Hallo everybody. Sorry I have taken so long getting this chapter up! I've had a bit of writer's block. I knew where I wanted to get to in this chapter, but I couldn't think of how to get there! But here we are. I'm not sure if I'm completely satisfied, I'm not too happy with my characterisation in this chapter, but it shall stay like this none the less.
By the way, when I post the next chapter the rating will go up to "M". So don't forget to check there instead!
P.S. Reviewers, I love you all xxxx
"What did you do?"
Here we go with the interrogation. I turn away from the window to find a clearly annoyed Carla staring up at me with her classic "don't-mess-with-me-or-I-will-end-you" face. I'm not complaining mind, I could do with engaging in some ball-busting myself, but not with Carla. The woman is just so damn hard to argue with, she's almost as stubborn as me. Almost.
Dr. Cox taps his nose then folds his arms in his patented style, clearly preparing for battle.
"I take it you are talking to me?"
Carla moves forward slightly to show Dr. Cox that she is not scared of him.
"Yes, I am talking to you. What did you do to him?"
Looking slightly confused, Dr. Cox cocks his head to one side and furrows his eyebrows.
"Please, please continue. I am just so intrigued as to where you might be going with this... really."
Dr. Cox looked seriously at Carla, she returned the stare and crossed her arms in a similar fashion to her long-term colleague.
"Look, I'm just trying to find out what happened! We hear JD has collapsed, apparently from a panic attack, we also hear that you just so happened to be following him around when he collapsed and somebody overheard him asking you not to hurt him. And I swear to you, if I find out his collapse had anything to do with you, and I mean anything that stethoscope of yours will be shoved so far up your-"
"Okaaay!" Dr. Cox grinned uncomfortably at Carla. "Let me get one thing straight... Newbie does not need my help to get stressed out. If you haven't noticed, the kid is practically a ticking time-bomb of nerves all just waiting to explode at any moment, so!... Here's the inside scoop..."
He continued in a mock whisper.
"Sometimes it's best to get the full story before throwing accusations around. Honestly, listening to some of these brain dead peons does nobody any good."
Carla raised her eyebrows at Dr. Cox, clearly uncomfortable that she had offended him. She went to speak but was cut off by Cox waving his hand dismissively. At least he was back to his normal voice.
"What Stephanie does, and what happens to him is none of my business and it is definitely not my problem. And Carla, you of all people should know, I don't care about this, I don't care about him, Hell, I don't care about anyone. And what I find...really funny is the fact that you come in here and start accusing me of hurting the kid when it was your husband who started all of this by knocking him unconscious earlier! You see, I don't feel the need to pretend to like him and then do the dirty deed."
"No! You just punch him when his father dies instead, don't you Dr. Cox?!" Turk was starting to get annoyed too. JD was his best friend and he wasn't going to be accused of disliking him.
"Turk?!" Carla turned to her husband feeling slightly frustrated that he had only poured more gas onto the fire.
"Oh, careful now Ghandi. Don't run too far off your leash. You know old wifey over there likes her dogs house trained, and there you go just taking a big old dump on the porch."
Elliot who so far had been stood on the side lines of this argument tried her best to stifle a slight giggle at Dr. Cox's biting remark. Mainly because she knew it was true, Carla did wear the trousers in that relationship and Turk did tend to behave like an obedient puppy from time to time. But, unfortunately for her, the giggle did not go unnoticed.
"You got somethin' to say?" Carla was now turned towards Elliot with her "Carla from the block" pose. Hand on hip and finger pointed directly at her clumsy friend.
Elliot's face automatically straightened and she quickly mumbled out some indecipherable apology.
"Yeah? Didn't think so."
"Baby, come on, this isn't Elliot's fault"
"No, of course not baby..." Carla smiled understandingly at Turk... "'Cause it's yours isn't it?!"
Turk's mouth dropped open at the allegation.
"What? How is this my fault??!"
"Yeah, come on Carla. Are you actually blaming Ghandi for this now?!..." The surgeon turned to Dr. Cox shocked that he seemed to be defending him. "Because this would have to be one of the first times- no scratch that, THE first time that I have totally agreed with something you have said."
"NOT helping" Turk retorted.
"Not trying to help."
