Sequel to 'A Very Odd Couple'
Cast of Characters - Dave Malucci, Luka Kovac, Chris Malucci, Real Kerry.
Previously on ER.
Dave moved in with Luka and they became good friends.
After Dave was attacked, his sister Chris met Luka and they became even better friends
;-)
Chris came to visit Luka after being attacked by a patient at work. Dave - at Chris's request - made the excuse that he had to return some journals to Kerry and left them alone together.
Notes - I had called Luka's wife 'Maria' in the previous series before we found out her real name. I'm not changing it *now*
---------------------------
"Anyway...that's enough about that," said Chris, quickly. "I...my boss was talking to risk management a few weeks ago. Apparently some woman tried to sue the hospital...said she was given an x-ray and it turned out she'd been pregnant at the time. Anyway, we've started dipping a urine on all female patients between ten and fifty before sending them for x-rays...unless it's an emergency and we can't wait."
"That sounds like a good idea," said Luka, holding another plate under the tap. "In fact, I might suggest to Kerry that we do something like that at County."
"It's just as well they did," said Chris, her voice starting to shake slightly. "Because mine turned up positive..."
The plate shattered on the floor.
-----------------------
Dave carefully affixed the U-lock to his bike, securing it tightly to the County General bicycle rack.
After several months of busses and walking, he had woken up on Christmas morning to find a brightly wrapped front wheel under the tree...a joint present from his sisters. Chris had teased him by saying that if he was good he'd get the rest of the bike, a piece at a time for his next few birthday's and Christmases. A few well-aimed cushions had 'encouraged' her to admit that the rest of the bike was waiting for him in the trunk of Luka's car, as it was too large to fit under the tree.
Luka had given him a top of the line helmet to go with the bike, and had told him that he would be very disappointed if he felt that Dave did not fully 'appreciate' his gift.
Chris had been less subtle...telling him that if she ever caught him riding the bike without wearing the helmet, then she'd take a hacksaw to it. She *had* been smiling when she'd said this...but Dave knew that she was capable of carrying out her threat.
So he made sure he was always wearing the helmet. Of course he hid it in his backpack before entering the ER...a guy had to keep up his reputation *somehow*.
"Dr. Dave?" said Yosh in surprise, seeing him walk up to admit. "I didn't think you were on tonight."
"I'm not," replied Dave. "But my sister's in town...and you know what they say about 'three's a crowd." He grinned. "Anyway, I told them I had to drop some journals back to the Chief. So is Ke...Dr. Weaver around?"
"I think she's just getting ready to leave," said Carter, lifting his head from his bundle of charts.
"Hey, you want to catch a movie or something?" asked Dave, hopefully. "Cause I can't go back to the house for a couple of hours yet."
Carter shook his head. "Not tonight Dave, I'm on for another three hours."
"Oh," said Dave. "Randi? What about you?"
Randi raised an eyebrow, "I'm painting my nails," she said dryly.
"Ooh, I can't bear all this rejection," said Dave, grinning. "I'm going to find the Chief."
"Maybe you'll have better luck with her," smirked Carter.
Dave stuck his tongue out at him before moving away towards the Lounge.
"Yo Chief," he said, sticking his head round the door.
"Dave," said Kerry, in surprise as she pulled her coat around here. "What are you doing here?"
"Got kicked out of the house," grinned Dave. "Chris obviously wants Luka all to herself for an evening. So I thought I'd drop you back these." He held up the journals.
"I trust you found them interesting," said Kerry, with a wry smile.
Dave grimaced slightly. "You want to drop them in your locker?" he asked.
Kerry shook her head, "No, I'll take them home with me. Just in case I ever have trouble sleeping," she added with a wry smile. Taking the journals, she squeezed them into a heavily packed bag, before sliding it onto her shoulder, grimacing slightly at the weight.
"Here, let me carry it," said Dave, automatically reaching out for it.
"It's okay," said Kerry. "I only have to go as far as my car."
