PLEASE EXCUSE ANY COURSE LANGUAGE OR MATURE SUBJECT MATTER... IT'S NOT THAT BAD, JUST LIKE ANY OTHER SITCOM ON TV TODAY
(INT. to a conference room where a medical lecture is taking place. Camera shows three women sitting together. Suddenly, all of their pagers start beeping. They say quiet apologies and rush out of the room)
(Outside the room)
Blond doctor: I want to personally thank the poor dying patient who got me out of that stupid lecture. (all still walking)
Dark Brunette: Yeah… although I did ask McKenzie if he could possibly get me out of that place with a fake page.
Light Brunette: Do you really think he’d do that?
DB: Sure. I mean…he wants us to like him, right? (entering room) Oh… hi, Dr. McKenzie. (Arrive in room (lounge) with McKenzie in it and another man too.)
McKenzie: Hello, ladies. This here is Dr. Marc Mathews. He will be assisting us from now on. This is Dr. Kristyn Jones (blond), Dr. Phoebe Fields (dark brunette) and Dr. Olivia Lane (light brunette). Make him feel welcome. Jones, there is a case for you in exam room five.
Jones: Joy…(sarcastically. She leaves.)
McKenzie: And Lane, there is a case for you downstairs. (takes a file and leaves). Fields! You get the special job of showing Mathews around this hospital...you know…how we do thangs ‘round here! (failed attempt #1 to be funny. Trying to act cool in an embarrassing dad way. Clears his throat) Good day. (leaves. There is a moment of silence between Mathews and Fields)
Fields: So…I guess just follow me. The lunchroom is on floor two, er…you’re a cardiac specialist? Your section is… (interrupted by Mathews)
Mathews: Thanks. I’ll figure it out. So… Fields, right? (she nods) Are you single? (her jaw drops)
Fields: Are you trying to make a good impression or something?
Mathews: Maybe. And it works most of the time.
Fields: Well, not this time. I’ll walk away. And, if you do need me for any job related reason, I’ll be in obstetrics. (Walks away. He starts laughing)
Mathews: (to himself) She wants me.
(Opens to Jones in the patient’s room. She’s sitting on a chair facing the patient’s bed.)
Jones: So…Evan Waters…what brings you to the place where most of the people die anyway? (Parents look confused)
Evan: I started shaking a lot and I felt sick.
Jones: Sounds like a seizure to me. How old is he?
Mrs. Waters: Seven years old. I don’t know what provoked it… the seizure… he was just doing his homework…there weren’t any flashing lights or anything.
Mr. Waters: Well…it wasn’t a real seizure…just a lot of twitching.
Mrs. Waters: No honey, it was a seizure. Why else would he do that?
Jones: It’s a natural reaction for some people when they slip under into unconsciousness. Was he breathing?
Mr. Waters: Er…I don’t think so. (looks at his wife) Was he?
Mrs. Waters: No. That’s why we called an ambulance.
Jones: Okay, then. We will get an MRI to see what’s screwing with your son’s consciousness. (boy falls back and starts twitching) And, apparently it’s reoccurring. Nurse! (the boy is twitching again, as nurses rush in to help. **Black Out/Commercial)
(Opens to Lane with a patient and her husband)
Lane: Okay…Mrs. Johnson. What seems to be the problem here?
Mrs. Johnson: Please! Call me Nicole. (Smiles).
Husband: You look awfully young to be a certified doctor.
Nicole: Ron!
Lane: I actually just graduated recently, but I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. They wouldn’t have hired me if I wasn’t good enough, right?
Ron: Good answer. (Smiles) I just want the best for my baby. (looks at Nicole)
Nicole: I’ve been feeling…sick. (Laughs) Nauseous, tired all the time, and it burns… when I pee… down there (looks down to indicate what she means) But I don’t have a fever or anything and it has been like this for the last several weeks. I didn’t come in… thinking it was just the flu, and just took some antibiotics. But this is ridiculous.
Lane: Have you found that there is any unusual vaginal discharge?
Nicole: Well- (interrupted by the sound of Ron’s cell phone)
Ron: Sorry, sweetie. It’s work, got to take this.
Nicole: It’s fine. (he leaves.)
