A Very Odd Couple Part 24

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Previously on ER.

Dave returned to work in the ER, but was unaware that many of his colleagues were covertly keeping an eye on him to make sure he wasn't overdoing things.
Chris and Luka grew steadily closer. On Dave's first day back at work, Luka met Chris at the train station and they agreed to tell Dave about their relationship.


Note: This fic was started in Summer 2000, so season 7 never happened. Also, I had named Luka's wife 'Maria' before I saw 'The Crossing', and I'm not changing it now.

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Dave wiped the patient's name off the board and replaced the chart in the pile. Glancing casually around to see that nobody was looking, he started sifting his way through the charts...possible dislocated shoulder...nah, no good...he'd never be able to reduce it single handedly...lacerated arm...crap...sutures were out...okay, so he had been practicing but he didn't think the guy would like being sewn up by a one-handed doc. "Bingo," thought Dave triumphantly as he pulled out a 'foreign body to be removed' chart. Not his usual choice, but you never knew just what you'd be called upon to remove with these patients...who knows, it could be something embarrassing...

"Oh no you don't, Malucci," said Kerry as she deftly pulled the chart from his hand.

"But Chief," protested Dave, "It's only a minor. I can handle it easy." He made a half-hearted grab for the chart, but Kerry moved it out of reach.

"I'm sure you could," said Kerry, crisply. "But you've seen enough patients for the moment. It's time you had a break."

"Aw come on...I'm not due a break yet...I need...I *want* to be doing something..."

"We're all out of coffee in the Lounge," commented Randi, her eyes not leaving her computer screen. "You could brew up a fresh batch."

Dave glared at her.

"That's a very good idea," said Kerry as Dave turned to look at her in disbelief. "Make some coffee and have a cup yourself. I don't want to see you back on the floor for at least fifteen minutes."

Her tone of voice brooked no argument. With a mutinous expression on his face, Dave stormed off towards the Lounge. If he had looked back, he might have noticed the exchange of glances between the two women he had left behind.

Dave angrily pushed open the door to the Lounge, only to stop in his tracks at the sight of what seemed to be half the ER staff waiting there for him.

"Welcome back, Dave," they chorused.

"Wha...what's going on?" stammered Dave, his hand clutching tightly at the door.

"Welcome back, Dave," said Kerry, appearing in the doorway behind him.

Dave shot her an accusing look as she pushed him into the room.

From behind the crowd of people Dave could see a large cake on the table. As he was gently but firmly moved in its direction, he saw that written on it, in large green letters were the words 'Welcome back Doctor Dave'.

"Aw guys," said Dave, his voice cracking slightly. "You...you shouldn't have."

"It was half-price at the bakery," said Chuny with a grin. "You think we could've passed that up?"

Dave found himself sitting down, a slice of cake on a plate pressed into his hand. He stared numbly at it as the conversation ebbed and flowed around him.

"Are you all right, Dave?" he heard Kerry ask as she sat down beside him.

"Yes...no...I guess so," he shrugged. "It just...just freaked me out a little...walking in here like that...seeing everyone standing there."

Kerry patted his arm gently. "Maybe I shouldn't have let this be organized. But we're your friends...we wanted to show you we missed you here."

"Oh, I'm not complaining...I was just a bit spooked is all. I'm fine now...really."

Kerry was about to reply when Randi burst in through the door.

"We got an MVA coming in," she yelled above the noise. "Four major, six minor."

"Dammit," swore Kerry as she pushed herself to her feet.

Dave stood up as well, only to be waved away by her. "Come on, Chief, at least let me do *something*," he pleaded.

"Take a break Dave...there'll still be patients to see in ten minutes," ordered Kerry. Pushing her way out of the Lounge, she started barking orders at everyone.

Within a few minutes, Dave was the only person left in the Lounge. Gloomily he surveyed the remains of the cake and sighed as he wondered if he should have bothered coming back so soon. He had been more than 'a bit' spooked by the surprise of seeing everyone waiting for him. For a few seconds he had been frozen to the spot. It was stupid, he knew that...but for those few seconds, he had been back in the alleyway...staring down the two junkies who had sneaked up on him. If he had been in a trauma and had a flashback like that...

Dave pushed the thought away. By the time he was cleared to work on traumas again, he'd surely be over that sort of reaction...or would he? What if the sight of a major injury sent him back to that alleyway again? What if he never got past it?

Slumping back into his chair, Dave stared dejectedly at the floor wondering what to do next.

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It took a while, but Chris and Luka eventually managed to make their way to County General to pick up Dave.

"So...are we going to tell him now...or wait until we get back to the house?" asked Chris with a slight trace of nerves, as they sat in the car.

Luka shrugged, "If we wait until we get home, then it will be easier to subdue him if he take it badly. We would not wish to 'make a scene' in public."

"Luka! Don't say things like that...he...he won't make a scene. I mean, we're mature adults...our relationship is our business...he won't object to it...he can't..."

Luka gently stroked Chris's face. "Shh, if he does not approve of us...well, we will deal with it. But I believe your brother will wish us both to be happy, no?"

"I hope so," said Chris softly.

Luka gave her a quick peck on the cheek before climbing out of the car. "I will be back in a few minutes," he called as he walked away.

Whistling to himself, he strolled into the ER.

"Kerry," he called, seeing her at the Admit desk pulling off a trauma gown. "You look busy...do you require assistance?"

Kerry shook her head. "We're just about caught up now...well, apart from the usual backlog in chairs. But it's under control."

Luka nodded in acknowledgment. "I came to collect Dave. How did his first day work out?"

"He seemed to be coping with it. I don't know where he is just now." Kerry frowned slightly. "I haven't seen him since that last trauma was called in."

Looking around, Kerry saw Chuny. "Chuny, have you seen Dr. Malucci around?"

Chuny shook her head. "Last time I saw him was in the Lounge," she said apologetically as she hurried on with her arms full of bedpans.

"He left about half an hour ago," said Frank.

Both Kerry and Luka turned around in surprise.

"What do you mean left?" asked Luka, a chill forming round his heart. "He was supposed to wait for me to collect him."

Frank shrugged. "I'm no babysitter. All I know is he told me he was signing out and going home."

"Page him," ordered Kerry.

Frank started to protest, but one look at Kerry was enough to make him realize that that would be a very bad idea.

"I'll try his cell phone," said Luka, picking up the phone from the desk. A minute later he replaced it. "He's not picking up."

"And he ain't replying to his pages either," commented Frank.

"I'm sure he's all right," said Kerry. "Maybe he didn't realize you were going to meet him."

Luka shook his head. "No...something's wrong...I know it."

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To be continued