Goodbye Kiss

42. Walk Like a Man

Walk Like a Man
Season 9 x 04
October, 2002:

the thing i dreaded most lately was waking up this morning.
i stretched on a black short sleeved shirt and let down my freshly washed waves. lately, work felt like work. especially like work. it felt like i was always in that place. i was so sleep deprived, yet i still had to show up just because i was the nurse manager. quickly, i'd been learning that i didn't like doing what i was doing anymore. for one day of my life, i just needed to sleep. unfortunately, i locked my door behind me anyway, heading outside and off to county.
——
"thank god you're here" abby sighed as i walked in the door. she was feeding a fish in the new waiting area.
"yeah, thank god i'm here" i sighed
"i didn't know we had an aquarium" i added
"it's new" she grinned
"they did this all over night?"
"guess so" she shrugged
"anyway, what do you need me to do?"
she raised her eyebrows "sign the time cards, the nurses think i'm the manager"
"i'll get right on it"
"i don't know how you do it" she laughed
"i don't know, either"
i walked over to the admit desk.
"triage nurse now, huh?" i asked one of the newer nurses at the desk
"it's not so bad" he smiled, shrugging her shoulders
"glad someone wants to do it"
"i feel like hell" susan groaned
"you don't look so bad"
"well, maybe you look how i feel" she frowned
"thanks" i scowled
"still not sleeping?" pratt chimed
"haven't slept well since 1994" i sing songed.
——
an hour later, i finally got to signing off time cards.
"hey, g" chuny smiled
"what is it?"
"i need next saturday off"
"i can see what i can do" i nodded
"thank you" she smirked
"anytime"
i looked at my watch, it was time to check one of my patients vitals.
i went over to the curtain and scribbled into the chart.
"is something wrong?"
"your stats are all normal" i smiled, looking at the monitors.
"just waiting for your tests to come back"
"where's dr. pratt?"
"he's with a patient"
"can i get you something?"
"no, just wondering"
"okay" i nodded
"you let me know if you need anything, okay?"
she nodded
"i'll just go check on how those tests are doing" i added, walking out of the room.

i was in the drug lockup getting a catheter kit when luka came in behind me.
i didn't realize he was there when i turned around so, it made me jump.
"didn't see you there" i smiled
he was looking for something in the drug lockup.
"looking for something?"
"lidocaine" he smiled
i took the key out of my pocket and unlocked the drawer.
"didn't know it was locked"
"safety" i smiled
he leaned against the glass cabinet
i shoved the catheter kit under my arm and put the key back into my pocket.
"are you busy tonight?" he asked
"not really" i shrugged
he didn't say anything.
"you can come over to my place for a drink or something" i shrugged
"sure" he smirked, turning the corner.
——
"did you see it gianna?" susan asked
"see what?"
"you missed it?" carter gasped
i shook my head "i don't know what you two are talking about"
"weaver was on the news" carter began
"she was giving flu shots out to people for awareness"
"oh, god"
"no, she forgot to switch needles"
susan giggled
i raised my eyebrows "what?"
"i wish we were kidding" susan sighed
"on tv, too?"
"yeah" carter shrugged
"well, i hope nobody noticed"
"they definitely did" susan laughed
"that's not gonna be good for the hospital's reputation"
"maybe it'll slow things down?" carter shrugged.
"hey, gianna, what's open?" abby shouted, wheeling in a gurney
"exam one"
"what about this one?" chuny asked, pulling in another gurney.
"curtain two"
"guess that's our cue" susan whispered.
i let out a sigh, heading for the front doors.
——
around two hours later, i was off.
it was a pretty slow day except for the usual. i mean, headaches and chest pain. nothing out of the ordinary.
my brother tino called me and told me to go over to his apartment. he fixed cars as a little side job. i guess he had a white 1997 bmw waiting to be picked up but nobody came for it. tino and the rest of my family already had new cars, so he wanted to give it to me.
i shook my head "i can't take it from you"
"gianna, nobody's coming for it" he smiled
"tino"
"gianna" he groaned
"how about it's an early birthday present?"
"deal" i sighed
he handed the keys over to me. i stepped toward him and wrapped him in a hug.
"i love you, tino"
"i love you too, sorella"

