Notes:
Ok guys, here's the seventh part of 'Where do we go from here'. I'm shocked at how long this thing is turning out to be, but ride it out, it's drawing to a close. There's one little thing I feel I should warn you about here. Once again, this chapter is back with Luka and Dave as the focus, which means there's going to be some guy on guy action. Nothing graphic, but if you don't like the idea of it, I'd back off now! Thank you! Oh yeah, some more little notes, the poem Dave quotes is called 'An Arundel Tomb' by Philip Larkin, if you want to read the rest of the poem, you can find it in the book 'The Whitsun Weddings'. The song Abby is singing is called 'Drops of Jupiter' by Train. It's a great song, so if you get hold of it I suggest you do! The song sung in the Karaoke bar is 'Build me up buttercup' by the Foundations whom I dedicate to my Abby whom I hope is reading this! Finally the song that's on in Luka's car is 'Somewhere I belong' by Linkin Park.
Disclaimer:
I don't own ER or Dave.if I did I'd be the richest and happiest person on earth!
Where do we go from here?
Chapter Seven - The truth about Dave
Dave sat on the fire escape, watching people come and go into the busy ER. He sipped his coffee and relaxed back a little bit. He was enjoying his break after a tough couple of hours. Dave saw Mark's basketball out of the corner of his eye and was considering playing with it when Luka stormed out of the ER and threw his chart down with an angry grunt. "Hey, what's wrong"? Dave asked, a concerned look invading his features.
"I just had to pronounce a five year old child, victim of an MVA" Luka replied sadly. "I'm sorry man, it's always harder when it's a child" Dave said comfortingly. He offered the older Croatia a sip of coffee, but Luka politely declined. Instead he rubbed his face, a pained look on his face. "Heads up" Dave commented, breaking Luka's depressing train of thought. Luka turned to Dave who threw the basketball at him. Luka managed to catch it just before it made contact with his face. "Nice catch" Dave said with a smirk.
"I don't really feel like playing now Dave" Luka muttered, throwing the ball back to his colleague. "It's a good stress relief" Dave commented as he bounced the ball between his hands. "Isn't it Mark's"? Luka asked.
"Do you see Baldilocks anywhere"? Luka let out a guilty smirk, he found Dave's name for Mark rather amusing. "Hey, that's more like it" Dave grinned, indicating Luka's smile.
"Thanks Dave, you're just what I needed"
"You just need to relax and kick back a bit" Dave replied.
"Yes, that does sound good" Luka admitted with a nod.
"What you need my man is the Dave Special"! Dave announced with a wide grin. Luka merely raised his eyebrow. "I'm intrigued" He replied.
"The Dave Special my friend is the best take-out food this side of Chicago! coupled with a couple of cool, frosty beers and of course, good company. Satisfaction guaranteed" Dave explained.
"I'd love to" Luka smiled.
"Ok, well I get out of here at nine so come over any time after that"
"I'll be there" Dave grinned and slapped Luka on the back. The two friends headed back towards the ER. Dave tapped Luka on the shoulder. Luka turned around and saw Dave holding the basketball. "No rim" He said simply. Dave threw the ball backwards towards the hoop. Luka watched as the ball bounced off the backboard and landed in a nearby bank of snow. Luka fought back the urge to laugh. Instead he smiled at the sheepish looking Dave. "You need more practise" He said teasingly.
~*~
Carter opened his eyes and stretched. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. Last night had been a great night. Carter smiled to himself as he rolled over and smiled at Abby who was sound asleep next to him in the ornate four poster bed. Carter gently stroked her hair and thought about the amazing night they'd shared together. As Abby opened her eyes, Carter was granted with the beautiful sight of Abby's glorious brown orbs. Abby smiled at him as he stroked her creamy white cheek. Her skin felt so soft as his finger tips brushed against her lips. Abby leant forward and kissed her new lover. Carter returned the kiss, enjoying the moment. It brought back the magical memories of the previous night. As if hearing his thoughts, Abby smiled again and whispered. "Last night was great"
"It was amazing" Carter agreed.
"When are you on"? Abby asked.
"Ten o clock" Carter replied.
"Then we have a whole hour" Abby smirked cheekily. Carter grinned and started to kiss her again, his hand beginning to run across her thigh.
