A Very Odd Couple 20

--------------------

Previously on ER.
Chris and Luka became very close after Dave's attack, but decided not to
tell him just how involved they were getting.  Dave struggled to deal with
the after effects both physical and emotional, but was looking forward to
getting back to work and hopefully getting his life on an even keel once
more.  John was concerned that Dave might be taking on too much too soon and
voiced his worry to Kerry, who had earlier agreed that Dave could return to
work if he was cleared by Elizabeth.

Note: This fic was started in Summer 2000, so season 7 never happened.

--------------------------

Dave looked in the mirror and ran his hand through his hair, trying to
smooth down the unruly locks.  Today was the moment of truth.  If he passed
his physical then this time tomorrow he'd be a doctor again.  Oh sure, even
if he didn't pass today, it wasn't the end of the world, but if he had to
spend another few weeks just sitting around waiting, he was going to go
nuts.

"Are you ready?" asked Luka, looking over Dave's shoulder.

Dave shrugged, "I guess so," he said.  "I just hope it goes okay.   I mean,
what if she decides I'm not ready?  What if I don't pass the physical?  What
if I never pass it?"

"If you do not pass, then you do not pass," said Luka philosophically.   "You
will come home...rest for a few weeks and then try again.  But there is no
reason to believe that you will not pass the test.  Your injuries have
healed very well, and I know that you have been doing your best to regain
some of your former strength."

"Yeah, but what if it's not enough?" asked Dave gloomily.  "Shit, maybe
Kerry was right...maybe it is too soon."

"Do you wish to postpone it for another time?  There is no need for you to
do this if you do not feel ready for it."

Dave shook his head.  "No...the longer I leave it...the harder it's gonna be
to get back in there...I *want* to do it now...I want to get back to work."

Luka frowned, before saying, "Dave.  Promise me one thing."

Dave looked at him curiously as he continued, "Promise me that you will be
honest with Dr. Corday.  I know that you are eager to be passed fit
again...but I do not wish you to damage your health by trying to do too much
too soon."

Dave was silent for a few minutes before saying, "Well I can't see her
letting me get away with anything like that anyway...but okay.  I won't lie
to her."  He sighed heavily.

Luka squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.  "Things will return to the way
they were...it will take time, that is all."

"I know it'll take time...and I know that things aren't ever gonna be
exactly like they were.  I mean...I'm not the same person I was
before...before the attack."

"None of us are," said Luka simply.  "None of us are."

---------------------------------

Dave sat nervously in the reception area outside Elizabeth's office.  He
wished that he hadn't turned down Luka's offer to wait with him.  At the
time he had felt that it would seem a bit childish, him needing someone to
hold his hand, so to speak.  But now...after waiting half an hour for Dr.
Corday, he wished he hadn't been so quick to turn down the chance of
company.

Fidgeting awkwardly in the chair, he tried to concentrate on the magazine he
was holding.  One thing all doctors' waiting rooms seemed to have in common
was their crappy selection of reading material, he thought as he thumbed
impatiently through a six-month-old copy of Good Housekeeping.

 Finally Elizabeth hurried into the room.  "I'm sorry to keep you waiting
like this Dave," she said as he stood up.  "I was paged to the ER for a
consult."

"Was it a trauma?" asked Dave, a little wistfully.

Elizabeth shook her head.  "Rule out appendicitis.  Of course by the time I
arrived, the child had admitted to eating half a treeful of unripe apples
and promptly proceeded to vomit all over me."

Dave smiled wryly at the image.  "Been there, done that."

"So, if you're ready?"  Elizabeth indicated the door

"Ready as I'll ever be," said Dave nervously.  He wiped the palm of his hand
on his jeans before opening the door.

-------------------------------

"Just a few quick questions first," said Elizabeth, as Dave sat up on the
exam table.
"How have you been feeling these last few weeks?  Are you still tiring
easily?"

Dave shrugged, "Yeah, I guess.  I mean, I've been trying to take some
exercise...I'm not overdoing it," he added hastily.  "But I couldn't just
sit around the house all day."

"That's okay," said Elizabeth reassuringly.  "A little gentle exercise is a
good start towards regaining your fitness."  She made a note on the chart.
"Have you been experiencing any headaches, dizziness, nausea?"

"No," said Dave quickly.  Elizabeth looked at him sharply.  "Well not
exactly," he continued.  "I mean, the first day I walked round the
block...I...I threw up once I got back to the house...and my head was
spinning like crazy...but that was it.  I mean, I took it slower the next
time I went out."

"It was probably just a case of over exerting yourself.  You didn't suffer
any recurring dizziness or nausea?"

"No, just that one time."

"Okay then.  If you just strip to the waist and lie back on the table, we'll
begin."

A few minutes later, Dave was lying on his good side, facing away from
Elizabeth as she poked and prodded at his healing injuries.

