A Very Odd Couple - 18
--------------------
Previously on ER.
Dave was attacked on his way home from work. As well as the
physical injuries he suffered as a result, he also started having
nightmares. Luka (who Dave was renting a room from) and Chris,
Dave's sister, did their best to help him. Dave was finally
released from hospital into Luka's care. However, on the way home
he was unsettled by the sight of the alley where he had been
attacked. The day afterwards, Kerry paid a visit to the house,
soon after Dave, Luka and Chris had been involved in a water
fight. On the pretence of needing to prepare dinner, Luka and
Chris left Dave and Kerry alone to talk.
Kerry found out that Dave was still very frail emotionally, and
did her best to help him. Chris helped Luka prepare dinner...and
after a minor accident in the kitchen, they kissed.
Note: In this fic (which was started June 2000) the only people
officially aware of Carter's addiction are the people involved in
the intervention, Abby, Luka and the other ER attendings.
Also, I have received comments on the fact that Dave doesn't
behave 'in character' in this fic. Well, the reason why is simple...unlike
TPTB, *I* have given Dave some character development, so
naturally he's not the same as he is on the show.
-------------------------
"I...I know," said Dave, softly as Kerry gently stroked
his hair. "I know...but what I don't know is where I go from
here?"
------------------------
With the last of the pans in the oven and the dishwasher loaded,
Luka poured wine for the two of them. "So..." he said.
"So?" said Chris.
"So where do we go from here?"
----------------------
Dave sighed contentedly as he lay on the couch with Kerry's arm
around him. It was amazing how much comfort was to be gained from
the simple contact. "Thanks Chief," he said finally.
"Any time," said Kerry quietly. "You know that you
don't have to go through this alone."
"I know...and I know that Luka and Chris are there for me as
well...but I sort of feel I'm letting them down by feeling this
way still, especially after they've been so supportive...it's
stupid, I know...but I can't help it..."
"I'm glad you feel able to open up to someone...and you're
not being stupid. I know you're the type of person who finds it
easier to deal with physical trauma rather than emotional...but
there's nothing wrong with admitting you need help in dealing
with it. Nobody is going to feel let down or disappointed in you.
I know that I'd be more worried if you were bottling it up inside
of you." Kerry paused before continuing. "Dave, I'd
like you to promise me something...promise me that you'll be
honest about how you're feeling...emotionally that is. I don't
want you telling me you're feeling fine when you're not. Will you
do that for me?"
"I...I'll try Chief," said Dave hesitantly.
"That's all I ask," said Kerry smiling reassuringly at
him. "Oh and Dave, you can always call me Kerry when we're
not on duty."
"I was going to talk to you about that," said Dave, as
he sat up straighter. "When do you think I can get back to
work?"
Kerry frowned as she looked at him. "Dave, you've only just
been released from the hospital. I don't think you should be
worrying about getting back to work just yet."
"Oh I know it'll be a while before I'm fit to do traumas and
stuff...Dr. Corday said I wouldn't be able to do any until my
arm's all healed up. But I can still do charts and minor stuff,
right?"
"Right," said Kerry, reluctantly. She could understand
Dave's insistence on getting back to work as soon as possible,
and in some ways it would probably be good for him to get back
into a normal routine. But she was not going to make the same
mistake with Dave as she had with Carter. "You still need to
take enough time to recover your strength. How about if we wait
until the end of the month? That'll give you three weeks at home."
"How about the week after next?"
Kerry frowned, "How about you come in for your checkup in
two weeks time? If...and I'm stressing *if* Dr. Corday clears
you, then I'll let you start working a few half shifts...but if
she says you're not fit to work then you take another two weeks
off...okay?"
Dave opened his mouth to argue, but seeing the look on Kerry's
face, he knew it wouldn't be any good. "Okay," he
agreed finally. "Two weeks it is."
"The time will pass quicker than you think," said Kerry
-----------------------
Chris put her wine glass down and stared into its depths. "I
don't know," she said softly. "It's hard to realize
that I only met you a few short weeks ago...and yet..."
