A/N: Hope you like this chapter, please read and review! Just for reference, I'm having all these storylines occur simultaneously.
Chapter 3: Consults
Dr. Elizabeth Corday had just finished escorting Secret Service Agent Dale McKinley up to surgery. They had determined that, aside from the injuries sustained in the accident, he had suffered a "sudden death" heart attack while driving the limousine. This loss of consciousness at the wheel was what had caused the car to skid and hit the guardrail. Luckily, Agent McKinley was stable, Dr. Donald Anspaugh was available to operate, and Corday could focus on the other surgical candidates in the ER that needed her attention.
She entered Trauma Two first, where a worried brunette now sat next to the patient, who was on a ventilator. Weaver looked up and acknowledged Corday's presence. "Elizabeth, good, you're here. Leo McGarry, 54 year old male, flail chest and concussion. We intubated and did a chest tube, but I wasn't sure if he would be a surgical candidate." Weaver indicated the brunette. "This is Mallory O'Brien, Mr. McGarry's daughter."
"Ms. O'Brien, I'm Dr. Elizabeth Corday, the associate chief of surgery here at County General. Do I have your consent to evaluate your father for surgery?"
"Yes, of course." Mallory replied, nodding quickly. Corday smiled at the younger woman before beginning her examination.
"You got over here quickly for someone who lives in DC." Corday commented.
"I was already in town." Mallory explained. "I was in Chicago for a teachers' conference and I saw the report on the news. Then somebody here called me, and I came right down. Is my dad going to be OK?"
"He should be fine." Corday assured her. "We have him intubated to protect his airway, and his chest x-rays look good. I don't think he'll need surgery, just rest and stabilization."
Mallory breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God."
"However, I don't think he should be risking flying back to DC tonight or tomorrow. I don't care if it is on Air Force One, he needs to be observed and monitored for at least the next few days."
"I understand. But I don't think my dad will be as understanding. He won't want to leave the President alone for much more than a few days. Maybe I can get the President to talk to him."
"That might be a good idea." Corday said. "What exactly does your father do in the White House?"
"He's the Chief of Staff. Also known as the President's closest advisor." Mallory paused. "You're not from around here, are you, Dr. Corday?"
"England, ma'am."
"Oh, you don't need to 'ma'am' me. I'm just a schoolteacher."
"Very well then, Ms. O'Brien. We'll be moving your father into intensive care fairly shortly. If you'll excuse me." Corday excused herself politely to go see where else she was needed.
"Dr. Weaver?" Mallory asked.
"Yes?"
"Do you know about the others who were in the car accident?"
"Um...mostly minor injuries, broken bones. Couple of them are being stitched up now."
…
Chen was trying and failing to hide her amusement at the argument the two men she was stitching up seemed to be having. Sam and Toby, as she had learned, were the White House Deputy Communications Director and the White House Communications Director, respectively. Apparently, they had written the "stump speech" for the campaign, the President had ad-libbed, and Toby was giving his deputy a hard time. All the while, Chen was trying to remain professional while stitching up the gash on Toby's arm and the laceration on Sam's head.
As she wrapped Toby's arm, Toby was saying, "I'm just saying you could keep a shorter leash on the President. Going off-book like that is not doing us any favors."
"Excuse me?" Sam retorted. "I could keep a shorter leash on the President? You forget that the President has his own mind."
"If it's all the same to either one of you," Chen interjected for the first time that day, feeling she should lend a voice of reason to the escalating argument. "I thought the President did a wonderful job. It certainly didn't change my vote one way or the other."
"May I ask you a personal question, Dr. Chen?" Toby asked. Chen nodded for him to continue. "How long have you been a doctor?"
"Just finished my residency last year." she replied.
"When the President revealed his illness to the public, how did you separate your medical knowledge of the situation from your opinion of him as the leader of this country?"
Chen sat back, deep in thought. She certainly remembered the rainy May day the previous year when the President had announced to the world that he had been battling multiple sclerosis for the last eight years. The next day, he had appeared at a press conference to announce that he was indeed running for a second term. At first, Chen had been stunned. Stunned that the President of the United States had managed to conceal a life-altering condition for as long as he had. But, in the end, she realized that as much as his condition could impair his ability to run the country effectively, he had done a pretty good job so far.
She considered her words carefully before answering. "As a medical professional, I am fully aware of the problems that MS could cause that could inhibit President Bartlet's ability to do his job. But, as a voter, I think he's been doing a pretty good job so far. As far as the answer to your question, that's easy. I chose to believe in him as a President, and as a human being dealing with horrible circumstances." She stood up. "Now, I don't know what exactly you all are arguing about, but don't you think you should work together for the greater good? I'll be right back with your discharge paperwork?"
Leaving the two with their thoughts, Dr. Chen stepped out.
"Well…" Sam started. "If a doctor thinks that the MS shouldn't change how he is as a President, then who are we to judge him for doing something that was kind of a hallmark for getting him elected in the first place?"
Toby stayed silent for another minute, then nodded gruffly. "I guess you're right. And she's right. I'm...I'm sorry I went off."
Sam made a big show of cocking his head and putting a hand around his ear. "What's that I hear? Toby Ziegler actually apologizing for something?"
"Shut up." Toby glowered, but his eyes sparkled. He let out a wry chuckle. "Guess Chicago is good for a few voters."
"That's not the only thing it's known for." Sam said.
"What are you talking about?"
"Deep dish pizza. You wanna go grab some, go over the language in the education speech next week?"
"Shouldn't we wait to see how everyone else is?"
"Yes, probably. But afterwards?"
"You bet."
They shook hands, and all was forgiven.
