Title: 'At First Sight'

Author: Anna Rousseau <annadelamico@yahoo.co.uk>

Genre: ER/Short Story

Rating: G

Set: S6

Spoilers: you’ve gotta know how Lucy – y’know- left.

Summary: One of my friends set me a challenge: write a piece of fic with two characters who never met in the show. So here it is, and I'm not going to give the story away, so read on...please...

'AT FIRST SIGHT'

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"Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee."

Luka reached into the depths of his overcoat pocket in search of some change. Triumphantly he pulled out three nickels, two quarters, a dime and a tarnished penny. He looked at the woman kneeling in front of the candles to his side. Her face was cloaked by a cascade of hair and her knuckles were white as the bones in her hands showed the tightness ofher grip on the candle she was holding.

"Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed in the fruit of they womb Jesus-"

He slotted each coin into the metal collection tin and reached into the wicker basket by it, selecting three snow white candles and holding them tightly. Luka watched in silence as the wax began to drip down her candle, landing on her flawless skin. So deep in prayer she was unaware of the flow of molten wax which was setting on her fingers. Her lips continued to recite a prayer he had so often heard in his native Croatian.

"Holy Mary, mother of God-"

Luka listened more intently. The woman's tone was pleading, filled with the sort of emotion which you cannot help but be overwhelmed with. It seemed to accent the serenity of the small Catholic church, its resonance amazing the doctor.

"Pray for sinners now and the hour of our death, Amen."

The woman tossed back the mass of light hair that hid her face, a crystal teardrop dampened the flickering flame, but failed to extinguish it. She slowly moved to the candle stand and Luka approached her, holding one of his candles out.

"May I?"

She nodded with a weak smile, her eyes slightly bloodshot, "Sure."

He held out the candle and directed its wick at the middle of the flame. Their faces were light up as it ignited and Luka lit the other two, moving each one to form a cluster on the stand.

The woman wiped a tear from her eye. "Who are you praying for?"

Luka broke his silent prayer and looked into the brown eyes in front of him. He sighed looked at them from beneath his fringe of black hair.

"My children and my wife," he replied as he glanced over to the candles like he did every day in hope that the flames he lit in the church would keep their memory preserved in his mind.

"Oh," she nodded as she glanced at Luka. A few awkward moments of silence passed before her voice interupted his thoughts, her whisper only audible to him. "So you work at County?"

"Yeah," Luka answered as he looked down at the ID card on his lab coat. He pulled his jacket over the badge, not wanting to be reminded of the hospital. "I'm on a brea. I have a double shift in the Emergency Room."

The womans eyes widened slightly. "I used to work at County," her voice quiet. "A long time ago."

Luka smiled at her, "I have only been there a year or so...it's a strange place, huh?"

She smiled feebly, "Yeah, I guess."

A few more seconds passed in the tranquility of the church.

"Is Mark Greene still there?" She asked, wiping her eyes.

"Yes," he said putting his hands into his pockets. "Did you know him?"

"Yeah, I wanted to speak to him - is he ER Chief, or is it Kerry?"

Luka looked at her, trying to detect that look in her eyes, "Kerry."

"Oh," she replied. "What about Carol Hathway, Dr. Corday...Dr. Ross."

"Uh, Carol left a month or so ago, she went to Seattle...with her twins," his forehead creased in thought.

The woman gave a knowing smile and turned away. Luka watched as started towards the aisle, her shoes tapping distinctively against the worn marble.

She whirled around suddenly, "And Dr. Carter?"

"Uh." Luka looked up from his shoes, and straight at her anxious expression. "Well, I might not be the best person really, Dr-"

She held her hand out, "Anna Del Amico."

THE END

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