Chapter 2
He looked at her with the usual compassion in his eyes knowing that she was in pain but not knowing how to help her. "That's okay. Are you alright?"
That was Luka through and through. He also wanted to know if she was all right. He was always trying to help. He just didn't get it that she didn't want help she didn't need help. That was why it didn't work between them and why it would never work. But with Carter it was different. He was different. Maybe it could work. She couldn't think about this now she had to get out of here then go on holiday and then she could sort everything out. She noticed that Luka was still waiting for an answer, "Oh, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep." She tried to avoid eye contact and kept her head looking towards the ground.
"Okay. You know if you ever wanted to talk I'm here."
"Yeah I know. Well I got to go." She walked away but could feel his eyes on her back as she did. And with that she was out of the ER and into the cold night air of Chicago.
****
Carter started his shift with the usual homeless patient that had come in not really needing medical attention but a warm place to stay. It was always hard to turn them out but they did need the beds. So he made a compromise and ordered some tests that he knew would take a while and let the guy rest. As soon as he was done he went to go find Abby. He knew that she was still on for the first hour of his shift so that meant he still might be able to catch her. She went to the admin and then the lounge but there was no sign of her. All he saw was Weaver filling out some forms. She looked up when he came in, "Looking for someone?"
"No. Well actually yes. Have you seen Abby?"
"Yeah she was in here a minute ago."
"Do you know where she went?"
"I think she went home."
"Oh. Okay."
"Yeah. She left early to go pack."
"Pack?"
"She just booked some vacation time. Didn't you know?"
"No. Do you know when she is leaving?"
"Nope. She said it was a spur of the moment decision."
"Okay. Thanks." He stood there motionless for a second emerged into a world of questions inside his head. He snapped out of it and began to go out of the lounge before Weaver could tell him he had patients waiting. He walked, well kind of ran, out of the ER and into the ambulance bay. He looked around for Abby or anyone who looked like they could have been Abby. But there was hardly anyone there and none could have been her. He ran to the corner and looked right and left but she was nowhere to be seen. He considered getting his jeep and going to her apartment but he was working they were down on doctors. So he recovered his composure and went back inside to complete his shift. As soon as that was done he would go over to Abby's and talk to her. But surely she was taking this vacation to get away from him? So the last thing she would want would be him turning up on her doorstep. But he had to tell her how he felt. But what if she knew how he felt and that was what was causing the problem. He tortured himself with these questions for his entire shift. It was a slow night, which only made it worse. By the end he still hadn't decided whether he would go or not. He sat in his car just staring out of the window, thinking. Then he started up the engine and drove out and onto the streets of Chicago.
He looked at her with the usual compassion in his eyes knowing that she was in pain but not knowing how to help her. "That's okay. Are you alright?"
That was Luka through and through. He also wanted to know if she was all right. He was always trying to help. He just didn't get it that she didn't want help she didn't need help. That was why it didn't work between them and why it would never work. But with Carter it was different. He was different. Maybe it could work. She couldn't think about this now she had to get out of here then go on holiday and then she could sort everything out. She noticed that Luka was still waiting for an answer, "Oh, I'm fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yep." She tried to avoid eye contact and kept her head looking towards the ground.
"Okay. You know if you ever wanted to talk I'm here."
"Yeah I know. Well I got to go." She walked away but could feel his eyes on her back as she did. And with that she was out of the ER and into the cold night air of Chicago.
****
Carter started his shift with the usual homeless patient that had come in not really needing medical attention but a warm place to stay. It was always hard to turn them out but they did need the beds. So he made a compromise and ordered some tests that he knew would take a while and let the guy rest. As soon as he was done he went to go find Abby. He knew that she was still on for the first hour of his shift so that meant he still might be able to catch her. She went to the admin and then the lounge but there was no sign of her. All he saw was Weaver filling out some forms. She looked up when he came in, "Looking for someone?"
"No. Well actually yes. Have you seen Abby?"
"Yeah she was in here a minute ago."
"Do you know where she went?"
"I think she went home."
"Oh. Okay."
"Yeah. She left early to go pack."
"Pack?"
"She just booked some vacation time. Didn't you know?"
"No. Do you know when she is leaving?"
"Nope. She said it was a spur of the moment decision."
"Okay. Thanks." He stood there motionless for a second emerged into a world of questions inside his head. He snapped out of it and began to go out of the lounge before Weaver could tell him he had patients waiting. He walked, well kind of ran, out of the ER and into the ambulance bay. He looked around for Abby or anyone who looked like they could have been Abby. But there was hardly anyone there and none could have been her. He ran to the corner and looked right and left but she was nowhere to be seen. He considered getting his jeep and going to her apartment but he was working they were down on doctors. So he recovered his composure and went back inside to complete his shift. As soon as that was done he would go over to Abby's and talk to her. But surely she was taking this vacation to get away from him? So the last thing she would want would be him turning up on her doorstep. But he had to tell her how he felt. But what if she knew how he felt and that was what was causing the problem. He tortured himself with these questions for his entire shift. It was a slow night, which only made it worse. By the end he still hadn't decided whether he would go or not. He sat in his car just staring out of the window, thinking. Then he started up the engine and drove out and onto the streets of Chicago.
