Chapter 18

Abby went out and started to work on what patients were in the ER. This was a not to bad pace. They weren't slammed with patients and she could take a few extra minutes with the patients that she did have. She smiled to herself looking forward to dinner and a movie with Carter.

Anna went back to the ER. She found a quiet exam room turned off the lights and laid down to catch a few minutes of sleep before Doug got off. Since Carter was seeing patients she figured that they would come and get her if they needed her if not she would sleep until Doug paged her.

Carol looked at him not sure what to say. "I got the card and animal crackers," She said "What I'm trying to say Doug is when you hit me, it scared me and right now I just feel so afraid of you. I just wanted to let you know that," She said sitting down in front of him

Carter had gone to see some of his patients, He couldn't wait to see to have dinner with Abby, and a Movie, and this was going to be a great evening. He was helping a patient. "Sir you got to calm down, I'm here to help," He said. The man didn't and before Carter knew it, he sprayed pepper mace in his eyes twice. Carter came out of the room screaming "my eyes" he said.

Carter's cries startled Anna who ran out to see what she could do to help. She pulled Carter into the exam room and practically threw him onto a gurney. "Lay still Carter. I know it hurts but I have to wash your eyes out." She said grabbing saline to irrigate his eyes with. She started to flush the mace from Carter's eyes.

Doug tried to hide the tears welling up in his eyes. For her to say she was afraid of him hurt more than any insult she could have said. He rubbed his head nervously; he didn't know where to start. "I'm so sorry Carol." he finally managed to whisper out. "You have to know that I would never hurt you...and I love you." He looked back at her face which was still sharp with fear and anger. Slowly he reached for her hand. He saw the ring he had given her on Valentine's Day still on her finger and smiled. "Just tell me what I need t do to prove to you that I love you."

Susan walked in to start her shift. She was about to put her things in the lounge when she heard screams coming from an exam room. she walked in to find Carter with red swollen eyes and Anna trying to hold him down. "Anna, what happened? You need any help?"

"I'm not sure Dr. Lewis." Anna said, "I was in another exam room when Carter started screaming. From what I gather he was maced." Anna said. "Come on Carter don't be a baby hold still it will feel better if you work with me to get the mace out of your eyes."

Carter felt Anna get him on the gurney, his eyes stung. Why now did a patient have to mace him? "I'm laying still' He said to her. This isn't the first time I been maced, I did it to myself once, but this time a patient it did it to me," He said. He then heard Susan's voice come in. "Hey Susan," He said to her. He even wondered if Abby had heard him scream.

Carol looked at Doug as he looked at the ring, 'I don't want to be afraid of you Doug, I want to be with you, But what I would like you to do is get some help, please for me and the girls, I want us to be a family again," She said to him. "I know the girls miss you, but when you hit me it hurt and I was afraid. Your the only man I ever Loved Doug Ross, and I love you so much," She said to him

Abby had worked quickly with the help of Vitamin H to get the patient restrained and sedated. She couldn't help but wonder how a patient got mace by the security guards, but then for the most part they were worthless. She headed out of the exam room leaving behind the sedated patient. She found Carter being attended to by both Susan and Anna. "Nice to see that our fine residents get the greatest of care. How are you eyes Carter? "Abby couldn't herself she wanted to try to make the situation a little lighter, "am I going on a blind date tonight?"

Carter had heard Abby, "Yea probably," He said joking back. "I just wonder how that patient got through with that stuff," He said to her as he felt them cleaning his eyes out

"You know it's that wonderful security system we have in place here. They look for guns, knives, but I guess they rank mace right in with their Jelly donuts." Abby said. "Don't worry Dr. Anna here will have you good as new shortly. It could have been worse; you could have a resident irrigating your eyes."

Susan tried not to laugh but it came out anyway. "Poor Carter" she said walking over and helping Anna. "what a way to start off my day. how much longer are you on my injury prone friend?"

Doug dropped his head. It was hard for him to hear this. "Don't ask me to do that Carol. I'll do anything but see a shrink." he tried to cover his face while he talked. he didn't want her to think there was anything wrong with him, she had worried enough. "It doesn't help anyway. I saw one a long time ago remember? all I did was talk about my patients." he stopped and tried to make her smile. clearly it wasn't a good time. "Look I'm working on my problems but its hard. I'm not like you. I don't have that many friends here...and this is something I cant talk to you about. why cant we just go back three days ago?" he said putting his head down on the counter, this was hard for him to explain and he was trying to not let Carol see he was crying.

Anna smiled at Susan's remark as she handed Carter a towel. She shook her head, "same old baby faced Carter. Here pat your eyes don't rub them. I'm off the clock for now. If you need anything else, page anyone but me. Because I am back bright and early in the morning."

Carter laughed at Abby, "Very funny," He said to her as he heard Susan. "It still kind of hurts, but doing better, he took the rag from Anna."Don't worry, oh and I'm off at eight the same time As Abby," He said to her

"I rather see you get help Doug, from a shrink," She said. "We all might not like shrinks, even I don't and I went and saw him and he helped me, and no we can't go back three days ago, what you did to me was unforgettable Doug Ross, you hit me, how does that feel to hear those words. From the wife that loves you, I do anything to make you see a shrink, cause I love you. But if you can't do that, I don't know what to do," She said. Her words were where her voice was trembling cause she crying as well. "I feel like you haven't been honest with me on what's going, and when you can you can come back to me," She said. She got up walked over to the ER, she spotted Anna. "What happened?" She asked her trying to hold the tears.

Doug sat there with his head down on the counter. He couldn't get up. He couldn't move. He was angry Carol couldn't understand. After a few minutes he wiped his eyes and brought his head up. Even though he hadn't done any of his paperwork he wasn't going to deal with it tonight. he pulled out his cell phone and entered Anna's number.

Susan laughed again as Carter sat up. his whole face was swollen. "Carter why don't you go home. I came in early to do some paperwork but I can see you're..." she laughed as she looked for the right work. "incapacitated."

"Good thing I took the El back here today I think I did, I don't remember," He said "Yea thanks Susan for covering for me then," He told her

Anna looked at Carol, "Carter had a run in with mace." She said fighting back the laughter that was about to erupt. She felt her cell phone vibrate. "Excuse me Carol," Anna walked a few feet away from where she had been standing as she answered her phone, "Hello."

Doug heard Anna's voice. "Hey..." he had to clear his throat. hey Anna. are you all set to go?"

"Yeah," Anna chuckled, "I think Carter's all patched up. Just let me get my things from my locker and I will meet you. Where are you at Doug?" Anna asked. She glanced over at Carol. She could tell that things hadn't gotten any better between the two of them.

"Wait Anna can we talk" Carol asked her. "And was that Doug on the phone. She had over heard the conversation.

"Yeah Carol, what do you want to talk about?" Anna asked. "I don't want to get in the middle of what ever is going on between you two."

'I don't want you to either, just tell Doug I love him, but I don't want him to hit me again," She said to her

"I'll tell him Carol." Anna said turning her attention back to the phone as she walked into the lounge. "Hey Doug sorry about that. Where are we meeting at? That beer and burgers sounds more tempting by the minute."

"Thank you Anna" Carol said and she went back to her shift