Previously on ER
Dave and Luka have been living together for almost a year now (and screwing
each other senseless at almost every opportunity). After an AIDS scare at
work, Luka realized how much Dave meant to him and proposed to him.
Although not legally able to 'marry' they are organizing a ceremony at which
they will declare their commitment to each other. Dave asked Carter, and
Luka asked Kerry to be their 'best men' for the occasion.


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


Arms laden with groceries, Dave pushed open the door to the apartment.


"Hi honey, I'm home," he called with a grin.


Luka was seated at the dining table with a neat stack of 'wedding'
invitations to the right of him. An equally neat pile of unwritten
invitations was stacked to the left.


"You not finished with those yet?" asked Dave in surprise as he dumped the
food in the kitchen. "I thought you'd have them all finished by now."


"Which is why *you* volunteered to do the grocery shopping...so you wouldn't
have to write any more of them," replied Luka absently.


"Well, your writings a hell of a lot more legible than mine," grinned Dave,
as he walked over to Luka and leaned over his shoulder.


"That would not be difficult," said Luka, "I do not believe I have ever seen
such an untidy hand."


Dave shrugged, "It's traditional...you know, doctors with messy writing, so
the patient can't read what they're prescribing."


Luka ignored his comment and said, "I was trying to decide have we included
everyone that we wish to invite...I do not wish to offend anyone by leaving
them out by accident. I remember how upset Kerry was when Mark and
Elizabeth neglected to inviter her to *their* wedding."


Dave snorted in disgust, "They didn't 'neglect' to invite her...they left
her off the list deliberately cause they were pissed that she sicced the
competency testing dudes on his royal baldness."


"In any event, I do not wish there to be ill-will between any of my
colleagues...so..." As he spoke, Luka reached for a blank invitation and in
a neat hand penned in 'Mr. and Mrs. Mark Greene'.


Dave watched in horror. "Luka, you can't be serious...not those
two...they'll suck the life out of the day. Shit, I'd rather have
Romano...at least he'd liven things up a bit."


"I am most certainly serious," said Luka, pulling Dave onto his lap and
putting his arm around him. "Mark is a colleague of ours...it would be
inappropriate to not invite him."


"Yeah," said Dave, moodily. "But he's a jerk...hell, he suspended me for a
week just cause I dared to have an opinion about a case."


Luka gently rubbed Dave's back as he replied, "But as I recall, Kerry
reduced the suspension to a mere two days. In any case I would probably
have sent you home as well, had I been the attending in that case."


Dave pulled away slightly and said in surprise, "You think I shouldn't have
head-butted that jerk?"


"I did not say that," said Luka, pulling Dave closer. "However, I believe
that under the circumstances you were not in a proper state of mind to
continue to work. But that is neither here nor there. I believe that we
should invite Mark and Elizabeth...but if you do not wish to, I will tear up
the invitation and speak no more of it."


Dave sighed and leaned in against Luka's chest. "Nah...we might as well ask
them...maybe we'll get lucky and they won't be able to get a sitter or
anything."


"Oh, I do not think we shall have to rely on that to keep them away," said
Luka with an evil grin. "There are certain 'advantages' in having the
person in charge of the rosters as your 'best man'."


Dave's jaw dropped as he looked at Luka, "You devious little..."


Luka shrugged, "As I said, it would be inappropriate to not invite
them...but I have no particular desire to have them there. Kerry will make
sure that Mark is the Attending on duty that day, so everyone will be
happy."
Leaning forward, he kissed Dave on the lips.


"Everyone will be *very* happy," agreed Dave as he returned the kiss.


Luka started fumbling with Dave's belt buckle. One handed, he managed to
open it and pull down Dave's zipper. Slipping his hand inside, he started
caressing Dave's cock.


"Oh God," moaned Dave, as Luka's magic fingers set to work. All too soon
the fingers disappeared and Dave groaned as he felt them pull at the
waistband of his jeans.


Damn, thought Luka, realizing that he was going to have to let go of Dave to
pull his trousers down far enough. Pulling his tongue out of Dave's mouth,
he gently pushed him away. Dave resisted at first, but soon guessed what
Luka wanted. Standing up, he pushed his jeans down to his ankles. But to
his surprise, instead of Luka sinking to his knees in front of him, he
lifted him up onto the table, scattering the invitations widely.


Sitting back down in his chair, Luka pushed Dave's knees a little wider,
giving him easy access to Dave's cock. He started working with his hands
but soon added his mouth.


Dave groaned as felt the delicate flicks of Luka's tongue around his most
sensitive areas. He grabbed at the edge of the table to stop himself
falling.


