<\/p>\n
Paramedics Kylie McCartney and Harry Littrell took a seat in the vacant employee lounge as fellow paramedic Kym Jennings ran down to the cafeteria to grab something to eat. Kylie sat silently as the table twirling a plastic fork between her fingers until Harry grabbed it out of her hand and pitched it into the nearby trash can.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo what\u2019s up, Ky? You aren\u2019t acting yourself tonight,\u201d Harry asked as he threw his feet up on the table and leaned back in his chair.<\/p>\n
Kylie\u2019s green eyes widened in surprise because it seemed AJ had not told Harry anything about what happened, which was rare for the usually vocal AJ. \u201cBrandy died,\u201d she said quietly while resting her elbows on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh God, what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was one of the victims in the MVA near Indian Valley, it seems she died instantly, which is a blessing in disguise considering all the injuries she sustained.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cGosh, I\u2019m sorry, Ky,\u201d Harry said sympathetically as he reached across the table to give her shoulder a supporting squeeze.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, Har,\u201d Kylie said with a grim smile. \u201cI\u2019m going to go find Josh real quick and see when he expects to be done here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Without waiting for a response, Kylie walked out of the room, hoping for the strength to get through telling her fianc\u00e9e the terrible news.<\/p>\n
\u201cJack!\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack Palmer looked up from the chart he was looking over to see Elizabeth O\u2019Brien storming towards him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, Elizabeth?\u201d he asked, rather resentfully. It was late, he was working overtime, and he was exhausted. He could tell she was pissed off about something, and he was not in any mood to hear her bitch about whatever it was.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me give you a little hypothetical question here \u2013 a woman is brought in from an MVA, LOC on the scene. Minor cuts and abrasions on body, but complains of no other symptoms. Do you still give her a thorough examination or take her word for it that she\u2019s not injured?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack frowned. \u201cI\u2019d examine her,\u201d he said slowly. \u201cIs this a trick question or something?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou tell me, Jack. I don\u2019t think it\u2019s tricky at all. When a trauma patient comes in, you examine her fully, no matter what. Better to be safe than sorry, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRight,\u201d Jack said. Suddenly, he began to realize where this was leading. \u201cElizabeth, is this about Bianca?\u201d Before she could answer, he went on, \u201cLook, I\u2019m sorry. I know I should have done the full examination, but she said not to. Normally I would examine a patient anyway, you know, but Bianca\u2019s a doctor herself, so I knew she knew whether she was okay or not. I just wanted to respect her wishes, since she\u2019s a colleague and a friend of mine. But I\u2019m sorry; it won\u2019t happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt better not,\u201d Elizabeth said sharply. \u201cBecause you know what, Jack? Your irresponsibility and poor judgment could have killed someone tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack looked up at her in fear. \u201cWhat? Did something-\u201c<\/p>\n
\u201cBianca\u2019s upstairs in the OR right now, undergoing emergency surgery to repair the abdominal bleeding you could have caught hours ago,\u201d Elizabeth snapped.<\/p>\n
Jack\u2019s mouth dropped open in shock. \u201cOh my God! Is\u2026 is she going to be okay??\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cProbably, but there\u2019s no guarantee,\u201d Elizabeth said. \u201cI do know that her chances would be better if she had been sent up to surgery when she was brought in, when you were supposed to have been examining her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack hung his head. \u201cGod, I\u2019m sorry, Elizabeth. I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d There wasn\u2019t much more he could say than that; he felt absolutely horrible. No longer was it just a small error on his part. Elizabeth was right \u2013 his bad decision could have killed Bianca. And she wasn\u2019t out of the woods yet by any means.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you need to tell Bianca that, not me,\u201d Elizabeth said. Her tone softening, she said, \u201cHayley, one of the surgical nurses, has promised to call down here as soon as she\u2019s out of the OR. I\u2019m sure everything will be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack nodded, feeling completely numb. It wasn\u2019t as if he hadn\u2019t made mistakes before, but this was one of the worst he had. He had lost patients before, but never on account of his own irresponsibility. And if his first one ended up being one of his friends, he didn\u2019t know what he would do. If Bianca died because of him, it could damage his career. But more importantly, it could ruin his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, good, Ky, there you are,\u201d said Josh, entering the staff lounge on the ER floor, where Kylie sat, sipping a cup of coffee. Sitting down at the table with her, he asked, \u201cSo, what did you need to talk about?\u201d<\/p>\n
Kylie pursed her lips grimly. Resting her hand on top of Josh\u2019s, she slowly began, \u201cJosh, something bad has happened.\u201d<\/p>\n
The color drained from Josh\u2019s face. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d he asked, his voice scarcely a whisper.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Brandy. She was involved in that big car accident tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, God. She\u2026 she\u2019s okay, right?\u201d Josh asked. A lump rising in her throat, Kylie shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cAJ was the first to get to her. She was already dead. She had a major head injury. She died instantly, no pain,\u201d Kylie said softly.<\/p>\n
