Post by maggie on Jan 19, 2007 8:05:59 GMT 10
i'm also posting this over at ff.net, under the penname "pandorama". i have no particular plan in mind for where this is going, just making it up as i go along. but here it is, the latest edition of what is either creative prowess or complete and utter insanity. i vote the latter.
Chapter One: Vile and Potent
Luka sat hunched over a cup of scalding hot, bitter coffee trying to bring himself to choke it down. Ike’s made the most potent and vile coffee he’d ever tasted, but it was the only surefire cure he’d found to a hangover in his thirty-seven years. The previous night had been a mistake, one in a chain of many. He unconsciously made a face thinking about it. He’d wound up in yet another seedy bar downtown, and ended up with yet another nameless woman in his bed when he woke in the morning. It was all he could do not to vomit with disgust for the person he’d become in the past months. He let his head rest on his palm as he stared into the ceramic cup of mud in front of him. How had he come to this point? A year ago, he wasn’t at all like this...he was dangerously close to happy, in fact. He inadvertently let out a wry burst of laughter. Of course. That was the difference between now and a year ago...Abby. A year ago, he had that going for him, and now? He’d royally screwed that relationship over. It was his own fault, he knew, his own inability to move forward, to let go. He had no intention of denying that he was broken, but he also had no intention of changing that. There was no point, nothing to work for. He sighed and closed his eyes as he threw his head back and chugged the disgusting black liquid. His eyes opened as he set the cup down and shuddered, and a little jolt went through his body as his gaze fell upon the very person he’d been lamenting only moments ago.
She stood just inside the doorway, bundled in a heavy winter coat, snowflakes scattered in her hair. Her cheeks were red from the cold, and a sort of bewildered look on her face forced Luka to stifle a chuckle. Wrapping her arms around herself to stay warm, she scanned the interior of the dingy cafe for a familiar face. Luka’s heart jumped ever so slightly as her eyes fell on him, and he gave her a friendly sort of nod, inviting her over. He tried to wipe off the table as she made her way over. She stood in front of him, shivering slightly, and attempted a smile. “Mind if I join you?”
He shook his head and gestured to the booth seat opposite him. “No. Have a seat.”
She sunk into the vinyl cushion and set her bag down next to her with a sigh. “Just get off?”
“No. I have to be back in a few.” He checked his watch. “You?”
She gave him a smirk. “I have another shift in an hour. I figured there was no point in going home.”
He gestured to the waitress and mouthed the word “coffee,” pointing to Abby. “Sorry to hear it.”
“Me, too.” She yawned and rubbed her forehead. “Romano hates me.”
“Romano hates everyone.” He passed her a few packets of sugar as the surly looking waitress set down a mug in front of Abby, spilling it a bit. She didn’t apologize, and Abby rolled her eyes as she tore open the sugars and emptied them into the coffee. Luka watched her, trying not to let her catch him doing so. Despite her disheveled appearance and the darkened circles under her eyes, he was still mesmerized by her. He’d always found her beautiful, always found himself staring. He tore his eyes from her guiltily and cleared his throat. “Why would Romano schedule you for a double? That’s compromising patient care.”
Abby shrugged and took a sip of the vile substance in her cup. Luka tried not to smile as she made a face. “We’ve been understaffed since Lydia left, and we’ve had to pick up the slack until he gets around to hiring someone else.” She shuddered and took another gulp. “That’s Romano. It’s all about his agenda.”
Luka shook his head. “Why don’t you go to the board? It’s not fair to you or to the patients.”
“Because we all need the money.” She yawned again. “And because, unfortunately, we all know how to handle it.”
Luka gave her a sympathetic smile. “Well, just try not to fall asleep putting in an IV.”
She waved him off. “Eh, I could do it in my sleep, anyway.” She grinned. “Remember, I went to med school, too. I know how to stay awake for a week at a time.”
Luka nodded. There was something about just sitting there with her that lessened the pounding in his head. He shifted around uncomfortably. “How are things with you and Carter?”
Abby snorted. “Yeah, like you want to know about that.”
“I was just trying to make little talk,” he protested.
She patted his hand. “Small talk. And for the record, I don’t discuss relationships with my exes.” She picked up her bag and set a few dollars on the table as she stood up. “I’ve got to get back and try to take care of a couple things before my shift starts.”
