If you're interested in writing fanfiction, contact me at: sammy3@ix.netcom.com
ER
"Hush My Darling "
Part Three
Cut to: The doctors lounge later that night. Doug is sitting on the couch watching a football game
Carol comes in, sees him there and turns to leave.
Doug: Carol, running away isn't going to change a thing. Why don't you just sit
down so we can talk about this like two civilized adults.
Carol: There's nothing to talk about.
Doug: Carol, don't give me that. There is plenty to talk about and you know it
so please sit down.
Carol: (sits) Listen can we make this quick? I'm exhausted and I need to get
home and go to bed.
Doug: Would you like to discuss this there?
Carol: (panicking) No! No, here is fine.
Doug: (looking at her with a curious expression) Okay. We'll talk here. Carol,
why did you keep this all to yourself? Why didn't you tell me?
Carol: It wasn't like I didn't have anyone supporting me. I had Susan, Mark-
Doug: What?! You mean Mark and Susan know and you didn't even bother
telling me?
Carol: (tears forming as they have been so often these past few weeks) Doug
Ross stop yelling at me! Because I can't take it! Not from you and especially
not now!
Doug: What, you expect me to remain calm and cool when you tell my best
friend and his girlfriend that we're having a baby before I know? I love you
Carol, why didn't you tell me? It's not something you can hide for very long. I
would have found out eventually.
Carol: (sobbing) I know. I know. I was scared. I didn't know what to do. I was
so afraid that you would just run off and leave me or get hurt I couldn't tell you.
I just don't know what to do. (pauses) I love you too. (throws her arms around
him) I'm sorry Doug, I'm so sorry.
Doug: (stroking her hair gently) It's okay. Shhh. (etc. etc.)
The door opens and Peter Benton walks in cursing to himself under his breath. He stops short
when he sees Doug and Carol who look up, surprised.
Benton: (shocked expression and is at loss of words) Uh, uh excuse me. (backs
out of the room quickly)
Doug and Carol giggle quietly and Doug takes his hand and wipes her eyes. They both lean back
on the couch. Carol's head is resting on Doug's chest and his arm is around her shoulders.
Carol: Doug what are we going to do now?
Doug: (pulls away and looks at her) Let's get married.
Carol: Doug, I'm serious.
Doug: So am I. (gets down on one knee) Carol Hathaway will you marry me?
Carol: Doug, you really don't need to put this pressure on yourself. I know
you're a little worried and confused but--
Doug: Carol! Honey, I love you and I want to marry you. I want to take this
baby home to our home. I want him to have a mother and a father that he can
look up to. Please, say you'll marry me.
Carol: Oh Doug, I love you too. Yes!
Doug: Yes? You'll marry me? (Carol nods and he throws his arms around her)
They kiss passionately.
Cut to show a short time lapse. Doug and Carol are now sitting on the couch, cuddling and
watching a basketball game on TV.
Carol: Doug?
Doug: Hmm?
Carol: When are we going to tell everyone?
Doug: (turns to Carol) Well, (sits up stretching) there's no time like the present.
She smiles at him and they walk out of the lounge holding hands. They walk up to the nurses
station. Mark and Kerry are discussing a patient. Carter is talking to Chunny, Jerry and Malik are
discussing basketball, Susan is going over some papers, and so is Jeannie Boulet and the nurses are
chatting amongst themselves.
Doug: (shouting above the noise level) Okay can I have everyone's attention
please? (all eyes turn toward Doug and Carol)
Doug: (to Carol) Do you want to tell them?
Carol: (takes a deep breath) Doug and I have decided to get married.
Everyone screams, hugs, cheers, laughs and laughs. Carter kisses Carol, nurses hug Carol, Mark
hugs Doug, Kerry hugs Jeannie (surprise!), Doug kisses Carol, Carter hugs Susan, Susan hugs
Carol, Jerry hugs Doug and Carol etc.
Doug: (everyone has calmed down and he has his arm around Carol) One more
thing. (everyone is watching him expectantly) Carol is pregnant. We're going to
have a baby.
Everyone again is hugging, cheering, and congratulating.
END SCENE
Cut to: Show long time lapse. It's around 8:00 at night and about 7 months have gone by. Carol is
looking very large and incredibly tired. She's about 8 ½ months pregnant now. She is also wearing
a wedding ring. She checks her the clock on the wall.
Carol: (to any of the staff that might be standing nearby) I'm off! Good night
everyone!
Haleh: Okay Carol good night.
Carol smiles and goes to the locker room, stretches and puts on her coat, then looks in the mirror
and gently rubs her abdomen and smiles. Enter Mark, who looks at her and smiles.
Mark: How's Mommy holding up?
Carol: (smiles) Mommy's beat and it's only 8:00! This kid has been kicking me
all day.
Mark: Do you know what it's going to be yet?
Carol: No. The ultrasound is scheduled for tomorrow. We're going to find out
then.
Mark: Doug going with you?
Carol: Yep. I tried to talk him into just laying home and resting on his day off
but he insisted.
Mark: Good for him. Where is he anyway?
