Finding their table, Danni and Garrett stowed their bags underneath, hidden from sight by the long tablecloths. The pre-dinner mingling was already underway when they had arrived, and they joined in, graciously passing on the cocktails.


Although they went their separate ways around the room full of Board members and dignitaries, Danni never lost sight of her tall friend. It was all that she could do to keep her mind on the conversations that were going on around her as David greeted colleagues and old friends alike. The few times that she was called upon to speak, she felt out of place. ‘So this is what it’s like to be on someone’s arm." She thought of her sister Brie and how she had always glowed at parties of this nature. ‘I don’t know how you do it, Brie.’


The conversation was stimulating with its talk of new procedures and techniques as the group of surgeons exchanged ideas. Garrett was more absorbed in keeping an eye on her petite friend as she watched David move from group to group, with Danni at his side. It seemed odd to be separated from Danni. The surgeon felt as though there was something missing. It was funny how in a room full of people that one could feel so all alone.


With the announcement of Dinner, the guests all took their seats. Garrett sat next to Ian while Danni sat across the table with David at her side.


The exchange of small talk had been centered on Garrett and Danni’s summons to court in the next week. Ian, of course, showing his concern for the members of his E.R. staff.


"Which side summoned you?" McCormick waited for an answer.


"I believe the prosecution. The summons mentioned something about material witnesses." Garrett offered the information.


David shook his head. Seeing the action, Danni wondered what he was thinking. "What’s wrong, David? You don’t seem too enthused with that fact."


"I’ve had some bad experience with the defense counsel in a case like that."


"How so?" Ian’s interest was piqued.


"They almost made me sound like I wanted the patient to have been raped." He shrugged. "It just was a little nerve racking."


Garrett eyed the man across from her. The mention of rape from David’s mouth made her neck hairs tingle and stand on edge.


"Well, there shouldn’t be any problems with you in that respect." Ian laughed as he admired the woman next to him. "What interest would you have in that woman but as a patient?"


Garrett shook her head. "Never know what some people will do to get their client’s off. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens on Tuesday when we have to appear in court."


"Well, I’ll feel better when it’s over." The nurse was obviously not looking forward to the trial. "What do you say we change…"


Her words stopped in mid sentence as the vibration of the pager on her waistband startled her. Reaching down, she unclipped it and looked at he message that was displayed across the viewing area. The side ways glance to her tall companion showed Garrett bringing her cell phone out, as she started to punch in the numbers.


"Excuse me." Garrett slid her chair back from the table. Her eyes flashed with interest as the voice on the other end relayed the message. It didn’t take long before she was done. The cell phone being slipped back into her pocket. "I’m sorry, but we’re needed." With that she got up from the chair, her duffel in hand. "Cowboy will be picking us up in five minutes on the helipad."


Danni already had her bag in her hand. "Sorry, David." She excused herself from the table and followed Garrett out of the room.


************


After a hasty change in the restroom, they stowed their clothing in Garrett’s office and made their way to the helipad where Cowboy was just touching down. Giving them the sign for a hot load, he eagerly awaited their arrival onboard the craft.


Once belted into their seats, Garrett relayed the all information that she knew to Danni.


"They have someone pinned up in the railway yards north of the city. They don’t think that there is much hope for the man’s survival but they want us to come take a look."


Danni closed her eyes and nodded. She knew by the sound of it that it could be much worse than she could imagine. It was then that she started her task of doing the pre-flight checks. Within minutes, the ‘thumb’s up’ sign for take-off was given and the pilot began their journey upward.


****************


The train yards below them were a mess of red lights and emergency equipment positioned around the two railroad cars. From their approach overhead, they could tell that the bustle of activity was all directed to the space between the two cars where the man was supposedly pinned. Within minutes they would be on the ground and making their way to see what they could do, but for now, all they could do was watch.


Touch down had been uneventful, and soon the surgeon and nurse found themselves being escorted to the patient. Traveling through the lines of rescue workers, they could see the growing look of despair on the faces as they got closer to the source of everyone’s concern. The last line of human bodies opened, revealing the grizzly scene.


Garrett and Danni had been filled in on the situation as they were brought across the yard to the patient. He’d been checking the cars when one had broken loose and trapped him. The coupling had penetrated his body and locked itself into position with the other car before he could get out of the way. Now he stood in that same position for the last hour as railroad employees and rescue workers alike put their minds together to save him.


There, before them, was a man living on borrowed time. His body obviously trapped between the massive metal coupling devices that are used to hold the cars together in a line. It was like some surreal scene out of a horror movie.


The man stood living and breathing but grossly in pain. His frantic eyes sweeping from one rescuer to another as he prayed for another chance at life. It wasn’t long before those piercing eyes fell on the tall surgeon and the nurse.


Sensing the almost hopelessness of the scene, Danni reached out for the man’s hand. Her gentle touch acted like a tranquilizer on his nerves.


"Is there anything that I can do for you?" Her eyes conveyed her concern, more for his mental well being than anything else. "My name is Danni, I’m a nurse. This is Dr. Trivoli." She motioned to the tall woman next to her.


Even through his pain, the man tried to find humor in the situation. "Bet you never saw nothing like this before, eh Doc?" His forehead creased with each new wave of pain.


"Not exactly." Garrett’s tone was serious. "How’s the pain?"


"What do you think, Doc. It ain’t everyday that you have two railroad cars coupled through your belly." His weak attempt at a smile quickly turned to a grimace.


The surgeon surveyed the man’s body, her mind contemplating any possible chance of helping him. "Danni, give him 2mg. of morphine." She turned her attention back to the man for a moment then went to talk to the man in charge of the scene.


"What’s a nice girl like you doing here?"


Danni smiled as she readied her drug for injection. "Just out for a ride and thought that I’d stop in."


"You sound like my wife." He grimaced again. "I know that it doesn’t look good for me. I just want to see her again. Sounds stupid, huh?"


"No, not at all." Danni slipped the syringe into the I.V. line. "This is going to make you feel a little better. Take the edge off of that pain."


"They said that my wife was on the way. I don’t want to be out when she gets here." He looked nervously at the syringe. "If I’m…" He paused trying to muster the courage to say his thoughts. "…Gone before she gets here. Will you tell her that I love her?"


Danni’s heart felt like it would break as she listened to his plea. "Don’t worry, she’ll be here soon. You’ll tell her yourself." Danni patted his hand. "I’ll be right back." She moved away from the man and sought out the tall surgeon.


"Doc, there ain’t nothing we can do. When that coupling comes apart he’s going to bleed out. We thought that maybe you could…" The rescue worker looked hopeful.


Garrett looked back to the patient. Sighing deeply, she thought about the possibilities. Even with a full team of surgeons in the O.R., there would be a very slim chance to save the man. The disruption of organs and the involvement of the spine alone would be debilitating enough to render his quality of life to a very low level if indeed he would survive. It would just be a matter of time now. When that coupling was undone, the life would flow out of him within a few minutes and his body would be at its final rest.


The only thing that she could possibly do for the man was keep him comfortable and fulfill any last wishes that he may have.


"Gar, can you do anything for him?" Danni’s eyes looked for comfort in the pools of blue. The desolation in the surgeon’s eyes was all she needed to see. "I see." The nurse looked up at the rescuer in charge. "He said that his wife was on the way. Is she here yet?"


"The police went to get her from her job. They should be here any minute."


"Then what?" Danni pushed for an answer.