Leo Part V
Dr John Truman Carter III ( john_carter_md) wrote in open_to_trauma,
@ 2004-05-19 19:16:00
The Beginning
Carter stands outside the door for a moment taking deep breaths to pull himself together. Seeing sick and hurt kids in the ER has always been difficult for him, but he always took it as part of the job.
This one is different. The kidnapped kid from Boston. Kim's son. He's never met Kim personally, has only spoken to her a few times through the journals. She had been one of the first to reach out to him after his son died, had been one of the few he had felt some kind of connection with, because she had suffered a similar fate. She had lost her son.
Carter runs his finger over the name on the door. Jeffrey Rollins. A pseudonym to throw off the press when they showed up, and it seemed to work, though a few reports kept pestering various people about where the boy was..
With one last deep breath and a silent promise to keep himself together in front of the boy, Carter pushes the door open.
He catches himself starting to smile at the sight. Leo sleeping in the bed, Alex sitting in the chair beside him playing his Game Boy. "Hey. Your mom's looking for you."
Alex looks up from his game, his eyes drifting over to Leo. "I promised I wouldn't leave him alone."
"I'll stay with him."Carter pushes a hand through his hair. "Now go. She's in the lounge." He watches Alex go, and once he's gone, Carter picks up the can of Sprite off the table, remembering how he used to smuggle things into his brother's room all those years ago. He glances back at the door, just in time to see Alex's head as he made his way to the lounge. Shaking his head, Carter put the can down on the table with a sigh.
The chair was warm where Alex had been, and Carter settles into it with a sigh.
"Don't worry, little guy. Your mama's on her way. And we're all going to make sure you're never seperated from her again. You came to the right place, you know.There's a lot of people here who really care about you."
kim_watkins
2004-05-19 16:44 (link)
Leo hears the voice in his sleep. A man's voice very close by, though the words are not clear. His eyes open instantly in panic, certain that he will be back in the car with his father. But he's still in the hospital and there's a man in the room with him, a man he's never seen before. He whimpers uncontrollably and pulls the blankets up so that only his eyes peek over. "Where's Alex?"
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 16:46 (link)
Carter smiles at the boy but doesn't ove to stand or anything bcause e doesn't want to startle him. "Alex had to go to lunch. He'll be back in a little while. I'm Dr. Carter. I work here. You can call me John, okay?"
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 16:51 (link)
Leo lowers the blankets a bit. A doctor is okay. A doctor is safe, someone you can trust. "Is my mama here yet? I want to see my mama."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 16:56 (link)
"She's not here yet.but she'll be here soon. She's on her way." Carter feels his heart reaching out to the boy, in ways he didn't think he would ever feel again. "My friend Luka went to pick he up from the airport he's another doctor here at the hospital."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 17:04 (link)
"Does that mean she'll be here in a minute?" He has no idea how long a minute really is, but that's what people always say. "I'll be back in a minute." He's managed to figure out that a minute isn't very long, though.
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 17:06 (link)
"A litle more than a minute, I think. But it shouldn't been too long." Carter glances at his watch. "Her plane is probably landng really soon. She'll be here before you know it."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 17:10 (link)
The anxiety twists Leo's stomach because no matter what anyone has told him, there's still a fear that it isn't true. That he won't see her. That she's really dead. And he craves more confirtmation about that. He needs it. "Daddy really didn't kill her?"
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 17:14 (link)
"No, tiger. He really didn't. He hurt her, you should know that. He stabbed her and she had to go to the hospital in Boston. But the doctors there took real good care of her and she's all better now."
Carter stands to look over Leo's chart. "Just like we're taking real good care of you here."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 17:19 (link)
Leo nods. "I saw him. He had a knife and he stuck it in her. I think he killed my Aunt Jordan though. She was at the bottom of the stairs and her head was all bloody." His chin quivers, but he fights for contorl. "Did my daddy hurt my leg? I can't remember."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 17:25 (link)
"Your aunt Jordan is okay too. I know it must have been scary for you to see all that. You're a very brave boy, Leo. You might even be braver than me, you know that? I'm really proud of you."
Carter puts the chart down and sits on the edge of Leo's bed facing him. "We're not real sure how your leg was broken, but it looks like you were hit by a car, and it pobably happened then. It's a clean break, though, and it will heal up just fine. You'll be running again in a couple weeks."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 17:35 (link)
Leo releases a shuddering breath of relief to hear that Jordan is okay. "I ran away from him. My daddy, I mean. He was asleep in the car and I got out of the rope and opened the door and ran away. I don't know if he was chasing me or not. I remember I fell down. But I don't remember getting hit by a car." The idea stuns him.