~*~
Dave handed Luka the cool bottle of beer. Luka thanked Dave and pressed the bottle to his fore-head, the condensation on the bottle was refreshing and awakening at the same time. "Feeling better"? Dave asked.
"Yeah" Luka nodded a bit, removing the cool glass from his forehead and taking a sip. "Losing a patient is always hard, especially with kids" Dave said quietly. Luka nodded and took another sip of beer. "It's even harder when you have one yourself, just wait until you have kids." Dave continued. As soon as the words had come out of his mouth, Dave realised what he'd said. He shut his eyes and silently cursed his own stupidity. "Oh God..I'm so sorry"
"It's ok" Luka replied. Dave rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He didn't really know what to say next after making such a terrible faux pas. "I moved away from Croatia to avoid this" He added.
"Avoid what"?
"The uncomfortable silences, people tiptoeing around me, scared of saying the wrong thing" Luka explained.
"I'm sorry, do you.uh want another beer"? Dave asked.
"I better not, I have work in the morning" Luka replied gently. Dave nodded and grabbed another slice of pizza. Luka scanned the room looking for an interesting talking point. Luka noticed some of Dave's books on his bookshelf. Luka walked over to the shelf and selected a book. He glanced at it and turned back to Dave. "Philip Larkin"? He questioned.
"Yeah, you didn't think I was a poetry fan"? Dave grinned.
"Of course not" Luka replied, flipping through the pages.
"And to prove our almost instinct almost true, what will survive of us is love" Dave quoted. "That's beautiful" Luka said with a smile.
"Yeah, it's one of my favourites in that book" Luka carefully placed the book back and noticed a picture on top of the small bookshelf. It was a picture of Dave and Michael. Michael was sitting on Dave's shoulders and both father and son wore a smile. Luka smiled back at the smiling image of Dave, fatherhood seemed to suit Dave somehow. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you miss Michael's mother"? Luka asked. Dave simply shook his head and swigged from his beer bottle. "Why"?
"Because" Dave snapped slamming the beer bottle down on the small coffee table. "I'm sorry Dave, I'll go" Luka apoligized.
"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that" Dave said sheepishly.
"It's ok, I'm not leaving because of that, I need to be up early tomorrow for my shift" Luka replied. He nodded to Dave, picked up his coat and left.
Dave sighed deeply and wandered into Michael's room where his son was sound asleep. Dave bent down and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I love you son" He whispered.
~*~
It was a rather uneventful morning for the staff of the ER. Luka was catching up on some charts in between chatting to Abby and Dave who were both at the admit desk. Dave was spinning around on Frank's office chair and Abby was singing to herself as she got on with her work. "Tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet? Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day"? Abby sang aloud. Luka looked up from his charts and grinned at his friend. "What made you so happy this morning"? He asked.
"Oh nothing" Abby replied happily.
"She had sex" Dave commented, not looking away from the computer that he was now messing around on. "And how do you know that"? Luka asked with a grin. Dave's only reply was his trademark smirk. Abby was about to seriously rebuke Dave, but before she could, Carter approached the desk and asked to have a word with her. "They had sex" Dave commented as Carter walked away with Abby. Luka laughed, wondering how the hell Dave could know something like that. Dave laughed too, but after a minute, his face turned serious. An expression Luka seldom saw on his friend. "I'm really sorry for snapping last night Luka. I shouldn't have, not at you, it was really rude of me" Dave apoligised.
"It's ok Dave really, I should've known it was a sore subject" Luka replied graciously. "I'm going to make it up to you"! Dave announced, a hint of excitement in his voice. "You don't have to" Luka grinned at the excited expression on Dave's face. It was reminiscent of a child's, very endearing. "Oh I insist! I'm going to take you to my favourite bar"! Dave exclaimed, getting more and more excited by the minute. Luka smirked. "What have I let myself in for"? He asked jokingly. Dave grinned at him.
"You'll see"! He answered as he grabbed a chart and left the desk.
~*~
"Are you sure about this"? Luka asked somewhat nervously as Dave pushed the door of the bar open. The bar seemed to be particularly noisy and rowdy. "Of course I am"! Dave replied. After a tough shift, this place was his favourite place to come and kick back and relax.
