Vows and Promises
Part Six
By Susan
lilichild@aol.com

ARCHIVE: Sure, just tell me where
TIMELINE: Well, this part takes place in the summer before season 7 and goes from there, the other parts will take place later, it’ll make more sense once you read the fic.
SPOILERS: I don’t read ‘em. You shouldn’t either J That said, anything that I didn’t beyond the latest aired episode is pure speculation.
DISCLAIMER: The story is mine, the characters aren’t. They belong to Warner Brothers, don’t waste your time suing, I have no money
NOTE: This is part one of a series and is my first fic, be kind J Comments welcome
PREVIOUSLY: Doug and Carol got engaged (yes, again), and decided upon a post Thanksgiving wedding at the house in Seattle. Doug called Mark to share the good news and asked him to be his best man. Mark accepted, Chuni, Haleh, and Conni overheard and put two and two together so to speak and asked if they were right in their assumption. Mark told them yes, and the three nearly knocked him over hugging.
PREVIOUSLY: Doug and Carol became engaged “again”. They planned a post Thanksgiving wedding and the list of attendants became rather large. Susan Lewis was to be maid of honor and Mark best man.

“That’s it?” Elizabeth asked in astonishment.

“Well.. yes” Mark replied “You’re not mad?”

“Mark, no, of course not.” Elizabeth reassured him “Why would I be mad that you’re going to be walking in a wedding with a woman you never dated but wanted to?” Elizabeth had just heard the story from Mark about his “almost” relationship with Susan Lewis.

“Well, I don’t know” Mark started “Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

“Mark, of course I’m okay with it” Elizabeth promised “Do you get mad if I do a surgery with Peter Benton”

“Well, now that you mention it…” Mark teased.

Elizabeth playfully slapped him. Of course, she wasn’t upset about the news. She figured she might not want to see them together, but for the most part it appeared they were friends. Elizabeth just didn’t believe in jealousy. She had expected Mark to have dated before her, she certainly knew he had been married to Jen and she had suspected there had been others after Jen and before her.

“So you’re really okay with this?” Mark asked again

“I am positively, absolutely, fine with this.” Elizabeth reassured him again

“You know, I love you, right?” Mark questioned while taking her in his arms

“I know” Elizabeth said smiling and they fell into a kiss.

Just then Yosh came through the lounge door.

“Oops, sorry” Yosh said trying to back out.

“What is it Yosh?” Mark asked breaking apart from Elizabeth

Yosh was staring. “Oh, incoming multi-vicitim MVA” he said remembering why he went into the lounge in the first place.

“We’re coming” Elizabeth said as she and Mark headed for the ambulance bay.

PHOENIX

“Of course I’m okay with it, Carol” Susan reassured her yet again

“Are you really sure, Susan?” Carol asked yet again “I know he told you he loved you and that you broke up with Seth two months ago”

“He told me he loved me four years ago, Carol” Susan patiently explained. She really wished Carol would drop this. “You said yourself, he’s involved with someone else.”

“Yes, but will you be okay seeing them together?” Carol asked “I asked her to be a bridesmaid…”

“And that’s fine with me too, Carol” Susan stated. “I’m happy for Mark, we all know he’s had too much tragedy in his life.”

“Well… yes” Carol said, still unsure if Susan would be able to handle seeing Mark and Elizabeth together.

“I’m fine with it.” Susan responded again “I promise.”

“Okay, I believe you” Carol said, even though she didn’t fully believe Susan. If Susan wasn’t alone, she would be better able to trust her friend on this, but she knew that Susan was lonely, even if she wouldn’t say the words.

“So did you talk to Carter yet?” Susan asked changing the subject.

“No” Carol said “and I’m afraid to call him”

“Why?” Susan asked. She had heard of Carter’s attack through Carol.

“Didn’t I tell you?” Carol asked. “I’m sure I told you”

“Told me what?” Susan wondered “That he was attacked in the ER, yes you told me.” Susan had been shocked when she’d heard that. It had shocked her even more than when she heard of Mark’s attack years earlier. Maybe it was because no one had been killed when Mark was attacked.

“No, not that.” Carol responded. “What happened after, I thought I told you”

“No you didn’t tell me anything else?” Susan was starting to get impatient here and wondered just what Carol wanted to tell her

“Susan, you better sit down” Carol began

“You’re not kidding this time, are you?” Susan inquired, starting to worry.

“No, I’m not” Carol responded