"I insist," said Dave, with a grin on his face. "I mean I'm the one who weighed you down with all the journals and stuff."
Kerry shrugged, then handed him the bag. "Thanks Dave."
"Whoa, whaddya got in here, rocks?"
"Just some body parts that I 'borrowed' from the morgue," said Kerry, with a deadpan expression on her face.
Dave did a double take before realizing she was joking. "Cute," he said, as he slung the bag over his shoulder.
----------------------
Luka turned slowly around and stared at Chris. "Chris? You are pregnant? You...*we* are going to have a baby?" His face was a mixture of shock and delight. "This...this is wonderful. Why did you not say something earlier? Have you had a scan yet? When are you due?" He was still mechanically making drying motions with the towel.
Chris took a deep breath, "Luka...sit down...we...we need to talk about this."
"But of course," said Luka, dropping the towel and sitting down opposite Chris. He took her hands in his. "There is so much to discuss...to arrange. Have you seen an OB yet? I can arrange for one of the Doctor's at County to see you, if you wish. Or perhaps you would prefer to see one of your own colleagues. I do not mind traveling to Milwaukee for the appointment."
"Luka, please listen to me...," began Chris, but Luka was wrapped up in his plans.
"And for the birth..."
Chris wrenched her hands free from Luka. "There may not be a birth," she said. "I...I don't even know if I want to have this baby."
Luka sat there, the smile fading from his face. "Chris...you...you cannot be serious...this is a life...a human life, you cannot simply put it back because you do not 'want' it." He reached out to her, but she flinched away.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I just *can't*," whispered Chris as she pushed away from the table and ran for the door, barely able to see it through the tears which were forming in her eyes.
---------------------------
Dave loaded Kerry's bags into the back of her car.
"So where are you heading for the remainder of your 'exile'?" she asked him, as she sat into the drivers seat.
Dave shrugged. "Dunno. Was gonna go to the movies, maybe grab a beer or two." The thought of killing time on his own, didn't really appeal to him. Before he could think twice, he said, "Don't suppose you'd be interested?"
Kerry blinked in surprise. "Oh...well, actually I *had* planned..."
Dave interrupted her, "It's okay, guess you've got better things to do than hang around with the likes of me." He was surprised by how dejected his voice sounded.
"Don't you start pulling that self-pity crap with *me*," warned Kerry. "I was going to say that I had planned to do my months grocery shopping this evening. So if you're really bored, you can come along and push the cart for me. Okay?"
"Okay," grinned Dave.
-----------------------------
Luka sat at the table, momentarily stunned by Chris's reactions. How could she even *think* of not having this child...*his* child. Surely she wasn't serious...maybe she just needed a little time to get used to the idea of it all. That was it, she was just nervous about it all. Maria had been the same when she found out she was pregnant with Jasna...and at least Chris hadn't started throwing things at him. No, all she needed was some love and reassurance that this was a *good* thing to have happened.
Pushing himself up from the table, he followed her out to the hall.
Chris was pulling on her coat. "Don't," she said, as he reached out to her. "Please...just let me go. I shouldn't have come here...I shouldn't have told you. I should have just 'dealt with it' myself." She turned away from him and moved towards the door.
Luka intercepted her, and blocked her way. "I am not letting you just walk out like this. How can you just tell me I am going to be a father, and then say that I am not? Please Chris...don't go. At least *talk* to me...explain why you feel you cannot go through with this."
Chris didn't look at Luka, but she didn't try to get past him. Luka continued, "I know that there are many reasons why you might wish for this not to be...but there are so many many reasons why it *should* be. At least give me a chance to show you them." He carefully reached out and raised Chris's head so she was looking him in the eye. "Talk to me, my love. Whatever is troubling you about this...this gift, please let me help you."
Chris's eyes were swimming in tears as she allowed Luka to pull her towards him. Letting her head rest against his chest, she whispered, "I...I'm scared."
Luka wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her hair. "I know," he said softly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "I know."
