ALEX'S EXPLANATION
Author's note: This is my speculation as to why Alex freaked out when he found out about Sam and Luka's relationship. That is something which they never explained on the program. Also this will be my first fanfic that will not be written in script format. If any of you have any suggestions on how I could improve the next one, I would appreciate it. This takes place right after "Forgive and Forget".
Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They are the property of NBC and of the producers.
Alex was sitting on the couch as Sam and Luka came into the apartment. He had already put the tape in the vcr and microwaved the popcorn.
"Did you guys work out whatever it was that you needed to work out?" he asked.
"Yes" Sam and Luka replied. "However we need to talk to you first. We were worried that you were still upset about us dating."
"Yeah I'm fine with you guys going out. It's just..." He trailed off.
Luka sat down on the couch next to him and put his arm around Alex's shoulders. "Come on buddy. You can tell me what's going on. I'm still your friend".
Alex looked uncomfortable. "That's part of why I freaked out when I found out about you two. I was afraid that maybe you had just been pretending to be nice to me in order to impress Mom. A lot of Mom's other boyfriends over the years have done that."
Luka was shocked. "Alex I was never using you to get close to your mother. If you'll recall, when our friendship first began it was having the exact opposite effect. If that was really all I cared about I would have ended our friendship right then and there."
Alex laughed. "Yeah. That's certainly true. But why did you continue to put up with me. Most other people get scared off long before this point."
Luka laughed. "Believe it or not, you're not that hard to like."
"Everybody else at the hospital seems to find it easy enough to dislike me. They all think I'm a freak. Why do you keep putting up with me."
Sam and Luka looked at each other wondering whether now was the right time to tell Alex about Luka's family. Alex noted the exchange of glances between them. "There is something else going on that you're not telling me, isn't there?"
Sam sat down on the other side of Alex. "Yes there was something that happened to Luka in the past. We weren't sure that you were ready to hear about it yet. That's why we haven't said anything about it before now."
"Is it that bad?"
Luka took a deep breath. "You see Alex at one time I did have a wife and two kids including a son, Marco who would be about your age. This was back when I was still living in Croatia. Marco, my wife Danielja, and my daughter Jasna were all killed in the war. That's the reason why I moved to America to get away from all the painful memories."
Alex was shocked. "Did you know about this?" he asked his mother. "I mean you were so mean to him when he and I first became friends. You told him he didn't know anything about raising kids after I stole that patient's finger that time."
Sam looked down at the floor guiltily. "I know I said that. However I only found out about Luka's family about a month ago. Even so, I know I should never have said something like that to him."
Alex looked a little confused. "Were you looking for another family to replace the one you lost when you befriended Mom and me?"
"That was part of it at first. You remind me so much of what I think Marco would look like if he were alive today. Than I saw how much you needed a father figure in your life. Then I realized that I was falling in love with your mother and that other stuff didn't matter to me anymore."
Alex was relieved but very sad to hear about what happened to Luka's family. "I'm really sorry that you lost your family. But I'm glad that you came into mine and Mom's lives. You now have my permission to date Mom."
They all laughed and then shared a group hug.
THE END