Luka pulled Dave closer to him and took as much of his length as possible
into his mouth. With the ease of experience, he knew exactly where and how
to use his tongue to best advantage. Dave was unable to do anything except
moan inarticulately as he felt his climax approaching...and then it was
there...that brain melting, spine tingling feeling of release that was
better with this man in front of him than with any of his many previous
partners...


"I love you Luka," he gasped as his breathing slowly returned to normal.


"And I love you too," replied Luka, putting his arms around him.


When Dave had finally gotten his breath back, Luka lifted him off the table.


"Uh-oh," said Dave, as he noticed the invitation cards that were scattered
around the table. "Looks like we smudged the ink on some of this."


"What's this 'we' business," snickered Luka. "Look at your ass."


Dave craned his neck and groaned as he saw smudged ink all over his cheeks.
"I told you not to use that ink pen," he said, with mock disapproval. "Do
you know how much scrubbing it'll take to get those stains off?"


"Hmm, may I help?"


"Only if you ask me nicely," grinned Dave.


"May I?" whispered Luka in his ear as he pulled Dave into his arms and
kissed him.


"Yes you may."


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


The next day in the ER...


"Mark," called Luka as he hurried to catch up with him. "I'm glad I caught
you...I just wanted to give you this." He handed him the wedding
invitation.


"Why...thank you Luka," said Mark awkwardly.


"I apologize for the slight blurring of the lettering," said Luka with as
straight a face as he could muster. "My 'blotter' moved when he should not
have."


"It's okay," said Mark, with a slightly bemused expression on his face.


"Good, good," said Luka. "I will see you later." Walking away, he barely
managed to make it as far as the toilets before suffering a fit of helpless
laughter.


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


Author's notes -
As the title suggests, this is just a brief intermission in the fun-filled
saga of Dave and Luka...but I will be writing more...I just don't know when.
Oh, and I couldn't think of a way to say this in the fic, but Luka *is* well
aware that Mark will not appreciate being called 'Mr.' Greene, and that
Elizabeth will like even less being referred to as 'Mrs. Mark Greene'.
That's why he addressed the invite like that

Previously on ER
Dave and Luka have been living together for almost a year now (and screwing
each other senseless at almost every opportunity). After an AIDS scare at
work, Luka realized how much Dave meant to him and proposed to him.
Although not legally able to 'marry' they are organizing a ceremony at which
they will declare their commitment to each other. Dave asked Carter, and
Luka asked Kerry to be their 'best men' for the occasion.


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


Dave looked at the handful of blank wedding invitations and frowned. "So
we've got all of my family..."


Luka checked down the list, "Yes."


"And your father, stepmother, and family from Croatia?"


"Well, I don't know if they'll all come...but they have been invited."


"Everyone from work..."


"Yes."


Dave frowned, "We've checked the list twice...hell, we even got Mom to go
over it, and nobody's been left out...but we're still under the number we
agreed on."


Luka shrugged, "It does not matter...there will be plenty of people there."


"Yeah, but it seems a shame to waste the invites," said Dave. "And the
place we booked for the reception can squeeze in a few more."


Luka looked at him suspiciously. "I know that look on your face, you have
someone in mind for the last few invitations, no?"


"You know me so well," grinned Dave.


"Who is it?" asked Luka resignedly. "Your former lovers? But no...we do
not have that many spaces in the entire hall."


Dave stuck his tongue out at Luka. "Smart ass," he commented.


"Yes, I agree...my ass is very smart," said Luka with a deadpan expression
as he put his arms around Dave.


"You've been hanging around me waaaay too long."


"Not long enough my love...not nearly long enough," whispered Luka as he
nuzzled at Dave's ear.


"Mmm, don't stop."


"There will be none of your ear left if I continue like this."


"Who cares," replied Dave, dropping the invitations and turning round inside
Luka's arms so he was facing his lover.


"Now this is much better," said Luka, pulling Dave close and kissing him
gently. First on the forehead, then slowly working his way down Dave's nose
until he landed on his full and waiting lips. They parted willingly
allowing Luka's tongue access to the innermost recesses of Dave's mouth.


Dave's hands had not been idle while Luka's tongue was busy. They were busy
unzipping Luka's fly and gently playing with his cock. Luka's eyes rolled
back in his head as Dave's magic fingers set to work. It had always been a
source of amazement to Luka, even before he had started sleeping with Dave,
that his hands, although so strong and powerful, could yet be so gentle and
dexterous...whether it was suturing a laceration or inserting a chest
tube...and now, being on the receiving end of their gentle caresses, Luka
found himself growing longer and harder by the stroke.


