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Final Call |
Chapter 1 |
Author's Note: The last episode seen before writing this story was "Great Expectations". This story contains spoilers up to "Truth and Consequences" in Season 6. I didn't do any research into the Chicago area but in this fanfic, the El train has a direct route to O'Hare airport. This is my response to Evie's Challenge in the "Carter and Lucy's Fanfic Lounge" newsletter.
Randi watched the woman through narrowed eyes, noting the desginer clothes and expensive jewellery. She knew exactly who the woman was looking for.
"Can I help you?" Randi called out, half leaning over the counter at the admit desk. She thought the woman was going to keep walking, but she finally turned to look in Randi's direction.
Her expression was cool, almost frosty. "I'm looking for John...Dr. Carter." She spoke slowly, in a breathy voice that for some reason irritated the hell out of Randi.
"He's with a patient. Why don't you sit down in chairs and he'll be with you when he can." Randi thought the woman would object to being treated so abruptly, but she was surprisingly docile about it.
"All right."
She turned and walked to the waiting area. Randi stared at her for a moment longer, then went back to her paperwork.
***************
John Carter erased the name off the board with a flourish. "Mr. Sanders is outta here. And so am I." He started to remove his lab coat, heading towards the lounge.
Randi's mouth parted, a sudden thought occuring to her. Oh, she even felt bad about it. "Carter, I forgot to tell you something."
He stopped to look at her expectantly. "What?"
"That woman you've been seeing. She came by here a while ago looking for you."
His mind was blank for a few seconds. What woman? Then his eyes widened. "Elaine? Elaine Nichols?"
"I don't know her name. Blonde lady. Rich."
"Yeah, so where is she?"
"Well, I sent her to chairs when she came in..." Randi's voice trailed off, even as Carter whirled around and practially leaped into the hallway.
"Elaine!" He spoke a little too loudly and many heads turned in his direction, including hers. She smiled, standing up as he came towards her. He smiled back, a little uncertainly. "I thought you were...gone. Did you change your mind?"
"No. I had to postpone my flight. I'm on my way to the airport but wanted to see you one last time."
"Oh." He was disappointed that she was still leaving, but glad she was here. He hadn't thought he'd be able to see her again. "I just finished my shift. I could, uh, take you to the airport."
Elaine hesitated. She wasn't even sure why she'd come here. She hadn't planned on it but as the limo had driven by County, she'd impulsively told the driver to stop. She had plenty of time before her departure. She just wanted to see his face one last time. It was the eyes. She couldn't get enough of his dark, beautiful eyes.
"That's all right. My limo is waiting outside." She reached up to caress his cheek, as always, surprised by its softness. He leaned his head into her hand and she planted a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Thank you foreverything, John. I'll miss you."
"Ms Nichols?"
Elaine stepped back to see her driver standing behind Carter. "Yes?"
"I'm sorry, but we have a problem. The traffic's become total grid lock out there. I heard over the radio that there's some kind of protest going on down the street. They've blocked traffic and there's no way I can move."
"What time is your flight?" Carter asked, glancing at his watch.
"Seven o'clock."
"You still have lots of time. We'll take the El."
"You'll come with me?" she asked.
"Of course. Just give me a second to get my things."
Carter hurried off down the hall to the lounge. Throwing his lab coat inside, he bent down to quickly get his bag together.
"Carter, can I talk to you for a minute?"
He glanced up briefly to find Lucy Knight standing in the open doorway. Getting to his feet, he slammed the locker door shut. "I'm sorry but I'm in a real rush right now. We'll talk tomorrow."
"But..."
"Sorry, Lucy. Gotta go." He brushed past her and headed back to chairs, where Elaine was patiently waiting.
Lucy watched the two of them leave, feeling a mixture of anger and sadness. Well, that was that. She knew she shouldn't have left things to the last minute but she'd kept putting it off. Now it was too late. She handed in her lab coat and stethoscope at the admit desk. Saying a last farewell to everyone, she slung her knapsack over one shoulder and headed out the ambulance bay doors.
"Hey, you didn't even say goodbye!"
Dave Malucci caught up to her side, giving her a questioning look.
"Yes I did. That was a collective goodbye back there, you included." Lucy quickened her pace, not wanting to miss the next train.
"Randi looked really shocked. She didn't even know you were leaving. What, were you trying to keep it a secret or something?"
"I hate drawn out goodbyes so yeah, I asked Dr. Weaver not to tell anyone."
