Thank you again for the feedback!!! : )

Here is chapter 3 – with more Carter and Abby interaction! ; )

I hope you'll like it! Please tell me what you think and if you want more! : )

Part (3/10)

'Who could that be?' She stood up and went to the door to take a look through  the spyhole.

'Carter! What is he doing here?! He surely wants to visit  Susan.', she thought. She didn't want to open the door, she hoped he would leave when  nobody opened.

"Abby?", Carter called and rang the doorbell again.

'Why does he know I'm here?! Susan must have told him what happened. Great!'

On the one hand she really wanted to talk to him, but on the other hand she  was afraid to talk about what happened, most of all to him. She knew he would know if  she was not honest. But it was hard for her to show her real feelings.

"Abby, please, open the door!"

"Alright!", she said, opening the door. 'He won't give up anyway' she thought.

Carter stared at her when he saw her face through the open door.

"Abby?! What happened to your face?!", Carter said, shocked. He tried to reach her eye, but she turned her head away.

"Nothing, I fell.", she said, surprised that he didn't already know what happened.

"Sure! I see! Do you really think I believe that?", he said in a harsh voice.

There was silence for a few seconds. He could see tears swell up in her eyes. Suddenly he felt like a jerk and regretted that he lost his temper a little. But he was so worried and angry that she tried to hide the truth from him.

"Can I come in?", he asked, in a soft voice now.

She left the door and went into the living room. Carter took that as the  permission to come in. After closing the door he joined Abby.

To give her some privacy he sat down on a chair while Abby was sitting on the sofa. Her head was down and her eyes were fixing the table in front of  her. He stared at her, waiting for her to say something. But that didn't happen. After a few minutes he decided to make the first step.

"Abby, please tell me what happened. I'm worried about you! You know you can talk to me about everything! No matter what it is, I'll be there for you." He wanted to help her so much, but he only could when she opened up.

It became harder and harder for her not to cry with every word he said. She knew he cared about her. And she wanted to talk to him, it was just hard for her. But she could feel the walls she built up around herself fall into pieces slowly.

"Abby?", he said, pleading.

She looked up into his eyes and saw the concern.

"You remember Joyce and Brian?", she finally said.

"Who?"

"They were my neighbours, they had problems and I helped her to leave him." Abby felt tears coming up in her eyes again, but she tried to hold them back. She took a deep breath. "Their problem was that he beat her. And he became angry at me because I helped her. Yesterday he came to my apartment and", she stopped for a few seconds. Then she sighed and continued, "beat me too."

The tears were running down her face now.

"I was expecting the pizza guy, but it was Brian and I let him in. I could make him go again by threatening to call the police. But then he kicked in the door. I was so stupid!"

"Hey,", Carter said while standing up from his chair and sitting down next to her on the sofa, "it was not your fault!". He put his arm around her. He was concerned about Abby, but he could also feel his own heart break. He couldn't stand that someone hurt her.

"Yes, it was!", Abby said, angry at herself.

"No, it was not! It was right to help that woman! Was there anything you could have done differently?!"

Abby stood up and walked over to the window, with her back towards Carter. 'Now or never!' she thought. He would find out that she was drinking again anyway. And this was the best moment to be completely honest and tell him everything.

She took another deep breath and turned around to face him. "I could have been sober when he knocked at my door!"

Now it was all out. Somehow she felt relieved that he knew everything. But she feared that he was angry at her now, she could see Carter's shocked face.

"I know, you hate me now.", she said weakly and turned around towards the window again.

Carter was shocked. He wondered why he didn't notice that she was drinking again. He was angry, too, because she didn't tell him earlier. But he knew that the most important thing was that she told him now and that she needed him now. When he looked at her he didn't feel anger anymore, only concern.

Carter stood up and walked over to Abby. He put his hands on her shoulders from behind and turned her around. Her face was wet with tears. "Abby, I could never hate you!", he said softly. "I'll be there for you and I'll help you through it."

"Thank you." was all she could say before she broke down in tears. He put his arms around her and hugged her. "Everything will be okay Abby. I'm here for you. Let it all out.", he repeated over and over again. His hands were stroking up and down her back to comfort her and his cheek rested on her head while she was crying in his embrace.

Though she hated it to be that vulnerable, with Carter it was different. She felt save and protected when he was around. And he did not hate her for her relapse, that was her biggest fear. So she could relax and calm down.

When he felt that she calmed down a little and her sobs became more and more silent, they walked back to the sofa and sat down, close to each other.

"Why didn't you tell me about your drinking and the problems with your neighbour? I could have helped you."

"I was afraid you could be disappointed and step away from me. And I thought I could handle it alone."

"I would never do that. And you don't have to handle it alone.", he said, looking at her. "When did you start drinking again?"

"On my birthday. It was a hard day. That little boy's mother died and Paul Sobricki was back ..."

"I know.", he said, hugging her again. "But you have to go to a meeting as soon as possible."

"I can't do that right now. I need to go home and sleep."

"You can't go home. Brian could still be there."

"But I can't stay here any longer. I like Susan, she was very friendly, but I don't know her very well ..."

"Then you come with me to my apartment. And no buts.", he said, smiling a little.

"Okay, ", she said, relieved that she wouldn't be alone tonight, "but what about Susan?"

"I will explain her everything, she will understand it."

"I don't want you to be in trouble because of me."

"I won't be, don't worry."

While Abby packed her things he called Susan at the hospital. He didn't know what was expecting him. Of course he told Abby that she would understand, he didn't want her to worry about that, too. But, to be honest, he didn't know how Susan would react.