"Lisa." He says, not to happily.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?" She asks.
"Why?" He asks, stopping and facing her.
"Not here." She says, grabbing his arm and pulling him into an empty exam room. She tries to pin him against the wall as she leans into him. She tries to kiss him but he pushes her off.
"Get the hell off of me!" Doug says.
"Why Dougie. I know you want me." She says with a hurt look on her face.
"Your insane!" He says.
"I am not insane! You wouldn't have turned me down earlier." She says.
"Well I'm not like that anymore." Doug argues.
"Oh but Dougie, I want you." She says, pushing herself up against him again. He pushes her back.
"Stay away from me. I don't want you." He says.
"Are you involved with someone else, Doug?" She asks.
"Not that it's any of your business but yes." He says.
"It's not anything serious, though is it?" She asks, coming up against him again. He pushes her and points a finger at her.
"Stay the hell away from me." He says and storms out of the room.
Lisa walks around the corner of the ER but stops dead in her tracks. Doug is standing beside a curly black haired woman and he has his arm around her waist. Lisa watches as he gently nips at her neck and she giggles. He begins to tickle her and she laughs, pushing him away. He chuckles and leans in and kisses her. Lisa watches as they kiss happily. She turns around and begins to devise a plan of revenge.
"Hey Carol." Lydia says to Carol, who has just walked up to the admit desk.
"Oh, hey Lydia." Carol says, smiling at the woman.
"Can I ask you something?" Lydia says.
"Sure." Carol says.
"Are you and Dr. Ross serious?" Lydia asks. Carol gives her a puzzled look.
"Yes. I think so. Why?" Carol asks.
"Well....have you ever gotten the indication that he has ever cheated on you?" Lydia asks. Carol's blood runs cold.
"Uh..no. Why?" She asks.
"Well...." Lydia sighs, not sure if she should tell her this, but she doesn't want to see Carol get hurt. "Someone said that Dr. Lisa Macken from radiology said herself that she had slept with Doug recently." Lydia says. Carol just nods, her expression blank.
"Thank you for telling me, Lydia." Carol says and walks off.
"Hey." Doug says as he wraps his arms around Carol's waist from behind. She pulls away from him.
"Sorry Doug. Patient." She says, holding up a chart and walking off. He looks at her with a confused expression but just shakes his head and goes back to work. He walks past the admit desk and Lydia, Haleh, and Chuny all glare at him. He smiles weakly and walks into the lounge.
"What was that about?" He whispers to himself.
"What was what about?" Mark asks. Doug jumps.
"Shit Mark. You scared me." Doug says.
"What was what about?" Mark asks again. Doug sits beside him on the couch.
"Well first I walked up to Carol and wrapped my arms around her waist. She walked away from me, saying she had a patient, without even a smile. Then I walked past the admit desk and Chuny, Lydia, and Haleh were glaring at me like I had done something wrong." Doug says.
"Women." Mark says.
"Your telling me." Doug says and they chuckle.
Carol walks out of the lounge with her coat, hat, and gloves on. Doug who is standing at the admit desk, sees her. He runs after her, grabbing her arm.
"Whoa, weren't going to leave without saying bye, were we?" He asks, wrapping his arms around her waist and smiling at her. Carol glances to the side to see Haleh and Chuny watching her.
"I'm sorry Doug. I'll try to be more considerate of your feelings next time." Carol says, pulling away from him and walking out. Doug watches her go with a hurt look on his face and turns around. Haleh is looking at him with a smug look on her face.
"What?" He asks. She turns back to her chart. Mark, who had saw what happens, pulls Doug aside.
"What's going on?" Mark asks.
"I don't know! She's been cold to me today. I saw her this morning and we were playing around and we kissed and then next time I saw her and from then on, she has been upset or something. The nurses are all sending me death looks." Doug says.
"What did you do?" Mark asks.
"I have no idea." Doug says, shaking his head and walking away. Mark just shakes his head and goes back to work.
Doug knocks on the door of Carol's apartment. He can hear her rustling around a little and finally the door opens a little but she leaves the chain up. She rolls her eyes when she sees him.
"What?" She asks.
"Can I come in?" Doug asks.
"No. I'm busy." Carol says. He gets a hurt look on his face and she almost invites him to come in but she holds firm.
"Carol, what's the matter?" Doug asks.
"What are you talking about?" Carol asks, glaring at him.
"Ever since this morning you have been cold towards me and all the nurses are looking at me like....like I cheated on you or something!" Doug says. Her eyes fill up with tears and she just shuts the door. He gets a surprised look on his face. He knocks on the door but she won't open it. He waits and knocks again. She still won't open the door. He walks out of her apartment with a sad look on his face.
"Hello?"
"Hey Mark." Doug says, through his cell phone.
"Doug." Mark says.
"Can I come over?" Doug asks.
"What happened?" Mark asks, sighing.
"I need to talk to you." Doug says.
"Sure. Come on over." Mark says.
"Hey Doug." Mark says, opening his door.
"Hey." Doug says sadly, walking into the apartment. Mark closes the door behind him.
"What's wrong?" Mark asks.
"Carol." Doug says simply.
"What happened?" Mark asks. Doug flops down onto his couch. Mark sits beside him.
