For the purposes of the this story, Doug is gone, like normal, but Carol is not pregnant.
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Carol is sitting on the couch where she has been since Doug left. He left two days ago and she has only gotten up to use the restroom and grab a new box of tissues. There are used tissues laying all around the place and she is sitting there in the darkness, staring at the curtains over the window. The phone rings and she makes no move to pick it up.
"Hello, you have reached Carol and Doug, please leave your name and number and a brief message after the beep and we'll get back to you." Carol's voice rang out in the quiet room.
"Carol...It's Mark. I'm really worried about you. I haven't seen you in two days and you were supposed to be at work today. I looked everywhere for you. I know you're home, pick up.........Carol, if you don't pick up I'm coming over there...........Fine. I'll see you soon." Mark says and hangs up. Carol just keeps staring into space as if she hadn't even heard the message. She just sits there in the darkness, unmoving, until what seems like only a few seconds to her, she hears a knock on the door.
"Carol! It's Mark! Let me in!" He calls out through the door, pounding on it. She shakes her head slightly and knowing she should go get it, struggles to stand up. She can hear his persistent knocking. She stands but cannot seem to get her limbs to work right. She collapses and hits her head on the coffee table, falling to the ground.
"Carol? Oh God, Carol, what happened?" Mark asks, having heard her fall. "Where do you keep your spare key Carol?" Mark asks. She lets out a weak moan but doesn't move. She can feel the blood trickling over her forehead.
"Mark.." She whispers hoarsely. She doesn't hear him anymore. Then all of a sudden he bursts through the doors and rushes to her side. "Mark.." Carol calls out softly. He sees the gash on her forehead. He looks around and finding nothing suitable, he throws off his jacket and pulls his scrub top up over his head. He rolls it up into a ball and presses it to her forehead.
"God Carol, what have you done to yourself?" Mark asks. She doesn't answer him, just stares
at him. He holds the green top to her head and reaches for the phone.
"Hey Elizabeth. It's Mark." He says. "I'm at Carol's......I need you to get over here now. We
need a ride to the hospital......I don't think an ambulance is necessary.......Just get here as quickly as you can." Mark says and hangs up. He turns back to Carol, sitting down beside her. He pulls the shirt away from her head, as the wound continues to bleed.
"I'm sorry." Carol whispers.
"Shhh..Carol...don't talk." He says and as best as he can, gathers her into his arms. She relaxes into his body, letting him support her. He rocks her gently in her arms until Elizabeth comes running up the porch and into the house.
"Mark, what happened?" Elizabeth asks. "Oh god Carol." Elizabeth says, seeing the state her friend is in.
"She's weak and she fell and hit her head, we need to get her to the hospital for sutures and to get her re-hydrated." Mark says. Elizabeth nods and gets down to business.
"Come on Carol, let's go." Elizabeth says. "You carry her and I'll hold the cloth to her head." Elizabeth says. Mark nods. He grunts as he pushes his way into standing position. They carry her out into Elizabeth's car. Elizabeth opens the back door and Mark manages him and Carol into the backseat.
Elizabeth hops into the front and speeds off as Mark holds Carol in the back. A few minutes later, they pull into Cook County's emergency parking lot. Elizabeth gets out and helps Mark and Carol into the front doors. Kerry spots them first.
"Mark!? What happened?" Kerry asks coming over.
"I need a gurney." Mark says. Kerry hobbles over to the nearest one and pulls it over. Chuny comes running.
"Carol?" She asks. Mark lays her down onto the table and notices Carol has her eyes squeezed shut tightly. He gives Kerry and Elizabeth a look. Elizabeth catches on and starts telling everyone to get back to work.
"She doesn't need an audience. Get back to work." Elizabeth says. Everyone looks at Carol again, but listens to Elizabeth and goes back to work. Kerry and Mark wheel Carol into a room.
"What happened?" Kerry asks.
