DISCLAIMER: These characters are not mine. I am making no money from them in no way. They belong to NBC, Warner Brothers, Constant C., Micheal Crichten ect. ARCHIVES: Sure! Just e-mail me first, telling were it's at.
A Time for Redirection
Part 2
~~~~~~~~~~ 2 months later
It was a glorious April morning with the sun shining and the birds singing. The light was emitting brightly in through the window casting a dim shadow over even the smallest items. In the opposite side of the room from the window layed a queen sized bed covered in crumpled sheets from a good nights rest. It was a elegant scene, almost like a dream. Beside the window stood an antique dresser covered in make-up, hair clips and hair spray. Behind this clutter of feminine supplies was placed a mirror. Standing infront of her bureau stood Lucy Knight, dressed in tight, deep dark blue jeans and a red turtle neck tang top. Her hair was cut into two short layers around the base and they were both curled under.
She had been influenced by John Carter to 'start over', new hair style, new wardrobe and a new apartment. Well maybe not a new apartment but a mint design to the old one. So yesterday, the two friends spent the day at the hair salon, the mall and her apartment rearranging her furniture. It was a innovative way to spend time with each other on their days off.
Walking into her kitchen to grab a water bottle from the fridge, Lucy almost ran into an arm chair in her living room. It had only been a day so she was getting used to her new floor plan.
After grabbing her 'Arctic Ice', she popped open the top and took a sip before heading back to her bedroom to grab her new shoes. Yesterday at the mall, she found the perfect shoes to go with all three of her new outfits. They where black, boot heals with a zipper along the side. They looked great on her. The only thing was that they cost $250. That was not the kind of money a medical student can spend on one pair of shoes. After John saw how much she liked them, he insisted on paying for the boots. After Ms. Knight kept on refusing since he had also bought her the clothes, he said that it would be inappropriate for her to pay since it was his idea to come. He also added in the tidbit about being let back into the family trust account.
Pulling the shoe box out from under her bed, she opened up the lid to the smell of new leather. Placing the footwear on the floor, she sat beside them and slid her feet into them. Just as she was grabbing her new, black, floor length, winter jacket out of her closet there was a knock at the door. Knowing it was John, she yelled from the back of the apartment, "Come In!"
"Hey Luce. Ready to go?" Dr. Carter yelled back.
"Almost. Give me a minute." John was driving her to work. Accompanying each other to there place of occupation had become a daily routine. Of all the times John had complained about how unsafe the EL could be, she was eventually influenced to find alternative means of transportation. John had a way of exaggerating something's, making big deals out things that were actually small. It was his way of showing that he cared. His way of telling her that she was special. He was the first person who really treated her like she was actually worth the time of day besides her mother in a long time.
A few seconds later, Lucy walked out of her room dressed in the same outfit and her new leather coat which reached all the way down to between her shin and knee. "My Lucy, you look stunning. I like the hair and the out fit. The place doesn't look half bad either."
Stepping past him to grab her purse she stops to playfully hit him in the shoulder. "Very funny, I mean it was only all your idea."
"What can I say. I don't care to take credit for my work. You're working the twelve hour shift with me today, right?"
"Uh, yeah. After work I was planning on going out to supper with Abby, Carol, Elizabeth, Chunni, you know, the girls. That is, if it's okay with you?" Lucy asks sarcastically. Ever since the accident, she had fallen into the female bonding circle of the County General Emergency Room staff. Not only had she found new friends but she had also grown two vital relationships. One was with Abby Lockhart, a third year medical student who had attained a close bond with Lucy Knight. She was to be considered Lucy's best female friend (She was definitely closer to John). Aside from friendship, Lucy and John had fallen back into their old trap of 'I'm a resident, you're a medical student so we have to pretend not to like each other, even though I'm falling madly in love with you'. They both had these feelings inside, afraid to bring them out.
