Disclaimer: I don't own anyone or anything.

Author's note: This is my first fanfic. Please be gentle on me :) Also, I speak English as my second language. Please excuse me for the mistakes I might have not noticed. I have tried my very best, though!

About the fanfic: It is not exactly based on the actual ER storyline. I have borrowed some elements, but I'm not necessarily using them the same way as they are or were in the show.

Feedback is always welcome :)

Chapter 1:

Susan Lewis made her way to the women's room. "God it is hard to find time to empty one's bladder in this cursed hospital," she angrily murmured while walking towards the toilet booth. She stopped by the door, when she heard silent sobbing from the booth next to the one she was going to enter. She hesitated for a moment, but couldn't resist her curiousity.

"Is everything alright in there?" she asked.

"No. No it isn't," was the tired reply she got after a long silence.

"Abby? Is that you?"

"Yeah."

"What is wrong? Why are crying in here?" Susan asked worriedly.

"This... This is wrong with me," Abby said sliding something under the door.

"Abby! Is this what I think it is?" Susan cried out before she even took the item for a closer inspection.

"Yeah... bingo," Abby said letting out a suppressed laugh accompanied with a sniff.

"Oh gosh," was all Susan could say when she noticed the positive result of the pregnancy test Abby had given her.

"Tell me about it," Abby sighed.

"How? What? I mean when? Abby help me out!"

"Well, it isn't like I had anything like this planned, far from it. It just obviously happened somehow."

"Did you tell Carter about it? Does he know already?"

"How could I have? Besides, I think he isn't very interested in how I'm doing at the moment anyway."

"Why not? I thought you two were together?"

"Yes indeed, were. I kind of... umm... threw him out so to speak."

"What? When? Why?" Susan asked in disbelief.

"It is a long and boring story. Believe me, you don't want to hear it."

"But I do!"

"Well ok, but can we do the talking somewhere else than here" Abby sighed and flushed the toilet.

"Oh yes, you are absolutely right. This isn't the place where I would like to discuss about my life either," Susan said half smiling, half seriously.

Abby walked out of the booth to find confused looking Susan staring right at her. Susan wasn't sure if she should give Abby a hug or just let it be. She knew Abby didn't like people being too emotional towards her. She had this wall around her – only a few people had been able to break through it. Susan, so far, wasn't one of them.

"It will be alright," Susan said and put her arm on Abby's shoulder. She figured it was a safer option than hugging her.

"I don't know about that..."

"You'll see. What time are you off today? Maybe we could go for a cup of coffee or something?"

"Around 9 PM."

"Great. I'll meet you at the lobby at 9:15. OK?" Susan asked.

"Sure, why not."

"See you then! Oh and, you might want to throw that test somewhere else – before the rumors start flying around. You know how fast it happens here," she said pointing to the test she had left on the sink. With those words she left Abby standing alone in the women's room. Abby's news had come as such a big surprise to her that she had even totally forgotten why she had entered the restroom in the first place. Now she was just hurrying to her next patient again.

Abby was supporting her body to the sink. She thought she would collapse if she let go. She really hadn't been preparing herself for a shock like this. She had thought she had eaten something bad, but now the pain in her stomach had turned out to be something else. How was she going to solve the situation? If only she knew.