Vows and Promises
Part Five
By Susan
lilichild@aol.com

ARCHIVE: Sure, just tell me where
TIMELINE: Well, this part takes place in the summer before season 7 and goes from there, the other parts will take place later, it’ll make more sense once you read the fic.
SPOILERS: I don’t read ‘em. You shouldn’t either J That said, anything that I didn’t beyond the latest aired episode is pure speculation.
DISCLAIMER: The story is mine, the characters aren’t. They belong to Warner Brothers, don’t waste your time suing, I have no money
NOTE: This is part one of a series and is my first fic, be kind J Comments welcome
PREVIOUSLY: Doug and Carol got engaged (yes, again), and decided upon a post Thanksgiving wedding at the house in Seattle. Doug called Mark to share the good news and asked him to be his best man. Mark accepted, Chuni, Haleh, and Conni overheard and put two and two together so to speak and asked if they were right in their assumption. Mark told them yes, and the three nearly knocked him over hugging.
PREVIOUSLY: Doug proposed to Carol and she accepted (again), Doug called Mark to share the good news and ask him to be his best man. Carol called Susan and asked her to be maid of honor. Likewise, she accepted. The wedding was planned for after Thanksgiving.

CHICAGO                                       

To say that news travels fast in the Cook County ER is a vast understatement. Mark marveled. Since his conversation with Doug had been overheard everyone, and really, everyone was talking about Doug and Carol’s wedding. Well, except for Kerry. Kerry, was more concerned with the business of the ER that day, and of course, Jerry’s mess of caramel that was still on the floor. It was still sticky and didn’t appear to be coming off of the floor anytime soon. Honestly, though Mark thought that the caramel was just an excuse for Kerry not to think about what was really bothering her – Carter. Kerry had been distant and snippy, even more than usual, since they’d found out about Carter’s addiction. As much as they tried to hide the problem for Carter, word had seeped out and soon everyone had been whispering about it. Well, Mark mused, at least Doug and Carol will get everyone’s mind off of Carter.

On that subject Carol had called the nurses about 10 minutes ago. In the lounge, Haleh, Lydia, Conni, and Chuni were crowded around the phone giggling with excitement. Needless to say, that increased the talk. Mark figured he’d just let them talk, after the past year, people needed something happy they could be excited about. He was just finishing up a chart when Chuni popped out of the lounge.

“Mark!” Chuni called “Carol wants to talk to you”

“Okay, be right there” Mark was certainly happy to speak to Carol, aside from Doug and of course, Elizabeth, she was one of his closest friends. He reached the lounge and looked at the four nurses who looked like little kids at Christmas time. He grinned at the thought and picked up the phone.

“Hi, Carol” he said.

“Hey, Mark” the cheery familiar voice responded.

“Congratulations are in order” Mark told her. It had been a long time since he had heard Carol so happy.

“Thank you, Mark” Carol responded “Uh, Mark do you have an audience?”

“Actually, yes” Mark said eyeing the four nurses huddled behind him “Want me to get rid of them”

“I think you better.” Carol said.

“Okay” he told Carol. He then turned and looked at the four behind him.

“All right, all right. We’re going” Haleh said and she along with Chuni, Conni, and Lydia left the lounge.

“They’re gone” Mark said settling into the nearest chair. “So what’s so important?”

“Well, Doug and I heard about Carter” Carol began

“Oh” Mark said. Geez, news really does travel here, he thought

“Mark, we want to ask Carter to be an usher, but I figured we should ask you first” Carol finished

“Carter?” Mark asked not totally comprehending what they were saying.

“Yes, Carter” Carol responded. “I’m just not sure if it would be good for him or not. He’s still at rehab, right?”

“Yeah. He’ll be there until early September” Mark said avoiding the question.

“So, he’ll be back by the wedding. I’m having seven bridesmaids” Carol said trying not to laugh

“Seven?!” Mark said in shock “What happened to the small wedding?”

“Well, I couldn’t leave anyone out. I asked Conni, Lydia, Haleh, Chuni, my sisters and of course, Susan.” Carol said “Oh, God. That won’t be a problem Mark will it?”

“No, no of course not.” Mark assured her “I can bring Elizabeth right?’

“Of course. Do you think I should ask her to be a bridesmaid too?” Carol asked suddenly

“That’s your call, Carol” Mark replied “I don’t think she’d be hurt if she wasn’t asked”

“No, I should definitely ask her.” Carol said “You and Elizabeth were so good to me in Chicago.”

“Are you sure, Carol?” Mark asked.

“Yes, I definitely should. Will she be at your place tonight?” Carol asked

“Unless she gets mad at me.” Mark teased

“Okay. I’ll call her tonight” Carol said “That brings bridesmaids up to eight. Which brings me back to my original point. We could use Carter as an usher, but we don’t want to force him into anything…”

“You can try calling him, but I don’t know what kind of response you’re going to get” Mark said uncertainly.

“Yeah, do you think he’d respond better to me or Doug?” Carol asked hopefully.

“Do you have to ask?” Mark said. He couldn’t imagine Carter had any problems with Doug, but Carol actually saw a lot of what he went through, while Doug was away in Seattle.

“No, I know it should be me” Carol said. Mark heard talking in the background. Carol muffled the phone and Mark made part of a conversation with Doug.

“Mark?” Carol came back on the line

“Yeah” Mark responded

“Doug says for you to tell Kerry she’s very welcome at our wedding” Carol said trying not to laugh

“Sure thing” Mark responded grinning.

Suddenly the lounge door opened.

“Hey, Mark” Elizabeth said. Mark turned around to see Elizabeth in the doorway clad in blue scrubs.

“Oh, I’m sorry Mark, I’ll come back later” She apologized when she noticed he was on the phone.

Mark, who still had the phone to his ear, shook his head to Elizabeth.

“Mark, can I speak to Elizabeth?” Carol asked, who had overheard her entrance on the phone.

“Sure, hold on” Mark said into the phone. “Elizabeth, it’s Carol, she wants to talk to you” Mark said handing over the phone.

“Oh?” Elizabeth said with some confusion. She was sort of friendly with Carol before she had departed Chicago, but the two were never extremely close.

“Hello” she said into the phone.

“Hi, Elizabeth” Carol responded. “Did Mark tell you the news?”

“What news?” Elizabeth asked, she had spent the day in surgery, and this was her first trip downstairs all day.

“Doug and I are getting married after Thanksgiving” Carol said

“Oh, Carol!” Elizabeth exclaimed “That is wonderful! Congratulations!” She said, slapping Mark at the same time for not telling her the news.

“Thank you” Carol beamed across the line “Elizabeth will you be a bridesmaid?”

“A bridesmaid?” Elizabeth asked in wonder “I’d love to”

“Great, I’ll call you tonight with the details.” Carol responded.

“Okay, talk to you then” Elizabeth said still in shock of having been asked

“Okay, bye” Carol said

“Bye” They hung up and Elizabeth spun to face Mark.

“I’m the best man” He said, answering her question before she even got to ask it.

“Um, Elizabeth” He began “There’s something I should tell you…”