Disclaimers etc. in Part One.

Here ya go, the real last part. Enjoy. :)

"Not Too Much To Ask." 5/5

--

She pattered through to the living room, where Dave was sitting on the sofa.

"Good morning." He snapped his head up.

"Hey."

She settled beside him. "Whatcha doing?" She asked, looking at the book her held on his lap. He closed it quickly.

"Nothing."

"Is that a photo album?" She teased, pulling at it. "Little Dave Malucci's?"

"No . . ." He pulled it back and stood up. She followed suit.

"Come on Dave, I want to see pictures of you a kid." She held out her hand.

"No you don't."

"Yes I do." She smiled at him. "I hardly know anything about your childhood or your family . . "

"You don't want to know."

"Sure I do."

"Abby, drop it okay." He sounded irritated.

"Jesus." She sat back down. "I'm just interested, so sue me." He put the album away, and then sat beside her.

"Sorry." He kissed her, but she turned away.

"So what are you hiding?"

He sat back. "Nothing."

"Nothing? Come one Dave, you met my mom, you *hit on* my mom, remember?"

"Vaguely." He commented blankly.

"So, why can't I just see some photos of yours?"

Dave stood and walked into the kitchen. With a frown, she followed.

"Dave?"

"Don't you know when to drop something?" He snapped.

"Hey, don't you yell at me!"

"I'm not!"

"Am I wrong to be curious about my boyfriend's life? I don't know anything about you!"

"No Abby, you don't know anything!"

"So tell me!" She reached out to grab his arm. He threw it off.

"For god sake Dave!"

It took her a moment to realise what had happened in the next couple of seconds. She played it back mentally.

"Oh god. Abby, oh god. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.."

Of course, that moment was long enough for Dave back away from her in horror and flee.

In the bathroom she winced as she explored the area beside her eye. She couldn't see anything there now, but it hurt like hell and she'd bet good money that there was going to be an impressive bruise in half an hour or so. If she was a betting woman. Which she wasn't.

'What now?' She asked herself. Okay, she knew what Ricki and Jerry and Oprah would say, and all those Agony Aunts. But truth was, something had gotten to Dave, something to do with his past, and she had ignored it. She had ignored his feelings, so glad to be in a relationship where she was the one who was pampered and worried over. She had done to him what Luka and Carter had done to her. And when she had done the right thing, she never pressed him. Too accepting of those big jokey grins and false 'I'm fine' s.

And now he was gone. Probably beating himself up, or maybe letting someone else do it. 'Damn!'

Question was, would he come back here? Probably not if he suspect she was waiting for him. So, answer. Look somewhere else. She took her coat off the rail. But where?

'Unless he suspects you'll go out looking for him, in which case he will come back here. Sneak in, grab his things, run off to California and get himself killed.'

She paused at the little voice in her head. True. She took off her coat.

'But then he might suspect you might think he's thinking that, and not come back after all.'

"Okay what the hell *do* I do?" She asked the empty room. No answer.

'And he doesn't really need to come back here if he's going to run off.' The voice mused.

She grabbed her coat. Hospital. Maybe he'd call and say he wasn't coming in to work today, or tomorrow, or ever. Maybe he left his wallet in his locker – he'd done it before.

Maybe, maybe, maybe baby . . .

--

"Abby! What happened?"

Damn it. Now the questions. Okay, bring 'em on.

"Don't worry Luka, I'm fine. Is Dave here?"

"No, he's not on till – did he do this?"

Abby ignored the question which raised the attention of several others. "I know he's not on." She said patronisingly. "But is he here. Or has he called? Randi?"

Randi stared at her face.

"Randi!"

"Huh? No. No calls."

"Damn." Abby chewed her lip.

"You should get that looked at." Carter commented, reaching out a hand to touch the newly forming bruise.

"Oww!" Abby jumped away. "God, Carter."

"Oh, he's better not show up here girl." Haleh told her. "I've got a few choice words for him."

"Who needs words?" Luka told her darkly, to Haleh's approving nod.

"Guys, lay off okay? We just had a little disagreement."

"So he yelled at you too?"

"No, I yelled at him Carter. I'm an idiot."

"He tell you that?"

"God Carter! No! look, I appreciate this and all, but he didn't mean –"

"Honey, they all say that."

"And I meant that he would never come here. Not with the three musketeers ready to pummel him."

"Pummel? I would never pummel." Haleh told her. "A little deserved punishment."

"Don't talk like that." Abby snapped. "He doesn't deserve – "

"You might need stitches." Carter commented.

"He deserves it and a good deal more." Haleh informed her. "And there's plenty of volunteers, believe you me."

"Randi, call the police."

"Luka!"

"What?"

"Chuni? Can you start a chart?"

"Can you say overreaction?"

"If he comes here I'll -"

"No Luka, you'll not, okay?"

"Why don't we take this to Curtain One?"

"Carter, lay off!"

"You need help my girl. I can't believe you'd. . ."

"Shut up!!" Everyone stopped. "I don't need help, or stitches or the god damned police. I just. Want to know. Where he is. Okay?" She forced a smile. "'Cause he ran off before I knew what was going on, and now he's probably out getting himself into trouble, or beaten up, or killed, for all I know he's jumping into the lake right now, and I just want.." The tears prevented her from finishing, but they attracted the attention of a red-haired doctor who limped up, scattering the crowd slightly.

"Abby?"

"Hey, Dr. Weaver." She sniffled.

"Okay, everyone, there's work to do." She shooed them away while putting her free arm around Abby's shoulder. "Go on. *Go* Luka." She steered Abby into a free Exam room, backed away, and came back with a box of tissues.

"Thank you." Abby choked out.

"That's okay. You want to talk?"

"No really."

