Something to Celebrate
an ER-based fan fiction
by: Joycelyn Solo

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A special note from the Author:
No, I didn't forget to write a chapter, but I am skipping the whole "ambulance arrives, they rush Abby to the trauma room, and starting throwing out a bunch of technical terms" scene because A) I don't know enough technobabble for it to sound good and B) I think John's POV will be sufficient to cover the drama of this section.

However, if you feel that I may have missed something in the transition from Abby's collapse to the events of this chapter, please let me know and I'll see if I can scrounge up enough material to create a filler chapter.

As always, thank you.
~Joycelyn

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Author's note: This story is a slightly alternative universe of ER. If I explained more, it would give things away, so just read it and please enjoy.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, but if anyone wants to discuss leasing options, I'm interested...

Chapter Chapter Eight

"Gamma?"

Millicent Carter turned and relief flooded her face when she saw her grandson. "Oh, John, thank God they found you."

Not registering the puzzled look on his face, she quickly embraced the young man she practically raised more as a son than a grandson. "I don't know what happened. She said she was fine. She was so happy to share her news and then ­­ I don't know if it was the excitement that did it..."

"Gamma." John said again, holding his grandmother away from him to gain her attention. "What's going on?"

"I'm trying to tell you, John. She was fine at lunch, but on the way to the toy store she collapsed."

"Who collapsed, Gamma?" John asked, assuming his "doctor mode" to calm his grandmother. "What happened?"

Millicent stopped and studied his face. With a cold feeling of realization she said, "You don't know."

"Know what?" John asked, the cool exterior of his medical persona giving way to fear. "Abby?"

Millicent nodded. "She collapsed after lunch. At first, I thought it was fatigue, considering her condition, but then the bleeding started." Her shoulders drooped with a mixture of concern and fatigue. "I haven't heard anything. I thought they had called you."

Heading toward the admit desk, John tried to comfort his grandmother while fear settled deeply into his stomach. "I came right from the airport. I didn't even turn on my beeper yet." He grabbed the pager out of his bag and switched the power on. As soon as he did it indicated that he had several calls from the ER.

Approaching the desk, he saw Randi dial the phone and then stop when she noticed him. "Dr. Carter, I was just going to call you again." She nodded in understanding at Carter's grandmother, holding a comforting hand on his elbow. "She's in Trauma One."

Not wasting time to thank her, he pushed through the double doors.

"Abby!"

"John," Susan began, intercepting him as he moved to the gurney. "She's resting now. We've stopped the bleeding for now but we're sending her ­­."

"Abby?" he called toward the bed and, when she didn't respond, he pushed past Susan and took position next to Luka. "Abby?"

Her face incredibly pale, she turned to him. Red and swollen eyes greeted him; dried tears streaked her face. "I'm sorry, John." she whispered through dry and cracked lips and turned her head away.

"It's okay, sweetheart, you're going to be fine." He looked at Susan and Luka for confirmation as he stroked her hair. "It's going to be okay."

"It's not okay." she turned again to face him and locked eyes with her husband. "I lost it. I lost our baby."

The look of shock on his face brought Susan forward. "John, maybe we should go outside while they get Abby ready to move."

"I love you, Abby." he said, kissing her forehead and looking deeply into her eyes. "Everything will be okay."

She plainly that she doesn't believe him, but he smiled reassuringly at her as he followed Susan outside.

"Take a couple deep breaths." Susan instructed, leading John away from the windows where he couldn't see into the trauma room. "Have you talked to Abby since yesterday?"

He shook his head. "She left me a voice mail last night, but I didn't get it 'til this morning."

"John. Look at me."

He did.

Susan took a deep breath of her own. "Abby was pregnant. It was an obvious surprise to her yesterday when I examined her."

"How­­" he began but stopped when Luka approached. "How far along was she?" he repeated, his voice barely a whisper as everything started to make sense.

The morning sickness.

The chronic fatigue.

The mood swings.

Luka asked the obvious, pointing an accusatory finger at John. "How could you not know you're wife was pregnant. You're a doctor."

"We didn't think she could..." He looked at Susan, then Luka. "When she was with Richard, she was pregnant but she...there were complications." He hung his head. "A month ago we were talking about adoption."

Susan nodded in understanding, but Luka frowned at John. He couldn't fathom how a doctor of Carter's "standing" could have missed a pregnancy in his own marriage.

"She was three months along, John." Susan said, resting a hand comfortingly on his arm. "She was examined upstairs and they gave her a clean bill. I don't know if she discussed her...history with them or not. There may have been nothing that could have been done."

John hung his head in defeat. "I should have been here. I should have been with my wife."

Luka opened his mouth to say something to that, but quickly closed it again at the look Susan shot him.

Susan looked looked into the trauma room, seeing they were ready to move Abby upstairs. She gently lead John back into the room. "You're here now. And she's going to need you."

Straightening, John offered Susan a weak smile as he pushed the door open. Abby needed him. His own guilt would have to wait.