Elizabeth gently applied pressure to the incision she had made only a few
weeks earlier.

"Careful," yelped Dave.

She looked up sharply.  "Is that still tender?" she asked.

"Just a little...I mean, only when you press on it like that."  Dave twisted
his head round, trying to see the expression on Elizabeth's face.  "What's
wrong?"

"It could be just residual tissue damage from the surgery," said Elizabeth,
frowning slightly, glad that Dave couldn't see the concern on her face.
"I'm just going to draw some blood...run a few labs."

"You think it could be infected?" asked Dave, as Elizabeth rolled him onto
his back.

"That's always a possibility," admitted Elizabeth.  "But it's more likely to
be scar tissue forming around the incision."

"Or maybe one of you guys left a scalpel inside when you were stitching me
up," said Dave, trying to smile.

Elizabeth made a face at him, before retrieving a blood gas kit.  Taking
Dave's arm, she tutted disapprovingly at the track marks left from his many
I.V.'s. "It's not going to be easy getting a good stick," she said, as she
tapped his arm.  Finally she fastened the tourniquet around it and started
cleaning the site.

As predicted, it wasn't easy and it took Elizabeth several tries before she
was able to locate a suitable vein in the back of Dave's hand.

Dave looked away as Elizabeth competently drew the blood out of his vein.
He had seen enough of his own blood to last a lifetime.  He felt a slight
pressure as the needle was withdrawn.

"Okay, you can look now," said Elizabeth as she filled out the order for the
tests.  It hadn't escaped her notice that Dave was looking several shades
paler than he had been at the beginning of the test.  "I'll just get this
sent down to the lab.  Hopefully they won't take too long."

Dave nodded as she left the room.  Man, that had been bad.  For a few
seconds there, as Corday had been trying for a vein, he had had to struggle
to keep his breakfast down.  But at least the worst was over...assuming of
course that nothing showed up on the blood work.  Shit, if he *did* have an
infection...that would mean more drugs...possibly even I.V. antibiotics if
it was severe enough.  He groaned at the thought of possibly having to be
readmitted.

"Are you all right?" asked Elizabeth, hearing his groan as she returned to
the room.

"Yeah...I just...I don't want to be stuck back here again.  If it's
infected...and I need an I.V...don't readmit me...please."  Dave looked
pleadingly at her.  "I don't want to be a patient again."

"It's okay Dave.  First of all it may not be an infection.  And even if it
is, it's unlikely that it'll be severe enough to require that you be
readmitted."  Elizabeth could see Dave visibly relax at this news.

"I...thank you," said Dave, a weight off his mind.  "I know it's
stupid...but I just feel like it'd be a step backwards."

"It's not stupid, it's a perfectly natural reaction after what you've been
through."

"Yeah...so what's the verdict...are you gonna let me back in the ER?"

"Let's just see what the blood work says before we discuss your return to
work."

---------------------------

Downstairs in the ER, Luka waited anxiously for news from Dave.  He knew
that his friend was making a good physical recovery.  The question was;
whether it was good enough...and if it wasn't, then how would it affect him
emotionally if he wasn't allowed to return to work.  Sighing, Luka checked
his watch for the tenth time in fifteen minutes.  Surely it should not be
taking this long.

Knowing that Kerry was on her break, he headed for the lounge to see if she
had heard anything.

------------------------------

Kerry looked up as Luka pushed open the door.
"Ah, just the person I was looking for," she said with a smile.

"Why?" asked Luka.  "Have you heard from Dr. Corday regarding Dave?"

"Not yet," replied Kerry.  "But I've been making out a tentative duty roster
for him.  Assuming that he passes his physical."

"Oh...okay," said Luka, taking the sheet of paper from her outstretched
hand.  He looked at it and then looked at Kerry, frowning.  "You have him
listed to start back the day after tomorrow.  But I...I am not working that
day."

"I know that Luka.  I *did* make out the schedules."

"But why?  I do not understand.  I wanted to be there for him...his first
day back, it is bound to be difficult."

"I realize that.  And I also know that it won't be made any easier if you're
hovering around him.  I know that you've been supporting him throughout his
ordeal, but this...this I feel is a step he needs to take on his own."

Luka stared gloomily at the paper in his hands.  "I suppose...I suppose that
you are right..."

"Believe me, I've given it a lot of thought.  I want to do what's best for
Dave...and I know you do too.  Don't worry; he won't be thrown in at the
deep end.  We'll all be looking out for him, making sure he's all right."

Before she could say any more, the phone rang beside her.

Kerry frowned as she picked it up.  "Yes?" she said into the mouthpiece.
"Oh...hello Dr. Corday."

-----------------------------

To be continued

ceindreadh


"i have never understood why it is necessary to become irrational in order
to prove that you care,
or why it should be necessary to prove it at all"
Kerr Avon


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