"Yes, Turk. Like Dr. Cox said, it was you who hit JD in the first place. You gave him a concussion! At least Dr. Cox kept his eye on him."
"But you were just blaming him a minute ago! I- I can never keep up with you, woman! Anyway, it was you who stopped me from going after him in the first place!"
"Don't you turn this round on me, Christopher!"
"Well... why not? You're blaming everyone else! You didn't check up on him either!"
"Well I'm sorry! But I was busy having orders barked at me by doctors who are far too big for their boots and seem to think all us nurses do all day is stand around talking!"
"That isn't what you do?" Why can't I ever keep my mouth shut? There I was, watching a fascinating argument between a newly married couple and along comes a chance for a put down and BAM! I'm in there. I can't resist.
Silence fills the room as Carla slowly turns, the anger almost visibly bubbling beneath the surface. Dr. Cox maintains a creepy smile which he knows is going to be knocked off his face within the next few seconds. Turk and Elliot brace themselves for the explosion.
But then something surprising happens. Carla's shoulders relax and she breathes out, obviously trying to calm herself. And it seems to work. She drops her head so she is looking down at the floor.
After 10 agonising seconds Turk moves towards his wife.
"...Baby?"
As I watch Turk approach Carla, I can't help but think of the similarities in their personalities to myself and Newbie. Then I cringe to think I have just compared us to a married couple. Then I cringe again because I referred myself and the stupid kid as "us". Makes me feel dirty all over. The way in which Turk is completely terrified of Carla's reaction kind of reminds of the way Newbie has approached me on many occasions. Usually when he needs help and I'm being too much of an ass to give him two minutes of my time. But as much as I feel...damn I'll say it... guilty about the way I have been with him from time to time, the kid is annoying. The annoying things he does like smiling at me every time he sees me, or saying my name in that overly excited way. I'm not his damn father. I shouldn't have to be dealing with his emotional baggage. What the hell have I just done? I've let him think he can talk to me. I've made him think I actually give a rat's ass about his feelings. I really, really don't. I can't let him talk to me again, the kid'll just end up more messed up talking to me. I'm out.
"He was attacked." Dr. Cox spoke with a gruff voice, looking up shocked to find Turk and Carla with their arms around each other apologising. How long have I been stood like this for?
"What?!" Elliot shrieked in her usual high pitched voice.
"Newbie... he was attacked." Who am I kidding? Of course I'm worried about the kid. But I can't deal with this. He's better talking to his friends. I'm doing this for his own good, as cruel as it feels.
Turk and Carla looked up at Dr. Cox, shocked.Elliot had gone into full panic mode but was trying her hardest to keep herself seated.
"What?!! When?!... How did this happen?! Who was it?!... Is he hurt?! Oh my God, I'd better go check on him, where did he go??!!!"
As hard as she had tried to stay calm, Elliot was bouncing around the room not really knowing what to do with the huge dose of adrenaline that was coursing through her veins.
As always, Carla was the one to calm her.
"Elliot. Sit down. Let Dr. Cox tell us what happened."
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry, you know I freak out with stuff like this. I panic and then I get all hyper, then I start talking really fast and then I can't stop. It's like an illness, my parents always said I would never make a doctor because of it, and my Mom would say-
"Elliot!"
"Oops, sorry." Elliot looked slightly embarrassed as Carla gave her a warm yet impatient smile. But she couldn't help but be relieved that Dr. Cox had practically ignored her rantings and ravings. Instead he seemed deep in thought.
"Dr. Cox, what happened?" Carla prodded for information.
Cox pulled himself out of his thoughts. Deep down, he knew he shouldn't have been doing this, but he knew what was best for JD. He would thank him in the long run.
"Well, again Newbie was stupid enough to get himself involved in an abuse case. And we all know how that generally works out for him. The last one was a wonderful example of how much a doctor's help is appreciated in such matters. So, I go in and tell him he shouldn't be working because of his concussion but he's determined to help this God damn kid. Then the father arrives."
How much do I tell them? Everything? Or just enough so that they are suspicious? Damn it Perry, grow a pair! You want rid of the kid! Off load.
"And?" Turk was growing impatient.
"GIVE ME A SECOND DAMNIT!"
The room is silent and three stunned colleagues are all staring wide-eyed at Dr. Cox.
