This story takes place in the beginning of the 9th season. There are only 2 differences Carter and Susan are still together and so are Luka and Abby.
Disclaimer: All ER Characters belong to Warner Bros., Michael Crichton, and NBC
Summery: Doug Ross is in Chicago for a medical conference and he stops at County to visit his old friends and gets some shocking news.
Chapter 1:Finding Out
Doug Ross was in his bedroom doing some last minute packing for his trip to Chicago. Carol walked into the room and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. She smiled "Hey you, all packed" She asked. He smiled "Yeah, I really wish you were coming with me" She sighed sadly. "Me to but I have work and the girls have preschool" she said softly. Doug pulled her toward him and kissed her softly. "I'll call you" he whispered. She kisses him back. "You better" she whispers. "Tell everybody I said hi okay" He nodded and kissed her again. "I better go" he tells her. He heads toward the door. He turns and smiles "I love you Carol" she smiles "I love you too Doug" she watched him disappear out the door.
A few hours later Doug was aboard flight 220 headed for O'Hare Airport in Chicago. He sat in a window seat sipping on a coke and thinking about how great it would be to see Carter, Mark, Elizabeth, Peter and even Kerry again. It wasn't long before the flight attendant announced they were approaching O'Hare Airport. Once his flight landed he exited the plane claimed his luggage and haled a cab to the Radison Hotel. He checked in and took his luggage up to his room. His next stop was County General.
Doug stood outside the familiar ER doors. He took a deep breath and walked inside. He looked around noticing the changes to the admit area and the staff. He saw many new faces but no familiar ones. He was so busy looking around he wasn't looking where he was going. He bumped right into someone. He smiled at the young African American man standing there. "I'm sorry" The man smiled. "That's okay no harm done" "I'm Michael Gallant 4th year med. student can I help you with something" he asked. Doug nodded "I'm Dr. Doug Ross I used to work here is Mark Greene around" he replied. Gallant's smile faded. "Umm no Dr. Greene isn't here" he said softly. He nodded "Okay how about John Carter" Gallant's smile returned "Sure he's on break in the lounge. Doug smiled "Thank you" he replied as he headed toward the lounge.
He walked in the lounge to see Carter sitting on the couch with his arm around a woman. Doug smiled "Carter my man you still have a way with the women huh" Carter turned to see Doug. "Doug!" he exclaimed. The woman turned too. "Hey Doug don't I get a hello" she asked him. "Susan!" he said with surprise. "What are you doing here and what's up with you and Carter" he asked. Susan smiled "I moved back to Chicago a year ago and I work here again" She looked at Carter "and John and I started seeing each other soon after I returned" She said with a smile "So how's Carol and the girls" She asked. "They're great, so you and Carter huh" Susan nodded and smiled as she took a hold of Carter's hand.
Doug smiled "So how's Mark , Gallant told me he wasn't here today" Susan's smile disappeared as she glanced at Carter. She took a deep breath "Doug I..." she was interrupted by the sounds of two pagers. Susan looked at her pager as did Carter. "Damn" Susan muttered. "I'm sorry Doug we'll talk later" He nodded "Okay" he replied as he watched them walk out to the ER. He was looking around the lounge when the door opened and in walked a woman with shoulder length brown hair. She smiled at him. "Hi" she said softly. He smiled at her . "Hello I'm Dr. Doug Ross I used to work here" he told her. "I' m Abby Lockhart" she replied. He smiled. "So you're Abby! Carol talks about you all the time, she said you helped her when the twins were born" Abby nodded "I did, so how are Carol and the twins" she asked.
Doug was about to answer when a man walked in. He walked up to Abby and wrapped her arms around her waist. He smiled "Hey who's your friend" he asked She smiled "This is Dr. Doug Ross" "Doug this is my boyfriend Dr. Luka Kovac" Doug nodded "Luka, Carol talks about you too she said you found her in labor and carried her all the way to the hospital" Luka nodded "That's right I did" he said softly. "How is Carol" he asked. Doug smiled "She's great and so are the girls" "She wanted to come with me but she had to work and the girls had preschool" he told him. "That's great" Luka said. "Tell Carol I said hello" he finished as he walked to his locker and got his coat. " Abby and I are off now it was nice meeting you" Luka extended his hand to Doug. He shook his hand "It was nice meeting you both" he replied.
