"Love Hidden in Plain Sight"

Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Someone else owns all these characters.

Archive: Sure, just tell me where.

Spoilers: End of Season Eight.

Summary: Susan continues to deal with Mark's death and her sister's addictions; but has Carter for support.

Author's Notes: Just remember; these aren't situations I'd necessarily like to see happen on the show, so yes, I realize Carter and Susan are over, and that Carter and Abby are probably going to be the TPTB's next big thing, but I don't care. Nope, not one bit. I'm just entertaining myself, and hopefully some of you, by experimenting with the characters. Thanks for reading, and the final chapter should be up tomorrow or later today. Now, on with chapter four of… Love Hidden in Plain Sight.

Previously

"Hello," the little girl said timidly.

Abby almost didn't hear her she was speaking so softly, "Can I help you?"

"My Mommy brought me here, and told me to come ask for Dr. Lewis." The little girl could've have been more than six and she looked so scared that it gave Abby chills.

"Is Dr. Lewis your doctor?"

"Kind of."

"Is your Mommy coming in too?"

"No, Mommy had to leave, she said she couldn't take care of me anymore, but that if I stayed here, Susan would." Recognition started to form in Abby's eyes, she saw Luka walking down the hall and yelled to him to find Susan.

"Have you ever had stitches before Mary?" Susan asked as she began to sew up the leg of little five year old Mary.

Mary wasn't in the mood to talk. Her Mom answered for her, "No, this is our first trip to an emergency room."

"Well first times can be scary," Carter said as he watched Susan. It was an unusually slow day in the ER, which is why they were tag teaming a rather simple case. Well, that and Carter just wanted to follow Susan around as much as he could.

"But, Dr. Lewis is a stitches expert."

"Really?" Mary asked, more willing to talk to Carter.
"Oh, yeah, she's the best in the city. Maybe even the state."

Susan rolled her eyes and tried not to burst out in a smile. This wasn't really the appropriate time to flirt, but Carter didn't seem to care. "Well, Dr. Carter just isn't very good at it."

"You can't do stitches?" Mary asked Carter, who was sitting by her bed holding her hand.

"Well I can, but not like Dr. Lewis can. And I thought you deserved the best."

"How many stitches do you think it's going to take?" Mary's mother didn't seem to be interested in their romance.

"At least fifteen, maybe a few more, this is a pretty long and deep gash here."

"Now what exactly caused you to fall Mary?"

"I dripped over my bicycle."

"Sounds like something Dr. Carter would do," Susan grinned.
"You have a bicycle?" Mary asked, as only a five year old would.

"Oh, yeah, me and Dr. Lewis we ride our bicycles all the time."

"Faster than the train," Susan was taking part in the conversation without ever looking up from the little girl's leg.

"I like trains," Mary offered.

"She doesn't like to fly, so we take the train a lot," Mary's mother shook her head.

"Trust me Mary, I know just how you feel, I hate to fly," Susan completely understood the fear of flying.

"Mary, guess what?" Carter said as he glanced down at Susan.

"What?" Mary almost managed to smile.

"You're finished," Susan answered for him.

"Really?"

"Oh, yeah, as good as new." Carter filled the mother in on after care instructions and Susan bandaged the leg. They walked out into the hallway laughing and teasing each other about their bicycle rides.

"Well if it isn't the Abbott and Costello of the ER," Jerry said as the pair walked past him. Susan and Carter nodded their heads towards him and kept walking. Carter was called into a trauma but Susan thought the room looked a little crowded so she decided to sit this one out.

****

Susan walked into the lounge smiling, working with Carter these days seemed to be the only thing that made her happy. She was surprised at the ease in which they could communicate, he made her forget about all the problems in her life and especially about how much she dreaded going home. Still smiling, she sit down at the table to work on some of her charts. Abby was sitting by the coffee maker, waiting to start her shift.

"Hi Susan."

"Hey Abby," Susan sat down at the table beside her, and opened one of the charts she had been carrying.

"How's your niece?"