Now I'm showing emotion. Why am I finding this so hard?
After taking a deep breath Perry decided to follow his thoughts.
"Newbie seemed to know the guy. He took him into a room so they could talk, for some reason he locked the door... Damn stupid thing to do." Cox paused again.
"And... what happened?" Carla was shifting nervously in her seat, the suspension was killing her. It was killing all of them.
"They seemed to be talking for a while."
"You could see them?" Elliot interrupted.
"I was looking through the window in the door. The kid's father had already shown an aggressive side, so I wasn't too happy about him..." Dr. Cox shook his head "One of our staff going in there. Next thing I know the guy's touched Newbie's leg making him panic. He jumps out of his seat and goes over to the wall. The kid looked like he didn't know what to do with himself." He looked scared. "The guy kept talking to him then walked towards him and pinned him against the wall." I feel my stomach turn when I think about the image. "He was.. uh... pressing himself against him."
"Pressing himself against him?" Turk looked confused. "How do you mean?"
Dr. Cox gave him a knowing look which Turk did not seem to understand. Fortunately Carla did. She caught Turk's gaze and shot him the exact same look, this time he understood.
"Ooooh... oh." His eyebrows furrowed as he considered the information. "JD's gay?!!"
"No!" Dr. Cox nearly shouted. "No, he's not gay. As much as he may come across as missing his Y chromosome from time to time, he is definitely not gay... He was... trying to push the guy off."
"Ha! Wow! Now I don't have to feel so bad about the whole giving that woman an orgasm during a pelvic exam thing because if he mentions it again I can just say to him "well at least I didn't get groped by a puff!" Yes! This is great!"
"Yeah, Barbie. I wouldn't go doing that if I were you."
"Why?? This is funny! Why doesn't anyone find this funny??"
"Elliot, JD has had a panic attack. I don't think this is the sort of thing he will appreciate being teased about." Carla tried to explain.
"Oh, come on. He's just being over sensitive. It's not like anything happened!"
"He was also trying to kiss him and then threw him across the room."
"Oh."
I stand watching his three best friends trying to take in the information. Barbie looks completely confused. No change there then. Carla looks like she wants to be sick, and Ghandi looks completely shocked and disgusted. I wonder if I have done the right thing.
"We need to talk to him." Carla announced.
But sometimes, all it takes is a few words for you to realise that you have taken the right path. He needs someone who actually wants to help him, not some emotionally crippled narcissist who takes pleasure out of the fact that he's struggling.
BEEP BEEP
Damn, pager.
All four colleagues checked their pagers, Dr. Cox found a message from JD.
'Make sure you don't forget the bit about my Mom being a drug addict.'
"Who is it?" Carla asked.
"No one." What the hell? Does he know that I have been telling them about this? I decide to page him back.
'What are you talking about?'
A few moments later, Cox receives another page.
'I heard you. I was by the door. Gone home now. Thanks Perry.'
For what felt like the millionth time today my stomach did a flip. I know I wanted to get rid of the kid, but not quite like that. And now he's driving home with a concussion. Oh Christopher, Carla's gonna kill me.
Dr. Cox looked towards the others to find them talking amongst themselves.
"I'm sorry Elliot, but it looks like that drink's off tonight."
"It's okay, I understand. JD's more important."
"Are you gonna come round to ours and see him?"
"Um, no. You know I'm no good with this kinda stuff. I wouldn't know what to say, and I'd probably end up making things worse. And he'll need some space."
"Yeah baby, Elliot's right. He does tend to get freaked out with crowds."
"Ok. Well, I finish my shift in half an hour so do you want me to wait for you to finish yours baby, and then we take JD home together?"
"Actually, baby that's what I was just coming to tell you. It turns out they don't need me for those extra hours tonight. So I've just gotta clock out then I can take him home." Turk smiled at Carla knowing this would please her.
"Oh Turk, that's great. We can talk to him together then! Just wait till my shift finishes."
"Ok."
