Chapter 2

Susan walked out of Doc's. She loved that a food place was right across the street. The wind blew and it made her look up at the sky. The snow had stopped falling but the sky was still gray. She hoped that Carter and Abby would get over whatever they had been going through and that Carter could someday have Valentine's Day come and go without getting depressed for weeks. This day made her sad too. It was the one time when she hadn't been there for Carter. She regretted that and would forever. That she hadn't been there for him when he had his drug problem and that he had to go through all of it alone. She wished she could talk to him about it but she knew he had too many things going on right now. 'One day,' She thought.

She walked into the hospital only to realize they had suddenly been swamped. After the trauma she saw Doug and Carol outside the trauma room observing.

"So what have you been thinking, you seemed deep in thought earlier?" Carol asked her.

Susan looked up at Carol. "Oh, it was just about Carter. This time of year is always hard for him. So, are we on tonight for dinner? I am going stag again on Valentine's Day! Well, like usual I guess." Susan laughed she was trying to break up the tense silence that seemed to be following her everywhere.

Carol looked at Susan. "I know what you mean," She said. She hadn't really told Doug much of what happened to Carter on Valentine's Day, she was hoping maybe Doug's spirit would lift him up.

Carol looked at Doug. "You don't mind, if I go?" She asked him.

Doug shook his head and looked up from his shoes and went to leave the room. "Oh Doug, I got your food!" Susan called.

Doug didn't even look back. "Yeah thanks, just keep the change, OK?"

'Maybe Carol should go out with Susan. They need to catch up,' Doug thought. Besides if he could put off talking about his problems he would do it. "I shouldn't even have said anything to her," He said out loud to himself. He spotted Carter by the front desk looking over charts. "Carter! Hey Bud, you want to split some chicken with me when we catch a break?"

Carter had waited for Abby's response, and then she got captured by another doctor to have her help with a procedure. He looked up as he signed the charts. He had a lot, but was almost finished. He was the chief resident. "Thank you, but no thank you," He said to Doug.

Doug stared at Carter, giving him a look just to make sure he was OK. "Well I think my plans with Carol just got postponed for tonight, so if you want we can catch a movie, or something. I'll buy you dinner. Unless you already have plans?" Doug was just trying to help. He had heard a little of what happened to Carter and knew that it still bothered him. He knew the only thing that was worse then being sad was being it alone. He had his fair share of times. He respected Carter and hoped they could become better friends. As he was waiting for Carter's answer he saw Carol and Susan talking out of the corner of his eye.

Carter thought for a moment, Dr. Ross was asking him on a date. "You asking me on a date?" He asked him, like he was trying to tease him. He was trying to lift up his own spirit. Upon Doug's laugh he replied, "Umm, sure. Have you Seen Abby anywhere?" He was concerned for her.

Susan saw Doug and Carter out of the corner of her eye. "You don't think Doug minds us going without him right? I wish me, you, and Abby could go out and Doug and Carter could. It must be hard for Abby too, and I know she wants to catch up with you too!" Susan's beeper sounded. "Oh damn, I have to go but I can't wait to hear about your kids! Tell Doug his food is still there!" Susan was proud of how quickly she could turn off emotional problems before a trauma. She knew she wouldn't be able to focus otherwise. But as she was getting ready for the crash victims she couldn't help but see Doug and Carter talking, and worry.

Carol watched Susan go. "Hey Susan, why don't I invite Abby along, and then Doug can catch up with Carter," She shouted as she saw her go to the trauma.

Carol went in search of Abby. "Hey Abby. I finally found you. You want to get together with me and Susan?" She asked her. "I'm mean after your guy's shift..."

"Hey you, Punk," Doug said hitting Carter lightly in the arm. "I have a feeling we are getting left out of the loop with our girls for tonight. So I thought I'd buy you a drink."

"Nah, I haven't seen Abby though," Carter replied. "I have to get ready for this trauma."

As Doug walked away he realized that Carter really did sound concerned. Doug shouted over his shoulder, "If I see her I'll get you!" What a day, the first day back.

Carter nodded as he saw Carol and Susan talking to each other. He then realized Doug asked to buy him a drink. "Dr. Ross, I can't drink!" Carter shouted, but decided to go help with the trauma as well. They stood in the ambulance bay waiting.

Doug stood where Carter left him. "Can't drink. Damn Doug!" He usually talked to himself when he knew he screwed up. Just another reminder of how many things had changed since he had been gone. 'Man,' He thought to himself. 'How am I going to fix this one? Maybe I'll just apologize, maybe he has already forgotten. Oh God, how could you do something that stupid Doug!'

He walked out into the ambulance bay where Carter was. Awkward silence, 'I need to say something.'

"Hey, John, look. Enough with the Dr. Ross crap. Call me Doug." He smiled thinking Carter would smile too. After he didn't Doug could see the ambulance coming up. 'Better say something Doug come on!'

As they both walked up to meet the ambulance Doug started, "John I'm sorry. I should have known. I'll still buy you a drink, it will just be a coke!"

'Haha.' Well, Doug thought his jokes were funny. Maybe Carter would realize that he was having a hard day too. They could both talk together, Doug needed someone to talk to.

Carter looked at Doug. "Its OK, its a usual mistake Malik makes with me too," He said to him. "And Doug, don't apologize. It's my fault that I got addicted to drugs. But I'm working on it, and I been sober for a few years now. If it weren't for Susan and Abby being part of my life now, I don't know where I would be. I will take the offer on the coke, though," Carter said as they met up with the ambulance.

Doug felt better. He was glad Carter was OK with his mistake. He was proud of him that he had handled his drug problem so well. That would be good for tonight, time to talk, throw a few darts, and then meet the girls. He couldn't wait to be with Carol again. Just being around her made him happy. He had spent a long time finding her Valentine's Day gift and he couldn't wait to give it to her.

As they brought the patient into trauma room one, Doug looked around. He was surprised to find all of his friends in the room. He was glad they could all jump right back together like none of them had ever left. Seeing Carter and Abby together seemed right, and he knew Carol and himself was right, as well. 'Poor Susan,' He thought. 'She needs to find a good guy. She and Mark would have been perfect.' Just another thing he missed. He hated that he had missed Mark's funeral. Just another thing to put on his long list of 'if only's. Once the patient was stabilized, Doug looked at the clock. They were all out of here in 20 minutes! He walked over to the desk and started to finish his charts. He was looking around for Carol when he saw her coming around the corner. "Hey Sweetie!"

Carol saw Doug as she walked around the corner. "Hey Doug, what are you up to?" She asked him. "Umm how did the patient turn out?" She asked as she finished a chart, she loved working at county again as well. Especially with Susan and everyone else. It was like the old days, but Jing-Mei and Carter weren't students anymore. Carter was in the place where Mark once was, as a chief resident.

"Hey." Doug looked up from his charts with a smile. He leaned over and gave Carol a kiss. "I am just finishing up, and then I am off. So are we meeting up all together later, or will I just see you at home?" Doug had been working really hard on making Carol happy. Actually she was the one who had changed him so many years ago.

Carol didn't know. "I don't know, but I'll see. I'll probably see you home later too, but if we all end up at the same place I think it be fun to hang out," She said to Doug, She smiled at him. "Don't worry, Mama has the twins tonight," She told him. "We finally get a break from the twins too," She said as she gently kissed him on the cheek.

Doug laughed as Carol walked away.