Laced
Disclaimer: don't own anything, 'mad world' by Gary Jules.
Rating: R
Spoiler: Season 10 Finale.
Pairing: Luka/Abby
Summary: After Luka witnesses Sam turn away from him, he decides he's had enough heartbreak.
Part 1: Coward
" I need a an attending pediatric physician in trauma 1." Kerry Weaver announced coming into the main lounge. Jerry looked at her a second and then nudged his head to Luka who was absentmindedly staring at a few papers in his hands, unaware that Dr. Weaver was sending him one of her infamous looks of steel.
" That means you Dr. Kovac." Kerry proceeded to trudge slowly to the pediatrician, who looked up, very much disoriented.
" Huh? Excuse me Kerry, did you want something?"
Usually if someone in her staff had asked her such a preposterous question, she'd be point blank pissed off, but be it his soulful stare or his atypical disheveled appearance that softened Weaver's reply but it had to be something.
" There's an 11 year old with a broken elbow in trauma 1." She repeated in detail.
" Oh." Luka understood that he was needed, and walked passed the woman toward the trauma room, lucky if he could avoid her the entire day.
" Wait Luka." Kerry called after him, and he stopped, " So much for avoidance." He murmured and turned around.
" What's with you today, you're usually so much more alive." Weaver knew it was a cheap assumption, after all it was early in the morning, and who knew what could've been the catalyst for his uncanny behavior, or maybe she was being anal about it.
No, she decided, she was as concerned with her doctors as she was with her patients, so this must be sorted out.
Luka looked surprised that she took interest in him but through his slightly blood shot eyes, he replied, a tint of Croatian accent in his voice, " Kerry, it's 8 in the morning, and I didn't get much sleep, now if you'll excuse me, I have to take care of a kid in pain."
With that he turned around and walked into the room, drawing the curtain behind him.
Once again the harshness of his words was sugarcoated with the soft tones he used, so Kerry went the opposite way, though doubting very seriously that the only cause of Luka's behavior this morning was lack of rest…
" Abby I need to schedule a cat scan for Edward Kiths." John Carter strolled up alongside his ex girlfriend as she walked down the hallway from the break room.
" Sure but right now there's a child with a broken elbow in line." She replied, as John casually gave her the file of the elderly man.
" Luka's patient?" Carter asked quietly, as he bypassed a gurney led by Susan Lewis and Neela, going the opposite direction. Abby didn't even do a double take as she glanced at the bleeding patient that was probably being sent to the O.R., one of the advantages or disadvantages, whichever you preferred, was being around patients everyday, and not even blinking.
" Yes." Abby nodded, still skimming Kiths' file.
" Hard one, I took a look myself, and it doesn't look like an ordinary fracture." Carter supplied.
Abby let out a sigh and said, " Let Dr. Kovac take care of that kid, meanwhile quit beating around the bush with all this small talk and tell me what you need." They stopped walking and ended up at the front desk, Carter coughed, looking slightly uncomfortable, but Abby didn't seem to care as she put him on the spot.
" Okay, I suppose I have been beating around the bush, but that's only because I'm not sure I would get a straight answer or some sort of reply if I approached you with this in the beginning."
" What makes you so sure?"
" Because, Abby, I think it's legit if I say I know you just a little bit, and all I had to ask was how are Eric and Maggie." John said softly, knowing he was entering uncharted territories with this question.
Abby expelled a heavy breath of relief, " You idiot." She exclaimed, though none of the staff heard, being too caught up with their own duties, " I thought you were going to ask me some life or death question, though when you're dealing with my family, it could be life or death."
John let out a vigilant chuckle, trying to sound as if her humor didn't really get to him, because after all he knew everything wasn't as it seemed in the Lockhart household.
" Nope, just trying to catch up, I know we haven't talked in a while, you know really talk like we used to, and me being back from Congo and all brings the distance factor way, way down so I think this is a perfect time as any to-…"
" John you're rambling." Abby said semi uninterested, thinking about how many patients were being wheeled into the ER, while John took up her time; it wasn't that she didn't want to speak with him, it was just that getting over him was the hardest thing she ever had to do and being reminded of her old wounds wasn't something she was very fond of doing.
Despite common misconceptions Abby no longer harbored any romantic feelings toward Dr. Carter, and despite her greatest resistance that place was reserved for a different doctor, one who liked children and would always remain the tall dark and handsome prince who swept her off her feet…well sort of.
The rest of the conversation with John remained a blur to Abby; all she remembered was they'd made plans to have dinner tonight, in celebration of their newfound friendship, even though Abby found it cowardly on John's part, as if she needed to be the reason he didn't feel guilt for breaking up with her.
It didn't even matter though, because knowing herself, Abby knew she would have dinner with him, and pursue a friendship, because she was also very cowardly, and wouldn't ever voice her skepticism about his noble actions.
It was just how she was programmed, from an early age, to take life in stride, and if that meant one lousy dinner with an ex boyfriend fine, at least it wasn't Luka who was suggesting they bare their souls to each other over a glass of wine, that would be just a slap in the face.
But then again, maybe that's how you build character, and it gave 'karma' a new meaning.
If Luka ever approached her under any circumstances for a social visit, she'd obviously know she'd done something very awful in her life, but right now she needed a cigarette.
After booking the CAT scan for Mr. Kiths, she asked Neela to cover for her, and took the elevator to the roof, just as she was about to light up, she came face to face with someone she didn't really want to see.
" Gives irony a new meaning." She murmured, and lit her cigarette.
" Hey Luka."
" Hi."
Long minutes of silence ensued until Luka breeched it.
" I've been meaning to ask you, why did you call this morning and hang up the phone?"
Abby blew out another puff of smoke deciding how to best answer him without looking like an idiot.
A few moments passed and she gave up on searching for a normal answer, so she took the spineless way out.
" Wrong number, you'll be lucky to know that I have you on speed dial right next to Maggie."
Luka raised an eyebrow, she wasn't sure if he was buying it or not, but he seemed to be surprised she still had him on speed dial, " You have me on speed dial?"
" Yes, don't think too much of yourself stud, it's not like I wanted to hear your voice." She let out a stony smile, wondering if he actually bought that.
He seemed too, and maybe it was better that way…
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhereTBC…