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

In the two weeks that they had been together, Susan and Chuny were still the only people who knew.

Abby was reluctant to tell everyone because of Luka, and Carter respected that.

But it was the annual ER banquet in a week.

"No, Carter! You know we can't go together!"

She almost spilt her coffee in frustration.

"Abby…" He touched her arm soothingly. "Please."

It was at least the third time he had tried to persuade her to be his date, but she wasn't budging. They were sitting in Doc Magoo's, both on a break.

"I know that this means a lot to you, Carter, but I can't, not yet. I'll go, you'll go. But we won't go together. Got that?"

Carter nodded. It made him feel awful to need this so much, but it made him feel worse to fight with Abby. So he nodded.

She reached up and touched his face, affectionately.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just not ready to deal with Luka yet."

"He'll find out eventually, but if that's what you want. One thing though."

"What is it?"

"I get at least one dance."

"At least."

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

He stood in the doorway and surveyed the scene. Colleagues were dotted at various tables; some were standing at the bar.

 His eyes, though, were searching out someone particular. At last he caught sight of her, wearing a burgundy satin evening gown that brushed the floor. A wide shawl was draped across her shoulders.

She was standing just away from the bar, chatting animatedly to Susan and Haleh.

He sighed a little and began to walk over to them.

Susan and Haleh saw him first, waving and smiling. Abby turned to see who they were waving at. In one hand she held a purse, in the other a half empty wine glass.

 Carter's eyes snapped to the glass, then to Abby's face, then back to the glass.

He smiled a weak smile to Susan and Haleh. "Can I borrow Abby a moment?"

"Sure!"

Carter grabbed Abby's elbow roughly and steered her to a relatively quiet area of the room.

"What are you doing?" Carter's tone was harsh.

"What?" Abby was indignant, though her words were slightly slurred.

"You know exactly what I mean. You want to go back to this?" He prised the wine glass from her hand.

 "That's mine, Carter!" She said, though making no attempt to take it back.

"Why, Abby?" His tone was more hurt than angry now.

She looked up into his big brown eyes.

"He knows I'm in Chicago." She blurted, tears forming behind her eyes.

Carter shook his head, frowning.

"I saw him on the street."

"Who, honey?"

"Him."

 The frightened look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

 **********************************

Susan was keeping a watchful eye over Carter and Abby, whilst nodding at various intervals in a conversation with Haleh.

"Are you listening, Susan?"

"Hm? Yes, of course."

Haleh followed Susan's gaze and her eyes fell on Carter and Abby.

"It's so obvious, isn't it?"

Now Susan was paying attention.

"What?"

"Love's young dream over there. Jerry and Malik's money is as good as mine."

"Are you gambling, Haleh?" Susan cocked a half smile at the seasoned nurse. If anyone could read people, it was Haleh.

"I am partial to a little flutter. What's the story then?"

Susan leant in conspiratorially and began to explain.

"Really? Well, I must go and collect my winnings." Haleh started off, but Susan's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"They don't want people to know."

"What? No winnings?"

Susan laughed. "You'll get your winnings, you'll just have to wait a bit, that's all."

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

"When? When did you see him?"

 "On my way here. Please, Carter. Give me back my drink…"

"No. Did he hurt you?" Carter was frantic. "Did he?"

She hung her head, and slowly raised her hand her shoulder, the strap of her dress broken. He had not noticed this before. She pushed that side of the shawl down to her elbow, and Carter felt his breath catch hard in his throat.

A graze covered the top of her shoulder and tore down her arm. Images flashed through Carter's head.

She saw his expression then, and pulled the shawl back onto her shoulder, hiding her pain from view.

"He grabbed me and I fell into a wall. I got up and ran, came straight here."

"Where did you see him?" Carter's voice was a broken whisper, caught and torn by his tongue.

"What?"

Carter set down the wine glass on a nearby table.

"Where was he?"

"No, Carter."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because I know that you'll go and you'll find him and you'll never come back." and that was the last thing she wanted.

"You can't just expect me to let him do this to you? To put you back there? Come on, Abby-"

She cast frightened eyes towards the door, and her defences dropped.

"I'm so scared, Carter. What if he saw me come in here? What if-"

Carter caught Susan's eye across the room, and gestured her over.

"Hey guys, what's up? Listen, Haleh knows. She won't tell any-"

"Susan, I have to go do something. Would you stay here with Abby till I get back? And don't let her drink anymore? Thanks."

"What?" She questioned his condescending instructions, but he was gone. She turned to Abby and saw at once the petrified expression on her face. "God, Abby, what's happened?"

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

Carter stepped outside, and searched the street with his eyes.

Then it occurred to him. He had no idea who he was looking for. He didn't know the guy's name, what he looked like, he didn't know anything. He was just so angry he had raced out here, guns blazing, without a clue.

He sighed.