Josh nodded sadly, running his hands down his cheeks tiredly. \u201cSomehow, I knew that,\u201d he murmured. \u201cI knew she was dead, even before you actually said it.\u201d He sighed. \u201cDoes Darrin know?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know. He was working still when we left, and we decided not to tell him until things calmed down. I\u2019m sure someone from the hospital has told him by now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to call him. God, just think of what he\u2019s going through. I can\u2019t imagine it at all, what it would be like to lose the love of your life.\u201d He looked into Kylie\u2019s eyes and squeezed her hand. \u201cIf it was you, I don\u2019t think I\u2019d be able to go on.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kylie smiled sadly. \u201cMe either.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what about little MacKayla? Her mommy\u2019s dead.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMacKayla\u2026 she\u2019s still at my apartment with Addie. Addie doesn\u2019t know about any of this yet either,\u201d Kylie said. \u201cI need to head home and tell her. I suppose we\u2019ll probably keep MacKayla at our place overnight. Either that, or you can take her. I doubt Darrin will want to drive all the way over here to pick her up. He needs some time alone anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Josh nodded. \u201cYeah,\u201d he said. \u201cLet\u2019s both go to your place. You can talk to Addie, and I\u2019ll call Darrin from there. We\u2019ll get some arrangements made for MacKayla.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u201d Kylie said. \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hand in hand, they left the lounge and headed for the parking lot.<\/p>\n
\u201cHayley, is there anyone waiting up here for Bianca Parker?\u201d Holli Brunson asked nurse Hayley Aldworth.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, her boyfriend, AJ McLean, is in the room across the hall,\u201d Hayley replied, pointing to the waiting room. \u201cEverything go okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFine,\u201d Holli replied brusquely, walking across the hall to the waiting room. She opened the door and found a dark-haired man sitting in one of the chairs, his chin in his hands. He was still dressed in his navy blue paramedic uniform. \u201cMr. McLean?\u201d<\/p>\n
AJ looked up quickly. \u201cHow\u2019s Bianca?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cDr. Parker\u2019s in recovery now. Her surgery was successful, and I expect her to make a complete recovery,\u201d Holli said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow bad was the damage?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was some minor damage to her liver, which we repaired, but we had to remove her spleen,\u201d Holli replied. \u201cIf you\u2019d like to see her, you can visit her in recovery for about ten minutes, no longer. She needs her rest.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d AJ said and decided not to ask any more questions. He did not personally know Holli Brunson well, but he had heard more than enough about her from Bianca and other members of the hospital staff. They all said the same thing \u2013 her surgical skills were excellent; her personality was not. She was not the kind of person he wanted to deal with.<\/p>\n
Holli left, and AJ waited until she was gone to leave the waiting room. He stopped at the nurses\u2019 station and asked the tall red-head, Hayley, where the recovery room was.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome with me. I\u2019ll show you,\u201d she said kindly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks,\u201d AJ said gratefully and followed her down the hall.<\/p>\n
Jack was sitting in the lounge, his head in his hands, when Bianca\u2019s med student, Justin Timberlake, came in, his feet dragging.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust need a cup of coffee,\u201d he mumbled, heading straight for the coffee pot.<\/p>\n
Jack glanced at his watch. It was three in the morning, and Justin had been there for nearly five hours, not counting the twelve hours he had worked earlier. The action in the ER was finally dying down, and the regular night shift was covering things.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can go home now, Timberlake,\u201d Jack said tiredly.<\/p>\n
Justin set down the coffee pot. \u201cYou sure?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYup. The night shift\u2019s got things covered. Go home and get some sleep; you\u2019ve got the night shift tomorrow, right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Justin said. He went to his locker and traded his stethoscope and lab coat for a light jacket. \u201cWell, see you tomorrow night, Dr. Palmer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYup,\u201d Jack said absently. \u201cSeven p.m.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201dOkay. Goodnight,\u201d Justin said. He started to leave the lounge and then stopped. \u201cYou\u2019re not going home yet?\u201d he asked, turning back to Jack.<\/p>\n
Jack raked a hand through his short brown hair. \u201cNo, not yet. I\u2019m waiting for an update on Bianca.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOhh,\u201d Justin said knowingly. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNot your fault,\u201d Jack replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell\u2026 see ya,\u201d Justin said hesitantly and continued on his way, leaving Jack alone in the lounge.<\/p>\n
He was not alone for long though. Moments later, a disheveled AJ McLean came in.<\/p>\n
\u201cAJ\u2026 how is she?\u201d Jack asked cautiously, unable to read AJ\u2019s expression.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s gonna be all right,\u201d AJ said. \u201cI just saw her in recovery. She\u2019s groggy and in pain, but she\u2019s all right.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank God,\u201d Jack said, releasing his breath in a long sigh of relief. \u201cListen, AJ, this is all my fault. I know this isn\u2019t enough, but I\u2019m so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
