All the events from,"All in the Family" happened, with one exception: Lucy didn't die. Lucy was taken to Boston to recover from her injuries. Cater unfortunately did go through rehab for his inability to come to terms with his guilty feelings and addiction to pain killers. The time has come for both of them to return to County and face their past demons.
September
As Lucy enters the ER entrance, she was immediately welcomed back by everyone. Haleh and the other staff members all comment how "well" she looks. She was acknowledging and thanking them, but deep down inside, she was not feeling well. Heading to her meeting, Lucy passes Curtain Area 3. Briefly pausing to look in, she hurriedly continues on her way to the elevator. Nervous about being back at County and nervous about meeting with Weaver and Green, Lucy's thoughts return to that February night, and how her life had been turned upside down. But she still completed her medical school requirements, graduated with high honours, and Lucy had her family attend, but the one person she really wanted there, was missing- John Carter. The meeting with Weaver and Greene went well. It was decided Lucy would come back part time, not taking part in any traumas, unless she felt up to it, and would seek psych counselling if needed. With the meeting concluded, she was told to report to Security for her hospital credentials.
John Carter arrives for his meeting full of apprehension. He left County a guilt-ridden man. He felt responsible for the near fatal attack on Lucy and himself, plus the addiction to the pain killers prescribed in its aftermath. The months of rehab took care of the dependency, but the guilt of the attack, the pain of knowing he was responsible for the harm inflicted on someone important to him was still bothering him. Nervously watching Weaver and Greene read over his file, Carter gently drums his fingers on the table. Sitting there he remembers the last time he saw his med student, lying there in a trauma room, unconscious and near death. The next thing he had heard, she had been flown to the Boston area, to be near her mother. He wondered what she was doing and if she was ok. Little did he know, their paths would soon cross again. Carter, for his part, was put on very strict restrictions-for the time being, there would be no traumas, no handling narcotics, and he would be submitted to random drug testing. Not exactly what he had hoped, but he'd take what he could get. With his meeting finished, Carter headed to Security to get his personnel credentials and once again be able to work at the hospital.
As Lucy was exiting the office, balancing a cup of coffee in her hand, while attempting to put on her new ID badge, she runs right into Dr. John Carter! �Damn it!� yells Carter ,not looking up. �Sorry,� replies an embarrassed Lucy. It's at that moment they both realize who the other is. They just stand there, looking into each others eyes. �Meet you up top, in a half hour,� Carter says solemnly. The roof held a special place in Lucy's heart. It was there where she could leave the world of pain and sickness, and find peace, not only with the world, but most importantly, within herself. She remembered the special times with Carter up there-when he scolded her for faking IV's, after they searched for a little girls' father, and when they were discussing a patient and her suicidal husband. Those days seemed long ago, but the thought of them brought a smile to her face. Then the sudden realisation of what might happen in the future. No sooner had the thoughts come into her mind, she felt she was not alone any more. There, standing behind her was the one person who could shatter the peacefulness of the roof. Lucy turns around, meets Carter with a sad smile. They stand there for only a few moments, but it might as well been a lifetime. Finally, she gets up the nerve to speak. �How you doing... John?� �Fine, and you?� �Been better.� Carter looks at her, starting to speak, �Lucy, I want to tell you how sor--� At that moment she put her hand to his mouth to prevent any more words from coming out. All the months of pain and anguish disappeared, as they stood there in each others arms. Leaving the hospital, they walked hand in hand through the ambulance bay doors oblivious to the others watching. Kerry asked Mark what the date was. �September 20, why?� �Oh, for future reference,� Kerry replied with a smile. After that, the Emergency Room returned to normal.