---------------------
To be continued
Cast of Characters - Dave Malucci, Luka Kovac, Chris Malucci, Real Kerry.
Previously on ER.
Dave moved in with Luka and they became good friends.
After Dave was attacked, his sister Chris met Luka and they became even better friends
;-)
Chris came to visit Luka after being attacked by a patient at work. Dave - at Chris's request - made the excuse that he had to return some journals to Kerry and left them alone together.
Notes - I had called Luka's wife 'Maria' in the previous series before we found out her real name. I'm not changing it *now*
---------------------------
"Anyway...that's enough about that," said Chris, quickly. "I...my boss was talking to risk management a few weeks ago. Apparently some woman tried to sue the hospital...said she was given an x-ray and it turned out she'd been pregnant at the time. Anyway, we've started dipping a urine on all female patients between ten and fifty before sending them for x-rays...unless it's an emergency and we can't wait."
"That sounds like a good idea," said Luka, holding another plate under the tap. "In fact, I might suggest to Kerry that we do something like that at County."
"It's just as well they did," said Chris, her voice starting to shake slightly. "Because mine turned up positive..."
The plate shattered on the floor.
-----------------------
Dave carefully affixed the U-lock to his bike, securing it tightly to the County General bicycle rack.
After several months of busses and walking, he had woken up on Christmas morning to find a brightly wrapped front wheel under the tree...a joint present from his sisters. Chris had teased him by saying that if he was good he'd get the rest of the bike, a piece at a time for his next few birthday's and Christmases. A few well-aimed cushions had 'encouraged' her to admit that the rest of the bike was waiting for him in the trunk of Luka's car, as it was too large to fit under the tree.
Luka had given him a top of the line helmet to go with the bike, and had told him that he would be very disappointed if he felt that Dave did not fully 'appreciate' his gift.
Chris had been less subtle...telling him that if she ever caught him riding the bike without wearing the helmet, then she'd take a hacksaw to it. She *had* been smiling when she'd said this...but Dave knew that she was capable of carrying out her threat.
So he made sure he was always wearing the helmet. Of course he hid it in his backpack before entering the ER...a guy had to keep up his reputation *somehow*.
"Dr. Dave?" said Yosh in surprise, seeing him walk up to admit. "I didn't think you were on tonight."
"I'm not," replied Dave. "But my sister's in town...and you know what they say about 'three's a crowd." He grinned. "Anyway, I told them I had to drop some journals back to the Chief. So is Ke...Dr. Weaver around?"
"I think she's just getting ready to leave," said Carter, lifting his head from his bundle of charts.
"Hey, you want to catch a movie or something?" asked Dave, hopefully. "Cause I can't go back to the house for a couple of hours yet."
Carter shook his head. "Not tonight Dave, I'm on for another three hours."
"Oh," said Dave. "Randi? What about you?"
Randi raised an eyebrow, "I'm painting my nails," she said dryly.
"Ooh, I can't bear all this rejection," said Dave, grinning. "I'm going to find the Chief."
"Maybe you'll have better luck with her," smirked Carter.
Dave stuck his tongue out at him before moving away towards the Lounge.
"Yo Chief," he said, sticking his head round the door.
"Dave," said Kerry, in surprise as she pulled her coat around here. "What are you doing here?"
"Got kicked out of the house," grinned Dave. "Chris obviously wants Luka all to herself for an evening. So I thought I'd drop you back these." He held up the journals.
"I trust you found them interesting," said Kerry, with a wry smile.
Dave grimaced slightly. "You want to drop them in your locker?" he asked.
Kerry shook her head, "No, I'll take them home with me. Just in case I ever have trouble sleeping," she added with a wry smile. Taking the journals, she squeezed them into a heavily packed bag, before sliding it onto her shoulder, grimacing slightly at the weight.
"Here, let me carry it," said Dave, automatically reaching out for it.
"It's okay," said Kerry. "I only have to go as far as my car."