AJ shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t blame you, man,\u201d he said. \u201cBianca\u2019s stubborn and independent; she likes to have her way, and she doesn\u2019t like to be treated like an invalid. It\u2019s not your fault she convinced you that she was fine; she\u2019s good that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jack smiled slightly. \u201cThanks, but I still feel horrible about it. A lot of patients come in here that aren\u2019t exactly thrilled to be poked and prodded, but we do it anyway. That\u2019s our job. I shouldn\u2019t have let my relationship with her get in the way of doing my job.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. It\u2019s over and done with,\u201d AJ said. \u201cI\u2019m just glad she\u2019s going to be okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMe too,\u201d Jack replied softly. \u201cMe, too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you off yet, Jack? You really look like you could use some sleep,\u201d AJ commented.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, I\u2019m off. I was just waiting around for word on Bianca,\u201d Jack said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, now you have it, so get your ass home and get to bed. You look like shit,\u201d said AJ, flashing Jack a teasing smile.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks, AJ,\u201d Jack said dryly, smiling back. He hauled himself up from the couch he was seated on and went to his locker. Pulling his jacket on over his scrubs, he said goodnight to AJ and left the lounge, wanting nothing more than to slide beneath his covers and forget about this whole horrible night.<\/p>\n
Howie Dorough awoke to the sound of his doorbell ringing, over and over again.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat the hell?\u201d he mumbled, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. He glanced at his clock. \u201cFive in the morning? Who the hell would be here at-\u201d Suddenly, his eyes widened. \u201cOh no!\u201d<\/p>\n
Leaping out of bed, he fled from his bedroom and raced down the stairs, shouting, \u201cComing!\u201d<\/p>\n
He flung open the front door and smiled sheepishly at the woman standing on his front porch, drenched from the rain that was steadily falling.<\/p>\n
\u201cMorning, Sophie. Come on in,\u201d he said, stepping back to let her in. Realizing she was alone, he asked, \u201cWhere\u2019s Dani?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s asleep in the car,\u201d said Sophie McCallister, glaring at Howie as she entered the house. She dropped a pink duffle bag on the tiled floor. \u201cThere\u2019s her stuff. You<\/em> can go out into the pouring rain<\/em> and bring Danielle in,\u201d she spat, enunciating the words \u2018pouring rain\u2019 as she ran her hands through her hair, which had been dampened and flattened by the rain.<\/p>\n \u201cSophie, I\u2019m sorry. I overslept,\u201d Howie apologized.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d think you\u2019d remember your own daughter,\u201d Sophie shot back.<\/p>\n Howie sighed. Why did Sophie always have to make him feel like a horrible father? He couldn\u2019t help that he worked all the time; they both did. He couldn\u2019t help that the judge had given her custody of their daughter, Danielle, after their divorce three years earlier, giving him only every other weekend to see her. He always made sure to have that weekend off work so he could spend every minute with her, and he tried to be the best father he could. But that just never seemed to be enough for his ex-wife.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t forget; my alarm just didn\u2019t go off. Must be broken or something,\u201d Howie said.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Right.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou want some coffee or something?\u201d he offered.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I need to go. I have a flight to catch,\u201d she replied. \u201cNow come on and get Dani so I can get to the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n Howie nodded, quickly tugged on a pair of shoes, and followed her out the door. Sophie was flying to Boston that morning on business and leaving six-year-old Danielle in Howie\u2019s care. She wouldn\u2019t be back until late Saturday night and had told Howie she would pick up Danielle Sunday morning. That gave Howie five whole days to spend with her, rather than his usual two.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s in the back,\u201d Sophie called, hurriedly climbing into her car to get out of the rain. Shivering in just his boxers, Howie flung open the back door of the car and leaned in to get Danielle, who was sprawled out across the backseat, sound asleep. He scooped her into his arms, trying not to wake her, and grabbed a corner of her pillow in between two of his fingers. He hurriedly closed the door with his foot and hurried back up to the porch, trying to keep Danielle out of the rain.<\/p>\n Sophie gave him a short wave and started the car, backing quickly out of the driveway. Howie shifted Danielle over his shoulder and fumbled with his doorknob. He finally got into the house and carefully carried Danielle upstairs to her bedroom. As he lay her down in bed, she stirred, and her dark brown eyes opened.<\/p>\n \u201cHi, Daddy,\u201d she said sleepily.<\/p>\n \u201cMorning, baby,\u201d Howie said, bending over to kiss her cheek. \u201cListen, it\u2019s early in the morning, so you go back to sleep, okay? You have another two hours before you have to get up for school.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Danielle mumbled, rolling over and closing her eyes. She was out within a few minutes. Pulling the covers up around her, Howie gave her another kiss and left the room, ready to get back to bed himself.<\/p>\n \u201cDaddy? Daddy?\u201d<\/p>\n Howie moaned and opened his eyes. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was only six-thirty. He still had another half an hour to sleep until he had to get Danielle up for school. Rolling over, he found Danielle standing beside his bed, sucking her thumb.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, sweetie?\u201d he asked. Danielle had quit sucking her thumb two years ago, when she was four. Now she only did it when she was scared, sick, or sleepy.<\/p>\n \u201cMy head hurts,\u201d she said, her hand absently rubbing the side of her head.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me see. Did you bump it?\u201d Howie asked, sitting up to inspect Danielle\u2019s head.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I have a headache,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n \u201cOh. Well, come here, Daddy will get you some Tylenol to make it feel better,\u201d Howie said, getting out of bed and leading Danielle into his bathroom, where he was hoping he still had some Children\u2019s Tylenol around. But, searching through his medicine cabinet, he discovered he did not. All he had was regular Tylenol capsules, and those were too strong and too hard to swallow for Danielle. She needed one of the grape chewable kind.<\/p>\n \u201cDani, I don\u2019t have any medicine. How bad does it hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBad,\u201d she whined.