Abby was sitting in the lounge reviewing some charts after her shift when the door opened. She looked up instinctively and saw that it was Carter.

"Hey" he said timidly

"Hi" she quickly said back

Carter went over to his locker exchanging his white lab coat and stethoscope for his brown trench coat and shoulder bag. While he was putting his scarf on he turned to Abby

"So you and Jake huh?" he inquired

She was a little startled by his unexpected question. Her mind began racing. How did he find out? More importantly why did he care? They hadn't spoken more than pleasantries in who knows how long.

"Uh yea I guess so" she replied without looking up

"Is it serious?" he probed further

Again with the questions, what is he getting at here she wondered. Finally she looks up tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear she replies.

"I'm not sure, he's a nice guy"

He stood there not really wanting to leave but also unsure of what to say next. She bailed him out by continuing the conversation.

"How are you and Wendell doing?"

She could tell right away by his reaction that she hit a nerve. He immediately shut the door to his locker and without looking at her said,

"Uh we broke up about a week ago"

"Oh I'm sorry" she said while silently cursing herself for asking the question. But now that she had she was beginning to understand why Carter was suddenly interested in her love life.

"So that's why you're asking me all these questions about Jake?" she asked coldly

"No that's not it at all" he shot back

"Sure its not" she said coolly as she flipped the page on a chart. "Don't worry Cater you'll find someone new in no time, you always do"

He didn't know how to respond. Her words cut him to the bone and he couldn't figure out why. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there. He made a quick move for the door but as soon as he got a grip on the handle he heard her voice once again.

"How do you do it?" she blurted out

He stopped at the door and paused for a second contemplating whether or not he should turn or around or stay the course and get out the door.

"Do what?" he asked as he slowly turned to her.

"Move on with so much ease? I mean you almost proposed to me and you were over that in a couple of weeks and moved onto Kem whom you almost had a child with but she leaves and you don't miss a beat and pick right up with Wendell." She paused took a deep breath in an attempt to hold back the tears and looked up at him with her red watery eyes and pleaded, "How do you do it?"

Cater was floored, he didn't particularly want to have this conversation but he also knew that she deserved some answers.

He cautiously started, "Uh well, with me and Kem, don't get me wrong at the time I loved her and was looking forward to being a father but, after the baby I started to see that our relationship was based on responsibility, not love, we were together because it was the responsible thing to do not because we were in love."

She was sitting there waiting for him to continue but he seemed to have no inclination of doing so. "What about me?" she pushed

"You….you" he quietly repeated, tapping his foot and looking off to the side, "I never got over you" With that he turned and walked out the door leaving a stunned Abby there to think about the words he had just spoken.