Disclaimer: I do not own ER or any of its characters. The only one that I own is Jessica "Jess" Graham! Yeah, she came out of my head :)
Sorry for the lack of update! But I'm on vacation and I'm just trying to enjoy it :)
And the lack of creativity didn't help either :P
Author's Note in the end!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hi." – Abby said, smiling.
A tall and dark figure was outside the door, in the dark hall. Abby couldn't see more than a shadow, but she knew who was there. The tall shadow came closer to her and kissed her. When it pulled away, the light coming from the living room let her see Luka Kovac's face.
"Hey" – he said and smiled back at her.
"Believe me, I don't want to send you back to the hospital but..." – Abby said, while she let Luka enter the apartment and closed the door – "...I thought that you had a night shift today."
"I do" – Luka said, sitting on the couch – "It doesn't start for another hour and a half. Oh, the pleasures of being the chief." – he smiled to Abby.
Abby smiled back and then headed to the microwave. She took of the plate with two slices of pizza and put it on the table. Luka stood up and looked at her, at the plate and at her again. Abby smiled apologetically and Luka looked at her inquisitively.
"Please tell me you're not going to eat that." – he said.
"Well, it is not like it is bad. And I have nothing in my fridge."
"But we ate that three nights ago."
"But as I said, it is not bad. I tasted it."
"Three nights Abby. It can't be good." – Luka took the plate and threw the pizza slices in the trash. – "We are going out and get real food."
"Except that we are not." – Abby said while seating in a chair by the table. – "I'm tired and you have a shift tonight."
"It doesn't stop me from eating. And I'm not going to leave you here with all that crap in your fridge." – Luka went near Abby and offered her a hand. – "Come on."
"Fine." – Abby rolled her eyes and took Luka's hand – "But only because I'm starving."
"Of course." – Luka smiled while she went back into her bedroom to change her clothes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While walking in the cold Chicago night Jess couldn't stop thinking about the fight that she had with Ray a few minutes ago.
"He is an idiot." – she thought – "I mean, I know I overreacted. The hole Neela thing isn't really a big deal. But at least I tried to explain myself while he just acted like a baby!" – Jess stepped harder and harder on the ground while she remembered her friend's attitude.
"He knew it. He knew all along that I would react like this. I mean, what he wanted me to do? To be in the middle of this situation? What if everything went wrong? I couldn't pick a side. They're both my friends." – she thought, not so sure about her friendship with Ray anymore.
Jess got to the front of her building and was about to start climbing the small stairs when she saw someone stting on the top step. When she looked to the face that she knew so well, she froze. Opening her mouth, she tried to talk but no sound was heard. Finally, she smiled and simply asked.
"What... What are you doing here?"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Abby got out of her bedroom, dressed in her normal clothes now she saw a smiling Luka standing up from the couch.
"So... ready to go?" – he asked.
"Yeah." – Abby smiled and walked to the door, opening it. – "Are you sure it won't be a problem? You may get late for your shift."
"Oh, relax. Weaver is not on and she must have left her office by now."
"What about the one that is waiting for you for the shift change?"
"Pratt will get over it." – Luka smiled at her ironically, while they were going down the stairs of her building.
"So, where will we eat?" – Abby asked when they were out of the building. She was freezing despite the heavy coat she was wearing.
"What about at Ikes? Then you won't have to worry about me getting late for work."
"Sounds good to me. Let's just move, I'm freezing here!"
Luka made a gesture with his hand and showed her the way to his car. Abby opened the door and entered quickly, like she was running away from the cold. Luka entered the car a few seconds after, just as quick. In a few minutes they were passing fast the buildings and houses in the streets.
"So..." – Luka said, breaking the silence. – "What you've done today?"
"Nothing much." – Abby said, matter of factly – "Got up, breakfast, got a little late for work..." – she smiled at him – "Oh, and why haven't you told me that Jake was back?"
"Oh, that." – Luka tried to steal some time – "Well, it wasn't really my decision. Weaver kind of imposed it to me."
"But you knew right? You had to accept and sign the paper work so that he could come." – Abby looked at him, waiting for an answer. – "Why haven't you told me?"
"It was just... I thought it wasn't a big deal, you know?" – Luka explained – "Is it a big deal?" – he stopped looking to the street in front of him and finally looked to her. This time Abby was the one that looked away.
