Chapter Thirty One - One Of Those Days - Part Two

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Time goes so slowly when you're waiting. Its God's way of making you do things. For instance, realising what you have and appreciating it, learning how to be patient and most importantly, learn how to entertain yourself whilst you wait for a loved one to wake up. Time in Carter's world was always precious, but now it seemed he had reason to think like this. Abby's surgery had gone well. Now it was just time. Time was what it always was with them. Time. It sounded strange, but it was true, time was the healer in their relationship. What they had been through was enough to last a lifetime, and he knew it hadn't ended and there were still so many problems they needed to deal with. But time was their healer. Sometimes, time is all you have, or time is everything you don't want, you want things to be healed immediately and everything to be done and dusted within moments. But he had learned that life didn't work like that, and things take time. This was one of those times, and he wished to God it wasn't.

Five hours out of a lifetime doesn't seem as much as it feels. But for Carter, those five hours were the longest of his life. He sat, his hands linked with one of hers, for five hours. Her life hang in the balance, and his heart beat the loudest it ever had for those hours. It was gone midnight when she eventually woke up, and he was asleep. For a few seconds, she felt like her eyes were stuck together, but after a while, they opened to a blurred room. Focus Abby. Focus. Then things began to get clearer, and soon she could see the letters on the eye test which was stuck to the wall next to the door. A private room? That was weird to her. Then she saw him. His head on the bed and his hands wrapped around her left hand. She reached across with her free right hand and began softly stroking his hair. Her slight movement was enough to wake him and without meaning to, made Abby jump as he suddenly woke up.

"Hey." He said calmly.

"You scared me!" She said breathing heavily and rolling her eyes.

"Sorry. How are you feeling?"

"Like I've been in a car accident."

"Do you remember anything?"

"Not really. I remember I was listening to the Chilli Peppers."

"That's helpful." He replied sarcastically.

"Is everything okay?" She asked seriously.

"There internal bleeding. A broken rib pierced your kidney but mostly you've just got a few cuts and bruises. I don't know the details I haven't spoken to Susan since you came up for surgery."

"But everything's alright?"

"Well.there's some good news." He said, hardly managing to not smile.

"What?" She asked confused.

"Do you remember having stomach pains?"

"Vaguely."

"Well.it was the baby."

"I'm."

"Yeah."

Abby was stunned. She couldn't believe she was pregnant already. Man he was fast. Or she was really fertile. Either one. It was fast.

"Susan told me before you went into surgery."

"Who else knows?"

"I think Luka knows, but they won't say anything."

"Good." She said, trying to suppress her smile.

"Are you happy?" Carter asked.

"Yeah. I am." She replied.

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Susan was walking along the hall towards Abby's room hoping to find her friend up and awake rather than how she'd last seen her, unconscious and looking pretty bad. She opened the door to find Carter holding her hand and Abby smiling like anything.

"What are you smiling at?!" Susan said intrigued as she walked in.

"Hmm nothing." Abby said smirking.

"Did you tell her?" Susan asked Carter.

He smiled in return and then looked at Abby.

"Congratulations Abby." Susan said embracing her friend who she'd been worrying about for hours. "How are you other than that?"

"I'm kinda tired. But I'm too excited to sleep. Actually I wanna go home."

"They said you'll be here a while I'm afraid." Susan said sadly.

"I figured. When are you guys off?"

"I finished an hour ago."

"Me too." Carter said.

"I wanted to stick around to make sure you were okay. Luka's waiting too." Added Susan.

"You didn't have to. Thanks." Abby said warmly.

At that point, a knock came at the door and Luka entered slowly, looking at Susan for the okay to come in. She smiled at him and nodded as confirmation.

"How are you feeling?" Luka asked as he reached Susan.

"Tired. Wanting to go home. What you'd expect." She said wearily.

"Is everything..okay?" He asked, referring to the baby.

"Yeah. It's all fine."