TYPE: Carter+Lucy romance
RATING: PG I guess
SUMMARY: Carter and Lucy get a little early surprise.
AUTHORS NOTE: Here's number ten! PLEASE! Send Feedback!
lizzyknightlight@hotmail.com
Another thing, I know little about the
process of labour. I only know the things you can learn from ER and the
occasional episode of 'A Baby Story'. Since it is nearly April, Lucy is
about eight and a half months pregnant.
DISCLAIMER: These characters are not mine (accept for one, which you will be
'introduced' to later in the story). I am not making any moolah from this,
none, nothing. They belong to NBC, Warner Brothers, Constant C., Micheal
Crichten ect.
ARCHIVES: Just e-mail me first, lizzyknightlight@hotmail.com
A Few Steps Forward pt. 7
By: Lizzy Knight
~~~~~~April 1 2001, 9:30 PM
Waddling her way through the entrance doors of the emergency room, a plump
Lucy shook herself free of the rain gathering on her jacket and hair.
Looking around at the patients, she grinned at the firmiliar setting she had
missed and walked to the back of the admittance desk, plopping herself down
on a stool, "Hey Randi."
"Hey, I thought you were on maternity leave."
"I am. I came to visit though." Lucy removed the large jacket she was
wearing and flipped it over her arm, "Where's John?"
"Carter is...." Randi looked over the board, "Curtain area three. His
patient is unconscience, so I don't think it would be a big deal if you go
see him."
"Thanks," she slid her body off of the seat and set her feet back onto the
ground slowly. Striding past the nursing station and elevators, she knocked
on one of the three doors to the room, opening it a crack. "Are you busy?"
she asked the only doctor in the room as he stood beside the a gurney.
"Kind of. I can't go anywhere until this women wakes up. What brought you
by?"
"There was nothing to eat at home, so I decided I would go for a late
supper. Thought I might stop by, visit everyone and see if anyone wanted to
join me."
"Well, if that's an invitation, I have to turn you down. My shift isn't
over for another two hours and I will almost definitely be doing overtime
tonight."
Lucy sighed, "Fine... There's one more thing though."
Carter laughed, "Let me guess, cash?"
"Ha ha."
"How much you need?" he snickered at how predictable Lucy was.
"Why do you automatically assume it's money?"
Carter gave her a smile as he waited for her to say it.
"Twenty?"
"My wallets in my locker...." he laughed, "Somewhere."
"I'll find it."
Leaning up on the tip of her toes, she gave John a kiss and started to
leave. As she pulled the swinging door open, she heard the bounce of a
gurney and looked behind her just in time to see the female patient fling
her arm up and lash Carter's cheek with her fingernails. She left two deep
cuts trailing across his face and as soon as Lucy realised what was going
on, she called for security and restraints. With in a few seconds, four
uniformed men and two nurses rushed into the room, followed by Dr. Chen.
Holding his hand over his bloody cheek, he strided over to Lucy, dripping
blood over his dress shirt, and tie, "This is why I had to stay with the
patient."
Tearing his hand away from his wound, she examined them for a quick second
before pressing a bandage against it.
"Are you okay John?" asked Jing Mei, struggling to hold the crazed women
down while a nurse injected haldol.
He winced while Lucy poked and prodded at his face, "Yeah fine."
"I'll go stitch him up," offered Lucy.
"Don't forget to get the date of his last tetanus."
"I don't need a tetanus shot. I had one a year and a half ago, unless you
all forgot." Lucy pulled him out of the room by his tie and walked with him
towards the suture room, "You don't have to do this. I can get Mark to do
it. Go for dinner."
"I lost my appetite."
"No, you should eat something. Go."
"I'm fine. I can freshin up on my suturing. I haven't done any since I
graduated."
"Just make sure their won't be a scar."
She shoved him backwards onto the gurney, "Shut up and stop complaining.
If you don't trust me with your 'oh-so-gorgeous' complexion, just say so and
I'll go get someone else to do it," she sounded offended.