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 17:39 (link)
"You probably blacked out. That's what happens when your body takes a shock. It makes you black out so you're relaxed and so you don't rememer what happened. It's a good thing, really. It helps keep you from getting hurt too much."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 17:46 (link)
Leo is fascinated. "I never blacked out before. I don't think. Have you ever blacked out?"
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 17:55 (link)
Carter pushes his fingers against his eyes for a momnent. There were certainly times he wished he'd passed out, like when Paul Sobriki stabbed him, when he lay on the floor unable to move, unabe to help himself or Lucy, unable to call for help.
He almost tells Leo that he blacked out then, but he didn't want to start off with a lie.
"I've never blacked out before. But I see it happen all the time."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 18:03 (link)
"Yeah, because you're a doctor. My mama's boyfriend is a doctor, but not the same kind as you. He works with people that are already dead, and he finds out why they died. And he said sometimes he gets to help put bad people in jail 'cause of the stuff he finds out." He drops his eyes and plucks at the blanket. "My daddy should go to jail, shouldn't he? Because he's bad and he hurts people."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 18:32 (link)
Carter puts his hand over Leo's on the blanet. "I won't lie to you, Leo, because you know your daddy isn't a nice man. He hurt your mama and your aunt Jordan, and he hurt you. And he will go to jail if the police find him. But you are safe. Your mama is on her way here right now, and she's going to be with you very soon."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 19:26 (link)
"I want my daddy to go to jail. If he's in jail then I won't have to go to his house anymore. I didn't like going. I always wanted to stay home with Mama but she said I had to spend time with my father, but I don't think she wanted me to go either 'cause she always seemed sad when I had to leave. But she was always really happy when I came back and I was too. When I was with my daddy after he took me I always thought about my mama and I wished I could see her but I didn't think that I ever would again 'cause I thought she was with the angels."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-19 19:29 (link)
"She was thinking about you every single day, Leo." Carter smiles. "I want you to try to rest a little bit before she gets here, okay? Because you know how happy she was everytime you came back from your daddy's? She's going to be a thousand times happier to see you today."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-19 19:44 (link)
"I don't want to rest. I was just asleep. I'm not tired anymore. But my head hurts." He reaches up to gingerly touch the bandages on it. "But not very bad. I just want to see Mama. But don't leave me, okay?"
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john_carter_md
2004-05-20 18:15 (link)
"I'm not going anywhere, tiger." Carter promises, patting Leo's leg again. "I'll stay right here until your mama gets here."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-20 19:02 (link)
"Here you are," Luka says, and after that Kim doesn't hear anything else because she's wrenching the door open and bursting inside. Never has she wanted anything so badly than this.
And there he is, her son, so small in that bed with his leg in traction and his hair shaggy and almost as curly like hers now that it's so much longer than she usually keeps it. She actually stops short for a moment and just stares, but in that brief pause his eyes shift from the man next to his bed and meet hers.
"Mama!" His shriek reverberates from the walls and unlocks her knees. She pitches forward, stumbling to the bed, the distance between them closing in an instant and then...
And then he's in her arms, his warm little body held close, the scent of him all around her. Leo, Leo, Leo. "Leo. Oh Leo, my beautiful, darling boy. Mama's here. I'm here, I'm here. Thank you Jesus God."
She pulls back enough to cup his face between her hands and look deep into his eyes. There are shadows in them that never were there before, but they're still the same. "Did he hurt you, Leo? Did your father hurt you?"
He shakes his head, searching her face as if memorizing it, as if he can't get enough. "No Mama. He didn't. Don't cry. He didn't." He reaches up to brush the tears from her cheek.
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john_carter_md
2004-05-20 19:06 (link)
Carter slips into the shadows, but no farther. He can not pull himself away from the scene in front of him.
This is why I wanted to be a doctor in the first place. This is why. This is what it's all about.
He felt his own pain over the loss of his son abate just slightly, though at the same time the ache inside him seemed to increase. Here was a mother reunited with her son after months of fear and uncertainty. The boy was hurt, but he would heal. She would watch him grow, he would turn out to be a fine boy, of that Carter was sure.
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kim_watkins
2004-05-20 19:47 (link)
That small gesture is her undoing, and despite his words she just cries harder, hugging him close again and burying her face against his neck.
They stay that way for long moments, and she feels she could stay that way forever, half-sprawled across his bed. But then she feels him moving though his arms are still tight around her neck, and his sweet voice is so close to her ear.
"Dr... John, this is my Mama. You were right. She isn't with the angels. She's with me now."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-20 19:52 (link)
"I told you. Didn't I tell you she'd be here soon?" Carter says softly, his voice thick with tears.
