A/N: I don't own ER or any of it's characters. This story takes place during season 6 during "All in the Family." Yes, this is a Cary fic because, yes, I believe it that episode should've ended up differently. I'm a Carcy lover and if you aren't, that's fine too. Anyhoo, this is my interpretation on what should've happened. (if Kellie Martin didn't leave to complete college.) Also, all of the opening quotes up to chapter 5 are from the song State of Mind by Merril Bainbridge.
Chapter 9: First Day
"Everything seems so strange
Try but I can't seem to make a decision
That's right
I feel it pounding like a drum
Inside my brain
I feel it
If it doesn't stop I'll go insane
I feel it
Tearing at my soul."
Lucy work up to the sound of her blaring alarm clock. She rubbed her head half asleep and rolled over and slammed her hand down on it. Reluctantly, she sat up and swung her feet over the edge of her bed. After releasing a deep sigh she got up and left her room and headed to the kitchen. Her roommate, Shealynn Dodge, fell off her bed at the sound of Lucy's alarm clock. Shealynn, a tall and somewhat muscular girl, had straight, long dark red hair that traveled to her lower back and dark blue eyes. She was the girl that Lucy sublet her apartment too while she left. Since the place had two rooms though and Lucy didn't want to kick her out on the streets, she stayed and pays half the rent.
"Lucy?" She said coming out her room and into the kitchen. There, she saw Lucy making a cup of hot tea. "It's 5: 30, what are you doing up? It's still dark out." Lucy put a mug of water into the microwave and pressed a few buttons, letting it heat up.
"Sorry, Shea." She said with a sincere smile using her friends nickname. "But I have to get to the hospital soon. I thought it best if I got up early and got a shower before you had to get to work. You can go back to sleep." She said pulling a box of tea bag out of a cupboard.
"Too late now!" She said with a smile and surprisingly cheerful tone. "I'm wide awake!" Lucy couldn't help put lower her head and laugh as Shealynn came into the kitchen to get a mug for herself.
"No, let me do that." Lucy said taking the mug from her friend. "Go take your shower while I make you some tea. I'll take my shower after you."
"Alright. But make mine a coffee. I'll need it if I'm gonna stay awake the rest of the day." She chuckled leaving the kitchen and heading toward the bathroom. Lucy laughed too as she put the box of tea bag away and moved toward the coffee maker. After both Shealynn and Lucy finished their showers and breakfast, they headed to work. Lucy the hospital, Shealynn an aerobics gym; she was an instructor. Lucy waited patiently at the El, her jacket tightly wrapped around her, it had been colder than usual that morning. It almost felt like it would snow even though it was August.
"I hate the cold. I hate the cold. I hate the cold." She muttered to herself while rubbing her arms briskly trying to keep warm. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a wool knit hat she bought back home. It reminded her of the one Carter had since she was back in Chicago. It never did before that moment. Ignoring that thought, she rushed to get it down over her ears to keep them warm, then went straight back to warming her arms.
"You too?" She heard a voice from behind her. Turning around she saw Carter with a ridiculous smile as he stood next to her.
"How can you be smiling? It's freezing! And it's August! It's not supposed to be freezing! If anything, we should be sweating our butts off in shorts right now!" She joked, but she wasn't wrong.
"Look at this way: the sooner the El gets here, the sooner we can get to County and the sooner we can get warm." He siad putting his gloved hands in his pockets.
"Yeah. Well, I can think of better ways to get warm than waiting to get to County." She mumbled as for Carter not to here her. The El soon around and pretty soon they were at County, warm at last. They walked in together and it didn't go unnoticed by everyone. Carter headed to the Lounge, with Lucy's bag to put in his locker per her request, after saying good bye to Lucy who was heading toward the elevators.
She had to go see Kerry about her new schedule and how many hours she'd be working. Needless to say, Lucy was nervous. Not only did she still have to talk to people she hadn't seen since she'd returned, but she had to figure out how she was going to handle her renewed friendship with Carter. It was great having him back in her life, but having him back made this complicated. More so than she needed. She shook her head and ran a hand through her hair, placing the hat in her pocket. She'd calmed down a bit and reached Kerry's office door. She walked in and the nervousness came right back as she saw Drs. Greene and Anspaugh with her.
"Sit down, Lucy." Mark said gesturing to the chair. She unbottoned her jacket and sat down like he said, the nervousness building up even more. "There's nothing to be nervous about, Lucy." Easy for you to say. "We just want to talk about what you've been up to and what you'll be doing." He gave her a small reassuring smil to comfort her but it didn't work.
"Um, where do I begin?" She chuckled softly trying to lighten the mood and calm herself, but once again, it didn't work. "Well, I left I went home to complete my physical therapy, as you know. I did with better results than expected. As Dr. Weaver knows, I tried to finish my Psych rotation at the local hospital but they said they couldn't with me in..." She lowered her head a bit and cleared her throat before continuing, and before Mark or Kerry could say anything. "After I was released with a full bill of health, I decided to come back here." After much debate and arguements from my mother, mind you. "I've been back for almost a week now and that's basically it."
"Well, Miss Knight, you've come back at a rather...well, stressful time, to say the least." Dr. Anspaugh started to explain. Here it comes. Rejection: application denied table for one. Lucy shifted her weight in the seat and both Mark and Kerry noted her fidgeting. "With losing Jerry, Nurse Hathaway, Ms. Lockhart a full-time nurse, Dr. Chen just going on maternity leave, almost losing Dr. Benton and Dr. Carter's...problem..." He sighed deeply relieving the obvious frustration. Carol's gone? Where to? Abby's a nurse and Dr. Chen's on maternity leave? I didn't even know she was pregnant. I don't even know what to think about Dr. Benton, or Dr. Carter for that matter. What's going on? "...We'd be glad to have an extra hand onboard. We need all the help we can get."
"Oh. Thank you so much, Dr. Anspaugh." She said respectfully not showing too mush enthusiamsim. Lucy got up and grabbed her things to leave as Mark and Kerry smiled lowering their heads so Dr. Anspaugh wouldn't see. The last thing they needed was for him to see that they were ecstatic to have her back. He might think it too unprofessional.
"Ms. Knight, before you go, I'd like to discuss something else with you." He continued and Lucy sat back down, the happinessmelting into worryment.
"Excuse me, Dr. Anspaugh, but I was told that there was nothing left to discuss." Kerry piped up. It seemed odd to Lucy that she was coming to her defense. That was until Mark agreed with her. At that point, Lucy was so nervous that she barely heard Anspaugh talk. He went on and on and all Lucy could think was: What am I gonna tell Shea?
Chapter 10: Awkward Scars
Preview: Carter, Lucy and Alex get to know each other a little better.
A/N: Just for reference:
Shealynn (Sh-a-lynn)
Shea (Sh-a)