"I've been worried about her. When she didn't show up at work today and when no one knew where she was and she wouldn't pick up her phone, I figured something was wrong. I went to the house but I couldn't get in. I heard her fall and I finally found a key under the doormat. I came in and found her laying by the coffee table in the living room with blood pouring out of the gash on her forehead. She probably hasn't ate for a few days and she's really weak." Mark says. Elizabeth comes in.
"I'll get her an IV. Mark you start her sutures." Kerry says. He nods and they get to work. Elizabeth stands at the foot of Carol's bed and looks at Carol. Carol looks at her but rolls her head to the side, humiliated. Elizabeth makes a sad face. Kerry is done.
"I'm going to get back to work. I'm sure she would appreciate it if you stayed with her and your both off right now, so we won't need you for anything else." Kerry says.
"Thanks Kerry." Mark says and she nods.
"Anything for a friend." She says and smiles at Carol. Then she hobbles out of the room. Mark pulls Elizabeth aside.
"Stay with her. I'm going to go talk to everyone. Help Kerry out." He whispers. She nods. Mark exits the room and Elizabeth goes up to Carol.
"Hey Carol." Elizabeth says. Carol smiles very weakly at her. Elizabeth sits in a stool beside her bed and takes her hand into her own. "How are you doing?" Elizabeth asks.
"Not to good." Carol whispers. Elizabeth gives her a sad smile.
"You certainly gave me a scare." Elizabeth says.
"Yeah, well you weren't here the other time." Carol says. Elizabeth gives her a confused look.
"The other time?" She asks.
"You haven't heard?" Carol asks. Elizabeth shakes her head.
"No, I don't believe I have." Elizabeth says. Carol gives her a short smile.
"I tried to kill myself about five years ago." Carol says. Elizabeth gasps. Carol continues. "I overdosed on some medicine that I stole from the ER. I was brought in and barely survived." Carol says. Elizabeth squeezes her hand reassuringly.
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you do it?" Elizabeth asks.
"Well...I was engaged at the time,"
"You were engaged?" Elizabeth asks curiously.
"Yes, to a doctor here at County. He's no longer here. He's name was John Tagleri. It was so difficult to deal with. I didn't really love him like I should. I.." She sighs. "I was still in love with Doug. You see we dated for about 2 years, before I started dating Tag. I knew in my heart, but wouldn't admit it to my head that I was so much in love with Doug that I couldn't ever be in love with anyone else. I loved Tag, but I wasn't in love with him. I was so unhappy. I thought I would never be happy again. I wanted Doug but he had messed up so badly with me that I wouldn't have taken him back had I been given the opportunity anyways. He needed to grow up first. My mother was always nagging me, I was unhappy, I didn't want to marry Tag, and I was just over all unconfident. So..I tried to take the easy way out. I'm glad it didn't work but my life didn't just get better right after that. Right before we were ready to go into the church for the wedding...with all my friends and family already sitting and waiting, the preacher told me and all the people taking part in the wedding that Tag was missing. So when I went and found him, he asked me if I loved him. I told him yes I did, or I wouldn't have been marrying him. He then told me that sometimes he would watch me sleep at night, just because he couldn't take his eyes off me, or I would just brush up against his arm and it would take his breath right out of him. He asked me if I loved him like that. He said that if I loved him even a little bit I would tell him the truth. And I told him no, truthfully. So he left me to tell my whole family that the wedding was off. Finally my life seemed to be back on track and I was dating Shep....a paramedic. Well things were going okay, but then his partner, Raoul died. They had gone into a burning apartment to save some people, even though Raoul had told Shep no. But they went anyway and Raoul died and Shep blamed himself. He became really depressed after that and he wouldn't get help. So I told him I couldn't be with him until he got help. And then Doug came later. I have never been so happy my entire life. Then this." Carol says and starts crying. Elizabeth holds her in her arms, imagining all the things Carol has gone through in her life.
"Shh...Carol, it's okay. It's okay." Elizabeth says.
"No it's not. I don't think I'm meant to be happy." Carol says.
"Yes you are Carol. But you have to be strong through the unhappy times." Elizabeth says.
