Chapter 214
When the plane landed at JFK 2 hours later Kate still hadn't gotten any sleep. Her hand was throbbing and she had another brief vomiting session in the toilet. The flight crew was super helpful and treated Kate like royalty. This made her chuckle. She wasn't used to being treated like the VIP. All the kids were in their pajamas already, sleeping peacefully after their dinner an hour or so ago. The strollers and clip on car seats were delivered to the door of the plane and it was pretty painless getting the kids settled in. Security followed the group to a VIP area where their luggage stood waiting for them. They were escorted out to a van. It seemed as if the twins had quite a few new fans because people were crowding to take photos of them.
"You okay bud? You look a bit pale?" said Tegan frowning.
"Sure" said Kate.
"She's not, she hurt herself really badly. I need to get you to an ER babe" said Sara.
"Fuck… you're right. I need to have this hand x-rayed" said Kate.
"Shit… sorry Kate" said Tegan empathetically.
"Let's just get to the hotel" said Kate holding her wrist in her hand.
"Why don't we drop you guys at a hospital close to the hotel. We'll take care of Amelia, absolutely no hassle" said Tegan.
"No… you should get some sleep Tegan" said Kate.
"Hey… I owe you big time. Anyway, I slept through a lot of the flight. And Kirsten and Anna will be here in like an hour, they can also take care of her" said Tegan.
"I'd appreciate it Tegan. Thanks" said Sara.
Kate just nodded looking exhausted.
"Jeez, she looks like crap" Tegan whispered to Lindsey.
"Well… she hardly had any sleep the last few days and now this. Poor thing's had quite a rough time" said Lindsey softly.
Tegan smiled a worried smile. "Yeah, and its all my fault" said Tegan softly.
"Don't start with that Tegan" said Lindsey.
Tegan just sighed dramatically.
"You feeling okay now Boo?" asked Lindsey.
"Yeah, all good, thanks" smiled Tegan.
-o-
Kate got out of the van as Sara gave Tegan and Lindsey instructions on taking care of Amelia. She had no clue where in Manhattan she was. She looked up at the sign over the hospital entrance. "All Saints Hospital"
"Fucking perfect" Kate sighed sarcastically, her shoulders fell.
"Please let it be her off night" Kate whispered to herself.
"Okay baby, let's get you sorted out" said Sara and led Kate into the emergency room followed by two ever present body guards.
"Maybe we should just go to an urgent care clinic or something" said Kate.
"No babe, we're here now" said Sara.
"You know the wait's going to be a bitch" said Kate.
"Leave it to me" said Sara.
A nurse handed Kate some forms to fill in.
"Sweetie let me help you… you can't write with this hand" said Sara.
"I'll write with my other hand. I'm ambidextrous" said Kate.
"Really? I learn something about you every day. How did I not know this? Must be pretty handy in surgery" said Sara.
Kate just nodded and smiled weakly, she still looked pale.
Sara handed the forms back to the nurse a few minutes later.
"Sorry… if you could try and squeeze her in soon we'd appreciate it. Doctor Morgan's got a home care patient that she needs to get back to soon" said Sara.
"Doctor? MD or academic?" asked the nurse.
"MD. Paediatric surgeon, we're from LA" said Sara.
"We'll do our best" winked the nurse.
Half an hour later Kate was still in the waiting room, Sara was getting annoyed after she had to sign at least 4 autographs and pose for photos.
"Sara just sit down… this is pretty normal for an ER. It's probably going to be a few more hours" said Kate.
"Could this not happen in LA? Where we know people?" sighed Sara pacing around with her hands in her sides.
"Katy… babe" said Sara looking at Kate sitting with her eyes closed. She looked horrible.
"Fuck… I feel horrible" said Kate putting her head in her healthy hand.
A nurse came out to check on the people waiting.
"Excuse me… over here please" said Sara.
"She really isn't feeling well… she's dizzy" said Sara.