"I'm only acknowledging you of my expectations," Carter joked with her.
Lucy started filling up a syringe with the local, "What was wrong with that
patient anyway?"
"Don't know yet. She came in disoriented and she got physical a few times
with the doctors and nurses, so we called a psych consult. While we were
waiting for them to show up, she started running around and hit her head so
hard, she lost conscienceness. She was my patient so I had to stay with her
until she woke up."
"Did you get a CAT scan?"
He shook his head, "CT's down."
"Do you think it's a psychological disorder?"
"Possibly. We haven't ruled it out. If only psych would get there asses
down here, we could get her evaluated."
After sticking him in various places around his lacerations, Lucy put the
needle away and started to prepare her equipment for sutures, "How many
stitches do you think I'll need?" he asked.
"Fifteen maybe."
Carter nodded, thinking of something to say that might spark conversation,
"How has your day been going?"
"Dull. Nothing to do but do wedding stuff or clean, so I've been cleaning.
The apartment is spotless. It is amazing how much you can get done in
nine hours."
"Yeah?"
"Uh huh. And I also put the wallpaper up in the babies room. Now there is
only two more things we need. Our baby," Lucy stopped speaking to grin,
"And you have to set up the crib," breathing in deep, Lucy cut the thread
with the scissors and set down the excess material down on the tray.
Rubbing her belly, she smiled at John, then went back to fixing his injury.
~~~~~~9:45 PM (15 minutes later)
"There, finished," Lucy cut the last remaining thread and threw away her
utensils.
"Thank you doctor, you did a great job."
"Your welcome. I'm glad I lived up to your expectations."
Bowing down so his head was level with hers, he matched his eyes with hers,
showing how much he loved her in a glance. With the giant grin painted
across his face, Lucy couldn't help but smile back, "What are you so happy
about?"
"One, my child growing inside you."
"And..."
Lucy was surprised by him joining his lips to hers. Breaking apart for a
moment, he whispered to her, his forehead perched on hers, "You," as he
kissed her again, she kissed him back, adding passion, grabbing him behind
the neck with her arm, while having to reach even farther then usual because
of her large stomach. Pulling away suddenly, she let out a painful moan.
Using Carter for support with her attached arm above his shoulder, she
slowly propelled herself downward.
"What's wrong?" Carter asked in a panic.
She stayed silent for a moment, allowing her anguish to fade, "It's
nothing, just another Braxton-Hicks."
"Another?! How many have you had?" As Lucy's pain subsided, she
released
her tight grasp on Carter's neck and got her breathing even again, while
sitting, her back against the gurney.
"Just six, maybe seven. But I'm fine!"
"Just six!! And your only assuming that they're not the real thing?! You
aren't even going to let someone check you out?"
"Stop worrying, I'm fine." Lucy pulled herself together, allowing Carter to
help her onto her feet. She then straightened her clothes, "Look, I can
walk out of here on my own two feet."
"Well, how about I go get Abby and she can..."
"I said I'm fine!" she insisted, "I don't need everyone worrying about me.
Okay?"
"Okay, fine."
Walking out into the corridor, Carter followed Lucy to the doctor's lounge.
Getting the cash from his wallet, he handed it to her, giving her one more
warning to be careful, a kiss and he waved her off.
Exiting the lounge, Lucy walked up to admit to say good night to everyone.
As she started to turn, she grabbed the ledge of the desk so tight her
knuckles turned white, and slowly gazed down, "Randi, can you get Dr. Carter
out of the locker room for me? Now!"
Not stopping to ask what the problem was, she took one look at her
expression and ran through the door. A second later, the desk clerk jogged
back out, with Carter infront of her. He quickly ran to her side, placing a
hand on her shoulder, "What's wrong?"
"My water broke," she whispered.
"What?"
"I said my water broke!" this time, she yelped at him.
"Lily! Get me a wheel chair over here!" as the nurse ran from behind the
desk to a clutter of them near a wall, she came back with a wheel chair and
helped Lucy down into it, "Looks like those were contractions after all."