At his words, Kim looks up, and something inside Carter reacts, pulling toward her, reaching out to her. He'd seen pictures of her, through their online journals, the few times they had talked, but nothing would have prepared him for the intensity of her green eyes against her dark skin. It wasn't just that she was beautiful, but stunningly gorgeous. Even now, or perhaps especially now, when she was just reunited with her son.
He wanted to tell her he was happy for her, that she got her happy ending, but the words stuck in his throat.
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kim_watkins
2004-05-20 20:24 (link)
Kim smiles when she sees him, too happy to be embarrassed that she barely paid him any mind when she entered the room and certainly hadn't noticed he was anyone she'd ever spoken to. She knows she should stand and go shake his hand or something, but she is reluctant to leave Leo's side so soon.
"Hello, John. Thank you. For everything you've done. You and Luka and... everyone. I don't even know what to say."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-21 03:49 (link)
"There aren't words. Don't worry about it." Carter shifts his eyes to Leo, back to Kim, and he smiles. "We're all just glad we could help."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-21 13:10 (link)
Kim's gaze lingers on him, this man who so recently lost his own son, who didn't even get to see him draw a single breath of life. Despite her own joy or perhaps because of it something contracts inside of her with empathetic pain, but then Leo's voice is there again and she turns her attention back to him.
"Mama, Daddy didn't hurt me but he hurt you, didn't he?" His hand is on her right side in the general area of where Roger stabbed her.
"Yes, Leo. He did. And he hurt Aunt Jordan too but she's all right. I'm all right. I had to go to the hospital for a little while but I'm fine now." She glances at John as she gets to her feet, pulling up her red shirt just enough so that Leo can see the three scars marring her skin. "See? They're not very big and they're all healed. They don't even hurt anymore."
Leo traces them with his fingertip, eyes wide. Yet he is comforted. They're not so bad. Not like he has been imagining for so long.
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john_carter_md
2004-05-21 13:14 (link)
From where he is standing Carter can see the lines of the scars, three angry marks against otherwise perfect skin. He shivers involuntarilly, thinking of his own scars.
He feels like he should leave, give Kim and Leo some privacy, but he can't seem to make his feet move. So he just stands there, watching.
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kim_watkins
2004-05-21 13:53 (link)
"Is Daddy going to jail?"
Kim longs with all her heart to be able to tell him yes, but she knows he deserves the truth. "He will if he gets caught, Leo. But he hasn't been caught yet. But the police are looking for him, and hopefully they'll find him and then yes, he will go to jail."
That's one thing she has to do actually that she's not looking forward to: talk to the police. She hasn't yet, and all she really wants is to just be able to stay with Leo. Even in the hospital, surrounded by safety, she doesn't want to let him out of her sight for even a minute. Not yet. Not ever. She sits back down on the edge of his bed and brushes the curls from his forehead. "Your hair is so long, Leo. Did you know you look like a shaggy little pony?"
He giggles and takes her hand in both of his. "I do not." Then he sobers, and lifts her hand to hold it against his cheek. "I missed you, Mama. I missed you so much, 'specially since I thought you were with the angels and I didn't know where Daddy was taking me or anything so I didn't think I'd ever see you again. But I talked to you every night and I talked to God too even though Daddy never took me to church. But you said God was everywhere so I talked to Him and you and I didn't feel so lonely sometimes. But I still missed you and I just wanted to go home."
"I know, Leo. I missed you too. More than anything in the whole world. But we're together now and nothing's going to keep us apart again. Ever. I promise."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-21 14:49 (link)
Carter smiles, feeling his heart both breaking and rejoicing at the same time.
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kim_watkins
2004-05-21 14:59 (link)
Kim sighs. Despite her promise she is going to have to get up and leave the room and deal with everything. But perhaps it would be better if Leo is asleep when she leaves to do that so at least he won't be aware of her absence.
"Leo, I'm going to have to talk to the police and stuff like that in a little while. Will you be a good boy and try to get some sleep? Sleep will help your leg heal faster and then you'll be able to get up and we can go home." Although the thought of going back to Boston gives her a strange twinge of dread.
He nods. "Okay, Mama. But don't go very far away, okay?" He presses his head back into the pillows but continues to stare at her for long moments until at last his eyes drift shut. She waits until he breathes deep with true sleep before she pulls away and stands again.
"I don't want to leave him." She speaks to Carter but keeps her eyes on Leo.
