Abby dropped off her armful of charts into their allocated spots at the admit desk and yawned. Pouting slightly, she looked around for the one person she needed right now. Where was he?

She sighed. There he was.

"Could you dispo the baby for me?" she asked him, rubbing her finger over her chin. She looked up at him with frustration.

He ignored her and walked into the lounge. Her frown deepened, her brow in a crazed bend, and she followed him inside. She threw open the door and stormed over to him next to his locker.

"Would you grow up?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Suspended," Luka said, his voice heavy. "Pending investigation."

"Oh," she said, as he started to take his coat from his locker. She breathed out uncomfortably, arms now lingering at her sides. "Was it - "

"Doesn't matter," he said with a sarcastic raise of his eyebrows. "And I'm sure you don't care."

"Oh, Luka, please - "

"See you later, Abby," he muttered, clashing with Carter as he came in.

"Dr. Kovac," Carter said in a tipping-your-hat sort of mood.

Luka stopped in the doorway, looking at Carter with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his lab coat. He coughed to clear his throat and turned back to Abby. "Get him to discharge your baby."

Abby's mouth twisted into an expression of disapproval. Disapproval of his attitude. She stood with a weary smile now as Carter walked toward her. He finally stood in front of her, crossing the settling sands and placed his two feet before hers. She kept her eyes on his, smirking as he followed, and shrugged playfully.

He shrugged back, letting her soft laugh befall her. She hooked her arms around his neck.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Who cares?"

"Did he discharge 'the baby'?" he asked, his hands finding themselves on her waist.

She straightened herself up. "Who cares?"

He smiled and watched her grin grow. He tilted his head to the side and drew his face nearer to hers. Letting their lips meet, she twisted her two hands together carelessly behind his neck. When one hand of his massaged her back through her coat, she felt a hand of hers consciously make its own move against his hair, matted against his head now, and hold it there.

"What time is your brother getting here?" he asked against her.

She strengthened her hold. "Four."

He held the kiss against her lips. "My shift ends in half an hour."

She nodded again and pulled him closer to her, her arms completely draped over his neck. "Mmm-mm."

He laughed softly with her lips and pulled apart from her. He kissed her neck, nose, and jaw as she stood there. She was standing with closed eyes and an unmistakable smile. When she opened her eyes, Carter was smiling as well.

"I gotta go," he said.

"Yeah, I know," she said, placing a hand on either side of his neck, then running down onto the scrubs top he wore. "Half an hour?'

He nodded, running warm, single fingers over her hands.

"'Kay," she whispered. "I'll wait."

He laughed as she kissed his chin.

"Discharge that baby, please," she added as she moved out of the lounge.



--



"Navy Pier," Carter said aloud. "The pride and joy of Chicago. Well, one of the many."

"So I've heard," Eric laughed. He wrapped an arm around his date - an Amy - and brought her near his shoulder. She eagerly clutched him back and kissed his cheek.

Abby had already felt Carter's hold on her, his hand snake around her long before they'd arrived. While Eric and Amy managed to whisper to each other, Carter and Abby stared up at the towering Ferris wheel. Strung with lights, showering the distance of the crowds in awe, Carter and Abby yielded to its stature.

"You aren't afraid of heights are you?"

She looked up at him and gathered closer. "Nope. You?"

He shook his head and turned around, searching for Eric and Amy, who had somehow walked slower. "How about a ride on the Ferris wheel?"

"Does it go fast?" Amy asked, peering upward and biting her lip. Abby felt that she could roll her eyes, but kept to herself.

"Nah," she answered. "It's one of those historical types. It takes seven minutes to go around once, and you're done."

Eric nodded. "What do you think?" Amy nodded.

"Alright."

Carter cast his eyes into Abby's mess of hair, staring back at up at him. He waited for Abby to glance back, until she ultimately did. He took her hand in his and started toward the collection of people waiting. It wasn't long before they realized that Eric and Amy were dawdling far behind them.

"Let's just get on without them," Abby giggled.

"Your own brother?" Carter asked sarcastically, smiling to the man as he boarded the gondola with Abby's hand around his own. They were seated next to each other, her eyes following Eric and Amy as they entangled themselves in the crowd. Eric's eyes caught Abby's, shook his head and gestured toward his girlfriend.

"Oh, please," Abby said. "She's afraid of the Snail's Ferris wheel."

"Shh," he laughed.

"Oh, she can't hear me," she said turning to Carter. His face was close to hers.

"I know that," he said as the ride started, softly and slowly. The carriage barely rocked in the wind as the sun set in front of them over the lake. She looked to the scene, then to his tender smile, placing two lips into it.

"I feel like I'm sixteen."

He stared at her eyes, two pools of brown easily inviting him to swim.

She lowered herself into his embrace again and shuddered in the cold, welcoming arms around her.


--


Felt fuzzy tonight, decided to disperse the fuzz. Ha ha.

-mandy