Lane: Anyway… (studying file)
Nicole: I cheated. (Lane looks at her, surprised. Nicole is talking quickly) I know. Happy couple, married for 20 long years. He knows our marriage is dying. (shaking her head) He’s in denial. So here it is: guy at work, sex and a lie to my husband. I swear, it was a one time thing. And he did it too, nine years ago… Please, just tell me what’s wrong, don’t say anything to Ron. I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with what I did…
Lane: You don’t need to prove anything to me. I’ll just run some tests and find out what’s wrong. The vaginal burning, though, sounds like an STD to me. (Lane gets syringes and Nicole sighs and puts her head back onto the bed.)
Nicole: An STD, as in sexually transmitted disease? Seriously? Oh my God, how will I explain this to Ron?
Lane: Um… (trails off)
Nicole: Just give me something to say to him! Anything!
Lane: This isn’t really my place to say anything… I’ll just finish up here and leave. I’m sorry… (can’t think of anything else to say)
(Opens to Lane and Fields getting lunch in the lunchroom. Just finishing at the cash register)
Lane: I’m telling you…I totally froze in front of a patient. It’s hard to be a people-person.
Fields: What did she want you to do again?
Lane: Give her some reason for her STD to tell her husband…instead of you know, sex!
Fields: I don’t suppose the husband could’ve given it to her?
Lane: Nope. She cheated, and she wants me to give her an excuse for whatever she has. Not fair… I have my own problems. (both sit down at a table. Then they are joined by Jones)
Jones: Hey, I have this patient, and his parents argue about every little detail about his seizure. It’s pretty funny to watch. I stayed there an extra ten minutes just to watch it. (laughing)
Lane: How did you do that?
Jones: I pretended to look at the kid’s files. Did you know he’s broken his arm three times in his little life time?
Fields: That can’t be healthy.
Lane: (ignoring their topic and changing the subject) Where can you get an STD from?
Jones: Oh, I know this one…uh…sex? (looking at Lane like she’s an idiot)
Lane: Ugh!
Jones: Why? Or do I really want to know? (Lane shrugs and Jones doesn’t care anymore. All eating their lunch)
Fields: You know the new guy, Mathews? Okay, I was supposed to show him around the hospital; where everything is. But then he tells me he’ll figure it out, then he asks me if I’m single!
Lane: Seriously?
Jones: What an ass.
Fields: I know, and I’ve only known him for what, not even a day? God, and we have to work with him for who knows how long. (Jones’ pager goes off).
Jones: Got to take this one. It’s the kid again. (smiles). Time to see the parents battle it out again. (leaves. Lane turns to Fields)
Lane: If he asks you out, are you going to say yes?
Fields: I don’t know… he probably just likes me because I’m hot. Lane, he’s one of those guys, if you know what I mean.
Lane: I guess… but you never know.
Fields: (her beeper goes off) Sorry, I should go too. Patients to treat, (mumbles) people to avoid. (Lane laughs and Fields leaves.)
(Opens to Jones rushing into Evan’s room. His parents are terrified and Evan is clutching his stomach and screaming in pain.)
Jones: Evan! Evan! (trying to get his attention) Look at me and tell me what’s wrong.
Evan: It hurts! My stomach! Mommy, why does it hurt so much?
Mrs. Waters: Evan, it’s okay. Just stay calm and listen to the doctor. (Evan starts seizing again and the nurses enter)
Jones: Push 12 milligrams ativan and prep him for surgery.
Mrs. Waters: What’s wrong with him?
Jones: At this point…no idea. (Blackout/ Commercial)
(Opens to Jones sitting in the lounge, thinking. Mathews enters)
Mathews: Hey…uh…what’s your name?
Jones: I wonder how long it would take you to guess it.
Mathews: You don’t have to be so rude. PMS lately?
Jones: Shut up. I’m trying to save someone’s life. Why don’t you leave and go hit on Fields? Or better yet, go hit on a patient and get your ass kicked right out of this hospital.
Mathews: I’d rather go to Fields. So she told you about that? She must really like me, then.
Jones: Yeah. Like to strangle you. (He laughs and sits down) What are you doing? Don’t sit here, you’ll contaminate it with all your idiot-ness.
Mathews: (sarcastically) Good one. (changes his expression) Let’s be friends. I’ll help you figure this case out and you tell me about Fields.
Jones: (thinks) Deal. Okay, I go first. This seven year old kid had a seizure at his house and they are reoccurring. His MRI came back showing a tumor in his brain and I removed
it. So then his stomach starts to digest itself. What the hell? His MRI was clean except for that one tumor. Unless… (she gets up quickly) Don’t you love it when you answer your own question? Gives you a real reason to be full of yourself. (leaves the room)
Mathews: (shouting after her) Hey! What about me?
