Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters... I wish I did, though.
A/N: Here's finally chapter 13. I'm really busy with schoolwork these days, but I'll try to update as soon as possible :)
I 'd like to thank my good friend Helen (girlintheyankeeshat) for being a great beta reader :) I'm really glad that you out of all people are my beta.
Thanks for all your help and all the encouraging words, you really keep me going :)
Thank you for reviewing Hallie , gezzy, Michelle (britgirl2003) , Helen (girlintheyankeeshat) I really appreciate the feedback :)
NO STRINGS ATTACHED
Four hours, two MVAs, one GSW and a couple of minor cases later, Susan found herself sitting in the doctors' lounge, flicking through some charts. She was almost done for the day. She only had a few more charts to sign, before she could take off. She wanted to go home, curl up in her bed and finally catch some sleep. She had been tired all day and couldn't wait for her shift to end.
Only two more charts. Susan took a sip from her Diet Coke. She closed her eyes for a few seconds and listened to the sound of the rain that was pouring down outside. A sound that always made her tired. She reached out for the remote control and switched the TV on. She needed a background noise that would keep her from falling asleep. CNN should do, she decided, and continued scribbling into her record book.
The door opened and Doug rushed in.
"Spoiled food in a kindergarten....twelve kids with food poisoning...I thought this shift would never end," he said, closing the door behind himself.
"Tell me about it..." "I can't wait to get home," Susan said, smiling weakly. She pointed to the last two charts that were lying next to her.
"I still have to finish these...Morganstern wants them to be done today." She sighed and cursed herself for having procrastinated about her work for such a long time.
"I hope it doesn't take you much longer," Doug said, getting into his coat.
"Maybe another twenty minutes... I hope my TV won't be annoyed if I'm late for our date." Susan said, jokingly.
For some reason, she had developed a habit of making jokes about her situation. The expression on her face, however, showed loud and clear that she wasn't happy at all. Back at home she'd be on her own again. Nobody would be waiting for her to return from work. Nobody would cook her dinner, nobody would argue with her over the remote control.
"What are your plans for tonight?" Susan asked Doug as she watched him closing his locker.
Doug looked at her for a long time before he said anything. Her voice had been full of loneliness and sadness. It was probably not the best idea to tell her about his date with Linda. But he couldn't lie to her either. Not after all they'd been through together. Eventually, he decided to tell her the truth.
"Well.." He began, but the sound of the door opening interrupted him.
Haleh poked her head in. "Dr. Lewis? Mrs. Saunders collapsed!"
Susan jumped up. "Bye Doug, we'll talk tomorrow," she said quickly, before she left the room.
"See you tomorrow." Doug called after her.
He sighed with relief. This way, he didn't have to tell her about his date. At least not today. He glanced at his watch. Seven o' clock. He'd better hurry. Linda could arrive at any minute. He closed his locker and walked over to admittance. Kerry, Randi and Jerry were talking busily, but Linda was not there yet.
He decided to wait outside. "Goodnight everybody, I'm taking off now." Doug said to the three of them and went to leave, but Kerry held him back.
"Jeanie called in sick, Benton is still in surgery, and I have a staff meeting to attend," she informed him.
Doug raised his eyebrows. "So?"
"So, somebody will have to cover for me tonight. How about you?"
Doug caught a glimpse of Linda, who had just come in. Her irresistible dark eyes had always fascinated him. Their eyes met only for about a second, but Doug's priorities were set. He turned back to Kerry.
"I've been working since nine this morning. I can't stay in tonight. I've got a...personal engagement," he said, allowing his eyes to see more of Linda.
"He's going out with that pharmaceutical saleswoman again," Randi whispered to Jerry. Although that piece of information was intended for the other admittance clerk only, Kerry had also heard it.
She rolled her eyes. "Fine." Kerry said icily, and paused. She intended to comment on Doug's date, but then thought better of it and turned away from him.
"Well, I've got to go now. Bye." Doug called out, moving away.
"I'll make Lewis stay then," he heard Kerry saying, as he walked over to greet Linda.
Kerry's last sentence made him feel really bad. Susan was the last person who deserved having to do overtime. She had had a terrible day, she had looked so tired and pale this morning and probably needed to catch some sleep really badly. But his selfishness would now force her to work all night. Had he known that Susan would have to cover for him, he might even have cancelled his date. He thought about going back, but Linda's seductive voice caught him again.
"Come on, Doug, let's go," she said softly, reminding him that one did not say no to women like Linda Farrell.
"Yeah, let's go," Doug answered, with a smile, and followed her outside.
