Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.
A/N: So, that was a fun chapter. lol Finally this story is picking up, and this chapter deals with Troy's diagnosis and his family and friends' reactions to it.
Oh, and Gabi played less of a part than I originally planned. She has a pretty big part in the next chapter, though.
Oh, and I'm sorry this took longer, I had a Sweet 16 and an English project that is due tomorrow. LOL
Random moment of the chapter: To all OTH fans, yes I think Keith is dead. End of story. :D
Anyway, enjoy! (BTW, this chapter is like completely based off of ER) I don't like this chapter but it was kind of necessary, so...
"What've we got?" A young, handsome doctor stepped up to the door of the ambulance, reaching in to help bring the gurney down to the pavement outside the hospital.
"Troy Bolton, 17, collapsed at basketball camp. Vitals are stable, but he hasn't regained consciousness." The group began to move toward the automatic sliding glass doors of the ER, leaving Chad gaping after them
"Started an IV in the field and put him on 10 liters of oxygen by mask."
"Who's the kid?"
"Friend. Wanted to ride along." The paramedic looked back at Chad, before turning to the doctor. "No previous history, though the friend did mention that he'd been short of breath for the last month."
"Amy, what's open?" the doctor called out to the petite red-head seated behind the Admitting desk. She glanced at the white board on the wall behind her, putting a hand over the mouthpiece of the phone she was using.
"Exam 2."
"Thanks!" They moved in the direction of the room, as Amy turned back to her phone call, holding up a hand to acknowledge the doctor.
"Alright, move him on my count. One…two…three!" Troy was lifted onto the bed in Exam 2, and the paramedics left with their gurney, their job finished.
"Contact the camp and see if his parents have been called. I want a CBC, chem 7, UA, lytes, and an ABG for now."
"What about a tox screen, Dr. Carter?" a middle-aged woman had entered the room, and was busy hooking Troy up to several diagnostic machines.
"And a tox screen. Thanks, Lydia." Dr. Carter flashed a brilliant smile in her direction, pulling his stethoscope from his neck and putting it to Troy's chest. "His breathing's labored, why don't we add a chest x-ray while we're at it."
The nurse nodded, quickly drawing blood from Troy's arm to send off to the lab.
"His parents have been notified," Amy stuck her head into the room, watching the methodical pace of the doctor's work. "What do you want me to do with the kid?"
"Keep him in Chairs, I'll get to him later."
Amy nodded, and in a second was gone.
"Blood work's been sent to the lab," Lydia said, adjusting the bag on Troy's IV. "I had them rush it."
"Alright, that's all we can do until we get some results. I want a constant eye on his pulse and pressure, and keep him on saline until we find out what's caused this."
Lydia nodded, and Dr. Carter left the room, leaving an unconscious Troy alone with her.
"Alright, Richards, you're down one until Bolton gets back, if he does. I'm canceling the evening clinics, I want every player in the main room for a debriefing. Each of you will get your teams together and bring them in, I don't want anyone spreading rumors about this." Andrew Jones looked around at each coach seated before him in the conference room, waiting for further instructions.
Coach Richards sat quietly, his face drawn. He was clearly upset by the events that had transpired.
"Don't you think we should find out how he is?"
"Right. Okay, after dinner, you and I will go over to the hospital, check on Bolton, and bring Danforth back here."
"Don't you think you're being just a little too harsh on the kid?" Chad's spoke up, also disturbed by the turn the day had taken.
Andrew didn't look him in the eye.
"I have to keep this camp running. Whatever it takes, I have to do. And that means we're leaving in an hour," he said, turning to Richards.
"Fine. Let me talk to my team separately, though. They've lost their captain and star player, I think they deserve an explanation before anyone else."
With that Coach Richards left the room, headed toward the dorms. He quickly found Kyle's room, which he knew was also the room of two of the other players. He knocked on the door, and which was soon opened by a very grim Kyle.
"Hey, Coach. What's going on?"
