadn't set in yet.
"I hurt, I hurt." she muttered to herself.
"I know you do Sweetie. I'm going to make the pain go away."
He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead.
"Susan" he instructed "Can you hold her while I examine her arm? I don't want her to move about."
Susan moved closer to Abby and put her arms around her. Carter took hold of Abby's arm and started to examine it. Tears were falling down Abby's cheeks and she tried to fight off tiredness through the pain.
He moved her arm gently, examining the large infected cut that was across part of it. He pressed down on it and Abby gave out a painful hiss.
"Guess that's sore then" Carter said aloud to no one in particular.
"Abby can you move your fingers"
Abby tried but to no Averill.
"What about your other hand."
Abby managed to move her fingers very easily.
Susan went and got a portable oxygen mask and tank and brought it inside.
"I think she's hit a nerve. This cut is deep and infected and her wrist looks broken. We'll also need to get that x-rayed." Carter said
Susan put the oxygen mask down.
"I should take some blood to check the infection hasn't spread to her blood stream."
She went out and returned to take some of Abby's blood. She tied a tourniquet around Abby's arm and inserted to needle, drawing the blood. Abby groaned in protest.
"They're all done." Susan threw the needle away.
She moved over to Abby and tried to place the oxygen mask over her face but Abby pushed it away.
"No!" she cried and started to move off the bed.
Carter put his arms around her trying to stop her but she began to struggle and shout. She managed to wiggle out of his grasp but he grabbed her again and she banged her arm on the railing on the bed.
"Ow!" she cried out "Nooooooo!" she let out a plaintive scream and began to fight again. Carter pushed her firmly down on the bed and Susan and him held her down until she had quieted. Susan was then able to put the oxygen mask over Abby's face and Carter injected Abby with a drug to send her to sleep. For the first time that day Abby's body lay quiet and still.
It would be a long night.
To be continued…?