A few hours later she was awoken by the sound of the coffee grinder. She stretched out slowly, wrapped the duvet around her and with tiny eyes she saw Luka making fresh coffee.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

"Hmmm…," she responded.

"Were you warm enough? I bet it was chilly, I should have put the heating on," he rambled. He approached the sofa. "Want a cup?"

"Is that your infamous Turkish mud you're making? No thanks…" she said. "Well, it gets you going," he defended his choice of real espresso.

"More like a gastro-intestinal adventure that would be," she chuckled. "Do you mind if I…"

"No, sure, go ahead, I already took a shower", he replied. She got up, pulled at the large hoody and looked up at Luka. "Thanks again, I feel like a whole new person after just one night."

He looked at her, took her jaw gently and examined it. "Hmm, still needs some healing."

She felt awkward, as if his touch sent shivers down her spine. Why? He was just verifying if she was recovering as should be expected. She looked at him sheepishly and disappeared to the bathroom.

He felt for her but was glad he could help her, even if it was by letting her spend some nights on his sofa.

The hot water did her good. Of course there was no conditioner nor a hairdryer. Not that Abby was the girly type who couldn't live without all her beauty rituals but she was clearly making herself ready in a man's bathroom…

"If you want we can stop by your place and get you some clothes. You're free to wander around with my trousers still on, but with long walks it will probably get you into stumbling anyway…" he informed her from the living room.

Abby hesitated for a while to answer. Sure it was nice not to go there alone, especially since it was the weekend and Brian would probably be there, but she didn't want to bother Luka too much. She didn't want to be so dependant.

"That's okay, Luka, I can manage. Feel free to do your thing, you don't have any shifts, so enjoy your freedom!"

For a moment, Luka felt disappointed. Last night he couldn't help but like the fact that he would be spending the whole weekend with Abby. He enjoyed her company, they could talk, be serious, laugh… he could simply be himself. Of course he couldn't force her to spend the entire weekend with him. They only agreed on him offering a sofa at night, so…

"I have no plans, really!" he said in an attempt for her to accept his new plan.

"You don't have baseball-practice?" she joked, knowing he knew nothing about American sports. "I cancelled it," he lied smiling.

"I'm sure there are other, more exciting things to do on your 'what-to-do-when-I-have-the-weekend-off' list. Like seeing a movie, reading the paper from inside out,.

"Sure all things I can do after we picked up your stuff. Like you said, I have the whole weekend, so there's no rush for anything."

"Okay then, what are you waiting for? Let's go!"

They got on the El a few minutes later. For a saturday morning, it was extremely busy, they had to stand. It wasn't such a long trip but anyway it wasn't that comfortable being pushed. Luka held the bar under the ceiling and Abby was standing next to him, holding the vertical bar.

"Are there any festivities going on, first day of sales or is the circus in town?" Abby laughed. "Yeah, it's quite busy, ha..." At that moment, the El stopped and caused Abby to trip. Her head bumped into Luka's firm chest and she let go of the bar. With his one hand still on the upper bar, he immediately put his hand around her waist to steady Abby. "Sorry,' she said with her face definitely turning red. He had his lips close to her forehead and for an instant he felt like kissing it. He closed his eyes and pulled himself together. "The next stop is ours," she said relieved. Luka let go of her waist and nodded silently.

The walk to her appartment was awkward but only for a few meters. Abby suddenly realised she might come across Brian. For a moment she felt anxious but when she looked to the right she saw her back-up. She was glad Luka had suggested to accompany her.

"Hope you cleaned before you left," Luka chuckled. "Don't get your hopes up," Abby said dryly. "I haven't got many, but this must be one of my flaws, being tidy. At home at least." They approached the building.

While joking around Abby suddenly froze. Luka recognized the guy. Sure Brian would recognize Luka as well since the not so nice encounter at the cafe when Abby was in the hospital. Luka couldn't care less, but he suddenly realized Abby wasn't aware of the small talk he had had with Brian.

"As if he knew I'd come by!" Abby said. "Is that Brian?" Luka asked.

"Hey! You! Don't touch me, I haven't done anything ever since!" Brian yelled at the two. Abby looked confused. "What's he talking about?"

"It's the other way around, remember?" she yelled back. "No, no, I recognize him, the tall guy! He beat me up at the cafe! I swear, I haven't touched her!"

"What's he talking about, Luka?" she whispered. "I'll explain to you later, let's get in first. Just ignore him, Abby."

They passed by Brian, Abby feeling very uncomfortable. It was as if she felt the kicks and the bruises all over again. Luka lay his hand on the small of her back and led her inside. "Just walk, Abby. Let him." He wasn't used to Abby being this emotional, being this fragile. It was like he could feel her angst going through his hand.

The whole way to her appartment they didn't share a word. When they arrived, Abby got her key out, but Luka took over. Even though they knew Brian wasn't there, Luka felt the memory of Brian breaking entry through this door. He unlocked the door and closed it after her again.

"Now tell, me Luka. What was he saying downstairs?"

Luka felt terrible. He was glad he had kicked Brian's ass, that he literally showed him not to mess with Abby again, but he felt stupid that he had responded with aggression.

"I'm sorry, Abby. They day you got in the hospital I was so shocked seeing you like that. I was mad, I felt there was something I had to do to make him pay for what he had done to you, so I went to the cafe where you said he ususally was. He was there, having a good time while you were recovering from his attack. I couldn't stand it, i had to do something... I beat him up," he admitted shyly.

"Luka...," Abby said. She didn't know what to think of it. Was he the aggressive type who had a good reason to beat the crap out of someone or did he feel the urge to let justice rule... she didn't understand why he would do something like that.

"You have to understand, Abby, it wasn't my intention to hit him, or anyone for that matter, but I kind of wanted to make sure he knew you have people watching over you. That he knew he couldn't pull that trick twice. "

"Looking out for me, huh. Hmmm this is quite a revelation to me. All my life I was fine looking out for myself and my family. Why haven't you told me?"

"I was ashamed of my actions. And I didn't want you to think that now he would be looking for revenge again."

Abby decided to let it go. "Thanks, I suppose then. I mean, it's really nice of you."

This was new information and the fact that Brian had been told never to touch Abby again couldn't quite reach Abby's mind. She still remembered the kicks when she saw a small stain of blood dried in the wooden floor.

"I'll get my stuff. It will only take me a minute. Make yourself at home, like I do at yours," she smiled as a sign of acceptance for Luka's previous actions.

He sighed and looked around at the pictures on her mantle piece. Abby and her brother, Abby and her nurse collegues, Abby and some people he had never seen before... it was clear she was a well loved person by many people. He smiled when he saw the stack of papers laying next to the sofa. An anatomy study book, print-outs, very thick woolen socks, her duvet and there was even a copy of a Cosmopolitan. It was clear she was used to spending a lot of time on the couch. "So you turned this into your bed as well?"

"Yeah, well, you see, sleeping in yours is obviously a degradation since yours is in cold leather," she answered him straight back. He chuckled.

"I'm ready now,' she said. She had stuffed her backpack with some jeans, tops, warm sweaters, sleeping shorts and her own soap. She preferred not to smell musky and masculin herself even though she liked it when Luka stood close to her.

So what should be added to the list of nice things to do in the weekend when you're off? (to do together of course ;-)