"I've realised that, thank you."
"How far apart did you say your contractions were."
"I wasn't really paying attention. Ten minutes, fifteen maybe," she
guessed.
Taking her up to the fourth floor, Carter accompanied Lucy to her room, led
by a nurse. While helping Lucy shuffle her body from the wheel chair onto
the gurney, the red head introduced herself, "My name's Cindy. Looks like
I'll be your nurse," the women exclaimed in her cheerful voice accompanied
by her buoyant smile, "Who is your obstetrician?"
"Janet Coburn."
"Okay, then I will go page Dr. Coburn while your husband helps you into
your gown." Deciding to let it slide and not correct the young women on the
relationship between then, they watched her leave and Carter started to help
Lucy undress. After she had changed into the gown, they waited in silence
for two minutes before Cindy returned, as peachy as her previous visit, "Dr.
Coburn is with another patient at the moment, but she should be here in a
few minutes."
While waiting, Cindy started to set up extra sheets and got ready for Lucy
to be examined. Within this time, they were joined by an older nurse,
addressing herself as Claire, "So, is this your first child?" she asked.
Carter nodded for the both of them, "Yup."
"Do you know what you are having?"
"No, we're gonna be surprised," Lucy answered this time.
About five minutes later, Dr. Coburn entered the room, "Hello Lucy, John,"
she grinned at them, "I wasn't expecting to see you for another two weeks."
Pulling on some latex gloves, the doctor checked out Lucy. After finishing,
she snapped off the gloves and whispered something to Cindy, "Well Lucy, it
looks as if your child is really anxious to get here. You're already at
eight centimetres," she concluded.
"What?! How'd that happen?"
Dr. Coburn laughed, "It's called labour dear. A quick one. My guess, is
you should have your baby wrapped up in a blanket to hold within an hour or
two," smiling once more at the happy couple, the doctor exited, promising to
return in ten minutes to check on Lucy and do an ultrasound.
While a nurse strapped a monitor to her belly to check the heart rate, Lucy
tried to get herself over the fact that within the next few hours she was
going to be a mom, "See, I told you over and over again for a reason. You
should of set up that crib weeks ago."
Carter sighed heavily, "I'm sorry if I don't get everything done on time,
but between planning the wedding, getting everything ready for the baby,
taking care of a pregnant women and working full time, I've been a little
busy."
"Please! You make it sound like you are the only one that does anything!
I organised and decorated the nursery, when you just set it down where ever!
I'm the one that booked the ceremony and the reception, all you did was
agree with my suggestions! And as for you having to take care of a pregnant
women, you do not 'take care' of me! I find that I am rather capable! Yes,
I may be a blimp at the moment, but I can still grocery shop, clean, fold
laundry, cook, exercise or even go to work if I wanted to! The only reason
I don't, is because I thought I deserved a break! And yet, I do just as
much work at home as I would at work! So don't tell me that you have been
busy, because you don't know what busy is!"
Speechless, Carter drops his head into his hands, not really wanting to say
anything, afraid of what she might come back at him with. Catching Claire's
gaze, she gave him a sympathetic look, turning to Lucy, "So Lucy, what do
you do for a living?"
Lifting her head to look at her nurse, she opened her rested eyes, "I'm a
doctor."
"Really?" exclaimed Claire, fascinated.
Lucy nodded, "Yes, in emergency medicine. I get to work down in the ER all
day with him," she pointed up at Carter, who she was obviously angry at, "so
that I can go home, and see him again for the rest of the night and wake up
to him the next morning." Lucy posted a sarcastic grin across her face.
Disappointed by her failed technique, Claire just nodded slightly, "I think
I will go get a baby warmer for Dr. Coburn."
As soon as the door closed behind her, Carter leaned over the gurney and
whispered in his fiancés ear, "Good going Luce, you scared her away."
"Oh, shut up!"
Carter laughed, beginning to find her emotional outbursts amusing.
