TITLE: Automatic Flowers. Chapter Four
AUTHOR: Sadieclay
EMAIL: sadieclay@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Angst/Cast
RATING: R- Mild language, Death..
SPOILERS: References to Season 7-8, etc.
ARCHIVE: Sure, just ask
DISCLAIMER: ER and its characters is owned by John Wells, Jack Orman, Michael Crichton, Constant C Productions and Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Television.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: It's something that sort of came to me. A spin off of a Elizabeth/Dave pairing I have on an RPG… Except they get paired up in a different way.
SUMMARY: The tragedy of Mark's death sends Elizabeth to an unusual source of comfort.
PREVIOUSLY ON ER: Carol and Doug, returned to County for Mark's funeral, have a fight. Dave, after getting kissed by Elizabeth, goes for a walk and relives the night Mark died.
****Chapter 4****
"If you hadn't phoned, it would have been a lot worse. It's good that you phoned Weaver." Carter said leaning on the door frame and moving in and sitting beside him. "We have to sort this out now. It's good that you told everyone now. It's good that you phoned, you did the right thing."
Malucci hung his head, fixated on his sneakers, one slightly ahead of its mate, he struggled to move his body, but he seemed rooted to that spot. He wanted to look at him, look him in the eye. Instead he fixed his gaze on the chrome handles of the cupboard doors, the sheen of the light hitting it, almost dancing.
"Dave..." Carter repeated again, slowly getting to his feet and crouching in front of him. "Hey...Malucci.. It's not your fault." He placed a hand on his knee and Dave shrank back, his gaze still fixated on the ground, his eyes averted from his friend's worried expression.
"All I did was come to work... I just asked him what was wrong.. I just asked a guy what was wrong.. and now.." Dave shuddered, his limbs leaden.
"Dave... Mark would still be dead, whether you'd asked Dr.Prentice if he was okay or not. The life or death situations, we have no control over. If you hadn't asked him if he was okay, Dr.Greene would still be dead, Malucci. Remember-"
Chuni stuck her head in the door, her eyes red and swollen. "Carter.. They've sent some people down from psych.. Wh-what do I do?"
"Be there in a moment, Chuni." Carter replied, looking back at Dave.. "I'll be right back, Malucci.. Will you be okay?" He got to his feet, leaning the edge of the couch to right himself.
Dave stared at the floor and didn't answer him, maybe if he shut his eyes it'd all go away. John Carter sighed, leaving the lounge, the door slightly ajar as the doctors, nurses and other ER staff congregated in front of the admit desk, sobbing with Mark's family and the counselors. He looked over slightly, Carter comforting Carol and Doug. It was a good thing Carter was here, and not Chief.. Chief, comforting Doug.. That'd be the day.
"It's good that he didn't suffer.." One of the counselors said to Chen, patting her on the back. "Perhaps God thought it was his time to go." This comment got the collective group to start sniffling again and burst into tears.
Dave sighed, booting the doorstop out of the lounge door and stomping out of the ER. The group stared at him, parting like the red sea as he stumbled out into the cold airy night. Not knowing where he was going, he blew past Randi and Malik having a cigarette.
"Where are you going, Dave?!" Randi shouted after him, standing off the milk crate and starting after him when Malik grabbed her hand.
"Let him go, man.. He'll be okay." Malik said softly.
Dave stumbled out in the darkness, the air cold and his t-shirt not nearly enough to keep him warm, his nipples stiffening under the shirt and arms coming up in goosebumps. Rubbing his hand over his arms he trudged on, past Kerry and Elizabeth who had gone out for a walk.
"MALUCCI! You okay!? Come back to the hospital.." Weaver called out to him.
Dave shook his head and ignored the plaintive calls, even when she stuck her two fingers between her teeth and blew a whistle that could have deafened all the dogs of Chicago.
He disappeared around the corner, his feet and limbs stiffening from the cold, but the walking motion becoming almost robotic, catatonic. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew he had to get there.
***
"Where'd Malucci go?" Carter said looking at his watch. "Anyone know where he went?"
