Thank You For Being A Friend
Part 2
By Cari
cxcarleo@naz.edu

As usual.... I do not own the characters and am not making any money from this. Just having some fun. This is part two of the three part introductory series called "Thank you for being a friend." Those of you who read the original version may remember a Carter/Kerry scene. I have removed that for this edition because I do not feel that it really added anything to the piece. In order to follow the story, I recommend that you read Thank You For Being A Friend Part 1 first.

Please e-mail me with any comments

About two hours later, Carol started to wake up. Immediately, she realized that she was going to be sick. As she ran to, knelt over the toilet, and started to throw up, she felt someone hold her hair back and support her forehead.

After she was done, Mark handed her a cold, wet washcloth so she could wash her face while he went to get her a clean shirt.

After changing, Carol said, "Believe it or not, I actually feel a little better. I'm finally not nauseous anymore."

"I am glad to hear that, how do you feel otherwise?"

"Still pretty crummy. I want to thank you...For allowing me to stay here, and for taking care of me. There aren't too many people who would hold someone while they are throwing up."

"I'll always be here for you. You're one of my best friends," he said giving her a hug.

"Thank you. Your friendship has always meant the world to me."

Carol lay back down on the sofa bed and they talked for a while until they heard someone at the door and Elizabeth came in. Mark said, "You're home early."

"It stayed pretty quiet so they let me leave a little early." Sitting on the edge of the sofa bed, she asked Carol, "How do you feel sweetie?"

"So so. I am finally not nauseous, but I still have a bad headache and sore throat. Sleep helped a lot."

Taking a bottle from her purse, Elizabeth said, "This may help."

"I had a feeling that I had strep. How much do I owe you for the prescription?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Thanks"

Mark leaves the room to go work on dinner, and there is a brief scene in which the camera pans out on Carol and Elizabeth talking. There is then a brief time lapse and...

Elizabeth had just finished taking Carol's temperature when the telephone rang for the second time in ten minutes. This time, it was Luka.

"I just called to check on the patient."

Elizabeth said, "She's sitting right here, you can speak to her."

"Hi Luka," Carol said.

"Hello, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I heard that you fell ill today at work."

"A little bit better, thanks."

"I won't keep you long. Take care of yourself and call me if you need anything."

"I will. Thank you for calling."

After hanging up, Carol and Elizabeth started to talk about Luka. "He is pretty cute," Carol said.

"I know I am," Mark said, walking into the room, smiling.

Carol threw a pillow at him. "Somebody is feeling better," he said walking over to Carol and putting his arm around her. "You're still very warm," Mark said, concerned.

Elizabeth said, "The fever is actually down a little, it's a little over 102 now. It will come down once the antibiotics start to work."

Mark asked, "How does your throat feel?"

"It hurts a lot."

"Do you think you want to eat? I'm making soup."

"I'll try, but I can't promise anything."

"That's ok," he said rubbing her back gently.

Elizabeth, who was sitting across from Carol, saw that she had started to cry. Elizabeth moved over to sit on the other side of Carol.

"I'm sorry guys," Carol said in between sobs.

"Don't worry," Elizabeth said, "We're always here for you."

"Can I have some water?"

"Sure," Mark said, and he went to get her a fresh glass.

When he came back, Elizabeth was talking quietly to Carol who was calming down. He put the glass down and went back to the kitchen to finish dinner. Carol finally said, "I'm so sorry...."

"You don't need to apologize. Sometimes crying helps."

"Thank you for taking care of me, both at work and now. It means so much to me."

"I'll always be here for you. Your shirt is soaked from tears, why don't you change?"

"It's actually your shirt, I threw up on mine earlier. I'm sorry that I got it wet."

"I don't mind." Elizabeth went to get some fresh clothes, but before Carol got the chance to change, Mark came in with three bowls of soup.

Carol ate almost half the bowl before she said, "It was a great soup, I just can't eat anymore."

"Thanks."

"Do you mind if I take a quick shower? I think I'll feel a little better."

"Of course not," Mark said, "You will feel refreshed. Do you want to sleep in a pair of my sweats?"

"That would be great. Elizabeth, I didn't even think about the fact that yours won't fit me anymore."

"Me either," Elizabeth said laughing.

While Carol was in the shower, Elizabeth said to Mark, "Thank you for staying with her. I didn't want her to be alone."

"I'm glad I was around. What time are you on tomorrow?"

"5 PM, you?"

"6 AM to 4 PM. So we will be able to stay with her if she still needs company."

Just then, the telephone rang, and Mark answered it; it was Kerry Weaver. "Hi, I just wanted to check on Carol."

"She's doing a little better. Her fever has come down a little and she was able to eat a little dinner. I'd let you talk to her, but she is in the shower."

"That's ok. Can you just let her know that her shifts are covered for the next four days? I was not sure what you guys would need in terms of staying with her. It looks like you are pretty much on opposite shifts for the next two days so someone should be able to stay with her through the worst of the flu. But Peter and Carter have offered to work your shifts tomorrow or stay with Carol if you need."

"Please thank them for us. I will work mine, but Elizabeth will call Peter if she needs him to work."

"OK, let me know if you need anything."

"Will do. Have a good night." He hung up and told Elizabeth, "Peter will work for you tomorrow if you don't want to leave Carol."

"That's sweet of him."

"I was thinking.... It's only 7:30, do you want to watch a video if Carol is up to it?"

"Sounds good to me."

Since they were right next to the bathroom, they had heard the shower go off a few minutes ago, and now all of a sudden, they heard Carol start to gag. Elizabeth rushed to knock on the door, "Carol, are you ok?"

"Yeah, fine," Carol said quickly before she began to throw up. During a pause in throwing up, Carol called "Elizabeth ...." However, that was as far as she got before she started to throw up again.

Elizabeth opened the door, and quickly crouched next to Carol so that she could hold her hair back. Within a minute or so, Carol was done so Elizabeth helped her stand up. She also handed her a cup of water to rinse out her mouth. "I guess its good I didn't get fully dressed yet, I would have had to change yet again."

"What do you think caused it?" "I think I rushed the chicken. I should have stuck with plain broth."

Carol finished getting dressed, and Elizabeth said, "Go out to the living room with Mark, I'll clean up in here."

"Thanks."

Carol walked out, and sat on the sofa bed just as Mark came back in the room with a fresh glass of water. "Thanks, Mark," she said taking a small sip.

"Was the soup too much?"

"The chicken was. I should have stayed with plain broth."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Elizabeth and I were talking. Do you feel up to watching a movie?"

"I'll try. I can't promise that I will stay awake, but I will try."

"Let us know if you want to go to sleep and we can turn it off."

Just then Elizabeth came out of the bathroom and sat on the sofa bed. Mark asked, "What do you want to watch?"

"I don't care. What about 'Grease?'"

"Sounds good to me...Carol?"

"That's fine. Before we put it on, I want to thank you guys. I do not know of too many friends who would do this for someone. You guys are the best."

Instead of a verbal answer, Elizabeth and Mark reached over and hugged her.