Chapter Nine - I've Had The Time Of My Life

7.30pm - Lounge Area

It was now or never. They had been engaged for 2 months now and it was eating them up inside. Not telling anybody was really hard, but they needed to sort things out first, then people could know. They decided today was as good a time as any, so without further ado, can I please announce...

"Okay you ready?"

"Um.yeah, kinda. It's gonna be weird cos they don't even know we're back together."

"Yeah so?! What can they do about it?!"

"I spose."

"Come on Abby it's gonna be fine. Trust me."

"Trust you?! Ha! That's a laugh if I ever heard one!"

"Hey I'm the most trustworthy person you know!"

"Yeah apart from Chuni, Haleh, Yosh, Lydia...need I go on?!"

"Since when did this become attack Carter day?!"

"Since you decided today was the day you'd announce this huge thing in our lives. I don't wanna tell them today!"

"Why not?"

"I'm just..worried."

"About what?"

"Last time I announced my engagement so soon afterwards, I got divorced. I'm just worried we'll jinks it."

"Abby we are not gonna jinks it. Besides, you've already jinks it."

"Oh yeah how?!"

"By not asking me yourself!"

"That's your job."

"Originally it was yours but you decided not to ask so therefore leaving me to do the dirty work!"

"Dirty work?! You call asking me to marry you 'dirty work'?!"

"Well..what we did afterwards was the dirty work but it was kinda..embarassing!"

"You have a sick mind John. And it was not embarrassing, it was very sweet."

"Yeah for you maybe. My throat is still soar."

"Oh really?! You better get that seen to later, it may need to be used again if you carry on like this!"

"Oh good I'm really looking forward to it!"

"Come on you mean to tell me you didn't enjoy singing Phil Collins to me in front of a room full of strangers?!"

"Surprisingly no I didn't! Maybe you should try it sometime!"

"I think I'll pass. So are we gonna tell them or not?"

"I thought you didn't want to?"

"I changed my mind."

"You're hard to keep up with Miss Lockhart."

"Yeah? You should have a rethink about this engagement thing. I mean do you really know what you're getting yourself into?!"

"Oh I have a pretty good idea."

"And how does it look?"

"It looks great to me!"

"I'm glad cos you're not backing out now anyway. I'd miss the tea breaks with Gamma!"

"Is that all this means to you?!"

"Oh without a doubt! This quick 'fling' that you like to call an 'engagement'!"

"Oh really?!"

"Yep. Of course when we get a divorce I expect all your assets, including half the Carter wealth plus yearly payments."

"Oh of course!"

"Now that's settled..."

She slowly moved over to him and gave him a sexy longing look, but just as she was close enough for him to feel her lips against his, she stopped and looked at her watch.

"Ooh. Hate to disappoint but I have an appointment in five minutes."

"Appointment?"

"Yeah, a patient wanted me to..take her up to the OB."

"Do you have to?! We were gonna tell everybody about the engagement!"

"Unfortunately for you yes I do. But luckily for me, yes I do!"

She slid off the couch and walked out the door leaving Carter feeling a little flustered, and frustrated. It was never a good time.

8.05pm - Reception Area

"Where the hell is Abby?!" Shouted Carter as he continued his search around the ER.

"Probably up in OB. She told you she was going up there didn't she?" Answered Susan as she carried on fishing through the huge pile of charts.

"God how long does it take?!"

"Why don't you go up and look?"

"Yeah. I think I will. You know we were supposed to be announcing that 'thing' tonight. And I can't do it when my fiancée is nowhere to be seen can I?!"

"I guess not. It would be pretty hard, they'd probably just think you were making it up!"

"Ha ha. I'm gonna go get her. Can you make sure Weaver doesn't leave before I get the chance to tell her?"

"Sure."

He smiled at her and walked off up the corridor to the lift. He pressed the number 5 button, and the doors closed. Little did he know what he was about to find...

A short walk down the hall and two turnings to the left and he reached the room he'd been told 'Nurse Lockhart' was in. He thought it strange the woman gave him a funny look when he asked which room Nurse Lockhart was in with her patient, but ignored it thinking she was the weird one.

He knocked on the door, and heard a "Come in!" from inside. That must have been the doctor. He wondered why the patient had been so insistent on having Abby with her, but nevertheless she was there. He slowly opened the door, and what he saw was totally unexpected.

"John!" Exclaimed Abby as he stood in the doorway staring at her with the ultrasound monitor showing a small foetus.

"Abby?"

"You're not supposed to be here."

"I can see that."

"Well..surprise!"

She tried to stammer a laugh but it just came across as an embarrassed giggle. As if she'd been caught in the act, doing something she shouldn't be.

"What's goin' on?" He asked as he slowly moved around to the other side of the bed next to her, his eyes not leaving the monitor.

"Well, Dr. Carter, you're going to be a Daddy."

His eyes momentarily left the monitor and looked into Abby's. A smile spread across his face and his eyes showed her how he felt. He was ecstatic.

"Would you like to know the sex?"

"Um..Abby?"

"Yeah why not."

"You're going to have..a girl. Congratulations."

"A girl?! That's great!"

"You think so?!" Asked Abby surprised.

"Yeah! Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well it's not going to be carrying on the Carter family tradition of John Truman Carter's."

"Who cares about the stupid tradition you're going to have a baby!"

"We're going to have a baby."

"You happy?"

"Extremely. You?"

"Couldn't be happier."

"I'm going to leave you two alone to have a talk. I'll come back in ten minutes to tidy up. And congratulations again."

"Thanks a lot." Answered Abby, as the doctor walked out.

"So I guess..it wouldn't be right to have an illegitimate child would it? Not in the Carter family anyway!"

"What are you saying John?"

"Abby. I've never been happier in my life, but I would be even more happy, if you became my wife."

"Well in that case, I would be happy to become your wife."

He jumped up and kissed her firmly as he put his hands around her face, cherishing the moment. They were going to become a real family. He had only ever dreamt about this, his world just couldn't get any better. They were together again, and that was all that mattered, from death till they part. It was, the time of their lives, and it couldn't get better for her either.

Okay sorry it's taken so long to update but I just got a new computer in my room and I had to transfer all the work etc onto it! ;) So I'm back now..keep those reviews coming I really appreciate them!