Chapter 12

"But I don't you to take my blood! Get away! Get away!" Katie stared tiredly at her and Dr. Littrell's 12 year old patient, who was being the least bit cooperative. She sighed.

"Listen Joey, I promise it won't hurt if you hold still and stop screaming. The doctor needs the blood so he can find out what's hurting you and make it better. Now can I please have your arm?" She extended her hand. Joey backed up further against the gurney and shook his head. Katie looked to the mother who sitting on the opposite gurney giving her an apologetic look. She rolled her eyes and approached the child again.

"If you're good you can have a lollipop! I know Dr. Littrell has those for all the good patients that come in here and let me take blood." The child narrowed his eyes.

"Two lollipops." Katie grinned.

"Deal." She carefully inserted the needle into Joey's arm and took the required amount. "The doctor will be in shortly to examine him." She told the mother. Katie collapsed against the wall outside the door and heaved a sigh. She was so tired, she could sleep for a week. And uncooperative children didn't make it any easier. She smiled as Dr. Littrell came walking down the hallway and handed him the chart.

"Here, good luck!" Brian grinned at her.

"Tough day Nurse Katie?"

"Very, I'm just not in the mood for pain in the ass children that don't listen or kick and bite me today." Brian frowned.

"You need sleep Katie. Why don't you take a 15 minute break. I can handle young Joseph here and then you can come back and help me with the rest of the kids?" Katie nodded gratefully.

"Thanks Dr. Littrell."

"Sure thing, I'll see you in a bit." Katie walked quickly into the lounge area, planning on grabbing a bottle of water and a magazine to calm her nerves. Inside, AJ was putting on his coat. She looked at him puzzled.

"AJ, where are you off to?" He turned at her sudden appearance and looked to see if anyone was walking in behind her. Satisfied that they were alone, he began to tell her.

"I need to go downtown and take care of something for a little while. Dr. Richardson's in surgery and we're slow right now so I don't think anyone will miss me. Can you keep quiet that I'm gone." Katie raised her eyebrows.

"What do you need to take care of with a paper bag full of medical supplies?" She asked him, gesturing to the floor. He blushed.

"Uh...nothing."

"Spill it AJ or I'll page Dr. Richardson OUT of surgery." His brown eyes widened.

"Okay, okay! I need the supplies for this place I go to."

"What place would that be?" She questioned further. He sighed.

"I give free medical treatment to some people at the downtown homeless shelter." Katie stared at him in shock.

"AJ, you know it's against the law to do that!" He held up his hands.

"Shh, I know. But I know how it feels to be a drunk with no money and I just want to give back." Katie looked uncertain.

"That's a horrible part of town though, you shouldn't be over there!" He shrugged.

"It's okay if you're careful. And I am." She went to her locker.

"Let me come with you."

"Katie, no, it's not safe and-" She cut him off.

"AJ. I don't want you going alone."

"But what about Dr. Littrell? He'll be mad if you leave." She paused. He was right. But she couldn't let AJ go alone. Right now that was more important.

"I'm coming." AJ nodded.

"Okay, lets go." Together they exited the small hospital.

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"Okay Mr. Olsen! After the surgery you'll be good as new!" Dr. Turtle told her patient. He smiled up at her.

"Thanks I trust you." She patted his arm and looked to her OR nurse.

"Didi, can you page Dr. Richardson and tell him we're ready to begin?" The nurse nodded and walked to the phone. "Sure thing, Dr. Turtle." The redhead looked at the man on the gurney and whispered as he fell asleep.

"I'll see you after surgery Buck."

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"This is it?" Katie asked AJ as she rubbed her hands together from the cold air. The medical student nodded.

"Yep. Well, lets go in and remember to stick close to me." She nodded and followed him inside.

"It's just upstairs." He said referring to the apartment where the patient was that he gave medical need to. Katie held onto the medical bag and slowly climbed the rickety stairs taking int he sites around her. The entire building smelled of marijuana and was decorated with graffiti. She noticed drug deals going on freely in a far corner and wondered where the police were. AJ caught her gaze.

"They don't even bother coming down anymore; the cops. It's a hopeless cause and there are much worse places than this one around, believe me." Katie stuck close to her friend. She couldn't believe that. How much worse could it get? AJ stopped suddenly causing the nurse to run into him. "We're here, it's just inside." He knocked on the graffiti covered door and waited. A man in his late sixties opened slowly and then smiled slightly as he realized who it was.

"Dr. Alex! Come on in!" He said, opening the door all the way. He looked at Katie.

"Who's this young lady?" AJ smiled.

"Larry, I'd like you to meet Katie. She's a nurse over at Backstreet General and she came to help me with your dialysis today." Larry gave Katie a warm grin.

"That's very nice of you Katie. I would come down to the hospital if I could get around better and if I had the insurance. Medicare doesn't cover excessive treatments for my liver cancer." Katie immediately liked the gentleman and could see why AJ tended to him.