(Opens to Jones in the lab. She is there with another doctor that we’ll just call “doctor”)
Doctor: What do you see?
Jones: Metasis. Looks like his tumor spread, except they were too small to show up on the first MRI. Get him in there, now.
Doctor: Are you going to say please?
Jones: Do I ever say please? (Doctor rolls his eyes and leaves)
(Opens to Evan in the MRI machine. He is fidgeting and looks really bored. Jones is in the other room with an MRI technician.)
Jones: (through the microphone) Evan, can you stop moving for like, one second, please?
Evan: Sorry.
Jones: (looking at the images of his brain) Yup… there they are. Chances are there are more smaller ones.
MRI Tech: Some look inoperable.
Jones: Not for me… (Jones walks out of the room)
(Opens to Jones in Evan’s room with his parents and she has his new MRI results. Evan is sleeping.)
Jones: Okay, here’s the deal. On Evan’s first MRI the one mass we saw was in the part of the brain that controls consciousness and we removed that one. The stomach pains were his stomach trying to digest itself, caused by lack of mucus in the lining, which was caused by another tumor. Your son has tumor metasis. It spread quickly, and we didn’t see it on the MRI because it was very small. According to the newest MRI, there are more than two, and it’s only going to get worse.
Mrs. Waters: Is he going to…die? (starts crying)
Jones: We’ll have to wait and see. I need you to consent to your son’s brain surgery for the tumors we do see.
Mr. Waters: Brain surgery is awfully…big…
Mrs. Waters: But he could die either way.
Jones: Just the tumors haven’t had any effect…yet. And it’s a guarantee that he’ll die with all the growths in his brain, but surgery is almost definite. (Evan wakes up.)
Evan: Mommy? Daddy? Where am I? Why am I in a hospital?
Mrs. Waters: Evan, don’t be silly. Remember, (looking scared) you…you had a seizure?
Evan: What’s a seizure? I’m going to be late for school… Mommy… what’s going on?
Mr. Waters: What’s wrong? Why is he doing this?
Jones: The tumors must have reached his short term memory. You need to make a decision; the tumors are really taking effect on his brain.
(Opens to Lane opening the door to McKenzie’s office. He is sitting in a chair at a big desk.)
Lane: Dr. McKenzie?
McKenzie: Yes, yes! Come in! What is it, Dr. Lane?
Lane: I have a problem, and I was wondering if I could have some advice.
McKenzie: (looks really happy) Of course! Lane…Olivia… you can always come to me. I am a listener. (points to his head with a pen)
Lane: Okay. Well, I was with this patient who cheated on her husband, and she has an STD… she came in this morning at about ten.
McKenzie: Was it Nicole? (Lane nods) Really? It doesn’t seem like her to do that… she’s been our patient for years. Anyway, sorry, go on.
Lane: Well, she doesn’t want to tell Ron, so she wanted to me give her another reason for her STD, but you see-
McKenzie: Why can’t she just treat it if she is uncomfortable discussing it? What is it, syphilis?
Lane: Uh…yeah. And…she is positive for HIV and pregnancy.
McKenzie: Oh. (thinks for a moment) Then you have to tell her it’s her decision. HIV isn’t curable. And a baby…well is a baby. You shouldn’t get in the middle of this.
Lane: That’s what I thought… thank you.
McKenzie: How’s Mathews doing for his first day?
Lane: Uh… he’s doing fine. Really gets along with everyone! (turns around and mumbles) Except, you know, the people he works with… (BLACK OUT/COMMERCIAL!!)
(Opens to Jones walking quickly down a hallway. Mathews appears from around the corner behind her and rushes to catch up to her)
Mathews: We had a deal. Tell me about her.
Jones: Mathews? Kind of busy…you know…kid waiting for brain surgery.
Mathews: Just tell me something.
Jones: Go away. (he still follows)
Mathews: What’s her favorite color?
Jones: (sighs) Her favorite color is pink… uh… she’s a dancer and her dad died when she was seventeen. Okay? Goodbye. (she walks away and Mathews stops.)
Mathews: Died? Great, thanks. I’m sure that makes excellent conversation. (sarcastically)
Jones: (from distance) Whatever.
(Opens to Jones operating on Evan.)
Jones: God, they’re everywhere.
Nurse: He doesn’t stand a chance.
