If you're interested in writing fanfiction, contact me at: sammy3@ix.netcom.com
E.R.
"Chances and Changes"
Act Three
Scene opens at Carol's station. Focus on Carol and Jerry working at the
computer. Pan back to show an assistant handing over a file to Carol.
Assistant:
Nurse Hathaway, here's the Medical Records Dr. Greene requested.
Carol (looks up and takes the file):
Thank you!
(she places the file on the desk and picks up the phone, speaking into the
receiver and we do not hear the feedback)
Mark? Doug's MR is at the desk.
Cut to show Mark coming up on the station. Carol reaches him the file and
he opens it, going over things in it carefully.
Mark (mumbles):
Nothing here. His b.p. has held steady at the same numbers for almost the
last five years!
Carol (questioning):
Stress?
Mark (still looking over records):
Well, he mentioned a situation that was bothering him, but, it's nothing
that would bring on numbers like this.
(purses his lips and shakes his head)
Not sure what we're dealing with here. Carol, draw blood for me, OK? And
we'll start some tests.
Carol (nods with a careful look):
What do I tell him we're looking for?
Mark (matter-off-factly):
You don't need to tell him anything. He doesn't need to know anything yet.
Carol (flustered):
Well, he's going to know something's up...
Mark: You let me worry about that side of! You just draw the blood!
Carol (nods):
Right away, Doctor...
Follow Carol as she goes back into the room with Doug. She goes to work
beside the table, taking a needle and a blood vial from the tray beside her.
Doug (watching her):
Blood? What's Mark looking for?
Carol (shakes her head):
He didn't say.
Doug (eyes her carefully as she swabs his arm for the withdrawal):
He must think something's wrong...why else would he want blood? Carol
(truthfully, looks him in the eye):
He just told me to draw blood for tests. He didn't tell me what kind of
tests.
Doug nods slowly. Carol inserts the needle into the vein. Doug winces and
bites his lip. Carol withdraws the blood and swabs his arm again, leaving the
gauss pad over the needle mark.
Carol (places his hand on it):
Just hold that there.
(smiles)
You know the ropes!
(starts out of the room with the vial of blood)
Doug (calls to her):
You tell Mark I want to talk to him!
Carol nods and smiles, then exits the room quickly. Doug is left alone to
ponder his situation. He sighs heavily and sinks back onto the table.
Cut to show time lapse. Mark is working over notes in a room alone when
Carol comes in quietly.
Mark (without looking over at her, studies his notes):
Everything OK with Doug?
Carol (nods):
He's resting. He's not a happy camper, but, he's staying put, at least.
(comes up slowly beside him and stops close)
Heard from the lab yet?
Mark (shakes his head):
Not yet. You'll probably get the results first, anyway. I want you to let
me know the minute you have them, OK?
Carol (nods):
Sure.
(pause)
What do you think it is?
Mark (shrugs):
I'm not really sure. It could be a lot of things...
Carol (nods):
Yeah, I know. Some of them not so serious and some of them....
(pause...doesn't finish)
Mark (stops his work and turns to her with a smile):
I don't think it's anything serious. I just want to be sure.
Carol (sincerely):
When you told me to draw blood, I think my heart skipped a beat. Right at
that minute, I realized something might be seriously wrong.
(looks down)
I don't want anything to be wrong with Doug.
Mark (takes her by the shoulders):
I think you're getting worked up over nothing. Doug is gonna be just fine.
Carol (looks up quickly, sad look in her eyes):
You don't know that. You won't know that until the blood tests come back.
Until then, nothing is for sure.
Mark (smiles):
He looks pretty healthy...
(pauses)
When are you two going to stop playing games and just admit your feelings to
each other?
Carol (confused look):
What do you mean?
Mark:
I mean you, right now. Here you are, down here talking to me about not
wanting anything to be seriously wrong with Doug, yet, you don't want to
admit to him how you really feel about him.
Carol (folds her arms):
Lots of things have happened between Doug and me...
Mark (nods):
Yeah, and that's all in the past! You two have wasted time you could have
been using to sew up something really great if you weren't both so damn
stubborn. You care about him...otherwise you wouldn't be so upset thinking
something might be wrong with him. And he's no better. He cares about you,
too. He may not say it, but, if you could have seen the look on his face the
night they brought you in here from your O.D., you'd know what I'm talking
about...
Carol (suddenly):
Doug was here that night?
Mark (nods):
Yeah. And he was devastated. He couldn't even help us, he was so overcome
with emotion. I almost never got him away from the window. He couldn't
help, but, he couldn't not watch. He thought he was going to lose you...we
all did! I think at that moment, he realized how much he really loved
you...and he thought it was too late to do anything about it.
Carol (smiles slightly):
I still remember that night he came to Mama's and brought me flowers. He
seemed like he wanted to be there...but thought he wasn't wanted. I always
remember that look on his face. It was pretty much the same look he had last
night standing outside my house half the night.
(chuckles)
Like a little puppy dog left out in the rain.
(shakes her head)
So many things he doesn't know. He doesn't know he's the reason I couldn't
connect with Shep. Or the reason I never married Tag. That night he crashed
my engagement party, he said something that night that I didn't want to admit
to myself was true. But, he was right. I do think about him when I'm with
someone else. What is it about him, Mark? He drives me crazy! But, I can't
seem to get him out of my system!
Mark (smiles):
I know! I feel the same way. Sometimes he makes me so mad at him I could
strangle him! But, when I need a friend, he's there. Just have to take the
good with the bad, I guess.
(pauses)
Carol, I can't tell you what to do about Doug. All I can really tell you is
that I wish to hell I hadn't let Susan get away without me telling her how I
really felt about her.
(Carol gives him her full attention as he continues)
All the time I wasted. All the chances I lost. I can't ever get any of them
back.
(shakes his head)
If you really care about Doug, and you think there's any chance of any kind
of future between the two of you, don't let it get away from you. I have to
live with my decision for the rest of my life...
Carol (desperate look):
You can still tell Susan how you feel! You know where she is...
Mark (shakes his head with a sad smile):
Not the same. Not like it should have been. Not like I wanted it to be.
Carol (bites her lip...nods her head):
I'm so sorry. I never knew...
Mark (sad smile):
Neither did she.
Carol (motions to the door):
I'm going to go on back and wait for those results. I'll page you as soon
as I have them, OK?
Mark (nods):
OK. And, Carol? (she stops and turns back to face him)
Think about what I said.
Carol nods slowly and goes on out the door.
Cut to show Carol working back at her station. She picks up a file on her
desk and uncovers the rose that was left for her earlier that morning. She
picks it up and glances across the hall into the exam room where Doug is
still resting. She can see him working with his fingers. He is bored. And
nervous. And can't go anywhere or do anything except wait.
Flashback to another time between the two of them. Carol is upset over
something and is crying. Doug wraps his arms around her and pulls her close
to him, rocking her slowly and gently to comfort her. There is no audio for
the flashbacks...only musical over tone...
Carol will recall several things from her past with Doug...flash between
happy times and fights between them to end on a kiss between them.
Focus on Carol, eyes closed, lost in thought, still holding the rose, as she
focuses on a tender kiss shared with Doug sometime in the past of their
relationship.
Jerry (trying to get her attention)
Nurse Hathaway?
Carol (pops her trance and looks at him):
Huh?(looks to see Jerry is handing her files)
Oh! Thanks, Jerry.
With an embarrassed look, she goes back to work.
Fade Act Three to Black.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------