"Well, we're gonna help you out today so you feel better." She told him softly. "AJ? Why don't we get started?"

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"It's colic ma'am!" Dr. Littrell screamed over the loud crying.

"What?" A very exhausted young mother of an infant girl yelled back. The pediatrician made a face at the noise.

"COLIC! It's a stomach disorder common in infants! It should disappear by the 6th month! Until then I suggest trying soy formula and be prepared for a lot of crying!" He yelled back. The mother paled.

"There's nothing you can do?!" Brian shook his head sadly.

"No, unfortunately it just needs to run it's course." She put her head in her hands.

"6th month? But she's only 2 months!" He frowned.

"I'm sorry. Try children's Mylanta and rub her back to make sure the gas stirs up right. That's all I know, maybe you can read up on it. It's fairly common." She sighed and picked up her screaming daughter.

"Thank you doctor." He smiled and patted the baby's head.

"Not a problem. Get some rest yourself, Mrs. Wendell." Brian jumped as his pager went off suddenly. Glancing at it, he noticed it was the Pediatric ICU. He bit his lip. Christina. He had told them to page her if she took a turn for the worse. Running into the hallway, he glanced around desperately for his nurse. He ran into the lounge area. "Katie? Katie I need you!" The lounge was vacant so he went to the front desk. No Katie. Spotting Nick in the hallway, he rushed down to him.

"Nick? Have you seen Katie?" Nick shook his head.

"No, sorry Bri, I haven't since this morning."

"I need her to assist me on a very important pediatric case." Brian told him, wringing his hands. Nick frowned.

"Can I help?" Brian sighed.

"It's okay Nick. You better stay down here in case someone comes in. Listen, tell Katie to go to the PICU if you see her okay?" Nick nodded.

"Sure Dr. Littrell, I'll tell her."

"Thanks!" And with that he hurried off to his dying patient.

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Katie looked at her watch. Needless to say her 15 minute break was up over an hour ago. AJ was just finishing with Larry and the old man was resting comfortably in his bed. "AJ?" The nurse whispered. "We should get back." AJ nodded and gathered his stuff.

"Okay, lets go." He said quietly. He shut the apartment door softly behind him. The two medical workers could hear intense screaming as they descended the stairs. AJ grabbed Katie's arm.

"Just stick close to me." She nodded nervously and continued down. All of a sudden a gun shot sounded out as they were on the last step. AJ grabbed Katie and forced her to the hard, cement ground.

"Stay down!" He shouted as the bullets continued to fly. Whipping out his cell phone, he dialed 911 and told the operator the address of the shanty building.

Finally, after 10 minutes, the shooting ceased and two men ran out just as the ambulance was showing up. AJ rolled off of Katie and allowed her to stand.

"Are you all right?" Katie, still in shock and close to tears, nodded.

"I-I just hit my eye on the ground when you pushed me down." AJ frowned and took in the already extensive bruising on the left side of her face.

"I'm sorry." She waved him off.

"It's fine, nothing a few Advil won't cure."

"You can't hide that shiner from Dr. Littrell though." She nodded.

"I know, don't worry about it... are you okay?" AJ held up his right arm which had a long bloody scrape.

"I scratched it on the floor, but I'll live. Lets get out of here though before something else happens" The two ran out the door.

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"Okay, Kevin, suction right here for me." Dr. Turtle told Dr. Richardson as she explored Mr. Olsen's belly. The procedure was fairly easy, but it just was time consuming.

"I'm glad he let you operate Annie. I couldn't see him kill himself like that." She nodded, concentrating on her work.

"If you ever need a second opinion or someone to persuade a patient, that's what I'm here for." Kevin nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Dr. turtle rolled her eyes at his lack of communication skills and groaned as she felt her pager go off.

"Didi, grab that off my belt and tell me who it is." The OR nurse squinted at the numbers.

"It's the ER dear." She took a deep breath.

"Nick must need me. Kevin, you'll have to finish here. Just finish the stitching and close up." She told the green eyed doctor, handing over the instruments to him. She stripped off her gloves and pushed out the OR doors. Kevin looked at the stitching of the wound and frowned.

"She missed a spot." He told the nurse. Didi looked.

"I don't see anything." She replied. Kevin shook his head.

"Hand me that scalpel so I can cut a little more. She left some tissue that should really be removed. The nurse reluctantly handed over the requested instrument. Suddenly the heart monitor went crazy and began to beep.

"Shit! I hit an artery! Suction now!" Kevin yelled as sweat began to pore off his forehead. The nurse charted the patients vitals.

"He's flatlining!" Kevin turned white.

"God...page Dr. Turtle stat and get me the paddles!" He grimaced as he started up the defibrillator and looked to Mr. Olsen.

"Please don't die on me!"