"And yet it feels as if we have been through a lot together,"
said Luka sitting down beside her.
"A few weeks ago I hadn't even heard your voice," said
Chris, staring into space.
-------------------------
A few weeks earlier, Chris had come home from work and had
collapsed onto her couch. A multi-vehicle trauma had come in
midway through her second shift. The emergency department had
been stretched to its limits and everyone was exhausted by the
time things had finally calmed down. Now Chris lay limply across
the cushions wondering was it worthwhile summoning up the energy
to move to her bed. "I'll just rest for a few minutes,"
she thought as she turned over, trying to find a comfortable
position. Her eyes fell on the answering machine and she groaned
as she saw the light that told her there were unheard messages
waiting. She closed her eyes quickly. "I didn't see that...I
didn't see that," she told herself. But it was no use. Even
through her closed eyelids she could see the light flashing.
"Dammit," swore Chris as she pushed herself up off the
cushions and rubbed her eyes. "This had better be something
important," she grumbled as she reached out and hit the
'playback' button.
She yawned as an unfamiliar voice came over the speaker. "Hmm,
nice accent," thought Chris, hardly listening to the words.
"Kovac...where have I heard that name..." Chris
suddenly sat upright as she realized what he was saying. Quickly
she hit the rewind button and listened to the message again.
"Dr. Malucci. This is Dr. Luka Kovac from County General in
Chicago. Could you please phone me as soon as possible?"
Chris's hands were shaking so much that she had to replay the
message a few times before she could take down the number that Dr.
Kovac had left for her. Kovac...that was the guy Dave had moved
in with a few months ago. Oh God, something had to be wrong.
Taking a few deep breaths to compose herself, Chris hesitantly
punched in the number.
It seemed to take an eternity for the connection to be made.
"County General ER," said a bored female voice on the
end of the line.
"I...I'd like to speak to a Dr. Kovac," said Chris.
"Dr. Luka Kovac."
"Who are you?"
"My name's Malucci...Chris Malucci."
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end and a few
seconds silence before Chris heard the voice that had left the
message for her "Doctor Malucci? My name is Luka Kovac. I'm
a friend of your brother."
"I've heard Dave mention you. Your message said to call you
immediately. What's wrong?" At the back of her mind, Chris
was still hoping that maybe there was a simple explanation for Dr.
Kovac's call. But his next words dashed her hopes.
"I'm afraid that Dave was attacked and admitted to the ER a
couple of hours ago."
"Oh God, how bad is it?" asked Chris, squeezing the
handset of the phone tightly.
"It's serious, he's currently undergoing surgery for a
collapsed lung."
Collapsed lung, oh God, that was bad. Chris bit her lip. She knew
that she was in no condition to drive to Chicago...trains...when
was the next train...dammit... Fumbling in the drawer of her
telephone table, she groaned as she pulled out the timetable and
realized that there wasn't another train for hours. Busses...she
fumbled in the back of the drawer for the bus timetable, nearly
knocking the phone off the table as she did so.
"I'll be on the next bus to Chicago. I should be there in
about..." Chris quickly checked the bus schedule and tried
to figure out how long it would take her to throw a few things in
a bag and get to the bus station. "Three hours," she
continued.
"I will be here. Ask for me at reception."
"Dr Kovac, if Dave, *when* Dave comes round, let him know
I'm on my way."
"Of course I will. Do you want me to inform your parents?"
"Oh God, Mum and Dad. No, I'll phone them before I leave."
"I will see you in a few hours then."
"Please look after him until I get there."
"Of course I will."
-----------------------
The touch of Luka's hands on hers brought Chris back to the
present. She looked at them in silence for a few moments before
squeezing them gently. "I don't know where we go from here..."
she said softly. "But I know where I'd like us to go..."
Slowly she lifted Luka's hands to her lips and kissed them gently.
Luka freed one hand and pulled Chris closer to him before kissing
her on the lips. "We will take it slowly," he said
softly.