"It's a Karaoke bar Dave" Luka stated as they entered the smoky bar. He indicated a small stage in the corner with tacky looking multi coloured lights around it. There was a young man stood on the stage tunelessly slaying a Bon Jovi track. Aside from that, at the other end of the room was a small bar where a short, fat, Italian looking man was serving drinks. There were various chairs and tables dotted around the room with all kinds of people sat at them. They were all smiling and laughing as they all greeted Dave. Luka had to admit this place did look like a really friendly place, and he was sure that he'd get used to the smell of cheap cigars soon enough. The place did have a cosy feel and a nice atmosphere that Luka was slowly starting to warm to. "What do you think"? Dave asked.
"I think I'm going to like it" Luka admitted, smiling. "You come here often"?
"As often as I can" Dave replied. He slapped his hand down on the bar top and the short, fat man came to their end of the bar. "Malucci"! The barman greeted with a smile.
"Hey Sergio, I'll have the usual and the same for my friend here" Dave answered.
"And who is this friend of yours"? Sergio asked. Luka noted the man had a strong Italian accent. "This is Luka, he works in the ER with me" Dave replied. Sergio nodded in Luka's direction and set about getting the drinks. While Dave waited at the bar, Luka scanned the room for a free table. The place seemed pretty busy tonight. When Luka had found a free table, he motioned for Dave to join him. Dave grabbed the drinks and took a seat next to him at the small table. "Sergio has the best beer" Dave commented as he took a sip from his own glass.
"You never said this place was a Karaoke bar"! Luka replied slightly nervous. He didn't really relish the idea of standing up in front of a room full of people and singing. Singing was something Luka usually left for the shower and when no-one else was around. "I thought it'd be a nice surprise. It'll be fun, Sergio gets everyone to have a go sooner or later"
"You mean you've sung"? Luka asked with wide eyes.
"Sure! I have the voice of an angel" Dave grinned. "I can't wait to hear you sing" He added with a cheeky smirk.
"Oh no way" Luka said, shaking his head.
"Oh come on"! Dave pleaded.
"I don't know that many American songs" Luka replied adamantly. It was partly true, he didn't really know that many American songs, except for the ones he'd heard on Dave's personal CD player on occasions. He remembered a couple that Abby had taught him but he wasn't keen on singing them in front of anyone. "You know most of my stuff"! Dave whined. Luka smiled at his friend who, at this moment, sounded just like a small child.
"No Dave" He replied, trying to sound angry, the only problem was his wide grin that gave him away. "We could do a duet"! Dave suggested.
"Do you ever give in"?
"Not until I get what I want"! Dave grinned.
~*~
"I need you, more than anyone baby! You know that I have from the start, so build me up, buttercup, don't break my heart"! The small audience applauded and Luka graciously bowed. He handed the microphone over to the next person and sat back down beside Dave. "I thought you didn't know that many American songs"? Dave said dubiously.
"I lied, Abby taught me some" Luka grinned.
"And what happened to 'no way Dave'"? Dave asked.
"I lied again" Luka laughed. He'd had quite a bit to drink and was feeling rather tipsy. "You have a really good voice" Dave said admiringly. "It's a shame I had to get you drunk to hear it"!
"Hey I am not drunk" Luka slurred.
"Sure" Dave replied sarcastically. "I'll say one thing for you my friend, you're a man who can't hold his drink"!
"What about you at Abby's last birthday party? Drinking Tequila straight from the bottle"! Luka exclaimed.
"A practised art" Dave smiled. He had only had two beers tonight. He didn't really want a hangover in the morning and he knew that since Luka was drunk, he'd have to be the one driving. Luka however, was looking a bit worse for wear. Dave frowned a bit as Luka started to sway in his seat. Maybe it was time to get his friend home. "Aren't you on tomorrow"? He asked the Croatian Attending.
"Shit" Luka muttered with realisation.
