ER

"Chances and Changes"

Opening Act

Scene opens at Carol Hathaway's home...night time. Lights are on in the house. Show silhouette on the curtain that Carol is home and moving about inside the house.

Cut to show Doug Ross walking down the street towards the house as the loop train goes by above his head. He is dressed for a cool Chicago evening with a top coat over his slacks, shirt, and tie. He has likely come from the hospital judging from his attire. He walks along slowly, his hands in the pocket of his coat. The sounds of the city go on around him...traffic...horns...the train...etc. He reaches the walk way to Carol's house and stops, looking towards the house with a sad expression. He does not proceed up the steps, but stays standing by the curb just looking towards the house.

Cut to show Carol Hathaway inside the house. She is rearranging magazines on a coffee table and glances casually out the window. Cut to show the expression on her face as she notices Doug standing by the curb looking at the house. Her expression is a cross between concern and confusion. She stands quietly by the window and watches him without him knowing she is there.

Begin stands of the song "HURT ME" in the background.

Lyrics:
Hurt me....why in the world did you hurt me? Just when I thought I'd found someone to trust, you took away your love, and hurt me...

Focus on Carol as she flashes back in her mind some of the spats she has had with Doug ... him coming to her door with flowers, but, drunk...Tag punching him out at the engagement party...her fight with him in the subway...and her deciding at the last minute not to get married...

Lyrics:
Still can't believe you hurt me, just when I thought it was safe to come in, you let me want you, and need you, and then you left me, like a child in the rain, now I'm drowning myself in the pain, oh, you hurt me...

Focus on Doug as he flashes back in his mind Carol's suicide attempt and his own mental anguish over his helplessness and guilt in the situation as the ER team worked to save her...

As the musical bridge of the song plays, cut action to present as Doug walks up the walk way and onto the porch of the house. Show him standing at the door, fist doubled up, ready to knock, but, show him thinking...

Cut to show Carol on the other side of the door...her head is resting against the door and she has her hand on the door knob ready to open it when he knocks.

Lyrics:
You left me, like a child in the rain, now I'm lost in an ocean of pain, oh you hurt me...

Cut to show Doug lost in thought, still has not knocked on the door

Lyrics:
Hurt me...I fell in love and it hurt me...

Cut to show Carol still waiting on the other side of the door, but, she hears footsteps lead away off the porch

Lyrics:
Can't you imagine how I'm feeling now?

Cut to show Doug standing back out at the end of the walk by the street again, looking longingly back at the house, still in thought

Lyrics:
Oh, will you ever know how...

Cut to show Carol standing back by the window. She closes her eyes and bites her lip. She has her arms folded across her chest in thought.

Cut to show Doug shake his head slowly and put his hands back in his pockets.

Lyrics:
You hurt me?

Cut to show Doug walking slowly away, head down, shuffling slowly back the same way he came.

Fade Opening Act into the opening credits of the show...

E.R.

"Chances and Changes"

Act One

Scene opens at the hospital....daytime...but a relatively quiet moment for the E.R. Carol is working at the desk of the Nurse's station while every day noise goes on around her. She picks up a file to move it to another place on the desk and stops short.

Cut to focus on a single red rose lying on the desk.

Cut back to focus on Carol's face as a smile creeps across her lips. She reaches down and picks up the rose to smell it sweetly. She closes her eyes for just a moment as she takes in it's aroma. Then, she opens her eyes and turns around to Jerry sitting close to her.

Carol (to Jerry, holding the rose in her hand):
Jerry, did you leave this here?

Jerry (looks up and shakes his head):
No, sure didn't.

Carol (puzzled):
Well, do you know who did?

Jerry (shrugs):
Don't know! I didn't see anybody come through here. Whoever left it must have gotten here before I did.

Carol nods and goes back to her work. She takes time, however, to check the sign in page to see who has already reported for work.

Cut to show her stopping her pencil beside Doug Ross' name and noting his sign in time was 5AM.

Cut back to show a look crossed between pleased and confused on Carol's face. She shakes her head. And goes back to work.

Cut to show time lapse. Mark Greene comes quickly through the E.R. and begins going over files at the nurses station, quickly making notes.

Cut to show Carol coming slowly up beside him, waiting for him to be free.

Cut to show Mark closing a file chart and putting it over the counter onto the desk.

Carol (smiles):
Got a minute?

Mark (nods quickly):
Sure! (turns to look at her face to face)
What's up?

Carol (shrugs):
Can we go someplace private?

Mark (looks around...scanning to see what's available):
Sure!
(motions to an empty medic room)
Step into my office.

Follow action as Carol and Mark step into the medic room and Mark closes the door. Carol folds her arms against her chest and gives Mark an unsure look.

Mark (repeating):
Now, what's up?

Carol (laughs nervously):
I'm not sure where to start...

Mark (concerned):
Something wrong?

Carol (shakes her head):
No, not really. I think I just need to talk to someone who might understand. Someone who might know some answers.

Mark (sits on table casually):
You'd rather talk to me than your shrink?