"Team meeting, five minutes in the gym. Pass the word, I'll meet you guys there."
Kyle nodded, telling his roommates and going to alert the other 5 team members. When they were all assembled in the gym, Coach Richards ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath before addressing them.
"Alright, Troy is at the hospital. We don't know his condition, but we have to prepare for the possibility that he won't be back."
The players all sat, shocked.
"Is he-" Kyle asked slowly, swallowing heavily.
"No. But he could be sick, or hurt, and he may have to go home. I know this is a lot to handle right now, but we have to pull together as a team, for Troy."
The players nodded, and Coach Richards was clearly touched by the bond the ten teens had formed over the past few weeks.
"Alright, you guys have to get over to the main room, Andrew wants to have an emergency camp meeting."
"Dr. Carter, tox screen's back on you basketball kid." Lydia stuck her head into the exam room, interrupting the doctor's examination of a young girl's broken wrist.
"Thanks, Lydia, I'll be right there." Turning to the little girl, he smiled reassuringly. "Katie, I'm going to leave you with your mommy but a nice man is going to come fix your arm very soon, okay?"
She nodded, clutching the small teddy bear she held clos to her chest.
"I'll be right back," he said to the mother, quickly leaving the room. Lydia was waiting outside for him.
"It's negative. Everything else came back clean, too."
Dr. Carter took the sheets she held out to him, looking them over.
"Damn. I was sure he was on something. Did the-" He paused, looking intently at the numbers on one of the pages. "That can't be right."
They reached Troy's room and walked in, Dr. Carter's eyes still glued to the paper.
"What's wrong?"
"His white cell count is through the roof, re-draw the CBC."
Lydia nodded, and moved to the bed, quickly filling a small vial with Troy's blood and leaving the room, taking it up to the lab.
Dr. Carter walked over to the bed, about to check Troy's breathing when he noticed the teen was waking up.
"Troy? Troy, can you hear me?" He gently snapped his fingers in front of Troy's face, watching intently as the latter blinked slowly, then groaned.
"What the hell?" Troy's eyes snapped open, and he looked around, startled to find himself in a hospital.
"Troy, my name is Dr. Carter. You're in the hospital. Do you remember what happened?"
Troy blinked, clearly confused. "Uh, I was at camp. And then I collapsed at the game. What the hell happened?"
"We're trying to find out. Have you taken anything in the last few weeks, anything that might-"
"No. No drugs. No anything. What's wrong with me?"
Lydia walked back in, holding a large folder and a paper in her hands.
"The rush CBC came back, the numbers are the same. Chest x-ray is back, too."
Dr. Carter took the paper, a shadow crossing his face as he saw the numbers.
"Alright, Lydia, change Troy's saline and try to fill him in, I'm going to take a look at the x-rays." He left the room, going into the hall where he slapped the films on a light board.
"Clear," he muttered to himself, pulling them down and sliding them back into the envelope. He looked back at the paper. Sighing, he walked over to the phone on the wall.
"Oncology? Hi, this is Dr. Carter in the ER, I need a consult on a 17 year old."
"Chad?"
He looked up from his position in the chair closest the door to the ER, where he had been sitting for the last three hours. Troy's parents and Gabriella were walking toward him, their faces drawn with worry.
"Hey," he half-whispered, standing up to greet them.
"Where is he?"
Chad shrugged. "They haven't told me anything since we got here, I-" he stopped, interrupted when Dr. Carter walked in.
"Are your Troy's parents?"
They nodded.
"I need you to come with me."
A/N: Dun dun dun... hehe poor Troy. He's in for a wild ride. lol sorry that this chapter was kind of boring, the next is better. anyways, reviews greatly appreciated, as always!
Coming in Chapter 5: They find out what's wrong with Troy! Cute Troyella moment before it, though :D
P.S.-I'm writing a new story. Called "Keep the Faith." More to follow later, but I think it might end up a Ryan/Gabi story...you can read the summary in my profile :D