"Not too slowly," grinned Chris. "I have to be
back at work tomorrow evening."
"Tonight then...after Dave goes to bed...we will have time
to talk."
Chris raised an eyebrow as she traced a line down the side of
Luka's face. "Talk?"
"Talk," said Luka firmly, as he kissed her again.
------------------------
The dinner had passed pleasantly enough, thought Kerry as she
drove home. She had reluctantly declined an invitation to stay
longer, knowing that she had an early shift the next morning. It
was probably a good thing though. Dave had been looking
distinctly worn out by the time they had finished eating, and
Kerry knew that if she had stayed, then he would have resisted
all efforts to persuade him to rest. And as for Luka and Chris...well,
Kerry was pretty sure that *they* wouldn't miss her company.
Kerry wasn't sure if she was imagining it or not but something
had definitely happened while the pair had been preparing the
dinner. And she wasn't just talking about the cut on Chris's hand.
There was a definite 'connection' between the two of them that
hadn't been there beforehand. As Kerry pulled up in front of her
house, she wondered if Dave had noticed it as well.
------------------------
Luka carefully noted down Dave's pulse rate and BP in his
notebook.
"Is all this really necessary?" mumbled Dave around the
thermometer, which was protruding from his mouth.
"Shh, don't speak with your mouth full," cautioned Luka
mildly.
Dave rolled his eyes, but said nothing. Luka finally removed the
thermometer and noted the reading. "Yes, it is necessary,"
he said. "I do not want you suffering a relapse now that you
are out of the hospital. One of the reasons Dr. Corday was
willing to discharge you was because she knew that I would be
able to look after you."
Luka looked closely at Dave. "You are tired," he said.
It was more of a statement than a question.
"I'm okay," replied Dave, shifting in the bed. He broke
into a sudden yawn. "Okay, maybe I am a little tired,"
he conceded. Sliding down in the bed, he let Luka tuck the
bedclothes around him.
Luka opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it again.
"What?" asked Dave.
"Nothing," replied Luka, wondering what Dave's reaction
would be if he had said, "By the way, I kissed your sister
earlier, and when I go back downstairs I'll probably be kissing
her again and again and if you have a problem with it, then tough."
Dave frowned slightly, "Okay...night Luka."
"Good night Dave. Sleep well." Luka reached out to turn
off the light on Dave's bedside table.
"Don't..." said Dave, quickly.
Luka looked at him in surprise. "You wish to sleep with the
light on?"
Dave nodded slowly. "Last night...I woke up...and I almost
freaked out 'cause it was dark..."
"You should have said something earlier...I could have
bought a proper 'night-light' for you."
"I thought I'd be okay...I mean, I've never had to sleep
with a light on before...in the hospital...it was sort of
comforting 'cause there was always some light in the room...I was
gonna try and tough it out tonight...but then I figured...why
should I...I mean, I've got to face facts...those guys...what
they did to me...it screwed me up both physically and
psychologically."
"But it is only temporarily...you *will* recover," said
Luka reassuringly.
"I know...I know...least that's what I keep telling myself...but
the last few weeks...I've been trying to pretend to everyone that
I'm doing fine...not letting them see how messed up I've been...'cause
I didn't want them to be looking at me differently...and I was
talking to Kerry and I suddenly realized...why the hell should I
be hiding it? I mean, I got mugged...I got the crap beat out of
me...and yes, I'm having a problem dealing with it...but I *am*
dealing with it. And if other people treat me differently because
of what I've been through...well screw them...I'm still me...little
more battered...bruised...but I'm still me...and maybe I'll have
to sleep with the light on for the rest of my life...well so be
it...I can deal with it...I...I'll survive..."
Dave closed his eyes, and Luka could see that making that speech
had drained what little energy he had left.
"Yes you will survive," said Luka softly as he stood up.
Looking down at Dave's peaceful form, he whispered. "Good
night my friend...sleep well."
"Night," mumbled Dave sleepily, as Luka made his way
out of the room.
------------------
To be continued