Safety In Numbers

RATED: ALS (A Little Scary)


Helen still felt nauseous as she lay on the x-ray table.

"Hold still now." The tech called.

"I wonder what's keeping Dr. Carter?" Helen asked.

The tech was slightly exasperated as she'd already shot the film, while Helen was moving her head.

"Let's do that again." She called through the microphone.

"Sorry." Helen said sheepishly.

"Somebody probably caught him up in conversation, you know him." Chuni answered.

"Shooting!" The tech called.

"Still, it's been....." Helen started, "Oops, I moved again, sorry."

"Okay, you have to hold still for just a second okay?"

"Sure, sorry." Helen replied.

"Shooting!" This time the tech actually shot a second before she called shooting, that seemed to be their clue to continuing their conversation.

"Got it!" The tech called triumphantly.

The radiologist read it immediately, she had a skull fracture, and a concussion, but no intracranial hemorrhage. The radiologist called Mark and they agreed that Helen should have a CT as well, just to be on the safe side.

Chuni moved Helen back over to her wheelchair and took her to CT, where they waited impatiently.

"I don't know what could be keeping him?" Helen was getting worried.

"I can't leave you, but I'll call the desk and see if he's hanging around the ER okay?" Chuni asked.

"That would ease my mind." Helen said.

************************************

John awoke on the cold, tile, floor, confused. He had no idea how he had gotten there, and as he started to move, he remembered why. A sharp stabbing pain in his chest and around to his back greeted him again. He sucked in his breath sharply, "damn that hurts." He rolled over onto his back, "bad idea!" He told himself. His back was so sore, and the pain was worse as he lay on it.

He scooted himself over toward the radiator, using it for leverage as he sat up. He was breathing heavily. The water was still running in the sink, just the way he'd left it. He put his hand behind his back, to find the source of the pain. His hand came back with just a small spot of blood on it, no big deal. "I must be sore from all the physical activity." John reasoned with himself, "and I got dizzy from not eating yet today, that's gotta be it."

He slowly stood up, moving toward the sink again. He looked at his pale reflection, "Geez, you DO look like shit!" He told himself. He had beads of perspiration on his forehead, and splashed them off with the cold water. Just the split second of holding his breath to wash his face, had winded him.

**************************************

"ER" Randi said in her most monotone voice.

"Hey Randi, it's Chuni, I'm over in CT with Mrs. Nussbaum, we were wondering if Carter was on his way over? He was supposed to meet us in x-ray and we haven't seen him yet."

"Yeah, I'll check around, but I haven't seen him for a while, I thought he was with you." Randi replied. "I'll send him over to CT when I find him."

"Thanks Randi." Chuni hung up the phone.

"Well?" Helen asked.

"Randi said she hasn't seen him, she thought he came directly with us. He may be looking for us over in x-ray, we did get done a lot sooner then I thought we would."

"You're probably right, I'm just being a nervous Nelly." Helen smiled, and smoothed down the front of her gown, "I do have a slight problem."

"What's that?" Chuni asked.

"I'm going to have to borrow some scrubs to wear home, that lovely young man ruined my clothes."

"No problem, I'll grab you some when we get back." Chuni smiled and took Helen's hand.

"It really wasn't one of my favorite outfits anyway, made me look fat." Helen smiled back at Chuni.

*************************************

John surveyed his reflection once again, and decided that this was as good as it was getting. He opened the door, and headed out of the men's room. He had a hell of a stitch in his side, and he wished it would go away. He must have done something, pulled a muscle or something. He hadn't been in a brawl in a long time, he had forgotten how many body parts you could hurt all at one time!

"Carter, they're looking for you over in CT." Randi called, while leafing through the latest Style magazine.

"CT?" John was confused. He could have sworn that Chuni had said she was taking Helen to x-ray.

"Yeah, your friend, Helen is there, she was getting worried about you." Randi looked up, "God, you look awful!"

"Thank you Randi." John replied sarcastically, and headed in the direction of CT.

He had found that if he didn't breathe too heavily, the stitch in his side wasn't quite as bad. He walked at his normal pace, which Lucy always complained, was like running. She said she always had to run to catch up with him.