"So in other words, you are all gonna go out to a restaurant and either drown your sorrows in failing relationships or make up a fantastic sex life."
"How come guys think that they know women so well. All you think we talk about is men. You're wrong we also talk about work and... work..."
"See you may not want to admit it but I know what you chat about during these 'feminine get together's'."
Walking under the threshold and locking the door, the two continue their discussion about the opposite sexes. "Yeah, and when you go out with the guys you all talk about women and their bra sizes. Women know about the men as well as men know about women." She snickers and winks heading down stairs to John's parked jeep with John not far behind her.
~~~~~~~~~~
The two friends are driving down the road, heading toward the hospital to start another strict day on the job.
Kerry Weaver had noticed that Lucy and John had become close and that they needed each others support so she scheduled them to work with each other. With the majority of their shifts overlapping, Carter would always come pick up Ms. Knight so she wouldn't have to take the EL or walk. He had a way of making things a lot easier for her. That is what she needed at the time. It was good that he knew her so well because he also knew when she wanted to be independent.
Pulling up to their awaited destination, Dr. Carter pulls onto the side of the street to his everyday parking location. Exiting the car along with Lucy, they enter through the ambulance bay. Simultaneously, they log into the computer and enter the staff lounge to find Abby Lockhart making herself a cup of coffee. "Hey guys. Want some?" she asks waving the half full coffee pot in the air.
Carter, unlike Lucy, accepts her invitation to the caffeine, feeling that she really didn't need a pick-me-up at the moment. After dressing in their lab coats, Ms. Knight and Dr. Carter step into the lives of medical professionals and continue to travel the road of treating and streeting. While walking back out to the ER, Lucy and Abby trot off. Lucy waves goodbye with out looking behind her. Acknowledging her point of not paying attention, John starts to check her out as she walks away, but not with out the one accounted witness, Abby Lockhart.
~~~~~~~~~~5 minutes later
Ms. Knight and Ms.Lockhart, assigned to the drug lockup, carefully sort through meds, dividing the narcotics and the antibiotics and putting them into their proper category. "I'm serious Lucy. He was staring at your ass. People do not gawk at friends. They gawk at crushes or spouses, not friends."
"Come on Abby... Are you serious... Cause I mean, if you are pulling my leg I will kill you."
"Do I look like I am kidding. I am one hundred percent on the ball, serious. This guy is falling for you."
After a moment of not speaking or moving Lucy makes eye contact with Abby and continues her sorting of prescription drugs, "How am I supposed to react to news like this?"
"Well, do you like him? There is a pretty good start."
"Do I like him?... Was he really staring at my ass?"
"Yes! Now answer the damn question!"
"Do I like him?... Lucy asks herself under her breath, "You know what, I think that I am attracted to him. Those feelings that were there before are back now that we are close again."
"Wow! Hold it! Again? As in there has been, something between you two before? And I never knew about it?"
"It was like, a year ago... No, more then that. I didn't even know you."
"Were you serious? I mean were you like diner and a movie serious?"
"We were not committed! We were... there was a short little fling. That is it."
"Details!"
"You are asking a LOT of questions."
"Answer them."
"Okay. The ER was a little chaotic, I don't know, maybe it was a full moon or something. Anyway, this Billy Blanks guy was teaching me taebo in an exam room, I kicked back and John opened the door. I nailed him right in the chest. He went flying through the window and hit himself in the head with a chart." Lucy starts laughing, reflecting on her memories. "A few nurses and I attach him to a backboard and ran some x-rays. Meanwhile we sit in about the only empty exam room, exam six. When the chest film comes back, I look at them and find no fracture so start to stitch up his head. He starts whining so I kiss it better. He gives the I'm a resident, you're a medical student speech and then, that is it. Just as things were getting hot, Chunni decides we were in there to long."
"She didn't walk in on you guys, did she?"
