A Very Odd Couple - 19
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Previously on ER.
The day after Dave was released from the hospital, 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.
Dave later told Luka that he was starting to accept what had
happened to him and that he was dealing the after effects - both
physical and psychological.
Note: This fic was started in June 2000, so season 7 'never
happened', okay?.
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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.
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Chris sat on the edge of her chair, elbows on her knees, chin
resting on her hands. She stared gloomily into the empty
fireplace. What had she been thinking earlier, she wondered...she
should never have kissed Luka...or rather; she should never have
manipulated him into kissing her.
This was Luka...her brother's close friend...and getting involved
with your sibling's friends was a really really bad idea. Chris
knew this from bitter experience. She still remembered the fiasco
years ago when Dave had taken an interest in Emma, one of her
closest friends in High School. For a few weeks they had been
inseparable, and Chris had been pushed to one side. It hadn't
lasted of course...Dave had moved on to the next pretty face to
catch his eye and Chris had been left in the unenviable position
of trying to comfort Emma as she ranted on about how all boys
were bastards. Their friendship had never been the same
afterwards, and the last thing Chris wanted was for the same
thing to happen with Luka and Dave.
No, she decided. When Luka comes back down, I'll tell him it was
a mistake...we'll stay friends...and so will he and Dave...it's
the best thing all round. Even to her own mind it didn't sound
very convincing...but Chris knew it was the right thing to do. No
matter that Luka was one of the nicest men she'd met in a long
time...no matter that he had been so caring and considerate to
her over the past few weeks...no matter that her heart raced a
little faster whenever he walked into the room...
"Chris?" said Luka, who had entered the room
unobtrusively.
Chris jumped in surprise and knocked her coffee cup off the arm
of her chair.
"Shit," she swore, dropping to her knees and trying to
pick up the pieces. "I'm sorry Luka..."
"Shh, it is all right," said Luka, crouching down
beside her and helping her pick up the pieces. "It is just a
mug...I can easily replace it. And see? It was empty, so there
will be no stain to remove."
"It's not that," said Chris gloomily. She sat back and
wrapped her arms around her knees.
"Then what is troubling you?" asked Luka, slightly
puzzled. He dropped the pieces of the shattered mug in the bin
and returned to sit on the floor beside Chris.
Chris blew away a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her
face and sighed heavily.
"You...me...the whole idea of us," she waved her hand
in the air. "Maybe this isn't such a good idea..."
"You seemed to be of the opposite opinion a few hours ago,"
observed Luka.
"A few hours ago, I hadn't had a chance to think about it...you're
Dave's friend...and that's what he needs most of all now...you've
been there for him...and he's going to need you...and I don't
want to ruin your friendship...I don't want to hurt him..."
Luka put his arm around Chris. She didn't resist as he pulled her
in against him.
"Do you seriously believe that I would ever do anything to
hurt Dave? He has become very dear to me in his own way, over the
past few months. I care a great deal about him...but I have also
found myself growing to care for you a great deal over the past
few weeks."
He slowly stroked her hair as he continued. "If you truly
believe that Dave would be adversely affected by our becoming
involved, then I will not push you into it...we have become
friends, I think...and we can remain as such, if that is what you
want."
"I'm not worried that Dave will be affected by us being
involved," blurted out Chris. "I'm worried about what
would happen if we broke up. I mean, suppose we had a big fight
and split up and hated each other and everything. He'd be stuck
in the middle, and I don't want to do that to him...I don't want
him to get hurt..."
"And neither do I," said Luka softly. "But I do
not wish to lose you either...yes, there is a risk that if we get
involved that things will not end happily...but life rarely comes
with nice neat happy endings. You and I both know that."
Chris curled in closer to Luka as he continued. "One thing I
have learned is that life is short...too short to be afraid of
taking chances with happiness."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained?"
"Something like that," agreed Luka. Turning to Chris,
he kissed the top of her head. "We can make this work...but
only if you want to."
"I want to," whispered Chris. "God, how I want to..."
Turning her head, she kissed Luka on the lips.
"Then we *will* make it work," whispered Luka in
between kisses.
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As Kerry had predicted, Dave's convalescence did pass quickly. By
mutual agreement, neither Chris nor Luka had mentioned their
growing relationship to him, but it hadn't escaped his notice
that most of the time Chris came to Chicago - ostensibly to visit
him - Luka seemed to have a lot of free time as well. Dave wasn't
sure if he was reading too much into it...hell, maybe they just
liked each other's company...a lot. Assuming that he wasn't
mistaken, he wasn't sure how he felt about his sister and his
friend being together. On the one hand Luka was a great guy and
all...but on the other hand he had to be at least ten years older
than Chris...and with a ton of emotional baggage as well...but
then, he was waaay better than some of the jerks that Chris had
dated in past years.
