Numb

Luka woke slowly wondering what had pulled him from his dreamless sleep. He extended his arm out, searching for Sam. When he didn't find her, he opened his eyes and cast them about the room.
The bed beside him was empty and the bathroom door was slightly ajar, letting a slither of light fall into the room.
He stood up, stretching and went towards the door.
" Sam, " he said, knocking softly.
" Yeah, " she answered. He heard movement and a second later the door opened.
" Are you all right ? " he asked, taking in her pale face and watering eyes.
" Yeah, I think so. " she answered, leaning against the door frame.
" Are you sick ? "
" I was. I think it's over now. " she said, swaying a little.
He reached out and touched her forehead. " You don't have a fever. Did Abby and Carter poison you ? " he joked.
She smiled and started to make her way back to the bed. Luka moved to her quickly put his arms around her to help.
" Maybe you shouldn't go to work tomorrow. " he offered.
" I can't afford to miss a day. " she answered.
" You can't afford to make everyone in the ER sick. " he told her. " If you still feel bad tomorrow morning, I'll tell them you won't be there and make an appointment with a doctor for you. "
Sam smiled. " I'm sure I'll be better. I bet Carter just helped make some of the food. "
Luka laughed. " I'll give him your compliments. "

The heavy flow of traffic was building to a nerve wracking level by the time Luka and Alex pulled into the hospital parking lot. Sam had been worse when she woke up, Luka insisted she stay in bed for the rest of the morning at least. She hadn't been able to keep the breakfast he made her down. So he made her some toast and hurried to pick Alex up.
He was almost late when he hit the door, rushing quickly to the time clock with Alex following behind him.
" Well, if it isn't father wanna be. " Romano announced as Luka made his way to the desk and started studying the board.
" Back off. " Luka hissed at him.
" Why is there a child in my ER ? " he asked, ignoring him.
" His mother is sick and he's not in school. And just for the record it isn't your ER. "
Romano narrowed his eyes on him. " It is my Er as long as I'm in charge of it. "
Luka glanced at the board and noticed that he was the only attending scheduled for the day.
" Actually, " he said, taking a step towards the window that separated the waiting room from the exam rooms. " It's their ER. " he gestured towards the crowded room. " Are you going to go out there and tell me that they'll have to wait even longer to be seen because you pissed off the only doctor you had scheduled for the day and he left ? "
Romano stared at him with cold eyes, then he glanced down at his artificial arm with a grimace, probably trying to decide if he could handle the case load alone. Then he looked back at Luka. " Keep him out of my way. Keep him out of everyone's way. I'm holding you responsible for him. "
Luka smiled. " No problem. He'll be with me all day. "
The shorter man turned on his heel and began to retreat. Then he turned back around.
" Did you say his mother was sick ? " he asked over his shoulder.
" Yeah, she's sick. " Luka confirmed.
" Make sure she has a doctor's excuse when she comes back tomorrow and have Abby try and find a replacement. " he called, stalking away.
Luka chuckled and looked around at all the people staring at him. He hadn't noticed all the nurses standing around until then.
" Way to go, Dr. Kovac. " one of them called.
Luka made a short fake bow to them, before taking off to hind Abby.
He called home around noon to tell Sam that she had a one o'clock appointment with Dr. Bradford upstairs. She still wasn't feeling much better but at least she had eaten the toast he made for her. She asked about Alex and Luka had reassured her several times that he was find. Then he went about seeing more patients.
The ambulance crew was just wheeling one in when he hung up the phone. He quickly caught up to them, with Alex in tow and got all the information they were giving him. From what they said, and his first assessment of the twentyish man, it looked like an overdose, so he gave his orders to the nurses accordingly.
Alex was watching intently as the nurse beside him started pulling off the man's shoes. When she reached inside one of the heavy black leather boots, she pulled out a syringe and Luka's suspicions were confirmed.
Alex was looking wide eyed from the man to the syringe and his eyes got wider as more tubes and wires were stuck into the helpless form.
" What happened to him ? " he asked, Luka after a minute.
" He took drugs. " Luka answered.
" Drugs can do all this to you ? " his face was white, and he looked startled.
" Yeah, they can do this and a whole lot more. They can kill you. " Luka told him. " Alex are you okay ? "
Alex turned and took off quickly towards the door to the doctors lounge. Luka turned back to the patient and finished his treatment.
Then he made his way quickly after Alex.
" What's wrong ? " he asked, as he opened the door to the lounge.
Alex was sitting at one of the tables, looking worried and scared.
" Nothing, " he mumbled.
" Alex, Why would an overdose bother you so much ? I have seen you watch me crack a chest before and a guy with a syringe in his boot gets to you. I'm not buying it. "
Alex looked away from him and stared at the floor.
" Alex, is there something you want to talk to me about ? Has someone offered you drugs at school maybe ? " trying again to get him to talk.
" No, no one has ever offered me drugs. " he answered, decisively.
" Have you seen someone doing drugs ? " Luka prompted searching for some answer.
Alex flinched but continued to look at the floor. " I don't want to talk about it. "
" Who was it, Alex ? Who have you seen doing drugs ? " Luka continued, going to where we was staring at crouching down beside him.
" No one. I just don't want to talk about this, okay. Maybe I should go home and take care of Mom ? " he offered.
Luka sighed, a heavy suspicion weighing on him. " We don't have to talk about unless you want to. I think I know what's happening. " he told him. " Do you want me to make it stop ? "
Alex was still for a minute before he finally shook his head. " I don't want him to be like that guy. " he answered, quietly.
" I'll talk to him, but I can't make any promises. " Luka said, putting his handhis his shoulder. " When did you see this happen ? "
" Last night, after I went to bed. " Alex told him. " I got up to get some water and I saw him on the couch, with one of those needle things. "
Luka clenched his teeth and his breath out slowly.
" Thank you for telling me. " he told Alex. " But you should have called us last night. "
Alex huffed and slumped his shoulders. " I know, but I didn't want to get in your way. You guys haven't really been together since we went camping and I wanted to give you some privacy. " he explained. " Besides, he didn't even no I was there. When I saw him, I just went back to my room and locked the door. Everything was fine. "
Luka shook his head. " Everything wasn't fine. I know you think you're all grown up and can make it on your own, but you're ten years old. Your dad was supposed to be watching you. What if something had happened, like a fire or a burglar ? Do you think you're Dad could have taken care of you like that ? "
Alex shook his head and dropped his eyes. " Are you going to tell Mom ? "
" I have to Alex. This is serious. What your Dad wasn't just irresponsible it was illegal and dangerous. You saw the guy just now. "
Alex nodded. " I know, but she is going to flip out. I don't want to be here when you tell her. "
Luka chuckled, " Yes, she is. I'll talk to her alone. "
" Can you wait until she's better at least ? "
" No, I need to tell her now. This can't wait and Alex, I'm sorry but your Dad can't stay at your apartment anymore. "
" I thought we were going to wait to talk to him together. " Sam's voice said, over Luka's shoulder.
" We are. " he said, standing and turning to her. " We are talking about something completely different. "
Sam's eyes narrowed as she took in there looks. " What happened ? Why does everyone look like that ? " she asked.
Luka glanced at Alex who was looking at him with pleading eyes. " Just something I need to talk to you about later. " he told her.
Her smiled returned. Apparently she was in a good enough mood she didn't want to waste it on whatever they were talking about.
" I have something to talk to you about later, too. " she smiled. " Can we tell him now ? "
" Tell me what ? " Alex said jumping out his chair, thrilled that Luka had kept his word about talking to his Mom alone.
Luka smiled and nodded to Sam.
" Are we taking another trip ? Maybe we could go camping again. " Alex offered excitedly.
" It's better than that, baby. " Sam answered. " We are going to live at Luka's "
The door to the lounge had just opened and Abby was walking in.
Alex just stared at them both for a long minute. His eyes searching both of them.
" You mean, forever ? " he asked.
Abby was making her way to the lockers, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.
" Yeah, I mean forever. " Sam answered.
Alex still just stared at them. " Like a real family ? "
Luka bent down so that he was at eye level with him. " Exactly like a real family. " he assured him.
Alex stood for another second, then he leaped into Luka's arms and hugged him tightly.
Luka stood with him, holding him in his arms as Sam joined in on the hug.
, " , " Abby murmured from the corner. " I could just cry. "
Luka turned to her and smiled. " We really have you and Carter to thank for this. " he told her.
Sam let go of them and turned to Abby. " He's right, Thank you. "
" Ah, it was nothing. " she told them, taking her lunch out of it's bag and spreading it out in front of them.