"No! How dumb do you think we are? We locked at least one of the doors." at this comment Abby bursts out laughing. "When she couldn't open one door she went around to the other, we locked it in her face. She caught on, blah, blah, blah. With in half hour the Cafeteria workers knew."
"And you didn't stay together because...?"
"John has a tendency to be a by-the-rules-kinda-guy."
"Do you think that there will be newfound love for you two?" Abby bugs Lucy.
"It would be quite the story for the grand kids, wouldn't it?" the two women laugh in unisom. "We were together once, but then we broke up. Then we got stabbed so fell back in love. Quite the tale."
"Yeah, if you want to scare the shit out of um."
~~~~~~~~~~11 hours and 55 minutes later
After a long shift, full of barfing children and infected wounds, John is ready to head home. Signing off on his last charts, he hands them off to Randi, "Discharged the food poisoning in three, sent the MI up to the ICU, stitched up the foot, hand and head lacerations and slinged the sprained arm in one. I am done for the day. I am going home. See you tomorrow Randi."
"See ya Dr. Carter." Leaving the hospital for the day, John paces towards his awaiting jeep.
Before he hits the end of the bay, his name is screamed out behind him "John! Hey John, wait up!"
Identifying the voice, John stops and turns around "Hey Luce. What's up? I thought that you were going out with 'the girls' so I was leaving with out you.
Pausing to catch her breath, Lucy speaks, "There was a change in plans."
"Oh, did everyone decide that since there is no men in there lives so they have absolutely nothing to talk about which leaves no point in going out?" Carter teases and starts them moving towards his black jeep.
Rolling her eyes, Ms. Knight changes the subject. "Can you drive me home please."
"Sure."
"What are you planning on doing tonight?"
"I was thinking about sitting down with a nice, cold, can of beer infront of the TV, maybe rent some movies. You know, the way normal bachelors spend a Saturday night. What about you? I'm guessing that you are no longer gonna go out with the gang, eh?"
"Tonight was supposed to be our special night were we all go out to a club or something but Hellah, Cleo and Chunni got stuck on the night shift to replace Carol Connie and Jing Mei who are out sick while Abby got a date. So if I were to still go it probrely be just Lily, Lydia, Elizabeth and I. We decided it is more fun with a extended group and called it a night before making it out of the hospital."
John starts leading the way to his black jeep, parked right around the corner. "So, did you study for your exam next week."
"Yeah. That is like, all I've been doing for the past three weeks." Carter and Lucy pull away from the vehicles parked status and head to her apartment a few blocks from County General. "I really think I got the whole thing down. You helped me a lot, with lending me the books and all... John?"
"Hmm?"
"These past few months... I don't know if I would of been able to get through these past few months if it wasn't for you. When I needed a friend you were there and when I needed a mentor you were there... I just wanted to tell you that it means a lot to me and I wanted to thank you."
After taking a few seconds to accept her gratefulness, John Carter replies, "You're welcome... You've been there for me to. I have no idea where I would be right now if you weren't as supportive as you are now." As they reached their destination, they grew silent. John does not turn off the engine or make any move to do such. "So... I'll see you tomorrow."
"Did you maybe want to come up for some coffee. Or are you really anxious to get home to that beer and television."
"You know, I can wait a while longer. Coffee sounds nice."
"Maybe a pizza?" Lucy asks hopefully.
"As long as you order it sardine-free." asks John jokingly.
"You got yourself a deal."
~~~~~~~~~~Upstairs
While John made himself at home in the living room, taking off his coat, setting it aside on the coach and putting his feet up on the adumin, Lucy gets them drinks from the kitchen. "John? Do you want water, coffee, juice, or a beer?"
"I'll take a cup of coffee please. What kinda pizza do you wanna get?" Carter screams back.
Lucy reenters the room carrying to mugs, "I really don't care. Just order the food, and pick a movie because I'm hungry and bored!"
John Carter approaches the phone, placed on the wall near the kitchen. "Which place do you get your from."
