Daylight
Part Fourteen
By Cimerene
cimerene@gci.net

My version of E.R. alternative reality story starts right after the 2000 Season Finale. E.R.'s characters do NOT belong to me, but I do admit to borrowing them for a while. This fanfic is rated PG.   Previous versions can be found at http://www.geocities.com/cimerene/

My thanx and gratitude for Simonne, and Debbie for editing above and beyond the call of duty!

Previously on Cimerene's version of er: Kerry and John had a bad fight, then John stormed out, Kerry was so upset she took it out on Romano, (see desk cleaned out scene -part 12- for more details), then she quit. After taking her temper out on a nearby trashcan she proceeded to leave the building, then got mugged.  In part 13 we discovered that John was not at home when the attack happened.  Kerry is still in O.R. and still being operated on. John went home, but forgot to check his machine then went to bed.



"Jeanie, It's not necessary for you to come! Being sick is enough. Stay home, rest, and drink plenty of fluids. We don't want to risk infection to either you, or Kerry!" Mark spoke into the phone all the while watching the front doors of the emergency room, still no sign of Carter. He wished he knew where John was. He sighed then turned his attention back to the phone.

"No, if her condition gets any worse, I'll call you." Mark spoke forcefully into the phone. "Jeanie, trust me I'll call you."

He listened to the receiver for a few more minutes before speaking again. "Ok, how about this, I'll call you no matter what every few hours and give you all the details I have. Will that work?"

Mark's face bore a slight smile as Jeanie evidently gave him the answer he was looking for. He spoke one last time. "Ok, 2 hours then."

Mark hung up the phone, tired and worried. He looked up as he noticed Dr. Stafford walking through the doors. He had been on duty all evening, taking his breaks outside the O.R. followed closely by Abby, who looked like she was going to become his constant shadow.

Mark shook his head, as he glanced up at the board. He noticed Dave re-reading a chart. Then initialing it and place it on the ever growing stack by his elbow. 

"Working hard or hardly working." He asked him jokingly. For his efforts Dave just grunted. 

"One of the two." Mark watched as Dave picked up another chart and started reading it.  Mark glanced down to see that Dave was doing chart reviews. A job that normally Kerry would have had to yell at him half the night to do.

Mark picked up the next chart. "Need some help?" he asked, then started reading. Dave looked up, a small half smile on his face. "Thanx." He looked back down at the chart he was reading.

Neither one wanted to mention the vigil they were holding. Dave looked up long enough to read the time, then back to his chart review again. 

"We'll get an update as soon as possible." Mark said without looking up.

Dave grunted, initialed his chart, placed it on the growing stack then grabbed another.

30 minutes later


"OK, Anyone know where Carter lives?" Mark asked the young residents. He glanced around at the tired residents most of whom looked tired and overworked at the moment. The small group was huddled near the reception desk, it was near dawn and everyone was exhausted and worried. 

Mark's words caused a flurry of shaking heads, till Dave volunteered. "I thought he bought a house, somewhere near Highland Street."

"I thought he lived at his grandmothers." Luka said in his quiet way. He looked up from a chart he was reviewing. 

"I helped move Carol's couch over to his house once. I think it's on Highland and 3rd or something, it was a few months ago." Dave told Mark.

"Highland and 4th," Jing Mei told him in her brisk voice.

"Do we know where on Highland and 4th?" Mark asked, pinning Jing Mei with a stare. 

"No, but I can find out. He used the same real estate agent I did." She said quietly. 

"How do you know which real estate agent John used?" Dave asked her. He peered over her shoulder to the chart she was reading. Jing Mei turned and glared at him slightly. "I recommended him to John." She put down her chart, and briskly went off to her locker to produce the requisite phone number.

"Malucci, as soon as she gets that address, why don't you and Dr. Chen go over check on Carter, and by all means bring him back here!" Marks voice carried aggravation and irritation at John's extended absence.

30 minutes later


Abby tracked Erik to the roof, which made sense, as it was the quietest place she could find. The roof had become for most of the doctors a place of quiet. It was a place that seemed to represent peace and tranquility. A place to think, to absorb news, to ponder upon the problems that confused and perplexed them.

Abby quietly walked over to Erik, she stood close enough to touch him, close enough to breath the spicy cologne he always wore, close enough to see the pain and the tiredness etched upon his face.

"Erik?" she quietly said. "You OK?" She watched him run a hand through his dark hair.

Erik's face reflected his worry and uncertainty as he looked at Abby's pretty face. "I'm fine." He quietly told her.

Abby said nothing just continued to watch his face. "You still care about her." She told him quietly.

"When you love someone," Erik said quietly, looking up into the night sky, "You never stop caring, no matter how much pain you created, or even how wrong the love was in the first place. Somewhere deep in your heart you always care, even if you find new love." He shrugged his shoulder embarrassed at the words he had spoken.

Abby watched him for a few moments then nodded her head. While she and her ex still argued, deep in her heart she knew Erik was right. Somewhere somehow she would always care for Kevin.

Abby touched him gently on the shoulder and told him. "She'll be OK!"

Erik smiled softly to Abby and drew her into his arms. "I hope so." He leaned his head upon hers, and quietly held her for some time.



Dave peered through the dusky night the street sign he was looking for was nowhere in sight. 

"Are you sure this is the right address?" He asked Simonne. 

Simonne just nodded her head, forgetting in her nervous and sleepy state of mind that he wouldn't be able to see it. "It shouldn't be too much farther." She glanced out the window peering into the darkness.

Dave was glad he was able to persuade Jing Mei to switch with Simonne. Dave felt sheepish, almost like a love struck teenager, grateful for a stolen moment with her. He quickly glanced away from her and back to the road when she caught him looking at her. Inwardly she was pleased but she was positive she would never tell Dave that. On some level at some point in time she had stopped considering him a nuisance and had upgraded him from barely tolerable to almost pleasant.

She glanced up as Dave turned, "Third house down." He said softly.

Dave drove slowly in the darkness, wishing for more streetlights as he tried to locate John's Jeep.

"There!" he finally pointed. He turned into the driveway, and they exited his small car and walked up the short driveway.   

Dave looked at Simonne for a brief moment before knocking. They waited a few minutes, then knocked again. Simonne frustrated finally hit the doorbell several times before looking sheepishly at Dave. 

"What do we do now?" She asked as him, obviously John wasn't going to come to the door.

"I'm prepared." Dave told her quietly, she watched as he reached behind him for his wallet, and took out a blockbuster video card. 

"Watch and learn." He told her, then proceeded to break into John's house.