Carry on, my wayward son...
Author's Note:
I can't possibly hope to top or equal NICU, so... I won't. Just mentally insert it into this fic, yes? And I will progress from that episode.... (lazy? no. Just really liked that ep....)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Little signs of distress. Popping up, like the peaks on an echocardiogram... as regular as the seconds ticking off the clock mounted above the door. The cracks were showing. But the true color was still unexposed. She supposed that patience was needed in cases like these, but, geez! She'd never been long on patience...
She should have seen it coming, really... The signs were all there. The timing wasn't right, the circumstances; hell, even the weather... "Well, I guess when you want something you just dig in -without giving much thought to the consequences, huh?" Yeah... Too often.
It was too dank. The grey skies told her that she shouldn't have... but she couldn't help it. Her's was an addictive personality (Hah! How true...) and when she was in need of comfort... she just seemed to fall into old habits...
Same song, heh. Different dance.
The nicu rotation was tough. No doubt about it. That rotation could make the best and brightest fall to their knees. And she was no different. Nope. She thought of Neela. 'Even if I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box...'
That is why, when she exited the store earlier, she glanced around furtively, sheepishly hugging her purchase tight to her... As if she could hide it! If she saw anyone she knew, they wouldn't understand. Especially coming straight off a rotation that tough...
"Well, I got myself into this... painted myself into a corner..." chuckling to herself, she was having fun. And it didn't matter that she should be sleeping or studying... she didn't care.
She needed something to take her mind off of... things. And old habits never let her down. Like an old friend... this old habit was always there. Available at almost any hour... "As long as the store is open for business," she said to no one.
The phone's loud ringing shook her from her reverie. Putting her glass down, Abby unfolded her knees and rose from the floor to answer. "Hello?"
"Abby? It's me," The familiar voice brought a smile to her face, "are you busy?"
"No, I was just, uh... I was actually in the middle of a project..." She felt slight unease give her stomache a twinge. Stop it, silly schoolgirl.
"Well... I don't want to keep you... if you're busy -I s'pose I could call back..." he hedged. She knew he would rather she talk. Now. Probably thought she was playing games. Not that she wouldn't. If he played too.
"No... it's silly, really... I, uhm -I'm just doing some painting. I guess I'm a little wired. I don't know... I couldn't sleep, ya know?"
"Painting?" his voice, incredulous.
"Yeah... It's a chair. I got it at a garage sale. I'm painting it in honor of one of the nicu babies..." Abby thought of the poor kid, with a name like 'Chair,' probably have a hard life... "putting a crackle glaze on it -only it's not crackling like it should... the base paint color is supposed to show through ... but it's not." Shut up Abby... you're talking way too much...
"I can call you back, later, but the light wouldn't be right-"
"No... no -I could use the break, actually. You've heard of the saying, 'like watching paint dry' to describe boredom...? Yeah... so.. What's up?"
"I want... I need to see you."
Well, don't beat around the bush, eh? Tell me what you really want. "Right, uh, right now?" This was weird. She hadn't so much as uttered a non-work related syllable to a man in the last three weeks. And now, of all times, this?
"I thought it would be a nice day for a ride."
"Stef... it's, uh," glancing at the clock, "it's not 'day.' It's past midnight." Oh. His voice sounded so. Mmmm. Tempting, that was it. Yes, he sounded very, very good. "And it's misting outside -not exactly a good time to hop on the hog, ya know?"
His laughter... deep, throaty and full of dark promises, sent a shiver down Abby's spine. This was too, too...? Too scary. Too fast. And her senses were swirling. Not a good place from which to make an informed decision. "Just come out with me... I didn't say the ride would be on the Bike."
Her turn to laugh, "Stef, you're trouble, you know that? And I'm not sure I'm thinking clearly right now..."
"I like you a little off-kilter, Abby; I like you just the way you are, actually."
Abby knew he was telling the truth. Stef (actually, Michael Stefanovich -everyone who knew him just called him 'Stef') had been in her life as far back as she cared to remember. A childhood friend of Eric's, Stef had recently re-entered Abby's world in a cloud of road dust. In Chicago from Minneapolis, ostensibly to show some art, but in reality, to see her and fill her in on "where Eric was at, in his head -ya know?" And he just, well, stayed.
And, after all... how long had it been since a guy received her with that much... acceptance? With such openness? So what if he was five years younger. It didn't matter, really. And he knew. He knew... everything. He was around, then. So, she didn't have to explain things; justify things...regret things. Stef knew. And didn't judge.
"I can't come out to play tonight, Stef... I'm beat; It's raining; I'm, uh.. I'm washing my hair-"
"Abby, may I remind you that you're up at 12:30 in the morning... painting? And besides, I only need you for a half-hour... Surely you can spare a half-hour for your old pal Stef?
"You're Eric's old pal, Steffy, and I'm not sure I ever liked you that much, anyway," she laughed at his feigned outcry, "Okay... I'm intrigued by what need you could possibly have at 12:30 am that I could meet..." Did she really say that?!