…
Meanwhile, Dr. Corday had come into Exam 1 to examine Josh. Dr. Kovac did the presentation. "Joshua Lyman, 41, involved in an MVA. History of a GSW to the chest, pulmonary artery repair. Complaining of chest and back pain. C-spine's clear, but the chest X-ray shows a definite hairline fracture of the sternum, probably from the seatbelt."
"All right. Mr. Lyman, I'm Dr. Corday, I'll be examining you. Can you take a deep breath for me?" Josh complied, but grimaced in pain. Corday immediately noticed the lengthy scar on the man's chest, and noticed that it was recent.
"When were you shot?" she asked Josh.
"Two years ago. Rosslyn."
A lightbulb went off. "The assassination attempt?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Corday nodded as she finished her exam. She walked over to where Kovac had hung Josh's chest x-rays. Yes, there had indeed been work done to his chest. Corday now remembered the attempt on the President's life that had resulted in a serious injury to one of his staffers. As a cardiothoracic surgeon, she had wondered what sort of procedure they were doing, and what exactly had been done. Now she had the answers in front of her. Corday ran a line along the recent fracture line on his sternum. She was definitely going to need to go in and do exploratory surgery to make sure the repair was still intact.
She walked back over to Josh. "Mr. Lyman, there appears to be an injury to your breastbone. Because of the surgery to your chest, we're going to need to open you back up and make sure the repair is still intact. Is there anyone you would like us to call for you to let them know you'll be having surgery?"
"My assistant, Donna. She's out in the waiting room."
"I'll go speak to her." Kovac said to Josh, and let himself out of the exam room.
"Right." Corday replied. "We'll take you up to pre-op now."
"Do you think-do you think I could see her before you take me into surgery?"
A small smile played on Corday's lips. She wondered just how much these two meant to one another. "I think we can make that happen."
…
Meanwhile, Dr. Susan Lewis was confused. She had just come on for her night shift, only to be accosted by men in black suits, apparently security, asking to see some ID. She handed over her hospital ID and driver's license without blinking, and was waved through. She had heard about the multi-victim MVA involving the President's motorcade on the news, but when she called in, she was assured they had it handled. Now, as she walked in for her shift, she found everything to be in working order. Almost everything was full, but that was to be expected.
"Chuny," she asked. "Why is the ambulance bay a security checkpoint?" It was then that something caught her eye. She turned her head all the way and did a double-take.
"Is that who I think it is?" she breathed out.
"If by that, you mean the leader of the free world, then yes it is." Chuny replied.
"What is the President of the United States doing in Chairs?"
"It's his staff that was involved in the accident."
"Oh." Lewis replied, watching as two men and a woman with a cast on her arm walked into the waiting room and were embraced by the First Couple. "Any serious injuries?"
"Two are going up to surgery, there's a flail chest in Trauma Two that's waiting for an ICU bed, and a lady with a sprained ankle in Curtain 1. Abby's with her."
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll take the sprained ankle." Lewis said, grabbing Donna's chart as she walked to Curtain 1 and pulled the curtain aside.
Donna sat on the bed, wincing as Abby handled her ankle.
"Ms. Moss, I'm Dr. Lewis, I'll be taking care of you. The notes here say you were in a car accident. Are you hurt anywhere else besides your ankle?"
"No." Donna shook her head.
"Abby, do we have films?"
"Still waiting on Radiology. We'll splint it just in case."
"Okay. I know you said nothing else was injured, but I'm going to examine you anyway, all right?"
Donna nodded and laid back. As Lewis began a full physical examination, Donna's head popped up. "Is there any more news on Josh?"
Abby smiled. "I can go find out for you. I'll also go see if your films are ready."
"That would be great, thanks." Donna said, visibly relieved.
Lewis watched curiously as Abby left. "And Josh would be…"
"My boss." Donna answered reluctantly. "He was in the accident with me. Do you know he threw his body over me when we crashed so I wouldn't get hurt?"
"No, but that sounds like a pretty heroic and chivalrous thing to do."
"He's a pretty heroic and chivalrous guy. When he isn't sticking his foot in his mouth on live TV or making up secret plans to fight inflation." Donna laughed at that, then yelped in pain a little as Lewis handled her swollen ankle.
"Sorry." Lewis apologized. "Well, there don't seem to be any other broken bones, and no internal injuries. This is probably just a sprain."
Donna nodded. "Good."
"So, how long have you been working for this guy, anyway?" Lewis asked.
"Five years." she answered without missing a beat.
"There's nothing else going on?"
Donna shook her head. "It's not like that. We're just friends because we work together."
"Uh-huh." Lewis replied. She had had enough of her fair share of workplace crushes over the years to know a potential romance when she saw one.
"That's the truth." Donna insisted, her face growing red.
Luckily, Abby picked that moment to walk back in. "Did I interrupt anything?" Both women shook their heads. "Well, I have good news. Your ankle isn't broken. It's just a bad sprain."
"And what would you recommend for treatment?" Donna asked.
"Well, you'll have to stay off of it for a couple of weeks, but I think you're gonna be fine."
Donna sighed in relief.
…
Kovac rounded the corner to the admit desk after discovering that the young woman he had helped out of the ambulance was not in the waiting room.
"Frank?" he asked the older desk clerk. "Where would I find someone named Donna Moss?"
"Blonde, mid-twenties, kind of nervous?"
"That's her." He remembered asking if she had been hurt.
"Abby and Lewis are with her in Curtain 1. Kid sprained her ankle in the accident and didn't even notice until Abby told her she was limping."
Kovac shook his head in disbelief. That was worry if he ever saw it. "Thanks, Frank." He headed toward Curtain 1, wondering how the woman would react when he told her Josh was having surgery.
A/N: Don't worry, nothing majorly depressing is going to happen in this story. I think one more chapter should wrap this up. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!