"Man, we better get you home and sobered up. Maybe you should stay the night at my place" Dave replied as he rose from his seat. He helped Luka up, who swayed for a bit before slumping against him. Dave sighed a bit, not realising that Luka had been getting this drunk. He began to walk his friend slowly out of the bar. "I think I should drive, where are your keys"? Luka pulled the car keys out of his pocket and handed them to Dave. Dave glanced at Luka's car nervously. That thing looked really expensive and it had been a while since Dave had driven. However, right now, Dave was definitely the safer driver. After aiding Luka to get in the passenger seat, Dave climbed into the driver's seat and used the switch to roll down Luka's window to give his friend some much needed fresh air. "I had fun tonight" Luka said happily, smiling drunkly at Dave.
"Yeah we should do it.." Dave paused as Luka proceeded to vomit out of the opened car window. "again sometime" He added with a smirk.
~*~
Dave opened the door to his apartment and let it swing open as he helped Luka over the step and into the hallway. As Dave let go of Luka to lock the door, Luka stumbled and knocked over a lamp that stood on a table by the door. Luka burst out laughing, finding it the most hilarious thing in the world. "Sssh" Dave scolded. It was getting pretty late and he knew that most people in the apartment block would be asleep. He was silently thankful that he'd arranged for Michael to stay the night at Mrs Hinton's apartment.
Dave guided Luka through the hallway and onto his sofa. As he was helping Luka down, Luka accidently pulled Dave down with him so that Dave was now lying on top of him. "Oops"! Luka laughed. Dave stared intensely at his friend. He could feel something inside him stir up. Luka continued to giggle as Dave stared at him. Dave lean forward a bit more. Part of him knew this was wrong, because he was taking advantage of the fact that Luka was drunk, but on the other hand, Dave had secretly been waiting for an opportunity like this in a long time. Since he didn't know when it would pose itself again, Dave decided to take it. He closed his eyes and began to kiss Luka passionately. It was like lightning in Luka's brain. He was suddenly aware that he was being kissed. He opened his eyes, shocked to see that it was Dave. Luka shoved him off so roughly that Dave fell to the floor. Luka pulled himself off the sofa, grabbed his keys from the coffee table where Dave had dropped them, and walked out. "Luka"! He heard Dave call after him. He didn't answer, all he could think about was getting out of here. He felt dizzy and nauseous but he continued walking. He picked up the pace a little bit and ran out into the street, trying not to fall over. He was slightly aware of the fact that Dave was following him, continuously calling his name. Luka climbed into his car and jammed the keys in the starter, he turned them, the engine started, and in seconds, Luka was off, speeding down the street so fast, his tyres screeched.
~*~
His vision was so blurry and the world seemed to be much more brighter and strange looking than he'd remembered a couple of hours ago. The car was slowly but surely picking up speed as he drove down the quiet streets. He had no idea what he was doing, or even where he was going. He had to get away, he had to get away from Dave. He didn't really know why, he was just listening to instinct. The alcohol had destroyed his logical thought processes, everything he was doing now, he was doing on beer. Luka hit the radio button and some band he didn't realise blasted out. He kept on driving, to nowhere in particular, all the time picking up speed.
"When this began, I had nothing to say and I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me"
Luka stared in out at the road in front of him. It was hard to concentrate, half of him felt the euphoria from the alcohol and the other half felt confusion and anger at what had just taken place.
"I was confused, and I let it all out to find that I'm not the only person with these things in mind"
The radio seemed to be getter louder, the music didn't make sense to him, but still he drove. The car was still gaining speed, but he didn't care, he just wanted to get away.
"Inside of me, but all the vacancy the words revealed, is the only real thing I've got left to feel"
The man walking down the street could see the Viper speeding down the street. "Crazy drunk driver" he muttered to himself as the car seemed to weave along the road, all the time gathering speed.
"Nothing to lose, just stuck hollow and alone and the fault is my own, and the fault is my own"
He was so out of his mind that he didn't see the elderly lady shuffling across the road. As Luka looked up, he saw her, just in time. He swerved, trying his hardest in his current state to regain control of the vehicle that was now spinning out of control. Suddenly the car came to a halt, there was a loud bang, followed by the sound of smashing glass. A metal lamppost suddenly thrust itself towards his face. The last thing Luka heard before slipping into the enveloping black was the words that echoed from the radio.
