On The Lake
Part One
By Ritaann
er_aussie@hotmail.com
SPOILERS: none
SUBJECT: carter/kate (made up character)romance/angest
RATING: mature audences(13 up) WARNING, SOME VERY DISTURBING SCENES IN LATER PARTS!!
Kate sat on the bank of the lake. It had been her 4th day in America and already she was
feeling like it was her home. However she noted in her mind, nothing is like Australia.
But she knew she could never go back there. There was too much past, too many memories. At
remembering this, she put her head into her arms and in a crouched position she began
crying softly.
As Carter took a stroll along the lake he kept thinking about all that happened - Rehab,
detox, stabbing, Lucy. He felt as though he owed every body that made him go through that,
that ~That Place~ something. But he didn't know what. As he strolled along, thinking about
the whole bad experiance that had somehow a good ending, he sighted a woman crouched on
the bank, head tucked inwards rocking back and forth. She looked so sad - so lonely that
it made hime forget about all his problems. Carter just stood there watching the wind play
with her red hair,body wracked with sobs. His heart ached to help her and when he could no
longer stand watching her, he walked over to her and on impulse crouched down and wrapped
his arms around her.
Kate felt warm but boney arms around her. She didn't know who it was or why she or he was
there but it felt strangely comforting. Carter felt her body begin to calm down. Slowly
but surely her sobs subsided and her tears turned into soft wimpering.
"Th- th- thankyou" Kate said finally looking up at who was hugging her.
"Your welcome" answered Carter.And as soon as he looked up, his breath got
caught in his throat. It wasn't her lookes that made him gasp but her eyes. They were a
blue, blue as the sea. Her skin pale as the sand. "I'll listen If you'd - If you dont
mind" He said softly, almost wispering. Kate had never told anyone about what
happened to her. The only person she had sought for comfort from her thoughts was best
friend and phsyciatist, Donna. But Donna wasn't here. She was back in Australia. However,
there was something about this man that made her want to tell him everything. Maybe it was
his eyes or his voice she didn't know. After a few moments she began to tell her story....
"It was about 6 months prior to today when my family and we were on our way to
celebrate my partents 25th anniversary and me surviving my 1st year as a pediatric
attending. Dinner went fine and we had a lot of fun untill 3 hours later, my pager went
off...
FASHBACK
"Oh dear, it's the hospital." Kate said looking at the little window on her
pager bearing the numbers 816 folled by a tripple zero. "Can't they live without
you?" asked her father, a tad annoyed. "Dad it's a tripple zero, I have to call
to see what they want. I'll be back soon." She promised, walking over to the waiters
station.It was emergency, apparently the current attending had gotten sick and was sent
home. A bus full of children had collided on the freeway and most of the victioms were
being sent to The Sydney Childrens Hospital which was unfortunatly where Kate worked.
"I'm sorry.." she began but her dad cut her off," It's OK, we'd have to
leave in half an hour anyway." On the way to the hospital, the car was silent. When
they arrived at the emergency's entrance, Kate gave both her parents a kiss on the cheek
and watched as they drove away. As soon as she walkedinto the waiting area, a blurry of
patients, medstudents, charts, residents, nurses and abulances with more victims kept her
busy for 2 hours straight. When things had finally calmed down at about 12:00, it was then
when Kate and her emergency team got a call. Adult couple in an accident on the Great
Western Highway..
END FLASHBACK
"I - I - I - had no idear it was them until.. until.." Kate said before
dissolving into tears again. "ssshhhhhhh...you don't have to tell me if you
don't.." comforted John but Kate cut him off. "No, no, i need to tell
somebody." she insisted. Carter then just held her until she was ready to speak
again." It was a DOA. There was no hope. Two days later was the funeral. I couldn't
cry and i haven't till now it-it justhit me." Strangely, Kate's eyes dropped the look
of sorrow and pain and instead a look of hatered, horror and fear took over as shesat
staring out over the lake and unblinkingly began the next part of her story."After
the funeral, I went to a bar. I don't know whay, I had never been in one before...
FASHBACK
"Give me a scotch and keep 'em comming" kate ordered at the bartender. "Yes
ma'mam" answered the bartender as he began to pour the deadly drink. [time lapse 2
hours. Kate is very drunk]
"Hey, babe!" said a tall, very handsome man with blond hair. His clothes were
what you would decribe as 'beach boy' style and he was ina bad need of a hair
cut."Hey Handsome - what'cha doin' tonight?" said Kate. Her eyes were bloodshot
and her words slurred. She couldn't sit up straight and kept swaying slightly in all
directions. "Can i take you home?" asked the man kindly as he sat on a booth
next to kate. Kate being too drunk to realise how dangerouse this man could be said,
"Sure! Not every day do i get to go home with a cute guy like you."
"Well," said the guy choosing his words carefully, "Might as well get going
then." He stood up and offered his arm to help her up. "Thanks Matey!" Kate
said, swaggering forewards to take his arm but missing by a mile. The man caught her just
in time to stop her from crashing onto the floor and to move things along, he swung her
onto his arms and said, "Well, can't have you falling down now, ca we?" then, he
swiftly carryed her out to his old beat up Holden...
END FLASHBACK
Carter couldn't believe that this had ever happened. Especially to someone like who he was
talking to. Kate continued, Her accent making Carter wonder where she came from. Breathing
laboured and small beads of sweat begining to pour out onto her forehead, she went on with
her story. " I sat in the car, hours later thinking of how i got into this mess and
how to get ot of it. I had never been in this part of Sydney and if i had, i didn't
remember it. so i waited and waited, praying for some 'good samaritan' to come, but none
did."
FLASHBACK
Here we are baby...