A Time To Heal
Part Three
By Amanda
rainbowx5@aol.com

Author's note: These characters don't belong to me. My storys are basically focused on John Carter. I would appreciate it that people who read my fan fic, please let me know that my story's are good. Please email me.

It is 3:00 in the afternoon and Carter arrives in the ER on crutches. Haleh is the first one to see Carter, she smiles because she's glad to see Carter back. There by the admit desk.

Haleh: Welcome back Carter!

Carter: Thank you Haleh. (She walks by, as Carter goes to the admit desk.)

Peter Benton see's Carter, he knew in the past that he was mean to his former med student. But now know it is not time to be mean to this young man, he had learned this man survived a brutal attack.

Peter: Hey Carter! How are you feeling?

Carter: I'm doing Fine. (As he puts his crutches in front of him to support himself to sign in.)

Peter: It looks like your recovering fine.

Carter:I will be off these thing's soon.

Peter: Carter take your time. (Peter then leaves and Deb Chen comes around and puts her arm around Carter, who is just getting his crutches back under his arms.)

Deb: Hey John it's nice to have you back at work.

Carter: Thanks

Deb: How are you doing?

Carter: I'm okay. (Hobbles to the lounge with his crutches. remember Susan and Doug are back, so they are in the lounge when Carter enter's the lounge they are still laughing at a joke. Carter heads to his locker with his crutches.



Doug: (Still laughing) That's a great one Susan.

Susan: Thank you Doug.

(All of a sudden they hear a crash in the distance, they turn around to see what had caused the crash all of sudden. Carter had put his crutches aside to open his locker, but instead they crash to the ground, Carter try to bend down and pick them up. But that wasn't a good idea, because he was in pain. When Doug and Susan saw who caused the crash and saw him try to bend over, he had that look on his face that he was in pain.)

Doug: Hey Carter! Welcome back to work.

Carter: (In a painful voice) Thanks Dr. Ross

Susan: (She had seen the pain on his face) Carter do you need help with your crutches?

Carter: Yes! My back is killing me.

(Susan and Doug got up to help lift Carter, who was still bending down.)

Doug: On my count 1...2....3 lift.

Carter: (Screams) That hurts.

Susan: Lets sit him down on the couch.

Doug: Yeah

Doug and Susan: Are you feeling ok Carter?

Carter: Yeah I just need sit for a little while.

Susan: Ok

Susan and Doug: We have to get back to work, are break is over, but welcome back. (They walk out of the lounge leaving Carter sitting on the couch, who is now engrossed with a magazine of medicence.)



Susan was in deep thought at the admit desk. She had Just returned to work one month ago. Also to learn that John Carter a former med. student, now a third year emergencie resident was stabbed on Valentine's day. When she returned to work one month ago to learn that he was in a coma. But then he had come out of his coma and then his physical therapy had wore him out. Then he was discharger and living with Mark. She was glad that Mark had supported Carter when he was a student. And Just now to see Carter back to work and see the pain in his eyes were sad. She had never seen Carter look so sad, he was always a happy cheerful med student. But she saw the pain in his eyes. (Her thoughts were interrupted by Carol.)

Carol: Susan you look like you were in deep thought there. Are you ok?

Susan: I just saw Carter and was remembering how cheerful he seemed when he was a med. student.

Carol: I know what you mean, he's been through alot these past month, Its going to take time for him to heal emotionally and physically.

Susan: I know, alot of people care about him.

Carol: I know, were also glad that you and Doug returned last month.

Susan: Me too.

Carol: Well it looks like another trauma's coming in.



Later around 7:00 in the evening Carter is reviewing charts in the lounge and then signs them. Then he grabs his crutches and walks out of the lounge to the admit desk. He see's that it is slow now. He doesn't like it being slow in the ER since his attack. Susan and Doug see Carter looking at the board.

Susan: Carter are you ok?

Carter: Yeah I'm fine. (Carter decided that he didn't feel like chatting with anyone.) I'm going to take a short walk. (He didn't want to be alone) Dr.Greene will you come with me? I don't like going alone.

Mark: Sure Carter. (His shift had started and knew it was carters first day back, and know that it was unusual for Carter not to chat with anybody, because he knew the old Carter would try to stir up a conversation. But he also understood why Carter didn't want to be alone) Susan if any patients arrive come and get us.

Susan: Ok Mark. (She was glad Mark agreed to go with Carter, but she still didn't know where Carter had been attack, she knew Carter wasn't fine, she had saw right through his lie.)

Mark and Carter walked slowly while Carter hobbled down the hallway. Mark had noticed that Carter had been quiet on the walk, they had passed several exam rooms, Mark had passed exam room three and was about to say something to Carter when he noticed Carter wasn't with him, he turned around to see Carter staring at exam room three.

