Carter came around the corner and saw Abby standing at the admit desk. He
felt like he hasn't seen her in years. He knew it was partially his fault
too they'd been avoiding each other for a couple of weeks they hadn't been
eating out at all or going to any movies they were just kind of living
their lives. They had small conversations here and there but they hadn't
spent any real time together for a couple weeks their schedules had been
conflicting and things just felt strained and he didn't know how to fix
them.
"Are you heading home?" he asked noting Abby's jacket.
"Yep. I'm gonna stop at Doc's for some dinner first though I haven't eaten all day"
"Don't you think you could pick a better place to eat then Doc's? " Carter teased.
"Well it may be greasy but its fast and close and I just want to eat and then go home and crawl into bed." she answered.
"Night Abby." Susan quipped walking off.
"Night" Abby said, then she gave Carter a quick kiss goodbye and headed out the door. Carter noticed that she seemed to kiss him out of habit not because she really wanted to and he cringed at the thought.
Ten minutes later Abby was sitting at a booth at the very back of the restaurant eating her burger and fries. Suddenly a loud explosion tore through the restaurant throwing Abby and several others to the floor. She was knocked unconscious for several moments and when she came to her their were flames and smoke all around her the explosion had knocked over all the tables and collapsed half of a wall causing Abby to be completely disoriented. The smoke was becoming so thick she couldn't see. She could hear crying and screaming from somewhere in front of her but she couldn't see anything. She crawled along the floor searching for a way out but she couldn't figure out where she was or how to find an exit she was terrified. A picture of Carter flashed through her head there were so many things she wanted to tell him things she needed him to know things she always thought she'd have time to tell him. Suddenly in a panic she realized she might never get the chance. She started to cry frantically she wasn't going to die she couldn't leave Carter like this she loved him and she was going to live to tell him. She promised herself she would never take him for granted again.
Carter was working on a patient in curtain area one when he heard the explosion and felt the whole hospital shake. He ran out of the room to see what had happened but the ER was fine. Suddenly some on in chairs yelled "Oh my God that building just exploded!"
Carter's heart caught in his chest when he looked out through the ambulance bay doors and saw that it was Doc's.
"OH my God Abby!" Carter screamed and ran outside.
"Carter wait!" Susan yelled chasing after him followed by the rest of the ER.
When Carter got outside he became even more terrified half of the building was on fire. There were people escaping through the broken glass windows at the front of the restaurant but half of the back wall had caved in and Abby was no where in sight.
"Abby! Abby!" Carter yelled racing towards the building and before anyone could stop him he took his shirt off and held it to his face then he rushed into the building. He could still hear Susan screaming behind him.
Abby was terrified she couldn't see anything and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. The smoke was unbearable she crawled along the floor looking for an escape and trying to avoid the heavier smoke. Suddenly she could see a faint glimmer of sunlight off the her side she crawled over to it and pushed some of the debris out of the way then she was able to crawl out of one of the broken windows. As soon as she was halfway through there were people pulling her out.
"I'm OK, I'm OK." She kept repeating even though she knew she wasn't she had a concussion, probably some broken ribs and severe smoke inhalation. But she could walk even if it was painful.
"Abby! Oh my god where's Carter?" Susan yelled rushing over to her trying to check her injuries.
"He wasn't with me." Abby said in short gasps trying to catch her breath.
"Oh my god!" Susan said realizing Abby didn't know "He went in after you."
Just as Susan's words sank in there was another loud explosion from inside the restaurant.
"Oh my god John!" Abby screamed and tried to run towards the burning building but Susan restrained her and she was too weak to get away.
"Oh god John" she cried and crumpled to the pavement. Susan and Chuny tried to check her injuries but she screamed at them to get away from her.
"Don't touch me!" she yelled, "get away from me!"
This wasn't fair. It wasn't real. It had to be some cruel joke, Some crazy twist of fate. As she watched the fireman arrive and dive into action, attempting to calm the flames, she did something she hadn't done since she was in college. She prayed.
As soon as Carter was inside the building the smoke overwhelmed him. Even with his shirt over his face it was still hard to breathe and the smoke was burning his eyes.
"Abby? Abby where are you?" he screamed pushing chairs and tables out of his way as he made his way through the building. Finally he felt the wall on the right side of him open up and he crawled into the open area only to realize he had gone to far he was now in the freezer at the very back of the building. He panicked even more when he realized he hadn't found
Abby along the way she could already be dead. Suddenly he felt and heard another explosion rock through the building it threw him against a row of shelves and they toppled over on him he couldn't see anything. All he could think about was Abby he may never see her again, never hold her body against his, never run his fingers through her hair. He couldn't handle that. He thought about all the time they had wasted in the last two weeks. They had let their little arguments drag them apart they had spent so much time avoiding one another and now all he wanted in the world was to be with her right now. As he struggled to get out of the freezer in the darkness and blinding smoke he realized he may not get out of this alive even if she did make it he may never see her again.
