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

TIMELINE: Post "May Day" pre - season 7
ARCHIVE: Sure, just tell me where...
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, I have no money. Draw your own conclusions
NOTES: I'd love to thank everyone for all the feedback. Sorry for the wait on this part, my life is kind of hectic these days

He was worried, to say the least. He was never the kind of man who stood up for himself, but he knew that she needed help, and she needed it now. Kerry Weaver was not the kind of person who would cry over nothing. Add that and her bizarre behavior up to this point plus her actions upon his approach. He was afraid that she was going to break down and soon. He wished she'd open up. That she'd talk to him.

Mark didn't try to kid himself. He knew he didn't have all the answers. He knew he couldn't save the world, but he was just so tired of his friends falling apart and there being nothing he could do to help them. It was bad enough that Carter became addicted to narcotics and he couldn't stop it. He was not going to let something happen to Kerry as well. The truth was that he still felt really guilty over what he thought was his failure with Carter. He tried not to, but he kept "if only"ing himself. If only he'd seen it earlier, if only he'd noticed Carter's behavior, if only...

Unfortunately, if onlying wouldn't change what happened. Carter was addicted, he was in Atlanta, Mark couldn't change that. What I can change, he thought suddenly, is what happens with Kerry. I can do what I should have done with Carter, I can make her get help. He never thought he'd be in the situation where he'd be forcing Kerry to get help. Then again, he never thought he'd have to send Carter to a rehab center in Atlanta, or that he himself would be beaten up in a bathroom. As much as Mark hated it, the world wasn't in his control.

He caught sight of Kerry coming out of exam two just then. He just watched her for a moment. She looked tired, which was usual for an ER doctor, but something else was there. Something that troubled him. She looked... sad. Yes, that was it, he confirmed, she looks sad. There just seemed to be this saddness that enveloped her anymore. He didn't know when he first saw it on her, but now it was obvious. She didn't need to be crying in curtain 2 earlier to let Mark know that she was sad. He known for a while, at least, subconsiously.

He made up his mind then. It's now or never, he thought, and walked toward her. She looked up and expressed some apparent distress at seeing him. She looked like a deer in the headlights and was about to turn around.

"Kerry!" He called out then. She turned back to face him. He reached her and explained, "We need to talk, in private"

"Fine, Mark" Kerry said following him into the lounge "But I really don't think there's anything that needs discussing."

"Kerry, sit down" Mark said with an air of authority. Kerry was dumbfounded and obeyed.

"Now, I'm worried about you. I want you to talk to me, as a friend"

"Mark" she protested weakly. She really didn't want to get into THIS again.

"But I figured you wouldn't, so I want you to see someone in psych" Mark continued, glad he had planned all this out before he approached her.

"Psych?" Kerry asked trying to keep her anger in control. How DARE he interfere and suggest she need to speak to someone in psych?

"Yes, psych. I called upstairs. Dr. Legaspi is free and waiting for you." Mark explained. He was rapidly gaining confidence as it appeared less and less likely that Kerry would scream at him, or worse hit him with her crutch.

"Who's Dr. Legaspi?" Kerry said avoiding the issue. That name didn't seem familiar to her. Actually she was surprised, Kerry was certain she'd be sent to Dr. DeRaad.

"I think she's the blond one. Kind of looks like Ally McBeal" Mark responded "But you WILL Kerry. So you have a choice"

"Which is?" She interrupted, curious. If only Mark were this much in command with the staff, she mused.

"You go up and talk to Dr. Legaspi" Mark began

"Or?" Kerry countered.

"Or I pick you up, and carry you up there" Mark finished

"You wouldn't" Kerry stated, staring at Mark and mentally calculating that with her small size and his size, he probably COULD pick her up and carry her upstairs.

"Try me" Mark said with a stern look.

"I have patients" Kerry explained. She hoped to opt out, but didn't think she'd have any luck.

"Which I'll cover, so you have no excuse" Mark interjected

Kerry saw she had a losing battle here.

"Fine, Mark, fine." She relented.

"You'll go?" Mark said trying to hide his pleasure

"Yes, I'll go" Kerry said getting up

"You know, Kerry" Mark said as she opened the door "This is only because I care"

"I know, Mark" Kerry responded "Thank you" and with that she closed the door and headed towards the elevators.