Luka paced in the kitchen nervously. He knew Abby was there alone with Eric, that she was pregnant and that Maggie was due to show up at any minute, possible not medicated. This combination wasn't good, yet Luka hesitated at the idea of showing up unannounced. He could call, but Abby would probably tell him not to worry and that she was fine with the two of them. He knew her well, but he really didn't think she would appreciate him ignoring her wishes. On the other hand she had sounded stressed and maybe his presence would help her with that, the baby was more important than how Abby felt about his presence. Luka groaned rubbing his face with his hands. There was no way to know.

Abby was watching Eric when she heard loud voices in the hallway.

"I'm his mother I have a right!" The voice was piercing loud and Abby cringed.

"Ma'am, you have to calm down," the nurse sounded patient, but there was an edge to her voice.

Abby forced herself not to scream and she made her way out of the room closing the door.

"That's my daughter there," Maggie was on top of her clinging to her seconds later.

"Maggie," Abby wanted nothing more than to be somewhere else.

"Ma'am I'm going to have to get the security to come if you can't let go of the poor woman," the nurse scolded.

"I am her daughter," Abby admitted and the nurse gave her an odd look, but she did leave.

"Thank God, Eric?" Maggie's eyes were wild and Abby felt all of her determination fade.

"Mom, he's sleeping, he's okay, but you need to have a seat and get some water," Abby was internally panicking. Maggie was not at all in a solid state of mind.

They sat in silence for a while until Maggie said finally, "I'm off my medication," it was a silent apology tacked on at the end.

"I know," Abby didn't know what else to say.

"What do I do?" Once again Maggie was looking to her for help, this was getting old.

"I'll get a nurse, wait here," Abby got up and went in search of someone to help.

She explained the situation to the nurse from earlier and then when her mother was escorted safely into the exam room Abby went to call Luka.

Luka stared at his pizza, he wasn't hungry. He jumped when the phone rang and picked it up, "hello?"

"Luka," there was a pause.

"What's wrong?" he couldn't stop the alarm.

"Please come," it was a surrender from her, but he didn't see it that way.

"Are you and the baby okay?" He had to know.

"Yes, Maggie's here, no meds," Abby didn't have to continue.

"I'm on the next flight," he was running upstairs as he spoke.

Nine hours later he rushed into the hospital with his duffle bag swung across his shoulders.

"Eric Lockhart," the nurse just pointed in the direction where Abby was emerging from a room looking exhausted.
"Luka," she smiled with relief.

"I'm here," he pulled her close silently cursing her crazy family; they couldn't cope on their own so they kept dragging her back into the fray.

"Luka she's crazy and he did try."

"Try?"

"To…" she couldn't complete the sentence.

"Oh," Luka couldn't figure out how to respond.

"What do I do," She whispered desperately.

"Exactly what you are doing," he hesitated, "and I'm here to help."

Abby had just finished an exhausting reassurance session with Eric about Maggie's arrival when she saw Luka walking towards her and she felt weak with need. She needed his shoulders and as she fell into his arms the stress of the week bubbled over. He patiently calmed her, soothed her and rubbed her back. When she finally looked up at him, she noticed his worried eyes.

"I'm okay, the baby is okay," she received his gentle kiss that soothed her like being bathed in warmth.

"Bed now," he ordered and her eyes sparkled.

"Mr. Kovac," she pretended to be embarrassed and managed to get a grin out of Luka.
"Haha," he kissed her nose before he continued, "you need a good night's sleep."

She let him take her to the hotel and put her to bed. He stayed until she fell asleep and then wrote her a note: Dear Abby, sleep as long as you need and make sure to order room service before you leave, I'll check the bill to make sure you did. I'm at the hospital and will call if anything comes up. Love you, Luka

Luka sat next to Eric's bed for about two hours before he woke up.

"Hey," the younger man smiled uncertainly.

"Hey there," Luka leaned forward a little to study him.

"Abby called huh, I knew we were going to be too much for her to handle." His eyes fixed on the ceiling, "we've always been too much."
"She loves you both, she just needed a little extra support," Luka patted his arm and leaned back.

"She's here," Eric finally said.
"You thought she wouldn't come," Luka was surprised.
"Well no, more that she wouldn't be as organized and centered," Eric glanced at him, "I guess you have something to do with that."
Luka shrugged, "we've both grown up," he finally offered.

"Well Maggie certainly didn't help showing up like that," Eric's jaw had clenched noticeably.

"We'll deal with her, you don't need to worry," Luka didn't want Eric to know how hard it was to deal with her.

"She shouldn't be here, Abby told me she was off her meds," Eric's voice remained brittle.

"Yes but she is back on them and she might stay on this time because she really wants to see you," Luka pondered.

"Well maybe," he sounded uncertain.

"Try to hope for the best," Luka urged.

"I have for so long, so has Abby, we're tired of getting let down," Eric swallowed, "she has you now to help offset that pain."

"And you have us," Luka said softly.

"Do I?" His eyes met Luka's and Luka glimpsed a desperation he had seen only a few times in Abby's eyes and knew so well.

"Yes," he replied simply and Eric's eyes closed as a faint smile appeared on his face.