Luka groaned as Dave pulled away from him and then pushed him back onto a
chair before kneeling in front of him. He groaned even louder as Dave's
mouth still bearing the imprint of Luka's lips, fastened itself on Luka's
cock. "Oh God, yes...yes...yes..."


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


His passion momentarily sated, Luka pulled Dave up onto his lap and put his
arms around him. "So," he said, "Who did you have in mind for the surplus
invitations?"


"Well...I know you haven't seen her for over a year...but the two of you
were pretty tight...what about Hathaway?"


Luka's hand which had been making its way up under Dave's shirt, stopped in
its tracks.
"Carol?" he said in surprise.


Dave nodded.


"What makes you think I would want her at our wedding?" asked Luka quietly.
Although much time had passed since her abrupt departure from his life,
there was still a raw edge to his feelings about her...an edge that had not
entirely been dulled by his relationship with Dave. "For that matter, why
would *you* want her there...after all she was never particularly friendly
towards you."


"Oh I don't want her to come to the wedding," said Dave, trapping Luka's
hand on his chest. "But I can just imagine her reaction when she'd read the
invite." Doing his best imitation of Carol's voice he whined, "Oh God,
Malucci!" In his normal voice he continued, "It's just a pity we wouldn't
be able to see her face."


"You are a bad bad boy," said Luka, a smile lighting up his face.


"But you love me for it?"


"Come to bed with me and I will show you just how much."


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


"Yes Doug," said Carol into the mouthpiece of the phone. "I'm at my mothers
house. How are the girls behaving?"


Doug looked at the living room, which had been in pristine condition only a
few hours earlier. He knew there was a floor somewhere under all the
junk...he just couldn't see it. "They've been little angels," he said
grinning.


"Aw," said Carol, twisting the cord of the phone through her fingers. "I
wish I was there with you all...or that you were here with me."


"Bringing two inquisitive 'almost two year olds' on a long flight? I don't
think so...no, you just have a nice time at your mothers birthday
party...and we'll see you in a few days."


"It is nice being back here," admitted Carol. "I'm going to call into the
ER tomorrow...catch up with a few friends."


"Oh, that reminds me," said Doug, digging through a pile of papers. "There
was a wedding invitation for you in the post today."


"For me?" Carol was intrigued. "Who's getting married?"


Doug pulled a scrap of card out of the pile. "Some guy called 'Luka
Kovak'," he said. "Wasn't he a doctor at County or something?"


"Yes...he was." Carol was lost in her memories for a few seconds before she
continued. "So who's the lucky woman...and more importantly, when is it?"


"Ah," said Doug. "I'm not exactly sure...you see your daughters decided it
would be a good idea to 'censor' our mail...they ripped it to bits before I
could read it, and I'm pretty sure that Tess ate half of it."


"Oh my God," said Carol, "Is she all right? Maybe you should make her cough
it up...maybe I should come home."


"Carol Carol Carol," said Doug reassuringly. "She's fine...got a little
pissed off when I took it off her, but she's fine."


"Well okay," said Carol a little dubiously. "But you'll call me if she gets
sick or anything?"


"Of course."


"I guess I'll find out tomorrow who Luka's getting married to," said Carol
thoughtfully.


"Any ideas? I mean, was he seeing anyone when you were there?"


Carol was glad that she wasn't using a web cam or anything like it;
otherwise Doug would have seen her blush. She hadn't exactly lied to him
about Luka...after all, they hadn't exactly been 'seeing each other'...they
had just been friends. Okay, she knew that Luka had wanted to be more than
that...not that he had said anything, but it had been pretty obvious...and
yes, she had enjoyed his attentions...but she had never encouraged
them...well...except for that one kiss...and *that* was something that Doug
was never going to find out about.


"Carol?"


"I'm still here. I honestly don't know who it could be...it's probably not
even someone from the hospital at all."


"Well say hello to everyone there for me...and I'll call you tomorrow."


"Good night Doug...kiss the girls for me."


"I will. Love you Carol."


"Love you too."


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


The next day Carol headed into the ER...stopping for a few seconds at the
doorway to savor the experience. It was quite a novel feeling...not being
either a staff member or a patient...quite liberating, knowing that she
wasn't going to have to deal with unruly patients...or worse, overbearing
staff.


Pushing her way through the doors, she frowned at the remodeled admit desk,
wondering who's idea it was to have a pull-down board.


"Carol?"


Carol turned around at the sound of her name. "Luka!" she said, a smile on
her face. "How have you been?"


"Very happy, thank you."


"That must be down to your fiancé," said Carol teasingly. "So come on,
spill the beans...who is she?"


Luka frowned, "I do not understand."