"I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real, I wanna let go of the pain I felt so long"
END OF CHAPTER SEVEN
Ok guys, here's the seventh part of 'Where do we go from here'. I'm shocked at how long this thing is turning out to be, but ride it out, it's drawing to a close. There's one little thing I feel I should warn you about here. Once again, this chapter is back with Luka and Dave as the focus, which means there's going to be some guy on guy action. Nothing graphic, but if you don't like the idea of it, I'd back off now! Thank you! Oh yeah, some more little notes, the poem Dave quotes is called 'An Arundel Tomb' by Philip Larkin, if you want to read the rest of the poem, you can find it in the book 'The Whitsun Weddings'. The song Abby is singing is called 'Drops of Jupiter' by Train. It's a great song, so if you get hold of it I suggest you do! The song sung in the Karaoke bar is 'Build me up buttercup' by the Foundations whom I dedicate to my Abby whom I hope is reading this! Finally the song that's on in Luka's car is 'Somewhere I belong' by Linkin Park.
Disclaimer:
I don't own ER or Dave.if I did I'd be the richest and happiest person on earth!
Where do we go from here?
Chapter Seven - The truth about Dave
Dave sat on the fire escape, watching people come and go into the busy ER. He sipped his coffee and relaxed back a little bit. He was enjoying his break after a tough couple of hours. Dave saw Mark's basketball out of the corner of his eye and was considering playing with it when Luka stormed out of the ER and threw his chart down with an angry grunt. "Hey, what's wrong"? Dave asked, a concerned look invading his features.
"I just had to pronounce a five year old child, victim of an MVA" Luka replied sadly. "I'm sorry man, it's always harder when it's a child" Dave said comfortingly. He offered the older Croatia a sip of coffee, but Luka politely declined. Instead he rubbed his face, a pained look on his face. "Heads up" Dave commented, breaking Luka's depressing train of thought. Luka turned to Dave who threw the basketball at him. Luka managed to catch it just before it made contact with his face. "Nice catch" Dave said with a smirk.
"I don't really feel like playing now Dave" Luka muttered, throwing the ball back to his colleague. "It's a good stress relief" Dave commented as he bounced the ball between his hands. "Isn't it Mark's"? Luka asked.
"Do you see Baldilocks anywhere"? Luka let out a guilty smirk, he found Dave's name for Mark rather amusing. "Hey, that's more like it" Dave grinned, indicating Luka's smile.
"Thanks Dave, you're just what I needed"
"You just need to relax and kick back a bit" Dave replied.
"Yes, that does sound good" Luka admitted with a nod.
"What you need my man is the Dave Special"! Dave announced with a wide grin. Luka merely raised his eyebrow. "I'm intrigued" He replied.
"The Dave Special my friend is the best take-out food this side of Chicago! coupled with a couple of cool, frosty beers and of course, good company. Satisfaction guaranteed" Dave explained.
"I'd love to" Luka smiled.
"Ok, well I get out of here at nine so come over any time after that"
"I'll be there" Dave grinned and slapped Luka on the back. The two friends headed back towards the ER. Dave tapped Luka on the shoulder. Luka turned around and saw Dave holding the basketball. "No rim" He said simply. Dave threw the ball backwards towards the hoop. Luka watched as the ball bounced off the backboard and landed in a nearby bank of snow. Luka fought back the urge to laugh. Instead he smiled at the sheepish looking Dave. "You need more practise" He said teasingly.
~*~
Carter opened his eyes and stretched. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. Last night had been a great night. Carter smiled to himself as he rolled over and smiled at Abby who was sound asleep next to him in the ornate four poster bed. Carter gently stroked her hair and thought about the amazing night they'd shared together. As Abby opened her eyes, Carter was granted with the beautiful sight of Abby's glorious brown orbs. Abby smiled at him as he stroked her creamy white cheek. Her skin felt so soft as his finger tips brushed against her lips. Abby leant forward and kissed her new lover. Carter returned the kiss, enjoying the moment. It brought back the magical memories of the previous night. As if hearing his thoughts, Abby smiled again and whispered. "Last night was great"
"It was amazing" Carter agreed.
"When are you on"? Abby asked.
"Ten o clock" Carter replied.
"Then we have a whole hour" Abby smirked cheekily. Carter grinned and started to kiss her again, his hand beginning to run across her thigh.
