Chapter 14

"Okay Didi, Mrs. Wilson will need her IV changed in about 15 minutes, Mr. Mendoza would like another blanket, and Mr. Martinez needs to be in      pre-op in 10 minutes for his preparation to surgery." Dr. Turtle told her nurse as she stripped off her gloves from her latest surgery. Didi raised her eyebrows.

"I don't know how you do it Annie." The redhead shrugged.

"Well, it's been a week since Kevin's announcement and I don't really have a choice. I wish he wouldn't have given me all this responsibility though, it's killing me." She admitted softly. The nurse patted her shoulder.

"He'll come around." Annie looked doubtful.

"I don't know, every time I even try to talk to him, he changes the subject. He seems pretty serious about this." The nurse nodded.

"Give him time, he's a wonderful doctor and he'll be all right." She grabbed a chart. "Well, I'm gonna go prep Mr. Martinez. I'll see you in a few minutes. Eat something fast Annie, you look awful." The nurse walked away. Annie waited until she was out of sight before placing her hand under her rib cage and crying out softly in pain.

"I feel awful!" She whispered.

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Katie glanced at Brian through her eyelashes as he examined a patient. She was still not comfortable around him at all, even after a week. He was back to his old charming self the day after the incident but she still couldn't look him in the eye when talking to him. She still couldn't shake the fact that she had hurt him badly and wasn't there when he needed her the most. Some nurse she was. She was surprised he hadn't fired her on the spot. Or maybe he was going to if she made another mistake, big or small. Maybe he was just waiting till she did. This was too much, she finished her notes on the chart and ran out of the room, not noticing Brian's questioning look.

Once in the hallway, she started towards the bathroom and promptly crashed right into Dr. Richardson. Her eyes widened in fear.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry." She squeaked out. Kevin had been anything but bearable this last week and she didn't want to set him off. He grunted a reply and went to his office, the place he spent most of his time, most likely sulking. She entered the lady's bathroom and stopped as she heard someone getting sick in one of the stalls. Frowning, she walked down and was shocked to notice Dr. Turtle hunched over the bowl.

"Annie!" Katie shouted, laying her hand on her friend's back.

"Are you all right?" She asked in alarm. The doctor waved her off and stood slowly, rubbing her right side.

"Fine, Katie, I'm fine." Katie narrowed her brown eyes.

"Like hell you're fine! People who vomit and look like ghosts are NOT fine! I wanna know what's going on. How long have you felt sick?" She asked her friend, feeling her forehead. Annie shrugged away from her touch.

"It's nothing, I'll be okay in a few minutes, I always am." Katie crossed her arms.

"This has happened before?" Annie closed her eyes momentarily, cursing herself for the slip up. She looked to the petite nurse and nodded sheepishly.

"For about 2 weeks now. I thought it was just a late onset of that virus but I don't know..." Katie cut her off.

"Two weeks! God Annie! Why didn't you say something!" Annie held up her hand and wiped her face with a cold paper towel.

"Because I need to work! I need to prove to Kevin and the rest of this hospital that I can handle the OR alone. It'll pass and I'll be fine. Listen to me Katie, I don't want you to tell anyone I'm sick. I don't need concern right now." Katie shook her head.

"I can't just sit back and watch you do this to yourself!" Annie gave her a pleading look.

"Do it for me." Katie sighed, giving in.

"Okay, but if you get any worse.."

I Know, I know, I'll get it checked out. But enough about me. How are you? I haven't had a chance to talk to you in a long while. I heard about what happened with AJ." Katie shrank back.

"It's big news huh?" The doctor shook her head.

"No, I was talking to him the other day and he mentioned it while begging me not to tell Kevin." Annie laughed. She looked to her friend. "How's Brian taking it." Katie hung her head.

"He hates me." Dr. Turtle looked doubtful.

"I highly doubt that Katie, he didn't fire you." She looked up.

"Thank God! I need this job more than anything." She lowered her voice. "You know my family really needs the money." Annie nodded.

"Things will get better Katie. Listen I gotta get back upstairs. Just take care okay?" The nurse nodded, leaning into the sink as the doctor left.

"Listen to your own advice Annie."

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Brian walked to the lounge, about to take a short break when Howie came busting through the ER doors, wheeling in two stretchers. He ran to help him. "What's up Howie?"

"Pretty bad car accident. This guy has internal bleeding, I'm almost positive. The steering wheel was crushed against his stomach." He told Dr. Littrell, gesturing to the unconscious man. "And this one's for you." He said, showing him an infant boy in a car seat on the other stretcher. "No damage that I can see, but he should be checked over," Brian nodded and grabbed the car seat by it's handle and the stretcher with his other hand. "Help me wheel him into Trauma One." He took a deep breath.