<\/p>\n He sighed. \u201cBaby, I\u2019m sorry, but there\u2019s not much I can do about it now. Go back to bed, and we\u2019ll see how it is in a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Danielle said grudgingly, plodding off back to bed.<\/p>\n Yawning, Howie went back to his own bedroom and sank beneath the sheets of his bed, grateful for another half-hour of sleep. He closed his eyes and fell back to sleep in just minutes.<\/p>\n Right at seven o\u2019clock, Howie\u2019s alarm went off, startling him from his sleep. Groaning, he shut the alarm up and pulled himself out of bed. He padded down the hall to Danielle\u2019s room to find her sound asleep in bed. She looked so peaceful that he didn\u2019t want to wake her.<\/p>\n Lightly, he touched her forehead, to see if she had a fever. If she was really sick, he wouldn\u2019t make her go to school. But she felt normal.<\/p>\n \u201cDanielle,\u201d he whispered, gently shaking her. \u201cDani, wake up. It\u2019s time to get up for school.\u201d<\/p>\n Danielle slowly opened her eyes. \u201cDo I have to?\u201d she moaned.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes your head still hurt?\u201d Howie asked.<\/p>\n Danielle thought about it for a moment. \u201cA little,\u201d she finally answered.<\/p>\n Howie pursed his lips, trying to decide what to do. He didn\u2019t want her to be miserable at school, but he also didn\u2019t want to keep her home for just a little headache. Besides, he had to work a shift in the afternoon and didn\u2019t want to have to bring her to the daycare at the hospital unless he absolutely had to.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I think you should try to go to school,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m sure your headache will be gone by the time you get there. And if it gets worse, just tell your teacher, and you can come home. I don\u2019t have to go to work until afternoon, so I\u2019ll be around to come pick you up if you need me to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201dOkay,\u201d Danielle replied.<\/p>\n \u201cYou get dressed and come on downstairs. I\u2019ll make breakfast,\u201d Howie said. He started for the door and then stopped. Turning around he added, \u201cAnd no stalling, young lady.\u201d He smiled, and Danielle grinned back. Then he went downstairs to start breakfast.<\/p>\n Isabel Rivera walked into the lobby of Atlantic City Memorial, ready to start her second day. She was much calmer and relaxed that day, and she couldn\u2019t help but smile as she thought of how rushed and jittery she had been the previous morning.<\/p>\n She passed through the lobby and went down the hall that led to the ER. Standing just in front of the double doors marked Emergency Room was a familiar-looking blonde man.<\/p>\n \u201cNick?\u201d she asked, coming up behind him.<\/p>\n Nick Carter turned around in surprise, his blue eyes lighting up when he saw her. \u201cHey, Isabel!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, how\u2019s it going? Ready for our second day?\u201d<\/p>\n Nick nodded. \u201cYou bet. So, how did the rest of your day go yesterday? Did you finally get to see some patients?\u201d<\/p>\n Isabel nodded. \u201cYup, a few. My first was a seventeen-year-old boy that was in a car accident. He might be paralyzed from the waist down.\u201d Her smile faded as she thought of Caleb, the charismatic football player she had spent hours talking to the night before.<\/p>\n \u201cOh man. That really sucks,\u201d Nick said glumly.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Isabel agreed. \u201cHe\u2019s scheduled to go through some tests today to find out how bad it is. Hopefully it\u2019s not permanent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Poor kid.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick pulled back one of the doors and held it open for Isabel to go through, then followed her into the ER.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, how was your<\/em> day?\u201d Isabel asked him as they walked down the busy hall to the staff lounge.<\/p>\n \u201cIt went pretty well. I got to see a few patients, too,\u201d Nick replied. \u201cIt\u2019s kind of tough, seeing all those people so sick or hurt. But I guess you get used to it, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n Isabel smiled. \u201cYeah, I guess so.\u201d<\/p>\n They reached the staff lounge and went inside, immediately going to the lockers they had been assigned. \u201cHey, you got any plans for lunch?\u201d Isabel asked suddenly, spinning her combination lock.<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026 no, not yet,\u201d Nick replied, banging on his locker in an attempt to unjam it. Why was it that the med students got stuck with the crappy lockers?<\/p>\n \u201cWell, you wanna maybe do lunch together? I saw a little Chinese place just down the street from that caf\u00e9 we were all in yesterday,\u201d Isabel said.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, sure, that sounds great,\u201d Nick replied. \u201cWhat time do you want to try to meet?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUm\u2026 how about sometime around noon? Down by the gift shop?\u201d she suggested.<\/p>\n \u201cSure. I\u2019ll see you then,\u201d Nick said, grinning at her.<\/p>\n Isabel returned his smile. \u201cOkay then. See ya, Nick.\u201d She slammed her locker closed, draped her stethoscope around her neck, and left the lounge.<\/p>\n Grinning from ear to ear, Nick tried his own locker again. This time, it flew open with ease. He pulled on his white lab coat, slung his stethoscope around his neck, and walked out of the lounge to find Dr. Littrell, still smiling.<\/p>\n \u201cGood morning, Dr. Littrell,\u201d said Nick a few minutes later, coming up to Dr. Littrell, who stood at the admit desk, hunched over something.<\/p>\n \u201cMorning, Nick,\u201d Dr. Littrell replied, sounding distracted and hurried. He barely even looked up from the chart he was reading.<\/p>\n Nick frowned. \u201cIs something wrong, Dr. Littrell?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n He pursed his lips together. \u201cWell, Bailey\u2019s test results came in last night, right after you left.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick\u2019s heart began to thud. He could tell by the look on the doctor\u2019s face that they didn\u2019t turn out well. He wasn\u2019t sure why he cared so much; he barely knew Bailey and thought of her as a snotty little brat. But for some reason, he couldn\u2019t help but care. Bailey was his first patient and, despite being a brat, was only an eleven-year-old kid. She didn\u2019t deserve whatever the tests determined she had.