"Nobody in here is I'm afraid" shrugged the nurse as she felt Kate's pulse in her healthy wrist.
She made a note on a clipboard.
"It won't be much longer" she said.
-o-
Inside the ER Dr Samantha Cooper picked up the clipboard the nurse just moved to the top of the pile and opened the door to the waiting area. She looked down at the clipboard.
"Okay…. Katherine Morgan" she said and gave a small, shocked gasp.
Kate's head snapped up and she swallowed hard when she saw the beautiful, soft face with a blonde haired frame in the door. The face that she hadn't thought about very often any more, but one that she remembered in perfect detail.
"Fucking A" mumbled Kate and got up shaking her head. Sara didn't think anything of Kate's annoyance.
Sam turned back in and jogged to the nurse's station.
"Switch please… pleeeease" she said to another female doctor.
"Sorry… I'm out of here. Hot date" she said.
"Fuck… settle Kate Morgan in cubicle 10 and get some vitals, I'll be there in a minute" said Sam to a nurse and walked into a supply closet.
"Of all the ER's in Manhattan you had to walk into mine didn't you Kate" she mumbled pacing around.
A minute later she took a deep breath and walked to Kate's cubicle.
"Dr Morgan… what a surprise" she smiled.
"Dr Cooper…. It's good to see you. What a coincidence" she said.
Sara looked confused.
"Oh… sorry. Dr Cooper, this is my partner… I mean, my fiancé Sara. Sara this is Sam… we… Uh… we went to med school together" said Kate.
"Oh I know exactly who you are. Love the new song by the way. Nice to meet you Sara" she smiled.
"Oh… thanks" smiled Sara.
"Sooo Kate, what on earth did you do to yourself?" asked Sam quickly to avoid any questions from Sara.
"I fell onto my hand…. Just need an x-ray" said Kate.
"She was busy saving somebody's life in a plane actually, he had a heart attack. Kate's got a few months off, she's touring with us" said Sara and kissed Kate's hair in a subconscious signal that Kate was hers.
"Well Kate's the girl you want with you on a plane when that happens! Sounds like you had a busy day… Mmmm…. Scaphoid?" asked Sam gently taking Kate's hand and inspecting it.
"I suspect so" said Kate.
"Jen, did you get some vitals?" asked Sam still holding Kate's hand.
"BPs a bit low… 100 over 65. Pulse is elevated, 85. Temp's a tad high, 99.8" said the nurse.
"She's been vomiting" said Sara.
"Sar…" said Kate looking annoyed.
Sam pressed on Kate's hand and moved some fingers. Kate just about jumped off the bed in pain.
"Okay, take it easy" smiled Sam softly.
"Let me have a listen at your chest" she said putting her stethoscope in her ears.
"Listen… I'm fine. Just x-ray it and I'll get out of your hair" said Kate.
"Mmmm…. So you're feeling a bit unwell?" asked Sam sweetly while listening to Kate's chest.
"I'm fine, really. I was just a bit… shaken up after all that action on the plane" said Kate rolling her eyes.
Sam took out her penlight and opened Kate's eyes with her fingers to check her pupils.
"Not a lot of thing shake you up Kate. You're fairly de-hydrated… that would explain your atrocious vitals" said Sam.
"Atrocious? Hardly! Anyway… I'll drink some water" said Kate.
"If you can keep it down" said Sara.
"Jen… start Dr Morgan on a litre of saline IV and some Zofran for the nausea please before you get an x-ray of the hand and arm" said Sam making notes.
"Ah Jeez, the nausea's pretty much gone" groaned Kate.
"You need to go down to radiology anyway, we may as well give you some fluids while you're here" said Sam softly touching Kate's thigh.
Sam popped a pulse ox meter on Kate's finger. The light was flashing relatively fast.
"Pulse still up. Sats look fine. Did you hurt anything else? Back okay? You have an iffy back if I remember correctly?" said Sam.
Kate looked down awkwardly.