"Alright! Come on down..." She peeked through the blinds, and, just as she suspected, there he was, waving up at her.
"So, how long have you been there?"
"About when you said, 'I couldn't sleep?' I pulled up and saw your light on, so I figured it would be okay to call..."
"What if I had... company?" she teased.
She had him. "I, uh... oops. I just assumed you'd be warming a seat for me, I guess..."
"Just have to get my coat..." He was so... so upfront. It threw her completely off-guard. It also drew her in. Stef wasn't in the plan... When Carter went back to Africa...(say it Abby, go ahead) when he broke things off with her she briefly thought about drinking. But she knew this time, no way. She was going back to med school. She wouldn't allow herself a relationship -she wouldn't have time!- she would study and work her butt off so she would collapse every night... and not think. And that, until she successfully graduated and matched, would be her life.
Life, as the saying goes, is what happens while you're making other plans.
And Stef, like life, just happened. One minute he was an old friend of her brother's giving her an update on Eric's progress, and seemingly, the next minute he was actually flirting with her. Well... she was flirting with him, really. All the time. There was something so infectious about Stef's spirit, his investment in really living, that just turned Abby on. He wasn't reckless, he was fully involved. And Abby, too, wanted to be involved. With him.
Bracing herself against the cold, Abby burst out of the door. Stef greeted her with a huge, mischievious smile, affecting a sudden rush of warmth to her face. "What took you so long woman! I'm freezing, here."
"No one said you had to stay out here..."
"Ah, but Abby -to come up would have been more dangerous than a little frostbite... wouldn't it?" His eyes twinkled and she was torn. Smack him? or... grab him, right there, and kiss him hard on his mouth.
He didn't give her time to make the choice. Tossing his helmet to her, "Here, put this on," Stef extended his hand and she accepted, swinging her leg over the back of his bike.
"Where's yours?" she scolded.
"I didn't expect to be hanging around this long... didn't come prepared for a, uh.. a ride along" he looked embarrassed. Abby knew this... this - whatever it was- came as a surprise to him too.
"Well... if you're going to be my ride for a while... I better invest in a good helmet. Wouldn't want to put you at risk or anything..." she trailed off... "What?" He had "that look" in his eyes again...
"I think... I may already be at risk, Abby."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Ramblings
Luka and Carter are having fun, for now... and Abby has been quietly getting her stuff together... So, now it's time for her to have a bit of fun, too. Picture Stef as a combination of Evan Marriot (only with brains...) and Ethan Zohn (without the whine)... and then see him falling for Abby, hard.
Author's Note:
I can't possibly hope to top or equal NICU, so... I won't. Just mentally insert it into this fic, yes? And I will progress from that episode.... (lazy? no. Just really liked that ep....)
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Little signs of distress. Popping up, like the peaks on an echocardiogram... as regular as the seconds ticking off the clock mounted above the door. The cracks were showing. But the true color was still unexposed. She supposed that patience was needed in cases like these, but, geez! She'd never been long on patience...
She should have seen it coming, really... The signs were all there. The timing wasn't right, the circumstances; hell, even the weather... "Well, I guess when you want something you just dig in -without giving much thought to the consequences, huh?" Yeah... Too often.
It was too dank. The grey skies told her that she shouldn't have... but she couldn't help it. Her's was an addictive personality (Hah! How true...) and when she was in need of comfort... she just seemed to fall into old habits...
Same song, heh. Different dance.
The nicu rotation was tough. No doubt about it. That rotation could make the best and brightest fall to their knees. And she was no different. Nope. She thought of Neela. 'Even if I'm not the sharpest pencil in the box...'
That is why, when she exited the store earlier, she glanced around furtively, sheepishly hugging her purchase tight to her... As if she could hide it! If she saw anyone she knew, they wouldn't understand. Especially coming straight off a rotation that tough...
"Well, I got myself into this... painted myself into a corner..." chuckling to herself, she was having fun. And it didn't matter that she should be sleeping or studying... she didn't care.
She needed something to take her mind off of... things. And old habits never let her down. Like an old friend... this old habit was always there. Available at almost any hour... "As long as the store is open for business," she said to no one.
The phone's loud ringing shook her from her reverie. Putting her glass down, Abby unfolded her knees and rose from the floor to answer. "Hello?"
"Abby? It's me," The familiar voice brought a smile to her face, "are you busy?"
"No, I was just, uh... I was actually in the middle of a project..." She felt slight unease give her stomache a twinge. Stop it, silly schoolgirl.
"Well... I don't want to keep you... if you're busy -I s'pose I could call back..." he hedged. She knew he would rather she talk. Now. Probably thought she was playing games. Not that she wouldn't. If he played too.
"No... it's silly, really... I, uhm -I'm just doing some painting. I guess I'm a little wired. I don't know... I couldn't sleep, ya know?"
"Painting?" his voice, incredulous.
"Yeah... It's a chair. I got it at a garage sale. I'm painting it in honor of one of the nicu babies..." Abby thought of the poor kid, with a name like 'Chair,' probably have a hard life... "putting a crackle glaze on it -only it's not crackling like it should... the base paint color is supposed to show through ... but it's not." Shut up Abby... you're talking way too much...