Jones: And you would? You can at least show a bit of support even though he may not make it, ‘Kay? (nurse nervously nods and turns away.) Okay… I got all the tumor I could see, although chances are there are more.
Nurse: Didn’t he have memory loss?
Jones: I guess we’re going to see if it came back or not. For now, this is all I can do. Thanks, everyone. Fantastic job. You all deserve a gold star. (all sarcastically.)
(Opens to Jones with his parents and Evan is still coming out of the gas.)
Jones: I managed to get all of it out, but you’ll have to come back in about six months to make sure it’s going to stay away.
Mrs. Waters: You mean, he could still die?
Jones: Look, he’s alive for the moment, just enjoy that. Stop freaking out about the future, you’re only scaring him. Chill. (gets up and leaves. Parents look a little shocked.)
Evan: (waking up) Did my surgery go well? (parents look happy).
(Opens to Lane entering room with Nicole on a hospital bed. She looks worried as Lane walks in.)
Lane: I am so sorry, Mrs. Johnson…
Nicole: Please, don’t scare me like that. How bad could it be?
Lane: You need to contact the man you slept with right away.
Nicole: (looks really scared) …Why?
Lane: You have syphilis, which can be cured. But you are pregnant, and you have the HIV virus. You can endure treatments and---
Nicole: Oh my God…(starts crying) I cannot…believe…Oh My God! How did this happen? I’m forty… that’s much too old… oh my God.
Lane: Was the sex unprotected? (Nicole nods and starts crying more). I’m going to send you to Dr. Fields, she’s our obstetrician and she’ll let you know your options. Chances are the baby has HIV, too.
Nicole: Thank-you. Please leave; I need to call Ron. (Lane nods and leaves.)
(Opens to Mathews, Jones, Lane and Fields all in the lounge getting ready to leave. Mathews looks in Fields’ direction, but she isn’t looking. But as soon as she looks up, Mathews looks away.)
Jones: Well, I’ll see you guys later.
Fields: Do you want to go for coffee?
Jones: No. I have something more important to do. Sorry. (leaves)
Fields: What else is new. (laughs) What about you, Olivia?
Lane: No, I can’t. I have a date.
Fields: Oh, La La! With who? (joking, because she knows Lane has a boyfriend)
Lane: Funny. (serious) Michael’s meeting me at Charley’s.
Fields: Okay. Have fun. (leaves). I don’t suppose you’d want to go. (talking to Mathews)
Mathews: Maybe. Depends, do you still hate me?
Fields: I don’t hate you. (smiles) You’re just incredibly cocky and full of yourself.
Mathews: I can live with that. But you still haven’t answered my burning question.
Fields: Oh my God… (rolling her eyes)
Mathews: Are you single?
Fields: (sighs) Yes, I am.
Mathews: But you don’t believe or support work-place relationships…
Fields: Exactly. We’re going for coffee as friends. Got it?
Mathews: Fine. (both leave)
(Open to Lane in a restaurant. In the background there is a faint sound of a person playing the piano. A man comes up to her and they kiss.)
Lane: (smiling) You’re five minutes late.
Michael: Sorry…I tried to tell the other officers that my girlfriend was waiting for me, but like the guys I work with care. That’s life being a cop.
Lane: Let’s just eat. (go to sit down at a table).
Michael: Anything interesting happen at work today?
Lane: This woman was married and pregnant with someone else’s child. And she had HIV; she cheated. Can I say karma?
Michael: That’s unlucky. (both laugh). Now that I think about it, are you interested in having children?
Lane: I don’t know. Maybe. They’d be a lot of work.
Michael: I don’t think I want them. (he looks at the menu, and Lane is disappointed. But he looks up again and she fakes a smile.)
(Open to Jones on the phone in her apartment. On the other end of the phone is an older looking woman.)
Lady: (in a British accent) So I hope everything is going well for you, dear. You didn’t go to boarding school for nothing, right?
Jones: Yeah…everything’s fine. I saved this boy’s life. I thought he just had a tumor in one part of his brain but it turns out there were more. I must’ve missed it, but the kid ended up being fine.
Lady: How do you miss something so obvious? You are a doctor, aren’t you? I hope you apologized to the parents.
Jones: (suddenly looking disappointed) Yeah, I did.
Lady: Anyway, It’s late and I’m missing my beauty sleep. You have a good night, dear. Goodbye. (she hangs up.)
Jones: Yup…’cause nothing is ever good enough for you, mom. (hangs up). Blackout/Commercial**[/b]
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