~*~
Dave handed Luka the cool bottle of beer. Luka thanked Dave and pressed the bottle to his fore-head, the condensation on the bottle was refreshing and awakening at the same time. "Feeling better"? Dave asked.
"Yeah" Luka nodded a bit, removing the cool glass from his forehead and taking a sip. "Losing a patient is always hard, especially with kids" Dave said quietly. Luka nodded and took another sip of beer. "It's even harder when you have one yourself, just wait until you have kids." Dave continued. As soon as the words had come out of his mouth, Dave realised what he'd said. He shut his eyes and silently cursed his own stupidity. "Oh God..I'm so sorry"
"It's ok" Luka replied. Dave rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. He didn't really know what to say next after making such a terrible faux pas. "I moved away from Croatia to avoid this" He added.
"Avoid what"?
"The uncomfortable silences, people tiptoeing around me, scared of saying the wrong thing" Luka explained.
"I'm sorry, do you.uh want another beer"? Dave asked.
"I better not, I have work in the morning" Luka replied gently. Dave nodded and grabbed another slice of pizza. Luka scanned the room looking for an interesting talking point. Luka noticed some of Dave's books on his bookshelf. Luka walked over to the shelf and selected a book. He glanced at it and turned back to Dave. "Philip Larkin"? He questioned.
"Yeah, you didn't think I was a poetry fan"? Dave grinned.
"Of course not" Luka replied, flipping through the pages.
"And to prove our almost instinct almost true, what will survive of us is love" Dave quoted. "That's beautiful" Luka said with a smile.
"Yeah, it's one of my favourites in that book" Luka carefully placed the book back and noticed a picture on top of the small bookshelf. It was a picture of Dave and Michael. Michael was sitting on Dave's shoulders and both father and son wore a smile. Luka smiled back at the smiling image of Dave, fatherhood seemed to suit Dave somehow. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you miss Michael's mother"? Luka asked. Dave simply shook his head and swigged from his beer bottle. "Why"?
"Because" Dave snapped slamming the beer bottle down on the small coffee table. "I'm sorry Dave, I'll go" Luka apoligized.
"No, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped like that" Dave said sheepishly.
"It's ok, I'm not leaving because of that, I need to be up early tomorrow for my shift" Luka replied. He nodded to Dave, picked up his coat and left.
Dave sighed deeply and wandered into Michael's room where his son was sound asleep. Dave bent down and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I love you son" He whispered.
~*~
It was a rather uneventful morning for the staff of the ER. Luka was catching up on some charts in between chatting to Abby and Dave who were both at the admit desk. Dave was spinning around on Frank's office chair and Abby was singing to herself as she got on with her work. "Tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet? Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day"? Abby sang aloud. Luka looked up from his charts and grinned at his friend. "What made you so happy this morning"? He asked.
"Oh nothing" Abby replied happily.
"She had sex" Dave commented, not looking away from the computer that he was now messing around on. "And how do you know that"? Luka asked with a grin. Dave's only reply was his trademark smirk. Abby was about to seriously rebuke Dave, but before she could, Carter approached the desk and asked to have a word with her. "They had sex" Dave commented as Carter walked away with Abby. Luka laughed, wondering how the hell Dave could know something like that. Dave laughed too, but after a minute, his face turned serious. An expression Luka seldom saw on his friend. "I'm really sorry for snapping last night Luka. I shouldn't have, not at you, it was really rude of me" Dave apoligised.
"It's ok Dave really, I should've known it was a sore subject" Luka replied graciously. "I'm going to make it up to you"! Dave announced, a hint of excitement in his voice. "You don't have to" Luka grinned at the excited expression on Dave's face. It was reminiscent of a child's, very endearing. "Oh I insist! I'm going to take you to my favourite bar"! Dave exclaimed, getting more and more excited by the minute. Luka smirked. "What have I let myself in for"? He asked jokingly. Dave grinned at him.
"You'll see"! He answered as he grabbed a chart and left the desk.
~*~
"Are you sure about this"? Luka asked somewhat nervously as Dave pushed the door of the bar open. The bar seemed to be particularly noisy and rowdy. "Of course I am"! Dave replied. After a tough shift, this place was his favourite place to come and kick back and relax.