He smiled at the thought, then stopped short. He was still a good way away from CT and couldn't seem to catch his breath. He leaned against the wall for a moment, and closed his eyes. He was getting dizzy again, and he wished this would just quit. He was in no mood for this today. He slid down to a seated position on the floor in the hallway between the ER and Radiology. It took him several minutes to catch his breath, and several more to stand steadily on his feet. He started off once again, making a conscious effort to slow his pace. He had to get some food, he was pretty sure that was the problem. He would just go to check on Helen then hit the vending machine. Sugar, that's what he needed. A candy bar would be the way to go, quick energy. "Damnit!" John muttered to himself, his money was in his pants, and he had left his pants in the men's room, when he changed. He started back to the ER, "Slow and steady" was the mantra he kept repeating to himself as he made his way back down the hallway, the stitch in his side was now a burning, searing pain, that made his eyes water, and deep breathing was quite impossible, so he kept his breathing shallow, almost a pant while he was walking. He reached down to rub his back, that's when he felt it, almost nothing really. He thought it may have been a bruise, because when he touched that spot, it was very tender. He had slightly raised area on his back, probably a hell of a bruise. He'd look when he got back to the bathroom.

John rounded the corner and stopped at the desk, "Randi," he stopped, breathing had become a little more difficult now, "could you call CT" ….."Tell Helen, uh…Mrs. Nussbaum….that I'll be over in a few minutes."

"Geez Carter what'd you do, run all the way back?" Randi asked.

"Yeah. Anyway, I gotta go get something, then I'll be right down…..got that?"

"Yeah, got it." Randi picked up the phone.

By the time John arrived in the bathroom, his heart was pounding, and he had broken out in a cold sweat. He wiped his face on a paper towel, and grabbed his pants. He felt the pockets, "Damnit!" He looked around on the floor, it wasn't there either. His wallet was gone.

***************************************

Jose Gonzales was held for exactly three hours before his bail was made. He walked out of the police station with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. His eyes were still burning, but when he pulled on his sunglasses, it made it much better. Besides, he looked cool in them.

"You coming home Jose!" His mother admonished.

"I ain't comin' home yet, I'll be home when I'm done." Jose shot back.

"You coming home now! You hear me I said YOU COMING HOME NOW!" His mother grabbed him by the hand, "You are MY responsibility until you are 18 boy, and I said you coming HOME!"

Jose's smile melted from his face. His mother was all he had in the world, besides his "friends." He would get back out, "Okay Ma, I'm going, I'm going!"

They made their way toward the El station, and Jose looked back once at the garage, "I'll get you back for this big man! You just see!" He fingered the wallet in his pocket, he hid it well, the cops never even found it.


"Hey, how's it going?" John asked as he sat next to Helen. She looked a little worse for wear and definitely tired.

"It's going, you know the deal, hurry up and wait." Helen replied, rubbing the back of her head absent-mindedly.

"Hurt?" John asked.

"A little."

John held her hand, "I was really scared today, I thought that guy was gonna kill you."

"You and me both."

They sat in silence for a moment, and John sucked in his breath again, as he tried to sit back in the chair.

"Your back bothering you?" Helen asked.

"Yeah, a little, I must have taken a good punch or kick or something, I can't see anything. It's probably just bruised." John said placating Helen, he knew how worried she got.

"Lemme look." Helen said as she pushed him forward, and tried to lift his shirt.

"Helen, we're in the middle of a public place, you can look when we get home, it's no big deal really."

"Have it your way, since you're the hero today, I can't argue with you." Helen leaned over and kissed John on the cheek, causing him to blush.

"I'm not a hero Helen, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't have had the mace." John replied.

"Yes, you are, you jumped right in there, and I'm proud of you." Helen said with tears welling in her eyes, "I know that had to be very frightening for you, but you did it." Helen patted his hand with her own, "besides you kicked ass!" Helen smiled up at him, as John's face lit up.

"Yeah, I did kick some ass didn't I?"

Helen's name was called, and John escorted her inside to CT, with Chuni right behind them. They finished up in CT and went back to the ER to await results.

***************************************

John had laid down on the other gurney in the room, and it took about 30 seconds for him to fall asleep. He was exhausted, and really just wanted to go home and go to bed.

Mark knocked once, then entered the exam room. He looked over at a sleeping Carter, and spoke softly to Helen, "We need to admit you." Helen started to protest, when Mark lifted his hands defending himself, "Just for observation 24-hours that's it."

"I'd really rather go home." Helen said.

"You have a severe concussion, and we need to suture the lac on the back of you head, now, you know as well as I do, that if it was him." Mark pointed over at John, "You'd make him stay wouldn't you?"

"Yes." Helen replied, "I guess you're right."