"But I need Doug to be happy. I love him so much Elizabeth. I cannot live without him. I should have gone with him, but I don't think he really loves me. Or he would have stayed." Carol says.
"Carol....he probably thinks you don't love him because you wouldn't go with him. He's probably feeling the same things as you right now. You need to talk to him. Straighten things out. Then you can be happy again. But you have to help yourself." Elizabeth says.
"I know. I just...it's so hard." Carol says.
"I'll try very hard to help you with it, if you would like." Elizabeth says.
"What could you do to help?" Carol asks.
"I don't know. But would you be willing to let me help you?" Elizabeth asks. Carol nods slowly.
"If you think you can." Carol says.
"Yes, I think I can. I'm going to talk to Mark about it, is that okay? See if he can help me any." Elizabeth says.
"Okay." Carol says nodding slowly.
"Carol, don't worry." Elizabeth says. Carol smiles at Elizabeth and then pulls her close to her hugging her tightly.
"God, I am so glad to have a friend like you." Carol says. Elizabeth smiles and hugs her back. Show Mark looking through the door at the two woman and smiling.
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"Mark, can I talk to you?" Elizabeth asks, walking out of Carol's room to find Mark sitting outside.
"Yeah." Mark says and scoots over so she can sit. She does.
"We need to get Doug back here." Elizabeth says. Mark rubs his hand over his face.
"How?" Mark asks.
"Well....Carol told me everything. She told me about Tag, about her suicide attempt, Shep, and all that. She also told me how much she needs Doug and how she should have gone with him. I think if we just can get him back here, to talk to her, that she would go with him. She just thinks that he doesn't love her because he left her. But I told her that he is probably thinking the same thing only the opposite because she wouldn't come with him. I think I can convince him to come back. I am pretty stubborn and I can be convincing when I need to be." Elizabeth says. Mark chuckles.
"You'd do all that for Carol?" He asks.
"She needs to know that she has friends. Ever since I've known her I have liked her. We've became good friends and all that stuff she told me today just made me understand her more. She needs someone to help her with this. She doesn't think she could do it by herself. She needs someone to help her be strong. I want to help her." Elizabeth says.
"Okay. I think that I can help." Mark says.
"How?" Elizabeth asks.
"I'll give you his number." Mark says. Elizabeth giggles and he chuckles.
"Yes, that certainly would be helpful. I think that I'm going to call him now. Give me his number and then you go in and entertain Carol and tell her that I went to get something to eat or something." Elizabeth says.
"Okay, well the phone he carries with him at all times is 354-123-9909 and if he doesn't answer it, page him at 987-654-3210. He will usually carry both but always has one or the other." Mark says.
"Okay, write those down." Elizabeth says, pulling out a bubble gum wrapper from her pocket and a pen. He chuckles and writes fairly small onto the paper.
"There you go. Good luck." Mark says and stands up.
"Thanks but I don't think I'll need it." Elizabeth says, giving him a flirtatious grin and walking off. He chuckles and heads into Carols room. She smiles at him.
"Mark, I want to apologize." Carol says. He holds up his hands.
"I don't want to hear it. Your forgiven." Mark says. She smiles.
"Mark, you are one of the most wonderful friends a person could have." Carol says as he walks up to her bed. She pulls him down and hugs him tightly. He smiles.
"So are you Carol." Mark says.
"So where did Elizabeth go?" Carol asks curiously.
"Cafeteria. She's hungry." Mark says, lying. Carol nods.
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"Come on, pick up the phone Doug." Elizabeth whispers into the phone.
"Hello, Doug Ross here." Doug says into the phone.
"Hello Doug! It's Elizabeth Corday." Elizabeth says into the phone.
"Elizabeth! Why, what are you calling for?" He asks. She laughs.
"Glad to hear my voice, aye?" She asks. He chuckles.
"What can I do for you?" He asks.
"Something extremely important." Elizabeth says.
"Like what?" He asks seriously.
"Come back to Chicago for a few days." Elizabeth says. He is silent.
