Here we go, chapter 24, I hope that the last couple of mundane chapters haven't put anyone off!! I really enjoyed writing this last bit so I hope it's reflected, I think it's getting better! Let it rip, here we go…kay

Ch 24

"We've got an incoming." Halleh called to Carter and Abby as she rushed out into the ambulance bay.

"Do we know what it is?" Abby asked as they joined Halleh outside, it was the beginning of November and freezing 

"Four year old found seizing at home. That's all we know."  She replied.

The Ambulance pulled up in front of them and they walked over as the doors swung open.

"What've we got?" Carter yelled as the paramedics jumped out.

"Four year old Lauren Mackenzie." The paramedic started as Amelia shot out from behind her, and Jasper from behind Amelia.

"She's had a fever for a couple of days, but she's burning up now, temps 103.2" Amelia started as she tugged on the gurney holding her daughter. She looked completely devoid of emotion as she said it. They wheeled her through the ER and into a trauma room, the paramedics reeling off her stats as they deposited Lauren in the trauma room.

"Her heart rate's way up." Carter clarified.

"She's seizing." Abby added reaching to steady Lauren's head as she began to shake, being beaten to it by Amelia who was shouting for numerous tests.

"Amelia what are you doing?" Carter questioned as he prepped Lauren for the inevitable intubation. He got no reply.

Susan pushed her way into the trauma room, "What have we got?" She noticed Amelia. "I thought you were off?" She questioned frowning at her slightly.

"It's her daughter." Abby said looking up at Susan as the seizure ended.

"Amelia you shouldn't be in here." Carter said realization suddenly dawning.

"Move." Amelia said to him as she made her way to the top of the bed, ready to check Laurens vitals. When Carter didn't she yelled. "Move." Reluctantly he stepped back. "Pupils equal and reactive." She said to no one in particular. "She needs IV antibiotics, and prep to intubate."  She looked up as no one responded. The dead look was still in her eyes as she looked around the room, it was scary how uninvolved she was, she was on autopilot. The others in the room looked back at her, knowing this wasn't her usual working style. Eventually Abby moved to start up the IV, ignoring the fact that she was on a med student shift she took over the nursing duties.

"Amelia." Abby said as she pulled up the sleeve of Lauren's pyjama top, Amelia looked over at her and down at where she was looking. She acknowledged what Abby was looking at, as all the other eyes looked in the same direction.

"Oh shit, get me an LP tray." Amelia said loudly, before yelling, "Now." Then adding, "That wasn't there ten minutes ago, Susan you need to leave." Abby ran a clear tube over the small red rash that didn't disappear in the same way Susan had.

"They don't blanche." Abby added

"She has meningiococcus," Carter said flatly, summarizing for everyone in the room

."I need a CBC, acque check, blood cultures times two, chem. 20, 20 of atomodate and a 100 of sux. Now." Amelia went through the spiel hectically.

 "Mealia." Jaspers voice came from by the door, "What's going on?" He asked as Amelia continued to work on their daughter.

"Get me a pieds LP tray." She yelled again, without looking up she replied flatly. "She's got meningitis."  

"She's vomiting." Carter said stepping up, accepting the fact that he wasn't going to be allowed to run this trauma, they rolled her onto her side as spasms coursed through her little body.

"Don't do this to me Lauren." Amelia whispered quietly "Don't you dare do this to me." She shook her head as Lauren continued to vomit, emotion evident in her voice for the first time.

"You said she was getting flu." Jasper said from the corner, his voice riddled with shock.

Amelia didn't reply, instead she just held Lauren's head, laying her back down flat as Lauren stopped vomiting. 

"You ready to intubate? She asked Carter.

"Amelia." He replied. 

"Are you ready to intubate?" She asked again ignoring his concern, staring up into his eyes.