"Um, to 'spill the beans'...it means to tell me everything...who is she?
Where did you meet her...I want to know all the details. I mean I knew
you'd find your 'soul mate' sooner or later."


"But did you not read the invitation?" Luka was puzzled.


"Unfortunately Tess got to it first and chewed it all up. Doug was only
able to read your name."


"Ah," said Luka, an evil grin lighting up his face. Maybe there was a God
after all.


"Yo Luka!" he heard Dave's voice call him, and turned to see him bounce up
to him.


Dave stopped in his tracks at the sight of Carol. "Hathaway? Long time no
see? How've you been? Has Luka been telling you the news?"


Luka interrupted, "Actually, I was just about to tell her who my 'bride to
be' is."


Dave looked puzzled but didn't say anything.


Luka put his arm around Dave and turned to Carol saying, "Carol; I would
like you to meet Dave Malucci...my betrothed."


Carol's eyes widened, and her mouth opened and closed without saying
anything.


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


To be continued

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


Luka interrupted Dave, "Actually, I was just about to tell her who my 'bride
to be' is."


Dave looked puzzled but didn't say anything.


Luka put his arm around Dave and turned to Carol saying, "Carol; I would
like you to meet Dave Malucci...my betrothed."


Carol's eyes widened, and her mouth opened and closed without saying
anything.


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


About half an hour later, Carol was sitting in the lounge; still thinking
about what Luka had told her. She could hardly believe it...Luka and Dave
Malucci...of all the people he could have gotten involved with. Before she
had a chance to really talk to him however, a trauma had come in that had
required his immediate attention, so she had made her way to the lounge.


"Carol?"


Looking up at the sound of her name, she forced a smile onto her face at the
sight of Kerry limping in.


"Hello Kerry, I was visiting my mother and I thought I'd call in and see how
everyone was doing."


"Yes, Luka told me you were here. I suppose you've heard his big news?"
Kerry watched as a flicker of annoyance crossed Carol's face, before the
features rearranged themselves into a carefully neutral expression.


"Yes I heard," said Carol. "I still can hardly believe it. I mean, talk
about opposites attracting. Luka's so mature...so sensitive. And
Dave...well, he's just Dave. I'd have never believed they were a couple."


Kerry tried to hide her irritation. "Well, of course you haven't seen them
together the past year like the rest of us have. Luka has been a very
steadying influence on Dave, and there's been a noticeable difference in
him."


Carol raised an eyebrow. "We are talking about the same guy who spends more
time playing wheelchair hockey than seeing patients? Next thing you'll be
telling me he's been made Chief Resident."


"No," said Kerry, "He's not applying until he finishes his fourth year, but
between you and me, he's way ahead of the competition." She saw the look of
shock on Carol's face and made a mental note to speak to Dave about the
subject of Chief Resident. Although she had only made the comment to see
its effect on Carol, the idea was quite a reasonable one. Dave's work and
attitude to it had improved immensely over the past year and if he wanted
the position he would be a strong candidate for it. "We've all changed a
lot in the past year Carol. Some of us more than others."


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


Carol was reflecting on Kerry's words as she sat in Doc Magoo's with a cup
of coffee growing cold in front of her. Maybe Kerry was right...maybe Luka
and Dave were a perfect couple...but a part of her rebelled at the thought
of them together...it just didn't seem 'right'...not that she was homophobic
or anything, but the two of them were such complete opposites in character.


"May I join you?"


Carol looked up and smiled warmly at Luka. "Of course," she said.


Luka brushed a few raindrops off his clothes before sitting down opposite
Carol. "You picked a bad time to visit Chicago. I don't think the weather
has been this bad for a while."


"Maybe you should have gone to the hospital canteen for your break."


Luka shrugged, "Haleh mentioned that you were over here. I thought I should
talk to you...as we did not get the opportunity earlier."


"Well, I suppose work *has* to come first," said Carol with a wry smile.
"Don't worry about it."


"You seemed rather...surprised at the news."


"That's an understatement," said Carol, a trace of sarcasm in her voice. "I
really don't understand it...I mean, I'm not surprised at Malucci. Hell,
he'd screw anything that moved...but you? I never realized that you were
gay."


Luka suppressed a trace of irritation as he listened to Carol's derogatory
comments about Dave. "I am not gay," he said evenly.


"Well, bisexual then...I mean, I don't have a problem with it...I just wish
you'd told me."


Luka sighed, "Carol, I am not gay or bisexual."


"Then what are you doing with Malucci? Trying to get a green card?" asked
Carol jokingly.


