AN: First I wish to thank everyone who supported my previous story The Other Side Of Never.

Now for my next attempt at fan fiction, The Rainbow After The Storm Warning, there might be a couple of spoilers up to S10 Ep: 18. Also the timeline may not follow the show exactly, you will see what I mean as you read, this is mainly due to the fact that I live in the UK and not sure when the supposed time of year each episode is meant to be/dates future episodes air, in the States, but also to suit my story. Hope that it is not too much angst filled, starts off a bit that way.

The Rainbow After The Storm

By Rosa17

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters etc.

Rating: PG 13

Summary: Everything comes to a head for Carter, but life is not a bed of roses for Abby either. Read as they work through some of the issues that threw them apart last time. Story starts sometime after Carter returns from the Congo again after visiting Kem. (Sorry to mention you know who).

Chapter One

Spring 2004

Abby watched Carter out of the corner of her eye as she entered some details into the computer; he looked tired and drawn as he discussed something with Pratt. She pretended that she didn't care, she pretended that she didn't watch him, stare at him, she pretended that it didn't bother her that he, Carter was in a relationship with someone else so soon after they had split up. But then she was good at pretending; she had learnt that skill at a very young age to protect herself from getting hurt.

Although when she had received his letter, pretending only worked when others asked how she was doing it did not however help the feelings she had inside. Feelings that never went away despite everything she tried, overtime helped some and that was good because she needed the money. There were times when she lay in bed although exhausted, unable to sleep, while memories of Carter and herself circled around her mind plaguing her about how she should have done things, handled situations differently. Instead of how she did actually handle them. It was no good however dwelling on the past as that was not going to change the situation. She looked up again pausing in her work, her concentration failing, she was tired and had worked twelve hours as a med student Abby Lockhart, followed immediately by eight as Nurse Lockhart with another four to go.

He, Carter she decided, as well as her previous thoughts a few minutes earlier did not look well, for some reason the words broken man came into mind, stress was written all over his face as he now stood talking to Susan with his arms crossed protectively over his chest. Susan, now that was another issue altogether, her best friend had not even told her that she was pregnant, not something you can hide for long and Susan definitely wasn't able to hide it anymore.

'Penny for them?' Neela said making Abby jump

'What?'

'You're thoughts. It's more of an English expression, 'Penny for them'. You've just spent the last five minutes staring into space'

'Oh, tired' Abby replied as an explanation, thankful that Neela hadn't asked why she had been staring at Carter and Susan or more importantly Carter.

When Abby looked back Carter and Susan had gone. Abby sighed and looked at the clock watching the seconds slip slowly by.

'Abby! Abby!' Carter yelled

'Yeah' Abby replied mentally shaking herself into the present.

'Trauma One, I need a hand'

'Yeah. I'm there' she answered heading off to Trauma one with him, thinking that this was about the only time they spent together these days.

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Abby sighed and rolled over in bed looking at the clock as she did so. It was five minutes after she last looked and she was unable to sleep, her mind still focused on Carter. After she had got home she had had a relaxing bath in which she drifted off and woke when the water was cold and she looked like a shrivelled prune. She then had something to eat and had much against her wishes read up on some medical issues for a couple of hours before going to bed.

It was late after midnight, but she couldn't get Carter off her mind. Just over forty minutes later she found herself pull up in front of his home, where she hadn't been for a long while. She didn't know really why she had come or whether this was going to be another big mistake but she just had to reassure herself that he was okay.

She got out the car and shut the door as quietly as she could there were still a couple of lights coming from the downstairs windows so she hoped that someone was still up. As she knocked on the door she seriously contemplated turning round and heading home, but just then the door opened, surprisingly by Carter himself. Her brain just had enough time to register that the staff had probably retired for the night when he spoke.

'Abby? What are you doing here? It's after one'

She looked at him, her nerve almost leaving her, but she took a deep breath and said 'I... I ... look I'm sorry maybe this was a bad idea'

'What was a bad idea?' he repeated shaking his head.

'Me. Here. I thought, well I thought at work you seemed, You didn't seem yourself. I wanted to make sure you were okay'

'You didn't want to use the phone?'

'No. I errr well I couldn't sleep thinking about it and well you are obviously up and if you're not busy, do you want to talk? I came here to listen, I know it's a bit out of the blue' she stopped and looked at him, his expression unreadable as he returned her gaze. 'Look I'm sorry, I'm probably the last person you want to talk you'

'No actually, you're the person I want to talk to most' and he ushered her in.

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