Carter's shift was finally over and he was glad to be heading home. A sixteen hour shift of arguing with Lucy over whatever small thing they happened to disagree about was more then he could take. Just when he thought he and Lucy were getting along something would happen that would send them into an argument. Things had been better for awhile between them ever since they spent the day scouring Chicago for Mr. Nelson so he could donate blood for his daughter. They had managed to resolve their differences, but things had recently started falling apart. Today she managed to write down a patients history on another patients chart, who happened to be Kerry's patient, resulting in a lecture from Kerry on keeping a closer eye on his student.
He headed into the lounge and saw the familiar blonde-headed figure bent over a magazine, engrossed in her reading. It was the end of the day and he didn't want to finish it with another argument, so he decided to be polite.
"What are you reading?" Carter casually asked, as he headed to his locker for his jacket.
"Oh, just an article on hyp..." Lucy started, but was interrupted by Carter.
"Thought your shift ended an hour ago," he inquired.
"It did," she replied shortly.
"Then why are you still here?"
"Dr. Carter, it's really none of your business," Lucy snapped. She had had a long day and didn't have the patience to put up with twenty questions.
"Okay, whatever. If you're gonna be like that..." Carter trailed off as he started to leave the lounge.
Lucy started to feel bad for snapping at him. Sure he was being nosy, but he was making an effort to be polite. "If you really must know, a friend of mine was gonna pick me up, but the can't make it so I was going to finish reading this and take the El. Is that alright with you?"
Carter tried not to groan out loud. Why did she have to make everything so difficult? He turned around to say something to her, and as he did a flash of lightning illuminated the night sky, followed by a huge crash of thunder. Suddenly the sky opened up and the rain came pouring down.
"Great," Lucy muttered. "Now I'm gonna have to walk to the El in that," she said more to herself than to Carter.
Carter couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Her place was on the way to his. Why not? On the other hand, is it really a good idea? Oh, what the hell. "You know, your place is on the way to mine. Grab your coat, I'll give you a lift."
Lucy was a bit taken a back by the offer. Carter offering to drive her home?
"Come on Luce, haven't got all day."
"I never said I'd go with you."
"Suit yourself." Carter turned to leave again.
"Wait." Lucy decided Carter was making an effort to be polite, ever if he was a little pushy. Anyways, she wasn't looking forward to having to walk to the El in the storm. "I guess I'll go. Let me get my stuff."
Together they made their way past the admit desk, headed for the ambulance bay doors. The sight of Carter and Lucy leaving together evoked some interest from the nurses who were currently at the desk.
"What do you think, Conni? Something we don't know about going on between our favourite doctor and med student?" Chuny gossiped.
"What's this?" Mask asked coming up to the desk after over hearing part of what Chuny said.
"Oh nothing. Carter and Lucy just left together," Conni filled him in.
"Really. That's interesting." Mark remembered the huge argument Lucy and Carter had today, and wondered if things really had changed so fast. He never thought he'd see Carter and Lucy together without arguing, much less leaving together.
"Yeah, this could get interesting. Better start keeping a closer eye on those two." Chuny joked.
"Wow, nice car Dr. Carter." Lucy tried not to laugh as she took in the rusty old Toyota Corolla sitting infront of her. "I guess since your jeep got destroyed you've had to put up with this, huh?" She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.
"Go ahead, laugh all you want," Carter said.
"Sorry it's just..."
"You can't see someone with such a rich family driving a junk heap like this. It's just on loan until I can buy a new Jeep."
"I see". Lucy pushed down the urge to laugh as she climbed in and the seat groaned beneath her. Wonder if it' safe to be driving this car in this weather. At night.
The ride was fairly quiet; they couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't start an argument. The rain showed no signs of relenting which made it impossible to see much of anything. Lucy could barely make out the flashing red and blue lights up ahead.
"What's that up ahead," Lucy asked.
"What?"
"Those flashing lights...there!" Lucy pointed at them in hopes that would make Carter see them.
