Chapter 2
"If the Fates Allow"
"HEY! Get the hell off of her!"
Abby's eyes instantly flew open. She recognized the booming voice. It was Carter. "John! Help," she pleaded, regaining some strength as Brian, in surprise, lost track of what he was doing. He released Abby's head and tried to scramble away, but Carter caught him with ease and yanked him up by the shirt to deliver a well-deserved punch in the face.
Stunned and horrified by it all, Abby scooted herself away from the scuffle and watched with wide eyes as Carter repeatedly slammed his fist into the side of Brian's head. She was afraid he might never stop, but was too shaken to say a word. Unable to watch any longer, Abby buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
Moments later, there was a hand on her shoulder, and Abby pulled away, afraid to look up and see Brian. But the hand reached for her again and its gentle touch was followed by Carter's voice, soothing and concerned, "It's me, Abby. It's John." He gingerly brought her hands away from her face, looking her over with the expertise of a doctor, but the deep worry of a friend.
"Oh, God..." he whispered, too shocked to say more. She looked awful.
Abby threw her arms around Carter's neck, trembling violently. "John," was choked out between gasps for breath and the sobs that racked her body. She clung to him and felt herself being lifted off the floor.
"It's ok, you're safe now. I've got you," Carter said, his voice still gentle like he was speaking to a child. He rushed for the door, stopping only to fumble for the blanket draped across the back of the sofa. The last thing Abby saw as Carter carried her out of her apartment was Brian sprawled face down on the floor.
*************
Carter kept Abby covered as best he could, using one hand to clumsily tug at the blanket that wasn't nearly warm enough in the bitterly cold weather. Especially when all the woman in his arms had on was a flimsy robe that was so rumpled and displaced it just barely managed to cover her. His expression was intense, taut as he struggled to get the door to his car open and place Abby in the passenger seat as gently as possible. He'd never seen her look so frail and it scared the hell out of him. She was mumbling something about the tea kettle when he stretched over to slowly lean her seat back and straighten the blanket across her slender shoulders.
"Shhhh." Carter stroked her hair lightly before easing the door shut and racing to the other side of the car. In seconds he was speeding through red lights, his cell phone balanced between his shoulder and his ear as he listened to the County General dial tone and demanded that someone pick up the damn phone. Finally, Randi's lazy, "hello? Cook County General" greeted him through the receiver.
"Randi, it's Carter. I'm on my way to the ER with Abby. She's been..." He hesitated and glanced at the traumatized woman in the seat next to him. He could see her body trembling beneath the blanket. "She's been assaulted."
"Omigod," Randi sounded like she might be choking on her gum. "Is she okay??"
He had no patience for the sometimes ditzy desk clerk and raised his voice into the phone, "What do you think? Just have a gurney and a room waiting, we're almost there." He abruptly snapped the phone shut.
"Abby, stay awake okay?" She looked groggy, but Carter couldn't tell if she was losing consciousness. He hated not knowing to what extent she was injured. "Abby?"
He took his eyes off the road long enough to check on her. She was gingerly wiping the sticky mixture of tears and blood from her face with the edge of the blue blanket. One eye was badly bruised, swollen almost completely shut, but he saw the other gaze over at him and look away quickly.
"What happen- I mean what was he... who was it, Abby?" There were so many questions, Carter had trouble even forming a suitable one.
She was silent so long he didn't think she was going to answer, then in a voice barely audible over the steady hum of the moving vehicle, she spoke. "M-my neighbor. Brian," she had to force the name out. "S-sent his wife to a shelter... he... he" Pain shot through her side when she took a deep breath to continue. She gasped sharply.
"Never mind," Carter gently excused her from the explanation. "You can tell me later."
Abby nodded, gazing out the window and trying not to focus on how much her entire body ached.
*************
A number of concerned faces turned to watch as Abby was wheeled into the ER on a gurney. Chuny and Susan looked as solemn as Carter, their steps moving fast to keep up with the long strides of the man who had placed Abby on the cot. It felt strange to her being the patient when she was so used to being the one treating them. How many women had she seen come in here beaten, attacked by strangers or someone they thought they could trust? They weren't all just charts and x-rays and sutures to her, but until now she had never really been able to put herself in their shoes.
The dreaded poking and prodding that was inevitable began once they made it to an examination room. Having people touching her was the last thing Abby wanted right now, but she knew they were only doing their jobs. She answered their questions as best she could, looking directly at no one for longer than a second. Susan ordered one of the nurses to get a gown when she saw Abby shiver and tug self-consciously at her robe. Carter turned away while the female caregivers helped with that part. His back was still turned when Susan asked the question he had been afraid to ask, though he was sure he already knew the answer.
"Were you sexually assaulted, Abby?" Susan's hand was resting gently on the woman's shoulder, but Abby's gaze had turned elsewhere. The female doctor looked at the lone male in the room. She stepped over to the man and pulled him aside, speaking softly. "I think this would be more comfortable for her if I take over from here. Why don't you go get some coffee?"
