One week later

"…Attention passengers, we will be landing in Kisangani shortly," a British accent spoke from a radio receiver that was up front with the pilot. "Those who are boarding the connecting flight to Kinshasa are advised to wait in the terminal…Be advised that there are dangerous conditions within the area…"

From her seat, Amy winced and puked into the airsickness bag that already held her breakfast and morning snack, "Ugh, I don't normally get airsick," she said, gazing at Dave, who was sitting in the seat across the aisle from her. "Maybe it's the climate…It's so hot over here."

"Maybe you're dehydrated," Dave replied as he offered her a bottle of water. "Drink some of this."

Amy sighed and, taking the bottle, she drank some of the water, "I can't believe the hospital actually discharged Nathan just yesterday," she said tiredly. "I told them that he'd have to go back in a week to get the colostomy bag taken out, but they didn't care…Nathan was not happy about the idea, but..."

"Doctor Romano will make sure Nathan gets plenty of rest," Dave said reassuringly. "I know for a fact that he took the week off from the hospital to look after both Nathan and Joe at his house. He's gonna keep an eye on things using the computer and the phone and Erinn and Lucas will help him."

Amy nodded and handed the bottle back to Dave, "Sorry it's empty," she apologized. "I just feel…"

"When we get to the hospital in Kinshasa, I want someone to check you out," Dave said in a low voice so that nobody else would overhear. "You've come to work every morning this week feeling sick…"

Before Amy could reply, loud explosions could be heard from below the plane, "….Attention passengers, due to unsafe conditions in the surrounding area, the plane is being rerouted to Kisangani," the pilot's voice suddenly said. "Updates will be provided as conditions are reviewed by the ground crews…"

As the plane jolted, Amy sighed, "Guess that hospital visit is gonna have to wait," she said in a tired voice. "I hope Katie's not anywhere in that mess. Goodness knows where Luka might be by now."

"I was just thinking about Carter and Abby," Dave replied softly. "I hope they're doing okay."

Amy sighed; how could she have forgotten that Carter and Abby had moved to Africa?

"Why don't you try and sleep a little?" Dave suggested kindly. "I'll wake you when the plane lands."

Nodding, Amy slouched and closed her eyes; hopefully, everything would turn out okay.

Knock, knock, knock…

Letting out an aggravated sigh, Nathan opened his eyes and gritted his teeth, "Lucas, answer the door while I sit up," he said in a loud, but very tired voice. "Is anyone home to see who's at the door?"

There were footsteps and Lucas entered the living room, "What time is it, Lucas?" Nathan asked groggily as he painstakingly pulled himself into a sitting position on the portable bed his grandfather had made for him so he wouldn't have to climb stairs. "Never mind that; see who's at the door, okay?"

Even though sweats, slippers, an oversized t-shirt and a light housecoat weren't the best clothes in which to greet any company, Nathan knew that with his arm still in a cast and sling and bandages covering his body, he couldn't change into something more presentable without help.

Lucas nodded and, hurrying over to the door, he opened it, "It's Rachel and some blonde girl," he said as he opened the door wider. "Grandpa Rocket took Joe and Erinn to the store for a few minutes."

"Hey Nathan, I heard you got out of the hospital yesterday," Rachel said in a kind voice as she entered the living room with her friend. "This is my friend, Sarah, from school…she read about you in the paper."

Nathan winced as Sarah approached him, "Um, Sarah, it's really nice to meet you," he said in a strained voice, nervous about how close she was to him. "Aren't you supposed to get Daniel from school?"

"Elizabeth's picking Daniel and Ella up from school today," Rachel replied, smiling. "I thought I'd bring Sarah over and we could provide you with some pain relief…Sarah's dad is a paramedic."

Sarah grinned and pulled a bottle of pills from her pocket, "I scored some Vicodin from my dad's rig this morning on my way to school," she said, showing the bottle. "You still in a lot of pain, Nathan?"

