VOID

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Chapter Two

Whispered I Love You

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May 06, 2004

2:46 am

SHE LOOKED incredibly fragile. That wasn't helping the situation much. To see his wife lying in a hospital bed, after having undergone life saving surgery, was not helping the anger inside him. He wanted to lash out at somebody. He wanted to find her attacker and he wanted to kill him. He wanted to blame Kerry for having let her off early. He wanted to blame his job for keeping him from taking her home. He wanted, or more like he did, blame himself for letting her leave the hospital alone. But she said she'd be okay.

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          "Maybe I should take you home." Luka stated but all the while he kept looking over his shoulder at the trauma that had just come in. A little girl that had gotten into her mother's medication. Abby hadn't missed the reluctance in his statement. She smiled up at him sweetly.

          "No, it's okay. I'll just take the El home." Luka looked down at her uncertainly. It was almost eleven o'clock. The walk to the train was a dark and somewhat long one.

         "She's going into v-fib!" He heard Carter call from behind them and he glanced over in time to see the doctor take out the paddles.

"You sure?" She gave him an amused look.

"I used to take it all the time Luka. I'm sure. I'll be fine. Go on. Go back to work. Go help Carter." He nodded his head, leaned down and kissed her quickly on the lips, then rushed into the trauma room. Abby smiled at his retreating form then walked out into the night.

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"I'm so sorry Abby." He whispered the words so softly that he knew, had she been awake, she most likely never would have heard them. Either way it didn't matter, because she wasn't awake. And it wasn't an anesthetic that was keeping her asleep. She was in a sort of coma. Though nobody was quite sure why. Medically she seemed fine. Dr. Benton had had only good news to report after the surgery had been completed. Luka had reviewed her CAT scan confirming for himself that it showed no damage so it wasn't due to head trauma.  She should be fine. She just wouldn't wake up.

Luka looked over at the monitor charting her heart rate. He found himself doing that often. Making sure she was still alive. Still with him. The monitor showed that her heart was still beating normally. He wondered if the machine could ever lie. Would it pretend that she was still alive, even if she really wasn't?

"Luka." Luka jumped and looked over at the door. Kerry was standing there holding an unmistakable white box in her hands. The rape kit. He looked away from her and back at his wife. Maybe if he ignored it then it wouldn't be real.

"What?" His voice was cold. He hadn't meant for it to be. It had just come out that way.

"I need to... and those detectives really need to speak with you now. They're waiting outside." Luka looked back at her harshly.

"You brought them up here?" Kerry nodded her head. Behind her a nurse stepped into the room looking rather uncomfortable. Most likely she was there to assist Kerry.

"They only want to help Luka. To find out who did this." Yes, and then I can kill him, Luka thought bitterly. Glancing down at Abby once more he quickly walked past Kerry and the nurse then stepped out into the hall. He was hoping he could sidestep the detectives and make his way back to the ER. No such luck. They were standing there waiting for him the second the door opened.

"Dr. Kovac?" Why did they need to talk to him anyways? He didn't know anything.

"Yes." He answered tiredly. It was nearly three in the morning. He should be at home. Asleep with his wife in his arms. She should be safe. She shouldn't be in a room with a doctor and a nurse about to perform a rape kit on her. She shouldn't be in a coma. She should just be asleep. If his heart could still feel he was certain those thoughts would have caused it much pain.

"We need to ask you a few questions. Dr. Weaver has already filled us in on most of what we need to know." The detective, whom had earlier identified himself as Randy Thompson, looked down at a pad of paper in his hands. Luka watched as the other detective, George Hays, stood to the side seemingly observing the interview. "At what time did you last see your wife last night?"

"It was close to eleven." Luka didn't want to remember that departure again. Why had they brought it up? Of course he knew why. He just really didn't want to talk to them. Even if they were there to help.

"That's consistent with what the other doctor told us." Thompson seemed to be saying this to himself and his partner more then anything. The statement shocked Luka.

"You think I'd lie!" He accused them harshly. He decided he didn't care for these two at all.

"Of course not. Dr. Weaver told me that nurse Kovac left the hospital earlier then her schedule had her down for. Was she upset when you last saw her? You two have a fight?" Luka couldn't believe this. What exactly was he getting at?

"When Abby and I fight we certainly do not let it get in the way of out professional lives. No, she was not upset. She was feeling sick so she left early." The detective looked back down at his pad.

"And where was she going from here?"

"To the subway station to take the El home." Thompson nodded his head and looked back up at Luka.

"She do that often?"

"No, normally she'd go home with me."

"Does your wife have any enemies Dr. Kovac?" Luka's interest was suddenly, fully, peaked. He hadn't thought of that. He had just assumed that whoever had done this to Abby had been a random attacker. Of course Luka realized that a random attacker would make more sense. Why would anybody that knew Abby want to hurt her? And like this?

