Hold Me Steady

Chapter 1

                                                                                    Whitaker's POV  

        It hasn't been more then 15 minutes since we've had the last round of the Pittfest shooting victims. I've changed my scrubs a thousand times it feels like, I've had a rough first day to say the least. Dr. Abbot looked more stressed then I've seen all day and he didn't even have a trauma at the moment. I went to go speak, I wanted to ask if he was ok, but then I heard the sirens and saw the doors to the emergency room fly open. I rushed over with Dr. Robinavitch to see the EMS wheeling in a gurney. Two people were on the gurney, a woman with what looked to be a GSW to the middle of her right side, and a woman straddled on top of the victim preforming CPR. The brunette on top was in military cargo pants and an army green tee shirt. Her face, hands and clothes were covered in blood as I heard her speak. 

          "Adelaide Parker, 24, GSW to the right side right below her lowest rib, no exit wound. She's been down for 7 minutes, she needs a unit of O-Neg now!" Her voice was sharp and decisive as if she's done this before. I had to admit it was a pretty badass entrance to the ED. Her curls fell into her face as her chest rose and fell, she was breathing heavily as she preformed CPR. I heard the loud thud as her boots hit the floor, continuing CPR as she moved off Adelaide. 

          "Ma'am we need you to step-" Dr. Robby started to speak before getting cut off by Dr. Abbot's voice.

          "Georgia?" I whipped my head around to see Dr. Abbot heading straight the gurney. 

           "Dad you have to help Adelaide..." The woman who I now know is named Georgia spoke, her voice sounded so tired as it broke. Her sharp decisive manner crumbling for a second revealing how scared she seemed as Dr. Abbot took over CPR. As the yelling ensued the two senior attendings started trying to save Adelaide so she could make it to surgery. I looked down seeing more then Adelaide's blood on Georgia's pants. There was a tattered hole in the front of her left pant leg. A Gunshot wound. 

            "Dana do we have a room available?" I ask quickly scared Georgia will bolt. 

            "Central 17 is free you need help kid?" Dana said in her accent that I don't think could ever get old. 

             "Yea, I got a female I think it's Georgia Abbot, early to mid 20s GSW to the upper thigh" I spoke quickly as I walked over to her. Up close she was beautiful... even covered in blood. I couldn't get distracted by her brown curly hair and hazel eyes now though, I needed to help her . I cleared my throat quickly;  "Hi, Georgia was it? I'm student doctor Dennis Whitaker, Do you mind if I take a look at that leg? It looks like you got shot as well... page Dr. Robby please Dana" My voice was shaky as I gently took her arm and led her to the bed in Central 17, I think she's in shock. 

               "Y-yeah, yeah it's Georgia...Abbot I'm.. I'm 23.." It seemed like the adrenaline had started wearing of and her exhaustion and pain started to show through her stuttering and heavy breathing. Dana pulled the curtain closed and helped Georgia out of her pants. My breath quickened as I saw the wound. I lifted her leg gently, there wasn't an exit wound. The curtain flew open and there stood Dr. Robby.

                "What do we got Whitaker?" He spoke calmly as he snapped on gloves.

                "Georgia Abbot, 23, GSW to the upper left thigh, no exit wound. I think her adrenaline is wearing off" My voice filled with worry. I was nervous, the cherry on top of my already miserable first day would be fucking up on Abbot's daughter. As soon as Dr. Robby realized who it was he smiled softly and pulled up the stool as he got a tourniquet situated under her thigh.

               "Getting into more trouble kiddo? Your dad won't be happy when he realizes you also got shot." It seemed like Dr. Robby's jokes eased some of the tension in the room. Georgia even cracked a smile. My god... I never knew someone could have such a pretty smile, even though she was in pain the smile reached her eyes. Her hazel eyes crinkled around the outer ends as she winced at Robby tightening the tourniquet. 

               "Don't numb me Robby, please I need this quick so I can check on Addie..." She let out in a tense breath. Robby hesitated but held out the forceps for me anyways.

               "Alright Georgia you're lucky it missed any major arteries, Dr. Whitaker here is going to get that bullet out, you of all people should know the drill." Robby patted me on the back as he stood and I sat down putting gloves on. I took the forceps and used my left hand to pull the would open slightly. As I put the forceps into the wound to find the bullet her back arched against the table from the pain. I felt my heart stutter as I went back to work committing that image of her back arching against the hospital bed to memory. I silently pulled the bullet out and placed it into the emesis basin. 

               "Alright, bullet has been removed, now it's time for stitches..." I said looking up from her leg to her face which was buried in her elbow as her head rested against the bed. I grabbed the suture kit and started throwing a few stitched into the wound. Hearing her curse under her breath was distracting but I could manage. After today I never had to see her or her distracting features in this hospital again. I finished my stitches and dressed the wound and almost immediately Georgia got up and threw her pants on. "Georgia I have to advise you as your doctor to stay seated." I tried to reason with her as I gently tried to guide her back to the bed, but she shrugged me away. 

             "And I have to advise you to stay out of my way." She snapped as she rushed to trauma two to see her friend and father. I rushed after her as she pushed open the glass door and saw the white sheet pulled over her friends face. Adelaide died, and I felt all the air leave the room as no words were said but her face as she looked at Dr. Abbot said it all.