There was silence for a moment and Nathan scowled, "I want you out of here now," he said in a groggy voice as he felt a surge of pain in his body. "Rachel, I don't want you to bring Sarah back here again…"

"Rachel, let's GO," Sarah whined as she moved towards the door. "There's better things to do…"

Lucas swallowed hard and watched as Nathan lay back down, "I'll walk you out," Lucas said in a nervous voice as he gently ushered Rachel and Sarah outside. "Thanks for coming by…see you girls later."

Rachel nodded and walked off, "Don't be a stranger, Lucas," Sarah said in a sly tone. "See you."

Lucas quickly closed the front door and returned to the living room; he saw that Nathan had fallen asleep on the bed. Letting out a sigh, Lucas suddenly noticed that Sarah had left the bottle full of pills on the coffee table next to Nathan's laptop and a few old medical magazines that belonged to their mom.

Knowing that Grandpa Rocket would have a fit if he saw the pills, Lucas picked the bottle up and slipped it into the pocket of his hoodie. He would throw it away later on, when nobody was around to see.

"...Lucas, can you get my laptop?" Nathan suddenly spoke in a groggy voice even though he remained laying down. "I gotta do some work before Grandpa gets home and finds me half asleep."

Lucas nodded, but, before he could act, the door opened and Dr. Romano entered the house with Joe in a Snugli; Erinn quickly entered after him and her hands were holding on to two full plastic bags.

"Lucas, go help Erinn put the food away," Dr. Romano said in a snappish tone as he closed the front door tightly and came into the living room and saw Nathan resting on top of his blankets. "How are you feeling, Nathan? Are you still sore?"

Nathan sighed, "It'll go away if I sleep a while," he sleepily replied. "No drugs."

"Fair enough," Dr. Romano replied calmly. "Does your bag and catheter need changing?"

Nathan shrugged and sighed, "I don't know," he replied tiredly. "It was changed half an hour ago."

Dr. Romano nodded as Erinn came into the room, "Erinn, can you look after Joe, please?" he asked as he lifted Joe out of the Snugli and passed him to Erinn. "I need to help your brother…"

Erinn nodded and quickly carried Joe into the kitchen so Nathan could have his privacy.

Nathan sighed and winced as he pulled himself into a sitting position, "Grandpa Rocket, I don't think I'm ready to be home yet," he said in a quiet voice. "I don't feel well…can I go back to the hospital?"

Dr. Romano frowned and felt Nathan's forehead, "You don't have a fever, Nathan," Dr. Romano replied in a gentle tone. "I think you're in pain, you're scared, and missing your mom. It's okay to admit that."

"I'm really, really in pain," Nathan replied softly. "I've been wanting to throw up all day, but can't."

There was silence for a moment and Dr. Romano sighed, "I took some supplies from the ER yesterday when those twits on the Recovery floor insisted you could go home," he stated. "Lie back down and I'll give you an IV of fluids. While you rest, I'll make you something to eat and we'll go from there."

Nathan sighed and rolled up his left sleeve, "When you need help, you need to ASK," Dr. Romano said as he quickly hooked up the IV line. "I'm never too busy to help those who I care about, understand?"

"Thanks Grandpa Rocket," Nathan replied with a sigh as he lay back down and held the IV bag carefully.

Dr. Romano nodded, "Get some rest," he said firmly. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything."

As Nathan closed his eyes, he couldn't help but worry about how his mother and 'Uncle Dave' were doing in Africa; he also missed Katie and hoped that Luka or someone would be able to find her.

Kinshasa Hospital – Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Groups of crying children, injured civilians, and armed soldiers greeted Luka as he followed Kem into the hospital; beyond the waiting area, there was an admit desk and ample space for treating patients.

"With the chaos in Kisangani, those who can travel find their way here," Kem explained as they walked past the waiting area where medical personnel were starting to gather. "Every few days, we send a truck of volunteers and supplies to Kisangani, but there's not much we can spare."

Luka nodded; he understood this having already been to Africa before, "Any idea where I can start looking for Katie?" he asked as Kem opened a door. "That IS why I came to Africa, after all."

"The next truck isn't going to be available for a few days," Kem replied in an apologetic tone. "When one becomes available, you can go to Kisangani as medical help with a few others and some supplies."

