For greatest understanding, you should start with -
Hurricane - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1B and follow that with -
Summer Camp - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1C and
First Love - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1D First Love part 2 - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1E
By KenJ <ken.janney@kjanney.com>
This version is rated PG-13
Disclaimers: The characters in this story are property of DC, December 3rd productions and Warner Bros., except those I created. No Copyright infringement is intended. I have just borrowed the characters for a short time.
* * denotes emphasis
< > denotes thoughts
/ denotes telepathic communications./
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Saturday, September 3, 2039
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It was Saturday and the Labor Day weekend was upon them. Everyone in the Kent clan packed up their families. All of the women were bringing dishes to share with the rest of the family. Clark had the Bar-B-Que pit fired up and was getting a head start on the grilling since this would be a rather large gathering. The back yard of the Wisteria Lane house had been decorated. In one section some pools of various depths had been put up for the children along with some lawn games. A number of tables had been set up for serving and eating.
All except for Lara and Mike all of the families started arriving at around noon. Since Lara and Mike lived in LA they used the same trick that Lois and Clark had used when their children had been small. After they were asleep they moved them by super express to Metropolis. They woke up in their rooms in the Wisteria Lane home and thought nothing of it.
Cold dishes were placed into the refrigerator until it was time to start eating. The grandchildren all mobbed Grandpa Clark and Grandma Lois as soon as they arrived to say hi, before going over to the play area.
As families arrived groups would gather and start talking.
It always amazed Clark that even though he could recognize everyone’s heartbeat, he could still pick Lois’ heartbeat out of the crowd and know exactly where she was and her emotional state. Today he could tell that she was immensely happy. She really enjoyed having the kids and the grandkids around. Pretty soon they might even have the next generation showing up. Lara and Mike’s eldest daughter, Louise, was going to be fourteen soon. It just seemed like the years were flying by.
Sean came over and Clark asked, “How are things going Sean? Any interesting cases coming through the ER?”
Sean laughed and replied, “Not too many that you, Mom, Jon, or one of the other kids haven’t brought in. It’s been kinda quiet, which is good. I’ve been able to devote extra time to the antidote project with Jon. I hope it stays this quiet. That means that people aren’t being hurt enough to need my services in the ER.”
Clark chuckled and in a teasing tone said, “Your position in the ER at MetGen paid off a few years ago.”
Sean smiled and said, “Yeah, it did, didn’t it?” As he said this his hearing picked up a particular voice in one of the groups of women across the way. This voice had a, to him, wonderful Scottish burr with broad vowels and rolled Rs. Glancing in that direction he spotted his red haired Scottish lass talking with a couple of his sisters. He was thinking to himself how fortunate he was to have this woman as his wife and he thought back to just how it had all happened.
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Saturday, May 24, 2031
ER, MetGen
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Sean was just finishing up on his shift in the ER. It had been a rather frustrating day and he had been more than a little angry earlier in the day. Now, he was excited.
Around 11 AM an older gentleman had come in to the ER with his wife. He was suffering from a blood disorder and had a prescription for a unit of blood. Apparently this was a routine procedure for him so Sean had requested a type and cross match to confirm type just to be sure. When the type was confirmed a unit of blood was pulled and he was set up in one of the unused cubicles. A Phlebotomy tech came in and inserted the line and started the delivery. Sean had made sure that a hot pad was under him so that he wouldn’t be chilled from the infusion of non-body temperature liquid.
Everything had been fine until about twenty minutes into the infusion when the man’s wife came out of the cubicle and called Sean. When Sean stepped into the cubicle the patient was short of breath and had distinct swelling of the extremities and was experiencing cardiac symptoms. Sean remembered back to his Cardiac rotation and recognized the symptoms as those of Congestive Heart Failure, but, this was unusual in that it wasn’t chronic, this was acute. Sean immediately checked the chart and noted the patient’s doctor’s name and gave him a call.
“Doctor Ferguson, this is Dr. Kent in the ER at MetGen. We have a patient of yours here in the ER. He came in with an order for a unit of blood.”
“Yes, that would be Mr. Halverson.” Sean could hear concern enter his tone as he continued, “How is the infusion going?”
Sean replied, “I’m afraid it isn’t going well. He is displaying the symptomology of Congestive Heart Failure. This is unusual in that it is sudden onset. The patient is in respiratory as well as cardiac distress. The order reads that you are to be contacted in any emergency.”
“Dr. Kent, the last time he had an infusion, which was last week, he started displaying similar symptoms, only not as extreme.”
“Dr. Ferguson, what do you want us to do? We could use Lasix to relieve some if not all of these symptoms. It should reduce the swelling and possibly ease the respiratory problems at the same time.”
Sean could hear the resignation in his voice as the doctor responded, “Dr. Kent, as I said, this isn’t the first time this has happened. In each episode the response is getting worse. I really hate to give this order, but, I order you to allow this problem to run its course.”
