AN- :D Luby! I'm trying to think of a Lusan one, so just be patient with me, guys. ^_^;; Anyway, this is an alternate ending of Fear of Commitment. Someone in F4F said something about what could have happened if Maggie hadn't gotten there, and, well, here's my take on it. Just a little stand alone, but I hope you like it! ^_^

All Usual disclaimers apply. :/ I don't own anyone or anything, so. . .

~*~

Abby sighed as Luka hugged her and held her. She felt so safe; so secure that she never wanted to let go of him. She never wanted him to stop holding her and helping her feel safe. She wanted to always be safe in his arms. She had never expected that Luka would show up at the courthouse that day; she had expected him to stay at County and keep on working, but when he got there and he put his hand on her shoulder, the courage that she had been lacking seemed to suddenly surge inside of her. There she had been, about to face people who were accusing her mother, and although she wanted to help her, she refused to believe that she herself needed help to survive this whole trial. She refused to believe that she needed someone to be there when she had already faced many other challenges along her life, all on her own. The second she felt Luka's hand on her shoulder, though, he was able to make her realize how much she had really needed him. How alone she had been feeling all this time, and now she had found someone to take away the insecurity. "Thank you. . ."

Luka, at her words, hugged her slightly tighter, not wanting to ever let her go. He had already lost people that he loved by not protecting them how he should have, and now with Abby he had been able to finally change that. He had been able to demonstrate that he'd really be there both through good times and bad, just how she had tried to be in the past. And it felt good. It felt extremely good. . . "For what?"

Talking softly, Abby closed her eyes as she moved closer to him. "For being there. And here. . . Everything." She had been about to continue when she felt him shrug; she wanted to at least try to explain to him how much what he had done meant to her, but she didn't get the chance. Before she could continue, there was a knock at the door. Not wanting to pull away, she looked up slightly at him with her chin on his chest and feeling how he rested his own chin gently on the top of her head. "Is the food here?"

"What food?" Even if he didn't want to, he loosened his hold on her as she started to pull away to go answer the door. "I'm making dinner by myself." He had been about to go check on the food when he heard Abby's giggle and, at that, he turned to her. A small smile appeared on his face to not laugh or chuckle, but glad nonetheless that she was smiling once more. That she was finally starting to feel better. "What are you laughing at?"

Laughing lightly, she grinned at him. "Ok, I just hope you didn't order from that Thai place again." Grinning slightly, she opened the door and her grin soon fell in surprise when she saw a delivery man holding a bouquet of beautiful long stem red roses.

The delivery man looked at his confirmation paper and turned to her. "Uh. . . Is Dr. Kovac-"

"That's me." Sighing, and looking upset, Luka took the flowers and closed the door after paying and the man left. Turning to a very surprised Abby, he sighed and smiled slightly; looking somewhat embarrassed. "He. . .was supposed to come earlier. I was going to decorate the apartment with them. Or. . .at least the table."

Abby couldn't help but stare at the flowers in surprise before she turned to him once more. It had been so long since someone had done something like that for her; the best thing that Richard had done had been setting up that picnic that one time. . . Smiling after a while, she reached for the flowers and very gently touched one of the petals, feeling its softness. Smiling still, she looked up at him only to have her smile grow a bit more when she saw Luka's small smile on his lips. "They're beautiful, Luka. . . You didn't have to do this."

Still with the small smile that seemed to characterize him, he shrugged and handed them to her with his head bowed down slightly to keep looking at her better. "I know, but I wanted to." Biting the tip of his bottom lip, he smiled, how he did that one time after he had kissed her at the bar the first time they had gone out. "Come on, go sit down and let me bring your dinner." Kissing her cheek before caressing it, he took her to the table and sat her down before going to the kitchen.

As he left, Abby watched him go before turning once more to the roses that she was holding. Still smiling, she set the flowers down in a vase that Luka had had ready in the middle of the table and sighed softly as she kept smiling.

Walking out of the kitchen once more, Luka returned to the table with two plates in his hands, and set one down in front of Abby. Grinning, he set his own plate down and sat down. "See? I told you that I was making the food. . . I hope you like it."

Laughing lightly, Abby looked at the plate, surprised that he had actually cooked for her. Luka had not only gone to the courtroom to support her, he had set up a candle lit dinner, had gotten him flowers, and cooked for her. Smiling, she turned to him. "It smells great, Luka, thank you."

Smiling back, he gently squeezed her hand before he started to eat. He was definitely hungry after a day like the one they had both gone through, and he wasn't going to let the food go cold; he was too hungry for that. As he ate, however, he suddenly felt that he was being stared at and, lifting only his eyes towards her, he smiled slightly and let out a soft chuckle when he saw Abby staring at him. "Everything ok?"

Nodding, Abby smiled and fixed a stray lock of hair that was on his forehead and hanging in front of his eyes. She absolutely loved his hair, and how she was able to run her fingers easily through it, but she loved his eyes even more. "Yeah, I was just. . .thinking."

"Yeah? What about?" Reaching over, he took her hand and kissed the top of it before he put down his fork and used his other hand to massage her arm.

"About today." Smiling, she kissed his cheek before resting her hand on top of his. "About everything."

Smiling slightly, he leaned to her and kissed her very softly, wishing that he could have done something more to help her. Wishing that he could have helped to somehow prevent the whole courtroom ordeal; to prevent anything from hurting her. Smiling, and since the soothing and soft music was still playing from the stereo, he took her hands and stood with her; dancing slowly with her as his arms enwrapped her. He wanted to hold her; to kiss her; to be with her. To always be with her.

As they danced, Abby closed her eyes after looping her arms loosely around his neck and she rested her cheek on his chest one more; right under his chin. What she was starting to feel for him was starting to worry her because she couldn't remember ever feeling it, but at the same time it excited her. It was so inexplicable that she honestly didn't know what to feel. . . Her thoughts suddenly dispersed when she heard his soft sigh. Smiling, she moved slowly and rhythmically along with him and the music, but not necessarily listening to the ballads playing from the stereo: she was listening to his strong heartbeats. She was feeling the way that his chest moved up and down easily. She was savoring the whole moment. . .

Smiling up at him, she moved his hair out of his face and ran her fingers along it; all while she looked into his eyes. With another smile, she kissed his lips when he leaned down slightly. Grinning slightly, she moved her arms down and, taking him by his waist, she started to pull him with her to the bedroom. "Come on. . ."

"Aren't we going to eat dinner. . .?" Luka turned to the food, but when he realized where they were going, he turned to her and grinned as Abby's soft laugh was heard. "Dinner can wait."

Smiling, they both went to the room and closed the door behind them, forgetting about food. Forgetting about lawyers, courtroom, judges, and bipolar mothers. Forgetting about everything.

Everything could wait.