Chapter 7

Doug and Mark rushed into the ICU room, which already had four other people on either sides in beds, being attended to by nurses and doctors. It took the men a moment to see who they were looking for.

But when they saw Peter standing by a bed, holding a chart in his hand, talking to a nurse they immediately rushed over.

"Peter..." Mark started but trailed off seeing Carter laying in the bed. He looked so small and pale, wires all hooked up to him, and a vent hooked up to his intubation tube. His bruises seemed more pronounced, and as they looked at the monitors they saw his vitals were really low. Not good.

"How is he?" Doug asked moved to the other side, resting his hands on the railings as he looked down at Carter.

Peter looked between the two hesitantly; "Bad. But alive." He finished with a sigh running a hand over his face; "We completed the surgery but he crashed on the table. We barely brought him back. We found internal bleeding and damage to his spleen, intestines and lungs. It seems there was pieces of glass inside him. No idea how they got there, but we got them all out. That's the good news."

"And the bad news?"

"He lost a lot of blood. We went through about 6 units, and his brain lost oxygen when he flat lined. Then there's the CT results."

"You got a CT?" Doug said surprised.

"As soon as the surgery was over." Peter nodded; "His brain is swelling, and he has a brain bleed." Peter nodded at Doug for catching it; "We're given him Mannitol to try and reduce the swelling, and we're checking every five minutes. At the moment he's in critical condition but stable."

Mark and Doug nodded slowly processing that.

"There's more." Peter continued, dragging them back; "We got his temp back up so he's no longer hypothermic. But now he has a fever because he's got pneumonia. We're pumping him full of antibiotics and the vent's helping but..."

"But what?" Doug demanded.

"It's not looking good. Between his internal injuries, his pneumonia, and his brain bleed..." Peter closed his eyes looking away; "Right now this could go either way."

"He could die." Mark clarified and Peter nodded slowly.

Mark looked away and at Carter feeling sick.

Doug's grip tightened on the railing, feeling the urge to hit something. Or someone.

"He's going to require constant monitoring. We're going to move him to his own room soon. And I've already got Ortho coming to fix up his arm and leg. They just look broken thank god, no nerve damage."

"Well that's something." Doug snapped bitterly; "He'll die but atleast he doesn't have nerve damage."

"Doug." Mark chastised gently; "Thanks Peter."

"What about his family?" Peter asked eyeing Carter.

Doug just sent Mark a look.

"We're still trying to get hold of them." Mark said diplomatically, earning a raised eyebrow from Doug.

"Did they catch who did this yet?" Peter said angrily.

"The police are looking into it." Mark replied looking at Carter's face in anguish.

They all fell silent for a moment, staring at Carter. As if waiting for him to just open his eyes.

But the truth was, he wasn't. He may not even make it.

It just hit them all hard, that their favourite resident could die at any moment. And there was only so much they could do. It didn't feel real. This wasn't meant to happen to them. They treat other injured people not each other.

0o0o0o0oERo0o0o0o0o0oo

As Doug and Mark were forced to leave the ICU so they could move Carter, and allow Ortho to treat him, they headed down to the ER.

There were a few more patients to treat, and as much as they wanted to stay with Carter they had no choice but to carry on their job.

Carol meanwhile was at the admin desk, trying to get through to Carter's grandmother.

Just like Doug, she was getting the run around and not actually getting through.

Then the ER phone rung and Jerry picked up; "County hospital Emergency Room." He paused listening and then froze; "Oh yeah hold on." Jerry looked around anxiously, relieved to see Carol still nearby; "Hey Carol, Carter's grandmother's on the phone."

"Oh." Carol lashed out for the phone; "Thanks Jerry. Hello Mrs Carter?" She answered edging away from everyone; "Yes it's Carol. Sorry to bother you it's about John."

0o0o0o0o0oERo0o0oo0oo

"Doug!" Carol said rushing to grab him as he was coming out of an exam room; "I got Carter's grandmother on the phone. I've tried to explain what's going on but I think it might be better if she talks to a doctor."

"Yeah yeah sure." He joined her back at the desk and took over the phone; "Hello? Yes this is Dr Ross. I work with your grandson." He paused listening; "Yes Carol told you how sick he is. Yes, he's in pretty bad shape. You need to get here as soon as possible. What?" Doug frowned listening and then glanced at Carol; "Hello? Whose this?" Doug asked as the voice changed to male, and he introduced himself at Carter's grandfather; "Oh yes hello. Yeah I was just saying...No sir I didn't mean...If you will just listen...your grandson is badly injured! He has pneumonia, internal injuries and broken bones. You need to get here. I don't care if you're on a damn cruise! This is your grandson!" Doug shouted in indignation.

Kerry, standing behind him frowned; "Carol." She warned; "What's going on?"

"Carter's family." Carol sighed.

"Doug why don't you let me?" Kerry gestured for the phone but he waved her off.

"Oh so your cruise is more important than your own family! He could die!"