"Ok." Kerry agreed. "Why don't I take a quick look at that?"

Abby just blew her nose.

--

She had stayed silent while Kerry quickly examined her, and determined that there was merely bad bruising. Kerry left the room to find herself swamped by concerned faces, most notably Luka and Carter's.

"She's fine."

"She is not fine."

"She's fine Luka. She just wants to be alone."

"She should talk to someone."

"She doesn't want to, Carter."

"I'll talk to her."

"I'll talk to her."

"No one will talk to her. You are to leave her alone and get on with your jobs. Am I clear?" She glared at them. "I said –"

They agreed quickly.

"Good. Now, go forth and heal."

--

Half an hour later Carter found her in the lounge making coffee.

"Hey Abby."

She didn't even turn around. "No Carter."

"No what?" He seemed taken back.

"I don't want to talk to you. I'm not your sponsor anymore, remember?"

"So what, we can't talk just cause you're not my sponsor anymore?"

"Yes. Exactly. I have more important things on my mind now."

"You can talk to me Abby, you know that."

"Actually Carter I don't. Know why? Because our whole relationship was based on me being your sponsor. That's the relationship we had. I asked you how you were. I listened to how bad you're day was. Never once did you ask me about my day, or ask if I wanted to talk to someone, okay? That's not our relationship Carter. Our relationship was sponsor, to, to, to - sponoree. And now we don't even have that."

--


She stalked towards the desk, anger and worry filling her. Where the hell was he?

"Hey Abby."

"Hi Randi. Any word?"

She looked nervous.

"Randi?" Abby smiled at her.

Randi looked around and leant in close. "Luka would kill me if I told you but. . ."

"What?"

"He rang here. Asking for you?"

"Okay." Abby said slowly, trying to contain her anger. "And why didn't you come and get me?"

Randi shifted nervously. "I did, but I couldn't find you. I was walking back to the desk, just in time to catch Luka yell something Croatian and not nice down the phone, then hang up."

"What did he tell you?"

"He didn't. Didn't see me I guess, and I did not mention it. He's in a pyscho mood, you know?"

Abby sighed heavily. "Thanks." She began to walk away, the turned back. "Hey, Randi?"

"Hmm?"

"Why'd you tell me then?"

Randi looked away. "He makes you happy. More than Dr. Kovac did. I figured you guys deserved a chance to work things out."

Abby smiled. "A real romantic, huh Randi?"

The desk clerk looked uncomfortable. "Let that out and I'll kill you."

Abby mimed zipping her lips, turned around to face the door and saw him.

--

She followed him into the lounge.

"Dave, come on. I know we talk. And you ask me how my day was. But we don't communicate. Not really. I don't know anything about your family, or your life. Dave, I'm your girlfriend. I want to know about these things. I care about you Dave. I lo– "

"You want to know about my family? Fine. What do you want to know Abby? That my mother was a drunk and an addict. Or maybe a pro? Huh? A working girl. Or maybe, my father killed her. Yeah, that's it, he stabbed her to death in front of me. Is that what you want to know about? That was brought up in a cellar by my evil step mom? That I'm an orphan? That I raised my three sisters on the streets of LA?"

"Dave.."

"Don't 'Dave' me, Abby. My childhood is exactly that. *Mine.* And I would much appreciate you keping out of things that you don't know anything about, and that are nothing to do with you."

He turned away from her and walked quickly out of the room.

--

"Dave I - I didn't meant to hurt you."

He was standing out side, down by the lake when she found him.

"No."

She rubbed her hand across his back.

"God." He stared across the lake. "I can't believe I hurt you. I'm just like him."

They stood watching the water.

"I was always so scared that he was right. That every time he told me how worthless my life was, how I'd never make it anywhere, how I deserved to be – All my life I've had people tell me how worthless my life is. First him, then my teachers, and my college professors, and now here. Abby, when does someone start believe the general consensus about themselves?"

"When it's right." She told him firmly.

"But what if it is? I can't do this."

"Do what?"

"Medicine, relationships, life! I can't. I can't, I can't, I can't." He broke down completely then. She hesitated, then reached up to embrace him. He fell into it, his tears soaking her top. A moment later he pulled back.

"God, Abby I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you, I am, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay Dave." She stroked his face, trying to reassure him.

"No, no it's not." He took her hand off his face, and held both of them.

"Abby, I'm a mess. You should. . . let's call it quits ok?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"You and me. It's not working."

"I know I said we didn't communicate, but well, we're communicating now, right?"

"No, it's not you, its - God, I'm speaking in clichés. I hit you Abby, I hurt you. I can't – You watch Oprah and stuff. First time a guy hits you get out. Get out now. Run do not walk – "

"But I want to stay Dave. I love you."

"Doesn't matter. I hurt you and I don't want to do that again. I don't want to be my father. I'm a mess Abby, emotionally. Look at me. You don't want this. You can't possibly –"

"I do, I do, I do." The tears flowed freely.

"You deserve better." He continued. "You deserve so much more."

"Dave, I love you. I love you, I love you."

"I'm sorry." He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked away.

"Dave." Abby called out desperately. "Please… please Dave…" She broke down into tears. "Dave." She called pathetically. "I love you, I love you, I love you - "

--

"Now I can only dream of being all you need,
And I can only try to be the reason why,
You think about today 'cause the past is just the past.
It's too much to expect, but it's not too much to ask."

'It's Not Too Much Too Ask.' - Mary-Chapin Carpenter and Joe Diffie.

--

And it's over!! Yippee. This thing's turned into the twelve trials of Hercules. Thank you for listening, good night, drive safe!

Alice R.
aka Alicamel

"Oz, don't you love me?"
"My whole life I've never loved anything else."
Willow and Oz, Buffy: "Wild at Heart." Sniff.