Alex finally let go of Luka and he lowered the boy to the ground.
" I want to talk to your mom for a minute. " Luka told him. " Are you taking him with you ? "
" I need to stop at the pharmacy before I leave, but yeah, I can take him. I feel much better. "
" Why don't you go wait in the car ? " Luka offered to Alex.
" Okay, " he beamed, " Can we go home and start packing ? "
" That's the plan, Buddy. " she told him as he left.
" All right ! " they heard him exclaim as the door shut.
" Should I leave, too ? " Abby asked, looking around the table at her food scattered everywhere.
" No, you don't have to go. " Luka assured her. Then he turned back to Sam. " You had something to talk to me about ? "
Sam shook her head. " Mine's bigger, I bet. You go first. "
Luka smiled and furrowed his brow. " I'm not sure if I should tell you about this or handle it myself. " he admitted.
" What ? " she asked. " You can't not tell me about it now. "
" I want you to promise to let me take care of it, first. You've been sick and this goes beyond, you wanting to deal with things on your own. "
" What the hell are you talking about ? Did something happen with Steve last night ? "
Luka crossed his arms and stood his ground. " Promise me first. "
" All right, I promise not to deal with whatever it is and let you handle it. " she conceded.
" A trauma came in earlier that really bothered Alex. It was an overdose. It was kind of weird because I knew he hadn mun much worse. Hell, he saw worse earlier this morning. " Luka explained.
" All right, so did he tell you why it freaked him out ? " she asked, starting to shift her weight from one foot to the other, obviously nervous about his answer.
" He isn't being offered drugs, so don't worry. " he assurer. er.
" Okay, what then ? " she asked.
" He saw - " that was as far as he got before a nurse stuck her head into the room, interrupting them.
" We have an GSW to the chest in the bay now. We need you. " she called to Luka.
Luka looked up. " I'm sorry. We'll talk about this tonight and whatever you have to tell me. Okay ? And don't worry I'll take care of everything. " he told her, kissing her quickly before darting out of the room.
Sam stood there for a moment looking after him. " Do you know what's going on ? " she asked Abby. No cNo clue. I just came in. I saw Alex run in here and Luka came after him. But that was a little bit ago. " she told her.
Sam was pacing and tapping her foot.
" Are you okay ? " Abby asked her.
" No, I'm not. I think Steve is doing drugs in my apartment in front of my kid. " she fumed. " Tell Luka I went home to talk to Steve. I'll see him later. "
Then she took off slamming the door behind her.
Abby just stared at the closed door with her mouth opened. The protest sas aas about to make, dying on her tongue.