"I can call you back, later, but the light wouldn't be right-"
"No... no -I could use the break, actually. You've heard of the saying, 'like watching paint dry' to describe boredom...? Yeah... so.. What's up?"
"I want... I need to see you."
Well, don't beat around the bush, eh? Tell me what you really want. "Right, uh, right now?" This was weird. She hadn't so much as uttered a non-work related syllable to a man in the last three weeks. And now, of all times, this?
"I thought it would be a nice day for a ride."
"Stef... it's, uh," glancing at the clock, "it's not 'day.' It's past midnight." Oh. His voice sounded so. Mmmm. Tempting, that was it. Yes, he sounded very, very good. "And it's misting outside -not exactly a good time to hop on the hog, ya know?"
His laughter... deep, throaty and full of dark promises, sent a shiver down Abby's spine. This was too, too...? Too scary. Too fast. And her senses were swirling. Not a good place from which to make an informed decision. "Just come out with me... I didn't say the ride would be on the Bike."
Her turn to laugh, "Stef, you're trouble, you know that? And I'm not sure I'm thinking clearly right now..."
"I like you a little off-kilter, Abby; I like you just the way you are, actually."
Abby knew he was telling the truth. Stef (actually, Michael Stefanovich -everyone who knew him just called him 'Stef') had been in her life as far back as she cared to remember. A childhood friend of Eric's, Stef had recently re-entered Abby's world in a cloud of road dust. In Chicago from Minneapolis, ostensibly to show some art, but in reality, to see her and fill her in on "where Eric was at, in his head -ya know?" And he just, well, stayed.
And, after all... how long had it been since a guy received her with that much... acceptance? With such openness? So what if he was five years younger. It didn't matter, really. And he knew. He knew... everything. He was around, then. So, she didn't have to explain things; justify things...regret things. Stef knew. And didn't judge.
"I can't come out to play tonight, Stef... I'm beat; It's raining; I'm, uh.. I'm washing my hair-"
"Abby, may I remind you that you're up at 12:30 in the morning... painting? And besides, I only need you for a half-hour... Surely you can spare a half-hour for your old pal Stef?
"You're Eric's old pal, Steffy, and I'm not sure I ever liked you that much, anyway," she laughed at his feigned outcry, "Okay... I'm intrigued by what need you could possibly have at 12:30 am that I could meet..." Did she really say that?!
"Alright! Come on down..." She peeked through the blinds, and, just as she suspected, there he was, waving up at her.
"So, how long have you been there?"
"About when you said, 'I couldn't sleep?' I pulled up and saw your light on, so I figured it would be okay to call..."
"What if I had... company?" she teased.
She had him. "I, uh... oops. I just assumed you'd be warming a seat for me, I guess..."
"Just have to get my coat..." He was so... so upfront. It threw her completely off-guard. It also drew her in. Stef wasn't in the plan... When Carter went back to Africa...(say it Abby, go ahead) when he broke things off with her she briefly thought about drinking. But she knew this time, no way. She was going back to med school. She wouldn't allow herself a relationship -she wouldn't have time!- she would study and work her butt off so she would collapse every night... and not think. And that, until she successfully graduated and matched, would be her life.
Life, as the saying goes, is what happens while you're making other plans.
And Stef, like life, just happened. One minute he was an old friend of her brother's giving her an update on Eric's progress, and seemingly, the next minute he was actually flirting with her. Well... she was flirting with him, really. All the time. There was something so infectious about Stef's spirit, his investment in really living, that just turned Abby on. He wasn't reckless, he was fully involved. And Abby, too, wanted to be involved. With him.
Bracing herself against the cold, Abby burst out of the door. Stef greeted her with a huge, mischievious smile, affecting a sudden rush of warmth to her face. "What took you so long woman! I'm freezing, here."
"No one said you had to stay out here..."
"Ah, but Abby -to come up would have been more dangerous than a little frostbite... wouldn't it?" His eyes twinkled and she was torn. Smack him? or... grab him, right there, and kiss him hard on his mouth.
He didn't give her time to make the choice. Tossing his helmet to her, "Here, put this on," Stef extended his hand and she accepted, swinging her leg over the back of his bike.
"Where's yours?" she scolded.
"I didn't expect to be hanging around this long... didn't come prepared for a, uh.. a ride along" he looked embarrassed. Abby knew this... this - whatever it was- came as a surprise to him too.
"Well... if you're going to be my ride for a while... I better invest in a good helmet. Wouldn't want to put you at risk or anything..." she trailed off... "What?" He had "that look" in his eyes again...
"I think... I may already be at risk, Abby."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Ramblings
Luka and Carter are having fun, for now... and Abby has been quietly getting her stuff together... So, now it's time for her to have a bit of fun, too. Picture Stef as a combination of Evan Marriot (only with brains...) and Ethan Zohn (without the whine)... and then see him falling for Abby, hard.