Stuck With You

This is part of Rachel's 'Dave & Emily' series, which can be found at http://fanfiction.ertvonline.com.

Following the divorce of her parents Dave's half-sister Emily moves with their dad to Chicago. After he dies, Dave gets custody of her and faces many new but welcome challenges and responsibilities as they re-bond

Contains season 7 spoilers

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Dave Malucci, M.D. God, it still thrilled him that he had that title.

He'd always liked the respect and the reverence it brought for as long as he could remember. In fact, it was one of the reasons the judge allowed him to be Emily's legal guardian. It gave people the impression that he was intelligent. Capable.

Most of his friends and co-workers wouldn't describe him as intelligent or capable. He could see Jing-Mei saying, "Dave Malucci? He's plain obnoxious. And nosy!" with an impatient scowl on her face. (Nonetheless, he hoped her opinion of him would change for the better.) He could hear Chief yelling, "Grow up, Malucci!" And Dr. Corday! She was by far the worst! Dave shuddered. He didn't want to think about it. Besides, they weren't his friends.

But he was determined to have Emily's teachers think he was intelligent and capable.
"That's right, until they see you," she said.

"Emily, don't start with me. I know I'm smart and accomplished," he shot back jokingly, taking off his scrubs.

"Well, you sure don't look the part." Emily giggled as she put on her 'candy striper apparel'. "Especially now."

"What, just because I don't wear a big white lab coat and one of those stuffy collared shirts and a tie? Like - " he paused to tease her - "like Dr. Carter, maybe?"

"Maybe," she replied evasively. "And Dr. Kovac."

"I find it easier to move around in my clothes," Dave said defensively. "All right, I'm leaving. If I hear anything bad, you're grounded." He smiled at her.

"Okay," she agreed. "Well, I'll see you when you get back. And don't worry about me, Dave, I'm doing fine!"

"You better be. The judge is gonna check on this, you know."
"If I have to make better grades to stay with you, then I will," said Emily resolutely. "And if you have to go to a parent-teacher conference to make this work, then you do."

"Yeah, a guardian-teacher conference. . ."

"Well, go! You can't afford to be late." She pushed him out of the lounge and threw him his coat. "Catch you later. Hold it, Laine, I'm coming!" With a final smile for her brother, she went off to join her candy striper friends.

"Bye." He ran to the elevator, which was about to slide shut. "Hey, hey, wait for me!"

Jing-Mei sighed and pushed a button, making the doors open for him. "Which floor are you going to, Dave?" The elevator doors closed.

"First," he said. "Why?"

"So I know exactly how long I've got to enjoy your company," she retorted evenly, pressing the 1 on the wall.

"I guess that's not very long, if this elevator works the way it's supposed to," he said amusedly, smiling at her.


"What? Why are you smiling at me like that?"

"I'm sorry, was I smiling? Sorry, Jing-Mei," he apologized, still grinning. The elevator came to a stop. "Oh, here we are."

"'We', Dave?"

"Here I am, then," Dave corrected and waited for the doors to open up. "Hey, why isn't this opening?"

"This isn't even the first floor," Jing-Mei observed nervously, looking up at the wall. "We're stuck."

"You're right," he affirmed.

The lights dimmed, then eventually went out.
"And it looks like there's a power outage, too," continued Jing-Mei.

"Well, I guess I'm stuck with you until this sham gets fixed."

"Oh, god. I hope I don't go into labor anytime soon." She squinted at the wide smile on his face. "Dave! I know you're going to ask me again! That topic is not up for discussion!"

"I just can't help it, I want to know who's the daddy," he told her. "Come on, Jing-Mei. You can tell me, I won't tell anybody."

"I already told you, I'm not talking about it," Jing-Mei repeated firmly and turned around so she wouldn't have to look at him.

"Fine, suit yourself," Dave said easily. "I'll find out, though, sooner or later."

"Please, Dave," she said angrily. "Let's not talk any more, okay?"

"All right." Dave shrugged and sat down on the floor. He could be quiet. He didn't have to be friendly all the time. They remained in silence for about two minutes.

"Dave?" Jing-Mei asked meekly, still standing up. "Can you help me sit down? I mean, it does seem like we'll be here for a while, and I might as well make myself comfortable."

"Sure thing." He stood up and helped her. "That okay?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Dave." He nodded and she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay," he acknowledged.

"Maybe it's the pregnancy that makes me so irritable these days," suggested Jing-Mei.
Dave faked a cough. She took the hint. "I'm sorry. I've been a jerk to you since day one."

"That's fine, I'd rather you be the jerk," replied Dave.

"Do you think we could be friends? And get along this time, perhaps?"

"Of course. And you know what?"

She looked at him questioningly. "What?"

"I'll start off by not mentioning your baby's father any more. So, where were you going before this happened?" Dave asked her.

She turned pink. "To the OB. Check-up. And you?"

"To a parent-teacher conference. You know, for Emily." He gestured with an arm.

"Parent?" She began to laugh. "You're her brother."

"And her legal guardian. So I have to go. I have to check up on her so that this whole arrangement will work. If she doesn't keep her grades up, and I don't seem like I'm a good guardian, then the judge will take her away and God knows when I'll see her again. It's been rough all over for the two of us." He laughed ruefully. "Emily and I have been relying on second chances so many times that we want to prove we can make it on a first try."

"Oh," said Jing-Mei. She was completely taken aback. This was a side of Dave she'd never seen before. "Well, I was going to say, I'm sorry about your father."

"Thanks." He fidgeted with his ID quietly. "I'm sorry, too. I'm lousy at keeping in touch with my family, and by the time I re-establish contact, something happens. Dad was getting along fine, but I guess age caught up with him."
"Emily said he was 60, you know, Dave, that's quite an age."

"Yeah, I hope I die before I'm 60. I don't want to be that old," he cracked. "The only good thing that's happened during the last few months of this is winning custody. I'm getting to know her better."

"That's always good," she said. "When will she be going to college?"

"Before I know it." Dave sighed. "That doesn't give us much time."

"Don't worry," Jing-Mei said reassuringly, reaching out and placing a hand on his arm. "It'll work out."

"Thanks, Jing-Mei."

That quiet moment was interrupted by the elevator's sudden lurch upwards.
"Whoa." Dave blinked his eyes as the lights came back on. "Man, that's bright."

"I wonder what happened," questioned Jing-Mei curiously. Dave helped her to her feet right before the doors opened at the first floor. "Thanks, Dave."

"Any time." He stood in the hall briefly. "You gonna be okay in there?"

"I'll be fine. You better scoot, you don't want to be late," she prompted.

"Okay, then, I'll see you after I get back."

"Bye." She smiled and the elevator doors slid shut, taking her up to the OB.

Dave turned around and walked out to get his bike. Maybe, finally, he had made minor progress in making friends with her in that short time. After all, in friendships, sometimes you had to begin with baby steps.
But first things first: he had to get to Emily's school STAT.
Dr. Dave Malucci hopped on his bike and pedaled off.



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