Carol (smiles slightly):
I'd rather talk to a friend about a friend, yes.
(sighs)
Doug came by my house last night. He doesn't know I know he was there. He came up to the door, but, he never knocked. (Mark doesn't say anything, just nods his head, and listens as Carol continues)
He stood out by the curb for the longest time. I stood in the window and watched him. He looked so lost and confused. Part of me wanted to rush out and wrap my arms around him. The other part of me wanted to open the door and let him know I was there.

Mark:
What kept you from doing either one?

Carol (shrugs):
Chickened out, I guess. Same reason he probably didn't knock on the door.
(Mark chuckles)
This morning, I found a rose at my desk. No card. No note. But, he was here at 5AM. I'm pretty sure he left it.

Mark:
Maybe it's a peace offering?

Carol:
I think about him a lot. Sometimes when I don't even realize it he creeps into my mind.

Mark:
Have you tried telling him that?

Carol (shakes her head):
We don't talk personal things anymore. Everything we say to each other is strictly professional now.

Mark:
Is that the way you want it?

Carol (sighs):
I don't know, Mark. I spent a lot of time convincing myself that I was over him. But, I'm not. I don't think I ever will be. A part of me is always going to love him...always care about him. But, another part of me is always going to be afraid of being hurt again.

Mark:
Did you love him?

Carol (closes her eyes in thought):
Yes.
(nods, and opens her eyes to look at Mark)
Yes, I did.

Mark:
And this is gone forever? You could never love him again?

Carol:
I'm not sure I ever stopped. Everything I went through with Tag, Doug was always on my mind. I tried to deny it for a long time, but, the truth is, I think about what could have been. (pause) A lot.

Mark:
You should talk to him. You should be telling him these things. Not me.

Carol:
I don't know if I'll ever have the chance. I mean, I've pushed him away so many times now, he's pretty much quit trying.

Mark:
Maybe he's just giving you space that he thinks you need. I have a feeling that if you gave him even the slightest iota of a sign that you were interested he'd break his neck coming back.

Carol (eyes him suspiciously):
Do you know something I don't?

Mark (shakes his head):
No. I don't.

Carol:
But, I'm still afraid. Suppose I give him another chance and he hasn't changed a bit? And I end up getting hurt again.

Mark (nods):
OK, that's one way of looking at it. Another way is what if you don't give him another chance and he has changed? You might be missing out on something good. (Carol doesn't answer, just listens as Mark continues) And I do see some changes in him. He's here a lot more now. If he's spending more time here, that means he's spending less time other places I can think of he could be. He seems a little calmer now... he's more willing to listen now. I think when he thought he was out of here it helped him realize that maybe this is where he wants to be.

Carol:
I guess I hadn't noticed...

Mark:
I'm not sure you would. You're not with him as much as I am. I see changes in his attitude and his concentration. If there's changes there, who knows where the others might be.

Carol (nods in agreement):
Thanks for listening, Mark. I think I need to think about this some more.

Mark (reaches to open the door behind him):
My office is always open! Anytime!

Follow action as Mark and Carol leave the medic room...Mark goes one way down the hall, Carol goes back to the nurses station.

Cut to pick up Doug as he comes down the hall from another direction. He is reading casually over a chart as he walks. He stops briefly, and lays his hand gently to the side of his head. He shakes his head and strolls over to where Carol is working.

Doug:
You have anything back there for a headache?

Carol (looking):
Got some aspirin! That's about it!

Doug (nods and reaches his hand out):
I'll take it. Give me about 4 of them....

Carol (raises an eyebrow):
Standard dose is 2...

Doug gives her an annoyed look and shakes 4 pills out into his hand.

Doug (nods as he starts to walk away):
Thanks!

Carol watches him as he goes on away. He stops at a water fountain and takes the aspirin. Then he disappears on down the hallway and out of sight.

Cut to show time lapse. Show Doug sitting at a table nursing coffee from a cup in front of him. Pick up Mark at the doorway as he enters the room. Focus on Mark as he sees Doug and makes his way over to the table where he is.

Mark (motions to chair):
Mind if I join you?

Doug (doesn't look up...rubs his temple gently):
Be my guest.

Mark sits down and starts fixing his own coffee the way he wants it. He looks over at Doug, who is still rubbing his temple, and gives him a concerned chuckle.

Mark:
Got a headache?

Doug (nods):
Yeah, little one. Can't get rid of it!

Mark:
Take anything?

Doug:
Aspirin. It'll get better.

Mark:
If it doesn't...
(Doug cuts him off with a perplexed look. Mark shrugs)
Something on your mind?
(Mark gives his friend a knowing look. Doug looks up directly into his eyes and shakes his head)

Doug:
Nothing important.

Mark (chuckles):
Greene's Counseling Service is in session. Feel free to bend my ear. You know I'll listen.

Doug (begins to toy with his coffee cup):
I went over to Carol's last night. I was going to see if we could just talk.

Mark:
And?

Doug (looks at him):
We didn't talk.

Mark:
Why not? She wasn't home?

Doug:
I chickened out. I walked all the way up to the door and didn't have guts enough to knock.

Mark:
Why not?