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat is it?\u201d Nick asked.<\/p>\n \u201cLeukemia,\u201d Dr. Littrell replied grimly.<\/p>\n Nick\u2019s heart sank, for Bailey\u2019s sake. \u201cPoor kid,\u201d he said softly.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, poor kid is right,\u201d Dr. Littrell echoed.<\/p>\n \u201cDoes she know yet?\u201d Nick asked, looking up into Dr. Littrell\u2019s serious blue eyes.<\/p>\n He shook his head. \u201cI could have told her late last night, when I found out, but I didn\u2019t think it needed to be said yet. I didn\u2019t want to tell her right before bed, give her nightmares. I figured it could wait till morning.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick nodded. \u201cSo, is that our job, to tell her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, yes. We\u2019ll break the news to her, and then Dr. Sterling, the oncologist, will be down to explain things further to her. Then she\u2019ll be moved upstairs to oncology once they get a bed for her, and she\u2019ll be out of our care.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick bit his lip. \u201cSo\u2026 when are we telling her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight now.\u201d<\/p>\n When Brian and Nick got to Bailey\u2019s room, there was a man and a woman with her.<\/p>\n \u201cMr. and Mrs. Cole?\u201d asked Brian.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m Patricia Jenkins, and this is my husband, Brad. We\u2019re Bailey\u2019s foster parents,\u201d the woman explained.<\/p>\n \u201cOhh, all right. Well, I\u2019m Dr. Littrell, and this is Nick Carter. We\u2019ve been treating Bailey,\u201d Brian said, introducing himself and Nick. \u201cAs I\u2019m sure you know, we ran some tests on Bailey yesterday. We got the results back last night. I\u2019m very sorry, but the tests show that Bailey has a form of leukemia.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh dear,\u201d gasped Patricia, turning to look at her foster daughter with wide eyes. Then she exchanged a worried glance with her husband.<\/p>\n \u201cBailey, leukemia is a disease of the blood. It\u2019s a type of can-\u201c<\/p>\n \u201cI know what it is,\u201d Bailey snapped, glaring at Brian. \u201cI\u2019m going to die, aren\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHopefully not. This type of leukemia is treatable. Many people who get it don\u2019t die,\u201d Brian said. \u201cYou\u2019re lucky.\u201d<\/p>\n Bailey snorted. \u201cOh yeah, right. I have leukemia. You call that lucky?? Feel free to trade me places.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe means you\u2019re lucky to have this type instead of another kind of cancer,\u201d Nick inserted, glancing at Brian. He gave him a quick smile of gratitude and nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, how do you go about treating this exactly? Will she need chemo?\u201d asked Brad, Bailey\u2019s foster father.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, chemo is the first method of treatment we usually use,\u201d Brian said.<\/p>\n \u201cSo will she have to stay in the hospital?\u201d Patricia asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYes. We\u2019ll move her up to the oncology floor later today, and she\u2019ll be transferred to another doctor, an oncologist, who will be able to treat her better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long will she have to stay?\u201d Patricia grilled.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure. That\u2019s up to her oncologist. Probably until she goes into remission though, which could take a few weeks or even months,\u201d Brian answered.<\/p>\n Patricia and Brad exchanged glances again.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if you have any more questions, Dr. Sterling, the oncologist, will talk to you later, once Bailey has been moved upstairs. She\u2019ll be able to tell you more than I can,\u201d Brian said. \u201cAgain, I\u2019m very sorry to have to break this news to you.\u201d<\/p>\n Brad and Patricia nodded, while Bailey just sat there, staring down at her hands, which were clasped tightly over her covers. \u201cThank you, Dr. Littrell,\u201d Patricia said, shaking his hand quickly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome,\u201d Brian said, nodding at her. Then he started toward the door.<\/p>\n \u201cGood luck, Bailey,\u201d Nick said, offering Bailey a gentle smile. Bailey looked up and scowled at him. Keeping the smile pasted on his face, Nick just turned and followed Brian out the door. He had to admit, he was more than ready to be free of Bailey.<\/p>\n At eleven-thirty, Howie was just stepping out of the shower. As he lazily dried himself off, the phone rang. Wrapping his towel around his waist, Howie grabbed the phone that was mounted in the spacious bathroom.<\/p>\n \u201cDorough residence,\u201d he answered.<\/p>\n \u201cMr. Dorough, this is Nurse Kimball from Cannon Elementary School. I\u2019m calling about your daughter, Danielle.\u201d<\/p>\n Inwardly, Howie groaned, figuring he was going to have to take Danielle to work with him after all. \u201cIs she sick?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, she fainted in P.E. class,\u201d the nurse replied.<\/p>\n \u201cFainted?!\u201d Howie exclaimed. \u201cWhat was she doing??\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe students were playing dodgeball, and according to her teacher, she just collapsed. She lost consciousness only momentarily, and now I have her lying down in my office. She\u2019s complaining of dizziness and a headache.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, she had a headache this morning,\u201d Howie said, cursing himself for sending Danielle to school. \u201cDid she get hit in the head with the ball or something, or did she just collapse?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe said she didn\u2019t get hit,\u201d the nurse replied.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay\u2026\u201d Howie said, sighing worriedly. \u201cWell, I\u2019ll be there in a few minutes to pick her up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. Goodbye, Mr. Dorough.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBye,\u201d Howie replied, hung up, and quickly finished drying himself off.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, what happened, sweetheart? Did you just get dizzy?\u201d Howie asked, taking his eyes from the road to Danielle, who sat next to him in the passenger seat of the car.