Suddenly, Mark rushed in hearing the commotion; "Doug. Doug." He tapped Doug on the arm; "Give me the phone."

Letting out an angry huff he shoved the phone at Mark and stormed off.

"Hello?" Mark answered watching Doug closely as he stormed into the doctor's lounge; "Yes this is Dr Greene. I work with your grandson. If you'll allow me to explain John's condition..."

0o0o0o0ooERo0o0o0o00

Doug slammed his locker closed as hard as he could, adding a punch.

The rudeness of Carter's grandfather, who cared more about telling him off for rudely trying to contact him through his housekeeper, and ruining his cruise, than actually for his grandson. He couldn't care less that Carter was injured and could die. He didn't even ask about him.

What kind of family did that?

"You alright there doc?"

Still fuming, Doug whipped around finding the paramedics raiding the fridge.

"Fine." Doug ground out; "Dude stop stealing our stuff ok?" He said firmly and tiredly.

"Sure alright. Sorry man."

Anger deflating, Doug sighed flopping down on the sofa rubbing his hands; "Sorry. Just a rough day."

"Yeah we heard about Dr Carter. He...going to be ok?"

"He could die." Doug replied simply not going to sugar-coat it; "He's in pretty bad shape."

"Right sorry man. All of us are thinking of him ok."

"Yeah thanks." Doug leant his head back against the sofa closing his eyes as he covered his face. God this really sucked. Carter was up in the ICU dying and there was nothing they could do.

"Atleast he's here and got a chance. Not like that guy that was hit by a car earlier."

"What?" Doug said flatly half listening as he lifted his head.

"Oh yeah didn't you hear? Someone called 911 because they saw this guy push some kid out of the way of a speeding car, and he got hit. Apparently the kids just ran off. Sick right? Anyway by the time we got there, there was no one there. Just a blood stain on the road. Must have just walked away. Weird right?"

"Yeah weird." Doug repeated his thoughts already turning away as it barely registered.

Doug really should have paid more attention.

"Anyway catch you later."

Just as they were leaving Mark walked in.

"Listen Mark I'm not going to apologise for what I said. I know you think I may have overreacted but they showed no interest in the fact Carter could die. Caring more about their precious holiday." He started defensively.

Mark just silently sat down on the sofa beside him, resting his forearms on his legs.

"You're not going to yell at me?"

"No."

"What happened? What did they say?" Doug frowned deeply finding Mark's solemnness really worrying.

"I explained Carter's condition. Spoke not only to his grandfather, but to his father and grandmother too."

"Did you convince them to come?"

"They demanded we call them with updates. But no, they aren't coming."

"What?" Doug raised his hand in utter shock; "I don't...I don't understand how they can just not come. He could die! Did you tell them that?"

"I did." Mark said slowly, and Doug sensed there was something more.

"Mark." Doug prompted.

"Well when they got past berating me for your rudeness, and their indignation at us interrupting their cruise, his grandmother finally confessed that there has been some...family troubles between our Carter and the rest."

"What sort of troubles?"

"Apparently they never supported Carter becoming a doctor, and issued him an ultimatum. Either stop being a doctor or he's cut off."

"Cut off from what?"

"The money. The family. Everything."

"Seriously?" Doug was outraged. He jumped pacing, trying to get it straight in his head. But the more it sunk in the angrier he became; "What kind of family just tosses one of their own to the curb for being a doctor?" He looked at Mark for an answer, but Mark just held up his hands.

"I'm with you. I don't get it either. But it does explain a lot. Carter wasn't getting a paycheque before and Kerry says he asked for one a couple months ago, and now the double shifts."

"He needs the money because they cut him off. Because he chose to stay a doctor." Doug concluded and then raised his hand as something occurred to him; "I caught him on the phone earlier, in the ambulance bay. He was having a heated conversation on the phone, and it sounded like it was to his dad."

"Probably about the ultimatum. Carter was supposed to go on the cruise. To solidify his decision to take up the Carter Empire or wherever."

"So they're pissed for not getting what they want, they're going to shun Carter when he's dying. Whilst they go off having fun on their cruise."

"Oh no it's not for fun apparently." Mark mocked; "It's a business trip. And it can't be cut short. They'll be back in a few weeks. We have to wait until then."

Doug just looked at Mark before waving his hand; "I don't...I thought my family was bad. But jeez, poor Carter."

"Poor Carter." Mark repeated and then tension filled the room. As they remembered Carter was fighting for his life upstairs.

"What have the police found?" Doug refocused, just needing to do something.

Mark rubbed his jaw; "Nothing yet. They've checked the security cameras and they found footage of Carter leaving the hospital after I told him to go home. But nothing around his car so he didn't leave with it, he must have walked, and nothing for him coming back. No sign of an attacker either."

"So basically nowhere."

"Yeah."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing." Doug declared before storming out.

Mark let him go, and stared into space for a moment. Just wondering how they got to this point. He couldn't help thinking, if he had not sent Carter home maybe he wouldn't be up in the ICU now fighting for his life. This was all his fault...