Susan's face dropped, she felt guilty for enjoying herself all day when she knew how Susie must be feeling right now. "Uh, not very good. She's been calling me every night, asking me to come and get her. I've offered to come, just take her for an hour or so, but Chloe and Joe won't let me."

"Why not, are they afraid you won't bring her back?"

"I think so. I really don't know what to do. She needs to be with her mother, I understand that concept, I honestly do. But, she's terrified to be with Chloe. She doesn't trust her anymore and I have to agree with Susie."

"You know, Susan, so do I. I know what it feels like to be with a mother that can't keep a promise. Believe me, sometimes the birth parents are anything but the best choice for a child."

"Was your Mom an addict?"

"Bi-polar."

"Oh, I didn't know."

"No, it's okay. I just, I know what a hard life she has ahead of her. You do too Susan, the older little Susie gets the more of your role, the protector, that she's going to take on."
"It's not fair," Susan could feel the tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"No, it's not fair at all. Susan I'm sorry I brought it up, you seemed so happy when you first came in, I thought things were going better."

"Other things are going better," Susan almost laughed, "But they're more of a diversion."

"Well you could use a good diversion about now," Abby smiled at Susan before she turned and left the lounge. Susan started to work on her charts, convincing herself that if she could concentrate on working that she wouldn't start crying.

****

Susan must've spent three hours in the lounge working on paperwork. She keep finding more things that she could do to avoid going home and thinking about little Susie. Finally, from shear exhaustion if nothing else, she fell asleep with her head laying on the table in the lounge. She was still sleeping an hour later when Carter came in to get his things before heading home. He hurriedly walked over to her, afraid she had gotten sick again. "Susan, sweetheart, wake up."

"Hmm…" Susan was beginning to drift out of her sleep.

"Come on, it's time for you to go home."

"Carter?" Susan finally raised her head from the table.

"Yeah, come on, go home."

"No, I have to finish these first."

Carter picked up the paper that Susan had been working on, "Susan this is the ER's financial report."

"Well Romano wants me taking part of the burden now."

"For 1975."

"I've already looked at all the newer ones."

"Go home."

Susan just looked at him, she didn't want to fight, not with Carter. But she really didn't want to go home.

"I can't go home, I can't go home and just wait for another phone call from Susie."

"I'll go with you."

"Carter, that won't help. She'll still call, she'll still be hysterical, and I still won't be able to help her."

"But you won't be alone."

By this time Carter was knelt down in the floor in front of where she was sitting in a chair. Susan laid her head over on his chest, and her wrapped his arms around her waist.

"This is so hard."

"I know."

"I wish Mark was here. He'd know what to do."

"I wish he was here too Susan. But he's not. And I am. Please, let me help you."

"I'd let you help me, if there was anything you could do. But there isn't, there's nothing either of us can do to fix this." Susan wiped her teary eyes.

"Come on Susan, it is early. Let's go have dinner."

"Carter, that's sweet but.."

"Ok, how about I come over later tonight, after you have some time to rest?"

"Fine, come over later." Susan had to smile at his persistence. Carter hugged her again then escorted her out of the ER.

****

Carter was having a hard time trying to balance the pizza and movies he was carrying as he walked up to Susan's apartment. He knocked on the door and began to worry when it took her awhile to answer. He pressed his ear to the door to try and hear if she was inside. Of course that's when Susan chose to open it.

Carter almost dropped the pizza as he fell inside the apartment. It took him a minute to recover his balance and then put the food and movies down on the coffee table before he finally looked at Susan. She was on the telephone, her eyes were red and swollen, and tears were streaming down her face. He mouthed "What's wrong?" but she couldn't bring herself to speak. Finally, she put the speakerphone on.

"PLEASE, Aunt Susan, you have to help me! PLEASE!"

Carter's eyes grew wide as he listened to Susan try and calm her niece down. "Is this the first time she's called?"

Susan held up her hand. "She's called five times?" Susan shook her head yes. On the phone, Susie continued to scream.

"Mommy's going to hurt me again, please come and get me!" Susan tried to talk to Susie but suddenly he phone line went dead. Susan and Carter locked terrified eyes and held each other's gaze until Susan finally broke the stare and bolted from the apartment.

To Be Continued….