Carter's first instinct was to protest, to say he wasn't leaving Abby's side. But he knew Susan was right. One thing he'd learned from experience was that women found it much easier to discuss these sorts of cases with other women. "Okay," he complied, but turned a meaningful departing glance towards Abby. "I'll be back."
He pushed through the swinging doors and out into the hallway. He'd seen movies where someone would step out of the room like that and a scream of agitation or whatever emotion they were feeling would follow a second later. Now he understood how they felt. He wanted to put his fist through the wall or turn over the tray of medical supplies waiting to be organized by negligent staff members. He wanted to be back in Abby's apartment, strangling the life out of the piece of crap who hurt her.
"Carter."
The brooding man jumped when Weaver spoke. He turned to the red-headed woman who was leaning on her crutch and looking worried.
"I just heard about Abby. How is she?"
He raked his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. "Not good. Pretty banged up. Fractured rib, concussion, multiple contusions..." There was more but he didn't feel like going into detail. "But nothing life threatening." Just life shattering, he silently added.
Weaver sighed. She had seen too many members of her staff enter this hospital as patients, and it was never an easy thing to bear. Not for anyone. They had their fair share of disputes, but the doctors, nurses and other workers that made up the ER were a family of sorts. They cared about each other. And no matter how tough she could be on them sometimes, Weaver was one of the ones that cared the most. She had come to respect Abby a great deal these last few years.
"Do you know who did this to her?"
A few choice words popped into Carter's mind, but he left them out. "Her neighbor. Brian something. He's been abusing his wife and Abby finally talked her into leaving him. She checked into a shelter- when the guy found out he went berserk and took it out on Abby. I dropped by her place just in time to stop the freak from bashing her head in." He stopped abruptly and yanked at the tie around his neck. It suddenly felt like it was choking him.
"She's lucky you were there," Weaver attempted some helpful words, but she could tell the doctor's pent up rage would not be soothed. "Why don't you get yourself some fresh air, John?"
"Yeah." Carter waited till the short woman was gone, then he stalked off for the lounge where he wouldn't see the curious stares from Frank, Randi and some of the nurses. He flung his tie into his locker and slammed it shut, poured a cup of the liquid that could possibly be mistaken for coffee, and walked outside to stand without a jacket in the frosty Chicago air.
"If the Fates Allow"
"HEY! Get the hell off of her!"
Abby's eyes instantly flew open. She recognized the booming voice. It was Carter. "John! Help," she pleaded, regaining some strength as Brian, in surprise, lost track of what he was doing. He released Abby's head and tried to scramble away, but Carter caught him with ease and yanked him up by the shirt to deliver a well-deserved punch in the face.
Stunned and horrified by it all, Abby scooted herself away from the scuffle and watched with wide eyes as Carter repeatedly slammed his fist into the side of Brian's head. She was afraid he might never stop, but was too shaken to say a word. Unable to watch any longer, Abby buried her face in her hands and sobbed.
Moments later, there was a hand on her shoulder, and Abby pulled away, afraid to look up and see Brian. But the hand reached for her again and its gentle touch was followed by Carter's voice, soothing and concerned, "It's me, Abby. It's John." He gingerly brought her hands away from her face, looking her over with the expertise of a doctor, but the deep worry of a friend.
"Oh, God..." he whispered, too shocked to say more. She looked awful.
Abby threw her arms around Carter's neck, trembling violently. "John," was choked out between gasps for breath and the sobs that racked her body. She clung to him and felt herself being lifted off the floor.
"It's ok, you're safe now. I've got you," Carter said, his voice still gentle like he was speaking to a child. He rushed for the door, stopping only to fumble for the blanket draped across the back of the sofa. The last thing Abby saw as Carter carried her out of her apartment was Brian sprawled face down on the floor.
*************
Carter kept Abby covered as best he could, using one hand to clumsily tug at the blanket that wasn't nearly warm enough in the bitterly cold weather. Especially when all the woman in his arms had on was a flimsy robe that was so rumpled and displaced it just barely managed to cover her. His expression was intense, taut as he struggled to get the door to his car open and place Abby in the passenger seat as gently as possible. He'd never seen her look so frail and it scared the hell out of him. She was mumbling something about the tea kettle when he stretched over to slowly lean her seat back and straighten the blanket across her slender shoulders.
"Shhhh." Carter stroked her hair lightly before easing the door shut and racing to the other side of the car. In seconds he was speeding through red lights, his cell phone balanced between his shoulder and his ear as he listened to the County General dial tone and demanded that someone pick up the damn phone. Finally, Randi's lazy, "hello? Cook County General" greeted him through the receiver.