Doug (scoffs):
Couldn't face the rejection, I guess. I don't know. Maybe I didn't even know what to say.

Mark:
What did you think you wanted to say?

Doug (shakes his head):
I don't know.
(Mark gives him a sarcastic look)
Well, I don't know! I just thought maybe if we could sit down and talk to each other like two civilized adults something might come out of it. I don't know what I was thinking.

Mark:
Something might come out of it? Something like what?

Doug (shakes his head):
I don't know. I just know I think about her all the time. I think about what we had. And what we lost. And the way we lost it. I made so many mistakes... (Mark doesn't talk...just listens as Doug continues to ramble) I can never take anything back that happened. I know that. And, I think we're both past that pretty much. But, it destroyed anything that could have been. Or could still be. Sometimes, I feel like I just want to wait in an empty room someplace and grab her when she comes by...pull her into my arms and make her listen to me the only way I know how.

Mark:
So, what's stopping you?

Doug (chuckles):
I think there's easier methods of suicide!
(gives Mark a wry smile):
I think she's made it pretty obvious how she feels about me.

Mark ( shrugs):
People change, Doug. You've changed. Why do you think she can't?

Doug:
What do you mean I've changed?

Mark:
Well, it seems to me that no matter what time I show up, you're here. Now, if you're spending that much time here, then you are obviously not spending it other places you used to frequent... (Doug chuckles lightly) And you're a lot easier to work with lately. We haven't hit heads over anything in, oh, what? At least a couple of weeks!

Doug (laughing):
At least!

Mark (softly):
You know, if I didn't know you better, I'd think you just might be growing up. (Doug chuckles) Seriously, Bud, you need to talk to the lady. That's the only way to know for sure.

Doug (nods):
You might be right.

Mark (in mock confidence):
Of course I'm right!

Doug (softly):
Well, I'll give it some serious thought. Is that good enough?

Mark (nods):
For now.

Loudspeaker will page both Doctors to E.R. Follow action as both of them rush out of the room and cut scene.

Cut to show time lapse. It is now the middle of the day. Pick up action as Doug and Carol are picking things up in a vacant exam room. Focus on Doug. He leans over to pick something up off the floor. When he raises up, he lays a gentle hand to the side of his head and closes his eyes against obvious pain and discomfort. Cut to show blood oozing quickly from his nose. He opens his eyes and touches the top of his lip with his fingertips, drawing his hand back to see the blood.

Doug (aggravated):
Oh, great!

Carol looks up from where she is working across the room and sees the blood. She walks quickly over to Doug and attempts to take his hand away so she can get a better look.

Carol (guiding him to the table):
I think you better sit down.

Doug (agitated):
It's OK...

Carol (sharply):
Sit down, Doctor!

Reluctantly, Doug lets her guide him to the table and he hops up onto it. Carol takes his hands away from his nose to get a look at it herself.

Carol (looking closely):
This just started?

Doug (looking deep into her eyes):
Yeah, when I stood up....

Carol (looks away to avoid his close look at her):
Let me get a B.P. reading...

Doug (starts to get off the table):
It's nothing! I'll be fine!

Carol (sternly):
Would you let a patient off the table until you knew what was wrong?
(Doug gives in with a reluctant shake of his head)
Then, I'm not letting you up until I know either! Take off your jacket and roll up your sleeve. Reluctantly, Doug does as she instructs. She puts a b.p. cuff on his arm and places her stethoscope in her ears and on his arm and starts pumping. She makes a concerned face, and keeps pumping.

Doug (reaching for the cuff):
Hey! Ow! That's enough already!!

Carol (shakes her head, still listening):
I'm not getting anything. I think I better go get Mark...

Doug (concerned now):
What do you mean you can't get anything? Try a finger cuff...

Doug reaches his hand to her and Carol snaps a finger cuff on his right index finger. The two of them together watch the reading until it registers...

Doug (flabbergasted...and slightly alarmed):
210/130? That's impossible! I'm still conscious!

Carol (starts away quickly):
I'm going after Mark! (points back from the doorway) Stay there!

Follow Carol as she rushes out the door and into the hallway to find Mark.

Cut back to show Doug leaning reluctantly back to rest his head on the upright headrest behind him and sighs. He closes his eyes and presses his fingertips gently against the temples of his head.

Fade Act One to Black.

E.R.

"Chances and Changes"

Act Two

Scene opens with Carol Hathaway rushing down the E.R. hallway to find Mark Greene. Follow her all the way down the hallway.

Cut to show Mark in another room, reading over notes. There is a patient in the room and several other attending doctors. This is not a crucial emergency situation.

Cut to show Carol in the doorway quickly.

Carol:
Mark? Got a minute?

Mark (doesn't look up...stays focused on his notes):
Sure.
(puts his notes aside and goes to the door to give Carol his attention)
What have you got?

Carol (carefully):
Doug's down in three with a B.P. of 210/130 and a nosebleed.

Mark (starts away with her quickly):
What happened?

Carol (as they proceed up the hallway):
He leaned over to pick something up off the floor and when he stood up, his nose was bleeding. I couldn't get a B.P. on a standard cuff... we had to go digital.

