A/N: Right, I've been given the task of explaining the main points of this story to y'all… 'Kay well each chapter focuses on a particular character more than others and is written by one of us:
- Chapters about Luka are written by xEllax
- Chapters about Abby are written by Peaky
- Chapters about Ray are written by Alik22
- Chapters about Neela are written by Moonlight Enchantments
But we all sorta help each other out and often include other characters in our chapters. Every chapter has a particular song in it that has been altered slightly 'cause we can all just imagine "ER the Musical" and thought it would only be right to share this vision with the world!
This chapter revolves around Luka as its written by xEllax, but I am aware that it seems far more Reela than Luby… in fact the first few chapters are more Reela, but don't fret all you Lubies out there, as soon as Ella and Elissa get going, there'll be NO way of stopping the Lubyness:)
Hope you like!
Our story is set in Chicago, on a particularly cold, dark December evening. The streets were bathed in a milky twilight and the first few flakes of snow had begun to fall delicately not long before. By this point however, the flakes were being whipped up into a frenzy courtesy of a fair-sized accumulation of fans positioned slightly off camera. Evidently, it was winter. It always is in ER. It was clear that the directors went a bit overboard with the snow machines, but who can complain about that? Well the actors could actually, considering the fact that they are the ones who have to trudge around in the heat of summer wearing woolly hats, scarves and gloves, but that's not important, is it?
At a small round table in the corner of Ike's, possibly the most used bar in all of Chicago, sat two figures. Actually, it wasn't a bar at all, just a studio, but it was well done and complete with bar stools and waiters. As far as sets go, one would say Ike's was pretty good. Now, the characters positioned here posed a contrasting pair: one tall, the other shorter, one European, the other native, (well, native to America that is!) one dark, the other fairer. Yes, you would say that Luka and Ray formed an unlikely alliance physically, but they had struck a friendship, quite probably due to the strong bond shared by Abby and Neela, but it was a friendship none the less. It was a friendship in its early stages, a friendship where a large quantity of alcohol must be consumed in order to fill the awkward silences. Yes this could have been avoided if the writers had only jotted down a few more sections of dialogue in the script, but where's the fun in that?
As it was, a vast assortment of bottles and cans of all different sizes and colours, had been collecting on the table for the last couple of hours, all of which were now empty. It would be fair to say that both Luka and Ray were considerably merry by this point. Oh why not go the whole way and say they were drunk? With alcohol comes courage, misplaced courage that is, and it was this courage that provoked Luka's next move...
He leapt back from the table; his stool crashing to the floor behind him in what he hoped would be a dramatic manner. This sudden movement caused Ray to jump, whilst simultaneously making him tip a small amount of beer down the front of his shirt. Luckily the directors had anticipated this, and Ray had been dressed in black so as not to reveal the beer stains he would obtain throughout the course of the evening.
Before Ray could protest, Luka had darted up to the small area of raised flooring towards the front of the bar. Well no really. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that he 'galloped,' leaving a trail of upturned stools behind him. But either way, upon arrival, he grabbed the microphone out of the hands of a surprised band member who had been happily performing to the congregation of extras gathered before him, and turned to the crowd. Clearing his throat, Luka introduced a dedication in his thick Croatian accent.
"Ray, my friend, this one's for you..." He paused and then proceeded to motion towards his right. Music began to play and magically, the instrumentalists knew exactly what to play and when their cues were, well this is TV after all!
"I know you like her," He sang.
"I know you like her!" Came a series of harmonized voices from people who poked their heads out from behind Luka, one on each side of his face.
"I know you do,"
"I know you do!"
"That's why whenever she comes around you can't stop smiling, and I know you want it..."
"You know you want it!"
"She knows you want it, man!" Luka called, waggling his eyebrows at Ray across the room.
"Oh Luka, you know I can't declare my true feelings and yet you taunt me in this spiteful way! Oh cruel, cruel world…" Ray announced, the back of his hand clasped to his forehead.
In response, the director screeched, "We are trying to stagger the introduction of angst in this scene Ray, work with us baby, work with us!" Ray nodded and turned back to Luka who was impatiently tapping his foot against the floor, clearly irritated that the action was no longer on him.
"Oh and Abby knows you want it... we all know you want it! It's easy to see,"
"It's so easy to see!"
"And in the back of your mind, you know you should be home with her and not out drinking with me,"
"Is that a hint?" asked Ray, a look of hurt gracing his face.
Luka proceeded to ignore this comment, shooting Ray a look of sheer malice at his interruption, which, on anyone else, would have been quite unattractive, but surprisingly complimented his features. Then again, when did Luka ever look bad?
"Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like mine?"
"I don't have a girlfriend Luka!" Ray shouted.
"But you wish you did!" Luka smirked before returning to his musical interlude, "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a Yank like mine?"
Now it was Ray's turn to laugh, "You've never ever said that in your life have you?"