it felt so weird driving home. after all, i had a vacant parking spot behind my apartment and in the hospital parkade waiting for me. i was thankful, i just hated gifts.
when i got upstairs, i changed out of my scrub pants and into a black pair of pants that had lots of pockets.
i poured myself a shot of tequila and turned on the lamps in my living room.
that's when i heard the knock on my door.
"come in" i smiled, opening the door.
luka was at the door.
i led him to the living room.
"can i get you anything to drink?" i smiled
"beer, cocktail, wine, shots?"
he sat down and pointed to my mug full of alcohol.
"what's in there?"
"tequila"
"that's it?" he laughed
i guiltily nodded.
"shots it is" he shrugged
i went around to my kitchen and opened the liquor cabinet,
"hard shift?"
"teenage girl came in with uti ended up in renal failure"
he shook his head "the mom kept flirting with me"
"god"
"sounds like a rough one"
he nodded his head.
"how is she?"
"you know, coping" he shrugged.
i handed him over the shot of tequila, i took a sip of mine.
"cheers" he smiled, clinking glasses together.
i laid against the arm of the chair.
"wanna know something that's really been bothering me lately?"
"sure" he shrugged, setting down his glass.
"always having to cover shifts"
i shook my head
"i make schedules much in advanced"
"and this is work for goodness sake"
i ran my hand through my hair
"but i'm the nurse manager and i always have to cover"
he tilted his head, smiling
"sorry, i just had to get that out there"
"when's the last time you got a full night of sleep?"
"probably 1990" i cackled
he let out a laugh
i took another sip of my tequila.
"are you enjoying that?" he asked
"yes, actually" i grinned
"can i get you another drink?"
"i don't know"
i stood up.
"come on, what is your go to?"
"whiskey"
"alright, on the rocks?"
he shook his head
"i'll go get you that" i whispered

i downed my third shot of tequila, handing luka another glass of whiskey.
"i should probably stop" i laughed
he shrugged his shoulders
"do you have an alter ego when you're drunk?" he asked
"i don't know" i smiled
"if i keep this up, pretty soon we're gonna find out"
"that wouldn't be so bad, would it?"
i leaned on the edge of my seat, smiling.
"i don't know" i smirked
my heart began racing and my cheeks felt flush.
i stood up, grabbing the glass out from luka's hand and setting it down on the side table next to him.
i set down my hands on the chair beside his head, pressing my lips into his.
he put both of his hands on my waist, pulling me closer to him.
"i'm sorr-" i whispered in between kisses.
he shook his head.
i sat on his knee, placing my hands on his face.

i guess you could say after all of that tequila, i was tipsy. you could also say i do have an alter ego when i'm drunk. although, i'm pretty sure the girl i am tonight is just me, gianna. maybe i was really wishing for this to happen. i ran my hand through my hair, letting out a breath before we were under the covers.

a/n: yayyyy!! and so it begins! i'm so happy about this part. fun fact, i originally wrote this almost exactly a year ago. it's still one of my favourites. i edited it in these past few days since it was kind of dull, so i hope you enjoyed it as much as me. i just wanted to note that instead of kovac sleeping with a patient, it's gianna. i really really toned down his whore phase because i felt like it was out of his character. also, a weird weird path for the writers to go down. i don't know, as a viewer i didn't love it. i know it's his repose to his depression and trauma, but in this fic, it didn't feel right. anyway, welcome gianna and luka together!! the next chapters are going to be so great, so stay tuned. **also, if these chapters were too much (in the way it made you uncomfortable?) please let me know.i did not go in detail about anything, and i don't plan on that in future chapters.
xx