Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters that appear on the show,
however I have made up a few of my own.
Apprehension: History
~*~*~*~*~*~
Abby just stared at the back of his head, not sure what her reaction should be.
"You're insufferable," she said as the volume slowly faded.
"I have to go to work," Dave said.
"Bye, bye," the littler girl said.
"Bye," Dave said before walking out.
"Okay, play my turn," Carter said handing the control to the girl and disappearing into the bathroom. Abby walked over to the couch and sat down next to the girl.
"What's your name" she asked.
"Ashley. What's your name?"
"Abby."
"I know you. My dad and Scooter talk about you all the time."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but I'm not suppose to say anything." The girl looked back at the game as if she hadn't said a word.
"Okay squirt. Let's go while the coast is clear," Carter said as he walked back out.
"You took out your hair," she objected climbing over the couch. He picked Ashley up and slung her over his shoulder.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Ice cream first, and then to the new toy story, and then to lunch, and then can we visit Gillian. I think she's sad." Abby noticed Carter glance in her direction slightly as he grabbed his keys.
"Gillian's really busy."
"Fine, but we have to visit your work."
"I'm sure we can do that."
"Can I feed Fido?"
"I'm sure it can be arranged." He grabbed his keys and sunglasses and headed to the door. "See you kids later."
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I thought you were gone all day," Abby said when she freely walked into the apartment to find Carter standing at the counter braiding Ashley's hair.
"Nope." He watched Abby open the door to the fridge and scan the contents. "So, now you live here?" he asked.
"No. Why?"
"Just wondering because you just walked in. No knocking."
"I went to empty the trash and ran into your neighbor."
"Wonderful," he said sarcastically.
"What is wrong with you?" she asked closing the fridge. He didn't answer as he finished braiding Ashley's hair.
"Okay. Go watch TV for a few minutes." She climbed off the stool and walked over to the living room, turning on the TV. After a minute of watching her, Carter turned back to Abby. "I don't have a problem. I have a life. So do not come into my house and question me. I have been honest with you from the beginning."
"Really? Because I don't consider you disappearing honest. You didn't even have the courtesy to tell me. You stopped talking."
"Like any of it would have mattered. You still went and screwed another guy."
"John, you admitted you were fine."
"And I am. I'm over it. I'm over you. Now it's your turn."
"Well, I'm glad you're over me. It makes me feel so good."
"I'm not here to make you feel good. I'm not here to please you, comfort you, kiss you, keep you warm." The door opened and Dave walked in. He walked past the tension of the two and over to the couch. "I don't care what you're doing, or who you're doing. But as far as I'm concerned, you can keep me out. If you want to move in with Andrew, by all means. If you want to marry him, have kids, get a dog. I don't care."
She didn't know what to say so she stood frozen.
"Thanks," Dave said as he picked up the pink backpack sitting on the floor.
"Anytime. We have so much fun going to cars."
"Not funny," Dave said.
"Bye squirt."
"Bye Scooter. Bye Abby."
Abby looked at Carter, slightly shocked, yet somehow words didn't come easy. "Dave's kid?"
"Yes. Ashley is Dave's daughter. Don't you work?" he asked as he walked upstairs.
"Don't you?" she asked.
"What do you think I've been doing for two weeks? On a cruise?"
"I really have no idea. No one does. You're secretive. You're distant. You disappear."
"Why are you suddenly worried about me?" he asked leaning over the edge.
"You're my friend. I care about you."
"You're not trying hard enough. You don't make the effort."
"Make the effort? I tried. Weaver wouldn't let me near you. No one would tell me how to reach you."
"So you gave up? You really think I would break contact with everyone who means something to me? Did you even ask Susan or Deb or Gallant?"
"No one said anything."
"Right. And I'm glad. Because I couldn't have handled this conversation a year ago. If you saw me shooting up again would you just let it pass?"
"No," she whispered.
"What?" he asked louder.
"No," she yelled as the front door opened and Andrew stepped in.
"You didn't try because you already gave up. You got it into your head that because Luka called and I left, that he meant more to me."
"What's going on?" Andrew asked. Abby looked down, forcing the tears that threatened to stand down. She couldn't let him know that he was on target with what he was saying. She had thought he was gone forever. She gave up the second he walked off into the night because he didn't give any indication that he ever wanted to come back.
"I have a shift," Abby said quickly kissing Andrew and disappearing out the still open door.
"Something wrong?" Andrew asked.
"No," Carter said mentally punishing himself for getting in this deep again. He'd tried so hard to push Abby out of his mind but when she was living in his house half the time, it was hard not to show some sort of emotion.
"What were you two talking about?" he asked.
"History."
"I wasn't aware you two had any history."
"And I'm not surprised. Long story short, Abby was my best friend at County and I broke her heart."
"Meaning?"
"I left her behind to deal with her problems alone, because I couldn't handle both of ours. She's still pissed off about it, I think."
"I didn't know you two knew each other that well."
"Not my favorite conversation. Listen, I'm going to work for awhile."
"If you need anything, let me know. I realize that I don't know enough about the situation but you're my friend and no matter what, you come before any girl."
"Thanks. Everything will be fine. I just need some space and a few drinks," Carter said with a smile before he walked downstairs and let the door slam shut.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Thanks for all the feedback. Once again, I'm still searching for the perfect ending. It only gets worse before it gets any better.
