Chapter 1-Beware [OPENING SCENE: 10:00 A.M. WE SEE ABBY IN HER BEDROOM...SOUND ASLEEP...PHONE RINGS. ABBY STARTLED, JUMPS UP. MACHINE PICKS UP.]

MACHINE: "Hi, it's Abby....leave a message."

ERIC (on machine): "Hey Abby. It's Eric....I thought I'd come to see you...for the next couple of weeks.....I'm stationed in Chicago. They're making me do overtime....I HATE IT!!!! DAMMIT!!!" (Slams down phone, startling Abby once more.)

[ABBY GETS UP--SHE CAN'T GET BACK TO SLEEP...IT IS NOW 11:30. SHE HAD TO BE IN BY 12:30, BEING IT WAS GOING TO BE A DOUBLE SHIFT. SHE WAS COVERING DEB'S PATIENTS, SINCE DEB WAS ON VACATION THAT WEEK. WALKING OVER TO THE BATHROOM, SHE TURNS ON THE WATER, AND BEGINS BRUSHING HER TEETH. PHONE RINGS....STARTLING ABBY ONCE MORE...CAUSING HER ALMOST TO SWALLOW HER TOOTHPASTE]

MACHINE: "Abby, its Eric. Uhh, I'm sorry I was abrupt with you earlier. I thought I would surprise you sometime during the day...you won't know when, you won't know how, but I'll come for you! See you later, sis. Bye." (machine hangs up)

Why does this have to happen, I'm not ready for this!! Maggie just died..and I'm not ready for visitors...not even Eric. Why? Why? "Be strong Abby", she thought to herself, "hold yourself together. You can do this! You can! You're strong. You survived the attack from Brian, your mother, and breaking up with Luka, you can surpass anything. This is just a piece of cake."

[ABBY WALKED INTO THE BATHROOM, FINISHED BRUSHING HER TEETH. SHE THEN TURNED ON THE WATER, STARTED A BATH, UNDRESSED, AND GOT IN.] Ahh, nice peace and quiet before work, this is the life.

Abby had forgotten all about Eric for one tranquil second as she slipped into unconciousness as the warmth of the bath overcame her. Abby dried off, got dressed, dried her hair. Finding her car keys on the coffee table where she left them the night before, she headed toward the door, but before she could reach the knob, the phone rang.

MACHINE: "Hi, its Abby, leave a message." ERIC: "Abby?? Abby?? Its me again. I thought you should know....WATCH YOUR BACK TODAY. IF YOU TURN AROUND AND I'M THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO GET A BIG SURPRISE...THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW. Have a good day, sis. See you later."

[ABBY, SHAKING, WALKS OUTSIDE, AND CLOSES THE DOOR TO LOCK IT, AND WALKS TO THE EL. WAITING FOR THE EL, FOR A MOMENT SHE TRIED FORGET THE FEAR SHE FELT UNTIL SHE HAD GOTTEN TO WORK.]