"Oh, now I see them. Looks like there was an accident. Lets take a look, maybe they could use some help." Carter drove up to the policeman who was directing traffic and rolled down the window. "We're doctors. Need any help?"
"The paramedics are taking care of things, you'll have to turn around. The road's closed."
"Right. Okay, thanks." Carter rolled up the window and backed up until he was able to make a left turn onto a deserted back road.
"What are you doing Dr. Carter? Wouldn't it of been faster to of turned right?"
"Probably not. That road had quite a bit if traffic on it and it's somewhat distracting to drive in a rainstorm with other cars and headlights shining in your face. Anyways, a little scenery never hurt anyone."
"What scenery? It's raining," Lucy muttered to herself. She wasn't going to argue with him. She knew it'd be futile. That's what happens when you have two stubborn people working together; neither one will back down. That's why she figured they had so many problems when they worked in the ER together. They always thought they were both right.
"Thanks, Dr. Carter."
"For what?"
"Well, for the ride, and for being so patient with me. I know I haven't been the easiest person to work with."
"You got that right. You're welcome."
Lucy didn't know what else to say so she turned her attention back to the road. They were coming upon a four-way stop. Lucy focused her attention onto the road that crossed the one they were on, looking for cars. A flash of light caught her eye and her senses perked up. Sure enough, there was a car. Barely visible in the rain, headed straight for the intersection and showing no signs of slowing down. Strange, she thought. It's headlights aren't on. Carter has the right of way, why isn't it stopping? She looked over at Carter. He didn't seem to see it.
"Uh, Dr. Carter?"
"What is it?"
"That car...it's going too fast."
"What car?!"
"That one!" Lucy yelled and pointed at it; anything to make him see it.
"I don't see it!" he yelled back, getting impatient. Again Carter craned his neck over the wheel to get a better view, and was barely able to make out the shape of a car that was fast approaching the intersection.
"Son of a....hang on Luce!"
Carter slammed on the brakes, but the car was already too close to the intersection to stop in time. Things seemed to happen in slow motion. Lucy's scream was cut off by the loud scraping of metal on metal as the car broadsided them on the driver's side, sending the car into a spin. Lucy's head connected with the window, and the last thing she heard were the screeching of tires before blackness consumed her.
He headed into the lounge and saw the familiar blonde-headed figure bent over a magazine, engrossed in her reading. It was the end of the day and he didn't want to finish it with another argument, so he decided to be polite.
"What are you reading?" Carter casually asked, as he headed to his locker for his jacket.
"Oh, just an article on hyp..." Lucy started, but was interrupted by Carter.
"Thought your shift ended an hour ago," he inquired.
"It did," she replied shortly.
"Then why are you still here?"
"Dr. Carter, it's really none of your business," Lucy snapped. She had had a long day and didn't have the patience to put up with twenty questions.
"Okay, whatever. If you're gonna be like that..." Carter trailed off as he started to leave the lounge.
Lucy started to feel bad for snapping at him. Sure he was being nosy, but he was making an effort to be polite. "If you really must know, a friend of mine was gonna pick me up, but the can't make it so I was going to finish reading this and take the El. Is that alright with you?"
Carter tried not to groan out loud. Why did she have to make everything so difficult? He turned around to say something to her, and as he did a flash of lightning illuminated the night sky, followed by a huge crash of thunder. Suddenly the sky opened up and the rain came pouring down.
"Great," Lucy muttered. "Now I'm gonna have to walk to the El in that," she said more to herself than to Carter.
Carter couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Her place was on the way to his. Why not? On the other hand, is it really a good idea? Oh, what the hell. "You know, your place is on the way to mine. Grab your coat, I'll give you a lift."
Lucy was a bit taken a back by the offer. Carter offering to drive her home?
"Come on Luce, haven't got all day."
"I never said I'd go with you."
"Suit yourself." Carter turned to leave again.