Apprehension: History
~*~*~*~*~*~
Abby just stared at the back of his head, not sure what her reaction should be.
"You're insufferable," she said as the volume slowly faded.
"I have to go to work," Dave said.
"Bye, bye," the littler girl said.
"Bye," Dave said before walking out.
"Okay, play my turn," Carter said handing the control to the girl and disappearing into the bathroom. Abby walked over to the couch and sat down next to the girl.
"What's your name" she asked.
"Ashley. What's your name?"
"Abby."
"I know you. My dad and Scooter talk about you all the time."
"Really?"
"Yeah, but I'm not suppose to say anything." The girl looked back at the game as if she hadn't said a word.
"Okay squirt. Let's go while the coast is clear," Carter said as he walked back out.
"You took out your hair," she objected climbing over the couch. He picked Ashley up and slung her over his shoulder.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"Ice cream first, and then to the new toy story, and then to lunch, and then can we visit Gillian. I think she's sad." Abby noticed Carter glance in her direction slightly as he grabbed his keys.
"Gillian's really busy."
"Fine, but we have to visit your work."
"I'm sure we can do that."
"Can I feed Fido?"
"I'm sure it can be arranged." He grabbed his keys and sunglasses and headed to the door. "See you kids later."
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I thought you were gone all day," Abby said when she freely walked into the apartment to find Carter standing at the counter braiding Ashley's hair.
"Nope." He watched Abby open the door to the fridge and scan the contents. "So, now you live here?" he asked.
"No. Why?"
"Just wondering because you just walked in. No knocking."
"I went to empty the trash and ran into your neighbor."
"Wonderful," he said sarcastically.
"What is wrong with you?" she asked closing the fridge. He didn't answer as he finished braiding Ashley's hair.
"Okay. Go watch TV for a few minutes." She climbed off the stool and walked over to the living room, turning on the TV. After a minute of watching her, Carter turned back to Abby. "I don't have a problem. I have a life. So do not come into my house and question me. I have been honest with you from the beginning."
"Really? Because I don't consider you disappearing honest. You didn't even have the courtesy to tell me. You stopped talking."
"Like any of it would have mattered. You still went and screwed another guy."
"John, you admitted you were fine."
"And I am. I'm over it. I'm over you. Now it's your turn."
"Well, I'm glad you're over me. It makes me feel so good."
"I'm not here to make you feel good. I'm not here to please you, comfort you, kiss you, keep you warm." The door opened and Dave walked in. He walked past the tension of the two and over to the couch. "I don't care what you're doing, or who you're doing. But as far as I'm concerned, you can keep me out. If you want to move in with Andrew, by all means. If you want to marry him, have kids, get a dog. I don't care."
She didn't know what to say so she stood frozen.
"Thanks," Dave said as he picked up the pink backpack sitting on the floor.
"Anytime. We have so much fun going to cars."
"Not funny," Dave said.
"Bye squirt."
"Bye Scooter. Bye Abby."
Abby looked at Carter, slightly shocked, yet somehow words didn't come easy. "Dave's kid?"
"Yes. Ashley is Dave's daughter. Don't you work?" he asked as he walked upstairs.
"Don't you?" she asked.
"What do you think I've been doing for two weeks? On a cruise?"
"I really have no idea. No one does. You're secretive. You're distant. You disappear."
"Why are you suddenly worried about me?" he asked leaning over the edge.
"You're my friend. I care about you."
"You're not trying hard enough. You don't make the effort."
"Make the effort? I tried. Weaver wouldn't let me near you. No one would tell me how to reach you."
"So you gave up? You really think I would break contact with everyone who means something to me? Did you even ask Susan or Deb or Gallant?"
"No one said anything."
"Right. And I'm glad. Because I couldn't have handled this conversation a year ago. If you saw me shooting up again would you just let it pass?"
"No," she whispered.
"What?" he asked louder.
"No," she yelled as the front door opened and Andrew stepped in.
"You didn't try because you already gave up. You got it into your head that because Luka called and I left, that he meant more to me."
"What's going on?" Andrew asked. Abby looked down, forcing the tears that threatened to stand down. She couldn't let him know that he was on target with what he was saying. She had thought he was gone forever. She gave up the second he walked off into the night because he didn't give any indication that he ever wanted to come back.
"I have a shift," Abby said quickly kissing Andrew and disappearing out the still open door.
"Something wrong?" Andrew asked.
"No," Carter said mentally punishing himself for getting in this deep again. He'd tried so hard to push Abby out of his mind but when she was living in his house half the time, it was hard not to show some sort of emotion.
"What were you two talking about?" he asked.
"History."
"I wasn't aware you two had any history."
"And I'm not surprised. Long story short, Abby was my best friend at County and I broke her heart."
"Meaning?"
"I left her behind to deal with her problems alone, because I couldn't handle both of ours. She's still pissed off about it, I think."
"I didn't know you two knew each other that well."
"Not my favorite conversation. Listen, I'm going to work for awhile."
"If you need anything, let me know. I realize that I don't know enough about the situation but you're my friend and no matter what, you come before any girl."
"Thanks. Everything will be fine. I just need some space and a few drinks," Carter said with a smile before he walked downstairs and let the door slam shut.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: Thanks for all the feedback. Once again, I'm still searching for the perfect ending. It only gets worse before it gets any better.