“Dr. Ferguson, I must protest. There are procedures that we can follow that can mitigate this problem!”
“Look, Dr. Kent, I am aware of what can be done. Unfortunately, I find I must give the order for you to do nothing.”
Sean was almost pleading as he said, “Dr. Ferguson, his wife is here with him. I beg you to reconsider.”
Dr. Ferguson was firm as he replied, “I’m sorry. The order must stand.”
Sean’s anger had been building as he had been discussing this and it was evident as he replied, “Doctor, I take my oath to do no harm very seriously. You are telling me that I am to simply stand by and allow this patient to die. I don’t know if I can do that.”
In a somewhat conciliatory tone, Dr. Ferguson replied, “Dr. Kent, I can sympathize with you, but, this decision is out of your hands. My order must stand. Look, I understand. You need to look at it from my perspective. If it isn’t this time it will be the next. It is better to handle it now. Please do what you can for his wife.”
In an angry tone he replied, “Dr. Ferguson, I will be entering your directive and my objections on his chart.”
“Dr. Kent, that is as it should be. It is my decision to make. It is your duty to carry out my directive. I’m sorry that you are being put in this position. If it hadn’t been you it would have been whoever was in your place. You just got lucky.”
Heatedly, Sean replied, “I don’t consider this being lucky! Goodbye, Doctor.” He slammed the phone down so hard he almost broke it.
It was Sean’s unpleasant duty to tell the man’s wife the decision that the doctor had made. After she was told she simply returned to the cubicle with her husband and held his hand, crying softly to herself until he had passed.
Sean started taking his frustration out on the nursing staff. Fortunately, the chief nurse felt comfortable enough in her working relationship with him to pull him aside and talk to him about it, one on one. After their talk he apologized to the rest of the staff. They all said that they could understand and that it was okay.
About 3 p.m. an ambulance pulled in with a young lady on the stretcher. She was wearing a riding outfit with tan jodhpur style riding pants, a blouse and tan jacket. The woman was unconscious and the medics had put on a Cuban Hitch. The nursing staff was very efficient and before she was moved they had removed her riding outfit and placed a hospital gown on her. As soon as this was done, Sean sent her up for a shoulder x-ray and a skull series even though he could already see that the collar bone was fractured and that there was no skull fracture. He had to have it documented. When she came back from x-ray Sean exchanged the Cuban Hitch for a regular clavicle brace and sling.
A short time later she woke up and asked, “Wherrre ‘m I?” She spoke with a strange accent and it took Sean a few seconds to place it. She was speaking in an utterly delightful Scottish burr.
Sean answered, “You are in Metropolis General, in the Emergency Room.”
“Whit ‘m I daein’ ‘errre? Och, aye, thot trrreacherous beastie thrrrew me! I think ‘e was stang by a bee.”
Sean asked, “Miss, you didn’t have any identification on your person when they brought you in. Can I please have your name?”
“Aye, me name is Heatherrr, Heatherrr MacLeod. I just moved ‘ere tae attend Metrrropolis Univerrrrsity.”
“Well, Heather MacLeod, my name is Doctor Kent, Sean Kent.”
“Ahh, a braw auld Scots name that is. What clan whid you be having?”
“Well, my grandmother’s maiden name was Clark and the Clarks are a sept of Clan Cameron, a highland clan.”
“Well, dae ya knaw that the MacLeods and the Camerons were allies in the rebellion.” She looked around and asked, “Wherrre arrre me clothes? I need to be gittin’ back tae the beastie. I need tae show ‘im wha’s boss!” As she started to sit up a look of pain crossed her face and also some disorientation.
Sean put a hand on her good shoulder and gently pushed her back onto the pillows as he said, “Hold on there! You’re not going anywhere. You have a broken collar bone and a mild concussion. I want to keep you in the hospital overnight. Who should I notify? Do you have any relatives here in the states?”
“Na, I daein ‘ave any family ooo’er ‘ere.”
“A boyfriend, perhaps?”
“Na, na boyfrrried eitherrr.”
When she said this Sean felt a wave of relief wash over him. He had been worried that she would be married or engaged or at least have a boyfriend.
Sean said, “I’m going to make arrangements for a room for you for the night. I’ll be back shortly.”
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After Sean exited he made the arrangements for a room and then sought out his sister. When he found her he said, “Sis, I have a favor to ask.”
Celeste asked, “What’s up Bro? Need a couple of bucks till payday?”
Chuckling Sean replied, “Nah, nothing like that. I just admitted a patient and I need you to take over as the doctor of record.”
Celeste had a questioning look as she asked, “Why do you need me to do that?”
He replied, “I just can’t be her doctor. Let’s leave it at that.”