"No… I think my back's fine. I'm just really tired. Haven't slept much for a few days" said Kate.
"Lie back so I can palpate your abdomen. Any diarrhea?" asked Sam.
"No! Sam seriously… this is a waste of your time" complained Kate.
"You're nauseous… I'm just following protocol" said Sam.
"I'm not anymore" complained Kate.
"Baby… please" said Sara squeezing Kate's healthy hand.
"Ugh… whatever" sighed Kate and relaxed against the pillows.
Sara watched the blinking light of the pulse ox meter pick up speed as Sam pulled up Kate's shirt and pushed into her belly.
Kate just closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Kate, you know the drill. Open your eyes for me so I can see if you're in pain" said Sam sweetly.
Kate opened her eyes but didn't look at Sam. Her gaze drifted to Sara and she smiled softly.
"Everything feels okay… no obvious tenderness. Belly's soft. Liver feels fine. I'll run some bloods anyway" said Sam and pushed a button to get Kate back into a seated position.
The nurse wiped Kate's arm to start an IV.
"So… how are you? How's New York treating you?" asked Kate when the silence got uncomfortable.
"New York's great. How's LA? You still in trauma?" smiled Sam as she plunged a needle into Kate's other arm to draw some blood.
"LA's… LA you know. But I love it. Not in trauma anymore… well not officially, sometimes of course… I'm in peads actually. Surgery" babbled Kate.
"You've always been amazing with kids and you do have the best hands in the business... Kate was always the star... I just tagged along" said Sam putting a cotton wool ball on the spot where she just removed the needle.
"That's not true" said Kate looking at her.
Kate just looking at her unlocked all kinds of feelings that Sam thought had been buried forever.
"Hold onto this for a few minutes. I need to run… I'll be back once we have your x-ray" said Sam and stumbled out of the room awkwardly.
"There we go… just relax and we'll give you a lift to x-ray" said the nurse.
"No I can walk" said Kate stubbornly.
"You were dizzy earlier… it's the chair or the bed doc" smiled the nurse.
"Okay… ugh I hate this" said Kate sitting down in the wheelchair.
"Doctors are the worst patients…. You can stay here Sara. We won't be long" said the nurse hanging the IV bag onto the chair.
Kate gave a silent sigh of relief. She really wasn't in the mood for Sara's questions.
"I'll be right here when you get back angel" said Sara and kissed Kate's cheek.
Kate didn't reply, she looked miserable.
Sara took the time to phone Tegan with an update. Just before hanging up she asked "Oh Tee, did Kate ever mention somebody called Samantha… or Sam? She went to med school with Kate. She's her doctor now"
"Um… I don't know… not that I can remember" said Tegan.
"Hmm… small world. Okay then… see you later" said Sara and hung up.
"Oh fuck" said Tegan looking at Lindsey.
"What?" said Lindsey sounding worried.
"Sam… don't know how but fucking Sam ended up being Kate's doctor tonight" said Tegan.
"Oh… awkward" said Lindsey.
"Ya think?" said Tegan and laughed.
"Tee" said Lindsey pulling up her eyebrows.
"Sorry I didn't mean to laugh. It was a nervous laugh" said Tegan.
"So I take it Sara doesn't know about her?" said Lindsey.
"No… don't think so" said Tegan.
"Well… it's ancient history isn't it?" asked Lindsey.
"Yeah… Hope so" said Tegan.
-o-
"Hey, you're back" smiled Sara and helped Kate out of the chair.
"How's the nausea?" asked Sara.
"I told you... it's long gone… promise. Don't know why she insisted on the meds" said Kate.
"So… were you guys like… roommates or something?" asked Sara.
"We..." said Kate before Sam opening the curtain interrupted her sentence.
"Well well… you were right. Scaphoid's broken and it looks as if there's some torn ligaments in the wrist. No surgery needed. As you know, there's not much we can do for that except put it in a cast and wait it out" said Sam sounding business like.