Carol: He's off in about 10 minutes. I'm supposed to meet him in the lounge.
Mark: Well then you better get moving. Sleep well.
Carol: Thanks
END SCENE
Cut to: The lounge, a few minutes later. Carol is lying on the couch, (pretty much the same way as
the beginning of the story) her left hand resting on her abdomen. Doug comes in wearing his green
scrubs and walks over to her and rests his hand on top of hers. You can see the gold band on his
finger. Carol opens her eyes and smiles up at him.
Doug: You ready to go home?
Carol: Yeah. I'm beat. This little guy has been restless today. He needs to give
his mommy a rest.
Doug: Come on, let's go home.
They walk out of the hospital together, saying goodnight to everyone on their way out.
Cut to: Carol's house which is now Carol and Doug's house. Carol is laying on the couch in the
livingroom changed into her sweats and socks. Doug is also in sweats making hot chocolate in the
kitchen. He comes out and hands her a mug then sits down beside her with his own. Carol leans
back and sighs contentedly.
Carol: Okay, let's try this again. Annabelle Christine for a girl and Jacob Michael
for a boy.
Doug: No. Laura Kate for a girl and Robert Daniel for a boy.
Carol: No let's compromise Laura Christine and Jacob Robert.
Doug: Nah. I don't like the way those sound with Ross.
Carol: Okay if it's a boy Jacob Hathaway Ross and for a girl Scarlet Tara Ross?
Doug: I am not going to name my daughter after characters and settings from
"Gone With the Wind" so you can forget it.
Their conversation continues but fades out so we no longer hear it.
Fade scene to black.
Cut to: OB room the next day. Carol is lying down on the exam table/bed thing and Doug is sitting
in a chair beside her, holding her hand. The ultrasound is on the other side of Carol. Enter Nurse.
Nurse: (smiles) Hi. Are you ready to see what we've got in there?
Carol: (looks at Doug and smiles) Yep.
Nurse: (looks at the chart in her hands) Okay, let's get started.
She takes a tube of cream, rubs it on Carol's belly and begins the ultrasound. Camera shifts from
the ultrasound screen, to Doug's face, to Carol's face etc.
Nurse: Would you like to know what the baby is going to be?
Carol: (looks at Doug and nods) Sure.
Nurse: It's a girl.
Doug: You mean we're going to have a baby daughter?
Nurse: That's right.
Doug: (to Carol who is smiling) We're going to have a girl.
Carol: I know. I was here.
Doug and Carol laugh and hug. Doug kisses Carol.
END SCENE
Cut to: ER main desk, an hour later that same day. Mark and Susan are standing there talking.
Doug and Carol walk up to them.
Carol: (to Susan) It's a girl.
Susan: Oh congratulations (hugs Carol and then Doug. Mark smiles and then
takes his turn to hug the happy parents)
Doug: I'm going to take Carol home and we can celebrate over a bowl of mint
ice cream. Carol's been having this real yen for mint lately.
Susan: Like on "I LOVE LUCY"?
Carol: Exactly!
Doug: You guys want to come?
Mark: We'd love to but I'm still on for another 4 hours and Susan isn't off until
9:00. I guess we're going to have to take a rain check.
Susan: (to Carol) Don't forget the baby shower tomorrow night at my place.
Carol: (smiles) I won't. I think I'm going to leave Doug to set up the crib in the
baby's room.
Mark: Have you two decided on any names?
Doug: No. She's too stubborn.
Carol: No, he's the one who's stubborn.
Mark: I think we better stay out of this one!
Carol: We'll discuss this later at home. Right now I'm going to go home and eat
some ice cream. See you later.
Mark and Susan: Bye!
Doug and Carol walk out of the hospital hand in hand.
END SCENE
Cut to: Susan's house the next night. Carol is sitting in a rocking chair in the middle of the room.
Surrounding her are piles of boxes, wrapping paper, unopened boxes, baby clothes, toys, and cute
decorations for the nursery. Everyone is eating cake and laughing and talking. Carol reaches for the
last present.
Carol: And this one is from Haleh. (she carefully opens the delicately wrapped
package and takes out a beautiful pastel baby quilt.) Oh Haleh it's beautiful. I
didn't know you made baby quilts.
Haleh: I rarely do, but for you I wanted to do something special.
Carol: Thank you. It's beautiful. (stands up and goes over and hugs her)
Susan: (taking the blanket and examining it closely) Haleh, this must have taken
weeks and weeks to do.
Haleh: Actually it only took about a month to do. I would have finished it a lot
sooner but I had to work.
Carol: Mom sent me a pink and yellow blanket that she knitted in Russia. These
will look so perfect together and with the paint job we're doing for the baby's
room.
Lydia: When are you planning on showing us the nursery?
Carol: As soon as it's done I'll give everyone a grand tour. It'll probably be
done in a couple of weeks. (turns back to the pile of presents) Well, that's the
last of them. Thank you all very much. I love everything.
Everyone smiles and takes turns hugging Carol. Susan announces that it's time for games and
everyone begins to talk and laugh again.
END SCENE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------