February 3rd, 2004
Forty-eight hours on her feet. One hour of sleep. Neela was finally getting to go home. She couldn't believe it.
"Don't ride the EL." Michael said as he watched her slide her jacket on.
"Well, how am I supposed to get home?" Neela asked. He held up his car keys.
"I don't want you to get raped on the EL. I trust you to get my baby back in one piece." Michael said. Neela chuckled as she snatched the keys.
"I'll try." She said with a wink. Michael kissed her forehead, "I'll see you in a couple of days."
"Sleep tight.' Michael smiled watching her leave the ER. Neela walked outside. The fresh air woke her up. She saw Cooper head out.
"Coop, do you need a ride?" She asked. Cooper smiled.
"I have an hour break. So I'm going to go get some real food." He said.
"I slept in my hour off." She said. Cooper smiled.
"Sleeping is for whimps." He winked.
"Gee thanks." Neela chuckled. "Are you sure you don't want a ride? Michael gave me his keys."
"No thanks. The fresh air will do me some good." Cooper began to walk off.
"Have fun." Neela walked down the street a little bit until she stood in from of Michael's car, "Nice."
She got into the car and buckled up. Neela turned the radio on. She turned on the classical station. She loved this kind of music. It mellowed her out.
"Let's get going." Neela said to herself. She pulled out and headed out onto her route home.
The drive normally took twenty minutes when Michael drove, but tonight is already felt like an hour. Neela was tired. She wanted to be home and curled up in her nice warm bed.
The soft violins played in the car. Neela's eyes were growing heavy. The yellow lines on the road were so hypnotic. Neela's eye lids slowly closed. The music was like a lullaby.
Soon Neela's mind drifted off into a dream. As soon as she realized she was dreaming, Neela's eyes show open. Her heart stopped when she saw she was heading straight for a tree.
* * * *
Michael stood in front of his patient with a yawn.
"Mrs. Greyson," Michaels aid, "Put your change in a piggy bank and not your stomach.
"I'm sorry, Doc." She said.
"Just don't do it again." Michael smiled walking out of the room. Pratt walked up to Michael.
"Multiple MVA coming in." he said, "Want to help?"
"Okay." Michael grabbed some fresh gloves and and went out to the ambulance bay.
"So, have you proposed yet?" Pratt asked.
"To Neela?" Michael asked. Pratt chuckled as the ambulances pulled up.
"Unless you have another girlfriend." He said.
"No...Just her." Michael walked over to the second ambulance. "What have we got here?" Pam jumped out.
"Concussion, Male, 45. He hit the first car. He was unconscious at the scene but as you can see he's awake." She said.
"The freaking car swerved into my lane!" He yelled.
"Sir, Remain calm." Michael said as he pushed the gurney into the trauma room, "Can you tell me your name?"
"Peter. Peter Franklin." He said, "I cant breath." Michael undid the man's shirt as soon as they were settled in. his chest was covered in bruises.
"Looks like the seat belt got you pretty good." Michael said, "You may have a cracked rib.
"Great." Peter groaned.
"Let's get a chest x-ray." Michael looked up and saw Pratt standing in the doorway to the other trauma room. He looked upset, "What?" Pratt stepped aside. Michael looked in the next trauma room and saw her. Neela was laying on the gurney covered in blood, "Oh god."
"I'm sorry, Man." Pratt said. Michael rushed into the trauma room.
"Baby? Sweetheart?" Michael took her hand.
"She apparently fell asleep at the wheel." Pratt said, "I'm going to order a head CT and a chest film."
"I gave her the keys." Michael whispered as he dabbed at the blood on her forehead with some gauze. She must have hit her head ont he steering wheel.
"She's stable, Mike." he said, "We just need to get her upstairs."
"I'm not leaving her." he whispered.
"I'm not asking you to." Pratt said, "Coop, go finish with Gallant's patient."
"I was supposed to be in that car." He mumbled.
"Go." Pratt snapped as he put up the safety bars.
"I should have let her ride the train." Michael whispered. He couldn't help the trees. He felt like he caused this. "Sor..." A soft whispered came from Neela's lips. Michael looked down at her. Her brown eyes were slowly opening.
"Baby?" Michael leaned down as they stepped into the elevator. Neela began to groan.
"The car..." She moaned.
"I don't care about the car.' Michael kissed her head, "I just care about you." Neela continued to groan.
"I'll give you some morphine to ease the pain." Pratt said.
"Sorry..." Neela mumbled as she passed out again.
* * *
Michael sat by Neela's bedside setting her left wrist in a cast. He stared at her. The morphine had knocked her out. He didn't want to think how much she was hurting. Pratt walked in.
"Well, some good news." Pratt said, "The head CT came back clear. She did crack a rib but that's easy to fix. I'm glad her CT came back good."
"Me too." Michael said finishing the cast, "This shouldn't have happened.
"I know." Pratt said as he check her UV, "She'll be fine."
"Don't drive when you're tired Pratt." Michael said,
"I wont." Pratt stood there watching Michael with Neela. He looked so guilty. He looked like he rammed Neela into that tree himself. Guilt was a powerful thing.
* * *
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