"Why?" He asks.
"A good friend of mine needs you. Desperately." She says. He sighs.
"Did Carol set this up?" He asks.
"No." Elizabeth says.
"What's going on Elizabeth?" Doug asks.
"She needs you. I know you've only been gone for 2 days but Carol is not herself. Okay, hear me out alright?" Elizabeth says. He sighs.
"Okay."
"Don't interrupt me until I'm finished." She lectures.
"Yes Ma'am." He says.
"Well the day after you left, Carol didn't have to work. But Mark called her and she didn't pick up. He called her a few times that day and she didn't pick up and he was getting worried....well she was supposed to work today but she didn't show up. So after Mark got off work he called her again and she didn't pick up so he said on the answering machine that he was coming over. When he came over she didn't open the door but he heard a loud thump coming from inside the house. He finally found the key under the doormat and he barged in. Carol had fallen and hit her head on the coffee table in the living room. She is now here at the hospital with sutures in her forehead and an IV in her arm, feeding her, because she hasn't ate in two days and was so weak that when she stood to answer the door her legs gave way from underneath her." Elizabeth says.
"Is she okay?" Doug asks.
"Now she is. But not after she confessed to me that she needs you in her life. She thinks that she was destined to be unhappy." Elizabeth says.
"She's wrong." Doug protests.
"I know and I told her that. But she needs help being strong to get through these tough times and I am helping her." Elizabeth pauses. "She told me Doug that she thinks you don't love her enough to stay with her." Elizabeth says.
"That's not true! She knows I love her!" Doug protests.
"Well I think she does deep down, but she needs help reminding herself. You see she said she should have gone with you...so I think if you really want to stay in Seattle that you should come down here and stay until she goes with you. Which I don't think will take to much to do. Doug, if you come, I don't think you'd have to worry about rejection. Actually I know. She would take you back sooner than you could say Seattle. Just come here and talk to her, face to face. It's what she needs. And what she wants." Elizabeth says. Doug sighs.
"Elizabeth...I'll....I'm coming. But don't tell her." Doug says.
"I promise. It'll just be between Mark, you, and I." Elizabeth says.
"Good. Great. Well I'm going to call the airport now." Doug says.
"Good. I'll see you soon then. Call my apartment from the airport so I know when to send Mark after you. We're going to keep Carol there until you get back." Elizabeth says.
"Okay. Goodbye Elizabeth. Oh and Elizabeth?" Doug asks.
"Yes?" She asks.
"Thank you for calling." Doug says. Elizabeth smiles.
"Your welcome." Then she hangs up the phone. She gets some bagels from the cafeteria and heads back down to Carol's room.
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"Carol, you get some rest, and in a couple hours we will take you back to our apartment." Mark says.
"Okay. Thank you guys so much." Carol says and smiles. Elizabeth smiles.
"You're welcome." Elizabeth says and her and Mark walk out.
"Sooo what happened?" Mark asks.
"This is just between you, Doug, and I. He is coming back but he asked us not to tell Carol." Elizabeth says.
"Good! That's great! Good job!" Mark says. She smiles.
"It wasn't to hard." She says.
"That was a great thing you did." He says.
"I know." She says and he chuckles.
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"Ahhh...it's nice to be away from the hospital." Carol says walking slowly into the apartment, as she isn't too strong on her legs yet.
"I'm sure it is. Everyone thought you had tried to kill yourself again." Mark says.
"I practically did by not eating." Carol says.
"Ah well, we convinced them that you had the flu and that you had just cut your head." Mark says.
"Like they believe it." Carol says shaking her head and sitting on the couch.
"Yeah well....." Mark says.
"Can I get you anything Carol?" Elizabeth asks.
"An aspirin would be great. I've got a headache." Carol says.
"Sure. Coming right up." Elizabeth says. Elizabeth disappears for a second, coming back to find Mark and Carol flipping through channels on TV.
"Here you go Carol and here's some water to help wash it down." Elizabeth says handing her some Advil and a glass of water.