Randi looked up from the umpteenth cup of coffee. "No.. Well.. We saw him going for a walk a few hours ago."
Malik nodded. "Yeah.."
Carter looked around. "Anybody going to go looking for him?"
A lot of the staff shrugged their shoulders and looked at each other.
"Dr.Weaver.. Take Malik with you..." Carter tossed her the keys. "Take my Jeep.. I'll make sure everyone else stays here."
***
The bright lights of Chicago ruined the sunset that started in a creamy pink on the horizon, Dave watched it, shivering, as he pulled his arms into his t-shirt and huddled against the picnic table in the park. The crickets chirped and his breaths came in white clouds as he started to shiver and huddle against the frost covered wood.
He could hear the rumbling engine in the distance, but was too tired and frozen to move as he sighed, thinking about life, about County and how lucky he was to still be at the hospital after all the crap he'd pulled. There had been rumours of becoming the sacrificial lamb for the Marfan's case but it'd blown over even though slowly, people stopped talking to him in the halls. Only acknowledging them when he said hello. Some even didn't see him when he did that, they chose to ignore him like the rest.
"MALUCCI!" Weaver yelled from the jeep, zipping up the walking trails and over the frozen grass. They stopped a few feet from the table, Malik and the Chief hopping out and sitting across from him at the picnic table.
"We've been looking everywhere for you, Dave.." Malik said softly, pulling off his leather jacket and walking to Malucci. "Put this on.. You're gonna freeze your ass off.."
"You guys already look like you're freezing. Keep your jacket." Dave muttered, shivering, his arms crossed under his t-shirt.
"Yeah well, the windows were rolled down in Carter's Jeep.. and it doesn't have any heat in it." Weaver muttered, shuffling her feet to keep warm. Damn it was cold outside.
"Why were the windows rolled down?" Dave shuddered under the jacket which had been draped over his shoulders.
"Cuz we were shouting your name, looking for you everywhere.. For an HOUR, Malucci.." Malik muttered.
"Oooh yeah.. Everybody's really worried about me.. Go to hell." Dave grumbled, as the two of the leaned over the table and looked at each other, "Just fuck off would you? Why in the hell do you care what happens to me? Eh?"
"We do. Otherwise we wouldn't have come out here looking for you." Weaver said evenly, looking the man in the eye. "Come on get in the jeep would you?"
"We're a caring buncha people, Dave." Malice replied. "My Mama taught me to be a caring guy, come on man.. My nipples are freezing. There's crazy guys out here this time of night. Looking for young fresh meat like you. You wanna get yourself raped?!"
Dave shrugged. "I don't care at this point. And neither should you. I don't belong there.. Talking about that guy. I don't know him. I didn't know him at all.. He didn't talk to me. I don't belong there,
crying about some guy who didn't give me the time of day. You should have fired me months ago when you had the chance. You had the perfect timing to make me the scapegoat for that Marfan's case, Chief and you didn't." He stared off at the horizon, ignoring the two people staring at him.
"Dave... Come on.. Please.. Get in the jeep.. We're not asking you to hang out or talk or anything, just come in, get out of the cold. Get out of this park.. Get my coat on.." Malik begged, coming around to the side Dave was sitting at and coaxing him into the jacket.. "Come on man, one arm after the other.. That's it.. Come on.. Let's get in the jeep. We'll drive back on the walking trails. Break the law!"
Dave sighed, at this point, driving a jeep on the bike trails wasn't exactly a thrill. He stood outside the jeep while the two of them brushed the crap off the back seat, finding a place for Dave to sit.
That second where there wasn't a person on either side of him.. He could make a break for it. He could leave.. Not go back. "Dave?" Malik placed a hand on his shoulder and the doctor jumped a bit. "Get in the back, man.. Let's go."
*****
"Malucci?" The person stood over the reminiscing doctor in the alleyway, a cigarette clenched between his fingers as Dave put it to his lips and took a long drag. Slowly he looked up as the person standing beside him snatched the cigarette away. "Dave, we need to talk."