Doug wandered back out to the ER. He noticed Elizabeth she was talking to Kerry. He walked toward them. "Elizabeth" he said softly. She turned to see Doug standing there. She gave him a small smile as she hugged him. "What are you doing here" she asked. He smiled "I'm in town for a medical convention so I stopped by to see everyone" he told her. Elizabeth nodded "How's Carol and the girls" she asked. "They're great" he replied "How's Mark" he asked. Elizabeth was silent. Tears filled her eyes "I'm...I'm sorry I have to go" she whispered as she turned and left.
He looked at Kerry "What's wrong are her and Mark having problems" he asked. Kerry sighed softly "No Doug umm I think we should sit down lets go to the lounge" she said softly. He nodded and followed her to the lounge. They both sat down on the sofa. Kerry knew this was going to be hard she knew how close he had been to Mark. She was surprised no one had told him yet. She looked at him. "Doug" she started "There's something I have to tell you and knowing how you feel about me it won't be easy" He smiled a little "Kerry I never disliked you we just didn't see eye to eye" Kerry smiled a little "Thank you" she said softly. She reached out and placed her hand on his. "Doug I..I" He looked at her and saw something he had never seen the 4 years he worked with her. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. "Kerry what is it? What's wrong" he asked softly.
Kerry brushed her tears away. She started again. "Doug, Mark he's no longer with us" she whispered. He looked at her "He left County" He asked "Where is he working now" Kerry fought more tears "He...he...had a...a brain tumor" "He...he passed away Doug" she finally blurted out as the tears she tried to fight ran down her cheeks. Doug looked at her in shock. "Wh...what" he whispered. "No Mark can't be gone" Kerry got up and walked over to her locker she opened it and pulled out 3 neatly folded pieces of paper. She walked back over and sat down. She looked at the papers in her hand. She was glad she had decided to keep them. She handed them to him. "What's this" he asked. "It's the letter we got from Mark, Elizabeth faxed it to us on the morning he passed away" "I thought you might like to read it" She said softly.
Doug looked down at the papers in his hand and then back at Kerry. "Than you Kerry" he whispered. She nodded "You're welcome Doug" she said softly. She watched him unfold the letter. Doug began to slowly read the words his bestfriend had written........
Dear ER Gang,
So here I am out on the beach at 5:30 in the evening. Elizabeth is sitting with me drinking juice, but I'm all about the Mai Tais. The sun is going down. Rachel is dipping Ella's toes in the ocean as they head off on a quest for the perfect seashell.
Weirdly enough, I find myself thinking, you know what would make this moment complete?
Some jogger dropping to the sand short of breath so I can swoop in with a piece of bamboo to perform a nice clean intubation, fix the guy up, and send him off with a good, simple dispo. Which I guess is my way of saying that I miss you all and that dingy place.
Lots of times I thought I should've chosen a different career or gone into private practice. Something easier, less grinding, more lucrative, but since I've been gone, I realize that outside of what I'm doing right now, sitting on this beach with my family, staying at County all those years, doing what we do on a daily basis, was the best choice I ever made. I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it's not so hard to appreciate once it's over.
As much as part of me would like to believe that the ER can't go on without me, the smarter part realizes that you are an incredible group of doctors and nurses who approach every day with such skill, passion, and thoroughness that when it comes to patient care, I know my absence will hardly be felt.
As for friendship and camaraderie well that's another matter. In order to leave, I had to go the way I did but I wouldn't want any of you to think that meant I didn't value each of you and the years that we worked together, or that I didn't have things of a more personal nature to say. Most of you, I think, have an idea of what those things might be without me writing them down, but still...
Ella is laughing and waving for me. Rachel's found her shell....
Mark died this morning. At 6:04 am. The sun was rising, his favorite time of day. I sent this along so that you might know he was thinking of you all and that he appreciated knowing you would remember him well
Elizabeth.......
As Doug finished reading the letter tears began to run freely down his cheeks. It was true his bestfriend his brother was really gone. He glanced over at Kerry. She too was crying. He carefully set Mark's letter on the couch and embraced Kerry in a hug. After a few minutes they pulled away. She looked at him. "I'm so sorry Doug I know how close you two were" he nodded "Thank you Kerry" He said as he brushed away more tears. Kerry's pager sounded. "I'm sorry Doug I'm needed in the ER but if you need anything come and find me okay" He nodded "Thank you Kerry for everything" She nodded as she walked out the door.
Doug sat alone with his thoughts. How was he going to tell Carol that Mark was gone. She would be devastated. He sighed sadly as he got up and walked over to the phone on the wall. He picked it up and dialed his number in Seattle.
