Abby was inside now. Her hair was still wet. She stared down at the ground, waiting for him to come home.

She thought he'd come home. But pretty soon, she realized that she had been staring into the night for two hours.

:+:+:+:+:+:

"You took a night shift, Carter?" Pratt asked.

"Yeah, something like that." Carter groaned.

"Romano threatened you?"

"No. I'm not even signed in"

"Well, most of us are in. It's not a big deal."

"Yeah…" Carter said, trying to look like he wasn't paying attention.

"Pratt!" Susan called from around the corner. "I think you're patient's seizing!"

Pratt started to run over. "See you."

"Bye." Carter said indifferently.

:+:+:+:+:+:

It had been two hours. She tried to hint at the neighbors, but nobody said they'd seen him. She even called the hospital, but Frank told her that he wasn't on the board.

She was desperate. She had to find him. She grabbed the keys to the jeep and left.

:+:+:+:+:+:

Carter sat at the desk, waiting for a trauma.

"You've got nothing better to do?" Susan giggled

Again, apathetically, he replied. "Nope."

:+:+:+:+:+:

Abby slowly drove down the wet, dark street. Visibility may as well have been zero, but squinting helped.

Suddenly, she heard the screech of tires next to her. By the time she saw the out-of-control car coming toward her, she didn't even have time to scream.

:+:+:+:+:+:

" Two MVA's coming in." Susan said. "ETA is two minutes. Wanna wait outside with me?"

"I'll stay here. It's kinda cold."

"I hear you!" Susan said as she put on her gloves and turned around. Carter followed her, but waited by the door.

A middle-aged woman with light orange hair sat on a gurney by the door. "You look down. Wanna confide in a stranger?"

Carter shrugged. "Why not? I think my wife's cheating on me."

The woman looked shocked, but only for a split-second. "So," she said, with a supportive smile on her face. "Who's the bastard?"

"A mister Kovac. Luka." Carter said sarcastically. "Now how an I supposed to know if the baby's even mine…"

"Kovac?" The woman questioned. "When did this happen?"

"About two hours ago."

The woman looked at the clock. "If the guy works here, a Dr. Kovac treated me exactly two hours and seven minutes ago. Then he told a nurse he was going home. I think her name was Hannah…no, Haley or Holly or something…well, I remember it started with an H. is that who you're married to?"

Carter froze. She really didn't do anything?

Oh, God. He had to see her.

"Carter!" Jerry called from across the desk. "Phone call."

"Please let it be Abby." He thought as Frank handed him the phone. "Abby?"

"Sorry, sir. I work for a towing company. This number was one of the numbers left to call when the car was towed after the breakdown."

"The car!" He thought. "Where is it?"

"Gave you a receipt. It's at the shop. Just letting you know something was wrong with the engine. I'll call you when I know more."

"Uh, thanks." He started dialing home as soon as he hung up on the other call.

Three rings…four rings…answering machine.

He waited for the beep. "Abby, it's me. Please pick up if you're there."

It looked like the first MVA was making its way in. The paramedic helped push the gurney as Chen, Pratt, and an unfamiliar nurse pushed him down the hallway. "Totaled his car. He was a little conscious when we got to the scene. Definitely drunk."

Nobody picked up. He ran toward the door, but had to make a quick decision and ended up leaping to one side as the other gurney rolled in.

Susan was pushing near the end. She immediately looked at Carter with a tense expression on her face as she came in. "It's Abby."

:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:+:

Hooray, I may have finally built some suspense! Please, please review? I really want some pats-on-the back and constructive criticism!

[starts bribing] I'll give you a virtual hug!