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Danielle said, her voice tiny.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, how do you feel now? Still dizzy?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo\u2026 but my head still hurts,\u201d Danielle replied.<\/p>\n Howie bit his lip. He was worried about her. He wondered if he should take a sick day and just keep her at home, not wanting to abandon her at the hospital\u2019s daycare center. But then again, if he was going to bring her to the hospital, he could get Brian to check her out before his shift started. Brian Littrell was one of his good friends; he could surely find time for a quick exam, even just to soothe Howie\u2019s nerves.<\/p>\n Some might have called him an overreacting father, but he knew that six-year-olds didn\u2019t just pass out for no reason. And he was worried that the reason might be more than just over-exertion in gym class.<\/p>\n Howie drove silently, turning off the highway onto the street that led to his neighborhood.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re almost home, Dani,\u201d he murmured absently, his attention focused on the road in front of him.<\/p>\n \u201cDaddy\u2026\u201d she moaned.<\/p>\n Glancing quickly at her, he asked, \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, baby? You feel sick?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2026\u201d Danielle trailed off, and Howie took his attention off her briefly to glance at the road. He looked back just in time to see Danielle\u2019s dark eyes roll back into her head and her hands clench in tight fists.<\/p>\n \u201cDani!\u201d he cried, as her body went rigid and started to jerk in convulsions. His mind racing, Howie began to panic. What should he do? Pull over and try to help her or get her to the hospital as soon as possible.<\/p>\n He opted for the second option, knowing he couldn\u2019t stop her seizure, and jerked the steering wheel to his left, pulling a sharp U-turn on the road. Cars honked, brakes slammed, but Howie didn\u2019t care. He was blind to the other traffic. Pushing the pedal to the floor, he gunned the engine and sped off down the road.<\/p>\n To his relief, when he made it back to the intersection, the highway was nearly clear. He slowed enough to let one car pass by and then made a quick turn onto the highway and sped up again. His speedometer rose to sixty-five, then seventy, but Howie made no attempt to slow. He just prayed that the traffic cops were on their lunch breaks, as he continued to drive fifteen miles over the speed limit.<\/p>\n But then, up ahead, he saw the stoplight change from green to yellow. The cars in front of him began to slow, and Howie had no other choice but to slow with them. Beside him, Danielle\u2019s thrashing slowed, then finally ceased.<\/p>\n \u201cDani? Dani?\u201d he asked, letting go of the wheel while he was stopped to grab her shoulder. \u201cDani, wake up. Open your eyes, sweetheart. Danielle? Come on, sweetie, wake up,\u201d he urged, gently shaking her.<\/p>\n The light changed, and Howie grabbed the wheel and pressed the accelerator down again. \u201cWe\u2019re almost there, Dani,\u201d he murmured, gripping the wheel so tightly it hurt. \u201cAlmost there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHelp! I need some help, please!\u201d Howie cried, as he burst through the double doors of the ER, carrying a limp, unconscious Danielle.<\/p>\n \u201cHowie?\u201d asked JC Chasez in surprise. \u201cHere, bring her in here,\u201d he said, leading Howie to one of the exam rooms.<\/p>\n Howie lay Danielle down on the gurney in the room. \u201cThis is my daughter, Danielle Dorough. She just had a seizure in the car.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d JC said. Turning towards the door of the room, he called out, \u201cI need a nurse in here!\u201d<\/p>\n Moments later, nurse Melissa Ruffino came into the room. \u201cWhat do we got?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cDanielle Dorough, Howie\u2019s daughter. She had a seizure,\u201d JC said. \u201cPulse is thready, breathing shallow. Pupils are sluggish. Get her started on oxygen and Dilantin and order a chem panel, CBC, and lytes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure thing,\u201d Melissa said.<\/p>\n \u201cTemp\u2019s normal,\u201d Lance said.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you know if she took anything?\u201d JC asked Howie without looking at him.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I know she didn\u2019t. She\u2019s been at school. She was complaining of a headache all morning, and then she passed out at school. I was on my way home from picking her up,\u201d Howie replied.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, I\u2019m going to run a neuro exam,\u201d JC said.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think it might be some kind of neurological disorder? Like epilepsy or something?\u201d Howie asked. He was a paramedic, not a neurologist, so he wasn\u2019t really familiar with the symptoms of epilepsy.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no way to say at this time. It\u2019s a possibility though, with her symptoms,\u201d JC said.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Howie said, running a hand through his thick, dark hair and sighing heavily.<\/p>\n \u201cHowie, maybe you should go sit in chairs. I\u2019ll come get you when we know more or when she wakes up, okay?\u201d JC suggested.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right,\u201d Howie replied with some reluctance. \u201cBut please, let me know the minute she wakes up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will,\u201d JC promised.<\/p>\n Howie nodded and hesitantly left the room and took a seat in one of the chairs in the hall across it. Melissa shut the door behind him, sealing him off from his daughter.<\/p>\n At noon, Isabel was wandering aimlessly through the gift shop in the lobby, waiting for Nick to come so they could go to lunch. She came to a display of stuffed animals and saw a stuffed, plush football. It made her think of Caleb. She wondered if he would ever be able to play football again. The results of the tests he was probably undergoing right at that moment would determine that.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Isabel.\u201d<\/p>\n Isabel turned around to find that Nick had come into the gift shop. She hadn\u2019t even noticed him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou ready to go?