"No, no I haven't, and I won't be doing it again!" Luka responded sincerely.
"Don't cha? Don't cha?" He continued, wiggling his hips, to which, numerous female extras swooned. "Sorry ladies, I'm taken!" See I told you alcohol makes you bold! "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fresh like mine?"
"Promise me you'll never say that again, Luka! Croatians can't use slang, I can't even use slang, and I'm American! You would think that the writers would realise that by now, but no..." He murmured to himself.
"Dont cha wish your girlfriend was fun like mine?"
"Hey!" Ray retorted, "Neela's fun!" Oh shit! Realization hit him, he'd just admitted it, maybe Luka would be too drunk to notice?
No such luck.
"I'm jolly, not stupid!" Luka called out, it was as if he had read Ray's mind... television works in wondrous ways! "You admitted it, you think she's pretty, you want to hug her, you want to kiss her..."
A prompt nudged Luka in the ribs and whispered, "Wrong song, dude!"
Undeterred, Luka went on, "Don't cha? Don't cha?"
"Shut up Luka, you're drunk!" Ray screamed over the music and bobbing heads of the extras who had risen from their seated positions to dance around the room.
"That I am my friend, that I am. But no matter how much you make me drink, you won't be able to make me forget your confession!"
"What confession? I didn't make any confession!" Was Ray's pathetic attempt at a double bluff.
"Oh come on, you don't seriously expect me to fall for that trick, do you? That's the youngest trick in the book!" Luka said and smiled mischievously.
"Oldest man, the oldest trick in the book!" Smirked the prompt from off-screen.
"Don't fight the feeling," He continued, placing certain emphasis on the word 'fight' and taking this opportunity to glare at the prompt, who cowered away in the corner, hiding his face behind his clipboard.
"You can't fight the feeling!"
"We can all see it!"
"Seriously stop, you're embarrassing yourself, Luka!" Ray tried once again to get his friend to sit down and shut his mouth, but one look at Luka's ginning face told him if he wanted to stop the song, he would have to try a more physical approach...
He jumped up from his seat, and was disappointed that his movement had not attracted as much attention as he had intended, the stares of the majority of cast and crew were channeled at Luka who was currently swinging his hips quite provocatively! Ray wobbled up to the stage as quickly as he could, grasped the microphone from another extra, and took up his position beside Luka.
"Leave me alone!" He sung.
"Just leave him alone!" Came a voice from the left-hand side of the screen. A flash of ginger hair, illuminated by the glare of the spotlights, gave the character's identity away.
"Morris!" Ray waved, obviously pleased at the introduction of an ally.
"Think about who you take sides with, remember who's the Chief of the ER here!" Luka said, his chest swelling with pride at his recently achieved position.
Morris turned to Ray, biting his bottom lip. "Sorry man, we doctors in high positions have got to stick together! You understand you're still my main man, my homeboy, my brethren..."
"Just stop Morris, I've already had this slang talk with old funny-boy here," he said, jerking his thumb towards a wildly grinning Luka.
"Cause it aint love," Ray sang, his mellow voice ringing out across the bar.
"Keep telling yourself that Ray, maybe one day you'll believe it!" Smirked Luka, he was loving every minute of this performance and Ray's defiance acted as an additional plus."After all those one-night stands, your seeds have been sewn…"
"Nice bit of improv there Chief," it seemed that wherever he was, whatever he did, Morris always found a way of sucking up to those in higher positions than his own.
"Excuuuuuse me!" Ray said, his mouth gaping in shock, "Don't you lecture me you hypocrite, I was always careful; besides you're the one with the pregnant girlfriend!"
"Let's keep it friendly," Sang Ray doing his fair share of hip wiggling.
"You and Neela or you and me!" Luka joked. "I mean, sure I'm flattered but I've got Abby and I'm more than happy with her. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you're not a good-looking guy, you are… and if you're looking for a male partner, I'm sure Nsync fan here could help you out…"
"Hey! How many times must I tell you people? I'm not gay!" Morris yelled, his face flaring a similar shade to that of his hair.
"Chorus time, people!" Screamed the director from slightly out of the audience's view.
The music stopped momentarily as the cast, including extras scurried around in a mass of confusion and loud whispering, trying to get into position for the main number. Once order was obtained once more, a crescendo of various musical instruments provoked the singing as before.
"Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like mine?" Called Luka, as enthusiastically as ever, "Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a Yank like mine?"
" I actually happen to like the British accent!" Ray pouted.
"I bet you do! Don't cha? Don't cha?"
"You do don't cha!" Morris sang accompanied by several extras from the crowd.
"Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fresh like mine?"
"Seriously Luka, if you keep using that, you're gonna get us all shanked. Oh dear, the slang in this scene is dereadful! Messing with the script is a bad idea… trust me the director isn't a man to be trifled with, (and neither is Kerry Weaver, but that's another story!")
"Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like mine? Don't cha? Don't cha?" The tall Croatian doctor stared into the camera for a short period of time before continuing with the song, "I know she's on your mind,"
"Hit it Ginger!" Shouted a seemingly drunken extra.
"She's always on your mind!" Morris warbled in his soprano voice.
"I know we'll have a good time…" Luka frowned, "This wasn't the message I intended to get across! I'm your frieeeeeend,"
"You won't be for much longer if you keep singing!" Ray protested, but his response was inaudible under the cheers and shouts of Luka's audience.
"I'm fun!" Luka bellowed, raising his arms to the crowd, who responded by cheering even louder than previously.
"Nope, no way, you just think you are," muttered Ray sulkily.
"Harsh words Barnett, harsh words!" Luka cried, "It's a good thing that I'm too drunk to take your comment to heart, huh?" Here Luka paused for a long time and all went silent and still in Ike's. If this had been set in Texas, the occasional ball of tangled tumbleweed would have rolled across the screen, but as that particular variety of vegetation does not grow well in Chicago, none was seen.
"Um… Luka?"
"Yeah?" He replied, somewhat breathlessly.
"Erm… not trying to be rude or anything but, but um… what happened? You're supposed to be singing you see…"
"Well I figured the next few lines don't exactly fit, so I just thought we could take a short break? You know, take a breather?"
"No way Kovac, time is of the essence, we have to shoot another three scenes before lunch, so keep going!" Barked the director.
Launching straight back into the song with excessive energy, Luka sang, "See, I know she loves you,"
"We know she loves you!" Came the accompanying extras.
"Believe me,"
"You've got to believe him"
"I'd probably be just as crazy about you if you were my own man, and if I was Morris…"
"Oi!" Morris cried in defiance.
"Maybe next lifetime,"
"Maybe next lifetime…"
"You'll tell her,"
"He's going to make you..."
"Until then, oh friend your secret is safe with me,"
"That would be all well and good if it wasn't a lie!" Ray said, sighing.
"It isn't a lie… I've only told Abby who told Haleh who told Chuny who told Albright who told Morris who told Pratt who then told the world…" Luka reasoned and then looked up to the ceiling, pondering his statement, "Yeah you're right, everyone knows!" He shrugged before leading the congregation of extremely energized cast back into the chorus.
"Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like mine? Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a Yank like mine?Don't cha? Don't cha? Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fresh like mine? Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like mine?"
"Don't cha? Don't cha?" He shouted, punching towards the air as the drums and cymbals crashed. Then the entire set was engulfed into darkness.
"Come on people, move it! Back to the positions at the start of this scene, someone get some more bottles on that table! Lights up in 3… 2… 1…" As if nothing had happened, Ike's was restored to its former tranquillity, and Luka and Ray slumped back onto their stools, (both of which had been picked up) with a bottle of beer in each hand.
"Letsss play-a game," Luka slurred.
"Soundsssss like a good plan," Ray answered, in much the same way, nodding so heavily that his hand shook and another splash of beer emerged on his shirt.
"Truth or dare!" Suggested Morris, before his head slammed back onto the tabletop and his deep snores filled the room.
"'Kay!" Luka started, almost every other word interrupted by a loud and throaty hiccup, "You-first…um… truth-or-dare? Pick-one."
"Truth!" He exclaimed, "No, actually, you'll just make me confesssss and then you'll tell Neeeeeela, I'm too smart for you Kovac," at this point, he stabbed his finger at his friend's chest, "I wanna dare instead!" He grinned lopsidedly, proud that he had foiled Luka's plan. Little did he know that Luka had another plan up his sleeve… Well Ray did know actually, having read the script before shooting the scene, but knowing that just spoils the atmosphere, forget I said it.
"That'sssssss it. You got me Barnett!" He sighed, raising his hands in mock defeat, "I'll just have to think up some sort of dare for you now, won't I…? Erm… I've-gottit! I, dare you to tell Neela how you really feel about her!" He leant back on his stool only to realise that it had no back to it, and tumbled to the floor, spraying himself and the surrounding extras with alcohol from the bottle that was still clasped in his hand. Moments later, his head emerged just above the tabletop, and a huge grin was fixed upon it.
"Alright!" Ray said, the influence of alcohol now so intense that he was willing to do anything, even the thing he wanted to do least in the world. "It'ssssss a deal."
Grabbing a pen from Morris' pocket and a beer coaster from a nearby table, Luka dictated:
"I, Doctor Raymond Barnett do hereby declare to undertake the mission granted to me by Chief Luka Kovac, in which I will confess my love for my Roomie, Neela Rasgotra, to her face. If I go back on my word, I give permission for the aforementioned Chief of ER, Luka Kovac, to beat my ass at pool, take photos of the event, and post them to all our coworkers at County General Hospital, therefore destroying my dignity, future career, and general life. This may be taken as proof of my agreement."
Signed,
Luka Kovac and Raymond Barnett