"Randi, it's Carter. I'm on my way to the ER with Abby. She's been..." He hesitated and glanced at the traumatized woman in the seat next to him. He could see her body trembling beneath the blanket. "She's been assaulted."
"Omigod," Randi sounded like she might be choking on her gum. "Is she okay??"
He had no patience for the sometimes ditzy desk clerk and raised his voice into the phone, "What do you think? Just have a gurney and a room waiting, we're almost there." He abruptly snapped the phone shut.
"Abby, stay awake okay?" She looked groggy, but Carter couldn't tell if she was losing consciousness. He hated not knowing to what extent she was injured. "Abby?"
He took his eyes off the road long enough to check on her. She was gingerly wiping the sticky mixture of tears and blood from her face with the edge of the blue blanket. One eye was badly bruised, swollen almost completely shut, but he saw the other gaze over at him and look away quickly.
"What happen- I mean what was he... who was it, Abby?" There were so many questions, Carter had trouble even forming a suitable one.
She was silent so long he didn't think she was going to answer, then in a voice barely audible over the steady hum of the moving vehicle, she spoke. "M-my neighbor. Brian," she had to force the name out. "S-sent his wife to a shelter... he... he" Pain shot through her side when she took a deep breath to continue. She gasped sharply.
"Never mind," Carter gently excused her from the explanation. "You can tell me later."
Abby nodded, gazing out the window and trying not to focus on how much her entire body ached.
*************
A number of concerned faces turned to watch as Abby was wheeled into the ER on a gurney. Chuny and Susan looked as solemn as Carter, their steps moving fast to keep up with the long strides of the man who had placed Abby on the cot. It felt strange to her being the patient when she was so used to being the one treating them. How many women had she seen come in here beaten, attacked by strangers or someone they thought they could trust? They weren't all just charts and x-rays and sutures to her, but until now she had never really been able to put herself in their shoes.
The dreaded poking and prodding that was inevitable began once they made it to an examination room. Having people touching her was the last thing Abby wanted right now, but she knew they were only doing their jobs. She answered their questions as best she could, looking directly at no one for longer than a second. Susan ordered one of the nurses to get a gown when she saw Abby shiver and tug self-consciously at her robe. Carter turned away while the female caregivers helped with that part. His back was still turned when Susan asked the question he had been afraid to ask, though he was sure he already knew the answer.
"Were you sexually assaulted, Abby?" Susan's hand was resting gently on the woman's shoulder, but Abby's gaze had turned elsewhere. The female doctor looked at the lone male in the room. She stepped over to the man and pulled him aside, speaking softly. "I think this would be more comfortable for her if I take over from here. Why don't you go get some coffee?"
Carter's first instinct was to protest, to say he wasn't leaving Abby's side. But he knew Susan was right. One thing he'd learned from experience was that women found it much easier to discuss these sorts of cases with other women. "Okay," he complied, but turned a meaningful departing glance towards Abby. "I'll be back."
He pushed through the swinging doors and out into the hallway. He'd seen movies where someone would step out of the room like that and a scream of agitation or whatever emotion they were feeling would follow a second later. Now he understood how they felt. He wanted to put his fist through the wall or turn over the tray of medical supplies waiting to be organized by negligent staff members. He wanted to be back in Abby's apartment, strangling the life out of the piece of crap who hurt her.
"Carter."
The brooding man jumped when Weaver spoke. He turned to the red-headed woman who was leaning on her crutch and looking worried.
"I just heard about Abby. How is she?"
He raked his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. "Not good. Pretty banged up. Fractured rib, concussion, multiple contusions..." There was more but he didn't feel like going into detail. "But nothing life threatening." Just life shattering, he silently added.
Weaver sighed. She had seen too many members of her staff enter this hospital as patients, and it was never an easy thing to bear. Not for anyone. They had their fair share of disputes, but the doctors, nurses and other workers that made up the ER were a family of sorts. They cared about each other. And no matter how tough she could be on them sometimes, Weaver was one of the ones that cared the most. She had come to respect Abby a great deal these last few years.
"Do you know who did this to her?"
A few choice words popped into Carter's mind, but he left them out. "Her neighbor. Brian something. He's been abusing his wife and Abby finally talked her into leaving him. She checked into a shelter- when the guy found out he went berserk and took it out on Abby. I dropped by her place just in time to stop the freak from bashing her head in." He stopped abruptly and yanked at the tie around his neck. It suddenly felt like it was choking him.
"She's lucky you were there," Weaver attempted some helpful words, but she could tell the doctor's pent up rage would not be soothed. "Why don't you get yourself some fresh air, John?"
"Yeah." Carter waited till the short woman was gone, then he stalked off for the lounge where he wouldn't see the curious stares from Frank, Randi and some of the nurses. He flung his tie into his locker and slammed it shut, poured a cup of the liquid that could possibly be mistaken for coffee, and walked outside to stand without a jacket in the frosty Chicago air.