I don't think that man should sleep alone
By Céindreadh
ceindreadh@eircom.net
This was written as part of the ERFFCC song challenge
DISCLAMER: "ER," the characters and situations depicted within are the property
of Warner Brothers Television, Amblin Entertainment, Constant c Productions, NBC, etc.
They are borrowed without permission, but without the intent of infringement. The story
presented here is written solely for entertainment purposes, and the author is making no
profit.
Title "I don't think that man should sleep along" song written and performed by
Ray Parker Jnr (and I don't own it either)
Set just after 'Mayday' finishes (spoilers)
I don't think that man should sleep alone
I don't think it's fair
I don't think that man should sleep alone
Somebody should be there
Chuny sighed as she pulled on her coat and shut her locker. Today had been a really bad
day what with that crazy girl just letting her baby die like that. How could anyone be so
irresponsible? Whether she had stabbed herself or not, she had refused
to let them save her child's life. And the look on Dr Kovac's face when the baby flat
lined inside the womb. Chuny had never seen anyone look like that before. Chuny shuddered
as she made her way out of the ER. If only they had been allowed to intervene.
This world that we live in has too many laws and too many rules
There had been a moment when Chuny was convinced that Luka was going to go ahead with the
c-section, and to hell with the consequences. She would have helped him if he had,
regardless of what damage it might have done to her career.
But now Luka had gone. Chuny had called goodbye to him as she watched him trudge
disconsolately out of the ER. But he had his head down and didn't respond. She hoped that
he had some friends to cheer him up. She knew that he had no family but surely he had
someone in the city to make sure that he wasn't alone tonight.
As Chuny stepped onto the EL platform, she realized that that somebody would have to be
her.
I don't think that man should sleep alone. I don't think it's fair
I don't think that man should sleep alone. Somebody should be there
Luka was slumped on the bench with his head in his hands when he heard someone sit down
beside him. Looking up, he saw Chuny looking at him with concern in her eyes.
"Dr. Kovac, are you all right?" asked Chuny, knowing from the look in his eyes
that he wasn't.
"Oh, Chuny," said Luka as if he hadn't recognized her until she had spoken.
"Yes, I am fine," he said in a monotone. "I never thanked you for your
assistance earlier today. I should not have asked it of you." There was no need for
him to elaborate. Both of them knew what he was referring to.
Chuny put her hand on his clenched fists. "You're freezing," she said in
surprise. "Have you been here since your shift ended?"
Luka nodded. The warmth of Chuny's hand on his was making him realize just how cold this
May night had turned.
"You'll get hypothermia if you stay here much longer." Chuny made a quick
decision "C'mon you're coming back to my place. You need to get warm."
Luka wanted to protest, but he was feeling too sad and tired to argue. When the next train
pulled in, he followed Chuny quietly into the carriage
I can't seem to get warm enough even with four blankets and a sheet.
I may as well be honest girl. I think I need a little body heat.
Chuny came in to the bedroom carrying a steaming bowl of soup in her hand. Luka was
propped up in her bed with blankets all around him, but he was still shivering. Even the
soup which Chuny was spoon feeding to him, although hot and tasty, couldn't drive away the
chill that had settled in his heart and was seeping into his bones. Finishing the soup, he
lay back against the pillows. Chuny watched him, knowing that it wasn't just the cold that
was making him shudder. Finally she made a decision.
"Move over," she said, as she quickly stripped off her clothes. Luka's eyes
widened as in surprise as Chuny slipped under the blankets beside him. "I...I... I do
not know what to say," he stammered.
"Then don't say anything. Tomorrow we can go back to just being co-workers and
friends, but tonight you need someone and I'm here for you."
Chuny wrapped her arms around Luka. As she drew him close to her, she could feel the
tension melt away from his icy body.
I don't think that man should sleep alone. I don't think it's right
I don't think that man should sleep along. At least not tonight.
When Chuny woke up the next morning, Luka was gone. The only signs that he had ever
been there were the empty soup bowl and a note saying simply 'Thank you'.
The End
--
céindreadh
"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
--
http://homepage.eircom.net/~ceindreadh/index.htm