Lightning Strike 2: Delayed Reactions
Note: This is all Cathy's fault for putting
the idea in my head
Spoilers for 'All in the family'
Because I don't want to turn this in to a Carter angst fic
I'm asserting that the only after-effects Carter suffered from
the incident in 'All in the Family' are chronic back pain and a
slight limp.
Previously on ER
Carter and Dave were struck by lightning and woke up in each
other's bodies
----------------------
John yawned and stretched as he woke up in Exam two. He failed to
notice that the movement caused him less pain than it had in
months.
"Man that was some weird dream I had," he thought to
himself. "I wonder what time it is?" He moved his hand
to bring his watch into his line of vision. It took him a few
seconds to realize that this wasn't the watch that he usually
wore, and why was his arm so muscular. Oh shit. John sat upright
in the bed and looked down at his body. Oh man, this was real. He
glanced over to the other bed, where Dave was sprawled. As he
watched, Dave changed position and then moaned in pain. John was
about to call out to him, when he heard a familiar voice outside
the door.
"And why was I not informed of my grandson's accident?"
Millicent Carter was saying. "I only found out when I tried
to call him at work."
John couldn't hear the other person's response. Whatever it was,
it was obviously not acceptable to Gamma.
"Well that's just not good enough. I should have been
informed immediately John was injured. I assure you, this matter
will not end here."
John hid a smile. This was typical Gamma.
Millicent Carter pushed open the door to exam two. Her eyes swept
round the room, barely noticing the young, well muscled, man
sitting up in one of the beds, and settled on her grandson,
asleep in the far bed. She breathed a sigh of relief. At least
this 'accident' didn't appear to be as serious as the previous
one.
John's greeting died on his lips as his grandmother barely
registered his existence, before turning to Malucci. "Of
course," he thought. "She thinks I'm Malucci."
Dave was in the middle of one of his favorite dreams when he felt
a hand gently shaking him awake. Torn away from the tropical
beach and half naked lifeguards, he opened his eyes and recoiled
in horror when he saw Millicent leaning over him staring at him
anxiously. "What's going on? Who are you? What are you
doing?" he asked frantically.
"John? Don't you know me?" asked Millicent, with some
concern. The young doctor, what was his name? Kovac hadn't
mentioned anything about memory loss.
"Yeah, don't you remember what happened us <Carter>,"
said John, trying to jog Dave's memory.
"What?" said Dave in confusion. His eyes widened as he
noticed John or rather himself sitting on the bed a few feet away
from him. Suddenly the memories came flooding back. "Oh man,"
he said, leaning back against the pillows and putting his arm
over his face. "Oh man."
"You'll have to excuse Carter," said John. "I
think he's still a bit dazed."
"And who are you young man?" asked Millicent.
"I'm Dave Malucci," replied John. "But you can
call me Dr Dave." Hearing this, Dave uncovered his eyes and
glared at Carter.
"Hmm," said Millicent suspiciously. She had a gut
feeling that something was going on.
"John," she said, turning to the man she thought was
her grandson. "Dr Kovac says that you can be discharged soon.
I'm taking you home with me for a few days."
Dave's jaw dropped. This was not good. How the hell was he
supposed to pretend to be Carter amongst Carter's own family?
Thinking quickly he said, "That'd be cool, er that'd be
fine, um, but Dave here said that we could both go back to his
place. You know, uh, to keep an eye on each other."
Millicent cast a suspicious eye on John. Now she knew something
was wrong. "I won't hear of it."
"Dr Malucci?" she said to Dave. "Perhaps you
should stay with us for a few days. Until both of you are fully
recovered?"
"That sounds like a great idea," replied John, "Thank
you for the offer."
Dave looked at John, aghast, wondering what the hell he was
thinking.
"Good," said Millicent. "I'll have a car sent
round to wait until you're ready to leave. I'll give Harvey
instructions to stop by your house Dr Malucci, so that you may
collect a few things for your stay."
Patting Dave on the shoulder, she said, "I'll see you later
John. Try not to get in any more trouble." To John she said,
"Good day, Dr Malucci," and left the room.
When the door closed behind her Dave turned to John and said,
"What the hell was all that about? Why didn't you back me up
and say we'd stay at my place?"
"Dave, I've <seen> your place. There's hardly enough
room to swing a cat, let alone have more than one person stay
there. And as for your kitchen..."
"There's nothing wrong with my kitchen," said Dave
indignantly.
"Nothing that a good power hosing couldn't fix. Last time I
was there, you could hardly see the ceiling for strands of
spaghetti."
"Well how else are you to know when it's cooked?"
"And the fridge. Well let's just say that there were burgers
in there about to evolve into intelligent life, last time I
looked."
"Yeah, well maybe it <isn't> the most luxurious of
apartments, but at least I'm not living with anyone. Do you know
how difficult it's going to be to pretend things are normal,
while we're living under your family's eagle eye? And who was
that old lady anyway?"
