DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Mark VII, et al. I've just borrowed them and added my own character, Julianna, into the mix.
Ellen Taylor pinned her cap into her hair and prepared for her first shift back at Rampart. She'd left the hospital a year and a half ago to work on a cruise ship. It was the opportunity she'd been waiting for and felt she needed. She hadn't counted on meeting a handsome paramedic and wanting to stay at Rampart to be near him.
She'd written several letters while on the ship, but, distance ended whatever they had developed.
She moved past him and found herself married and then divorced within six months of the wedding.
She'd moved back and gotten another position at Rampart. She was ready to get back with that paramedic.
"Morning, Miss McCall," Ellen said as she reported for work.
"Ellen. It's good to see you," Dixie said.
Julianna came out of a room and went to the nurses station.
"Juli, this is Ellen Taylor. She worked here about two years ago and now she's come back," Dixie said.
"Well, welcome back to Rampart," Julianna said.
"I found I missed this place. I worked for a cruise line for a while and it was fun, but I was ready to come back," Ellen said.
Julianna got off the stool and headed off to see a patient.
"Nice meeting you Ellen. Look forward to working with you," Julianna said.
"Say, Miss McCall, is that paramedic I was seeing before I left still working for the county," she asked.
Dixie drew a blank. "I'm not sure," she said. Ellen had dated several men before she left and Dixie hadn't paid any attention to them.
Just then, Johnny and Roy came in with a patient.
As they wheeled him around the corner, Ellen spied Johnny.
He headed to the nurses station to get the supplies and Ellen pounced. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.
"Ellen," Johnny asked, unable to believe what had just happened.
"I'm back," she said.
"I can see that. Welcome back," Johnny said. He tried to avoid her again and went to the nurses station for his supplies.
"So...now that I'm back, what do you say you take me out sometime," Ellen said.
Johnny looked at her. "I can't take you out," he said, as nicely as possible.
Julianna came out of the room and wrote something on the chart before handing it to Ellen.
"Ellen, would you set up a suture set for me in four," Julianna said.
"Of course, doctor. See you around, Johnny," she said, winking and heading toward four.
Julianna headed toward the nurses station, but was stopped by Sally. "Julianna, can you take a look at this kid in three," she asked.
"Of course," Julianna replied. She gave a quick wave to her husband and went into three.
"You dated Ellen, didn't you," Dixie asked Johnny.
"For two seconds. We had one date and then she left for the cruise ship. We exchanged letters but then I met Amy and then Juli. I sorta forgot about her," Johnny said, checking off his supplies on his list.
Roy came and got the supplies from Johnny after checking on the patient he'd ridden in the ambulance with to Rampart.
"That man going to be OK," Johnny asked.
"Brackett thinks so. Where's Jules," Roy asked.
"Sally pulled her into see a kid in three and she's going to do stitches in four," he said.
"So we'll catch her on the next run," Roy asked.
"Yeah. Tell her I'll see her later, Dix," Johnny asked.
"Of course. See you guys later," Dixie said.
Roy and Johnny headed out the door. As they passed four, Ellen exited and immediately pounced on Johnny. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Johnny pushed her away. "Ellen," he shrieked.
"Here. Call me later," she said, putting a piece of paper in his pocket.
Before Johnny could respond to Ellen, they were toned out for a call.
Julianna missed Johnny twice when he came in with a patient. She'd been consulting with an orthopedist and doing sutures on a man involved in a bar fight.
"Now, next time maybe you should stick to milk as a beverage of choice. It'll save a lot of money on the medical and dry cleaning bills, Mr. Jones," Julianna said.
"You do know he won't remember what you told him, Juli," Sally said.
"I know, but it makes me feel better," Julianna said, writing on the chart.
"You're just practicing for when you have that baby," Sally said.
"Probably. So have you given any thought to coming for dinner at my house Friday night," Julianna asked.
"I can't impose on you and Johnny like that," Sally said.
Julianna looked at Sally and let out a sigh. "OK, I have a confession to make. Mike's coming for dinner also and I thought you might want to join us so he doesn't feel left out," Julianna said.
Sally rolled her eyes at Julianna. "Your brother isn't interested in me. We're just friends," Sally said.
"All the more reason for you to come and have dinner with us. I'm grateful to you for offering friendship to him. I know it's hard for him to see me and Johnny happy and having a baby. Besides, Johnny and I started out as friends," Julianna said.
"If you and I weren't friends," Sally said.
"You'd be calling me doctor like all the other nurses. Come on Sally. It'll be fun," Julianna said.
"Fine," Sally said.
The two walked out of the room together and Sally went to get the supplies to dress Mr. Jones' wounds.
Julianna took a seat at the desk and laughed at her friend. Sally and Julianna had become friends when Julianna first started working at the hospital. Sally had joined her and Dixie for lunch her first day at the hospital. Julianna and Sally immediately struck up a friendship and Julianna was grateful for it. She headed into the room with her fracture patient.