~~~~~~20 minutes later (10:05 PM)
"Hey, you should go call around to everyone. Our families will want to
know it's time."
"Sure, I'm gonna need your mom's number."
"My palm top is in my hand bag," directed Lucy.
Reaching into her bag, he pulled out her mini computer, and got up to
leave, "I want you to stay with me. Can't you get someone else to call."
"No, I'm gonna have to call around to get my parents number anyway. I'll
be right back. Get some sleep, you'll need it," he kissed the top of her
head, as she closed her eyes and yawned, "I won't be longer then a few
minutes, I promise," exiting out into the hallway, Carter looked around to
see Elizabeth and Mark slumped against a wall. As soon as they spotted him,
they approached him.
"How is Lucy?"
"Lucy's fine, I just have to do a few things. You probrely don't want to
hang out in the hallway so lets go find a waiting room."
"I can show them to one," offered Abby, knowing her way around from her OB
days.
"Thanks Abby,"
Walking up to the front desk, Carter asked a desk clerk if he could use a
phone. After finding one that he could call long distance on, he pulled it
close to him so he could reach it.
Holding Lucy's palm top in his fist, Carter leaned over the front desk on
the obstetrics floor, the phone in front of him. Reading the numbers off of
the screen and copying them onto the keypad, he picked up the receiver and
listened to the phone ring.
"Hello."
"Hello, is Barbera there please?"
"John?"
"Uh, yeah, it's me."
"Is everything okay?" the women had panic in her voice.
"...Lucy's in labour..." she didn't give him a chance to fully explain her
conditions before jumping to conclusions.
"Is she okay?! She isn't due for a few more weeks! Is everything all
right?!"
Carter heard her talking to someone in the background, her other daughter,
for a moment. He waited until he knew she was listening again before he
answered her questions, "The baby should be fine. It is just, she is moving
along really quickly and the baby should be here in the next few hours. You
probrely won't make it in time, but I think it would be for the best if you
got here as quick as possible."
"Why?!"
"Well, she said 'tell her to get here as quick as possible'. I think she
just wants you to be with her."
Breathing a sigh of relief that her daughter would be fine, Barbera Knight
talked with Corrine for a few more moments, "Okay, well then I better go and
call the airline. I'll get back to you on our flight schedule. Tell her I
love her."
"Of course. See you when you get here."
"Bye John."
"Bye," hanging up the phone after their brief conversation, Carter dialled
another number, this time he braced himself.
Waiting as the phone rang four times, someone finally picked up. A womanly
voice with a deep British accent greeted Carter's ears, "Hello, Carter
residence."
"Hi, this is John Carter, may I please speak to Millicent Carter?"
~~~~~~5 minutes later (10:10 PM)
Pushing open the door to Lucy's room, Carter met eyes with her and grinned.
Her temper had simmered down since the epidural started kicking in,
thankfully. Walking over to the side of her bed, he rubbed the back of his
head and sighed, "My grandparents are on there way in. My parents are
flying in from Florida."
"What about my mom?"
"She sends her love, and she said that she'll call my cell when her and
Corrine can get to two tickets to Chicago. She sounded really worried about
you though."
"She won't make it before the birth," Lucy presumed, disappointed.
"Probrely not," nodding, Lucy rested her eyes, "Do you want some ice chips
or water?"
"Um, a glass of water would be nice, thanks."
Getting up to go get Lucy a drink, Cindy, who was on the other side of the
room, insisted that Carter sit back down. She stated that he should stay
with Lucy and that she would do everything.
Thanking her, Carter sat back down. About five minutes later, Carter's
cell phone rang. Knowing who it was, he turned it on, "John Carter."
"John. Corrine and I both got a ticket for the plane departing at 12:30.
After a two hour flight, we will grab our baggage and come straight to the
hospital. We should get there at about two o'clock your time."
"I'll tell the desk clerk to look out for you. She can tell you how to
find the room."
"Thanks John. You are a great help."
Reaching for the phone, Lucy whined out to John impatiently, "I wanna talk
to her."