Carter leaned against the admit desk and sighed. This had been a long day; of
course the fact that he was avoiding Abby was part of it. Ever since the kiss
they had come to a mutual silent decision to avoid each other. It would have
seemed that it'd be difficult to avoid Abby, especially during traumas, but with
both of them working at it, Carter had discovered that it was much easier than
he'd thought.
"Penny for your thoughts?" Susan said with a grin as she came upon Carter lost
in thought.
"Oh, nothing." Carter said with a sigh.
"Still avoiding her, huh?" Susan asked although she already knew the answer.
"That obvious?" Carter asked looking over at Susan. Even though they'd broken
up months ago, the two remained on speaking terms.
"Well, kinda." Susan admitted. "Anyway, incoming trauma."
"When?" Carter asked looking up as the ambulance pulled up to the doors.
"Now." Susan replied as they headed outside.
"What've we got?" Carter asked as the ambulance doors opened.
"A headache." Doris replied as she jumped out of the ambulance.
"Bufffy.that ride was too bumpy. Why do I keep having to ride bumpy things
today?" Dawn whined.
"This is a nice ambulance you have here, is it rather expensive?" Anya said
appreciatively as she got out of the ambulance.
Carter and Susan exchanged glances. Who the hell were these people?
"Didn't realize you had so many victims." Carter said raising an eyebrow.
"Them?" Doris snorted. "The rest of them are fine, all insisted on riding in
the ambulance with this one." She gestured to Xander, who lay on the gurney.
"That was a most enjoyable ride, have you ever considered charging for rides in
your spare time?" Anya said to Zadro as he got out of the ambulance.
"Not really." Zadro replied giving Anya a strange look.
"You should, it would supplement your measly paramedic income." Anya explained.
"Not now, Anya." Buffy said with a sigh as Doris and Zadro pulled Xander's
gurney out of the ambulance.
"You know, I'm ON a gurney here!" Xander exclaimed, having come to by the time
they arrived at County.
"What's the bullet?" Susan asked looking oddly at the rest of the passengers.
"21 year old male, LOC at the scene, he apparently fell off a conveyer belt at
the airport." Doris said as they rushed down the hall.
"A conveyer belt?" Carter said looking at the Scoobies who followed along
behind.
"What were you doing on a conveyer belt?" Susan asked, looking down at Xander.
"Well, I had to get Dawn's bag out." Xander said embarrassed then grinned up at
Susan.
"Seriously! I should have ridden in the car with Giles! That ambulance was too
bumpy!" Dawn protested.
"Well, I didn't tell you to get in the ambulance, Dawnie." Buffy replied rushing
along behind the gurney.
"Wow, this really isn't a fancy hospital is it?" Anya asked taking in the
interior of County. "I guess you don't cater to those with money here?"
"And what's wrong with the rest of them?" Susan whispered, glancing at the
Scoobies.
"Tell me and get a prize." Zadro replied, frustrated over having to hear Anya
question him about the price of various items and Dawn whine each time they hit
a bump on the way in.
"How many fingers do you see?" Susan asked holding out two fingers to Xander.
"Two and an angel holding them." He winked.
"Well unless you're seeing something with wings, you'll be fine." Susan replied
with an eye roll.
They reached the exam room and Carter stopped the Scoobies at the door. "You
guys will have to wait here."
"Can't we come in?" Willow asked concernedly.
"Are any of you family?" Carter asked eyeing the crowd.
"I was his fiancée!" Anya replied.
"Was?" Carter asked raising an eyebrow.
"Well, he left me at the altar. don't you want bad things to happen to him for
that?" Anya asked hoping for Carter to make a wish.
"I'd say falling off a conveyer belt is pretty bad." Carter said, wondering if
she'd pushed him off the conveyer belt.
"She slept with that soulless thing!" Xander called out angrily from the room.
"Well, so did Buffy!" Anya replied haughtily.
"Not now." Buffy growled.
"Okay, you guys can have a seat in chairs." Carter said looking over the
assembled group. Maybe he should get tox screens on all of them.
"Don't worry, Xander, your injuries don't look expensive, and besides this place
looks like a bargain!" Anya called out as she headed down the hall.
Carter shook his head. Soulless thing, that was a new one. He entered the
room where Xander was trying to hit on Susan.
"Yeah, I'm QUITE single." He said eyeing Susan's chest.
"Yeah, that's what happens when you ditch your fiancée at the altar." Susan
replied with a snort.
"I wasn't ready to get married! That did NOT give her an excuse to sleep with
Spike!" Xander protested.
"I take it Spike is the "soulless thing"." Carter said as they assessed Xander's
injuries.
"Any pain?" Susan asked.
"Of course, she broke my heart!" Xander exclaimed.
"I meant from your swan dive off the conveyer belt." Susan replied.
"Yeah, throbbing." Xander made a puppy dog face at Susan.
Carter chuckled at Susan's annoyed expression. "Well, Mr."
"Harris, Xander Harris." Xander supplied, not once taking his eyes off of Susan.
"We'll do some tests and make sure there's no damage, but you probably have a
concussion." Carter said trying to keep a straight face.
"Not funny, Carter." Susan muttered.
*********
"Where is he?" Giles said breathlessly as he rushed into the ER. He didn't
need to lose another of them so soon.
"They took him in there." Willow replied sadly. "They said we couldn't come
in."
"Oh, did he wake up?" Giles asked as his breathing returned to normal.
"Where's the cash register?" Anya replied as she surveyed the room.
"What?" Buffy asked looking up.
"The cash register, you know where they charge for services." Anya said slowly.
"This is a hospital, Anya." Willow replied looking oddly at Anya. "Don't you
even CARE that Xander's hurt?"
"Huh? Xander? Yeah, I guess." Anya said with a shrug. "Where do you think they
keep the register?"
She looked up to see the glares she was getting.
"Well, it's not like he's going to die or get a weird penis disease!" Anya
protested.
"Buffy, these chairs are hard!" Dawn whined. When she got no response she
looked at Buffy who was lost in thought. "Buffy?"
"Yeah, whatever, who's that?" Buffy said glancing at a man with dark hair
standing at the desk.
******
Luka approached the desk. "Are my labs back yet, Frank?"
"If they're back they're in the box." Frank snapped, not looking up.
"Thanks for your help." Luka muttered.
Luka turned and found himself face-to-face with Buffy.
"Excuse me." Luka said in surprise.
"Hi, I know this is going to sound really weird.. " Buffy began staring into
Luka's eyes, "but your remind me so much of someone and I can't put my finger on
it."
"Maybe we have met before?" Luka asked, captivated by the young blonde in front
of him.
"No, I don't think so." Buffy said slowly.
"I'm Dr. Kovac" Luka said extending his hand.
"Buffy Summers." Buffy replied with a grin as she took his large hand in hers.
To be continued...
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