"Just a small place down the street. Great pizza though. The number is on speed dial." John stares at her with a mocking smile. "What?! I get take out a lot."
"If I were to guess which number you had on speed dial, it would not have been in anyway related to food. I would of guessed taebo would have a pretty good chance." Silence falls over the room as they both have a flashback of the previous year in exam six.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lucy: I don't see a broken rib. Maybe a hairline fracture.
Carter: Uh. I feel like an elephant sat on my chest.
Lucy: Well, just stay seated, okay. Don't get up.
Carter: Uh.
Lucy: How did you get that cut on your forehead?
Carter: I think I hit it with the chart.
Lucy: (laughs)
Carter: You've taken martial arts before.
Lucy: Karate... When I was like, seven.
Carter: Ouch.
Lucy: Oh, come on. It can't hurt that bad. It's tiny. It doesn't even need a stitch.
Carter: Ouch!
Lucy: Baby. There (kisses forehead) Better?
Carter: Much. (They start giving each other googly eyes) I'm a doctor. You're a student.
Lucy: Uh huh.
Carter: So we shouldn't be doing this.
Lucy: uh huh. (Lucy kisses Carter big time)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Back to present time
Lucy and John remove their pulsating stares towards each other and walk away. Ms. Knight makes the first move, "I think I will go and pick out a movie."
"I should call and order the pizza." After their dinner arrives, the two adults sit down on the sofa together with the pizza on the coffee table, box open. There are two cans of beer opened and they start the movie. Lucy, who happens to have a wide assortment of videos, went for the horror flick 'Seven', with Brad Pitt.
As the movie closes to an end and the closing credits appear, Carter stands up, "I'll put away the movie for you." He picks up the case, inserts the tape and opens her cabinet to put it inside. "Thanks for asking me in Luce. It definitely beat having to spend the whole night at my grandparents and listen to them fight."
"All we did was watch a movie and eat dinner."
"Exactly. Almost anything can get ahead on my list then spending time with grandmother and grandfather."
"If they bother you so much, why do you stay with them?"
"My gamma is okay as long as she isn't with my grandpa, and vise versa."
"I hope I'm not like that when I'm old. I want to find that one person and spend the rest of my life with them. Although I don't want to be 80 years old and asking for a divorce, I don't want to untie the knot a year after I tied it either."
"I know what you're saying..." John looks up from the ground and glares deep into Lucy's eyes for the second time that night. Not certain of where it might lead, decides it may be better to leave. "I should probrely go. It's getting late."
"Or, you could stay."
"Excuse me?" John asks slightly shocked of what she may be implying.
"On the couch. You could stay on the sofa. You had a bit to drink so I was wondering if you still wanted to drive?"
"I am okay Lucy. I only had half of a can. I am 100 percent my blood alcohol will be well under the legal limit."
"Right, well, I'll see you at work tomorrow." While Lucy says goodbye, John picks up his jacket from the chesterfield and heads towards the door.
"See'ya Luce."
As she closes the door behind him, Ms. Knight let out a deep breath. 'Was she flirting with John?' she asked herself. It wasn't like it was a bad thing, he was attractive, but this was her best friend. When they made out in that exam room over a year ago, there could of been something. They were just simply resident and medical student. Now, they were friends. The relationship that took a year and a half to build could be at stake. If there was going to be fling between them, she didn't want to risk it. If she were to go from friends to something more, she wanted something out of it and not just memories.
~~~~~~~~~~The next day at CCGH
"Randi? Are the chest films back on the pneumonia in curtain 3?" asked Dr. Carter to the Emergency Admittance desk clerk.
"Radiology is backed up." she responds, looking up from her magazine for only a second.
"I've been waiting almost three hours. Call them and tell 'em to speed it up please." John Carter walks around to the back of the desk so he is on the same side as Randi Fronczak.
"I already did. They said it would be at least another hour."
"An hour?!"