Celeste, sensing that something was going on pressed the issue. She said, “That’s not good enough, Bro. Come on, out with it. What’s going on?”
As he responded, Sean had an embarrassed smile, “You know what Dad told us about how he knew the second that he met Mom that she was the one?”
“Yeah, what of it?”
“Well, the moment I saw this woman and she spoke to me, I knew she was the one. I can’t be her doctor. If I’m her doctor, I can’t date her and I very much *want* to date her.”
“Okay Bro, where is she? I want to go meet this special woman. I need to make sure she’s good enough for my big brother.”
Sean chuckled at this because it was a running joke between the two of them. They were twins and he was all of twenty minutes older than his sister. He told Celeste where she could find Heather and Celeste went to the ER to find her new patient.
When she entered Heather’s cubicle she picked up Heather’s chart and flipped through the reports and while still looking at the paperwork introduced herself, “Hello Heather, I’m Doctor Kent and I’m your new physician.”
Confused, and with a look of disappointment Heather asked, “I thooot that the nice ying maaan was Doctor Kent and ‘e wuid be me doctorr.”
Celeste chuckled and replied, “He is Doctor Kent. I’m also Doctor Kent.”
Heather’s disappointment was very evident as she said, “Och, you’rre married.”
Celeste chuckled and said, “No, no we’re not! He’s my brother. He asked me to take your case.”
Celeste could see the play of emotions mirrored in her face. Finally with a confused tone, Heather asked, “Was therrre a prrroblem?”
Celeste chuckled again and said, “Yes, a small problem of medical ethics. You’ll understand, later.” Celeste hooked the chart over the foot of the bed again and said, “I’ll look in on you later.” With an enigmatic smile as she patted her good arm she said, “You’ll do.”
Heather was somewhat confused by her answer, but, accepted her explanation as a doctor thing. She didn’t see Sean again and a short time later the orderlies arrived and Heather was moved to a semi-private room on the fifth floor.
When Sean reached the end of his shift he went to the gift shop in the lobby and bought a bouquet of flowers. He asked an orderly to take them to Heather’s room before he went to the locker room to change out of his scrubs.
When visiting hours started Sean went up to the fifth floor and knocked on her door. He heard her call, “Come in!”
When he entered she went from a confused expression to a smile as she recognized him. She asked, “Is this why you ‘ad you’rre sisterrr become my doctorrr?”
Sean was a little bashful as he said, “Yes, it is. If I was your doctor, I couldn’t visit you, as anything but your doctor. This way, I can be a friend.” He looked around and saw the flowers and smiled.
She noted this and asked, “The floowerrrs werrre frrame you?”
Sean nodded.
She said, “Thank you. That was verrra sweet.”
Sean asked, “May I call you Heather?”
She smiled and said, “Ooo courrrse you may.”
He asked, “Heather, you are going to be released tomorrow. I happen to know that you don’t have any transportation because you came in by ambulance. Since tomorrow is my day off, I’d like to offer my services to take you back to the equestrian center so that you can get your things and then I’d like to take you to lunch.”
“My, my, dae all doctorrrs ‘ere in the states do all ooo this for theirrr patients?”
“If you were still my patient, I couldn’t do this. As a friend, I’d like to do this for you.”
With a sweet smile she said, “Alrrricht, me frrriend, ye may take me tae loonch taemorrrrow.”
With a happy smile he said, “Thank you.”
Sean spent the rest of visiting hours with Heather and they spent the entire time talking.
The next day Sean picked her up and they spent the entire day together. That day started a relationship which eventually ended in their lives being united.
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Sean, after reminiscing about how he met Heather, excused himself from his father and strolled over and came up behind Heather and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his chin on the top of her head for a few seconds. Then he kissed her red hair on the top of her head. She giggled and said, “I know who that ‘as to be. Sean, whot brrrought thaat on?
Sean replied, “Oh, I was just remembering the day we met. The day I met my first love.”
Turning around in his arms so that she was facing him she replied, “Aye, and I as well. I hae tae confess, when you took me back tae the equestrrrian centerrr that day, I thanked yon beastie fae thrrrooowing me. I just knew that I had met the man I wuid be spending me life with.” She put her arms around his neck and pulled herself up into a kiss. Slowly they floated until they were a foot off the ground. Celeste sent him a thought,/Careful Bro. There are little ones around. You don’t want to give anything away./ When he heard this he realized what was happening and they came back to earth.
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Lois who was standing next to Clark at that time put her arms around him and asked, “Care to try to top that?”
Clark laughed and said, “Not in public unless we are in uniform. Let them have their time. We can float together later.”
comments go here The End
A/N – Sept – A Sept in Scottish parlance refers to a minor clan that is affiliated with one of the major clans, usually by marriage. As in the feudal times if the major clan were to go to war the septs would join them on the field of battle.
First Love part 3 - Matchmaker Chronicles Volume 1F