Mark (following closely behind her):
So, this came on suddenly?

Carol (as they reach the doorway to #3):
He was asking for something for a headache earlier this morning.

Mark (stops in the doorway):
Come to think of it, he was nursing a headache when I saw him a little while ago, too.

Mark and Carol enter the room. Pan to follow them from the doorway. Cut shot to show Doug resting on the table. He is still attached to the B.P. machine and looking a little pale. His eyes shift from Carol and Mark entering the room over to the numbers on the B.P. machine.

Mark (turns machine around):
Don't watch that. You're not a doctor now. You're a patient. Patients don't need to know what their b.p. is...

Doug:
It's going back up. The nosebleed relieved some of the pressure, but, not for long. Lowest reading I saw was 195/115. It's back up to about 205/120 now.

Mark (takes out a penlight flashlight):
Well, now, don't worry...we'll get it down.
(Mark shines the light in each of Doug's eyes. Doug winces in pain)
That hurts? Still got a headache, huh?

Doug (nods):
Yeah...bad one.

Mark :
Can you describe the pain?

Doug (matter-of-factly):
Severe. It feels like my head is going to explode.

Mark (to Carol):
Procardia...sublingually...
(Carol exists the room quickly on this order)
(Mark turns back to Doug)
Had these headaches for very long?

Doug (reluctantly):
A couple of days, maybe.

Mark (listens to Doug's heartbeat through stethoscope):
Ever had them before?

Doug (shakes his head):
Not like this!

Carol returns with the ordered medicine and breaks open an orange capsule of liquid. She stands close to the table beside Doug.

Carol (softly):
Open up, Doug... (Doug opens his mouth and Carol squeezes the liquid out under his tongue. Doug makes a bitter face once the medicine is all in)
I know....tastes awful.
(smiles weakly at him)

Mark (to Doug):
I want you to just rest here a few minutes and give that stuff time to kick in. Can you do that for me?

Doug (sarcastically):
Do I have a choice, 'Doctor'?

Mark (smiles mockingly):
No, 'Doctor', truthfully, you don't!

Doug relaxes back onto the table. Follow Mark and Carol back to the doorway, where they stop together out of earshot of Doug.

Mark (low voice):
Keep an eye on him. The Procardia will take some time to kick in. Watch those numbers. Anything over 220 systolic or 140 diastolic, I want to know about it. He's way too high. These numbers are well in stroke range. I don't want to take any chances.

Carol:
I won't leave the room.

Mark nods and touches her shoulder on his way out the door. Carol goes back over to sit on a stool close by Doug's bed. She gives him an encouraging look. He gives her a forced grin. He knows as well as she does he is in danger. Neither says anything to the other.

Cut to show time lapse. Show Mark coming through the doorway. Once he is in the room, Doug is resting on the table and Carol is going over notes beside him. Follow Mark across the room to stop at the foot of the table.

Mark (to Carol):
So, how's our patient doing now?

Carol (looks at B.P. machine):
195/125...been holding there for about 10 minutes.

Mark:
Let's give him another dose of Procardia and I think we might be getting it on a decline now.

Carol (nods and starts out of the room):
Right away.

Follow Carol out of the room. Cut back to show Mark as he sits on the stool beside Doug's bed for one on one confrontation.

Mark (concerned):
Everything OK?

Doug (quietly):
I thought when you stopped drinking your blood pressure was supposed to go down. Not up.
(laughs lightly)

Mark:
How long ago did you quit drinking?

Doug (proud of himself):
Haven't touched anything stronger than beer in about 6 weeks!

Mark (smiles):
Good for you! Keep it up. But, obviously, there's something else wrong. Are you worried about something? Nervous about something? Morganstern on your back or anything?

Doug (chuckles):
I can handle anything David can throw at me. You know me better than that.

Mark:
Well, I know your job is pretty stressful, but, you've never had any problems handling that before, either...

Doug (shakes his head):
It's not the job.

Carol returns and cracks open another orange capsule.

Carol:
Here you go, Doug.

Doug opens his mouth and lets her squeeze the liquid out under his tongue again. He makes a worse bitter face than the first time and shakes his head against the taste.

Doug (chuckles):
I guess you learn a lot when the shoe is on the other foot, huh?

Carol (to Mark):
I'll be at my station if you need me.

Mark (nods):
Thanks, Carol.

Carol exists the room. Mark turns back to Doug.

Mark (coaxing):
Talk to me, Buddy. What's going on?

Doug (shakes his head):
It's nothing.

Mark:
B.P. skyrocketing like this is not from 'nothing'. You gotta talk to me, Doug. I have to know what's going on.

Doug (slowly and softly):
Just things I started thinking about.

Mark:
Like what? Like Carol?

Doug (shakes his head):
She's not the only thing. I've been thinking a lot about my Dad and our relationship and how crummy it is. Then, I started thinking about my own son. I haven't seen him in almost three years. He doesn't even know who I am. I started thinking about when Ray called me after that drowning rescue that I hadn't heard his voice in 22 years. And it made me realize that my son is going to go through the same thing.

