Hi everyone, just wanted to start with a huge thank you to the people that have reviewed my story - I really am grateful to you guys for taking the time to review! And thanks to everyone who has been reading as well - I hope this next part is OK!
Two Months Later
Abby walked with her head down through the corridors, completely lost in her own thoughts. She wondered how she could possibly be this unlucky, or why God was so obviously out to get her. Fighting back the tears that always seemed to be close at hand, Abby looked up to find herself standing in front of a room. Looking around in confusion, she wondered how she had got there, and what she had wanted to go there for in the first place, desperately searching her memory for any hint.
"Abby?" came a gentle voice, and she span around to come face to face with Luka. "Are you OK?"
"Yeah, I uh, I just..." she started, until she saw him frown slightly, pulling her gently by her arm into one of the free rooms.
She looked up into his caring face, and felt her heart break all over again. Yet somehow, it was like that moment had clarified all of the feelings that she had been feeling, and she knew for sure what she needed to do, even if it was the thing that she wanted least of all.
"What's wrong?" he asked gently, touching her face briefly before dropping his hand again. He knew how she did not like to be touched.
"Nothing, I'm just a bit tired. All this work, I need a break."
She saw the hurt and disbelieving look come onto his face again, but he just pulled her into a hug. She felt him sigh as he held her, and she found herself wishing that things had been different, and wishing that she could stay like that with him forever.
Abby pulled away with a cough, looking down at the floor in embarrassment. She looked up to see that Luka was still looking kindly at her. Reaching up, he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, before moving towards the door to hold it open for her.
"I'm always here for you Abby," he murmured as she walked by, and she stopped in the doorway for just a moment.
"I know Luka. I know you are."
As she turned to walk away, Luka finally summoned up the courage to continue.
"Hey! Maybe we should meet up after work? Grab a drink or something to eat?"
Turning around, Abby felt her heart break all over again for the hopeful look on his face. Stepping back towards him slightly, she stopped, considering what to say. Should she follow her heart, or her head?
"I'm gonna have to take a rain check, Luka, I'm busy tonight." She cursed herself as soon as the words were out of her mouth, reminding herself that it was the right thing to do.
He nodded, watching her sadly as she walked away. He wondered how he could possibly help her when she wouldn't talk to him, and kept pushing him away. If only he knew what had happened on that night that seemed so long ago now, and yet still continued to follow her in everything that she did.
*
Abby found Kerry standing by the desk, typing furiously on one of the hospital computers. Walking slowly up to her, she held out a piece of paper, which Kerry took in confusion. Abby looked at the floor and cleared her throat.
"My resignation," she offered, before turning and heading straight for the lounge.
Kerry scanned the paper quickly, before rushing after Abby. She closed the door quietly behind her, keeping between Abby and the door as Abby looked up at her in surprise.
"Abby, what's all this about? I had no idea that this was coming."
Abby looked down, still putting things from her locker into her bag. She folded her lab coat carefully and put it back in the locker before she spoke, still looking down and hoping that Kerry didn't see through the lie.
"I just need a change. A new challenge." She paused. "I have some holidays saved up that should cover my notice so..."
"Why now?" Kerry challenged, indicating for Abby to sit down on the sofa with her. Realising that she had no option, Abby sat, her bag resting on her knee and visibly anxious.
"I've been here a long time, Kerry," she said, looking at her briefly and seeing her look back with compassion. "It just feels like the right time to move on."
"Does the rest of the staff know?" Kerry asked, and watched as Abby shook her head mutely. She knew this must have been a split decision.
"Look, Abby, has this got something to do with your attack?" Kerry knew she had hit the nail on the head the moment Abby's head shot up in shock. "I know what happened that night. The doctor on shift was a friend of mine, and she called me because she was concerned when you took off so suddenly."
Abby looked at her, her mouth falling open at the information. As she closed it, she had to fight against the tears that were threatening to fall, and the feeling of embarrassment that someone knew what had happened to her.
"Kerry, that was confidential. You have no right knowing that information."
Kerry put her hand on her arm gently, not surprised when she flinched. "I know, which is why I haven't approached you about it before. But if your resignation has something to do with that attack, I would rather you stayed here knowing that there was someone wanting to support you through this. I don't want you to go somewhere and be completely on your own."
The tears started to fall, and Abby was powerless to stop them. She sniffed, wiping her eyes roughly as she looked up at Kerry with pure sadness in her eyes.
"I can't stay Kerry. There's just no way that it can work. I'm sorry."
Standing up quickly, Abby rushed from the room, leaving a sad Kerry behind her. She sat for a few moments longer, wondering what her best course of action would be, before getting up and slowly making her way out of the lounge.
*
Kerry soon found Luka working in one of the side rooms. Opening the door, she waited for his attention.
"Can I have a word Luka?" she asked, and he nodded, flipping the chart shut that he had been looking at as he followed her out of the door.
She walked into a side room, and Luka followed, closing the door behind him. He looked at her in slight confusion, thinking that she had wanted to talk to him about his patient, and not understanding the need to speak in a side room.
"What's up Kerry?" he asked, watching as she looked uncomfortable.
Kerry paced slightly for a moment, before stopping abruptly and looking with sadness and guilt at the patiently waiting Luka. She sighed and ran her hand over her face.
"I have something to tell you, Luka, but if I tell you I will be breaking a confidence of someone I consider a friend. I want you to understand that the only reason that I'm telling you what I'm about to is because I think you're about the only person in a position to do something to help."
Luka nodded silently, waiting patiently for her to carry on, as Kerry sucked in a deep breath, biting her bottom lip as she wondered how much she should tell him.
"Luka, the night that Abby came in with the bruises on her face, she was attacked on the way home. She left the hospital that she was taken to before they could finish treating her, and I believe that something about that attack has stayed with her because she just handed me her notice."
"Oh my God! I knew something had happened, but I didn't realise she had refused help."
Kerry nodded. "The doctor was a friend of mine, and called me because she was concerned. Luka, you have to find her before she leaves."
Luka shook his head, sadness and anger radiating from his face. "I can't help her, Kerry. I just seem to make it worse every time that I'm around."
Putting her hand gently on his shoulder, Kerry smiled gently at him. "Luka, you're the only person that could get her to listen right now. She needs you. But she's leaving this job tonight, and you have to find her before she does."
Luka nodded, moving towards the door quickly. "I'll do my best," he promised, watching as Kerry nodded thankfully at him.
So, I hope that was OK. I know it was a bit out of character for Kerry to go and find Luka, but I guess I just thought that the nice side of Kerry would break through if she was really concerned about Abby and that's why I wrote it this way. Anyway, thanks for reading! :)