"No." – Abby said, without looking at him. – "It isn't a big deal at all."
A few minutes passed and anyone spoke a word. Abby looked through the window while Luka had his eyes fixed on the way they were taking to get to the hospital. There was a heavy atmosphere inside of the car but they they just wouldn't break the silence. Luka couldn't take it anymore so, rolling his eyes, he finally spoke.
"Have you seen Jess today?"
"Yeah, actually." – Abby said. She knew he wanted to know about Jess. Luka and Jess had a fight a few days ago and weren't talking to each other. They argued about something really stupid but, stubborn as both of them were, neither of them would say that they were wrong, or say that they were sorry. Abby knew that Jess was the right one in that situation so she kind of supported her friend in not talking to Luka while he didn't say that he was sorry.
"How is she?" – he asked, truly interested. Luka worried a lot about Jess, he was like her big brother or something.
"She came by my place after her shift. She wasn't very well but I believe she is now."
"What happened?"
"We went out last night." – Abby smiled to Luka and he let out a chuckle – "She, Neela, Sam and me. You know how it is."
"You guys drank that much?" – Luka asked, laughing.
"Oh, I didn't drink a thing! But they sure did it for me." – they both laughed.
There was silence once again and both of them got back to there positions of staring at the window and paying attention on the way they were taking. Luka got very serious and opened his mouth to speak but then shut it again. He looked to Abby, breathed deeply and opened his mouth again.
"You think that I should-" – he started.
"Yes" – Abby interrupted – "Tell her that you're sorry." – she looked at him, that was looking to the street once again. She sighed and spoke again. – "She misses you, you know? I can tell."
Luka didn't spoke a word. Abby got kind of mad at him for not speaking anything. Decided to don't let the silence take over again she spoke.
"She told me some good news today."
"Really? What?"
Abby stood in silence and breathed deeply, to make him a little more curious. He looked at her and gestured to her to speak. She smiled and finally said:
"Carter is coming from Africa."
Luka's eyes widened. Abby waited for some kind of reaction but it didn't come. He just stood in silence, wide eyes and mouth half open. "Why isn't he laughing, smiling or at least saying something?" Abby thought. Luka closed his mouth, shook his head and managed to speak something.
"What... Why... How... Come again?"
"In two weeks" – Abby said smiling – "He and Kem."
"For how long?"
"I have no idea."
"But... Why?"
"Some time off. At least that was what Kem told Jess."
"Is he working in the hospital in the meantime?"
"I don't think so." – Abby said and shook her head – "He is supposedly coming for vacation, right? Besides, if he was, you would have known already."
"Yeah... I think so."
Abby waited for Luka's cheerful reaction now that his questions were answered but he didn't say anything. She looked at him for a two or three minutes and nothing.
"It is good news, right?" – she said.
Luka looked a little lost when he answered. "Sure! It is great news."
"What's wrong?" – Abby couldn't help herself and just asked. Why was Luka acting like that?
"What? Oh. Nothing." – Luka said and smiled at her. She could tell he was lying. She sent him a look and he rolled his eyes, giving up. – "It's stupid really. I mean, I trust you. But it's that... You and me now and... Carter is back and..." – he trailed off.
Abby couldn't believe in what he was saying. Was he jealous?
"What... What do you mean by that?" – Abby asked, indignation in her voice.
"Like I said... It's stupid." – he said, stopping the car. She looked at him and he just smiled. – "We are here."
Abby looked outside and she saw Ike Ryan's. She looked back at him, the same expression as before, wanting to know what he really meant about what he said before.
"Look, can't we just let it go? It is a stupid thing."
"Yeah, it is. And you are an idiot to think about that." – Abby said, a little mad.
Luka didn't say anything, just looked to his feet. Abby ran a hand through her hair. She didn't want her night to end with a fight. She looked outside and then to Luka that was now staring at her.
"Just... Just leave it." – she said, and opened the car door to the cold Chicago night.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Okay, so there it is, another chapter!
It is another long one, but not much. I don't like this chapter very much, but as I said it I'm not really creative these days, that's why I haven't updated! Sorry about that!
Thank you for the lovely reviews... I LOVED each one of them! Please continue!
I'll update soon this time. I PROMISE!
Kisses :