Abby watched as they tried to put the fire out the entire building was almost in flames she felt every ounce of strength flow out of her as she watched them if Carter didn't make it she didn't want to live anymore she couldn't do it without him. Why did she have to go to Doc's? Why? Carter had just asked her why she didn't go someplace else she wished so badly that she had listened to him.
Suddenly Abby heard Susan gasp and she looked up. The firemen were carrying Carter out of the fire. He was unconscious and he looked as bad as Abby if not worse.
"John!" Abby screamed and ran towards him. "Is he going to be ok?" Abby asked Luka as she got to them she didn't see any burns on him but she was still scared.
"He's going to be fine Luka told her he just needs oxygen he inhaled so much smoke.
Luka gave the oxygen to Carter and got one for Abby she didn't fight him as he put it on her.
Abby grabbed Carter's hand and followed him into the ER as they got into the trauma room she noticed him start to wake up. She squeezed his hand harder so he would know she was there.
"John?" Abby said through her tears "John are you ok?"
Abby!" John said sitting up as soon as he saw her "you're alive!"
Luka tried to get him to lie back down but he refused "Not now he yelled."
" I thought I had lost you." He said grabbing her and pulling her into an embrace.
"You scared me to death." Abby said wincing from the pain in her ribs as Carter hugged her.
"Oh my god are you ok he asked noticing her stiffen in his arms.
"I'm fine." she said "just a few broken ribs and maybe a concussion."
"Are you ok? She asked him.
"I am now," he said pulling her closer to him again but being careful not to hurt her.
"Abby I was so afraid I would never see you again."
"Me too I'm so sorry John for everything. When I was in there all I could think about was all the things I want to tell you, all the things I need to tell you and I just kept thinking what if I don't make it what if.."
"I know baby I know," he said cutting her off "it's ok."
"No it's not John please you have to forgive me I'm so sorry for everything. For pushing you away for not letting you in, for keeping things from you, for everything I'm so sorry." She was crying uncontrollably now and she didn't care she wanted to cry in front of him she wanted him to know how she felt she never wanted to hide anything from him ever again. "John I love you" she said looking deep into his eyes I've loved you for over two years now I just didn't have the guts to tell you. I was to scared but I'm not anymore I want you to know."
"I love you too Abby I always have if I had lost you today I would have lost everything worth living for. Abby I love you so much." He was crying now too and before he knew it they were kissing. It was like no other his they had ever experienced it said some much more then their words ever could. It told them both that this was forever that no matter what came their way they were going to make it and that's all they needed. It was all they wanted. it was everything.
"Are you heading home?" he asked noting Abby's jacket.
"Yep. I'm gonna stop at Doc's for some dinner first though I haven't eaten all day"
"Don't you think you could pick a better place to eat then Doc's? " Carter teased.
"Well it may be greasy but its fast and close and I just want to eat and then go home and crawl into bed." she answered.
"Night Abby." Susan quipped walking off.
"Night" Abby said, then she gave Carter a quick kiss goodbye and headed out the door. Carter noticed that she seemed to kiss him out of habit not because she really wanted to and he cringed at the thought.
Ten minutes later Abby was sitting at a booth at the very back of the restaurant eating her burger and fries. Suddenly a loud explosion tore through the restaurant throwing Abby and several others to the floor. She was knocked unconscious for several moments and when she came to her their were flames and smoke all around her the explosion had knocked over all the tables and collapsed half of a wall causing Abby to be completely disoriented. The smoke was becoming so thick she couldn't see. She could hear crying and screaming from somewhere in front of her but she couldn't see anything. She crawled along the floor searching for a way out but she couldn't figure out where she was or how to find an exit she was terrified. A picture of Carter flashed through her head there were so many things she wanted to tell him things she needed him to know things she always thought she'd have time to tell him. Suddenly in a panic she realized she might never get the chance. She started to cry frantically she wasn't going to die she couldn't leave Carter like this she loved him and she was going to live to tell him. She promised herself she would never take him for granted again.
Carter was working on a patient in curtain area one when he heard the explosion and felt the whole hospital shake. He ran out of the room to see what had happened but the ER was fine. Suddenly some on in chairs yelled "Oh my God that building just exploded!"
Carter's heart caught in his chest when he looked out through the ambulance bay doors and saw that it was Doc's.
"OH my God Abby!" Carter screamed and ran outside.
"Carter wait!" Susan yelled chasing after him followed by the rest of the ER.
When Carter got outside he became even more terrified half of the building was on fire. There were people escaping through the broken glass windows at the front of the restaurant but half of the back wall had caved in and Abby was no where in sight.
"Abby! Abby!" Carter yelled racing towards the building and before anyone could stop him he took his shirt off and held it to his face then he rushed into the building. He could still hear Susan screaming behind him.