Luka sighed and reluctantly nodded, "There's something you should know, Doctor Kovac," Kem said as they began to prepare the area for patients. "Elton Douglas was a patient at the hospital after the airstrip was attacked and Katie was with him then….she ran off in the chaos and is still missing."

Luka's heart sank, but he said nothing, "Elton was taken from the clinic by soldiers a week ago and nobody has heard anything since," Kem continued. "I suspect he may have resorted to bribery…"

"I will help you here for as long as I can, but when a truck becomes available, I am going to look for Katie," Luka said in a firm voice, cutting her off. "I promised my wife that I would bring Katie home."

As people began to stream into the treatment area, Kem nodded, "Amy and I only married in February, but I love my family so much," Luka explained as he pulled out the photo that had been taken during the Valentine's Day wedding in Chicago. "Elton almost killed my oldest stepson to kidnap Katie…"

"Doctor Kem!" an accented voice shouted from somewhere in the crowd. "We are in need of help!"

Luka sighed and put the photo back into his pocket; he then moved into the sea of people to try and help Kem and the other medical staff deal with the crowd; his own problems would have to wait...even if they got worse.

Kisangani Airport – Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo – Several Hours Later

The setting sun greeted Amy, Dave, and the other passengers as they came off the plane and on to the airstrip; a loaded civilian truck was parked nearby with several people piled in the back.

"Dave, Amy!" a familiar voice shouted from nearby as the flight crew began unloading the bags.

Dave and Amy smiled as they saw Abby come running towards them from the truck, "I know you were expecting a better welcome, but we have to get away from here right now," Abby said curtly. "The fighting's gotten worse and both the hospital and makeshift hospital were bombed…We have to hurry."

Grabbing their bags, Amy and Dave followed Abby over to the truck, "Greg Pratt?" Dave asked as he saw who was behind the wheel of the truck. "So this is where you ended up after you left Mercy."

Dr. Pratt grinned, "Dave, it's good to see that you're still practicing and I welcome you to Africa," he said in a kind tone. "I hate to rush you and Doctor Faith, but we really have to get a move on. We have to go on the back roads."

"Actually, it's Doctor Kovac now," Amy replied, flashing her wedding ring as she got into the truck beside Abby. "I married a man named Luka Kovac on Valentine's Day….Oh, Abby, I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"It's fine," Abby replied, relieved that Joe now had a responsible mother figure and loving siblings in his life to help him grow right. "Dave, I could use your help in the back with the patients."

Dave nodded and, shutting the door, he moved to the back of the truck, "We don't have a lot of supplies on us, but we can keep the patients calm," Abby explained as he got in the back of the truck.

The truck started up and as it began to move, Abby sighed, "I didn't mean to sound aloof to Doctor Faith, but I didn't want to tell her that Katie was with Carter and I before the hospital was bombed," she explained in a hushed voice. "When the bombing happened, she ran off….it was chaos."

"Maybe she went to wherever Carter is now," Dave replied. "Where is Carter anyway?"

Abby winced, "Carter's got malaria and he was taken to Matenda by Doctors Rogers and Rasgotra along with some patients," she explained. "It was too unsafe for them to stay here with all the fighting."

"Doctor Faith and I were sent by Doctor Romano to escort Doctor Pratt and Doctor Rasgotra to Chicago for some sort of medical exchange thing," Dave replied. "Doctor Greene very nicely offered to take care of Daniel for me while I was here. Doctor Romano insisted that I come….I don't know why."

Abby sighed, "Maybe he thinks it will help you grow," she replied gently. "Anyway, Dave, if you could help me keep the patients calm and distribute some of the meds and rations…"

Dave nodded and turning his attention to the patients, he wondered how he could grow in Africa; all he wanted to do was be back home with his son.

Cook County ER – Chicago, Illinois

Ignoring the busy waiting room, Rachel and Sarah walked over to the desk and saw Jerry there, working on both the computer and shuffling paperwork around: Jerry saw them, but looked too busy to talk.

