Author's Notes: Okay guys, here I am for my second run on an attempt at a multi part fic. I hope you like this so far. I never know what to say on the first author's notes because yeah, they are the first ones. These do have spoilers, but they are pretty general, and they are only going to be in the first few chapters (like 1-3) then I'm gonna go on my merry little way without them . . . And the disclaimer because I hate these things: I do not own any of these characters, in ANY of my works. So leave me alone. I don't exactly know where I"m headed with this fic, but I'm on Carby deficiency so let that be your clue right now. Just read it and tell me what you think of it so far, and what you might want to see happen. Thanks so much. Have fun. Thanks Kat for reading and commenting. Gotta love instant messenger . . . By the way, my AIM SN is Love Among Ruin if anyone wants to talk to me there...:-)
~*~
He stepped into the newly constructed waiting and admit area. He was astonished. The glass, the doors, the security. Nothing the way it had been. He wondered silently if everything had changed, even the people. He knew the ER was a bit different, only because Romano had been killed. That's the reason he was back. Kerry offered him the Chief of Emergency Medicine Position. He was willing to accept it. He walked in, flashing his ID at the security guard, and the door opened in front of him. He walked toward the desk, getting an acknowledging nod from Frank. He had been in yesterday. Today was his first official day back. He had seen Susan, Chen, and Pratt. Some of the nurses. But no Abby. Maybe it was for the better. He looked at his watch. Kem would be coming in any minute for her OB appointment. He was going to be a father. Just the thought of it made him smile. He was going to be someone's dad. He walked toward the lounge, responding to the few greetings he got. He swung the door open, entering an empty room. He walked over to his locker, throwing his coat and bag inside. He looked at the pictures he had on his locker. Some from the coast, from a vacation a few years ago, pictures of the staff, and him and Abby. He took the picture down and ripped it in two. He threw it away, trying not to remember the last time they had spoken. He grabbed his lab coat and stethoscope, and headed out the door. He saw Kem right away, at the admit desk, probably asking for him. He waved to her and she ran over to him. "Hey, you found it okay."
He was worried she would get lost or something. She hadn't been in the states, much less Chicago. He even got lost sometimes.
"Yes, I did. The city is gorgeous."
Chicago really was a beautiful city with the lakefront, and the sights.
"Yeah, I'll show you around when I get a chance, okay?"
He watched her nod her head, and he kissed her on the forehead. He grabbed her hand, and they started toward the stairs. He didn't know what drew him to this woman. She was gorgeous, smart, headstrong, determined. She knew what she wanted out of life and she was working on getting it. "Fine" was never good enough for her. It had to be perfect. The complete opposite of everyone else he knew. She had been raised in Africa, middle class family. And somehow she had managed to pull herself up through medical school, and she was respected throughout Africa for her work on the HIV/AIDS virus. She hadn't had an easy life, but she managed to get by. It never controlled her. She looked on the bright side. She was a pessimist.
He led her to the admit desk at OB, and Dr. Cobourn was setting up for them in exam five.
"Do you want me to stay?"
He watched her play around with the idea for a while, and then she finally answered.
"Not for the exam, but you can come for the ultrasound."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and handed her off to Dr. Cobourn. He motioned to her that he was going to get a cup of coffee, and she acknowledged him. He walked toward the room, hoping to get a jolt before dealing with actual up to date medicine during his shift today. 18 hours straight on his first day. It was exciting. When he entered it, he saw a small dark blonde woman sitting at the desk. She was hunched over some books and papers, her hair up in a messy bun. She was in blue scrubs with the short jacket. She was most definitely a med student.
He walked around her, hoping not to disturb her. He poured himself a cup of coffee and headed back toward the exam room. He planted himself in the chair outside the door, and sipped his coffee slowly. A few minutes later, he heard his name being called.
"Carter?"
He looked up, seeing Luka towering over him.
"Hey, yourself. How do you feel?"
He hadn't seen Luka yet, and it was nice to see he looked better than the last time he saw him.
"Better. Thank you for everthing. Back?"
He nodded his head in response, a smile breaking through. Luka laughed at him.
"How long?"
He took another sip of coffee before answering him.
"I don't know. Kerry gave me Romano's position."
Luka put out his hand and he shook it.
"Congratulations."
It probably couldn't' have come at a better time, since they were probably ready to fire him anyway.
"Thanks."
A moment of awkward silence broke between them.
"Have you seen Abby?"
He looked at Luka, he didn't know if he was asking about her, as a relationship between them type question, or has he seen her, because he's looking for her about a patient type question.
"What do you mean?"
He watched Luka pull on his stethoscope.
"Abby. She's on OB rotation. Is she here?"