"Fuck… this is the last thing I need right now" mumbled Kate shaking her head.
"I'm sorry… you'll probably be out of surgery for about 6-8 weeks" said Sam.
"She's got a few months off… it's fine" said Sara.
"Bloods came back okay. Electrolytes are a bit out of wack as predicted but that's it. I think you just need some rest, some fluids and some pain meds… oh uh… sorry…. Um" said Sam looking flustered.
"It's okay… she knows" said Kate.
"Um… let's get that cast on so you can get out of here" said Sam.
"Drip's only half way through Dr Cooper" said the nurse.
"Um… yeah I mean… as soon as the drip's through" said Sam unravelling fast.
"Sara… why don't you go get a coffee and phone to check on Amelia" said Kate.
"I checked a few minutes ago, she's fine" said Sara.
Kate gave her an uncomfortable look.
"But I can really use some coffee. Good luck baby, I'll be back soon" said Sara.
"Jen can you bring me the kit and then go check on the cath in 2" said Sam.
There was a few seconds of silence before Jen can back in with the equipment to wrap Kate's arm up. She left soon after.
"Sam… I didn't come here on purpose. I really… I hope you're well… and happy" said Kate.
Sam started wrapping the bandage that needed to go under the cast around Kate's hand.
"I am… I really am. At least, I thought I was until you walked in that door" said Sam.
"I'm sorry… I really didn't mean to upset you" said Kate.
"It's okay… It was a really long time ago alright. I don't think I ever got the chance to thank you… for… saving my life…. For everything else. For… for making me…. Um… for showing me the real me" said Sam becoming teary.
"Oh Sammy" said Kate now tearing up herself.
"Back then… when I woke up in hospital after that car wreck…. I thought it was all over… I thought my career was over… before it even started and I felt as if my heart was ripped out… God Kate…. I pined for you… I didn't eat for weeks. I tried to... finish what you wouldn't let me the first time, more than once. I ended up in the psych ward… but you know what…. You got me through it. Your voice telling me that I'm beautiful, and perfect and special. It took me a while to… " said Sam softly, looking down.
"You are… When I found you… broken… that day on the bathroom floor and then… when I pulled you out of that burning car…. The thought of losing you was just… Jesus Sam… you… you were my first real love… We were magic together…. Unfortunately that magic just… turned black sometimes and…. I'm sorry Sam… I couldn't… I just couldn't anymore" said Kate in tears.
"Katy… sweet, incredible Katy… I know that you loved me, like nobody ever has or ever will. And I know that you stopped… you stopped loving me and that's okay… that was my fault… and you know what… It took me a while but I stopped loving you too. I finally put you the fuck out of my mind" said Sam and roughly touched Kate's hand.
"Ouch" said Kate loudly.
"Sorry… you see… I always hurt you… I hurt you so much. Anyway… I'm happy now. I think I'm finally okay with myself again. And I don't think about you… about our afternoons in that sunny spot in your loft anymore. I wish you well Kate… I really do. You and Sara seem happy together, and a baby girl… that's great. Sorry, I'm not stalking you it's just that everybody we went to school with are constantly updating me… doesn't help that you're dating a rock star either" smiled Sam.
"I've followed your career too. I guess I just... wanted to make sure you're okay. And by the looks of it you're just fine. Professionally I mean, didn't mean to make any assumptions" said Kate.
"I am okay Kate" said Sam as she applied the last of the fiberglass plaster.
"Are you seeing anybody?" asked Kate.
"I'm dating... I'm ready, just haven't found her yet. I mean... I had her I just..." said Sam as the curtain opened and Sara walked in with three cups of coffee.
"Hey... bought you some coffee" she smiled.
Kate looked slightly uncomfortable.
"Thank you, that's very kind of you. Just finishing up here. Kate should be good to go soon. You need some rest Dr Morgan. I think you're coming down with something. Take good care of her Sara. She's special" smiled Sam.
"I know... and I intend to" said Sara looking serious.