Abby was terrified she couldn't see anything and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. The smoke was unbearable she crawled along the floor looking for an escape and trying to avoid the heavier smoke. Suddenly she could see a faint glimmer of sunlight off the her side she crawled over to it and pushed some of the debris out of the way then she was able to crawl out of one of the broken windows. As soon as she was halfway through there were people pulling her out.
"I'm OK, I'm OK." She kept repeating even though she knew she wasn't she had a concussion, probably some broken ribs and severe smoke inhalation. But she could walk even if it was painful.
"Abby! Oh my god where's Carter?" Susan yelled rushing over to her trying to check her injuries.
"He wasn't with me." Abby said in short gasps trying to catch her breath.
"Oh my god!" Susan said realizing Abby didn't know "He went in after you."
Just as Susan's words sank in there was another loud explosion from inside the restaurant.
"Oh my god John!" Abby screamed and tried to run towards the burning building but Susan restrained her and she was too weak to get away.
"Oh god John" she cried and crumpled to the pavement. Susan and Chuny tried to check her injuries but she screamed at them to get away from her.
"Don't touch me!" she yelled, "get away from me!"
This wasn't fair. It wasn't real. It had to be some cruel joke, Some crazy twist of fate. As she watched the fireman arrive and dive into action, attempting to calm the flames, she did something she hadn't done since she was in college. She prayed.
As soon as Carter was inside the building the smoke overwhelmed him. Even with his shirt over his face it was still hard to breathe and the smoke was burning his eyes.
"Abby? Abby where are you?" he screamed pushing chairs and tables out of his way as he made his way through the building. Finally he felt the wall on the right side of him open up and he crawled into the open area only to realize he had gone to far he was now in the freezer at the very back of the building. He panicked even more when he realized he hadn't found
Abby along the way she could already be dead. Suddenly he felt and heard another explosion rock through the building it threw him against a row of shelves and they toppled over on him he couldn't see anything. All he could think about was Abby he may never see her again, never hold her body against his, never run his fingers through her hair. He couldn't handle that. He thought about all the time they had wasted in the last two weeks. They had let their little arguments drag them apart they had spent so much time avoiding one another and now all he wanted in the world was to be with her right now. As he struggled to get out of the freezer in the darkness and blinding smoke he realized he may not get out of this alive even if she did make it he may never see her again.
Abby watched as they tried to put the fire out the entire building was almost in flames she felt every ounce of strength flow out of her as she watched them if Carter didn't make it she didn't want to live anymore she couldn't do it without him. Why did she have to go to Doc's? Why? Carter had just asked her why she didn't go someplace else she wished so badly that she had listened to him.
Suddenly Abby heard Susan gasp and she looked up. The firemen were carrying Carter out of the fire. He was unconscious and he looked as bad as Abby if not worse.
"John!" Abby screamed and ran towards him. "Is he going to be ok?" Abby asked Luka as she got to them she didn't see any burns on him but she was still scared.
"He's going to be fine Luka told her he just needs oxygen he inhaled so much smoke.
Luka gave the oxygen to Carter and got one for Abby she didn't fight him as he put it on her.
Abby grabbed Carter's hand and followed him into the ER as they got into the trauma room she noticed him start to wake up. She squeezed his hand harder so he would know she was there.
"John?" Abby said through her tears "John are you ok?"
Abby!" John said sitting up as soon as he saw her "you're alive!"
Luka tried to get him to lie back down but he refused "Not now he yelled."
" I thought I had lost you." He said grabbing her and pulling her into an embrace.
"You scared me to death." Abby said wincing from the pain in her ribs as Carter hugged her.
"Oh my god are you ok he asked noticing her stiffen in his arms.
"I'm fine." she said "just a few broken ribs and maybe a concussion."
"Are you ok? She asked him.
"I am now," he said pulling her closer to him again but being careful not to hurt her.
"Abby I was so afraid I would never see you again."
"Me too I'm so sorry John for everything. When I was in there all I could think about was all the things I want to tell you, all the things I need to tell you and I just kept thinking what if I don't make it what if.."
"I know baby I know," he said cutting her off "it's ok."
"No it's not John please you have to forgive me I'm so sorry for everything. For pushing you away for not letting you in, for keeping things from you, for everything I'm so sorry." She was crying uncontrollably now and she didn't care she wanted to cry in front of him she wanted him to know how she felt she never wanted to hide anything from him ever again. "John I love you" she said looking deep into his eyes I've loved you for over two years now I just didn't have the guts to tell you. I was to scared but I'm not anymore I want you to know."
"I love you too Abby I always have if I had lost you today I would have lost everything worth living for. Abby I love you so much." He was crying now too and before he knew it they were kissing. It was like no other his they had ever experienced it said some much more then their words ever could. It told them both that this was forever that no matter what came their way they were going to make it and that's all they needed. It was all they wanted. it was everything.