Wait, she stopped working in the ER and started working in OB? Why? She was better downstairs.
"No. I haven't seen her."
He watched Luka give him a slight smile.
"She's okay."
He nodded his head. He knew she would be okay. She would always be okay. The awkward silence strained between them again. He looked at Luka, a bit closer now. His color was back to its norm, yet he was still a bit jaundice. But Malaria would do that to a person. He seemed a bit thinner too, but he looked genuinely okay. He saw someone grab Luka's stethoscope, but he couldn't see behind him who it was. He turned around and she walked up toward him. Luka's arms swung around her, and she nestled a quick kiss on her tip toes. She hadn't noticed him yet. But he had definitely noticed her. He tried to back away from the two, listening to their short conversation. She finally looked up at him, and they met gazes.
"Hey."
She didn't seem mad or angry. She seemed, happy???
"Hi."
He sounded like a moron. He didn't know what to say or how to act. He knew it would happen, they would eventually have to talk, but he didn't expect them to do it on the OB floor. With Kem behind the wall behind them.
He looked at her, she was the one he had seen in the lounge. She was wearing a lab coat. She was back in medical school?
"You're back in med school?"
She smiled and looked up at Luka for a second. Then she looked back at him.
"Yeah. It was about time I stopped waiting."
That was most definitely headed toward him. He had told her not to wait for him. She knew he understood what she meant after she said that. He nodded his head. What was he supposed to do? He was the one who told her not to wait. The door behind him swung open and he was thankful for the break.
"Abby, do you think I could a hand in here?"
He looked at Abby, and she gave Luka a quick hand squeeze and a kiss and headed into the room. He had forgotten, for a split second, that Kem was in the room with Abby. And was going to go in for the ultrasound a few minutes later. He knew it would be a strange situation. The door flew open behind him, and Dr. Cobourn motioned him in. Abby stood by Kem's bedside, the ultrasound set up, guiding it over her stomach, searching for the heartbeat. He smiled at Kem, and she reached out her hand for him. He went over to her, and held it. Smiling from ear to ear. He looked up at her only once. But he knew she suddenly seemed hurt. She finished the ultrasound professionally, not faltering once. She signed the chart along with Dr. Cobourn, and headed out. He headed out too, letting Kem change in peace.
"Abby, wait."
She turned around, a bit of a dejected look on her face.
"Two weeks. That all I'm worth. Two damn weeks."
She turned back around and left him standing there. He hadn't meant for it to happen the way it did. Kem was there, and he was just so out of it. She was so amazing, she managed to pull him out of his whole mood, and that night, it was like magic. He regretted it in the morning. He just needed to be with someone. The emptiness that had been following him day in and day out was murdering him slowly. And Kem chased that all away for a while. And obviously Abby had moved on. So why shouldn't he?
~*~
He stepped into the newly constructed waiting and admit area. He was astonished. The glass, the doors, the security. Nothing the way it had been. He wondered silently if everything had changed, even the people. He knew the ER was a bit different, only because Romano had been killed. That's the reason he was back. Kerry offered him the Chief of Emergency Medicine Position. He was willing to accept it. He walked in, flashing his ID at the security guard, and the door opened in front of him. He walked toward the desk, getting an acknowledging nod from Frank. He had been in yesterday. Today was his first official day back. He had seen Susan, Chen, and Pratt. Some of the nurses. But no Abby. Maybe it was for the better. He looked at his watch. Kem would be coming in any minute for her OB appointment. He was going to be a father. Just the thought of it made him smile. He was going to be someone's dad. He walked toward the lounge, responding to the few greetings he got. He swung the door open, entering an empty room. He walked over to his locker, throwing his coat and bag inside. He looked at the pictures he had on his locker. Some from the coast, from a vacation a few years ago, pictures of the staff, and him and Abby. He took the picture down and ripped it in two. He threw it away, trying not to remember the last time they had spoken. He grabbed his lab coat and stethoscope, and headed out the door. He saw Kem right away, at the admit desk, probably asking for him. He waved to her and she ran over to him. "Hey, you found it okay."
He was worried she would get lost or something. She hadn't been in the states, much less Chicago. He even got lost sometimes.
"Yes, I did. The city is gorgeous."
Chicago really was a beautiful city with the lakefront, and the sights.
"Yeah, I'll show you around when I get a chance, okay?"
He watched her nod her head, and he kissed her on the forehead. He grabbed her hand, and they started toward the stairs. He didn't know what drew him to this woman. She was gorgeous, smart, headstrong, determined. She knew what she wanted out of life and she was working on getting it. "Fine" was never good enough for her. It had to be perfect. The complete opposite of everyone else he knew. She had been raised in Africa, middle class family. And somehow she had managed to pull herself up through medical school, and she was respected throughout Africa for her work on the HIV/AIDS virus. She hadn't had an easy life, but she managed to get by. It never controlled her. She looked on the bright side. She was a pessimist.