"It's a Karaoke bar Dave" Luka stated as they entered the smoky bar. He indicated a small stage in the corner with tacky looking multi coloured lights around it. There was a young man stood on the stage tunelessly slaying a Bon Jovi track. Aside from that, at the other end of the room was a small bar where a short, fat, Italian looking man was serving drinks. There were various chairs and tables dotted around the room with all kinds of people sat at them. They were all smiling and laughing as they all greeted Dave. Luka had to admit this place did look like a really friendly place, and he was sure that he'd get used to the smell of cheap cigars soon enough. The place did have a cosy feel and a nice atmosphere that Luka was slowly starting to warm to. "What do you think"? Dave asked.
"I think I'm going to like it" Luka admitted, smiling. "You come here often"?
"As often as I can" Dave replied. He slapped his hand down on the bar top and the short, fat man came to their end of the bar. "Malucci"! The barman greeted with a smile.
"Hey Sergio, I'll have the usual and the same for my friend here" Dave answered.
"And who is this friend of yours"? Sergio asked. Luka noted the man had a strong Italian accent. "This is Luka, he works in the ER with me" Dave replied. Sergio nodded in Luka's direction and set about getting the drinks. While Dave waited at the bar, Luka scanned the room for a free table. The place seemed pretty busy tonight. When Luka had found a free table, he motioned for Dave to join him. Dave grabbed the drinks and took a seat next to him at the small table. "Sergio has the best beer" Dave commented as he took a sip from his own glass.
"You never said this place was a Karaoke bar"! Luka replied slightly nervous. He didn't really relish the idea of standing up in front of a room full of people and singing. Singing was something Luka usually left for the shower and when no-one else was around. "I thought it'd be a nice surprise. It'll be fun, Sergio gets everyone to have a go sooner or later"
"You mean you've sung"? Luka asked with wide eyes.
"Sure! I have the voice of an angel" Dave grinned. "I can't wait to hear you sing" He added with a cheeky smirk.
"Oh no way" Luka said, shaking his head.
"Oh come on"! Dave pleaded.
"I don't know that many American songs" Luka replied adamantly. It was partly true, he didn't really know that many American songs, except for the ones he'd heard on Dave's personal CD player on occasions. He remembered a couple that Abby had taught him but he wasn't keen on singing them in front of anyone. "You know most of my stuff"! Dave whined. Luka smiled at his friend who, at this moment, sounded just like a small child.
"No Dave" He replied, trying to sound angry, the only problem was his wide grin that gave him away. "We could do a duet"! Dave suggested.
"Do you ever give in"?
"Not until I get what I want"! Dave grinned.
~*~
"I need you, more than anyone baby! You know that I have from the start, so build me up, buttercup, don't break my heart"! The small audience applauded and Luka graciously bowed. He handed the microphone over to the next person and sat back down beside Dave. "I thought you didn't know that many American songs"? Dave said dubiously.
"I lied, Abby taught me some" Luka grinned.
"And what happened to 'no way Dave'"? Dave asked.
"I lied again" Luka laughed. He'd had quite a bit to drink and was feeling rather tipsy. "You have a really good voice" Dave said admiringly. "It's a shame I had to get you drunk to hear it"!
"Hey I am not drunk" Luka slurred.
"Sure" Dave replied sarcastically. "I'll say one thing for you my friend, you're a man who can't hold his drink"!
"What about you at Abby's last birthday party? Drinking Tequila straight from the bottle"! Luka exclaimed.
"A practised art" Dave smiled. He had only had two beers tonight. He didn't really want a hangover in the morning and he knew that since Luka was drunk, he'd have to be the one driving. Luka however, was looking a bit worse for wear. Dave frowned a bit as Luka started to sway in his seat. Maybe it was time to get his friend home. "Aren't you on tomorrow"? He asked the Croatian Attending.
"Shit" Luka muttered with realisation.