Mark: Carter are you allright?

Carter: I was walking with you, then I saw the exam room, I can't go in there it's too scary.

Mark: I really don't know what happened that night too you and I'm really sorry about what happened.

Carter: Can we not talk about it now,I think I need to go to the lunge and sit down.

Mark: Ok

Carter:Thank you Dr.Greene for being a friend to me.

Mark: Your welcome Carter. (That remark meant alot to Mark to learn that he was a good friend to Carter)

Now the two men headed to the lounge. Mark was glad to know that Carter didn't know about the surprise in the lounge. Carter open the lounge door with with his crutches. To his surprise he saw a banner saying Welcome Back Carter.

*************************************************
Carter: Thank you

Kerry: John I know that we have been good friends, and when we almost lost you three month ago. We thought this party was appropiate.

Carter: Thank you Kerry.

Deb: John I know that I tease you time to time.But I know that you gave me quite a scare. So don't do it again.

Carter: I don't think I will do that again.

Peter: Well for once I admit this, your a damn fine doctor Carter. I was so freaked out when it happened.

Carter: Thank you Dr.Benton

Mark: I'm glad that you survived Carter, because your the kindest man I know.

Carter: Thank you Dr. Greene.

Carol: Carter when I heard, I wanted to rush up to your room and visit, but got busy. But Im glad your here.

Carter: Thank you Carol.

Susan: Well for one thing welcome back Carter.

Carter: Thank you Dr. Lewis.

Doug: It must of been hard Carter but welcome back.

Carter: Thank you Dr.Ross

Haleh: Carter I'm happy your back.

Carter: Thank you Haleh

Lydia: I'm glad your back at work.

Carter: Thank you Lydia.

Chuni: Welcome back carter.

Randi: Welcome back Carter.

Carter: Thank you all.

Everyone except Carter: Speech,Speech.

Carter: I guess (choking with emotions.) I am thankful for everyone who had there efforts to save me that night. Dr.Weaver thank you for being the one to find me. Luka, Abbey, and Lydia thank you for being the ones to work on me. Deb I am glad that you helped out that night. Dr. Benton. Dr. Anspaugh thank you for helping me through my surgery. (Carter now had tears in his eyes.)

Mark: Well that was a good speech Carter. (He had a flashback to that night where he sees Carter on the gurney looking so scared.) Well lets cut the cake, shall we. (Mark got a six inch knife to cut the cake.)

When Carter saw the knife, images of that horrible night flashed back. The knife that had enter his body that night was the same size as the one Mark was holding. Then Carter let out a scream, that had startled the whole room. Carol, Mark, Doug, Susan, Peter, Lydia, Haleh, and Chuni saw the horror on Carter's face.

Carol finally broke the silence. She gently touch Carter.

Carol: Carter its ok, do you want Mark to cut the cake?

Carter: (still shooken up) Yes, hurry please.

Mark: Ok I will (he started cutting the cake and handing it out to people.)

(Susan and Doug had never seen Carter so frightened before, but help lead Carter to the couch.)

Susan: Carter are you ok?

Carter: No!

Susan: You want to talk about it?

Carter: No I just want to go home.

Kerry: Well your shift was over a little while ago. Mark you can take him home, since he lives with you.

Mark: I think that I will. (He was glad Kerry let him do that.)

Carol: I'm going to go with you. (She didn't want Carter to be alone.)

Carter: I would like that.(He was glad that carol decided to come with him, because that flashback to his attack had horrified him.

Carter got his crutches and got stuff out of his locker and said his goodbyes.Then left with Mark and Carol.) Mark and Carol were successful in getting Carter in bed.)

Carol sat by Carter's bed, Carter told Carol what had happened in the lounge, and why he had screamed. She had finally realized that Carter was scared of the knife. Now the whole scene in the lounge had made sense. After they talked Carter had immediately fallen asleep,because that day had warned him out. She sat there until Mark arrived from the hospital.

Mark: How is he? (noticing that Carter was in a deep sleep.)

Carol: He said that it was the roughest first day back.

Mark: I will say so.

Carol: He finally fell asleep, but he told me that the knife you were holding had caused him a flashback and thats when he screamed.

Mark: Well Im glad he's asleep. Thanks for telling me what happened.

Carol: Your welcome. I'm going home to the twins and Doug.

Mark: Goodnight Carol, and thanks again.

Carol: Your Welcome goodnight Mark, and tell Carter I will see him tommorow afternoon. (As she is almost out the door Mark says something esle to her.)

Mark: Bye and I will tell Carter.

Authors note: I wrote this story on 5/23/00 from m 9:00pm to 12:20 in the Morning on May 24.
Thanks for reading. E-mail Rainbowx5@aol.com