"I went over after work. She opened the door but kept the chain up. I asked her if I could come in and she said that she was busy. I asked her what was wrong and she asked what I was talking about. I said that ever since this morning she was acting cold towards me and the nurses were acting like I cheated on her. She started to cry and then closed the door and wouldn't open it." Doug says. Then he groans as the realization hits him.
"She thinks you cheated on her." Mark says simply.
"Damn." Doug says.
"Did you?" Mark asks. Doug gives him a surprised look.
"No. Mark.....I.....why would she think that?" Doug asks.
"Rumors, maybe. You know that hospital." Mark says.
"Oh shit! I know who started it!" Doug says jumping up.
"Who?" Mark asks.
"This morning, Lisa Macken from radiology was trying to seduce me in and empty exam room. I told her I was involved and she most likely found out about Carol and started that rumor! Damn, I have to talk to Carol! Can I use your phone? Maybe Carol will answer it." Doug says.
"Sure." Mark says.
"Wait....you call her, so that way she won't hang up as soon as she hears my voice." Doug says.
"Alright." Mark says. He picks up his cordless phone as Doug sits back on the couch.
"Hello?" We hear Carol ask sadly through the phone.
"Hey Carol!" Mark says, cheerfully. Carol sighs.
"What do you want Mark?" Carol asks.
"Oh...um....I was wondering if I could come over." Mark says. Doug's eyes get as big as saucers.
"Why?" Carol asks.
"Cuz I want to talk to you." Mark says.
"Is Doug at your house?" Carol asks. Doug having heard the question, shakes his head, after realizing Mark's plan.
"No. Why?" Mark asks, trying his best to sound confused.
"Oh nevermind. Sure. I guess. Come on over." Carol says.
"Okay, I'll be there in about 15 minutes." Mark says.
"Bye." Carol says and hangs up.
"Thanks Mark!" Doug says. Mark nods.
"No problem. You think I should go with you?" Mark asks.
"Hell yes!" Doug says. Mark chuckles.
"Alright then. Let's go." Mark says as they stand.
"Okay, now when we go inside, I'll stand beside you but you have to try to persuade her to let me in." Doug says. Mark chuckles.
"Am I supposed to leave if she invites you in?" Mark asks.
"No!" Doug says. Mark chuckles again.
"Hold on." Carol says through the door. Mark looks at Doug who is wringing his hands. Mark smiles but turns his attention back to the door as Carol swings it open. She sighs loudly.
"I should have known!" She says, getting ready to close the door but Doug jumps into action.
"Carol wait! Let me talk to you, please. I know what happened." Doug says. Carol sighs.
"You lied to me!" She says to Mark, ignoring Doug.
"Come on Carol, let him in. He explained everything to me and your making a big mistake." Mark says. Carol rolls her eyes and looks at Doug.
"Fine." She says coolly and opens the door. Mark smiles at Doug, who gives him a grim smile in return. She storms into the house.
"Coffee?" She offers.
"No thanks." Mark says. Doug shakes his head and she stands with her hands on her hips.
"What?" She asks.
"Carol did someone at work tell you that I cheated on you?" Doug asks. She looks away from him.
"Why?" She whispers, not trusting her voice.
"Carol...did someone at work, tell you...that I cheated on you?" Doug asks. She nods her head slightly as a single tear slips down her cheek but she frantically wipes it away. Mark slowly backs up, towards the door.
"Who?" Doug asks. Mark slowly opens the door and steps out, closing the door behind him. It snaps Carol out of her trance and she becomes angry again.
"What do you care?" She asks. He reaches over and holds onto her elbow but she pulls away. He grabs her again, holding her tightly, but not hurting her.
"I want to know who told you that lie." He says.
"Lydia told me that she heard it from someone." Carol says angrily, trying to be strong. He takes her face into his hands.
"Look at me." He says. She won't look at him.
"Look at me, Carol." He orders gently. She looks up at him and her eyes fill up with tears. His voice softens.
"This morning I was walking down the hall." He starts slowly. "Dr. Lisa Macken from radiology stopped me. Do you know her?" Doug asks. Carol nods yes. "She said she wanted to talk to me privately and she pulled me into an exam room." Carol closes her eyes, trying to shut out what he is telling her. "Carol, open your eyes." He says softly. She opens them and stares straight into his. Her tears spill onto his hands which he still has holding her face. Doug sighs. "A couple years ago we dated. I broke up with her but she thinks I am in love with her. She tried to kiss me a few times but I pushed her away and I told her I was involved with someone. I told her to stay away from me then I left. Shortly afterwards I was in the hallway with you. She was probably still there and saw us, then started that rumor. Carol...I never slept with her or kissed her or whatever she said we did." Doug says.
"Lydia.." Carol starts but then clears her throat. "Lydia said that Dr. Macken said herself that she had slept with you recently." Carol says.
"But I didn't Carol. You have to believe me." Doug says painfully. She nods her head.
"I'm sorry." She whispers. He leans his forehead against hers.
"In the future, come to me when you hear a rumor like that, okay?" Doug asks. She nods and he smiles.
"Do you trust me?" He asks. She nods. "Good." He says, and leans down and kisses her sweetly.
"I love you." He whispers, for the first time ever. Her eyes fly open and he smiles nervously at her. She smiles happily and her arms go around his neck.
"I love you too." She whispers. He smiles and she giggles happily. He kisses her passionately and she pulls him back to her room.
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