"I don't think there is anything to talk about." He muttered, grabbing his smoke back and taking a drag. His face was starting to ache again, he needed another ice pack.
"What happened in the parking lot.. It was a mistake." Elizabeth said, sitting down beside him.
Dave looked at her, and shook his head. "Nothing happened.. Nothing to be sorry about. Nothing to be mistaken about.. You're in the clear and guilt free." He said sarcastically, as he stood, squashing the butt under his sneaker.
"Dave..." She called out to him, grabbing his arm as he retreated into the building.
"LOOK! I don't know what you want from me!? I did what I could. I came to the funeral, I paid my respects. I-" He sighed angrily, grabbing her and planting a warm, passionate kiss on her lips, his hand coming up behind her head as he used his other arm to guide her closer into the embrace.
Their lips parted slightly, their tongues touching, the two bodies stumbling backwards against the wall as Dave kissed her. Closing his mouth he pulled away. Breathing heavily. "There.. Now you have something to feel guilty about!"
Elizabeth looked at him, startled, her face flushed from the exertion, as she pulled him backwards again and pressed him up against the wall. "You're wrong Dave.. That won't make me feel the least bit guilty." She muttered angrily as she kissed him forcefully on the lips. "This will though." Elizabeth tilted his head back, kissing his neck, his full lips and running her long fingers through his hair. This was wrong, it was very wrong, but she hadn't been with someone in so long... Tears dampened her eyes as she kissed the man, her hand going up his shirt as she peppered his upper body with kisses. "Mmmm.. Mark."
Dave's eyes widened, and he shoved her away. "Okay.. First of all lady.. I'm not Mark.." He snapped angrily, pulling his shirt back on.
"I.. I.. Malucci.." She sobbed, her hand over her mouth as she trembled, staring at the ground. "I'm sorry.."
"Ohhh.. For a second there you were actually calling me Dave.. Or was it Mark.." He snarled, stomping towards the hospital.
"I.. I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!" She called out, falling to the ground, leaning up against the cold brick and erupting into tears. "Mark.. Why did you do this to me!?"
AUTHOR: Sadieclay
EMAIL: sadieclay@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Angst/Cast
RATING: R- Mild language, Death..
SPOILERS: References to Season 7-8, etc.
ARCHIVE: Sure, just ask
DISCLAIMER: ER and its characters is owned by John Wells, Jack Orman, Michael Crichton, Constant C Productions and Amblin Television in association with Warner Bros. Television.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: It's something that sort of came to me. A spin off of a Elizabeth/Dave pairing I have on an RPG… Except they get paired up in a different way.
SUMMARY: The tragedy of Mark's death sends Elizabeth to an unusual source of comfort.
PREVIOUSLY ON ER: Carol and Doug, returned to County for Mark's funeral, have a fight. Dave, after getting kissed by Elizabeth, goes for a walk and relives the night Mark died.
****Chapter 4****
"If you hadn't phoned, it would have been a lot worse. It's good that you phoned Weaver." Carter said leaning on the door frame and moving in and sitting beside him. "We have to sort this out now. It's good that you told everyone now. It's good that you phoned, you did the right thing."
Malucci hung his head, fixated on his sneakers, one slightly ahead of its mate, he struggled to move his body, but he seemed rooted to that spot. He wanted to look at him, look him in the eye. Instead he fixed his gaze on the chrome handles of the cupboard doors, the sheen of the light hitting it, almost dancing.
"Dave..." Carter repeated again, slowly getting to his feet and crouching in front of him. "Hey...Malucci.. It's not your fault." He placed a hand on his knee and Dave shrank back, his gaze still fixated on the ground, his eyes averted from his friend's worried expression.
"All I did was come to work... I just asked him what was wrong.. I just asked a guy what was wrong.. and now.." Dave shuddered, his limbs leaden.
"Dave... Mark would still be dead, whether you'd asked Dr.Prentice if he was okay or not. The life or death situations, we have no control over. If you hadn't asked him if he was okay, Dr.Greene would still be dead, Malucci. Remember-"
Chuni stuck her head in the door, her eyes red and swollen. "Carter.. They've sent some people down from psych.. Wh-what do I do?"