"Jerry, my dad phoned me while I was on my way home," Rachel said, tapping on the counter to get Jerry's attention. "He told me to come by the ER….is everything okay?"

Jerry nodded, "He's in the lounge with Daniel and Ella," he replied, his eyes on the computer screen.

Rachel nodded, "Sarah, give me a minute," she said as she turned and walked towards the lounge.

Sarah nodded and moved around the desk; she looked at the messy handwriting on the patient board and the stack of paperwork on the desk next to Jerry, "Anyone know where I can find Tony Gates?" she asked, a slight irritation in her voice. "He said I was supposed to come straight here after school."

Jerry shrugged and continued working, "Tony's out on his paramedic shift and he doesn't come on ER duty until five," Mark's voice suddenly said from behind her. "Aren't you a little young for him, though?"

Sarah turned around, "I'm Sarah and Tony's my dad," she replied cooly. "He told me to come to the ER right after school even though I told him I wanted to hang out with Rachel. Who are you?"

"I'm Doctor Mark Greene, Rachel's father," Mark replied. "Rachel's in the lounge."

Sarah nodded and walked off towards the lounge; when she pushed the door open, she was surprised to see Rachel standing over a table where a young boy and a young girl sat with papers in front of them.

"….Ella, I know that we didn't get homework today, but learning is a little harder for me than for other kids," Daniel said in a gentle voice as he worked on the papers. "My dad talked to the school and extra work helps me to learn a little better….Nathan usually helps me with it, but he's still getting better."

Sarah smirked, "Rachel, you got a moment?" she asked, amused that Rachel was playing 'mommy.'

Rachel nodded and moved away from the table, "Elizabeth picked up Daniel and Ella from school, but she got paged to the hospital because they were busy," she explained. "My dad asked me to come here and keep an eye on Daniel and Ella until things get less busy…I know we were gonna hang out today."

"I was texted about this wild party that's going to happen in a few days down in Rogers Park," Sarah said in a hushed voice. "There's gonna be a live band there and everything…we should totally go."

Rachel looked uncertain, "My dad and Elizabeth really rely on me to help with Ella," she replied in a quiet tone. "Now that Daniel's staying with us, they rely on me to help keep things in order."

"Ella and Daniel can look after themselves or you can dump them off on Nathan," Sarah hissed, her eyes widening. "This is like one of the biggest things in Chicago, Rachel. You HAVE to come with me!"

Rachel sighed, "I'll think about it," she replied in a worried tone. "I'll let you know, okay?"

Sarah grinned excitedly and rushed from the room. Rachel sighed and gazed at Ella and Daniel; it was wonderful that her dad and Elizabeth trusted her so much, but sometimes it could be stifling.

Kivu – Democratic Republic of the Congo

Elton hissed with pain as he hobbled across the room with only a bloodstained crutch for support; two guards lay on the floor dead with growing bloodstains on their shirts and their guns beside them.

After taking him from the hospital in Kinshasa, the guards had brought him to less than ideal conditions in Kivu and had left him, promising to return for him at a later date; they had left a couple of young soldiers with him to ensure compliance…Elton had faked unconsciousness and stolen their weapons.

Now, despite intense pain, Elton just wanted to find a way to the nearest pocket of civilization and find Katie; he didn't care about whether she was scared or not, he just wanted to be in control of her again.

"….Be advised, a medical convoy is travelling towards Matenda on back roads and requires clear passage…," a static-filled voice suddenly filtered out from a radio on a table near the bed.

Elton grinned; he could get to Matenda and use his money and charm to secure a way back to a more civilized area…Maybe him being injured would work to his advantage and make things easier.

Reaching down, Elton grabbed one of the guns and slipped it into his pocket; the weapon would surely make people listen if his charm and money failed….his charm had only failed him back in Grenada.

Ignoring the pain in his leg, Elton hobbled from the tent and began to make his way down the dirt, gravel roads towards freedom; it was all Amy's fault that he was in such pain and she would pay.

Once Katie was found and dealt with, Elton silently vowed, his ex-wife and Dave Malucci would both pay dearly...as would everyone else in their lives.