Part Fourteen

 

“God, it’s cold in here,” Luka muttered, getting up and opening the shades in the room.

 

“What?” Harmony muttered, trying to bury her head under pillows.

 

“Did you turn down the heat last night?”

 

“No. Why?”

 

“Well, if you turned down the heat after I did, that would explain why it’s so cold this morning,” Luka explained.

 

“Oh.”

 

Luka glanced outside at the backyard. A fresh blanket of snow covered the yard and glittered in the early morning sunlight. “Wow, it looks beautiful out there,” he breathed.

 

“That’s nice,” Harmony muttered.

 

“You do start today don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, sure. Whatever you want,” Harmony groaned.

 

“Well, you had better get up.”

 

“Sure.” Harmony slowly got up. Meanwhile, Luka went to take a shower.

 

“SHIT!”

 

“Oh god, what is it now,” Harmony moaned, walking into the bathroom.

 

“The water…”

 

“Okay, I’ll go check the water main.” Harmony disappeared downstairs. In a few moments, she had returned, carrying a kerosene lamp and a battery-operated radio.

 

“Well?”

 

“Looks like you won’t be taking a shower after all,” Harmony said, setting the lamp down, and flipping on the radio.      

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Power’s out all over the neighborhood. I brought up the lamp so we didn’t have to try to use torches to make breakfast and the radio so we know what’s going on. I guess the ice storm yesterday knocked out the power,” Harmony explained.

 

“Torch?”

 

“Flashlight.”

 

“I didn’t know you had a kerosene lamp.”

 

“Yeah. You would never know when the power would go off in Kenya. We all had one.” Harmony shrugged.

 

“So, what are we going to do?”

 

“What we do every morning. I’m lucky I took a shower last night!”

 

Luka glared a Harmony, before leaving the bathroom to change.

 

------------------------

 

After a hurried breakfast, oddly accented by the pungent smell of burning kerosene, the couple left for County. It occurred to Harmony that she was suddenly rather nervous. She had no idea why, but she was.

 

“Hey, are you okay?” Luka asked. They were on the El, not trusting their own cars to start. Plus, they didn’t have time to dig them out of the garage.

 

Harmony shook her head. “I’m fine. Just a little nervous, that’s all.”

 

Luka nodded, not wanting to push anything this morning. They arrived five minutes late, due to the snow and clocked in quickly, not wanting to be caught by Kerry. Unfortunately she was in the doctor’s lounge.

 

“Luka, you’re six minutes late!” she yelled, not noticing Harmony.

 

“Five by my watch,” he said.

 

Kerry was about to say something in retort, but caught sight of Harmony. “Harmony!” she exclaimed as the two embraced. “How are you feeling?”

 

“Okay,” Harmony said, trying to edge her way to her locker.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“I’m sure,” Luka put in.

 

Harmony cracked her odd, half smile. “I’m fine, Kerry. Really.”

 

Kerry nodded and left.

 

Harmony turned back to Luka. “We’re even.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I got Kerry of your case, and you got her off mine. We’re even, “ Harmony repeated. She opened her locker and grabbed her lab coat. “What ever happened to my old lab coat?” she asked.

 

“What?”

 

“Well, this one is obviously new. They misspelled ‘Morris’ on the other one. I spell it with two “T’s.” They only had one on the old one,” Harmony said nonchalantly. “Plus the old one was pretty crappy after the…” she glanced up at Luka, “attack.”

 

“Hey, it’s the martyr!”

 

“Hello Malucci,” Harmony said, not even looking up.

 

“So, did’ya miss me?”

 

“Do I really want to answer that?” Harmony asked, smiling. “In truth Malucci, I missed everyone. Including you.”

 

“Oh, by the way, Kerry wanted to talk to you,” Malucci added, beaming.

 

“Okay. I’ll see you some time, Luka.” She left the room and headed toward the admit.

 

“Welcome back Harmony,” Frank said. “We missed you.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“There you are!” Kerry said.

 

“I just saw you,” Harmony pointed out.

 

“Just come over here to chairs.” They sat down. “I needed to discuss work hours with you.”

 

“Okay…”

 

“I don’t want to start you on a full shift right now. I’m thinking only six hours for the first week or two and we’ll slowly increase time. How does that sound to you?”