"I am in love with Dave," said Luka simply. "We have been through a lot
together and know that our love is real. And so we wish to declare our love
and show our commitment to each other before our families and friends. In
spite of the fact that we have not been in contact for over a year, I
thought that you would still be happy that I had finally found a soul
mate...someone to share my hopes and dreams...someone to spend the rest of
my life with..."


"Oh I am happy for you," interrupted Carol. "It's just...well, I mean if I
had to pick a male partner for you, then Malucci would be the last person
I'd think of. I honestly thought you had better taste than that."


That was the final straw thought Luka. In as carefully neutral a voice as
he could muster, he said, "Well we both know that my taste has always been
'questionable'. After all...I was dating you for a while." Luka pushed
himself up from his seat and moved out into the aisle. "I think that under
the circumstances it would be better if you did not attend the wedding.
Have a nice life Carol."


Carol stared open mouthed as Luka moved towards the door. "Luka," she
finally managed to call. "Don't walk away." But Luka either didn't hear,
or was ignoring her.


Slumping back in her seat Carol realized with a twinge of guilt, that she
had gone a bit too far. She had had no right to say all those things to
Luka about Dave. Whatever her personal feelings on the matter were
irrelevant. Both men were old enough to make their own decisions and if
they decided that they wanted to get 'married' then that was there business.
And if Carol was being totally honest with herself, she had to admit that
part of the reason she was behaving like this was jealousy over the fact
that Luka had managed to move on from her so quickly. Not that she had
wanted him to wallow in despair after her departure...but it would have been
nice to know that she'd had *some* sort of effect on him. Sighing she
realized that she hadn't said one word of congratulations to either of
them...well, chasing them down in the ER was probably not a good idea, but
once she got home to Seattle then she'd write to Luka and apologize to him.
He deserved that much.


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


"Anyone seen Luka?" asked Dave, as he walked up to reception.


"He's on his break," said Randi, not looking up from her magazine. "Think
he headed for Doc Magoo's."


"Didn't Carol say she was going there for coffee earlier?" asked Mark, a
little nastily. "Maybe he wanted to 'catch up on old times' with her."


He winced as Haleh dug him in the ribs before saying, "I don't think he knew
she was there."


Dave's face was stony as he said, "Oh...well, I'm just finished." He
shifted his bag into a more comfortable position on his shoulder and said,
"Tell him I'll see him at home." Then head down, he headed for the exit.


Haleh glared at Mark. "What the hell did you want to say something like
that for?"


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


Alone at the apartment, Dave sat brooding. What if Mark had been right and
Luka was 'catching up on old times' with Carol? What if while talking to
her she managed to persuade him that he could do better? Dave was well
aware of her low opinion of him and while he knew that Luka loved him...he
was still worried. After all, Luka and Carol had been pretty tight before
she did a runner to Seattle. Shit, what if she had come back solely to pick
up where she had left off. Dave pushed himself out of the chair and started
pacing.


The sound of a key in the lock distracted him and he looked at the door
apprehensively.


"Hi horny, I'm home," called Luka cheerfully. He stopped in surprise at the
sight of Dave watching him nervously. "What's wrong? Has something
happened?" Luka dropped his bag and went to Dave. Putting his arms around
him, he asked again, "What's wrong?" The concern and tenderness in his
voice were obvious to Dave.


"Nothing's wrong," said Dave, relaxing into Luka's strong arms. "I...I
just...Mark said you'd gone to Doc Magoo's to catch up with
Carol...and...and I just thought...you and she..." His voice trailed off
and he looked away.


Luka caught Dave's chin and turned his head to face him. "You thought that
Carol and I were talking as more than just friends?"


Dave nodded reluctantly. "I was afraid that...you know, you seeing her
again...I mean, she was your last girlfriend...I didn't want her to take you
away from me..."


"Dave Dave Dave," said Luka hugging him closely. "Nobody...and I mean
*nobody* is ever going to take me away from you. You are my life now and I
cannot live without you. Soon we shall stand up in front of our friends and
family and declare our love to the world. You are my soul mate...and I will
never, but never let you go. I love you little one."


"Show me," said Dave hoarsely. "Right here, right now...show me."


Luka didn't need a second invitation. It was the work of only a few minutes
for him to spread the cushions on the floor and push Dave face down on top
of them. A few more minutes and enough of Dave's clothing had been removed
to reveal his ass just waiting for Luka's attention. And it was not
disappointed. Luka bent his head to Dave's butt cheeks and slowly started
kissing them, murmuring softly as he did so. Stopping only briefly to
retrieve and apply the lubricant, he eased himself gently into his lover.
"I love you Dave Malucci," he called out just before he came.


Collapsing limply against Dave's body, he whispered in his ear. "I love you
Dave Malucci."


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


The End....of *this* segment