****
"Come on.. We have to get him into the car before it-" A loud thunderclap drowned out Benton's orders as it started to pour.
He muttered angrily as he helped his colleagues lift the unconscious doctor into the car. He scrambled for the driver's side, cursing as he got in, slamming the door. "Is everyone in? I'm taking him to the hospital. I'm sure nobody has any objections."
Peter grunted, turning around and glaring at his passengers. "So does anyone have any better ideas? No? Good. We're go-" His hands slapped at his pockets as he looked down on the floor, under the seat, on the seat, under the visor, on the dash. Finally his gaze rested on Abby, his front seat passenger. "Where are the keys?"
"Come on Peter this isn't funny. Don't do this now." Elizabeth pleaded.
"I'm not kidding. Where are the fucking keys!?" He yelled, fishing in his jeans.
"I-I don't have them!" Abby stammered worriedly as she looked back at Doug.
"Awwwww... For Christ Sake!" Peter slammed is way out of the car and onto the bank, stumbling down the steep bank into the now waist-deep waters that continued to rise. Falling to his hands and knees he searched the murky water, hoping to find them before Doug got any worse.
**
Susan exited the bedroom, dressed and applying lipsticks. She walked past Mark, picking up her purse off the kitchen and leaving the apartment.
Mark sighed. "Okay kid.." He smiled sadly as he opened up the wallet. "Want to see something neat?"
Carefully the doctor peeled open the wrapper and inflated the little prize inside.
Suzie cooed happily and batted at her new toy as Mark tied it off and let it float over her head. "At least one Susan Lewis is getting a kick out of it.. Although this isn't exactly what I had in mind.." He muttered.
Suzie gurgled and patted the 'balloon'. "Okay kiddo.. Time for some dinner. What are you in the mood for? Prunes and pureed beef?"
The baby cocked a brow and wrinkled her nose. "Okaaaaaay.. What about.. carrots and apple sauce.. How's that?" Mark walked to the cupboard and pulled out a couple jars of baby food. "Okay squirt.. Lunch!"
***
"Mmmmfferlunch.." Mark mumbled as he rolled on the wet grass. The rain soaking the lawn and forming a large puddle beneath him, slowly turning a faint scarlet as the dye from his new 'colour fast' shirt bled all over the grass.
**
As he turned away from the cupboard, the baby food in his hand, Suzie sitting happily in her chair, her little legs pumping, kicking outwards as she waved her little fingers in the air and suddenly disappeared from view.
"OH SHIT!!!!!!" Mark yelped in surprise as the bowl slipped from his fingers and shattered on the floor in time to hear Suzie start to scream.
"Hey... Shhhh..." He said worriedly as he crawled on all fours to extricate Suzie from under the table.
***
"Dave I think we should try to get out of here and find the others. It's raining quite hard out there." Kerry murmured softly, looking outside.
"It's not the only thing hard." Dave replied sheepish. "and besides, Dr.Pete locked us in here. We can't get out till he comes back."
***
"Have you found the keys yet, Benton!?" Carol yelled frantically from the the car as the rain hammered down and lightning flashed overhead.
"Does it look like I found the damn keys!?"
**
"Okay Kovac.. Pay up." Nikola grinned toothlessly, his dentures sacrificed to the pot hours ago, much to the disgusted protests of Luka.
"I have nothing left." Luka said glum. "You have all my clothing. You have everything but my underpants and you are not having those."
"Put in the necklace." The old man muttered.
"My necklace? I can't.." Luka said pained.
"You will get it back.. You will get everything back." Nikola sighed. "It's just a game."
"It was from Dani... I can't.. I'd rather fold."
"Suit yourself. I win. Time for bed, get dressed boy, you'll freeze." Nikola threw him his pants and walked from the room.
***
"Dave.. Maybe if you climbed out the window and got outside.. Then went around.." Kerry said hopefully.
"Are you nuts!?" Dave stared out the window at the fifty foot drop. "I am NOT going out there. Are you trying to get me killed?" He sighed, rolling over in bed. "Just get some sleep Chief. Things will be better in the morning."
***
"Dave.. We're going home?" Seri stared out the window, the sun rising high over the cityscape.
"Yes. We're going home. Everything's fine." Her husband sighed and rubbed tired hands through his unwashed hair.
**
"You sure you want to come Seri? I mean.. I can always get Wendy and Nate to come over while I'm gone.." Dave muttered as he packed his suitcase, already knowing her answer.
"I'm going to come. The doctor said I was fine to come home. You said the same thing. If you say I'm fine and he says I'm fine. Then I'm fine.. and I'm going." Serena said angrily.
"Okay.. Okay... That's okay.. Good.. Come on.. We'll miss the plane." Dave said softly, trying to calm her down.
"FINE!" She yelled at him, running down the hall, down the stairs and
to the waiting cab.
*****