"Be there in a moment, Chuni." Carter replied, looking back at Dave.. "I'll be right back, Malucci.. Will you be okay?" He got to his feet, leaning the edge of the couch to right himself.
Dave stared at the floor and didn't answer him, maybe if he shut his eyes it'd all go away. John Carter sighed, leaving the lounge, the door slightly ajar as the doctors, nurses and other ER staff congregated in front of the admit desk, sobbing with Mark's family and the counselors. He looked over slightly, Carter comforting Carol and Doug. It was a good thing Carter was here, and not Chief.. Chief, comforting Doug.. That'd be the day.
"It's good that he didn't suffer.." One of the counselors said to Chen, patting her on the back. "Perhaps God thought it was his time to go." This comment got the collective group to start sniffling again and burst into tears.
Dave sighed, booting the doorstop out of the lounge door and stomping out of the ER. The group stared at him, parting like the red sea as he stumbled out into the cold airy night. Not knowing where he was going, he blew past Randi and Malik having a cigarette.
"Where are you going, Dave?!" Randi shouted after him, standing off the milk crate and starting after him when Malik grabbed her hand.
"Let him go, man.. He'll be okay." Malik said softly.
Dave stumbled out in the darkness, the air cold and his t-shirt not nearly enough to keep him warm, his nipples stiffening under the shirt and arms coming up in goosebumps. Rubbing his hand over his arms he trudged on, past Kerry and Elizabeth who had gone out for a walk.
"MALUCCI! You okay!? Come back to the hospital.." Weaver called out to him.
Dave shook his head and ignored the plaintive calls, even when she stuck her two fingers between her teeth and blew a whistle that could have deafened all the dogs of Chicago.
He disappeared around the corner, his feet and limbs stiffening from the cold, but the walking motion becoming almost robotic, catatonic. He had no idea where he was going, but he knew he had to get there.
***
"Where'd Malucci go?" Carter said looking at his watch. "Anyone know where he went?"
Randi looked up from the umpteenth cup of coffee. "No.. Well.. We saw him going for a walk a few hours ago."
Malik nodded. "Yeah.."
Carter looked around. "Anybody going to go looking for him?"
A lot of the staff shrugged their shoulders and looked at each other.
"Dr.Weaver.. Take Malik with you..." Carter tossed her the keys. "Take my Jeep.. I'll make sure everyone else stays here."
***
The bright lights of Chicago ruined the sunset that started in a creamy pink on the horizon, Dave watched it, shivering, as he pulled his arms into his t-shirt and huddled against the picnic table in the park. The crickets chirped and his breaths came in white clouds as he started to shiver and huddle against the frost covered wood.
He could hear the rumbling engine in the distance, but was too tired and frozen to move as he sighed, thinking about life, about County and how lucky he was to still be at the hospital after all the crap he'd pulled. There had been rumours of becoming the sacrificial lamb for the Marfan's case but it'd blown over even though slowly, people stopped talking to him in the halls. Only acknowledging them when he said hello. Some even didn't see him when he did that, they chose to ignore him like the rest.
"MALUCCI!" Weaver yelled from the jeep, zipping up the walking trails and over the frozen grass. They stopped a few feet from the table, Malik and the Chief hopping out and sitting across from him at the picnic table.
"We've been looking everywhere for you, Dave.." Malik said softly, pulling off his leather jacket and walking to Malucci. "Put this on.. You're gonna freeze your ass off.."
"You guys already look like you're freezing. Keep your jacket." Dave muttered, shivering, his arms crossed under his t-shirt.
"Yeah well, the windows were rolled down in Carter's Jeep.. and it doesn't have any heat in it." Weaver muttered, shuffling her feet to keep warm. Damn it was cold outside.
"Why were the windows rolled down?" Dave shuddered under the jacket which had been draped over his shoulders.
"Cuz we were shouting your name, looking for you everywhere.. For an HOUR, Malucci.." Malik muttered.
