Abby entered the cold, white hospital room and watched the sleeping form on the bed. She stood there for a while, just watching, not daring to go inside the room. She took a deep breath and went to sit next to the bed. She could hardly believe that the poor little girl was lying there because of her.

Kara woke up and opened her eyes to see Abby, sitting by her side. Kara smiled up at Abby and said in her small, little voice, "Abby? Are you okay? You looked upset earlier."

"I'm okay Kara, how about you?"

"I was very sleepy, so I took a nap."

"But you're felling better now?"

"A little bit,"

"Well that's good."

"Will I get to go soon?"

"I don't think so,"

"Why not? What's wrong with me?"

"You've, you've got cancer."

"Like my mom, right?"

"Yeah, like your mom."

"But I'm gonna get better, right?"

"I don't think so."

"But, there's a chance?"

"No, there isn't."

"So, I'm going to die?"

"Yes." Just watching the look on Kara's face, made Abby want to cry, all over again.

"And then I'll get to go live in heaven with mommy and daddy?"

"Yeah, i guess so."

"So then dying can't be that bad, can it?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later Abby was in the lounge, nervously biting her nails. When Carter came through the door, she took a deep breath and told herself to stop being a wimp and ask him.

"Hey," he said, smiling at her,

"Hey!" She walked over to him and kissed him, softly.

"So, how are you?" he asked. "Are you, feeling better?"

"Yeah, a bit. I, um have to ask you something."

"What?"

"Well, I, um wanted to ask you, um..." she said, trailing off.

"What?"

"What would you think about, uh adopting Kara?"

"What?" he asked, surprised.

"Adopting Kara."

"Abby, look, I know you feel guilty, but..."

"But what?"

"I don't think it would be a good idea."

"She doesn't like her foster parents and she needs someone to support her,"

"Abby,"

"She needs a stable, loving home,"

"Abby!"

"What?" she asked.

"You, you can't just adopt someone because you feel guilty."

"I'm not doing this because I feel guilty, I'm doing this because I care about her."

"No you're not."

"I'm sorry, do you suddenly know what I feel better than I do?"

"I wasn't saying that."

"Well then what were you saying?"

"You know what, forget it."

"No I want to hear what you're saying."

"What i'm saying is that, I don't think either of us could cope with the emotional side of it. Just, adopting her, knowing that she's going to die in two months time."

"Maybe you can't deal with it, but I can. You always have to underestimate me, don't you?"

"Abby, don't do this."

"You think that, just because I'm a nurse, a lower species than you doctors, that I can't deal with anything. Well, you know what John Carter? I can deal with this and I will, with or without your help." She left the room, slamming the door behind her.