John sighed. Loath though he was to admit it, Dave did have a
point. "Look, it's too late to do anything about it now.
Let's just play it by ear. I'll fill you in on as much as I can,
and if you slip up, you can always blame it on the concussion.
And by the way, that 'old lady' is my, I mean <your>
grandmother. Only I, that is <you> call her gamma."
"This is going to be interesting, to say the least,"
said Dave.
-----------------
Kerry and Luka discharged John and Dave a few hours later.
Kerry said to John "I suppose I don't have to tell you to
watch out for any dizziness, nausea...."
"Blurred vision, headaches, etc etc," said John smiling.
"I know the drill Ke..chief. You don't have to worry about
us, my.. that is Carter's family will keep an eye on us."
"Good," said Kerry, ruffling his hair affectionately.
"Because I'd hate to have to patch you up again Malucci. Now
get out of here and I don't want to see either of you back in
this ER for at least forty-eight hours."
Over at the other bed, Dave was getting the same lecture from
Luka. "Be sure and contact us if you have any further
symptoms, okay?"
"Sure thing dude," replied Dave absently as he pulled
on his shirt.
Luka frowned and then continued, "What about the
painkillers? I can write you a prescription for stronger ones if
you wish."
Dave winced slightly as he felt a sharp pain in his back. "No,
man, I can handle it. I mean once the bruising heals up, I'll be
fine."
"Well then, I will not keep you here any longer. Go home and
rest, and I will see you in a few days."
-------------------------
"Whoa," said Dave as they approached the limo. "This
is yours? I mean mine?"
"Sorry to disappoint you 'Dave'," said John, "But
it belongs to my grandfather."
"Hey, does it have a built-in-bar in the back?"
"Yes it does, and a TV, and a swimming pool."
Dave looked at John in amazement. "You serious?"
"No I'm not," laughed John. "It does have a mini-bar,
but there's never anything kept in it." Dave's or rather
'Carter's' face fell. "Don't look so disappointed, there's a
well stocked drinks cabinet at my grandparents house."
"Lead on my man, lead on."
-------------------------
They stopped off briefly at Dave's apartment, where he picked out
some clothes for John to wear.
"Don't you wear anything other than jeans?" asked John
as he surveyed Dave's room. Half the clothes were thrown on the
floor and there didn't appear to be one suit among them.
Dave was busy flinging t-shirts and underwear into a beat up
backpack.
"What else would I wear?" asked Dave in surprise.
"Well a suit would be nice," said John as he picked up
a t-shirt from the floor. He noticed the food stains on it and
quickly dropped it, wiping his hands hurridly on his jeans.
"Too hard to keep properly," said Dave matter of factly.
"At least with jeans and scrub tops I can just fire them in
the machine. But a suit's a different matter."
He saw the look on John's face. "Look, if you <really>
want to wear a suit while you're me, there's one at the back of
the closet, that I keep for Mass, and other occasions. You can
bring it along if you like."
John pushed aside the other clothes and finally pulled out a suit.
To his relief it seemed a relatively conservative dark gray one.
"What about a shirt and tie?" he asked Dave, who was
rummaging under the bed.
"Don't push it Carter," said Dave, in a muffled tone,
as he tried to reach a trainer that was jammed among the books
and other stuff crammed under his bed. Finally he retrieved it
and threw it into the backpack with its mate. "Besides where
are you going to be wearing all that stuff?"
"Well at work...oh, I see what you mean. It <would>
look a bit odd for 'Dr Dave' to be seen in a suit and tie."
"Yeah, unfortunately <I'm> going to have to wear one."
Dave grimaced at the thought. "Still I can always arrange
for a little 'accident' so I have to change into scrubs."
"Now wait a minute, you are <not> going to mess up
<my> clothes," said John indignantly.
"Why the hell do you wear a suit anyway? I mean I know you
can afford to get them cleaned, but why go to all that trouble
when jeans and a t-shirt are much more comfortable?"
John opened his mouth to answer, but closed it again as he
realized that he didn't have a good reason. "I don't know,"
he shrugged. "When I started my rotations, I just felt that
wearing a suit under a lab-coat just seemed more professional.
Why do you always wear scrubs?" he countered.
"Can't afford to be dry-cleaning suits all the time.
Besides, when I started working on the wards, I sort of felt more
confident when I was wearing scrubs, even under a lab-coat. And
at least if I got bled on or puked on, I knew it didn't matter.
Anyway c'mon, lets get some stuff from your place and then head
to your grandparents. Man, I'm hungry."
Dave picked up the backpack and threw it at John. "This
should keep you going for a few days."
"How come I have to carry it?" asked John as he
followed Dave out of the room.
"Cause it belongs to 'Malucci' of course. It'd look a bit
daft if 'Carter' was seen carrying it," replied Dave with a
grin as he closed the door.
-----------------------
To be continued
Part
1