Title: Hotter Than July
Rating: PG-13, but R later on...
Disclaimer: The ER characters do not belong to me, neither do any products, song lyrics or literary quotations mentioned.
Summary: Warm weather, flirtation and a few lessons to be learned. Luby. Sort of AU, sort of not.
Spoilers: Some season 9 and maybe early 10 I guess.
Reviews: Please, if you have the time, R&R. Thankyou. Constructive criticism is welcome, but I'm 80% of the way through this and happy so far :) My first fic, so be nice please!!
Dedications: To Claire, for putting the idea in my head to write fanfic, and for her endless videotaping, I am very grateful. To Natasha for reading without having ever seen the show, amazing!! And to No 13.baby for her emails, so great to talk to another writer :) And to all the Lubies in the world :)
A/N: Apologies if some of my British phrases are alien, please do not hesitate to email me to ask anything and I will get back to you ASAP. Secondly I started writing this in July 2002, it was meant to be AU season 9, it has now turned into sort of AU sort of not so apologies if it seems a little disjointed!!
In the summer, it never worked. In the winter, it doubled the coldness. Whoever invented air conditioning had to be taking the piss, Abby thought, heading for the exit, Marlboro Lights in hand, dying for the contradictions that were fresh air and a good smoke. She was momentarily interrupted by an onrushing Carter.
"You OK?" He asked, brightly.
She smiled, realising for once that she was not tired of the question or faking the answer when she replied. "Yeah. Just need some fresh air."
"You'll be lucky. They say it's almost eighty-five degrees out there."
"Anything's better than baking my ass off in here," she said, grinning.
The hot, sticky air clung with a vice-like grip, the humidity instantly rising to meet her. Not even the draught from the doors closing behind her made any difference. Out of the furnace, into the flames. As always, she thought, eyeing the glowing tip of the cigarette, watching shades of red, orange and yellow smoulder away to greying ash. She took another long drag, feeling the precious rush of the nicotine beginning to kick in. Abby leant back against the wall, the sun blazing in her face, her eyes tormented by the brightness. Before she had been a smoker she had always wondered why people chose to light up in the summer, as if it was somehow warm. Warm it was not. Addictive, it certainly was.
Closing her eyes, she let the cacophony of sensations take over for a few precious moments of much-needed escapism. Nothing passed through her consciousness except the tiny daggers of ultraviolet piercing her skin with such vibrant rays. Opening her eyes again, she leisurely surveyed her surroundings. OK, so summer meant acute sunburn, more drink driving, hyperactivity and general hospital mayhem. But it also meant warm sunshine, long, beautiful evenings and...oh God, not in this weather! She blinked to ensure this was not some crazy hallucination. Approaching her was a jogging Luka. She had never seen him so exhausted before, and that really was saying something.
"Taking the scenic route?" She quipped, knowing he was off work today. Catching his breath, he struggled for an answer.
"Just trying to..."
"Lose weight?" She joked, enjoying the horror on his face as he gazed sceptically at his stomach. And men think we're vain!
He grimaced, then looked up. "Get fit."
Abby quickly took hold of his burning hot arm and smiled. "I'm kidding. You're fine." "But you'd better go before anybody sees you. I mean, running in this heat? They'll be dragging you upstairs in no time."
Luka smiled, but made no reply. Abby frowned at him, wondering why she was trying to remember something. Then, through the incandescent summer haze, her mind caught up with her.
"Oh God. Do we still have to go to that crappy lecture tonight?" She was referring to Weaver's punishment for anybody who was late too many times: to attend Northwestern University's medical lectures in their free time. And to report back with copious notes to prove you've been listening.
"Yeah. Should be interesting." His tone held no enthusiasm.
"So what time are you coming to get me?" She stubbed out the Marlboro and exhaled deeply. He held up six fingers, smiled and jogged away, towards the open arms of the glowing sun. Abby turned around and went back to embrace the smouldering ball of flame that was the ER.
A/N: Not much of a cliffhanger, I know, next chapter up very soon!!