"Man, we better get you home and sobered up. Maybe you should stay the night at my place" Dave replied as he rose from his seat. He helped Luka up, who swayed for a bit before slumping against him. Dave sighed a bit, not realising that Luka had been getting this drunk. He began to walk his friend slowly out of the bar. "I think I should drive, where are your keys"? Luka pulled the car keys out of his pocket and handed them to Dave. Dave glanced at Luka's car nervously. That thing looked really expensive and it had been a while since Dave had driven. However, right now, Dave was definitely the safer driver. After aiding Luka to get in the passenger seat, Dave climbed into the driver's seat and used the switch to roll down Luka's window to give his friend some much needed fresh air. "I had fun tonight" Luka said happily, smiling drunkly at Dave.
"Yeah we should do it.." Dave paused as Luka proceeded to vomit out of the opened car window. "again sometime" He added with a smirk.
~*~
Dave opened the door to his apartment and let it swing open as he helped Luka over the step and into the hallway. As Dave let go of Luka to lock the door, Luka stumbled and knocked over a lamp that stood on a table by the door. Luka burst out laughing, finding it the most hilarious thing in the world. "Sssh" Dave scolded. It was getting pretty late and he knew that most people in the apartment block would be asleep. He was silently thankful that he'd arranged for Michael to stay the night at Mrs Hinton's apartment.
Dave guided Luka through the hallway and onto his sofa. As he was helping Luka down, Luka accidently pulled Dave down with him so that Dave was now lying on top of him. "Oops"! Luka laughed. Dave stared intensely at his friend. He could feel something inside him stir up. Luka continued to giggle as Dave stared at him. Dave lean forward a bit more. Part of him knew this was wrong, because he was taking advantage of the fact that Luka was drunk, but on the other hand, Dave had secretly been waiting for an opportunity like this in a long time. Since he didn't know when it would pose itself again, Dave decided to take it. He closed his eyes and began to kiss Luka passionately. It was like lightning in Luka's brain. He was suddenly aware that he was being kissed. He opened his eyes, shocked to see that it was Dave. Luka shoved him off so roughly that Dave fell to the floor. Luka pulled himself off the sofa, grabbed his keys from the coffee table where Dave had dropped them, and walked out. "Luka"! He heard Dave call after him. He didn't answer, all he could think about was getting out of here. He felt dizzy and nauseous but he continued walking. He picked up the pace a little bit and ran out into the street, trying not to fall over. He was slightly aware of the fact that Dave was following him, continuously calling his name. Luka climbed into his car and jammed the keys in the starter, he turned them, the engine started, and in seconds, Luka was off, speeding down the street so fast, his tyres screeched.
~*~
His vision was so blurry and the world seemed to be much more brighter and strange looking than he'd remembered a couple of hours ago. The car was slowly but surely picking up speed as he drove down the quiet streets. He had no idea what he was doing, or even where he was going. He had to get away, he had to get away from Dave. He didn't really know why, he was just listening to instinct. The alcohol had destroyed his logical thought processes, everything he was doing now, he was doing on beer. Luka hit the radio button and some band he didn't realise blasted out. He kept on driving, to nowhere in particular, all the time picking up speed.
"When this began, I had nothing to say and I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me"
Luka stared in out at the road in front of him. It was hard to concentrate, half of him felt the euphoria from the alcohol and the other half felt confusion and anger at what had just taken place.
"I was confused, and I let it all out to find that I'm not the only person with these things in mind"
The radio seemed to be getter louder, the music didn't make sense to him, but still he drove. The car was still gaining speed, but he didn't care, he just wanted to get away.
"Inside of me, but all the vacancy the words revealed, is the only real thing I've got left to feel"
The man walking down the street could see the Viper speeding down the street. "Crazy drunk driver" he muttered to himself as the car seemed to weave along the road, all the time gathering speed.
"Nothing to lose, just stuck hollow and alone and the fault is my own, and the fault is my own"
He was so out of his mind that he didn't see the elderly lady shuffling across the road. As Luka looked up, he saw her, just in time. He swerved, trying his hardest in his current state to regain control of the vehicle that was now spinning out of control. Suddenly the car came to a halt, there was a loud bang, followed by the sound of smashing glass. A metal lamppost suddenly thrust itself towards his face. The last thing Luka heard before slipping into the enveloping black was the words that echoed from the radio.
"I wanna heal, I wanna feel what I thought was never real, I wanna let go of the pain I felt so long"
END OF CHAPTER SEVEN