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n Isabel smiled. \u201cYup, let\u2019s go,\u201d she said. The two of them left the hospital and started down the street, heading for the Chinese restaurant Nick had spoken of that morning.<\/p>\n The restaurant was not crowded, so they got a table and ordered right away. As they waited for their food to come, Isabel struck up a conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, what kind of stuff are you into? Do you play any sports?\u201d He had an athlete\u2019s build \u2013 tall and somewhat muscular. She could see him as a football or basketball player.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, basketball,\u201d he said. \u201cI used to play in high school, but now it\u2019s just for fun. I\u2019m really into computers and video games, too. And music.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMusic?\u201d Isabel\u2019s eyes lit up. \u201cI love music, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? Do you sing?\u201d Nick asked with interest.<\/p>\n \u201cSomewhat. I mean, I like to sing, but I don\u2019t do it seriously. Just for a hobby. Dance is what is really my thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally? What kind of dance do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, everything. Pointe\u2019s my main thing, but I like Latin dancing, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick grinned. \u201cThat\u2019s cool!\u201d he said. \u201cWhat other kind of stuff do you do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI ran track and played volleyball in high school, like your basketball. And I used to play the flute, too. Do you play any instruments?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDrums,\u201d Nick replied. \u201cAnd I sing, too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWow, cool. Hey, you could start a band!\u201d Isabel said, laughing.<\/p>\n Nick chuckled, his cheeks growing pink. \u201cThis is gonna sound stupid, but I used to actually want to be a rock star,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not stupid at all! I mean, who doesn\u2019t want to be a celebrity? I always thought it would be cool to be like Jennifer Lopez. Dancer, actress, and singer.\u201d<\/p>\n Nick smiled. \u201cThat would be cool.\u201d Jokingly, he added, \u201cWhen I start my rock band, you can be the lead singer.\u201d<\/p>\n Isabel giggled. \u201cYou got it, Carter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDr. Chasez, she\u2019s waking up,\u201d commented Melissa, motioning to Danielle. Glancing over at the bed, JC saw that the little girl indeed was beginning to regain consciousness.<\/p>\n \u201cDanielle?\u201d Melissa asked softly, smiling down at the child, who was looking around the room with wide eyes, startled to find herself in a foreign place. \u201cDanielle, my name is Melissa, and this is Dr. Chasez. You\u2019re in a hospital, and we\u2019re taking very good care of you. Your daddy is right outside; do you want to see him?\u201d<\/p>\n Danielle nodded dazedly, a little disoriented from her seizure.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, I\u2019ll go get him,\u201d Melissa said and hurried out of the room. She returned moments later with Howie.<\/p>\n \u201cDani!\u201d he cried, coming up to her side and taking her little hand in his big one. \u201cHow are you feeling, baby?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSleepy,\u201d she murmured.<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me, Dr. Dorough,\u201d JC said, nudging Howie aside as he hovered over Danielle. \u201cDanielle, I need you to follow this light with your eyes, okay? Only your eyes; don\u2019t move your head.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDaddy?\u201d Danielle asked, blindly reaching out her hand, which had been torn away from her father\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m here, baby,\u201d Howie said from the side of the room. \u201cDo what Dr. Chasez tells you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFollow the light please, Danielle,\u201d JC said again, shining his penlight back and forth. Danielle\u2019s eyes followed it obediently. \u201cPupils are equal and reactive,\u201d he mumbled. \u201cAll right, I\u2019m going to take her upstairs for a CAT scan.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan I come with her?\u201d Howie asked.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, you can come upstairs, but you can\u2019t be in the room while we\u2019re doing the scan,\u201d JC replied. \u201cCome on.\u201d<\/p>\n He raised the rails on Danielle\u2019s gurney, and with Melissa\u2019s help, they wheeled her out of the room and towards the elevators, Howie tagging along anxiously behind.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Dorough, can I speak with you outside, please?\u201d<\/p>\n Howie looked up to see JC enter the ER exam room, where Danielle had been returned to following her CAT scan.<\/p>\n \u201cSure. Dani, I\u2019ll be right back,\u201d he said to Danielle, who was drifting off to sleep.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, what did the scan show?\u201d Howie asked JC, once they were out in the hall, safely out of Danielle\u2019s earshot.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing. It looked fine,\u201d JC replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, what caused her seizure then? What\u2019s making her have these headaches?\u201d Howie demanded, not satisfied with JC\u2019s answer.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes small children have seizures like this for no apparent reason at all and end up being perfectly healthy. And as for the headaches, they could be all in her mind. You know how little kids tend to exaggerate symptoms.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I don\u2019t,\u201d Howie said, frowning. \u201cAnd I don\u2019t see how you could either, considering you don\u2019t have any of your own.\u201d<\/p>\n JC rolled his eyes. \u201cWhatever. All I\u2019m saying is the scan was inconclusive, and your daughter seems perfectly fine now, so I wouldn\u2019t worry about it. It\u2019s probably just a fluke. Like I said, I\u2019ve seen it happen before.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I don\u2019t accept that,\u201d Howie said. \u201cI want you to run more tests. I want to get to the bottom of this and make sure it really is nothing to worry about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not a doctor; I am,\u201d JC replied.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t give me that \u2018not a doctor\u2019 bullshit. I do know a thing or two about medicine, and if you won\u2019t listen to me, I\u2019ll get a second opinion,\u201d Howie fired back.