Chapter Four - Always in Disguise

The phone rang throughout the apartment, but nobody stirred. It carried on ringing, but still nobody stirred. Then it stopped.

'Hi it's Susan, I'm here but I'm not answering the phone. Leave a message.' Beep.

"Hi Susan? It's Alex. You know the guy from the park? Uh.I hope you don't mind me calling. Just rang to make sure you found your Father alright, sounded pretty concerning. Call me back if you get the chance. My number's 555-3485. Speak to you.whenever. Bye."

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An hour later, Susan got out of the bath slowly and wrapped herself in the towel Abby had given her. She felt more refreshed now, after a pretty long night. First, the date with the devil, then Charlie. She couldn't believe he had the cheek to just show up like that, but he did, and now he was gone again. She sighed as she brushed her wet hair in the mirror and looked at her appearance. No wonder I can't find a nice guy when I look like that. She thought to herself as she put the hairbrush down and tidied up the bathroom before walking out to find the other two. She walked out down the hall to find them both sitting at the table talking over a pot of tea.

"That's very English of you." Susan said smirking at the pair.

"Nice to see your sense of humour is back!" Abby said smiling.

"Oh it's never gone for long." Susan said sarcastically as she sat down at the table with them both.

"How are you feeling?" Carter asked concerned.

"I'm okay. I always am remember?" She replied smiling.

Carter sighed and gave Abby a look as if to say 'she's not alright'. Abby nodded and poured a cup of tea for Susan.

"I'm going to bed." Carter declared.

"Now? It's only half ten." Abby said.

"I've got an early shift." Carter said. "I'll see you both at work." He said as he leaned down and kissed Abby.

"I'm not on tomorrow remember?" Abby said as he kissed her head.

"You're not?" He asked surprised.

"Me neither." Susan said smiling.

"Oh great!" He said sighing. "That's gonna be a load of fun." He said slightly peeved.

"Aww you're gonna miss us!" Abby said smiling at him.

"Of course. We're like the three musketeers." He said smiling.

"Yeah, or the prison officer and his bitches." Susan said smirking as she took a sip of tea.

"Exactly." He agreed as Abby laughed. "Okay. Well enjoy your day off while I work a double!" He said sarcastically as he walked to the bedroom and closed the door.

"He's working a double?" Susan asked surprised.

"Yeah. Weaver's been working him pretty hard lately." She said sipping more tea.

"I heard they're looking for a new Attending. That's probably why."

"They are?" Abby asked as Susan nodded in response. "You know what that means?" She said slyly.

"Chief Resident's position will be empty." Susan said dryly.

"You want it?"

"I don't know. I won't get it." Susan said doubtfully.

"Of course you will. They offered it to you before you left a few years ago didn't they?" She said.

"Yeah but that was a long time ago."

"Yeah which means you'll be a better doctor now." Abby said convincingly.

"I guess. It's hard work though."

"When isn't it? I think you'd be great." Abby said smiling.

"Maybe. I'll see what happens. I may decide to run off into the sunset with Alex." She said laughing.

"Alex?"

"He was the blind date tonight."

"Ahhh." Abby said smirking.

"Man that was bad. I hope he doesn't call me." She said sighing. "No doubt he will. It's just the way isn't it? The ones you don't like, call you, and the ones you do, never call."

"Of course. But you only need one of them to be 'the one' and you'll know it's right cos they will call you back, and it'll be the one you like."

"So when's he calling then?" Susan said smiling.

"Don't ask." Abby said laughing. "Oh, I forgot to ask, did Luka talk to you?" Susan frowned, looking confused. "He didn't?" Abby asked surprised.

"No. Why would he?" Susan asked.

"He said he was gonna call you. Never mind." Abby said getting up.

"Why would he call me? I never call him. Not out of choice but I never do. Why would he wanna call me?" Susan asked, intrigued at this.

Abby turned around from the sink and looked at Susan, getting all worked up just cos Luka might have called her.

"Wait a second." Abby said smiling as she walked over to the table again. "You like him." She declared smirking.

"I do not!" Susan argued badly.

"Oh my God!" Abby exclaimed. "This is SO great! We can go on double dates and stuff!" Abby said excitedly.

"Abby we don't even know he likes me yet!" Susan said embarrassed.

"Oh so you DO like him?!" Abby said smiling.

"What?! When did I say that?"

"Well you were concerned if he liked you, and you didn't deny liking him."

"I did."

"Not very well!" She replied laughing.

"Well yeah I do like him, he's a nice guy, but as a friend." She argued badly again.

"As a friend my ass." Abby said chuckling. "I've seen the way you look at each other." She said mocking Susan.

"How do we look at each other?!" Susan said trying not to smile.

"Like this." Abby said smirking as she fluttered her eyelids. "Oh Luka..." She said taking the piss out of Susan.

"Hey! Since when did I deserve this?!" Susan said laughing now.

"Since you admitted to liking Luka!"

"I never admitted it." Susan said.

"But you do." Abby said quickly as she sat down smiling.

Susan ignored her and got up to clean her cup.

"I don't wish to discuss this anymore with you Miss Lockhart." Susan said smirking as her back was turned to Abby.

"Fine. But just in case you wanted to know.." Abby said slyly to get Susan's attention.

"What?" She asked turning around.

"..he thinks you're hot."

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"Luka! Two traumas coming in we need you!" Susan shouted at the Croatian doctor.

She hurried past him towards the ambulance bay, grabbing a gown on her way out and one for Luka that she threw at him as he swiftly followed. She smiled as he caught it badly and sighed.

"I was always a bad catcher." He said embarrassed as he followed her outside.

"Me too. I was always too busy talking or trying to do up my shoelace." She said sarcastically.

He laughed and watched as she flicked her hair out of the back of her gown and sighed.

"You had laces? I always had the Velcro." He said smiling.

"Yeah. My Mom wouldn't let me get Velcro. She said I'd never learn how to tie laces unless I practiced."

"Did you ever learn?"

"Kind of. But I always wear slip ons." She said smiling and he chuckled. "Can you tie this up?" She asked as she struggled with her gown.

"Oh. Yeah." He said quickly as he walked behind her and began tying her gown up. "So you had a blind date last night?"

"God does everybody know about that?!" She said exasperated.

"Uh..touchy subject?" He asked embarrassed.

"Let's just say, I discovered a new meaning to the word boring." She said sarcastically.

"Sorry." He said trying to stop from smiling.

"Not your fault. I don't there's anything anybody can do about my dates." She said sadly. "They are always the same."

"What do you mean?" He asked interested.

"They always go bad. The guy is always a freak, or hung up on his ex. One of the two."

"That's a shame." He said sadly watching her from the corner of his eye. "What if you found someone who wasn't either?" He said interested again.

"Show me the way and I'll let you know!" She said sarcastically.

"Would you have dinner with me tonight?"

Susan looked over at him immediately shocked, and saw him looking at her with a serious face. He did surprise her to say the least, but she guessed the right guy was always in disguise.

"Sure." She simply replied, and then came the paramedics.