"Good, I want to admit you to Medicine for 24-hour observation, we'll be back in a few minutes to take you up, you want to wake him or do you want me to?" Mark said.

"Let him sleep for a few minutes, we can wake him up when I'm ready to go upstairs." Helen said.

****************************************

Mark set up the suture kit, and numbed up the back of her head. It took 12 stitches to suture the laceration closed, and by the time he was finished Helen's room was ready.

"Carter." Mark said shaking John's shoulder.

"What?" He rolled over sleepily, and the pain in his side at the movement brought him fully awake. He sucked in a breath sharply.

"Your back bothering you?" Mark asked.

"A little, no big deal, what's going on?" He changed the subject quickly.

"We need to admit Helen for observation, only 24-hours, she has a severe concussion." Mark explained.

"Okay, I'll go upstairs with you."

"John, why don't you just go home and get some rest, I'm sure Dr. Greene will make sure I get where I need to be all right? If you could bring me back some clothes tomorrow I would appreciate it." Helen said.

"Are you on tonight Carter?" Mark asked.

"No, I'm off." John responded.

"Good, cause you look awful, go home and get some sleep." Mark commented.

John leaned over and gave Helen a kiss on the cheek, "I'll be back in a few hours okay? Anything else you want besides some clothes?"

"An appointment with my hairdresser, I think Dr. Greene just ruined my new do!"

John looked at the back of Helen's head, "It's kind of retro-punk, it's a new look for you!"

"Oh, aren't you witty!"

John realized that his keys had also been in his pocket, and those were gone as well, "Can I use your keys? Mine were in my pants pocket and my wallet and keys are both gone. I must have dropped them in the garage."

Helen reached for her purse, and handed John her set of keys, they had keys to each other's apartment, and Helen had a set of keys for John's jeep, he was forever locking his keys inside.

"Thanks, I'll see you in a few hours."

"Take your time Carter, we'll take good care of her." Mark said.

************************************

John walked through the quiet parking garage, he still felt dizzy and a little nauseous, but he'd grab something to eat at home. The stitch in his side was still there, but as long as he walked slowly, it didn't hurt as bad, and it was easier to catch his breath. As he neared the jeep, he looked around on the floor of the garage, no keys, no wallet. He looked under the vehicle, it was creeping him out. He opened the door, and got into the driver's seat. He sighed as he looked around, they really needed a better security system in this garage, anyone could walk in. He would talk to Anspaugh about this. He wanted to make sure something like this never happened again.

He headed for home, and a warm bed.

**************************************

Jose kissed his mother good-bye, "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Where are you going?"

"Out." He left the apartment, and smiled as he felt his pocket containing John's keys, and wallet. He had scored some crack in the short time he was incarcerated, and was enjoying his buzz immensely. He was cranked, and ready to go.

"We weren't finished big man…" Jose made his way through the darkened streets, his destination less than a mile away, his smile broadened at the thought.

*******************************************

The apartment was pitch black as John stepped inside. He decided to catch some sleep first, then he'd go downstairs and get Helen's things. He was very careful to keep the keys close by, if he locked himself out, there was no second set now. He'd have to get new ones made, or change the locks on both his and Helen's apartments. He was glad he didn't keep his credit cards in his wallet, only his license and a few dollars.

He flipped the light switch, nothing. He clicked it on and off a few times, still nothing.

He made his way through the darkened apartment, and flipped on the kitchen light, nothing. "What the hell?" He said as he went back toward the front door, he needed the light from the hallway. As he made his way back through the darkened living room, he distinctly heard movement. John froze in his tracks. He stood silent, listening intently. He heard it again. The floor creaked in the short hallway behind him. He was standing perfectly still. His heart was hammering in his chest. The thought had not occurred to him until this very moment, that his wallet and keys could have been lifted during his struggle in the parking garage. He turned around slowly, his breath coming in short pants, his heart was pounding so hard, he thought it may just pound out of his chest.

He slowly backed away from the hallway, toward the front door, the key ring held firmly in his hand. He knew where the floorboards creaked, and stealthily walked backward, keeping his eye on the hallway. He stopped in front of the door, he knew it creaked and once he opened it he had to be ready to move. He felt the keys on the ring, feeling his car key, and holding it firmly in his fingers. He swiftly opened the front door, and was partially through it. The light from the hallway glinted off the blade as it arced through the air, followed by a maniacal laugh, "We play now big man!"



Part 4
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