THE REASON
By Missy
(missy@lexicon.net)

The characters that you recognise from ER are the property of Michael Crichton, Warner Bros,
Constant Productions and Amblin Television and to the actors who so marvellously portray them. 
Many thanks must go to my editors Clotho and Carolyn Delaney for their tireless and marvellous
editing.  Season 6 spoilers.

Spoilers up to The Peace of Wild Things or thereabouts.  T his story is rated R due to its content. 
It contains rather disturbing descriptions and is probably best read during daylight hours.  My
editors have informed me that it is rather chilling, creepy and does evoke some of those thoughts
about things that go bump in the night and one of my editors has knicknamed it "The
VeryScaryFic".

From now on in, events will jump to being covered with a mix of daily or weekly but you can forget
mainly what has occurred in the show as I'm only dealing with the events of this story.  Previous
parts and other stories may be found at: http://www.geocities.com/missyliannem


Part 12/14

{November 17, 1999}

     As the world slowly came back into focus, Kerry allowed herself time to take in her surroundings. 
The room was small.  A couple of hard, plastic chairs lined the stained wall on the opposite side of the
room.  A tiny, laminate desk occupied the far corner.  Slowly, her eyesight regained perfect clarity, the
haziness receding to the periphery of her vision.

     Kerry found that she had been placed on a vinyl couch, its gray cover having seen better days.  As
clarity came to her sight, an awareness of another person in the room registered.  A pair of polished black
shoes were firmly planted on the ground beside her.  Long legs stretched out uncomfortably from their
contorted position, seated in another of the hard, plastic seats pulled up beside the couch.  As her eyes
took in the figure, she recognised the familiar outline of Reggie.

     "Dr. Weaver.  How are you feeling?"

     "Fine," Kerry responded, her throat dry and scratchy.  She felt like she could drink a gallon of
water and still ask for more.  

     "You didn't look to fine earlier."

     "Yeah, well, I'm fine now."  Kerry tried to push herself up from the couch, finding it difficult as the
word spun again.

     "Don't seem too fine," he commented watching her carefully.  "I've called Jeanie."

     "You what?"  Kerry turned her head quickly towards him,  managed to maintain staying upright,
even though her sudden movement hadn't helped her balance..    

     "You obviously need someone to take care of you when you get home.  You're still unsteady on
your feet and Jeanie wouldn't forgive me if she found out that I'd let you go home alone in your condition. 
She'll stay with you."

     "I'll be fine," Kerry reaffirmed, trying to reassure Reggie as well as herself that she was okay.  She
leaned forward, holding her head in her hands, her arms resting on her knees.  Looking tiredly across at
Reggie, she pointed out, "Jeanie's got her hands full with Carlos."

     "I'm finishing my shift shortly.  Carlos will not be an issue."  

     "But I can't.  Jeanie doesn't know."

     "What, the truth?  The fact that you were attacked in your home by an intruder?  That you were
tied up and he attempted to rape you?" Reggie stated matter-of-factly, not softening the truth of the words.

     The words hit their intended target forcefully, disintegrating the thin veil of composure Kerry had
managed to regain.  She wrapped her arms around herself, hugging herself tightly, protecting herself from
the verbal onslaught.  She shook her head slowly, denying the sting of hurt the words left behind.  
     Reggie realised his mistake.  His frustration with Kerry's lack of confidence in her friendship with
Jeanie had got the better of him and lashed out against the one person who didn't need to be attacked right
now.  He sat down beside her, gritting his teeth as she visibly flinched at his imposing presence.  

     "Dr. Weaver... Kerry.... Jeanie has been your friend for years now.   Obviously this attack has
affected you, why don't you let her help you?

     "It's affected me because the guy was still out there.  Now he's caught, it'll be fine.  I'll be fine," 
Kerry said determinedly.  She felt the nails of her fingers biting into the delicate skin of her upper arms. 
Trying to gain some semblance of control, she forced herself to uncross her arms and fold her hands calmly
in her lap. 

     "So you'll tell Jeanie what's happened," Reggie asked quietly, leaning back against the sofa, hoping
that his casual demeanour would help Kerry.

     "No.  It's over.  Why rehash it all now?" Kerry's fingers began twisting a contorted dance over
each other.

     "Because you need to talk to someone about it."

     "No.  I just need that guy to go to jail.  End of story."   The room was quiet, apart from the harsh,
irregular breaths being forced between lips tightly clamped together.  Her fingers were now blanched white
by the tight grip her hands had on each other.  "He will go to jail,  won't he?"  The question that had been
troubling her was finally said.  It worried her that her stalker would be following her home that night.

     "Yes.  He should."  Reggie didn't want to tell Kerry right now that there was a lot more involved
in getting the guy to jail than the identification process.  Subconsciously, he felt that Kerry knew that she
would have to testify against him.  In the meantime, her attacker should remain behind bars pending the
hearing since he had been known to stalk his victim prior to and after the attack.  

     Looking at the woman beside him, he had a hard time aligning her with the strong and capable Chief
of Emergency Services he had dealt with on numerous occasions over the last few years.  Her  whole
demeanour reminded him of a woman who had been subject to domestic abuse.  He knew that Kerry had
received minimal physical injuries in the assault, he had familiarised himself with the case while she had
remained unconscious.  It was the psychological damage that was obviously ravaging  her ability to cope. 


     Jeanie had mentioned how surprised she was at the way Kerry had succumbed to the flu, never
having been ill in the time Jeanie had worked with Kerry.  Reggie pursed his lips and decided that the call
to his wife would possibly be the beginning of an end for the trauma for Kerry.  A few subtle questions
would set his wife's mind churning, the first would be tonight's little excursion.  

End Part 12A