Keep focus tight on Doug, but, shift back to Mark to show he is listening intently to what Doug is saying...

Doug (continues):
And I don't imagine he'll be any more thrilled with me than I was with Ray when he called me. I tried hard for us to make a connection, but, it just wasn't there.

Mark (pats Doug's arm comfortingly):
You'll be more understanding than that with your son.

Doug (bites his lip and nods):
Yeah, well, I started thinking it's not too late to be part of his life while he's still young enough I can keep something like that from happening. I decided to try and claim some of my rights to him, but, my ex is giving me a lot of heat...not that I blame her. But, I got a lawyer and things have been pretty hot for the past couple of weeks. I'm starting to think the whole thing was a mistake...

Mark:
You should have talked to me...

Doug (shakes his head):
Not your problem. And I think I've done pretty well at keeping it from interfering with my work, haven't I?

Mark (nods):
Yes. I didn't realize anything was bothering you.

Doug (shrugs):
Anyway, I don't know how it's gonna turn out. But, I'm not giving up.

Mark (smiles sadly):
Don't you ever give up. I won't ever give up with Rachel. You just hang in there and keep fighting, too.

Doug:
Do you ever wonder if it's worth it? I mean, don't the kids get hurt, too?

Mark (nods sadly):
Yeah, I think they do. Divorce isn't good for anybody. (Doug nods agreement with him...Mark turns his attention to the B.P. machine)
You're holding steady at 180/110. And that's still high, but, I like those numbers a lot better. What I want you to do is just rest here about a half hour or so and let that Procardia work a little more. Then, we'll see how you're doing, OK?

Doug (nods):
OK.

Mark (stands up...touches Doug's shoulder):
You'll rest here? You promise?

Doug (makes a crossing motion on his chest):
Scout's honor.
(Gives Mark a Scout Salute)

Mark (starts away, points a warning finger back at Doug):
You're giving me your word...

Doug (nods):
Will you go on back to patients who need you, 'Doctor'? (smiles)

Cut to show Mark back out at Carol's station. He has a concerned look on his face. Carol notes his concern as she approaches him.

Carol:
Everything OK?

Mark (going over notes):
Huh?
(Looks up at Carol)
Oh, yeah! He's down to 180/110 and declining. I just want him to rest while we keep an eye on him a little while.

Carol (senses more concern):
Anything else?

Mark:
Well, I don't know...changes in blood pressure can be brought on by so many things. Would you call Medical Records and have all of Doug's records sent down here, please? I want to take a look at some of his past readings.

Carol (nods):
Right away.

Mark (hands her Doug's chart):
And please page me as soon as they're here?

Carol (takes chart...nods again):
Of course.

Show Mark going off on down the hallway. Pan back to show expression of concern on Carol's face as she glances into the room where Doug is still resting.

Fade Act Two to black.

E.R.

"Chances and Changes"

Act Three

Scene opens at Carol's station. Focus on Carol and Jerry working at the computer. Pan back to show an assistant handing over a file to Carol.

Assistant:
Nurse Hathaway, here's the Medical Records Dr. Greene requested.

Carol (looks up and takes the file):
Thank you!
(she places the file on the desk and picks up the phone, speaking into the receiver and we do not hear the feedback)
Mark? Doug's MR is at the desk.

Cut to show Mark coming up on the station. Carol reaches him the file and he opens it, going over things in it carefully.

Mark (mumbles):
Nothing here. His b.p. has held steady at the same numbers for almost the last five years!

Carol (questioning):
Stress?

Mark (still looking over records):
Well, he mentioned a situation that was bothering him, but, it's nothing that would bring on numbers like this.
(purses his lips and shakes his head)
Not sure what we're dealing with here. Carol, draw blood for me, OK? And we'll start some tests.

Carol (nods with a careful look):
What do I tell him we're looking for?

Mark (matter-off-factly):
You don't need to tell him anything. He doesn't need to know anything yet.

Carol (flustered):
Well, he's going to know something's up...

Mark:
You let me worry about that side of it! You just draw the blood!

Carol (nods):
Right away, Doctor...

Follow Carol as she goes back into the room with Doug. She goes to work beside the table, taking a needle and a blood vial from the tray beside her.

Doug (watching her):
Blood? What's Mark looking for?

Carol (shakes her head):
He didn't say.

Doug (eyes her carefully as she swabs his arm for the withdrawal):
He must think something's wrong...why else would he want blood?

Carol (truthfully, looks him in the eye):
He just told me to draw blood for tests. He didn't tell me what kind of tests.

Doug nods slowly. Carol inserts the needle into the vein. Doug winces and bites his lip. Carol withdraws the blood and swabs his arm again, leaving the gauss pad over the needle mark.

Carol (places his hand on it):
Just hold that there.
(smiles)
You know the ropes!
(starts out of the room with the vial of blood)

Doug (calls to her):
You tell Mark I want to talk to him!

Carol nods and smiles, then exits the room quickly. Doug is left alone to ponder his situation. He sighs heavily and sinks back onto the table.