"Great. Thanks." Carol says. The phone rings.
"I'll get it." Elizabeth says and Mark looks at her. Carol turns her attention back to the TV.
"Mmm hmm....that's great. Yeah...." Elizabeth says and mumbles something else softly. "Yeah. Bye." Elizabeth says.
"Who was that?" Mark asks.
"Just Kerry. Wanting to see if we made it alright." Elizabeth says.
"She shouldn't be worrying about me." Carol says.
"Yeah, well she's just concerned." Elizabeth says and walks behind Carol. She winks at Mark.
"I'll be right back, I'm going to go change." Liz says.
"I'm going to use the restroom." Mark says, standing up.
"Don't have to much fun without me." Carol says. They chuckle and walk down the hall.
"You have to go pick him up by 12 tonight. That's when he's flight gets in." Elizabeth whispers.
"What am I supposed to tell Carol?" Mark asks.
"Don't worry I've got it covered. Just tell her your going to go back to your house but make
sure to bring him here when you get him. She'll probably be in bed by then anyways." Elizabeth says.
"Okay." Mark says.
o--------o--------o
"Now be quiet when you go in there." Mark says to Doug.
"I know Mark. I can handle it." Doug says. Mark slips the spare key into the lock and opens the door slowly. Elizabeth comes rushing through in her rob.
"Hey." She whispers. Doug looks around nervously.
"Calm down Doug. She's back in my room sleeping." Elizabeth says.
"Okay, so what do you want me to do then?" Doug asks.
"You can sleep out on the couch or go in and wake her up. Whatever you want to do." Elizabeth says.
"Elizabeth?" Carol calls out sleepily. Doug starts to panic.
"I'm out here Carol. Just stay there, I'll be right there." Elizabeth calls out.
"Okay." Carol says. Doug breaths a sigh of relief.
"Do you want to go in there or what?" Elizabeth asks.
"I think that I'll go..yes..since she's already awake I might as well show myself. Get it over with." Doug whispers as quietly as he can.
"Okay, go on. I'll stay out here with Mark." Elizabeth whispers.
"Okay." Doug says.
"Second door on the left, that way." Elizabeth says pointing towards the hall. Just then a light flickers on in the room. He stops dead in his tracks and looks back at Elizabeth. She nods for him to go on. He stands still, takes a deep breath and walks towards the room.
"Elizabeth?" Carol calls out. Doug's heart starts pounding faster. He walks into the doorway and sees Carol propped up against the back of the bed with a lamp on beside her. She has a bandage on her forehead where she got the gash. Carol gasps.
"Hey Carol." Doug says. Her hand covers her mouth and he steps in closer, standing at the foot of the bed.
"Doug?" Carol asks. He chuckles.
"Yeah, it's me." Doug says. He moves his way slowly beside her and sits down beside her near her knees on the bed. He places his hand cautiously on the calf of her leg. All of a sudden she reaches out to him and pulls herself to him, hugging him tightly burying her face into his neck. He chuckles and wraps his arms around her waist. She lifts her head and brings her lips to his and kisses him. He smiles through the kiss and squeezes her tightly in his arms. She brings her face away and breaks into a huge smile.
"Elizabeth?" She asks. He nods and chuckles. "That was quick." She says. He pulls her into his lap, chuckling. They sat talking for a few minutes before Doug stood up. He smiles at her, kissing her forehead, then walking out of the room. Elizabeth and Mark look up when they see him. He is smiling and they breath a sigh of relief.
"She's getting dressed then I'm going to take her back to her house." Doug says. Elizabeth smiles.
"Great!" She says. He hugs her quickly.
"Thank you." He says.
"No problem." Elizabeth says. Doug smiles his thanks to Mark who smiles and nods. A few minutes later Carol walks out of the room in jeans and a t-shirt. She pulls her coat on and Doug chuckles. She smiles lovingly at him and Mark and Elizabeth smile happily. Carol hugs Elizabeth, then Mark, thanking them and then her and Doug leave, hand in hand.
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