In the meantime, Susan had resuscitated and stabilised her patient again and was back in the doctors' lounge. She had just finished her charts and was now getting ready to leave. She closed her locker and had buttoned up her coat when Kerry entered the room.
"Good thing you're still here, Susan." Kerry spoke up, walking over to Susan.
"I'm about to take off." Susan replied.
"I'm afraid not, you can't leave yet... It's a busy evening. Carter isn't in yet, Benton is in surgery, Jeanie called in sick and I have to attend a staff meeting... You'll have you stay and cover, please." Kerry spoke sternly.
Susan rolled her eyes and glanced at Kerry in disbelief. "Overtime? Again?" She was incensed.
"Kerry, I've been here all day and I'm tired." "I don't want to stay tonight," Susan affirmed. "Can't we call someone else in?"
Kerry shook her head. "No. You're the only one available. Please, Susan," she said, making sure that her voice expressed that there was no arguing about it.
"But what if I already had plans for tonight?"
"Well...do you have plans for tonight?" Kerry asked angrily.
Susan didn't reply. It wasn't fair. Today was the fourth time this week she had to cover for someone. Being single didn't mean she was the one who could always step in and help out.
Kerry interpreted the silence. "I guess this means you're staying." She grabbed her crutch and walked towards the door. In the doorway, she turned around again.
"Thank you, Susan." Kerry said, before closing the door behind herself.
What a slave-driving bitch, Susan thought, as she unbuttoned her coat again. It really wasn't fair. Ever since Susie had been taken away from her, she had thrown herself into work. She worked longer, she worked harder, and she stepped in whenever someone else was unavailable. At first, she didn't mind it at all that Kerry made a habit of asking her in to help out. However, lately, it felt as if she was being taken advantage of. She had always stepped in for co-workers, but today, when she was feeling terrible, no one could cover for her. She probably shouldn't have given in, but she was way too tired for any arguments with Kerry.
Every part of her body still hurt from that night on the window sill, and if it weren't for coffee and Coke, she probably wouldn't be able to keep her eyes open anymore. Besides that, she really had to talk to Carol again. The sooner, the better. She had planned on calling Carol tonight, but apparently, Kerry had crossed her plans.
Having stored her coat in her locker again, Susan walked back to admittance.
"Didn't you want to leave half an hour ago?" Chuny asked when Susan sank onto one of the swivel chairs.
"Yeah, but Weaver made me stay for the night," Susan said, with a grimace.
Chuny looked at her sympathetically. "Weaver! She's hardly ever fair."
"Anyway, I've got a woman with pneumonia, a girl with abdominal pain and a man with arrhythmia for you, Dr. Lewis." She handed Susan the charts.
"I'm leaving now, but Carol should be in soon."
Susan's eyes grew wide. "Carol is on tonight?"
"Yeah. She should be in at any minute." "Goodnight," Chuny said, before she trailed off.
"And I thought it couldn't get any worse," Susan said, under her breath, sinking more deeply into the chair.
The restaurant wasn't far away from the hospital, so Doug and Linda decided to walk there. It was a dark and clear night. Thousands of stars were visible and seemed to hang just beyond their reach. Their stroll in the moonlight was almost romantic. Except that there was nothing romantic between the two of them.
In fact, there wasn't much between them at all except for the physical relationship they had.
There had been a time when they were seeing each other a lot; however they had never been serious about each other. It was just a fling, with no strings attached. She was pretty, and he was really infatuated with her sometimes. But still, he had always wanted her body but not her heart. Linda never cared. There was lots of sexual tension between them, but they were both promiscuous people and would never let any feelings get involved.
They would have dinner at their favourite restaurant. Eventually, they would move on to her apartment to satisfy their sexual desires.
The morning after, he would get up and kiss her goodbye. He would leave before she woke up. Linda wouldn't mind. They had both gotten what they wanted, there was no need to have breakfast together. And until next time, they would go their separate ways again.
As they were walking to the restaurant, Linda told him about her last trip to Aruba, but Doug didn't really listen. As much as Doug wanted Linda tonight, he couldn't help thinking about Susan. He felt so bad about having left all the work to her, that he couldn't really enjoy himself.
"You okay?" Linda asked after a while, finally drawing his attention back to her. "You seem to be... so confused" she added.
"I'm fine. It's been a hard day, but I'm fine," Doug assured her.
"Just relax...I'll make you forget about it," Linda said, with a wink, and moved closer to Doug. She undid the buttons of his coat and ran her hands down his chest.
"You're good at that," Doug said, smiling. He put his hands on her hips and pulled her closer.
Their lips met in a passionate kiss.
"So...would you mind if we skip dinner?" Linda asked, seductively batting her eyelashes.
...TBC...
New chapter is coming as soon as possible :)
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