"Gracefully Old"

Summary: Cosmo Lewis-Martin wants to follow his mother Susan Lewis's footsteps becoming a doctor… His first day at the County reunites his mother and her friend for first time in 20 years… Not all past news are good news…

A/N: Med Students are not called Doctors… what do they get called? Mr?

Spoilers: Some referrals throughout the story.

Warning: Chapter 3 may be disturbing for some… deals with rape (I'm just warning to be on the safe side)

Chapter 1 - 2025

A tall muscular young man walked through the sliding doors into the ER. He scanned the area with his prominent green colored eyes to find where the admit desk is situated. He walked to his designated area and looked around to find a clerk.

"Yeah" The young clerk answered, jerking his head rhythmically while listening to his music on his iPOD.

"I'm Cosmo Martin, I'm a 3rd year student. This is my first day and I'm suppose to be meeting the ER chief" He introduced himself with the simple Martin, avoiding the long hyphenation.

"I'll page her"

"So erm you want me to wait here?" Cosmo asked, pointing down to the ground. The clerk nodded in reply.

Cosmo rested his elbows against the counter and watched the ER world go by. He felt a firm nudge on his arm by a petite woman who is in her mid-fifties who smiled wryly at him.

"Mr Martin?" She asked

Cosmo nodded

"Hi I'm Dr Lockhart, I'm the chief of ER," She introduced herself, shaking his hand. Cosmo instantly recognized the name and face from his mom's old photographs when she worked here. He thought that Abby has not changed a great deal except aging fine lines on her face. She still had youth in her. The graying in her hair tied up in a bun would give away her age.

"So Mr Martin, what's your first name?" She asked, putting her hands in her lab coat pocket. Underneath she is wearing a white blouse and a pair of dark slacks. Cosmo lets out a little laugh. Abby stepped back. Gently folded her arm and frowned, wondering what was amusing him

"You don't know who I am do you?" He asked, trying to play a game of guessing.

"No" She replied in a low tone and shook her head, Cosmo had a New York accent, and she couldn't recall anyone she knew so well from there. She vaguely said, "Should I?"

"You knew me when I was a toddler"

She chuckled "I knew a lot of toddlers in my time"

Cosmo replied "True" He leaned himself against the counter. "But you were really good friends with my mom"

"Your mom?" Abby tweaked a little smile and narrowed her eyes to think for a moment. Muttered to herself "Martin… Martin?" Her face brightened up and gasped, "You're Susan Lewis's son right? Oh my god!"

Cosmo nodded and laughed.

"You look so much like your mom, you have her smile, so how is she these days?"

"She's great she runs the free clinic at Long Island, New York" Cosmo said, running his fingers through his mousy colored hair "Actually she is in town today to a conference"

"Oh my god I must see her again"

"I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem, she would be thrilled to see you again"

"So I see you followed her footsteps then?"

"Yes"

Abby's pager bleeped. She looked down. "I've got to go to trauma 3. Dr Novino, our chief resident he will be with you shortly to show you around" She said "I'll catch you later"

"Thank you" Cosmo stood waiting at the admit desk watching Abby walk away.

Later that morning a woman in her mid-fifties walked in. She was smartly dressed in a business like suit, skirt and jacket. Her hair is shorter, greying with hint of ash blonde. Her figure is more somewhat chunkier... Her eyes are fixated at the interior of the ER, amazed how it has changed with more modern technology equipment … the wafer thin PC screens. Even though she uses them at her clinic, she found it bizarre looking at them as she expected the County to look exactly the same 20 years ago. She noticed the colors of the walls still the same. Faded and in need of an emulsion, to clean it up. Susan Lewis half smiled looking at her trip down memory lane.

"Hello?" She called, leaning over the counter. A young guy ignored Susan, sitting down, busily listening to his iPOD. "Excuse me, hello?"

Susan sighed and walked round the admit desk. She firmly tapped the young clerks shoulder. He is startled by her presence.

"Hey lady, you shouldn't be round here!" The clerk shouted, pulling out his earpiece.

"Well I wouldn't be doing this if you were doing your job properly instead of lounging round listening to music all day"

"What you know about working here?" He snapped

"A great deal actually" Susan answered pursing her lips.

"What do you want?"

Susan scoffed "Oh is that how you greet people?"

"How can I help you ma'am?" He asked, in his sarcastic tone

"I was wondering if I could speak to my son please?"

"Who is he?"

"Cosmo Martin, he has just started today" Susan nodded

"Hey Mom" Cosmo smiled, patting his hand on his mother's back and then looked at the clerk "It's ok I'm here"

"Hey sweetie how's your day going?" Susan smiled as she rose herself up on her toes to plant a kiss on her son's cheek.

"You know a bit daunting, finding my way round" Cosmo shrugged.

"It takes time"

"I met the ER Chief" He grinned broadly

"Nice" Susan nodded and frowned at her son's wide grin "A female I guess, oh Cosmo don't tell me you fancy her!"

"Probably would if she's my age, but she's old!"

"Pleased to hear that"

"I think you and the chief should concentrate on each other"

Susan shook her head "What the hell are you on about?"

"You can see for yourself," Cosmo pointed at the woman approaching them.

Both Abby and Susan jaws dropped to the floor when they saw each other.

"Oh my god Abby!" Susan shouted, spreading her arms out wide.

"Susan!"

They rushed into each other embracing into a hug. They squeezed each other with laughter.

"Susan you're so… chubby!" Abby commented shaking her head looking at her old friend.

"Speak for yourself, you should see the size of your ass!" Susan snorted.

"Yeah well it's the middle aged spread" Abby chuckled "You still got that little snort in your laugh!"

Susan stifled a laugh as they felt joy over the reunion. They are buzzing and overwhelmed at looking at each other after 20 years of losing touch. They cannot get over how they aged especially that they had memories of each other when they were in their thirties.

A red headed frail woman in a electric wheelchair rode past the two reunited friends and halted as she realize who was present, so she stuck the gears in reverse and moved back, she whip-lashed when it braked hard. She looked at Susan with her eyes peering over her glasses.

"Susan?"

"Kerry"

Weaver grinned and shook hands with Susan "So what brings you back here then Susan?"

"Well I don't know if you have met my son yet?"

"Your son? Is he new here? I might bump onto sometimes in the near future. I only work here part time, as I am semi retired. I come in to do the hospital's bursary"

"Great at least it will keep you active" Susan said then winced as she realized what she had just said, something politically incorrect about Weaver.

"Yes it does, I must go now, maybe catch you later?"

"Later" Susan grinned.

They both watch Kerry Weaver drive the wheelchair down the corridor at full speed.

Susan shook her head. "Oh boy, it didn't surprise me that she will be whizzing around in one of those. How old is she now … 65?"

"Yeah sometimes we have to watch our toes if Kerry's having a bad day because she's like a road rage"

"Jeez that's fun" Susan curled up her top lip. "So Abby do you have time for a coffee?"

Abby replied looking at her watch. "Sure, I finish my shift in 10 minutes"