"Wait." Lucy decided Carter was making an effort to be polite, ever if he was a little pushy. Anyways, she wasn't looking forward to having to walk to the El in the storm. "I guess I'll go. Let me get my stuff."
Together they made their way past the admit desk, headed for the ambulance bay doors. The sight of Carter and Lucy leaving together evoked some interest from the nurses who were currently at the desk.
"What do you think, Conni? Something we don't know about going on between our favourite doctor and med student?" Chuny gossiped.
"What's this?" Mask asked coming up to the desk after over hearing part of what Chuny said.
"Oh nothing. Carter and Lucy just left together," Conni filled him in.
"Really. That's interesting." Mark remembered the huge argument Lucy and Carter had today, and wondered if things really had changed so fast. He never thought he'd see Carter and Lucy together without arguing, much less leaving together.
"Yeah, this could get interesting. Better start keeping a closer eye on those two." Chuny joked.
"Wow, nice car Dr. Carter." Lucy tried not to laugh as she took in the rusty old Toyota Corolla sitting infront of her. "I guess since your jeep got destroyed you've had to put up with this, huh?" She couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.
"Go ahead, laugh all you want," Carter said.
"Sorry it's just..."
"You can't see someone with such a rich family driving a junk heap like this. It's just on loan until I can buy a new Jeep."
"I see". Lucy pushed down the urge to laugh as she climbed in and the seat groaned beneath her. Wonder if it' safe to be driving this car in this weather. At night.
The ride was fairly quiet; they couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't start an argument. The rain showed no signs of relenting which made it impossible to see much of anything. Lucy could barely make out the flashing red and blue lights up ahead.
"What's that up ahead," Lucy asked.
"What?"
"Those flashing lights...there!" Lucy pointed at them in hopes that would make Carter see them.
"Oh, now I see them. Looks like there was an accident. Lets take a look, maybe they could use some help." Carter drove up to the policeman who was directing traffic and rolled down the window. "We're doctors. Need any help?"
"The paramedics are taking care of things, you'll have to turn around. The road's closed."
"Right. Okay, thanks." Carter rolled up the window and backed up until he was able to make a left turn onto a deserted back road.
"What are you doing Dr. Carter? Wouldn't it of been faster to of turned right?"
"Probably not. That road had quite a bit if traffic on it and it's somewhat distracting to drive in a rainstorm with other cars and headlights shining in your face. Anyways, a little scenery never hurt anyone."
"What scenery? It's raining," Lucy muttered to herself. She wasn't going to argue with him. She knew it'd be futile. That's what happens when you have two stubborn people working together; neither one will back down. That's why she figured they had so many problems when they worked in the ER together. They always thought they were both right.
"Thanks, Dr. Carter."
"For what?"
"Well, for the ride, and for being so patient with me. I know I haven't been the easiest person to work with."
"You got that right. You're welcome."
Lucy didn't know what else to say so she turned her attention back to the road. They were coming upon a four-way stop. Lucy focused her attention onto the road that crossed the one they were on, looking for cars. A flash of light caught her eye and her senses perked up. Sure enough, there was a car. Barely visible in the rain, headed straight for the intersection and showing no signs of slowing down. Strange, she thought. It's headlights aren't on. Carter has the right of way, why isn't it stopping? She looked over at Carter. He didn't seem to see it.
"Uh, Dr. Carter?"
"What is it?"
"That car...it's going too fast."
"What car?!"
"That one!" Lucy yelled and pointed at it; anything to make him see it.
"I don't see it!" he yelled back, getting impatient. Again Carter craned his neck over the wheel to get a better view, and was barely able to make out the shape of a car that was fast approaching the intersection.
"Son of a....hang on Luce!"
Carter slammed on the brakes, but the car was already too close to the intersection to stop in time. Things seemed to happen in slow motion. Lucy's scream was cut off by the loud scraping of metal on metal as the car broadsided them on the driver's side, sending the car into a spin. Lucy's head connected with the window, and the last thing she heard were the screeching of tires before blackness consumed her.