Dave kept pace with her, his curiosity intense. "So what's the scoop? This is all kinda sudden, isn't it?"
Lucy shot him an annoyed glance. "Are you going to keep following me?"
"I'm just heading home. So far, it looks like we're headed the same way."
"I'm going towards O'Hare," she stated, hoping he lived in the opposite direction.
Dave grinned. Lucy rolled her eyes, realizing she was going to have some company for a while.
***************
"We forgot to get your luggage from the limo!" Carter suddenly exclaimed.
Elaine shook her head. "I don't have any. I want to make a fresh start." Her head was almost in constant motion, glancing all around her. She'd never been on the El before. The platform was crowded at this hour, filled with people rushing to get back home. She found herself regarding the various faces, wondering if they were returning to happy, fulfilling homes. She hoped so. She realized that John had asked her a question. "What did you say?"
"I asked where you're going. In Europe."
"London. I've always liked it there." She paused. "Maybe you can come visit me sometime."
It took him a few beats longer to answer than it should have. "Maybe."
They both knew he would never make the trip.
A minute later, the El train pulled into the station and they climbed aboard. Elaine thought they would have to fight to get a seat, but the car held more seating space than she anticipated. They sat down together and several people jumped through the doors, just as they started closing.
"Lucy?"
Elaine turned to look at John. He'd spoken to the young woman who'd just barely managed to get on the train. He looked quite surprised.
"Carter!"
Lucy's mind was whirling. She'd thought that she'd never see him again, and here he was. She found herself strangely tongue-tied all of a sudden.
Dave was by her side and he was eager to share the news. He assumed Carter was still in the dark. "Hey, have you heard that Lucy's leaving us?"
Carter didn't quite understand, and he looked from Dave to Lucy with confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I mean she's leaving. She's going back to...what did you say? Boston?"
"Uh, yeah," Lucy mumbled.
Carter didn't even realize he'd stood up. "Boston!" He stared at her with wide eyes. "You're moving back home?" He remembered that she'd grown up in Boston, and that her mother still lived there.
She was gazing up at him and he wasn't sure how to interpret the expression in her eyes. She looked almost...defiant.
"I'm going to finish my fourth year there. I haven't decided yet if I'll stay at home or in the dorm."
"But you...you didn't say a word. You were just going to leave? Without even saying goodbye?" He didn't bother trying to hide his shock.
"I meant to tell you today, but you were busy."
*Too busy to be concerned with me* Lucy thought.
Carter recalled that she had wanted to talk with him in the lounge, just before he had left with Elaine. He felt a glimmer of guilt that he'd so quickly dismissed her. But a greater feeling of hurt and anger overcame him that she had only come to tell him at the end of the day. Her last day at County.
The train made a sudden lurch and the sound of squealing brakes filled the air. People tried to brace themselves on poles and handrails and after several short, jerky motions, the El came to a halt. The momentum of the train caused everyone to be thrown forward. Most of the people sitting down managed to remain seated, but many that were standing fell to the floor.
Carter had only been holding the pole very loosely and he lost his balance. He couldn't avoid knocking into Lucy, and he practically fell on top of her. He quickly rolled to the side. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?"
She had to take a moment to get her breath. "I'm ok," she finally gasped. She had closed her eyes and now opened them to find three pairs of eyes staring down at her; Carter, Dave, and Elaine Nichols.
Lucy's gaze flickered to Elaine's. She knew this was the woman Carter had been going out with lately. She'd been prepared to dislike the woman, but saw genuine concern in her eyes.
"Are you all right?" Elaine asked. "He must have knocked the wind right out of you."
"I'm fine," Lucy replied shortly. She allowed them to help her to a seat.
People started to talk, speculating on what had happened. Dave tried to strike up a conversation with Elaine, finding her attractive. He'd seen her a couple of times with Carter, and he introduced himself now since Carter seemed to be ignoring him.
Lucy found the situation to be dreadfully awkward, not sure if she was happy to have the opportunity to talk with Carter one last time. In a way, it would've been easier to have left without saying goodbye.
Carter's mind was a jumble of thoughts. Elaine was leaving and now Lucy would be out of his life too. He'd accepted Elaine's decision to leave the country with some reluctance but overall, he'd felt calm about it.
Hearing about Lucy's sudden departure was another matter, however. He felt distressed and unhappy. He didn't want her to leave. It was that simple. Except things weren't simple at all. He felt confused about his feelings, but the one thought remained clear. He couldn't let her go.
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