AUTHOR'S NOTE
I borrowed the idea for this story from the movie The Family Man. And, yes, I am still working on A Way Back to Your Heart. I wrote this for a fanfic challenge though, and I want to see what people think, so please review and I will post more. Thanks!!

Just so you know, the challenge was from One Can Only Hope and it was to write about Carter's belated birthday...
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear, Daddy..."

"Abby?" Carter asked groggily as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and the room slowly came into focus.

He saw Abby seated on his bed with two small children whom he was sure he had never seen before in his life. He sat up slowly. He was almost positive that he had fallen asleep in his own bed, in his own house, all alone the night before. Looking around the room, he was sure that he had no idea where he was or why Abby and these children were here with him.

"Abby, what are you doing here?" Carter asked, confused.

"Well, I know it's early," she said, glancing down at her watch, "But Jake just couldn't wait to give you his present any longer."

"Jake?" Carter asked as he looked at the small boy seated next to Abby. He had a patch of hair that was sticking up on top of his head, and he was positively beaming at Carter with his toothless grin. His deep, brown eyes and the few freckles that dusted his nose reminded him curiously of his brother Bobby, but he was sure he had never seen this child before.

"Happy birthday, Daddy!" the boy exclaimed as he handed Carter a present. Carter looked at the present and back at the boy. He was so confused that he was speechless. "What's wrong, Daddy? It's exactly one month passed your birthday ...Megan was so excited about today that she ripped your card a little. Sorry, Daddy..."

"Who's Megan?" Carter asked, finally remembering how to talk again.

"That's Megan," Jake pointed to the little girl with soft brown curls who was seated on Abby's lap, quietly sucking her thumb. "You're silly, Daddy," Jake said with a smile, but Abby looked a little scared. She could see the look of confusion of Carter's face, and she had no idea what he was thinking.

Carter shook himself out of his fog. He was becoming angry about the situation now. "Would you please stop it?" he half-shouted at Jake. "I'm not your Daddy!"

Tears instantly began to well up in Jake's eyes, and he ran out of the room quickly.

"Nice one, Carter," Abby whispered coldly before she ran down the hall after Jake.

Carter was left alone with a silent Megan who was still sucking on her thumb. She crawled onto his lap and snuggled up to his chest. Although he didn't know her either, he couldn't refuse such a sweet little girl. She couldn't be more than a year old, and looking at her face, it was obvious that she was Abby's daughter, but when did Abby had a child?

Where am I? Why is Abby here with me, and why does that little boy keep calling me "Daddy"? He thought to himself.

Carter looked down at the present that Jake had tried to give him. He had been right; it was exactly one month passed his birthday. It's not like he had celebrated much anyway. He had been keeping to himself lately, ever since Kem had left him.

Jake had given Carter a picture frame, which he had probably painted himself. There was a picture of Jake and him inside it, which Carter had no recollection of posing for. The card simply said, "Happy birthday, Daddy," in Abby's handwriting and "Love, Jake" in an untidy scrawl that was probably Jake's. There was a small tear in the left-hand corner, which was probably courtesy of Megan, he guessed.

Carter glanced down at her. She was fast asleep on his chest.

"Where am I?" Carter said aloud to himself. "Is this a dream?"

"Well, you certainly were cruel." Carter heard a man's voice that made him jump in fright. He had not heard anyone enter the room. He looked up and gaped, open-mouthed at the man standing before him

"Grandpa? I thought you were..."

"Dead, yes, I still am," the man answered with a smile.

Carter swallowed hard. "Am I, uh, dead, too?"

John Carter, Sr. began to laugh. "No, no Johnny, you are quite alive indeed."

"What, then am I dreaming, hallucinating, or just going crazy?"

"None of the above," John replied. "Let me explain a few things. I've been watching you since my, uh, departure from earth, and much of what you're doing makes me happy. I love what you're doing with the Foundation, even though some disagree, namely your father..." Carter smiled. "I am proud of you, Johnny, but let me ask you something. Do you remember who told you to get involved with the Foundation and change its priorities?"

Carter only had to think for a second. "Abby did...that night I took her to the fundraiser. Afterward, she said a lot of things that I didn't really hear then..." Carter's voice trailed off.

"She says a lot of wise things. She's good for you. I knew it the first time I saw you with her at that charity event at the museum. You were good together. What happened?"

Carter looked up. "Did you see what happened at Gamma's funeral?"

"Of course I saw," John replied. "I was there in spirit. What happened wasn't Abby's fault, but she apologized anyway. She tried, but you shut her out. And then, how you ended up with that African girl is beyond me..."

"What?"

"Tell me the truth, Johnny. You never would have lasted as long as you did if it wasn't for the baby. Am I right?" Carter nodded slowly.

"Okay, enough with the past. We're wasting time here. You only have 24 hours."

"For what?" Carter asked, confused once again.

"This," John said, motioning around the room. "This is a glimpse into what your life would be like with Abby. One day is all you have, though. So make it count."

Carter looked down at Megan. She really was his.

"Wait, what happens after 24 hours?" Carter looked up and asked, but his grandfather had vanished.