Chapter 2: Telling Carol......Coming Soon!!!!!!!!
Disclaimer: All ER Characters belong to Warner Bros., Michael Crichton, and NBC
Summery: Doug Ross is in Chicago for a medical conference and he stops at County to visit his old friends and gets some shocking news.
Chapter 1:Finding Out
Doug Ross was in his bedroom doing some last minute packing for his trip to Chicago. Carol walked into the room and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist. She smiled "Hey you, all packed" She asked. He smiled "Yeah, I really wish you were coming with me" She sighed sadly. "Me to but I have work and the girls have preschool" she said softly. Doug pulled her toward him and kissed her softly. "I'll call you" he whispered. She kisses him back. "You better" she whispers. "Tell everybody I said hi okay" He nodded and kissed her again. "I better go" he tells her. He heads toward the door. He turns and smiles "I love you Carol" she smiles "I love you too Doug" she watched him disappear out the door.
A few hours later Doug was aboard flight 220 headed for O'Hare Airport in Chicago. He sat in a window seat sipping on a coke and thinking about how great it would be to see Carter, Mark, Elizabeth, Peter and even Kerry again. It wasn't long before the flight attendant announced they were approaching O'Hare Airport. Once his flight landed he exited the plane claimed his luggage and haled a cab to the Radison Hotel. He checked in and took his luggage up to his room. His next stop was County General.
Doug stood outside the familiar ER doors. He took a deep breath and walked inside. He looked around noticing the changes to the admit area and the staff. He saw many new faces but no familiar ones. He was so busy looking around he wasn't looking where he was going. He bumped right into someone. He smiled at the young African American man standing there. "I'm sorry" The man smiled. "That's okay no harm done" "I'm Michael Gallant 4th year med. student can I help you with something" he asked. Doug nodded "I'm Dr. Doug Ross I used to work here is Mark Greene around" he replied. Gallant's smile faded. "Umm no Dr. Greene isn't here" he said softly. He nodded "Okay how about John Carter" Gallant's smile returned "Sure he's on break in the lounge. Doug smiled "Thank you" he replied as he headed toward the lounge.
He walked in the lounge to see Carter sitting on the couch with his arm around a woman. Doug smiled "Carter my man you still have a way with the women huh" Carter turned to see Doug. "Doug!" he exclaimed. The woman turned too. "Hey Doug don't I get a hello" she asked him. "Susan!" he said with surprise. "What are you doing here and what's up with you and Carter" he asked. Susan smiled "I moved back to Chicago a year ago and I work here again" She looked at Carter "and John and I started seeing each other soon after I returned" She said with a smile "So how's Carol and the girls" She asked. "They're great, so you and Carter huh" Susan nodded and smiled as she took a hold of Carter's hand.
Doug smiled "So how's Mark , Gallant told me he wasn't here today" Susan's smile disappeared as she glanced at Carter. She took a deep breath "Doug I..." she was interrupted by the sounds of two pagers. Susan looked at her pager as did Carter. "Damn" Susan muttered. "I'm sorry Doug we'll talk later" He nodded "Okay" he replied as he watched them walk out to the ER. He was looking around the lounge when the door opened and in walked a woman with shoulder length brown hair. She smiled at him. "Hi" she said softly. He smiled at her . "Hello I'm Dr. Doug Ross I used to work here" he told her. "I' m Abby Lockhart" she replied. He smiled. "So you're Abby! Carol talks about you all the time, she said you helped her when the twins were born" Abby nodded "I did, so how are Carol and the twins" she asked.
Doug was about to answer when a man walked in. He walked up to Abby and wrapped her arms around her waist. He smiled "Hey who's your friend" he asked She smiled "This is Dr. Doug Ross" "Doug this is my boyfriend Dr. Luka Kovac" Doug nodded "Luka, Carol talks about you too she said you found her in labor and carried her all the way to the hospital" Luka nodded "That's right I did" he said softly. "How is Carol" he asked. Doug smiled "She's great and so are the girls" "She wanted to come with me but she had to work and the girls had preschool" he told him. "That's great" Luka said. "Tell Carol I said hello" he finished as he walked to his locker and got his coat. " Abby and I are off now it was nice meeting you" Luka extended his hand to Doug. He shook his hand "It was nice meeting you both" he replied.