<\/p>\n \u201cFine, get a second opinion. It\u2019s not going to be any different from mine,\u201d JC said with a shrug.<\/p>\n Howie glared at him. \u201cJC, I think you should do an MRI. Just to be sure. It might catch something the CAT scan didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you want to spend more time and money and put your kid through even more tests than necessary just to find that there\u2019s nothing wrong with her?\u201d JC asked sarcastically.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Howie said through gritted teeth. \u201cIf I can prove that there really is nothing wrong with her, that\u2019s what I want to do. But one CAT scan doesn\u2019t prove anything to me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not the doctor here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, we\u2019ve already established that. But I\u2019ve just got this feeling that there\u2019s something behind this, something that didn\u2019t show up on that scan. I\u2019ll feel much better if you would just do an MRI.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, so you want me to run another test based on some \u2018feeling\u2019 you\u2019ve got? Don\u2019t tell me you\u2019re psychic, Howie,\u201d JC said, rolling his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t have time for this crap, Chasez,\u201d Howie snapped. \u201cEither run the test or get another doctor who will.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, Howie, you can trust me here. I\u2019m an educated, certified physician. I know what I\u2019m doing. And just because you think I flubbed with the Woods case two years ago doesn\u2019t mean you have to go getting in my face about every decision I make,\u201d JC said bitterly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou did flub with Molly Woods,\u201d Howie spat, remembering the little girl who died because JC would not give his consent to let her have a heart transplant. \u201cYou killed that girl!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLook, that\u2019s ancient history! Get over it!\u201d JC yelled.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re the one that brought it up!\u201d Howie shouted back.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I\u2019m sorry I did! I didn\u2019t know you would get so worked up over it still!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, excuse me for caring!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGuys, shhh!\u201d hissed Melissa, pushing the two men away from each other. \u201cJesus Christ, you\u2019re grown men, and here you are arguing like two little kids. You\u2019re staff here; you\u2019re supposed to set an example. Now quiet down, or go settle it outside.\u201d<\/p>\n JC glanced at his feet, and Howie\u2019s expression grew sheepish.<\/p>\n \u201cAll right, Dorough,\u201d JC finally said reluctantly. \u201cI\u2019ll run the MRI. But when I turn out to be right, don\u2019t go complaining about how much it cost.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Chasez,\u201d Howie said smugly. \u201cAnd this may be a new concept to you, but my daughter\u2019s health is much more important than any amount of money.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, Dr. Chasez, you need to take a look at this quick.\u201d<\/p>\n JC turned to look at the technician that had spoken. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis MRI you ordered. Look,\u201d the technician said, motioning to the scan of Danielle Dorough\u2019s brain that he had just run fifteen minutes earlier.<\/p>\n JC squinted as he looked at the scan and suddenly paled. \u201cOh, my God. She\u2019s got a cerebral aneurysm,\u201d he gasped.<\/p>\n \u201cYup. You better get her to surgery before that sucker bursts, and she strokes out,\u201d the technician said.<\/p>\n JC did not even reply, just dashed out of the room, hurrying to get back down to the ER before it was too late. Danielle Dorough had a blood vessel in her brain that was close to rupturing\u2026 and if it did, the consequences could be fatal.<\/p>\n \u201cMelissa, page surgery, tell them to prepare a room right away, and make sure they have a neurosurgeon available. I know they just hired a new one, so someone should be around,\u201d JC said breathlessly, as he dashed past the nurses station of the ER.<\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Melissa said, watching him run off with wide eyes. She picked up the phone and immediately set to work, knowing this was an emergency of some sort.<\/p>\n \u201cHowie!\u201d JC cried, bursting into Exam 2. All his anger towards Howie had faded, as the harsh reality of the circumstances hit him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? What\u2019s wrong?\u201d Howie asked, looking up with wide eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on, Daddy?\u201d Danielle asked, looking at her father, frightened by the abruptness of his and JC\u2019s tones.<\/p>\n \u201cOutside,\u201d JC said quickly, grabbing Howie and dragging him into the hall. \u201cShe\u2019s got a cerebral aneurysm that could rupture anytime,\u201d JC burst. \u201cWe need to take her to surgery ASAP.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh my God!\u201d Howie gasped. \u201cDani\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo back in with her, prepare her if you can. I\u2019ll go make sure they have things ready in the OR, and I\u2019ll be right back,\u201d JC said, running back up to the nurses station, as Howie turned and went back into Danielle\u2019s room, his heart pounding with fear.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019sa matter, Daddy?\u201d Danielle asked.<\/p>\n \u201cDani, sweetie, you\u2019re going to have an operation,\u201d Howie said, his voice shaking. \u201cThere\u2019s something wrong inside your brain, which is why you\u2019ve been having headaches all day. You need to have an operation to fix it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t want to,\u201d Danielle whimpered, tears filling her eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cI know, baby, but you have to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn a few minutes.\u201d When Danielle\u2019s eyes widened, Howie quickly continued, \u201cBut it will be over before you know it, and you\u2019ll feel much better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m scared, Daddy,\u201d Danielle said, beginning to cry.<\/p>\n+++<\/h4>\n
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