He led her to the admit desk at OB, and Dr. Cobourn was setting up for them in exam five.
"Do you want me to stay?"
He watched her play around with the idea for a while, and then she finally answered.
"Not for the exam, but you can come for the ultrasound."
He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and handed her off to Dr. Cobourn. He motioned to her that he was going to get a cup of coffee, and she acknowledged him. He walked toward the room, hoping to get a jolt before dealing with actual up to date medicine during his shift today. 18 hours straight on his first day. It was exciting. When he entered it, he saw a small dark blonde woman sitting at the desk. She was hunched over some books and papers, her hair up in a messy bun. She was in blue scrubs with the short jacket. She was most definitely a med student.
He walked around her, hoping not to disturb her. He poured himself a cup of coffee and headed back toward the exam room. He planted himself in the chair outside the door, and sipped his coffee slowly. A few minutes later, he heard his name being called.
"Carter?"
He looked up, seeing Luka towering over him.
"Hey, yourself. How do you feel?"
He hadn't seen Luka yet, and it was nice to see he looked better than the last time he saw him.
"Better. Thank you for everthing. Back?"
He nodded his head in response, a smile breaking through. Luka laughed at him.
"How long?"
He took another sip of coffee before answering him.
"I don't know. Kerry gave me Romano's position."
Luka put out his hand and he shook it.
"Congratulations."
It probably couldn't' have come at a better time, since they were probably ready to fire him anyway.
"Thanks."
A moment of awkward silence broke between them.
"Have you seen Abby?"
He looked at Luka, he didn't know if he was asking about her, as a relationship between them type question, or has he seen her, because he's looking for her about a patient type question.
"What do you mean?"
He watched Luka pull on his stethoscope.
"Abby. She's on OB rotation. Is she here?"
Wait, she stopped working in the ER and started working in OB? Why? She was better downstairs.
"No. I haven't seen her."
He watched Luka give him a slight smile.
"She's okay."
He nodded his head. He knew she would be okay. She would always be okay. The awkward silence strained between them again. He looked at Luka, a bit closer now. His color was back to its norm, yet he was still a bit jaundice. But Malaria would do that to a person. He seemed a bit thinner too, but he looked genuinely okay. He saw someone grab Luka's stethoscope, but he couldn't see behind him who it was. He turned around and she walked up toward him. Luka's arms swung around her, and she nestled a quick kiss on her tip toes. She hadn't noticed him yet. But he had definitely noticed her. He tried to back away from the two, listening to their short conversation. She finally looked up at him, and they met gazes.
"Hey."
She didn't seem mad or angry. She seemed, happy???
"Hi."
He sounded like a moron. He didn't know what to say or how to act. He knew it would happen, they would eventually have to talk, but he didn't expect them to do it on the OB floor. With Kem behind the wall behind them.
He looked at her, she was the one he had seen in the lounge. She was wearing a lab coat. She was back in medical school?
"You're back in med school?"
She smiled and looked up at Luka for a second. Then she looked back at him.
"Yeah. It was about time I stopped waiting."
That was most definitely headed toward him. He had told her not to wait for him. She knew he understood what she meant after she said that. He nodded his head. What was he supposed to do? He was the one who told her not to wait. The door behind him swung open and he was thankful for the break.
"Abby, do you think I could a hand in here?"
He looked at Abby, and she gave Luka a quick hand squeeze and a kiss and headed into the room. He had forgotten, for a split second, that Kem was in the room with Abby. And was going to go in for the ultrasound a few minutes later. He knew it would be a strange situation. The door flew open behind him, and Dr. Cobourn motioned him in. Abby stood by Kem's bedside, the ultrasound set up, guiding it over her stomach, searching for the heartbeat. He smiled at Kem, and she reached out her hand for him. He went over to her, and held it. Smiling from ear to ear. He looked up at her only once. But he knew she suddenly seemed hurt. She finished the ultrasound professionally, not faltering once. She signed the chart along with Dr. Cobourn, and headed out. He headed out too, letting Kem change in peace.
"Abby, wait."
She turned around, a bit of a dejected look on her face.
"Two weeks. That all I'm worth. Two damn weeks."
She turned back around and left him standing there. He hadn't meant for it to happen the way it did. Kem was there, and he was just so out of it. She was so amazing, she managed to pull him out of his whole mood, and that night, it was like magic. He regretted it in the morning. He just needed to be with someone. The emptiness that had been following him day in and day out was murdering him slowly. And Kem chased that all away for a while. And obviously Abby had moved on. So why shouldn't he?