"You think whoever did this knows her?"

"We can't be sure. Perhaps not. But that is always a possibility." He looked at Luka intently before re-asking his question. "Does she have any enemies?"

"No. Abby's a nurse. She helps people. She doesn't make enemies very easily." Luka honestly couldn't think of anybody who would want to hurt her. No disgruntle patients, nobody.

"Any patients that might not be happy with her treatment?" It was as if the detective had read his mind. Luka only shook his head, already having answered the question for himself. "How long have you two been married?"

"A little over a year."

"So, no chance of any ex boyfriends, ex husbands..."

"Yeah, she has an ex husband but no. This wouldn't be him. That was too long ago. Abby hasn't even seen him in over three years."

"Okay, what's him name?" Luka was annoyed. While they go hunting her ex down they'll be distracting themselves from finding the real perpetrator.

"Richard Lockhart." Before anything else could be said between them there was some commotion in the hallway. Then a group of doctors and nurses were running into Abby's room. Luka immediately followed, his heart racing. When he entered the room he felt his world falling apart all over again. Abby was seizing then suddenly she stopped moving and fell disturbingly limp. Luka glanced at the heart monitor, he wasn't sure if it was out of habit or if he'd really expect there to be a change, to his utter dismay there was. The line was flat and the monitor began to beep loudly. A sound that penetrated his very soul. A sound he'd never again forget.

"Abby." He tried going to her but two arms were already pulling him back. He looked over to see a man he didn't recognize. He tried escaping his grip but failed as he found the man to be surprisingly strong. Probably had to do this a lot. Fend off hysterical family members.

"Sir you'll have to leave." Luka looked at him like he was crazy.

"Kerry what happened?" He yelled over the shouting of the medical staff.

"Luka get out of here now! We'll help her, just leave!" He couldn't believe this. How could she expect him to leave? He needed to be with Abby. If she died he needed to be with her. He tried once more, unsuccessfully, to pull himself away from his captures' grip. Instead he found himself being pushed out into the hallway as the door was shut in his face. Suddenly everything was silent.

Luka just stood staring at the door for a few seconds. He was certain that the next time it opened he'd be told his wife was dead. Same speech he himself had given too many times to count. "We're so sorry. We did all we could but it just didn't work. Your wife didn't make it." Luka knew that if he had to listen to that speech his life would truly be over. There'd be no reason left to go on. He'd done that once and look at what happened. It was about to end in another tragic death. He wouldn't move on. He'd give up. He'd do whatever it took to be with Abby again.

Luka stepped away from the door and backed up against the wall opposite it. He found himself now alone in the hallway. The detectives must have made a quick getaway. Seeing that their only witness was about to die, why would they want to stick around? Suddenly it was just all too much. Everything had been happening so quickly. One thing immediately after another. The baby, the surgery, the coma, the detectives, now this. Luka sank to the floor and placed his head between his knees that were bent forward in front of him. And for the first time since Abby had been rushed into the ER he really cried. His body shook with the sobs and the hallway echoed with their noise. Luka felt as the numbness washed away from him only to be replaced with extreme pain. A hurt he knew would stay with him always.

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Abby looked around at her surroundings and saw the same thing for as far as her vision would allow.  Water.  She was on some soft of island.  It reminded her of the island you always see depicted in a cartoon or comic strip.  It was so small that all she had to do was take about fifteen steps before she reached the other side of it.  And, ironically enough, there was even a palm tree right in the center of it.  Only it was the weirdest palm tree she'd ever seen.  It's leafs were all pink.  She looked down at the ground beneath her and discovered that the island floor was covered in a white layer of grass.  The sun shined off the grass as it flowed slightly in the gentle breeze.  She found this odd as well, not only that the grass was white but that there was grass at all.  Shouldn't there be sand?

          "Hello."  Abby jumped at the voice and looked behind her.  Sitting beneath the tree was a man she'd never seen before.  He had black hair and black clothes, which were both a very odd contrast against the brightness of their surroundings.  His features were light though, not too light as to be pale, but just light enough to stand out against his clothing.

          "Who are you?"  The man shrugged and stood up.  To Abby's surprise he was only a few inches taller then she.

          "I don't know."  He answered in a light playful voice.  Abby took a step back.  The word crazy sprang quickly to mind.  "Don't go to far you might fall."  Realizing he was right she glanced behind her, she still had a few feet between her and the water.

          "Who are you?"  She demanded again, this time a little more harshly.

          "I said I don't know."  Unbelievable, she was trapped on a deserted island with a man who was insane.  Not to mention a man who hadn't been there a few minutes ago.  She looked around for a boat.  Maybe she could get off of this island after all.

          "Watcha looking for?"  He asked her in his continued playfulness.  Abby just glared at him.

          "How'd you get here?  Who are you?"  Her voice was very stern, demanding answers.  They wouldn't be force coming.