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john_carter_md
2004-05-21 15:03 (link)
"I know. But you know he's safe here. No one can get in this room without clearance. And there are few of us cleared. He's safe. But if you want, I'll stay with him. I promised him wouldn't leave him alone."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-21 15:07 (link)
She moves closer to him. "Are you sure? I know you're probably busy since you're a doctor and everything. I don't want to keep you from your work."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-21 15:09 (link)
Carter shrugs and shakes his head. He glances at his watch. "Nah, I'm sure. I'm off the clock. I don't mind staying with him, Kim. He's a wonderful boy. And I'd hate to break a promise to him."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-21 15:16 (link)
She hates to cry again, but the generosity of near-strangers is almost overwhelming. As her eyes fill she moves forward to hug him, pressing her face to his chest to try and stop the tears.
"Thank you. So much. I never expected... you just forget in every day life how kind some people can be. And I know this is hard on you because of your son, so that makes it even more special, what you and Luka have done for me and Leo. I just wish that you could both be as happy as I am."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-21 19:02 (link)
The hug takes him by suprise, but he welcomes the warmth and the closeness. His arms go around her, he pats her back gently. She smells like roses, some kind of floral scent.
He doesn't really know what to say to her comment about being happy. He feels like he'll never be able to feel any kind of happiness ever again.
"Seeing you and Leo happy is more important right now."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-21 20:12 (link)
She knows that's not true -- how could it be? -- but she doesn't call him on it. She only pulls back and looks up at him, a sad smile on her face. "I'm glad you were here to see it then. Even though we've never met before, or even talked often, if feels like I know you already, somehow."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-21 20:32 (link)
"You understood what I was going through." His eyes shift to Leo then back to Kim. "I'm glad you know the other side now too. He's a wonderful little guy."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-21 21:02 (link)
She turns her head to look too without even realising that her arms are still around Carter's waist. "Yes, he is. He always has been. His father and I never had the best relationship and we only got married for Leo's sake, although he wasn't born yet. Roger never really cared about him but I... I've always considered him my angel. All of the hell I went through with Roger I felt was worth it because without him I never would have had Leo. So it's especially hard with all of this stuff to remind myself of that. On one hand I wish I'd never even seen Roger, but on the other... I needed him. Isn't that strange?"
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john_carter_md
2004-05-22 10:32 (link)
"It is strange when you put it like that. But it does take two people to ceate a child. It seems to me whatever good there was in Roger was transferred to Leo." Carter tries to smile. "And, aside from slight malnourishment, and the rope burns on his wrists neither of which is too serious, and his belief that you were with the angels as he says, it doesn't look like Roger hurt him."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-22 10:58 (link)
Kim pulls away from him at last and goes to stand by Leo's bed. She knows she still needs to talk to the police and Leo's attending physician, but she's so reluctant to leave him even for that long. "People have been assuring me this whole time that Leo would be okay, that Roger wouldn't hurt or kill him. But you know... that only offered a small comfort because I wasn't sure I always believed it. After what he did I thought it could be quite likely that Roger would do something to Leo in order to get back at me, especially since Leo never meant anything to him."
She looks back at Carter. "They have to catch him. I'm not going to stand for him being out there and free. He needs to pay for what he did to my son."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-22 11:13 (link)
Carter nods. "He will pay,Kim On way or another. And if there's anyhing I can do, you just say the word. Money is not an issue. I'll do whatever I can to see that Roger is brought to justice."
Carter is a bit shocked by his own emotional invetment, but it feels good too. The fact he instantly cares so much about this woman and her son gves him hope that he isn't completely devoid of feelings after all.
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kim_watkins
2004-05-22 11:56 (link)
Kim's eyes widen. "Oh no. I would never ask you to do such a thing. Not that I'm not grateful," she hastily adds. "But... it's all right. Money is not an issue for me either. I'm an attorney, and also when my father died..." She shrugs, not wanting to talk about money. "But I thank you. Truly it means a lot to me."
So much in fact that she can feel her eyes stinging again, and she turns to look at Leo once more. "Unfortunately I'm a defense attorney, although even if I was a prosecutor they wouldn't let me stick it to Roger. But I would. Boy, I would throw the book at him so hard it would knock his head off."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-22 15:10 (link)
Carter smiles. "I know you would. And he would deserve it. And more. He's going to pay for what he's done, Kim. Now, why don't you go and do what you have to do to appease the press while Leo is sleeping? I'll stay here with him in case he wakes up."
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kim_watkins
2004-05-22 23:37 (link)
She rolls her eyes. "The press. They can all shove it. But as for the rest... yes, I need to talk to quite a few people. As long as you really don't mind staying with him for a while. If he wakes up, tell him I'll be right back. I'm not going to leave this hospital until he does."
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john_carter_md
2004-05-23 09:32 (link)
Carter sit down in the chair and props his feet up on the bedside table to let her know he's staying put. "Go. Do what you need to do. I'll be right here with Leo when you get back."