"I insist," said Dave, with a grin on his face. "I mean I'm the one who weighed you down with all the journals and stuff."
Kerry shrugged, then handed him the bag. "Thanks Dave."
"Whoa, whaddya got in here, rocks?"
"Just some body parts that I 'borrowed' from the morgue," said Kerry, with a deadpan expression on her face.
Dave did a double take before realizing she was joking. "Cute," he said, as he slung the bag over his shoulder.
----------------------
Luka turned slowly around and stared at Chris. "Chris? You are pregnant? You...*we* are going to have a baby?" His face was a mixture of shock and delight. "This...this is wonderful. Why did you not say something earlier? Have you had a scan yet? When are you due?" He was still mechanically making drying motions with the towel.
Chris took a deep breath, "Luka...sit down...we...we need to talk about this."
"But of course," said Luka, dropping the towel and sitting down opposite Chris. He took her hands in his. "There is so much to discuss...to arrange. Have you seen an OB yet? I can arrange for one of the Doctor's at County to see you, if you wish. Or perhaps you would prefer to see one of your own colleagues. I do not mind traveling to Milwaukee for the appointment."
"Luka, please listen to me...," began Chris, but Luka was wrapped up in his plans.
"And for the birth..."
Chris wrenched her hands free from Luka. "There may not be a birth," she said. "I...I don't even know if I want to have this baby."
Luka sat there, the smile fading from his face. "Chris...you...you cannot be serious...this is a life...a human life, you cannot simply put it back because you do not 'want' it." He reached out to her, but she flinched away.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I just *can't*," whispered Chris as she pushed away from the table and ran for the door, barely able to see it through the tears which were forming in her eyes.
---------------------------
Dave loaded Kerry's bags into the back of her car.
"So where are you heading for the remainder of your 'exile'?" she asked him, as she sat into the drivers seat.
Dave shrugged. "Dunno. Was gonna go to the movies, maybe grab a beer or two." The thought of killing time on his own, didn't really appeal to him. Before he could think twice, he said, "Don't suppose you'd be interested?"
Kerry blinked in surprise. "Oh...well, actually I *had* planned..."
Dave interrupted her, "It's okay, guess you've got better things to do than hang around with the likes of me." He was surprised by how dejected his voice sounded.
"Don't you start pulling that self-pity crap with *me*," warned Kerry. "I was going to say that I had planned to do my months grocery shopping this evening. So if you're really bored, you can come along and push the cart for me. Okay?"
"Okay," grinned Dave.
-----------------------------
Luka sat at the table, momentarily stunned by Chris's reactions. How could she even *think* of not having this child...*his* child. Surely she wasn't serious...maybe she just needed a little time to get used to the idea of it all. That was it, she was just nervous about it all. Maria had been the same when she found out she was pregnant with Jasna...and at least Chris hadn't started throwing things at him. No, all she needed was some love and reassurance that this was a *good* thing to have happened.
Pushing himself up from the table, he followed her out to the hall.
Chris was pulling on her coat. "Don't," she said, as he reached out to her. "Please...just let me go. I shouldn't have come here...I shouldn't have told you. I should have just 'dealt with it' myself." She turned away from him and moved towards the door.
Luka intercepted her, and blocked her way. "I am not letting you just walk out like this. How can you just tell me I am going to be a father, and then say that I am not? Please Chris...don't go. At least *talk* to me...explain why you feel you cannot go through with this."
Chris didn't look at Luka, but she didn't try to get past him. Luka continued, "I know that there are many reasons why you might wish for this not to be...but there are so many many reasons why it *should* be. At least give me a chance to show you them." He carefully reached out and raised Chris's head so she was looking him in the eye. "Talk to me, my love. Whatever is troubling you about this...this gift, please let me help you."
Chris's eyes were swimming in tears as she allowed Luka to pull her towards him. Letting her head rest against his chest, she whispered, "I...I'm scared."
Luka wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her hair. "I know," he said softly, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. "I know."
---------------------
To be continued