          "I don't know."  He smiled at her, not a scary smile but a good-natured one.  "But you do."

          "I do what?"  She asked a little despairingly.

          "Know who I am silly… and where I came from."  He spoke as if this were everyday knowledge.  As if she should suddenly remember something and then know exactly what he was talking about.  She took another step back.  "You really shouldn't.  You don't want to fall in."  Abby was actually beginning to think the opposite.  Maybe she should swim for it.  She looked down at the water trying to decide which was more dangerous, it or him.  His laughing distracted her and she looked back over at him.

          "What's so funny?"

          "You think you're dangerous."  Abby was very confused.

          "What?"  He laughed some more.  His laughter was surprisingly kind and mellow, not taunting or cruel.

          "Trust me," He stopped for a moment and started to laugh even harder. "Or should I say trust you?  That water is the only thing of any danger to you right now."  Abby looked at it again.  All it appeared to be was clear, beautiful water.  It almost reminded her of the Adriatic Ocean.  The thought of her honeymoon saddened her and she had to wonder where Luka was.  Was he okay?

          "Please just tell me who you are."  Abby spoke softly, almost sadly.  She suddenly missed Luka very much.  The man shook his head.

          "Like I said you should know, you brought me here.  I am you."  She just stared at him in disbelief.  Thinking that he really was crazy and wishing her husband were there with her.  "If I am crazy then so are you."  Abby took another step back, this time in shock.  He'd read her thoughts.  The man reached out and grabbed for her but it was too late.  She fell into the water and began to drown.

          Abby didn't know it but at that very moment, in a hospital in Chicago, her heart had just stopped beating.

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3:13 am

Luka didn't know how long it had been. A lifetime seemed to have passed by. He almost wished that were true. Then nobody he knew would still be alive. They wouldn't have to watch him wallow in his sorrow at losing yet another wife to such misfortune. He wouldn't have to watch their pitiful looks as they asked if he was doing okay. Or worse yet, told him that he'd be okay, that he'd get through this, he was strong. No he wasn't. Nobody was this strong. They wouldn't be here to care when he drove his car off the first bridge he came to. Or swallowed an overdose of the quickest medication he could find in the ER. Luka realized how comforting that thought was and stuffed it into the back on his mind as a possible course of action.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to find Kerry looking down at him. He noticed the absence of that pitiful look all doctors got when they had to relay bad news to the family.

"She's stable." He didn't let her finish. He was on his feat in a flash and in Abby's room even quicker. A nurse was still in the room cleaning up some things but other then that the room was now empty. Luka shook his head trying to figure out how he'd missed an entire medical team leaving and walking right past him. Oh well, it didn't really matter right now.

"Abby." He whispered her name softly. More then anything he simply needed to hear it. He reached out and brushed a few strands of hair away from her forehead. She was still as beautiful to him as the day he'd met her... but all the more precious. He felt, more then saw, as Kerry walked up beside him. "What happened?"

"We're not really sure. She just started seizing and then..." He looked over at her and she continued. "Her heart stopped. It's just one of those things. One of those things that can't be explained. They just happen." She smiled at him. "But the good news is that we got her heart started again with nothing other then using the paddles. It could have been a lot worse Luka."

"Yeah, she could have died." Luka hadn't actually planned on saying the sentence out loud. Not that it bothered him much that he had. "Why won't she wake up?" He didn't really expect Kerry to have an answer and the truth was he was asking himself more then Kerry.

"I have heard of such a thing as a mental coma as appose to a physical coma." He looked at her confused. "Sometimes the patient just doesn't want to wake up. They like it where they are. More peaceful and they don't have to deal with what happened to them."

"If that's true then I'm not sure I want her to wake up. As long as wherever she is she doesn't have to remember what's been done to her." That seemed to remind Kerry of something.

"I still have to finish the rape kit. I think you should go home Luka. Get some rest. Abby would want it that way." Luka knew the last thing he wanted to do was leave her now. What if it happened again? What if next time they couldn't get her back? As a doctor and as a man that had lost his entire family once before, Luka knew he had to stay open to the idea that she still might die. And he was determined to be there for her if it happened. He wouldn't let her die alone thinking he didn't care enough to be there.

"I can't leave her."

"Luka you are exhausted, physically and emotionally, go home and get some sleep. Take a shower. Get refreshed. That way when Abby does wake up you won't be falling asleep on her." She gave him a soft smile. He couldn't bring himself to smile back. There was nothing in his world worth smiling for right now. But he did, slowly, nod his head.

"Okay. If anything changes..."

"I'll call or have somebody call you immediately."

Luka turned back to Abby, gave her a soft kiss on the lips and whispered. "I love you."

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THE END of Chapter 2

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DISCLAIMER: The above was a story of fiction based on characters created and owned by Michael Crichton and NBC.