Hearing his pissed off tone, Randi glares up at him to defend herself, "Don't look at me. I'm just the messenger."
"Have you seen Lucy?"
"Why do you keep on looking towards me to do everything. I am a desk clerk. I clerk. My job is not to keep tabs on all the staff members in the hospital."
As he walks away he leaves her with one last comment, "No, just their personnel lives."
~~~~~~~~~~
"Miss, you have to change the dressing two times daily. If you don't, our wound may get infected so please, do not forget." Lucy lectures a young female patient in the suture room.
"I won't. Thank you Dr. Knight."
"It's Ms. Knight." the women does not correct herself, she just turns around, smiles and walks away. Snapping off her latex gloves, Lucy fallows in her tracks into the hallway. She stares down at her previous patients chart, reviewing her notes to correct her mistakes. As she rounds the corner across from the trauma rooms, towards curtain area three, Lucy runs smack into Carter.
"Whoa Luce! You should watch were you are going." John states, grasping her shoulders lightly at a distance.
Lucy, now looking up from the chart, smiling upwards at Dr. Carter, "Sorry. I just wanted to finish off this chart before I started on my next patient."
"You're on a roll today. You've been her three hours and already seen, what, twenty-five, thirty casualties."
She comments with a grin on her face, "It is only twenty-two and yes, I am on a roll. Ever since... February I've been taking it slow, but I feel like I can make a difference again, you know. Got my confidence back."
"That is good Lucy. Don't let anything slow you down."
"Thank you John." The two colleagues release their glares and go their separate ways.
Poking her head out form the behind the wall of the admit desk, Randi addresses Carter, "We got a triple MVA coming in with one pedestrian. This trauma is Greene's, Kovac's and yours."
Dr. Carter switching his direction of heading to the washroom to trotting to the ambulance bay. As he passes the administrative podium, he questions the clerk, "How far out?" John dresses in the proper sanitary clothing of gloves and a yellow sheet.
"ETA is three minutes." He walks outside to await for the oncoming ambulance with his fellow colleagues.
~~~~~~~~~~
Out of the eight victims involved in the crash, County received five and Mercy got one, while two where DOA. After sending two up for emergency surgery, losing one and shipping the other two up to the Intensive Care Unit, the four doctors, Luka, Mark, John and Kerry (who just happened to be on hand for the overflow) went to the lounge for some much needed coffee. The accident had been pretty severe and when something like this happened, when you had to see someone's life come to an end or maybe even slightly distraught, you try not to talk about it. You just sit down and try and clear it from your mind. Although sometimes it was hard to forget. Soon after, maybe ten minutes later, minor traumas started coming in and the doctors piled back out. Going back to work to do the exact same thing they do every day. Save lives.
Ever since the attack, Carter had been more vulnerable to death. Ever since he had been the one with a life threatening injury, he looked at the patients differently and the cases outcome. He had a different perspective on life. What if he had died on the cold, stiff floor? What if Lucy had died beside that frigid gurney? He realised that life could end at any time and if you hadn't accomplish all of your dreams, there was no point in living. He had to tell her. John had to tell Lucy how he felt.
~~~~~~~~~~Later that day
Striding past the Emergency Department drug lock up, John Carter spots his medical student, Lucy Knight. He stops to ask her something. "Hey. Have you ate diner yet. There are barely anymore patients and if you want, you can join me at Doc Magoos? My treat."
"Free, bland food? Sure, why not."
"Meet you in the lounge, say, ten minutes? We can walk over there together."
"Okay, thanks John." It seemed like Carter was constantly doing favours for Lucy. Driving her to work, buying her clothes, and dinners, not to mention staring at her behind, it was like he wanted a relationship. Maybe he had changed. Maybe he was no longer the same he was a year ago. Lucy needed to know if he was out for the same thing she was. She had to know if he had the same feelings for her as she had for him.
~~~~~~~~~~