Cut to show time lapse. Mark is working over notes in a room alone when Carol comes in quietly.

Mark (without looking over at her, studies his notes):
Everything OK with Doug?

Carol (nods):
He's resting. He's not a happy camper, but, he's staying put, at least.
(comes up slowly beside him and stops close)
Heard from the lab yet?

Mark (shakes his head):
Not yet. You'll probably get the results first, anyway. I want you to let me know the minute you have them, OK?

Carol (nods):
Sure.
(pause)
What do you think it is?

Mark (shrugs):
I'm not really sure. It could be a lot of things...

Carol (nods):
Yeah, I know. Some of them not so serious and some of them....
(pause...doesn't finish)

Mark (stops his work and turns to her with a smile):
I don't think it's anything serious. I just want to be sure.

Carol (sincerely):
When you told me to draw blood, I think my heart skipped a beat. Right at that minute, I realized something might be seriously wrong.
(looks down)
I don't want anything to be wrong with Doug.

Mark (takes her by the shoulders):
I think you're getting worked up over nothing. Doug is gonna be just fine.

Carol (looks up quickly, sad look in her eyes):
You don't know that. You won't know that until the blood tests come back. Until then, nothing is for sure.

Mark (smiles):
He looks pretty healthy...
(pauses)
When are you two going to stop playing games and just admit your feelings to each other?

Carol (confused look):
What do you mean?

Mark:
I mean you, right now. Here you are, down here talking to me about not wanting anything to be seriously wrong with Doug, yet, you don't want to admit to him how you really feel about him.

Carol (folds her arms):
Lots of things have happened between Doug and me...

Mark (nods):
Yeah, and that's all in the past! You two have wasted time you could have been using to sew up something really great if you weren't both so damn stubborn. You care about him...otherwise you wouldn't be so upset thinking something might be wrong with him. And he's no better. He cares about you, too. He may not say it, but, if you could have seen the look on his face the night they brought you in here from your O.D., you'd know what I'm talking about...

Carol (suddenly):
Doug was here that night?

Mark (nods):
Yeah. And he was devastated. He couldn't even help us, he was so overcome with emotion. I almost never got him away from the window. He couldn't help, but, he couldn't not watch. He thought he was going to lose you...we all did! I think at that moment, he realized how much he really loved you...and he thought it was too late to do anything about it.

Carol (smiles slightly):
I still remember that night he came to Mama's and brought me flowers. He seemed like he wanted to be there...but thought he wasn't wanted. I always remember that look on his face. It was pretty much the same look he had last night standing outside my house half the night.
(chuckles)
Like a little puppy dog left out in the rain.
(shakes her head)
So many things he doesn't know. He doesn't know he's the reason I couldn't connect with Shep. Or the reason I never married Tag. That night he crashed my engagement party, he said something that night that I didn't want to admit to myself was true. But, he was right. I do think about him when I'm with someone else. What is it about him, Mark? He drives me crazy! But, I can't seem to get him out of my system!

Mark (smiles):
I know! I feel the same way. Sometimes he makes me so mad at him I could strangle him! But, when I need a friend, he's there. Just have to take the good with the bad, I guess.
(pauses)
Carol, I can't tell you what to do about Doug. All I can really tell you is that I wish to hell I hadn't let Susan get away without me telling her how I really felt about her.
(Carol gives him her full attention as he continues)
All the time I wasted. All the chances I lost. I can't ever get any of them back.
(shakes his head)
If you really care about Doug, and you think there's any chance of any kind of future between the two of you, don't let it get away from you. I have to live with my decision for the rest of my life...

Carol (desperate look):
You can still tell Susan how you feel! You know where she is...

Mark (shakes his head with a sad smile):
Not the same. Not like it should have been. Not like I wanted it to be.

Carol (bites her lip...nods her head):
I'm so sorry. I never knew...

Mark (sad smile):
Neither did she.

Carol (motions to the door):
I'm going to go on back and wait for those results. I'll page you as soon as I have them, OK?

Mark (nods):
OK. And, Carol?
(she stops and turns back to face him)
Think about what I said.

Carol nods slowly and goes on out the door.

Cut to show Carol working back at her station. She picks up a file on her desk and uncovers the rose that was left for her earlier that morning. She picks it up and glances across the hall into the exam room where Doug is still resting. She can see him working with his fingers. He is bored. And nervous. And can't go anywhere or do anything except wait.

Flashback to another time between the two of them. Carol is upset over something and is crying. Doug wraps his arms around her and pulls her close to him, rocking her slowly and gently to comfort her. There is no audio for the flashbacks...only musical over tone...

Carol will recall several things from her past with Doug...flash between happy times and fights between them to end on a kiss between them.

Focus on Carol, eyes closed, lost in thought, still holding the rose, as she focuses on a tender kiss shared with Doug sometime in the past of their relationship.

Jerry (trying to get her attention)
Nurse Hathaway?

Carol (pops her trance and looks at him):
Huh?
(looks to see Jerry is handing her files)
Oh! Thanks, Jerry.

With an embarrassed look, she goes back to work.

Fade Act Three to Black.

E.R.