Rating: PG-13, but R later on...
Disclaimer: The ER characters do not belong to me, neither do any products, song lyrics or literary quotations mentioned.
Summary: Warm weather, flirtation and a few lessons to be learned. Luby. Sort of AU, sort of not.
Spoilers: Some season 9 and maybe early 10 I guess.
Reviews: Please, if you have the time, R&R. Thankyou. Constructive criticism is welcome, but I'm 80% of the way through this and happy so far :) My first fic, so be nice please!!
Dedications: To Claire, for putting the idea in my head to write fanfic, and for her endless videotaping, I am very grateful. To Natasha for reading without having ever seen the show, amazing!! And to No 13.baby for her emails, so great to talk to another writer :) And to all the Lubies in the world :)
A/N: Apologies if some of my British phrases are alien, please do not hesitate to email me to ask anything and I will get back to you ASAP. Secondly I started writing this in July 2002, it was meant to be AU season 9, it has now turned into sort of AU sort of not so apologies if it seems a little disjointed!!
In the summer, it never worked. In the winter, it doubled the coldness. Whoever invented air conditioning had to be taking the piss, Abby thought, heading for the exit, Marlboro Lights in hand, dying for the contradictions that were fresh air and a good smoke. She was momentarily interrupted by an onrushing Carter.
"You OK?" He asked, brightly.
She smiled, realising for once that she was not tired of the question or faking the answer when she replied. "Yeah. Just need some fresh air."
"You'll be lucky. They say it's almost eighty-five degrees out there."
"Anything's better than baking my ass off in here," she said, grinning.
The hot, sticky air clung with a vice-like grip, the humidity instantly rising to meet her. Not even the draught from the doors closing behind her made any difference. Out of the furnace, into the flames. As always, she thought, eyeing the glowing tip of the cigarette, watching shades of red, orange and yellow smoulder away to greying ash. She took another long drag, feeling the precious rush of the nicotine beginning to kick in. Abby leant back against the wall, the sun blazing in her face, her eyes tormented by the brightness. Before she had been a smoker she had always wondered why people chose to light up in the summer, as if it was somehow warm. Warm it was not. Addictive, it certainly was.
Closing her eyes, she let the cacophony of sensations take over for a few precious moments of much-needed escapism. Nothing passed through her consciousness except the tiny daggers of ultraviolet piercing her skin with such vibrant rays. Opening her eyes again, she leisurely surveyed her surroundings. OK, so summer meant acute sunburn, more drink driving, hyperactivity and general hospital mayhem. But it also meant warm sunshine, long, beautiful evenings and...oh God, not in this weather! She blinked to ensure this was not some crazy hallucination. Approaching her was a jogging Luka. She had never seen him so exhausted before, and that really was saying something.
"Taking the scenic route?" She quipped, knowing he was off work today. Catching his breath, he struggled for an answer.
"Just trying to..."
"Lose weight?" She joked, enjoying the horror on his face as he gazed sceptically at his stomach. And men think we're vain!
He grimaced, then looked up. "Get fit."
Abby quickly took hold of his burning hot arm and smiled. "I'm kidding. You're fine." "But you'd better go before anybody sees you. I mean, running in this heat? They'll be dragging you upstairs in no time."
Luka smiled, but made no reply. Abby frowned at him, wondering why she was trying to remember something. Then, through the incandescent summer haze, her mind caught up with her.
"Oh God. Do we still have to go to that crappy lecture tonight?" She was referring to Weaver's punishment for anybody who was late too many times: to attend Northwestern University's medical lectures in their free time. And to report back with copious notes to prove you've been listening.
"Yeah. Should be interesting." His tone held no enthusiasm.
"So what time are you coming to get me?" She stubbed out the Marlboro and exhaled deeply. He held up six fingers, smiled and jogged away, towards the open arms of the glowing sun. Abby turned around and went back to embrace the smouldering ball of flame that was the ER.
A/N: Not much of a cliffhanger, I know, next chapter up very soon!!