Luka grabbed her wrist as she began to turn away, and looked at her with his brows arched. “For the record, I’m not your ex, Abby. I’m your friend.”
Chapter One: Vile and Potent
Luka sat hunched over a cup of scalding hot, bitter coffee trying to bring himself to choke it down. Ike’s made the most potent and vile coffee he’d ever tasted, but it was the only surefire cure he’d found to a hangover in his thirty-seven years. The previous night had been a mistake, one in a chain of many. He unconsciously made a face thinking about it. He’d wound up in yet another seedy bar downtown, and ended up with yet another nameless woman in his bed when he woke in the morning. It was all he could do not to vomit with disgust for the person he’d become in the past months. He let his head rest on his palm as he stared into the ceramic cup of mud in front of him. How had he come to this point? A year ago, he wasn’t at all like this...he was dangerously close to happy, in fact. He inadvertently let out a wry burst of laughter. Of course. That was the difference between now and a year ago...Abby. A year ago, he had that going for him, and now? He’d royally screwed that relationship over. It was his own fault, he knew, his own inability to move forward, to let go. He had no intention of denying that he was broken, but he also had no intention of changing that. There was no point, nothing to work for. He sighed and closed his eyes as he threw his head back and chugged the disgusting black liquid. His eyes opened as he set the cup down and shuddered, and a little jolt went through his body as his gaze fell upon the very person he’d been lamenting only moments ago.
She stood just inside the doorway, bundled in a heavy winter coat, snowflakes scattered in her hair. Her cheeks were red from the cold, and a sort of bewildered look on her face forced Luka to stifle a chuckle. Wrapping her arms around herself to stay warm, she scanned the interior of the dingy cafe for a familiar face. Luka’s heart jumped ever so slightly as her eyes fell on him, and he gave her a friendly sort of nod, inviting her over. He tried to wipe off the table as she made her way over. She stood in front of him, shivering slightly, and attempted a smile. “Mind if I join you?”
He shook his head and gestured to the booth seat opposite him. “No. Have a seat.”
She sunk into the vinyl cushion and set her bag down next to her with a sigh. “Just get off?”
“No. I have to be back in a few.” He checked his watch. “You?”
She gave him a smirk. “I have another shift in an hour. I figured there was no point in going home.”
He gestured to the waitress and mouthed the word “coffee,” pointing to Abby. “Sorry to hear it.”
“Me, too.” She yawned and rubbed her forehead. “Romano hates me.”
“Romano hates everyone.” He passed her a few packets of sugar as the surly looking waitress set down a mug in front of Abby, spilling it a bit. She didn’t apologize, and Abby rolled her eyes as she tore open the sugars and emptied them into the coffee. Luka watched her, trying not to let her catch him doing so. Despite her disheveled appearance and the darkened circles under her eyes, he was still mesmerized by her. He’d always found her beautiful, always found himself staring. He tore his eyes from her guiltily and cleared his throat. “Why would Romano schedule you for a double? That’s compromising patient care.”
Abby shrugged and took a sip of the vile substance in her cup. Luka tried not to smile as she made a face. “We’ve been understaffed since Lydia left, and we’ve had to pick up the slack until he gets around to hiring someone else.” She shuddered and took another gulp. “That’s Romano. It’s all about his agenda.”
Luka shook his head. “Why don’t you go to the board? It’s not fair to you or to the patients.”
“Because we all need the money.” She yawned again. “And because, unfortunately, we all know how to handle it.”
Luka gave her a sympathetic smile. “Well, just try not to fall asleep putting in an IV.”
She waved him off. “Eh, I could do it in my sleep, anyway.” She grinned. “Remember, I went to med school, too. I know how to stay awake for a week at a time.”
Luka nodded. There was something about just sitting there with her that lessened the pounding in his head. He shifted around uncomfortably. “How are things with you and Carter?”
Abby snorted. “Yeah, like you want to know about that.”
“I was just trying to make little talk,” he protested.
She patted his hand. “Small talk. And for the record, I don’t discuss relationships with my exes.” She picked up her bag and set a few dollars on the table as she stood up. “I’ve got to get back and try to take care of a couple things before my shift starts.”
Luka grabbed her wrist as she began to turn away, and looked at her with his brows arched. “For the record, I’m not your ex, Abby. I’m your friend.”