"Chances and Changes"

Act Four

Scene opens at Carol's station. Focus on her as she toys with the rose in her hand. Follow her eyes across the way to the room where Doug is resting. He is nervously toying with her hands, but he is resting comfortably. Follow Carol as she leaves the nurses station and goes into the room with Doug. She stops and reads the numbers on the b.p. machine and sits on a stool beside the table.

Carol (comfortingly):
How are you feeling?

Doug (nods):
OK. How are my numbers?

Carol (nods):
Looking better.
(holds the rose up for him to see)
Did you leave this for me?
(Doug nods reluctantly)
It's beautiful! Why didn't you leave a note or something to tell me it was from you?

Doug (shrugs):
I guess I figured if you thought it was from me, you'd probably pitch it out, but, if you didn't know it was from me, you might just enjoy it for a while.

Carol (sighs):
Oh, geez, Doug! Have we reached that point in our relationship? You think I hate you now?

Doug (smiles slightly):
It was a joke! I guess we haven't gotten back to that point in our relationship, either, huh? You always used to know when I was kidding.

Carol (spins the rose in her hand...looks at her feet):
I guess we've been through a lot with each other, haven't we?

Doug:
Yeah, I guess we have.
(pauses, then changes the subject)
Do you know what Mark is looking for?

Carol (shakes her head, looks up at him):
He didn't say. But, he's not very concerned. Doesn't think it's anything serious. My guess is a chemical imbalance.

Doug:
Thyroid, likely. That was my first guess.

Carol (nods):
Yeah, I thought about that, too.

Doug (chuckles nervously):
One bad thing about being a doctor...when you become a patient, you know too much.

Carol (half smile):
It'll be OK. Whatever it is, we'll take care of it.

Doug (nods):
I guess we'll know soon enough.

Carol (nods):
Yeah. You OK?

Doug (shrugs):
Sure.

Carol:
It's so crazy, you know? Everything we say to each other is strictly professional. We never just talk anymore. I guess a lot of that's my fault. Maybe it's time we started talking again.

Doug (grins):
Figure I've been punished enough, huh?

Carol (shakes her head):
I never meant to punish you. That wasn't my idea at all. I think, for a long time, a part of me wanted you to hurt like I did, but, I don't even feel that way anymore.

Doug:
I hurt. That night they wheeled you in here unconscious, I was hurting. I was just sure I would never get to hold you in my arms again. I'd never get a chance to tell you I was sorry. Then, when I did, I did such a lousy job of it...

Carol (interrupts quickly):
You didn't do a lousy job! I didn't give you half a chance. I had to put up a shield to keep from getting hurt again. I was so afraid of giving in to you. You'll never know how much I wanted to. But, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. But, you were right about what you said to Tag that night at my engagement party. I did think about you when I was with him. And Shep. I think about you all the time.

Doug (smiles sadly):
Linda told me before she left that I would never love another woman as long as I was in love with you. I guess she knew it even if I didn't want to admit it. When Morgenstern wasn't going to renew my Fellowship, and I thought I was leaving here, it was probably the hardest time I've ever gone through with myself. I knew I could work. That wasn't the problem. But, leaving here was. Leaving you...not seeing you everyday... that was something I didn't want to have to face. And Mark...he's like a brother to me. The hospital is like the family I never had. I didn't want to let go of it. I didn't want to lose it. Thank God I didn't have to.

Carol (looks at her feet):
I didn't know you felt that way.

Doug (lifts her chin to look at him):
Now you do.

Carol (looking into his eyes):
You know you were the reason I didn't marry Tag, don't you?
(Doug doesn't answer...only shrugs his shoulders)
I couldn't marry him. I was still in love with you.
(looks him directly in the eyes)
I still am.

Doug (smiles slightly):
You're just nervous about these tests...

Carol (shakes her head emphatically):
No. I mean it. I am in love with you. I can't get you out of my mind or out of my heart. Or out of my soul. Everything I do comes back to you. Everything I think, and everything I dream. I've wanted to tell you for a long time. I just didn't have the guts.

Doug (laughingly):
And now you can?

Carol (lowers her head):
I watched you through the window last night outside the house. When you walked up on the porch, I was standing on the other side of the door ready to rip it open the second you knocked. I almost ran out after you when you didn't. I was afraid you might be walking out of my life forever.

Doug (shakes his head):
Not this time. For the first time in my life, I don't want to run. And that scares me to death. I want to stay and fight and see what comes.

Carol (looks up at him):
We've got plenty of time to talk about these kind of things later, OK? I should get back to work.

Doug (nods):
Yeah. OK.

Carol stands up and starts away, but, before she leaves, she leans over and kisses him gently on forehead in a friendly fashion. Follow her as she returns to her post. Focus on him as he grins slightly from the tone of their conversation.

Cut to show files being placed on top of the desk in front of Carol and someone walking away. Focus on Carol as she reaches for the files and see the name "ROSS" printed at the top of it. She opens it carefully and starts scanning the inside for information, but, before she can read anything, Mark comes up behind her and startles her with his presence.