"Oooh yeah.. Everybody's really worried about me.. Go to hell." Dave grumbled, as the two of the leaned over the table and looked at each other, "Just fuck off would you? Why in the hell do you care what happens to me? Eh?"
"We do. Otherwise we wouldn't have come out here looking for you." Weaver said evenly, looking the man in the eye. "Come on get in the jeep would you?"
"We're a caring buncha people, Dave." Malice replied. "My Mama taught me to be a caring guy, come on man.. My nipples are freezing. There's crazy guys out here this time of night. Looking for young fresh meat like you. You wanna get yourself raped?!"
Dave shrugged. "I don't care at this point. And neither should you. I don't belong there.. Talking about that guy. I don't know him. I didn't know him at all.. He didn't talk to me. I don't belong there,
crying about some guy who didn't give me the time of day. You should have fired me months ago when you had the chance. You had the perfect timing to make me the scapegoat for that Marfan's case, Chief and you didn't." He stared off at the horizon, ignoring the two people staring at him.
"Dave... Come on.. Please.. Get in the jeep.. We're not asking you to hang out or talk or anything, just come in, get out of the cold. Get out of this park.. Get my coat on.." Malik begged, coming around to the side Dave was sitting at and coaxing him into the jacket.. "Come on man, one arm after the other.. That's it.. Come on.. Let's get in the jeep. We'll drive back on the walking trails. Break the law!"
Dave sighed, at this point, driving a jeep on the bike trails wasn't exactly a thrill. He stood outside the jeep while the two of them brushed the crap off the back seat, finding a place for Dave to sit.
That second where there wasn't a person on either side of him.. He could make a break for it. He could leave.. Not go back. "Dave?" Malik placed a hand on his shoulder and the doctor jumped a bit. "Get in the back, man.. Let's go."
*****
"Malucci?" The person stood over the reminiscing doctor in the alleyway, a cigarette clenched between his fingers as Dave put it to his lips and took a long drag. Slowly he looked up as the person standing beside him snatched the cigarette away. "Dave, we need to talk."
"I don't think there is anything to talk about." He muttered, grabbing his smoke back and taking a drag. His face was starting to ache again, he needed another ice pack.
"What happened in the parking lot.. It was a mistake." Elizabeth said, sitting down beside him.
Dave looked at her, and shook his head. "Nothing happened.. Nothing to be sorry about. Nothing to be mistaken about.. You're in the clear and guilt free." He said sarcastically, as he stood, squashing the butt under his sneaker.
"Dave..." She called out to him, grabbing his arm as he retreated into the building.
"LOOK! I don't know what you want from me!? I did what I could. I came to the funeral, I paid my respects. I-" He sighed angrily, grabbing her and planting a warm, passionate kiss on her lips, his hand coming up behind her head as he used his other arm to guide her closer into the embrace.
Their lips parted slightly, their tongues touching, the two bodies stumbling backwards against the wall as Dave kissed her. Closing his mouth he pulled away. Breathing heavily. "There.. Now you have something to feel guilty about!"
Elizabeth looked at him, startled, her face flushed from the exertion, as she pulled him backwards again and pressed him up against the wall. "You're wrong Dave.. That won't make me feel the least bit guilty." She muttered angrily as she kissed him forcefully on the lips. "This will though." Elizabeth tilted his head back, kissing his neck, his full lips and running her long fingers through his hair. This was wrong, it was very wrong, but she hadn't been with someone in so long... Tears dampened her eyes as she kissed the man, her hand going up his shirt as she peppered his upper body with kisses. "Mmmm.. Mark."
Dave's eyes widened, and he shoved her away. "Okay.. First of all lady.. I'm not Mark.." He snapped angrily, pulling his shirt back on.
"I.. I.. Malucci.." She sobbed, her hand over her mouth as she trembled, staring at the ground. "I'm sorry.."
"Ohhh.. For a second there you were actually calling me Dave.. Or was it Mark.." He snarled, stomping towards the hospital.
"I.. I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!" She called out, falling to the ground, leaning up against the cold brick and erupting into tears. "Mark.. Why did you do this to me!?"