"Get me a pieds intubation tray." He instructed, ignoring the fact that Amelia was in no fit state to be in the room as either a doctor or a mother. Sam reappeared clutching the LP Amelia had requested, Amelia grabbed it off her, her vision slightly fuzzy she wiped angrily at her eyes, setting the tray down on the ample space on the gurney, Lauren was laid out flat and still only took up a quarter of the space, if that. Amelia paused as Carter intubated, the momentary lapse in action on her part was enough to put her out of her stride completely. She looked down at her little girl, now covered in tubes administering various concoctions that were intended to help her. Her eyes began to well up, Lauren looked so tiny and vulnerable as Amelia stared down at her, her eyes were closed, her hair plastered to her perspiring forehead, the tube now in her throat vibrated with every breath Abby squeezed in. Amelia could no longer focus, her ears blocked out what was being said around her, her eyes fixed on Lauren's face, inside her mind was screaming. How could she not have realized it was this serious? How had she missed this? What the hell would they do if she didn't pull through this? Lauren was their life, hers and Jasper's, their entire existence as a couple had been built with Lauren as the foundation, she'd taught Amelia what true, unmistakeable genuine feeling was, and aloud her to experience those feelings without any guilt, Lauren had taught her how to love, how to care, and how to accept the reciprocation of those feelings, she'd made her whole, and now she felt as if her heart was being ripped brutally from her chest. Amelia shut her eyes, staring at the shell of her daughter was becoming too much.

"Amelia?" Carter almost yelled, causing her to look over at him blankly. "D'you want me to do the LP?" He asked indicating the tray she'd left lying on the gurney. She glanced from him to the tray and back to Lauren.

"No, roll her." Amelia instructed flicking her shaking hands to steady them before ripping open the tray and puncturing her daughters back. The room was silent apart from the monitors as she carried out the procedure. "It's cloudy." She confirmed looking at the spinal fluid collecting in the vial. "Has someone called the pieds ICU?" She asked unassumingly as she finished the procedure.

"They're ready for her up there." Sam responded quietly. Amelia nodded, standing up, she didn't look at anyone.

"You said she had the flu." Jasper repeated his earlier statement quietly from his position in the corner.

"I was wrong." Amelia replied flatly, not looking at him.

"You were wrong?" Jasper said his upset flaring as he moved towards his daughter and her mother. "You were wrong, you're a fucking doctor, she's you're daughter and all you can say is that you were wrong?" He repeated hissing angrily, his emotions overcoming him, astonished at Amelia's numb calm. She flinched as Jasper's uncharacteristically harsh words, saying nothing she looked back down at Lauren as Jasper moved to get her to look at him, Abby, Sam, Carter and Pratt watched the brief exchange. "Amelia?" Jasper said his voice riddled with shock more than anything else now, amazed that she wouldn't say more.

"Ok, we need to get her upstairs." Carter said attempting to defuse the situation before it got out of hand, reluctant to watch or allow the domestic scene to play out. Carter and Abby heaved the gurney to a rolling start and headed towards the elevators, Amelia and Jasper followed along side, they stood mutely waiting for the 'ping' indicating its arrival, Amelia stared unseeingly at the beige doors, numb with shock, she couldn't bring herself to look at Jasper, she should have seen this coming, she should have been more attentive, she should have watched for something like this, but she didn't she hadn't and now they were standing here, it was her fault. They loaded Lauren into the elevator silently and the doors slowly began to slide shut, Amelia jolted suddenly, placing her hand firmly in the space, pushing the sliding doors back just enough to squeeze her body out, she disappeared.

Teertornado ~ Thanks so much for all your reviews they're awesome, your comments are very much appreciated, there's a lot to come yet!

Blah ~ your reviews a part of what is keeping me going, keep them coming!! – girl talk is good but so is girl/boy talk!

Carbybubbles ~ you've disappeared! I hope everything's ok!

x-dramaqueen-x ~ cheers I'm glad you like it.

Everyone else thank you very much as well, I'll do more detailed thank yous at some point! Always feel free to tell me you don't like stuff as well, criticism is always welcome! (I have a feeling I might regret saying that!) Cheers anyway, as ever please review! Kay