Mark (suddenly):
Why, Nurse Hathaway, you of all people should know that what's in a patient's test results is strictly Doctor/Patient Confidentiality.

Carol (shuts the file quickly and puts it down):
Yes, Doctor.

Mark (reaching his hand to her):
I'll take that, please?

Carol hands the file over carefully. Mark opens it up and begins to scan over the results. He nods his head a couple of times, but, gives no indication of any of the contents to Carol, who stands waiting nervously with an anxious look on her face.

Carol (coaxingly):
Well?

Mark (smiles):
Nothing to worry about. You want to come with me while I give the news to him?

Carol (nods):
Sure!

Follow Carol and Mark across the way and into Doug's room. Doug catches sight of Mark carrying files and motions to them.

Doug:
OK, give it to me straight, Doc! I can take it.

Mark (in a professional voice):
You have an overactive Thyroid.

Doug (smiles...relieved):
That's it?

Mark (smiles, satisfied):
That's it.
(writes out a prescription and tears it off the pad)
Get this filled. Take your meds. Keep an eye on that b.p. and you should be just fine. I want to monitor the b.p. and blood levels about once a week at least for a month or so to be sure the right level of meds are getting in there. That's about it.

Doug (sits up and swings his feet over the side of the table):
So, that means I'm out of here, right?

Mark (Nods, helps him off the table by the arm):
Yeah, but, I'd like for you to go home and rest the rest of today.

Doug (protests slightly):
But, I feel fine.
(Mark raises an eyebrow)
You're the boss!
(gives him a mock salute)
I'm out of here!

Carol (calls after Doug as he starts away):
I'll call you later and check on you, OK?

Doug (turns back to her with a grin):
Now, that's what I call working overtime!

Both laugh at their private joke, leaving Mark wondering what he missed in their conversation earlier.

Fade Act Four to black.

E.R.

"Chances and Changes"

Closing Act

Scene opens at the hospital, daytime. Cut to show Mark Greene sitting on the bench in the staff locker room putting on his shoes. Pull back to show Carol entering the locker room, taking off a jacket, and heading for a locker. She hangs the jacket up in the locker and turns to Mark.

Carol (enthusiastically):
Doug here yet?

Mark (nods with an exhausted sigh):
I think he's out burning off some excess energy with some hoops.

Carol (folds her arms, grins knowingly):
Long night?

Mark (nods again)
TOO long!

Carol :
Why didn't you call me? I would have come in!

Mark (shakes his head):
We made it. Don't worry about it.

Carol looks at her watch, nods a satisfied nod that she has time, pulls into the jacket of her nurses' uniform and walks quickly out of the locker room.

Cut to basketball ball court, long shot of the rim. Show ball bouncing off rim and bounding back to the court surface. Doug comes quickly into focus as he runs to retrieve the ball and starts bouncing it back to drive the lane again.

Cut to show Carol standing off to the side just watching him. She doesn't speak. She folds her arms and just smiles as she watches him take a few more shots.

Carol (suddenly):
One of these days, I'm gonna have to let you play me a game.

Doug (catches ball on a bounce and turns to her with a smile):
Are you up to the challenge?

Carol (nods):
One of these days...

Doug (shrugs):
No time like the present!

Carol (shakes her head):
Can't. I'm on duty in a few. (looks at her watch) I just came out to say good morning.

Doug (grins):
I left my calling card at your desk.

Carol (smiles):
I guess the hospital gift shop is going to get used to seeing you, huh?

Doug (shakes his head):
I buy them off a little old lady around the corner. She grows 'em herself.

Carol (moves closer to him):
About those things we talked about yesterday...

Doug (looks at his feet):
I won't hold you to any of that. I know you were just scared. I was too...

Carol (touches his arm to make him look at her):
No, that's not what I meant! I wasn't trying to take it back! I meant all those things I said! I was hoping you did, too!

Doug (looks deep into her eyes):
I did. And I do. I love you, Carol. I don't know what it takes to make you believe that.

Carol (purses her lip):
All the time we were together, I don't think I ever heard you say those three words to me. Not until that night in the subway when I lashed out at you did I ever remember hearing you say that. I didn't believe you then. But, I think I'm ready to take a chance with you now. (Doug doesn't speak, just gives her his attention. He toys with the basketball in his hands, but, listens to what she has to say)
Let's just take it slow, OK? And see what happens?

Doug (nods):
Dinner here and there? Maybe a movie?

Carol (nods):
Yeah.
(smiles)

Doug (smiles):
OK.

Carol (extends her hand to shake):
Let's seal the deal, OK?

Doug (frowns):
Isn't that kind of cold? A common handshake?

Carol (grins impishly):
You know a better way to seal an agreement?

Doug (grins back at her):
Yeah....
(pulls her close to him, locking her in his arms)
I think I do...

Carol giggles girlishly as Doug leans in to kiss her sweetly on the lips. She wraps her arms around his neck and they both close their eyes to the pleasure the kiss brings them. For one brief instant, they are the only two people in the world.

Audio fades in a siren sound from the background. On this cue, both of them just start off together back to the E.R.

Fade to black.

3/26/97