The nurse walked in a minute later.
"As soon as the IV is through you can discharge Dr Morgan. I'll write up a script. I'm sure you know all about after care. Four to six weeks in the cast please" said Sam and got up to leave.
"Thank you Sam" said Kate softly.
"You're welcome Kate. Take care" she said and pulled the curtain.
"Hey baby, you okay? It looks as if you've been crying" said Sara softly touching Kate's cheek.
"I'm fine Sar... It just hurts" said Kate looking away.
An hour later the IV was finally finished and Kate was discharged.
She walked past the nurses station and scanned the room for Sam. She saw her run in through the doors next to a gurney with a bleeding patient on it.
"Trauma one" Sam yelled.
Kate nodded and smiled and a second later Sam was gone.
"Let's get out of here" said Sara putting her arm around Kate's waist. Her other hand carrying the bag full of non addictive pain meds Sam prescribed.
Kate and Sara walked out into the mild night air.
"You must be so tired" said Sara.
"I'm kind of wound up actually. Let's walk to the hotel. It's only about two blocks up" said Kate.
"Are you sure? It's what... like two thirty in the morning. I don't even know where we are" said Sara.
"I do. Unless you need to go to bed?" smiled Kate and kissed Sara's cheek.
"It's fine... it's only 12 in LA. We have a late start tomorrow morning and I can use the wind down too" said Sara.
The two security guards followed them about twenty feet behind.
"I've had my fair share of broken bones as a kid. You know what my mom always said? That a broken bone qualifies you for a large ice cream... at least" laughed Sara.
"I can do ice cream" laughed Kate. Sara pulled Kate into a diner with only two other patrons. The guards stood outside the door.
A few minutes later the waitress put a large bowl of ice cream and two cups of tea on the table between them.
Sara picked up Kate's healthy hand and kissed it as she stared into her eyes.
"I love you... so much" she breathed.
"I love you... like I've never loved before" said Kate.
"But you have loved haven't you... deeply" said Sara seriously.
"Haven't we all" said Kate and took a spoonful of ice cream to avoid Sara's gaze.
"You loved her didn't you?" said Sara softly.
Kate put the spoon down and sighed.
"Sar... do we have to?" said Kate.
"No... not if you don't want to" said Sara.
Kate stayed quiet for a minute.
"She was my first real love. My first... passion" said Kate staring out of the window.
"Did she break your heart?" asked Sara.
"You know... I think I broke hers... we broke each other's hearts" shrugged Kate.
"I'm sorry... but I'm not" said Sara honestly.
"It just... it got toxic you know. I don't know... it was a long, long time ago Sar" said Kate.
"You once told me that you're in the business of mending hearts, not breaking them" said Sara and smiled sadly.
"I am... it took me a long time to learn to trust again. To completely surrender myself. Sam broke me... You... mended me Sara... so beautifully. And I'll love you forever for that" smiled Kate.
"Do you still love her? On some level?" asked Sara.
"I don't" said Kate firmly.
"I mean... I care about... what happens to her... I want her to be happy but I don't love her... no. I stopped loving her a long time ago. When she... god... Sar can we please discuss this another time baby?" asked Kate.
"Of course... I didn't mean to push you Katy... we don't need to discuss it" said Sara.
"I don't mind... in fact I think we probably should. But right now... all I want to think about is you... my amazing... beautiful Sara... who I get to go to bed with every night. Who I get to hold when I'm sad or scared. It's you Sara... it's always you... You never, ever have to doubt that" said Kate sincerely.
A tear rolled down Sara's cheek. "I want to marry you dammit" she said.
"I want to marry you too! How long can we stretch out this engagement" laughed Kate.
"Let's do it... soon" said Sara.
"Let's... because when you go up on that stage when the tour starts... I want every girl in that audience to know that Sara Quin... is taken" smiled Kate.
A/N: Mmm Kate has a past... Glad she knows where her future lies. Review please!