He wanted to find the guy.

He wanted to find the guy and kill him with his bare hands. Not for his own mind, but for Abby. Carter could feel her pain when he touched her, and he hated it. She needed this guy out of her life and her mind, so she could let it go and stop being afraid.

But there was nothing he could do, and it was destroying him.

He gulped in a couple of mouthfuls of cold night air, and returned inside.

A pair of hard, cold eyes watched him from the shadows, waiting for their moment. Something glinted in the darkness.

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

"I don't understand… Carter's gone looking for this guy?"

Abby just nodded.

They were standing in the ladies, Susan's comforting arm around Abby's waist, Abby's head resting on her shoulder.

There was a soft knock on the door, and Carter's voice floated through the door.

"Abby? Susan? Haleh said… Is it ok if I come in?"

Abby said nothing, apparently she hadn't heard him. She was lost in her own frightening world.

Susan turned round and checked the stalls were empty, even though she had done this when she had dragged Abby in here to explain herself, and there had been no-one in here with them the entire time.

"It's just us." Susan called. Carter pushed open the door, and the slow squeak pulled Abby from her melancholy reverie.

She shot a look at the door, and caught sight of Carter.

A tiny relieved breath escaped her as she raced up to him, throwing her arms around his waist and holding him close. "I'm so glad you're ok." She whispered, into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and the door squeaked closed behind him.

"Are you?" Carter's voice was soft.

"Better now."

Susan couldn't help but ask. "Did you find him?"

Carter looked across at her, and shook his head. "I don't know what I'm looking for."

"Can we go back to the party?" Abby stepped back from Carter, and took his hands in hers.

"Are you sure? I could take you home-"

"I don't want to be scared."

Carter saw the look in her eyes, and understood. Nodding, he held open the door for both Susan and Abby, and then exited himself.

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

Carter was worried about her. Every so often he'd see her throw a nervous glance over her shoulder, or jump at a loud chord in the music.

"Are you sure you don't want to go home?"

Abby looked him in the eye, and it was the strongest she'd seemed all night.

"If I go home, it's giving in. I don't want to give in anymore. Please."

Carter nodded.

"Do you want to dance?" she smiled. It wasn't her usual sparkling grin, but it was a glimmer. He took her hand and led her onto the dance floor.

They danced the way two friends dance. Abby's hand on his shoulder, His on her waist.

Suddenly, a hand tapped her on the shoulder, and she whirled around, breathing heavily and panting. When she saw the face belonging to the hand, she stopped breathing all together.

The man grabbed her roughly by the elbow, and hissed. "Hey, baby, why'd you run away?"

"Please, let me go." She pleaded with him.

Carter stepped between them.

"You heard her, back off." Then he said, over his shoulder, to Abby, "Is this him?" Abby just nodded

"Oh, and who's this? You got a bodyguard now, sweetheart?"

"I said, Back off." Carter took a step forward and he released her. His anger turned from Abby to Carter.

"Who the hell do you think you are? This is between me and her. Step aside."

"I can't do that." Carter's voice was calm. He didn't want to alarm Abby, so he kept his tone in check. The few people that were dancing near them stopped, and turned to see what the fuss was about.

"This bitch owes me."

Carter flinched at this reference to Abby. His fists balled. "I don't think so."

"Look. All I want to do is take her somewhere we can talk." The guy – Richard - tried a different tactic, but Carter was having none of it.

"I can't let you do that. She stays here"

Richard's hand moved swiftly under his jacket, and came back pointing what Carter soon registered as a revolver.

"Oh yeah? Well then maybe this will let me." He nodded over Carter's shoulder at Abby "Get over here, bitch."

 "Don't move." Carter said, keeping both eyes on the barrel of that gun, and slowly raising his hands. Abby nodded, though he did not see. Shaking, she was barely visible behind Carter's protective form. She clasped onto his jacket, knuckles white.

The audience that had now gathered were frozen. Some went for their cell phones, but they were soon halted.

"Drop your phones, or I shoot."

Many plastic thuds filled the air. The band stopped playing, and everyone stood, eyes fixed on this guy with a gun.

"Now, are you gonna let her come with me? Or do I have to get ballistic?"

"She's not going anywhere."

"She's only gonna get what's coming to her. She left me. Now she has to pay."

Carter couldn't stop himself. "And when do you get what's coming to you?"

Richard's thumb pulled the safety, and it clicked sharply.

"Do you want to take her punishment? 'Cause you're going the right way about it."

"She doesn't deserve any punishment."

"And what gives you the right to say what she deserves?"

Carter paused.

"I love her. That's more than you ever did."

Richard shifted his weight. "Oh yeah? Do you love her enough to take a bullet for her?"

Carter didn't even flinch.

Richard frowned, still pointing the barrel of the gun accusingly at Carter. "I'm giving you the opportunity to move out of the way. You should take it."

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