 

Harmony shrugged. “Sounds fine. So, I’m out of here around two?”

 

“Precisely.”

 

“Okay. Do you want me start on traumas?”

 

“Only if they need you.”

 

Harmony nodded. “Well then, I guess I better get started.” She got up and started walking to the board. Then she stopped and turned around. “Um, Kerry?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Well, I wanted to talk to you about Carter…” She stopped, catching sight of him, talking to Luka.

 

“What about Carter?”

 

You’ve got to tell her. Come on Harmony, this is for Carter! Harmony glanced at Carter again, who had noticed that she was talking to Kerry. He had a look on his face that said: Please don’t tell her! Harmony sighed. “Well, Valentine’s Day was last week, and I was wondering if he was reacting poorly.”

 

Kerry furrowed her brow. “Why no. He seemed to do fine.”

 

“Good. I just didn’t want him to do anything stupid. I’ve got to go now. I hope I haven’t gotten you worried or anything.”

 

“No. We were a little concerned as the day approached.”

 

Harmony tried to smile. “Thanks.” She went over the board and tried to ignore Carter. Unfortunately, he approached her. 

 

“Hey you! I didn’t know you were starting today!”  

 

“Did I forget to tell you?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Sorry.”

 

“You’re looking good,” Carter said, “a lot better than the last time you were here.”

 

Harmony moaned. “Cut the crap Carter. I didn’t tell her. Come here.” She steered him into to an empty room.

 

“You didn’t tell her? I knew you wouldn’t!”

 

“You have to tell her Carter.”

 

“I can’t.”

 

“Why?”

 

“She’ll send me back to Atlanta. Or fire me!”

 

“Carter, I’m not going to tell her, and she’ll kill both of us when she finds out and finds out that I didn’t tell her. I tired to tell her a minute ago and I couldn’t. That doesn’t mean I won’t next time. She’ll be less lenient if you tell her than if I tell her. And I’m not going to spend my time covering your ass, understand?”

 

Carter nodded. He was seeing a whole new side of Harmony with this issue. “Yeah, I’ll tell her soon.”

 

“Today,” Harmony said stubbornly, placing her hands on her hips.

 

“Today,” Carter agreed reluctantly, leaving the room.

 

------------------------

 

“Harmony, they need you in trauma two. GSW!” Chuny yelled, passing her in the hall.

 

“What?”

 

“Just go!”

 

Harmony ran into the room, not really excited about seeing a GSW. “What do you need?” she asked, jumping into the action.

 

“An attending,” Abby answered.

 

Harmony rolled her eyes and grabbed the chart.

 

***Flashback***

 

“Get her into trauma one, and get her on 4mgs of saline!”

 

***End of Flashback***

 

“Harmony?”

 

“Uh, yeah. Get some saline, and some, uh…morphine,” Harmony replied.

 

“Honey, are you okay?” Haleh asked.

 

“Yeah.”

 

***Flashback***

 

“Where is your god now?”

 

“Luka stop!”

 

“Just lie down…Abby get a gurney!”

 

***End of Flashback***

 

The shrill drone of the monitor snapped Harmony back to attention this time.

 

“We’ve lost a pulse!” Haleh announced.

 

“Charge the paddles to…um, fifteen!” Harmony yelled, becoming more and more disoriented.

 

“Paddles charged!” They were handed to her.

 

“Clear!” Harmony waited…

 

***Flashback***

 

“Luka, I love you…”

 

***End of Flashback***

 

“Cle…” her voice trailed off. This was too much. She couldn’t stay here.

 

“Harmony?”

 

“Harmony trust the paddles back at Haleh. “I can’t do this,” she stammered. “I have to get out of here…” 

 

“Harmony, where are you going?” Abby asked. “We need a doctor!”

 

“Find Kovac!”

 

This took all the nurses back. Harmony never called Luka by his last name.

 

“He’s not here…”

 

“Get Mark, Carter, I don’t care,” Harmony snapped and ran from the room. She ran down the hall past Kerry.

 

“Harmony?”

 

Harmony ignored Kerry and ran outside. She flung herself down on the bench and – for the first time since her attack – broke down crying. And there she remained. Crying. All alone.