Disclaimer: I don't own…wait…wait…I think I'm getting something…wait…wait…no. It was just a fluke.

A/N: Oh. My. God.I am so. Sorry. I really didn't mean for this update to take this long. And now that I did, I only added a few paragraphs. I know, I know what you're thinking. "Only a few paragraphs! Whats up with that?" But never fear. The next update will be by the end of this week. I promise. But make sure you read those couple of paragraphs!

The ER had been quiet and slow for a couple of hours, giving Ray some free time. And considering the day, that was something he didn't want. Always doing something kept him from remembering. Ray unconsciously shuddered slightly just from the thought.

"Are you okay, Ray?" someone asked. Abby had noticed. "What? Oh, yeah. Just a headache," Ray said automatically. "Maybe you should take something for it." "I'm fine, Abby." Shrugging, Abby simply said, "Okay."

Headaches, Ray thought. Even those gave him memories.

:Flashback:

Ray opened the front door and stepped inside the house. Dropping his bag on the floor, he went into the kitchen to find his mom making dinner. "Hey, mom," he said. "Hi Ray," Emily said, smiling. "How was school?" Ray replied, "Fine." Nodding, Emily returned to making dinner.

Ray grabbed an apple and began eating it. The following events seemed to take an eternity. As Emily was tossing the salad, she suddenly began dropping to the floor. Running forward, Ray caught his mother before she hit the ground. "Mom?" he asked in concern. "Are you okay? What happened?" As she began to sit up, Ray let his mother go. "Don't worry," Emily replied. "I'm fine. Just a sudden headache. That's all." Ray looked at his mother doubtfully. That," he said, "was not a headache."

Standing, Emily insisted, "I'm fine, really. It's nothing." Watching her carefully, Ray said, "I think you should go to the hospital and get checked out." "Ray," his mother said to him. "It was just a headache." Ray stared at his mother. Sighing, Emily gave in. "Fine," she said, setting down her spoon. "If it's that important to you, we'll go to the Emergency Room." Smiling, Ray nodded. "Okay. But I'm driving." Emily smiled at her son, and he smiled back.

Getting into the car, Ray was overcome with slight worry for his mother. He hoped nothing was wrong with her.

:Flashback:

Ray placed his head in his hands and leaned on the admit desk. That had been the first sign of the cancer that killed his mother. A few unknown tears escaped his eyes. "Ray?" Abby asked him. "Ray, are you sure you're okay?" "I'm fine, Abby," Ray replied, more harshly than he had intended.

"Abby, Ray," Susan said, breaking apart their conversation. "I need you. We've got an MVA coming in about 5 minutes. The two of them nodded before heading in separate ways to prepare for the incoming trauma.

"26 year old female," the EMT said as she stepped out of the ambulance. Abby, Ray, and Carter gathered around the gurney and began bringing it inside. "On the receiving end of the accident. Hit and run. BP 110/80, pulse ox 93. Mild concussion, contusions to the head and chest."

As they entered the hospital, the woman began to come around. When she woke, Carter asked her, "Ma'am, can you tell me your name?" "Sara," she answered painfully. "Sara Black. Where am I? How'd I get here?" "You're at County General Hospital in the ER. Do you remember what happened?"

"She lost consciousness," Abby told him. Upon reaching the Trauma room, Carter started shouting orders to the nurses.

"Carter?" Abby asked, looking up at him. "The EMT said contusions to the head and chest, right?" Nodding, Carter replied, "Yeah, why?" Sighing, Abby said, "She has bruising on her lower back."

Suddenly, Ray looked up. He knew what this meant; he had seen it before…

:Flashback:

Ray and his mom sat in the hospital room waiting for the oncologist to reenter. Ray squeezed his mom's hand in reassurance. Seconds later, Dr. Wilson entered the room. Sitting in a chair by the small family, he addressed her, "Mrs. Barnett, I'm sorry, but the tests came back positive for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. We can start treatment immediately…"

The rest of his words seemed useless to Ray. Cancer, the 16 year old thought. She can't have cancer. It's not possible.

Later when the two of them got home, Ray went up to his room. Letting down the walls he had built to support his mother at the hospital, he leaned against his wall and sank to the floor. Pulling his knees up to his chest, he hugged them and lay his head on top, crying openly.

:Flashback:

"Ray!"

Ray was shaken out of his reverie when Abby shouted his name. He looked over at his fellow intern, questioning. "Call oncology and get them down here, now."

piratesofthecarr