"Critical Condition"

By: FeLicia Hoskinson

Chapter One: Pain that's Dealt

Story Information: A car wreck kills the ER chief. There's a long road ahead.

Chapter One: Information: Kerry Weaver gets into a car wreck and Elizabeth reflects on what she said in the past.

Disclaimers: I do not own any ER characters. TPTB, Leave it to be!

Note to Readers: This is very sad. I even made many Weaver haters cry.

Date: 5-3-07 (Note the year is 2007)

Time: 5:32 PM CT

Location: Cook County General Hospital- Chicago, IL- ER (After car accident)

"I am so sorry Sandy, I'm so sorry.," Elizabeth said, running at the pace Sandy was down the hallway.

"Just let me see her!"

"They are fixing to take her up to surgery. You might as well wait."

"I'M NOT WAITING! LET ME SEE HER."

Elizabeth realized she could not stop her from wanting to see Kerry.

"OK, Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am sure!"

"OK, Let me go ahead and warn you. We had to intibate her. She has many tubes running out of her, Including a chest tube. Are you sure?"

"Yes I am Dr. Corday…. Just please!"

Elizabeth took her to Trauma Two, Where Carter and Susan were about to move Kerry up to surgery.

"Wait…," Elizabeth replied to them.

"We have no time.," Susan responded.

"Sandy is here. All she wants is a few minutes."

They stepped out of the room for a few minutes.

"OK Sandy.," Elizabeth replied.

Sandy entered. Her jaw dropped at the sight of Kerry.

"Oh my god, Kerry."

Sandy ran to her side and took her hand.

"Kerry I'm here."

Elizabeth walked close.

"We are taking her up to surgery to repair her spleen. She also nicked her liver, So that has to be repaired. There was only a little bit of blood in her chest cavity, So we did not have to crack her."

"Thank god. Is she gonna be OK," Sandy asked.

"Right now, Its 50/50. We need to get her up to surgery now!"

"OK. Please get me when she gets out."

"OK Sandy, I will."

Sandy let go of Kerry's hand. Kerry was wheeled out of the trauma room and up to the OR. Sandy parted up in a second direction, towards daycare.

An hour has passed in the OR.

"OK, I've removed the spleen. I need to move on to the liver.," Elizabeth said.

"You need to get her off the table soon, Dr. Corday. Her body is not going to tolerate any more blood loss.," Dr. Babcock replied.

"Let me at least fix the liver."

"She has went into v-fib twice. You know that you should have gotten her off the table."

"I've got to save her, god damn it! I have to, It will be my fault if I don't."

"And Why," Babcock asked.

"I said something in the past that I should have not said. I don't want her to die. I'd feel guilty for the rest of my life."

Elizabeth kept on with the surgery.

"Do you see how many CC'S she has lost? It is soon to add up to liters if you don't get her off the table soon."

"I'm almost done."

Elizabeth tied the last stitch.

"There…. I'm finished. Lets close."

It has been ten minutes after closing Kerry's abdomen. Elizabeth walked over to the waiting room. When she entered, She spotted Sandy, Who was holding a little girl in her lap.

"Is she OK? How is she," Sandy asked.

"Well, We were able to repair her liver. But we had to remove her spleen. We had some complications with the surgery, so she is in ICU. With all the blood loss it does not look like a promising outcome. If she does come out of this there might be some permanent damage."

Sandy gasped. She could not believe the words that came out of Elizabeth's mouth.

"So she could die?"

"The chance of her recovering is very slim.," Elizabeth replied, trying to hold her own tears.

Sandy clinched her teeth, trying to hold back the tears and the fear.

"Thank you doctor.," She replied.

Elizabeth nodded and walked away. She over heard the conversation between the little girl and Sandy.

"Momma, What's wrong with mommy," The little girl asked.

"Kara, Mommy is very sick."

"Will she get better?"

"She might."

Elizabeth ran to the bathroom. She entered a stall, sat in front of the toilet, and cried. Susan entered and heard the crying.

"Hello, Are you OK," Susan asked, not knowing who was crying.

Elizabeth recognized this voice and called out.

"Susan, Im all right. It's just….."

Susan recognized her voice.

"Elizabeth…."

Elizabeth got up an exited the stall. Susan looked at Elizabeth, Who was a total wreck. Susan grabbed a tissue from the tissue box and handed it to Elizabeth.

"You wanna talk? Is it about Kerry?"

"Yes… I feel like it's my fault, My fault that she is hurt, That she is dying."

"Elizabeth, We both know it was not your fault. You did not hit her with your car. Its not you fault."

Elizabeth turned to Susan.

"Yes it is. A few years ago I told her something hateful. She made Mark take competency tests after his operation. She was looking after him and his patients, and I thought she was trying to find a way to get rid of him. So, I told her that if she ever had a terminal illness that I hope that I was her doctor so I can do nothing to help her. And now a child is gonna lose a mom, a spouse is gonna lose her other."

"I agree, those words were quite harsh. But I don't think you wished her to be in a car accident. It's not your fault."

"But…"

"Just think about it Elizabeth. You'll realize that it's not your fault. You might live with the guilt, but it is not your fault."

"Thank you Susan."

"Anytime Elizabeth.," Susan replied.

Susan left the bathroom, Leaving Elizabeth alone.