Dave had had a lot of time for speculation in between his psych
sessions and bouts of light exercise. At least he told Luka it
was only light exercise...and it was...at least compared to what
he used to do. But he could see that it was working. Two days
after he had been discharged from the hospital, he had barely
been able to make it down the street to the shop. And he had been
so exhausted looking that the cashier had wanted to call a cab
for him. But that had been almost two weeks ago, and now he was
able to make it there and back under his own steam. Granted he
was still tired by the time he returned to the house, but it was
a vast improvement over the way he had been feeling. And besides,
he rationalized it to himself...he needed to be *doing* something
to bring about his recovery. He couldn't just lie about on a
couch all day. Oh sure, he had a whole stack of medical journals
to read that Kerry had given to him, but while they were
interesting, reading all day was not his style.
To that end, he had persuaded John to come over one evening to
try and teach him to suture one-handed.
"I really don't think that Dr. Weaver is going to let you do
any suturing until you have that cast removed," said John as
he placed a bag on the table in front of Dave.
"You don't know that," said Dave, grinning. "There
may come a day when everyone else is tied up with traumas and if
I'm able to do sutures, she's not gonna pass up on the help.
Besides, even if she doesn't let me...it's a good skill to have,
right?"
"I suppose so," conceded John.
"Yeah...I'm sure Chen would be impressed."
John rolled his eyes, "Do you ever do anything that doesn't
have an ulterior motive?"
Dave shrugged, "Just show me your feet Carter."
John pulled a pair of pig's feet from the bag, together with a
suture kit.
"Perfect," said Dave, picking up one and running an
appraising eye over it. "There'll be loads of room for
sutures, and when we're finished with them, I'm sure Luka can
find a use for them in the kitchen."
John looked at him aghast. "You don't mean you're going to
eat them after you've put sutures in them?" His stomach
churned slightly at the thought.
"Of course not," replied Dave. "What d'you take me
for?"
John breathed a sigh of relief.
Dave continued, "We'll take the sutures out first."
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A few hours later, both feet were cris-crossed with rows of
sutures.
John noticed how Dave's hand was shaking as he pulled on the
thread.
"I think that's enough for today," he said, not wishing
to tire Dave out too much. "You've done pretty well for a
beginner."
"Just a few more," said Dave. "I want to get it
perfect."
"I think you've done enough," said John firmly as he
took the needle and thread from Dave's trembling fingers.
"I guess so," said Dave, sitting back in his chair. He
winced at the cramp in his shoulders.
John noticed Dave's sudden grimace of pain. "I shouldn't
have let you keep going for so long."
"I'm okay," said Dave. "Besides, I wanted to do
this."
John looked at him carefully. "Why is it so important to
you?" he asked quietly.
"I told you...it's something to impress the ladies...they
always like men who are good with their hands." Dave grinned.
"I'm not just taking about the sutures. Kerry said that you
might be back at work in a few days if you pass your physical."
"So?"
"Don't you think you should take a bit more time to recover?
I mean, I'm sure Kerry isn't pushing you to come back so soon."
Dave remained silent for a while before saying, "The sooner
I get back to work...the sooner I can get my life back to normal.
Oh don't get me wrong Carter...I know that being back at work
isn't going to make everything all right...I know it's gonna take
more than just pulling on my scrubs again...but I can't just sit
around at home all day waiting for things to go back the way they
were...I have to *do* something to put things back the way they
were...or at least as close as I can get. And going back to work...being
a doctor again...that's the best way I know how."
John could see from Dave's clenched fist that he was serious
about it. The next day, he said as much to Kerry.
"I'm aware that Dave is eager to get back to work,"
said Kerry as she worked on a pile of charts in the Lounge.
"And I did say that if Dr. Corday gave him the 'all-clear'
that I would allow him to return to light duties."
"Just because he's physically fit, doesn't mean he's ready
to come back," said John quietly.
Kerry looked up at him. "I know that you pushed yourself too
hard from the beginning," she said, with compassion in her
voice. "And I know *why* you pushed yourself. I should never
have let you come back so soon...but Dave's circumstances are
different...and if he's able to take on even a half shift in the
ER...then I'm not going to stand in his way."
"Maybe you're right," said John.
"I hope I am."
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To be continued