TITLE: In the Land of Dreams IV
SUBTITLE: Something In Your Mind
AUTHOR: Susan
E-MAIL: lilichild@aol.com
CATEGORY: Humor/Parody
RATING (to appease the rating gods): Uh, probably PG-13, I don't know.  This
one's probably weird. 
SPOILERS: Up to "Piece of Mind"
DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything.  If was making a profit from this story I'd
have a hell of a lot nicer car. 
NOTE: A continuation of my character dreams series.  This one arose basically
out of my brain being fried from biophysical chem.  Oh, look I made a joke...
you'll get it later.  <G>  Yes, I know I am a sick individual and there is a
seat reserved for me in hell.  With all that said, on with the story. 


He looked up at the ceiling.  He wasn't ready for this, not in the least. 
THIS side of the profession... it was all so different.  He knew that once he
closed his eyes he might never wake up again.  He tried not to think of the
possiblity of leaving Elizabeth and his children behind.  He tried to shove
these thoughts as he was instructed to begin counting backwards...

************
The next thing he heard was Elizabeth's voice.  "Mark, honey, wake up"
He looked out from under the sterile drape to see her standing in front of
him.  He smiled up at her.
"Hey" he said wearily "How am I doing?"
"So far so good" She said with a wink. 
"Holy mother!" Dr. Burke screamed then. 
"What, what?" Mark asked agitated and scared. 
"I've seen a lot of things in my years of surgery but never THIS... holy
shit!"
"What is it, Dr. Burke?" Elizabeth asked scurrying to his side.
"Look for yourself" He replied indicating Mark's open skull. 
"Oh... my...." She said with a gasp "What in the bloody hell is THAT?"
"What?" Mark asked "Please someone tell me"
"I'm not sure..." Dr. Burke began "But it looks like..."
"Like?  Like a what? Like a WHAT?" Mark insisted
"Like a hunting cap" The anesthesiologist spoke up then "A really dorky
looking one"
"A WHAT?" Mark asked.  He had a HUNTING CAP in his head? Surely they said
something else.
"Actually, yeah" Dr. Burke said poking it with the forceps. "One of those
really dweeby ones with the ear flaps."
"How is this possible?" Elizabeth asked in wonder.
"Beats the hell out of me.  I never heard of a cancer that made ugly ass hats"
Dr. Burke said with a shrug.  "Anyway, let's close him up."
"Close me up??" Mark protested "Aren't you going to DO anything?"
"It's an ugly hat, you wouldn't want it" Dr. Burke reassured him.
"Oh, trust me, he WOULD" Elizabeth said darkly.
"Elizabeth!" Mark yelled.  God, of all times she was questioning his sense of
fashion. 
"Well, you're certainly not known for your excellent taste in hats." She
retorted. 
"Like YOU are?" Mark asked.  "I've never seen you out of scrubs"
"Yeah, I wear clothes. You should try it sometime" She rolled her eyes. 
"What does THAT mean? I thought you thought I was sexy!" Mark couldn't believe
his ears.  Why was she saying such things to him? 
"You look disgusting naked.  It's a good thing I drink." She sighed then "I
miss Peter, he was always nice to look at shirtless."
"Oh here we go again, Peter was SO handsome, Peter was so sexy, Peter could
maintain an erection..."
"Well he could!" Elizabeth shot back "God, Bob Dole keeps it up more than you
do."
"I got you pregnant didn't I?" He said smugly
She snorted involuntarily "You honestly think the baby is YOURS?"
"What do you mean, it's not MINE?" Mark yelled.  If he could get up he'd go
after her.  It's a shame that his skull was still open.
"It's mine" Dr. Burke spoke up. 
"YOURS??  You slept with my fiancee?!?!" Mark was getting enraged.  He wished
he could move.
"Yeah, baldy, how the hell do you think you got to have ME as your surgeon?"
Dr. Burke said winking at Elizabeth and giving her the once over. 
"Elizabeth, I don't want you sleeping with people to get me special treatment"
Mark began wearily.
"Get over yourself" She said shooting Mark a disgusted look. "So, Burkie, I
thought you were going to "slip"" she giggled with a pout in the direction of
the surgeon. 
"ELIZABETH!" Mark yelled "I can't believe you"
"I can't stand to see you naked.  I want to wash my eyes out with peroxide
every damn time you run around shirtless" She said shuddering "Besides, you're
a big dull dud"
"Don't worry, Elizabeth... I'll just make a little slip..." Dr. Burke trailed
off.

*********************
"NOOOO!" Mark awoke drenched in a cold sweat.  He looked to Elizabeth who
jerked out of sleep sitting in the chair next to him 
"You... you KILLED me!" Mark shouted at her.
"I... WHAT?" Elizabeth asked totally confused.  He must be hallucinating
again. 
"There wasn't a hat in my head?" Mark asked glancing around his hospital room
"A hat?" Elizabeth repeated "We saw a red hat on a few kids, remember, honey?"
"Yeah, it's okay" Mark responded "Just a dream... just a dream"

~ Susan (lilichild@aol.com)
Proud to be Head of the International Society of Carterholics Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/suechru/er/carterholic
"The answers we find are never what we had in mind so we make it up as we go
along" Nine Days  QUACK!