Disclaimer: My name is not Michael Crichton so therefore I don't own ER.

Chapter 5: The crash

Luka walked inside the bar and took a stool by the counter.

"Hey, what can I get ya, doc?" asked a balding man with a rather large gut.

"Vodka…thanks" Luka lifted the drink, looked down at it for a moment as if considering getting up and walking out of the bar when he brought it to his lips and thought Fuck it! Before letting the liquid run down the back of his throat and numb his mind.

Half an hour later Luka was on his third vodka, and just finishing his sixth shot.

"Okay, I think you've had enough there doc" the bald bartender said as he removed the still half full glass of vodka out of Luka's reach.

Luka was about to start protesting when he started to get a bit dizzy, and the bartender's twin decided to show up.

"Fine" Luka slurred out, his accent more pronounced in his intoxicated state.

He pushed the stool back, stood up and started to feel really dizzy now, and was about to fall when someone grabbed his arm.

Luka was about to yank his arm free when the tightened their grip and started to pull him outside.

"What the hell do you think your doing!", Luka thought his head was about to explode with the sound of Peter Benton's voice.

"Get off, I'm fine" Luka slurred, still trying in vain to free his arm, Jesus he's got a strong grip!

"Really, then why are you sitting in a bar drunk, and from the looks of it getting into bar fights?" Benton asked, indicating to the purple bruise that was along the side of his jaw.

"That happened at work, so I'll be going now" Luka said as he finally managed to get his arm free, but nearly fell to the ground while doing so.

"Fine, I'll give you a lift home" Benton said as he started to follow Luka down the sidewalk.

"No…it's not that far from here anyway…thanks"

Benton was walking backwards onto the road, totally unaware that a car was speeding up the road behind him.

Benton's P.O.V

One minute I'm walking out onto the road backward, and then the next Kovac is running at me and pushing me to the ground.

It all happened so fast, I fell to the ground and the next thing I hear is the screeching of tyres and the beeping of a horn.

Benton got up off the ground,

"Kovac what the hell do you think…" he was about to start shouting about being so intoxicated that he was crazy when he saw, in the middle of the road right where he had been standing before Luka pushed him, Luka laying motionless on the ground.

"Jesus Christ!" shouted as he ran over to where Luka lay. He looked up and saw the car driving away.

"Hey man, open your eyes", at his command Luka eyelids flickered but did not open.

"That's good, okay can you squeeze my hand", he gently lifted Luka's left hand, as he was lying on his right side; while with his other hand his was getting his cell phone out of his trouser pocket and dialled '911'.

Luka squeezed his hand but it seemed to take all the energy out of him,

"That's okay," he put the phone to his ear but still kept hold of Luka's hand, "Yes, hello I need an ambulance right away…"

Luka could feel Benton's hand in his and for some reason it offered him comfort, he could hear Benton asking for an ambulance but he sounded far away.

Luka's mind began to remember how he ran up the steps of his apartment building, how he had to push the rumble away just so he could get inside, running up the steps past his hurt and dying friends and neighbours, he remembered how his heart ripped in two when he saw little Marko's hand sticking out between the bars of his crib, how Danilija had a wound to her side and was slowly bleeding to death, how he had to breathe for Jasna…he remembered breathing for her until he was exhausted and had to stop, by then they were all gone.

When Benton was talking on the phone he noticed how Luka's hand had gone limp in his own, he placed his two fingers on Luka's neck and found a pulse, weak, he noticed how he began to shake also.

"Shit...he's in shock!" he announced to no one as the street was deserted at this hour at night. He took off his jacket off and placed it over Luka while he waited for the ambulance.

"Come on, hurry up!"

Please R&R