She called to him discretely at first, but the noise from the ER made it impossible for him to hear her. He walked on, and she lost sight of him.

Frantic, she ran to catch up with him, dodging the people that suddenly seemed to clutter the corridor.

She caught sight of him as he turned a corner, loosing him again almost as fast. She flew around the corner, straight into a gurney.

The side of the gurney hit her square in the stomach, and it crashed against the wall. She yelped as the momentum carried her over the gurney, and she landed, unconscious, in a crumpled heap on the floor.

Carter turned to face the source of that horrible noise.

His mouth fell open, and for a split second everything stopped, and all he could see was that broken body, curled, foetal-like, almost underneath the gurney.

Then the world began to spin again, and he dashed to her aid. He called out for help as he checked her pulse. It was strong; she had just been knocked out.

"Kerry! Mark!"

Mark dropped his charts onto the desk, and sped to Carter's side. Kerry followed close behind.

"What happened?"

Carter was breathless, and all he could manage was a swift shrug of his shoulders as he checked her airway.

His attention focused on her face, he did not notice the dark stain that was slowly spreading from her abdomen.

Mark did, however.

"Oh, God. Carter, look."

He ignored Mark.

"Carter!"

He turned to him, then to where he was examining. His face paled, and he began to splutter.

Kerry saw this reaction, and took charge of the situation.

"We have to get her to trauma 1, quickly, lift her onto the gurney. Malik, Chuny, come on."

Carter tried to follow her into the trauma room, but Kerry barred his way.

"No, Carter, you know that you won't be able to do this."

He nodded, obviously distraught, but understanding.

**********************************

They stabilised her, and stopped the bleeding. They discovered that the gurney had torn a six inch gash in her stomach, and the fall had cracked two of her ribs. She was still unconscious when they wheeled her from the trauma room. Carter had been sitting outside, and jumped up when they passed.

He took her hand, and walked with them to one of the empty exam rooms.

Malik and Chuny pulled up the sides of the gurney, while Kerry stood by and watched. As the nurses left, Kerry approached the side of the gurney that Carter was stood at, holding Abby's hand.

"She's going to be ok. She has some cracked ribs, and a concussion, but she should sleep it off."

Carter looked at Kerry with grateful eyes.

"Thank you."

Kerry smiled and put up a hand.

"Just doing my job." Then she added, more tentatively. "Should I go and find Luka?"

Carter was hesitant to answer that, but realised that it was Kerry's way of asking if he and Abby were an item.

"Um, Abby and Luka aren't together anymore."

"Are you and Abby-"

"-No… We're just…friends."

Kerry backed off, not wanting to intrude.

"Ok. I'll be back to check on her later. You can stay with her. It's not too busy."

"Thank you."

Kerry left, and Carter pulled up a chair, next to the bed. He rested one hand on Abby's, and propped up his chin on the other. He sat, just watching her sleep.

She seemed so peaceful, unaware of his presence.

Unaware of everything, it seemed.

There was no pain on her face; Carter suspected that they'd given her morphine. This he was grateful for.

His thoughts turned to the accident itself. What was she doing? Maybe it was just a case of wrong place wrong time. He'd ask her when she felt better.

For now he was just content to watch her sleep.

As he gazed at her, his eyelids began to droop, and he fell into a light slumber.

**********************************

He was woken again by a low moan; Abby was awake.

She turned her face to him, and smiled a woozy smile.

"Hey."

He had never seen such a perfect sight, as she smiled up at him.

She tried to turn on her side, but cried out in pain.

Carter left her briefly to call for Kerry, but he returned in a second, taking her small hand in his.

Kerry entered and beamed at Abby.

"Hey, how're you feeling?"

Abby managed a small shrug, and a smile.

"You cracked a couple of ribs, and the gurney cut you pretty bad, but you're going to be fine."

Abby tried to pull herself up into a sitting position, but the pain became so much that she had to stop, and lie back down.

"You'll be sore for a while." Kerry concurred. "We gave you Morphine, but I'm reluctant to give you more. How about some Tylenol?"

"No, Kerry, I'm fine, really." Her voice was raspy, like a tool long out of use.

She tried to sit up again, but couldn't quite manage it through the pain.

Carter gestured to Kerry to help him prop up the head of the bed. She obliged, and Abby thanked them.

"I'm off now, but if you want anything, Susan's on till ten."

"Thanks, Kerry." Abby smiled at her, and wearily waved goodbye.

Carter watched the door close behind her, and turned back to Abby.

"I thought I'd lost you…" He said, quietly.

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?" She lifted a hand to his face and gently stroked his bruise.

He put his hand atop hers, and, their fingers entwined, placed it back on the edge of the bed.

"Because…" He looked away, and stared at a point on the floor.

"I know what happened." She said matter-of-fact-ly.

Carter's eyes shot back to hers.

"It wasn't his fault, he was drunk." Carter spoke quickly, not sure why he was defending Luka.

"Why did you lie to me?"

 Those brown eyes were drilling into his, and he was suddenly lost in them.

"Because I wanted you to feel safe."

Her eyes softened instantly, and she smiled.

"But Carter, I do feel safe." She paused "I feel safe when I'm with you."

The smile that crossed his face could only show part of his happiness at hearing her say that.

They stayed like that for a second, just enjoying the moment.

**********************************

Carter stifled a yawn.

"You should go. Get some sleep."

"You'll be ok?" He stood up, but didn't let go of her hand.

"Yeah. Go. But promise me something?" She squeezed his hand.

"Anything"

"You'll come back?"

He bent down and kissed her forehead, just as he had done that first night at his apartment.

Straightening again, he whispered to her.

"Always."

She watched him go, the door swinging behind him. She smiled as she closed her eyes, and fell into a deep, uninterrupted sleep.

**********************************

Carter came back just a few hours later, refreshed. Abby was still sleeping as he tiptoed into the room, and took up his place again by her side.

Susan had seen him come in, and followed him into the room.

He looked up as she entered, and nodded a greeting.

"She should be able to go home when she wakes up." She said in hushed tones.

"Ok."

Carter checked his watch.

"It's almost one am! Didn't your shift finish at ten?"

"Yeah, but I wanted to wait around with Abby till you got back, 'case she woke up. I just left to get some coffee when you turned up."

"Thanks. If you want to go home, I'll tell her you were here." He smiled warmly at her, his face giving away more gratitude than his words did.

"Are you Ok? Your eye-"

"-It's ok. Do you know what happened? Why she was running?"

"I don't know, she was arguing with Luka, then she found out he hit you and ran out of the exam room, chasing after you."

Carter looked to Abby then back at Susan.

"So all this-" He paused, sadness taking up residence in his voice. "- Is my fault?"

"No, Carter -"

He looked distant, and his eyes glazed.

"She was chasing after me, wasn't she?" he quietly

"It was an accident. No-one is to blame-"

"I am. I lied to her, when she needed the truth."

Susan placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Talk to her. That's all I can say." With that, she turned and left them alone.