Chapter 109

AJ closed the office door once again and then explained the entire situation to Meredith. "So you see why you can't talk to her about this?"

"You love her…did you love her when we were engaged?" she asked him sadly.

"I have loved Sarah for eight years, but nothing could have ever come of it because of regulations. I was determined to make a life for myself without her," AJ admitted.

"So I was only second choice at best?" she sighed. Standing and moving towards the door, she turned with one hand on the knob, "She's very lucky to have your love, AJ. And I was a fool. Have a good life," and she left.

Mac withdrew into herself over the next few days; she wouldn't talk to AJ about the phone call to Meredith when he came home that night, or at any other time he tried to bring it up.

Friday, May 21, 2004

0730 EST

Chegwidden home

McLean, Virginia

Sarah got up, dressed, and made the bed. She had just fixed herself some toast and jelly when Angela started to cry. Going into the bedroom to pick her up, she saw her cheeks were red. Touching her forehead, it felt hot. Running into the bathroom, she grabbed up the thermometer and went back and took Angela's temperature. After checking to be sure she had read it right, she called AJ.

"What's wrong, Sarah? Coates said it was an emergency," AJ said, throwing down his pen and leaning back in his chair.

"It is, AJ, Angela's sick. Her temperature's 103, what should I do?" she cried walking the floor with the crying baby.

"Hold on, Darlin'. I'll be right there. Don't give her any aspirin. See if we have any baby Tylenol and read the directions and give her what it says for Angela's weight. I'm leaving now," he hung up before Sarah could reply.

Sarah found the baby Tylenol and read the instructions and gave Angela a dose. She was pacing the floor with Angela screaming, when AJ came running into the house. "What was her temperature the last time you took it?" he asked reaching for Angela.

"I just took it, and it's 102.7. That's after giving her the Tylenol. What can be wrong with her?" she cried. "She won't even take a bottle. I even tried to get some water down her, but she spit it out screaming like she is now."

"It doesn't matter grab her diaper bag. We're taking her to the emergency room now!" he called going out the door.

Pulling up at the Emergency Room, they rushed in with Angela. It seemed like it took forever to fill out all the forms. AJ took all the forms back up to the receptionist and told her they needed to see a doctor immediately. "I'm sorry, Admiral. You'll have to wait your turn like the rest of the sick people here," came the reply from the lady behind the plastic window.

"It's not me that's sick, it's my daughter! She's about six weeks old and is running a fever of 103. She's taking nothing by mouth, not formula, water, or juice. Now, I want her seen immediately by a doctor, or I want to speak to whoever is in charge!" demanded AJ.

"I'll have a nurse come and get your daughter and take her right back, Admiral," sniffed the receptionist.

"Thank you. I'll be waiting over here with my wife," he turned and walked back to Sarah and his little Angel. In a few moments a nurse came out and took them back to a small examination room.

"The doctor will be right with you," she said after taking Angela's temperature and closing the door. Sarah walked the floor holding the screaming baby, until AJ was ready to go in search of the first doctor he could find. Then drag them back to the room to care for his sick daughter.

About that time, the door opened and a tiny woman walked inside. "Good evening. I'm Dr. Elizabeth Farmer, and I assume that unhappy little angel is your daughter," she said, taking Angela from Sarah and laying her on the examination table.

"How'd you know we call her Angel?" asked AJ shocked.

To be continued….