Doug wandered back out to the ER. He noticed Elizabeth she was talking to Kerry. He walked toward them. "Elizabeth" he said softly. She turned to see Doug standing there. She gave him a small smile as she hugged him. "What are you doing here" she asked. He smiled "I'm in town for a medical convention so I stopped by to see everyone" he told her. Elizabeth nodded "How's Carol and the girls" she asked. "They're great" he replied "How's Mark" he asked. Elizabeth was silent. Tears filled her eyes "I'm...I'm sorry I have to go" she whispered as she turned and left.
He looked at Kerry "What's wrong are her and Mark having problems" he asked. Kerry sighed softly "No Doug umm I think we should sit down lets go to the lounge" she said softly. He nodded and followed her to the lounge. They both sat down on the sofa. Kerry knew this was going to be hard she knew how close he had been to Mark. She was surprised no one had told him yet. She looked at him. "Doug" she started "There's something I have to tell you and knowing how you feel about me it won't be easy" He smiled a little "Kerry I never disliked you we just didn't see eye to eye" Kerry smiled a little "Thank you" she said softly. She reached out and placed her hand on his. "Doug I..I" He looked at her and saw something he had never seen the 4 years he worked with her. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. "Kerry what is it? What's wrong" he asked softly.
Kerry brushed her tears away. She started again. "Doug, Mark he's no longer with us" she whispered. He looked at her "He left County" He asked "Where is he working now" Kerry fought more tears "He...he...had a...a brain tumor" "He...he passed away Doug" she finally blurted out as the tears she tried to fight ran down her cheeks. Doug looked at her in shock. "Wh...what" he whispered. "No Mark can't be gone" Kerry got up and walked over to her locker she opened it and pulled out 3 neatly folded pieces of paper. She walked back over and sat down. She looked at the papers in her hand. She was glad she had decided to keep them. She handed them to him. "What's this" he asked. "It's the letter we got from Mark, Elizabeth faxed it to us on the morning he passed away" "I thought you might like to read it" She said softly.
Doug looked down at the papers in his hand and then back at Kerry. "Than you Kerry" he whispered. She nodded "You're welcome Doug" she said softly. She watched him unfold the letter. Doug began to slowly read the words his bestfriend had written........
Dear ER Gang,
So here I am out on the beach at 5:30 in the evening. Elizabeth is sitting with me drinking juice, but I'm all about the Mai Tais. The sun is going down. Rachel is dipping Ella's toes in the ocean as they head off on a quest for the perfect seashell.
Weirdly enough, I find myself thinking, you know what would make this moment complete?
Some jogger dropping to the sand short of breath so I can swoop in with a piece of bamboo to perform a nice clean intubation, fix the guy up, and send him off with a good, simple dispo. Which I guess is my way of saying that I miss you all and that dingy place.
Lots of times I thought I should've chosen a different career or gone into private practice. Something easier, less grinding, more lucrative, but since I've been gone, I realize that outside of what I'm doing right now, sitting on this beach with my family, staying at County all those years, doing what we do on a daily basis, was the best choice I ever made. I know what you're thinking, but trust me, it's not so hard to appreciate once it's over.
As much as part of me would like to believe that the ER can't go on without me, the smarter part realizes that you are an incredible group of doctors and nurses who approach every day with such skill, passion, and thoroughness that when it comes to patient care, I know my absence will hardly be felt.
As for friendship and camaraderie well that's another matter. In order to leave, I had to go the way I did but I wouldn't want any of you to think that meant I didn't value each of you and the years that we worked together, or that I didn't have things of a more personal nature to say. Most of you, I think, have an idea of what those things might be without me writing them down, but still...
Ella is laughing and waving for me. Rachel's found her shell....
Mark died this morning. At 6:04 am. The sun was rising, his favorite time of day. I sent this along so that you might know he was thinking of you all and that he appreciated knowing you would remember him well
Elizabeth.......
As Doug finished reading the letter tears began to run freely down his cheeks. It was true his bestfriend his brother was really gone. He glanced over at Kerry. She too was crying. He carefully set Mark's letter on the couch and embraced Kerry in a hug. After a few minutes they pulled away. She looked at him. "I'm so sorry Doug I know how close you two were" he nodded "Thank you Kerry" He said as he brushed away more tears. Kerry's pager sounded. "I'm sorry Doug I'm needed in the ER but if you need anything come and find me okay" He nodded "Thank you Kerry for everything" She nodded as she walked out the door.
Doug sat alone with his thoughts. How was he going to tell Carol that Mark was gone. She would be devastated. He sighed sadly as he got up and walked over to the phone on the wall. He picked it up and dialed his number in Seattle.
Chapter 2: Telling Carol......Coming Soon!!!!!!!!