"Oh, that's just great! But if you idiots could stop planning your slumber party for just two seconds, you would realise there seems to be a vital part of your plan missing. Can any of you guess what it is?... No? How about your guest of honour?? Who, FYI has decided to ride home on his scooter with concussion because I was too busy telling you peons all about his sexual experiences. Which, once again, FYI I would not have been doing had you decided to leave me be. And then maybe, just maybe I could have stopped him getting on that scooter. So now, I have to go chasing after him to actually make sure he has got home rather than passed out and gone under the wheels of an oncoming lorry or in his confusion gone and picked up the nearest male prostitute thinking it's some gorgeous gal needing a place to stay for the night. Barbie, you're covering my shift for the night. I'm going to kill the kid." Cox left the room.
"What? But Dr. Cox!!! Dr. Cox??!!!... Frick!" Elliot stamped her foot and blew her bangs out of her eyes. Then her pager bleeped. "Double frick!!" She ran out of the room shaking her head followed shortly after by Turk and Carla.
So, here I am, walking up to Newbie's apartment with Ghandi and Carla. What did they think I was going to do? I couldn't help but feel offended that they seemed to think I was some sort of danger to the kid. Carla even made we wait till the end of her shift before I could go. Why does Carla always manage to make me feel like a damn child? At least we know he's home anyway, his scooter's outside which as much as I hate to admit it, I was relieved to see.
"Locked? That's odd." Turk looked at Carla questioningly, then unlocked the door and walked in, closely followed by his wife and Dr. Cox. "JD?... Dude?! You here?"He knocked on JD's bedroom door, hearing no answer he went in.
"He there, baby?" Carla asked.
"No!"
"What do you mean no?" I'm getting impatient now, for some reason I feel I have to explain myself to Newbie. He's obviously pretty pissed off with me right now... not that that's in anyway threatening. I suppose sometimes when someone idolises you that much, you come to depend on their unconditional support. And when that could be taken away, you want it back as quick as you lost it. It's nothing to do with the kid, more to do with my giant ego.
"I mean no, he's not there."
Ok, I'm annoyed.
"How can he not be there Ghandi?"
"I dunno, it doesn't even look like he's been home."
"Except that his scooter's outside, genius." Oh good God, my heart skips a beat when I consider a possibility I had not thought about yet. He could have him. What if he followed him home?
"Oh wait!" Carla interrupted Cox's thoughts. "Panic over. There's a note from him here. He's gone to get some bread and milk. Looks like we're all out."
"A little late for shopping don't you think?" Carla shoots me a look which tells me to stop being such a bastard. For some reason, I always find myself listening to Carla. In many ways, she is my conscience. So I sit down.
"I know you're worried Dr. Cox, but just sit down. He will be back soon... I'll make you a coffee."
"I am not worried." I'm not sure who I'm trying to convince anymore, her or myself.
"How do you like it?"
"Like what?"
"Your coffee, it'll have to be black, mind you." Carla smiled at Dr. Cox and waved the note from JD at him as back up that there was no milk.
"Black's fine."
"Sugar?"
"Yeah, make it two."
"Turk?"
"One for me, baby. My blood sugar's feelin' a little low."
"Ok, one for me, one for you, and two for Dr. Cox." Smiling again, she brought the coffee over to the two doctors seated on the couch. "Everything will be fine, you know. He will probably come in with some dorky grin on his face and be absolutely fine!" She said taking a sip of her coffee.
"You really think so?" Dr. Cox looked seriously at Carla.
"Yeah."
"Hmm.. well, what do you know." He replied nastily, also drinking his coffee.
The three colleagues sat on the couch quietly sipping at the hot liquid, each having their own thoughts, until Turk broke the silence.
"I dunno if it's just me, but..." He yawned. "All of a sudden I've gone really... really... tired." The mug fell out of his hand and onto the floor splashing brown liquid all over the carpet. Turk was slumped forwards in his chair.
"Turk!! Look at the mess!" Carla stared at her husband for a few seconds and realised something wasn't right. She tried to get to her husband to find her legs not working and she fell to the floor. Dr. Cox put his mug on the table to try to help Carla, but all of a sudden he was also overcome with drowsiness. What the hell is happening? I can't tell if Carla's awake. I'm trying to move to get to her but my body is like lead. I'm completely numb and my eyelids feel heavy. I try give one last attempt at getting to Carla only to find myself completely useless. My eyelids are closing and my body starts dropping to the floor. That's the last thing I know.