"Nick! AJ! Katie! I need you!" The named workers all came rushing in to see what the commotion was about. Brian started giving orders.

"AJ, start an IV and do the x-rays. Be careful of his head and neck. Nick, check for internal bleeding. Katie you come next door with me and the baby. Guys, call me if you need me!" He put the child on an exam table and slowly lifted him out of his car seat. He turned to his nurse.

"Katie, can you check him over while I take a listen?" He asked, slipping his stethoscope into his ears. The nurse moved forward cautiously and began to check the baby over. Brian's tone had been soft, but she still didn't know. Smiling slightly, she looked at the cooing baby.

"He's okay." Brian smiled as well and made a face at the baby, causing him to laugh.

"That's great. Lets just get him admitted for observation then shall we?" Katie nodded and began to fill out the paper work happy that she had done something right.

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"What do you think it is man?" AJ asked his co worker while they tried to determine the injury of the old man. Nick squinted and pressed on his belly.

"I think his liver has a bleed, but I want a consult to be sure. Page Dr. Richardson." AJ frowned.

"Why not Turtle?" Nick rolled his eyes.

"Cause Kevin's in the ER now, he has to learn to come when we need him." AJ nodded, punching in the numbers on the phone. Less than a minute later, an angry Kevin pushed through the doors.

"What?" He spat at the students. Nick looked him in the eye.

"Car accident victim, unconscious and with a swollen side. I think it's the liver, but I wanted your consult to be sure." Kevin frowned not moving from the doorway.

"Mr. Carter, I no longer work in surgery. If you want a consult, page Annie!" With that, he walked out. Nick turned to AJ.

"Page Annie."

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Annie groaned, moving away from the toilet as her pager went off. She wearily stood and limped to the door, her side burning in protest. Stepping into the elevator, she closed her eyes against the dizziness that overtook her. God, this was horrible. She wondered if she should say something as it might be her appendix causing this much discomfort. She pushed away the pain as she made her way into the ER.

"What's up guys?" She weakly asked Nick and AJ. AJ frowned at her tone.

"Uh, Nick thinks internal bleeding on the liver of our car accident victim here."

Annie went over and felt the man's abdomen. "Sounds about right. Send him up and I'll perform the operation." Nick wheeled the gurney to an orderly and turned back to the red head.

"Annie are you all right?" He asked, concern heavy in his voice. The female doctor rolled her eyes.

"Fine, Nick, I'm-Ohhhh." She groaned, as she doubled over in pain. Nick rushed over catching her.

"AJ, get me a gurney now!" AJ, his eyes wide with panic, wheeled one over. Nick looked to his teacher. "Where does it hurt?" Annie closed her eyes.

"My side, my right side." AJ began to freak.

"Is it your appendix? Oh God!" Nick felt around her belly.

"AJ, calm down and get her temp and pulse. Does this hurt Annie?" He asked, pushing below her rib cage. She moaned.

"Yes,!" AJ retrieved the thermometer.

"Temps 103.2. Pulse 120." Nick frowned.

"Okay, okay Annie, don't move and don't worry, I'm gonna go get Kevin." AJ placed his hand on the doctors shoulder.

"Nick, what do you think it is?" Nick bit his lip.

"Her gallbladder."

Annie's eyes widened. "Oh my God." AJ rubbed her back.

"Calm down Annie, it's okay. Kevin's coming." He told her as Katie and Brian rushed in. Katie paled about 3 shades.

"Annie!" She yelled and ran to her friend. AJ stopped her.

"Katie, she's real sick. Nick went to get Kevin." Brian came over, a look of concern all over his face.

"What do you think it is?" He asked, feeling her forehead for himself and getting a better look. "She's terribly dehydrated. What's her temp?" AJ fought back the shake in his voice.

"103.2, Nick says gallbladder." Brian nodded in agreement.

"Or appendix. Don't worry Annie, Kevin will make it better." Annie shuddered in pain.

"Tell him to hurry." She whispered.

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"KEVIN! DR. RICHARDSON!" Nick yelled as he burst through Kevin's office.

"What the hell is it Nick?" Nick panted, out of breath.

"Annie, she's sick, I think she needs surgery. Hurry." Kevin paled.

"Nick, I can't--" Nick slammed his hands on Kevin's desk.

"YOU HAVE NO CHOICE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE!" Kevin took a deep breath and stood quickly.

"Let's go."