Chapter 16 – Fix You
Disclaimer: This chapter title inspired/lyrics from Coldplay's "Fix You
It was silent, no phones ringing. No shouting from irate patients and is unusually quiet in the ER especially for a Friday. The staff won't be holding their breath, they will be expecting revellers staggering in from the local bars with alcohol-related injuries later on. Morris is leaning over the counter, trying to impress an attractive patient telling her about his promotion.
"I am the new boss here," Morris said, winking at her.
"Morris, get a life" Susan said, interrupting him and slamming her files next him. "I need you to do these reports by tomorrow"
"What?" he replied and turned back to the woman, she was gone. He looked around frantically for her. "Where she go? Damn!"
"What a jerk!" Pratt chuckled and Ray joined in with the laughter.
The Ambulance bay sliding doors opened, a weary male come rushing in.
"Carter?" Susan looked at him in surprise "I didn't expect you to be here until tomorrow?"
"Yeah well I managed to get the next flight back" He replied, he was looking rough from the long flight, he was unshaven and his hair is ruffled. He was wearing a black t-shirt and jeans. He did not have the time to sort himself out. His main priority was to get the hospital to see Abby.
"I'll come with you, I need to fill you in with the details"
"Sure"
Susan and Carter both walk down the corridor heading to the elevators. He reaches for the 'up' button.
"I can tell that you do still care about Abby" She grinned.
"I've never stopped…" He replied looking down at his feet and looked at Susan to give her a smile "How is she progressing?"
"Well… slowly, she is in intensive care, she not out of danger yet"
The doors slid open and they both step inside.
"You're telling me she's in coma?" Carter said huskily
Susan nodded and watched him taking a big yawn.
"Oh great it's matter of waiting, she may wake up tonight, tomorrow, next week, next year or never"
"Calm down will you" She puts her hand on his shoulder "We will have to take one day at a time, her incident happened at 9.30 this morning so she's been out for 9 hours, it's a matter of playing by ear"
The elevator doors slid open again and they are on the ICU floor. Susan and Carter step out and walked along the corridor.
"What the hell was she thinking?" He asked, shaking his head.
"Carter, I think you would do the same if you were in that position"
"True"
"In here" Susan opened the door to let him in the room first and followed him.
He froze on the spot, looking at Abby. She was laid out on the bed hooked up to the life support machine. He walked to her side and bravely looked at her trying to hold back his emotions. She has a trachea tube inserted through her mouth to help her breath. Her skin tone was blue-ish due to the poor circulation from the hypothermia. Carter placed his hand on to hers and lifted it up. He then slipped his hand underneath, the palm of her hand and clasped to hold. She was cold, cold like death…
When you try your best, but you don't succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
When the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
He leaned over to plant a kiss on her forehead. It felt cold to touch on his lips, it had felt strange, she is always warming to kiss. He used his free hand to stroke her hair; his fingers were tangled in it. Her long hair was soaking wet when she came in, it had dried by itself naturally and without it being brushed, had made it straggly.
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
High up above or down below
When you too in love to let it go
If you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth
Carter is still holding her hand and looked at Susan who is standing on the opposite side of the bed. She sympathetically smiled at him. He felt a twitch in his hand and looked on with amazement.
"You ok?" Susan asked, frowning at Carter's behaviour.
"I… I felt that" He smiled "She moved her hand"
"Did she?" Susan asked and pulled out a light from her lab coat pocket, leaned over and placed her thumb on Abby's eye. She pulled up the eyelid and shines the light into it. She examined and repeated the same on the other eye.
"They're clear… She's waking up" She said putting her light back in her pocket. "That's good news, I'll go and inform the ICU team"
When the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace…
"Abby?" He said softly
Abby was struggling to open her eyes. She was heavily sedated, kept drifting in and out of her sleep. Again she was trying hard to flicker her eyes open.
When the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace…
"Abby… it's ok you're safe"
She opened her eyes again to focus at him.
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you…
The ICU team rushed into the room. Their quick entry had startled Carter like if she was crashing. They gathered round by her bed, checking her vitals. Her eyes were racing round the room watching them poking and prodding her. She lets out an "Mmm" and trying to get their attention by signalling her eyes down to her mouth. 'Remove this god-damn tube'. The door opening catches her attention from the side of her eye. It was Neela entering the room. Abby eyes followed her to Susan, she then focuses on her best friend and she is standing with her hands in her lab coat pockets greeting the younger doctor. Abby tries to hear what Susan was saying, but everything was all confusing. She closes her eyes and opens them to look at Carter. He was deep in conversation with the other two. 'Carter? I thought he was in Africa? How long have I've been out? Is this a dream?'
"Abby I need you to cough when I pull the tube out from your windpipe" One of the ICU doctor said, leaning over to her face, tapping on her shoulder making she sure was aware of his actions. She coughed when they removed the tube and one of nurses places a straw in her mouth, to moist her dry throat.
"Can you breathe ok Abby?"
"Yes" She replied in a raspy voice and turned her head to Neela "The boy?"
Neela stepped forward with her face grimaced and said "Sorry"
"Oh?" Abby sighed, disappointment is written all over her face.
"I'm really sorry Abby" Neela squirmed "It's all my fault for you going in the water, I'll never forgive myself"
"You didn't do anything"
"But?"
"I knew the consequences... I was stupid to go after the boy... but…" She protested in a husky tone cutting her words from her shortage of breath "I'm doctor... it's my instinct... to save someone's life"