Chapter Four - Coming Out

The next two days were spent together. They shopped, they picnicked, they ate, they made love and they shared secrets and childhood stories. They were never apart. It seemed too good to be true, and it was, it really was. But the small problems would start when they returned to work. Inevitably, that day where they had to return to work arrived, and neither was looking forward to it. There were different reasons for their hesitation at not wanting to go back. Abby inside was a little worried about what Luka would say, it would just prove right his theory about the two of them, and Carter was slightly worried about what Susan had told the rest of the staff. He knew she wouldn't of cared that Abby and himself had got together, she told him to anyway! But what would the rest of the staff say? He was also kinda worried about Abby, he didn't want Luka to give Abby a hard time, which he knew was quite possible, since he blamed half their break up on him.

"You ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Replied Abby, not sounding very sure.

"Abby, listen it's gonna be okay. Just walk in their, pretend like everything's the same and you just came back the same as you left after the Lockdown."

"Okay. You're right, you're right. What if I see Luka?"

"Act as if nothings happened."

"Yeah. Right. Sure. Okay I'm ready now."

As they walked into the ambulance bay hand in hand they let go of one another's hand and Carter held back for a few moments watching Abby go inside, and then followed a couple of minutes later.

"Morning Abby!" Shouted Randi from the desk.

"Hey." She didn't look up and went straight into the lounge. 'Safe', she thought, until she saw Luka sitting at the table eating a doughnut.

"Oh hey Abby, did you have good time off?"

"Hey. Yeah it was..nice."

"What did you do?"

"Oh this and that, just lounged around mostly."

He smiled at her and she started to put her coat into her locker. She heard a door open then close behind her. She looked around and Luka had gone, no word of goodbye, or see you later. Weird. He's usually always polite. She returned to her locker and slammed it shut as the door opened once more. She turned around to see Carter standing in the doorway with sick all down his trousers.

"Oh my god!" She said, trying to hide her laughter.

"I got puked on."

"I can see that! I knew you shouldn't have worn those pants, nobody likes them!"

"It's not funny Abby." He said as he walked heavily into the lounge.

"Alright I'm sorry. I'll go get you some scrubs. Wait here."

"I'm not going anywhere."

She giggled to herself as she hurried to get some scrubs. Back in the lounge, Carter began taking off his pants. He screwed them up and threw them into the bin. Just as he did that, Susan came into the lounge. "Oh hey Car.."

She broke off when she saw he was wearing no pants, and stood in his shirt and boxers.

"It's not what you think. I'm waiting for Abby."

"So it is what I think?!"

She decided to have a bit of fun with him here, see him suffer!

"No..I.ahhh a patient.sick on my trousers."

"Yeah I'll bet." She turned to walk out the lounge.

"Susan wait! She's going to get me some scrubs."

"Yeah okay Carter. Whatever!"

She giggled as she walked out and left Carter stranded in his pants. Susan walked away laughing to herself when she saw Malik heading towards the lounge.

"Ahhh Malik, you don't wanna go in there."

"Why not?"

"You just don't."

"Come on Susan I need my stuff!"

"Well go on then, but I warn you, it's not a pretty sight!"

She smiled and walked away leaving Malik feeling confused. He debated on whether to go in, and decided against the idea and walked away.

"One pair of scrubs comin' up!" Shouted Abby as she walked back into the lounge.

Carter jumped as she came in, thinking it was somebody. He had crouched behind the table.

"Carter what are you doing?"

"Hiding in case I get another visitor."

"Visitor?"

"Yeah, in the shape of Susan. She came in and got the wrong idea."

"Oh my god!" She started laughing. "I wish I had a camera!" She continued.

"It's really not that funny Abby."

"Oh but it is!"

"Yeah so funny that she thinks I was waiting for you!"

"Well you were."

"Not like that. She thought we were gonna..ya know."

"Well we are. Aren't we?"

A worried look crossed his face, and Abby couldn't keep it in any longer. She burst out laughing and walked over to him, still in his boxers, she began to kiss him whilst still laughing.

Suddenly, the lounge door swung open as Carter and Abby were kissing. They stopped and looked around to see Malik, Susan, Chuni, Gallant, Deb, Pratt and Randi all peering in looking amused.

"Ahhh we were just." Said Carter stuttering.

"We were just leaving. I was just leaving." Said Abby, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"I see you two have definitely kissed and made up?!" Said Malik, making the rest of the group burst out laughing.

Abby and Carter just stood, glued to the spot whilst the others made jokes at them.

"What's going on he."

Weaver pushed her way through and stopped mid sentence when she saw what the group were laughing at.

"I don't really think this is the right place to be taking part in here do you Dr Carter?"

"Dr Weaver we weren't doing anything."

"And Abby? I thought you were a little more discreet than this."

"I was. I mean I am."

"I can see that." She smirked a little and turned to walk out. "Come on all of you get back to work!" She turned again to face a very embarrassed Carter and Abby. "And you two, get dressed."

With that she walked away, still smirking a little, leaving Abby and Carter feeling slightly bemused.

"So I guess it's out."

"Yeah. You know John if you hadn't have been stupid enough to take off your pants before I got the scrubs none of this would have happened."

"Well if YOU hadn't of been so long getting the scrubs then I wouldn't have been standing here for so long waiting!"

"Well I couldn't just not leave you there for a while, I mean it was pretty funny!"

"For you maybe. Now the whole ER has seen me in my underwear!"

"Shit happens!" She started laughing again, making Carter more angry.

"Abby it's really not that funny! YOU are the only one who's allowed to see me half naked!"

"Only half?"

"Probably not even that if you carry on laughing at me!"

"Okay okay I'm sorry, I'll stop now."

"Good."

"Good."

There was silence as Carter struggled to put on his scrub pants.

"Want some help?"

"No thank you! I can put on pants Abby."

She rolled her eyes at him and stood waiting while he wriggled about trying unsuccessfully to put them on. He suddenly breathed a heavy sigh as he clasped his back.

"John what's wrong?"

"It's just my back. Hurts a little."

"Would you just let me do it?!"

"Fine! But I'm only letting you cos you won't accept that I don't need your help!"

"Alright then. Here, put your leg in.no not there! Hold on to my shoulder..come on John hold on!"

"To what?!"

"My shoulder!"

He did so but he didn't want to put too much pressure on her shoulder, he knew he was much heavier than her.

"John you're not even leaning on me."

"That's cos I don't wanna break your back as well!"

"You won't! Stop being stupid and do it."

He looked at her with puppy dog eyes, pleading with her to let him do it his way.

"Now!"

He gave in and leant on her. He got his pants on and then they sat on the sofa at opposite ends exhausted.

"Why are you sitting all the way over there? I'm getting cold!"

"You're the one who sat there John not me, I sat down first."

"Fine I'll move then."

She was pretending she was annoyed with him but inside she was still laughing at the earlier fiasco. He slid along the couch and sat next to her. She ignored him and turned her head.

"Abby? Abby..what's wrong?"

"I'm still pissed off Carter!"

"I'm sorry. I just don't need special help."

"I wasn't treating you like an old man for God's sake! I would have helped anybody in the same situation."

"Even Yosh?"

"Even Yosh."

She turned her head and smiled at him. He smiled back and leant in for a kiss.

"I guess we've come out then." Said Carter after the kiss.

"Yeah."

"How does it feel?"

"It feels..it feels great!"

Okay so there's chapter 4! Hope you enjoyed it guys! More reviews pease I luv em! Ab ;)