The Ransom of Dr. Dave

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the ER cast, but if they do go up for sale on Ebay, I have first dibs on Malucci.

Part 1

The ER was quiet and serene, like most of the ERs you see, but for the ER at Cook County this was very unusual. If they weren't overwhelmed by trauma patients then you can be sure to see the staff standing around gossiping, playing practical jokes or flirting with each other. No one seemed to be in the spirit for any of that since the one person who was responsible for most of the goofing off, the ringleader, was laying up in the ICU in a deep coma.

Upstairs in the ICU, several doctors stand around a bed examining a patient. The patient is on a ventilator, dialysis, heart monitor, has numerous IV'S in each arm and has his head wrapped in bandages. As other doctors wait outside, a small, bald doctor exits with a grim face.

Romano: I'm sorry everyone. There's been no change in his condition. It's been over 2 months and he's still in as deep a coma as he was when he was found.

Kerry: I really thought he would be better by now.

Mark: We all thought he would be. Well, I guess we will have to just wait and see.

Carter: I can't help but think that this is all my fault.

Kerry: No one is blaming you, Carter. Come on we have to get back to the ER.

Carter: I'll be down in just a minute.

As the other doctors exit the ICU room, we see Jing-Mei Chen sitting in a chair at the patient's bedside with tears in her eyes holding the patient's hand.

Jing-Mei: Please, if you can hear me you have to pull through this. If not for me or for yourself but for our child. I need you there when he or she is born. I need you to be around to teach it how to enjoy life to its fullest despite any obstacle or hardship and how to turn a bad past into a bright, promising future. I can't lose you. We can't lose you.

Carter enters the room and gently removes Jing-Mei's hand from the patient and helps her out of the chair. He escorts her out of the room.

Carter: He's got the best doctors in the country working on him and he's young and vibrant, despite the loss of his kidneys. He's a fighter and he's in excellent care. He will be just fine. There are other patients that need our care downstairs and I'm sure as much as he would love all this attention he wouldn't want us to neglect others in need.

Jing-Mei: How could this happen to him? What kind of sick, twisted monster could have done this?

Carter: I don't know and we may never know unless he wakes up and can give the police some information. All I keep thinking is it was suppose to be me.

As Carter and Jing-Mei leave the ICU, the questions still remain fresh in their minds: What happened to Dr. Dave Malucci? Will they ever know who is responsible for this horrid act? Are they going to lose their friend and colleague?

STAY TUNED!!! To be continued

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