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Jo & Lise

Part Five

The air was thick and moist, dirt seemed to be a permanent feature on his face, he was collapsed onto his knees, ID tag hanging clearly out, to identify him as Dr. John Carter.

The government solider lay face upwards, watching the Mai-Mai boy draw a gun out from beneath his rags that posed as clothes. He didn't turn away fast enough, so he ended up watching as a bullet ripped through the young soldier's uniform, a dull red patch leaking on the olive green material. Then the gun sounded again, this time shooting him through the forehead.

***

He sat bolt upright in the sweat soaked sheets, gasping for breath, unable to get the soldier's panic-stricken face out of his mind.

The fact that the large house was completely empty and cold niggled in his mind, he felt so alone, so empty.
He reached out for his phone, and switched it on, the green glow illuminating the dusk-lit room. It beeped indicating an answer-phone message, making him jump slightly.

"Hey Carter, its me. I'm off in about an hour if you fancy getting something to eat? Anyway...call me."

He put the phone down on the side, and lay back down. A small blue box caught the corner of his eye, and he was dressed in a matter of seconds.

***

Abby hurried out of the ER, looking around for Carter. There he was, sat on a bench on the other side of the ambulance bay.

"Hey!" she said, approaching him.

"Hey," he replied, getting up, and pulling her towards him for a gentle kiss.

"You could have come waited inside!" she said, pulling away and taking his hand. They began to walk off towards the El station.

"And get sucked into the ER jungle? No thanks!" They laughed together as they climbed the steps. This was how it should be, Abby thought. Them happy and laughing together. For that moment she could see past her doubts, to a future with him. She smiled to herself slightly. "What?" he asked, noticing her smile.

"Nothing. I was just thinking about us." He grinned back at her. "So, where are we going?"

"I know a little place."

***

"So, earlier, when you were thinking about us? What were you thinking about us?"

"Well..." She smiled shyly. "I was thinking that I could see us together for a long time. I don't know, I feel a lot happier about things all of a sudden."

He studied her face intently, trying to decide whether it was the right time now or not. She seemed happier, ready for it. And she was talking about the future. He reached into his pocket, closing his hand around the small box. This time he wasn't going to make any mistakes about talking about people changing and things. He wasn't going to give himself second thoughts. This was it.

"That long time together...would that include this?" he slid the box onto the table, and smiled warily at her. He didn't know if his heart could take another rejection. She took it from him, and opened it carefully. The neutral expression on her face prevented him from reading her reaction. Was it good?

"Do you think?" He nodded. "Yeah, I think that'd be good." She smiled at him broadly, and he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. It wasn't a classic romantic proposal, but it was them. And he'd already learnt that romantic proposals weren't any good if it was the wrong time. Abby took the ring out of the box, and gave it to him, before holding out her left hand. He smiled at her, sliding the ring onto her ring finger.

She lifted her hand up, stared at the ring, and smiled. "Oh my goodness...I have to tell Susan!" They both laughed, grins across both of their faces. He lifted his glass of orange juice.

"To the future Mrs. Carter." He said, grinning. He couldn't believe he'd just said that...he couldn't believe that she was actually going to be Mrs. Carter.

"To us." She lifted her own glass. "I'm sorry I was such a fool." He placed his free hand over hers reassuringly. "And to Luka." Their smiles weakened as they remembered the sadder events of the day. Abby put her glass down, still holding onto Carter's hand. "Well that ruined the moment," she mused sadly.

"Hey, it's okay."

"I can't imagine his body out there...it doesn't seem right to leave your friend like that."

"Yeah, we need to talk about that Abby..."

"Don't sweat it Carter, I know."

"Know what? How?"

"I think I know you well enough to say you wouldn't leave him out there."

"And you're ok with that?!" His face was a picture of surprise.

"Of course I am. I'm coming with you."

He muttered something sounding like "hmph", she couldn't decipher whether it was sarcastic or protesting.

"Abby, I'm not taking you out there"

"Why?! Got something to hide?" she knew it was petty, but she couldn't figure why she couldn't go - if he could, why should he stop her?

"I'm not even going to bother to comment on that."

"Yeah...well...why Carter? Surely they need as much help as they can get for a couple of days?!"

"That's not the point! It's war-torn, its dangerous, I don't want to put you at that risk!"

"But you'll put yourself at that risk?!"

"I've got to Abby."

She sighed unhappily, and pulled her hand away from his.
"Ok. Go." she whispered.

***

"Oh my goodness, Abby!!!" Susan squealed, grabbing her best friend's hand. "Why didn't you tell me!"

"What?" Abby didn't look up from her chart.

"You and Carter!"

"Oh." Abby finally looked up to see her friend's excited face. "I guess I didn't get round to it."

"When?" Susan's eyes were lit up with excitement: she could hardly believe this was finally happening!

"Last night." She turned back to her chart. "It was very unromantic Susan, there's really nothing to tell." Susan stared at her, confused.

"Is something wrong?"

"Nope."

"Then why are you acting so..."

"Abby, can you start an IV for Mrs. Romantes in four?" Carter interrupted them.

"Yes thank you," she answered, not looking up.

"Would you, please?" She nodded. Susan stared at them. What was going on?

"Oh, congratulations Carter," she said, interrupting the awkward silence.

"Yeah, thanks." He turned back to Abby as he began to walk away. "Could you get that IV started soon, please?"

"What is up with you two?" Abby shrugged. "No, come on Abby! You two just got engaged, but you're acting like you split up! Don't you want to marry him?"

"Of course I want to marry him, I wouldn't have said yes otherwise."

"Then why are you acting like you hate him?"

"I'm not acting like I hate him, I'm just proving a point."

"Which is?" Susan flung a hand as if to say 'come on, you're annoying me now'. Abby shrugged. "Has he pissed you off about something?"

"You could say that," she muttered.

"Abby come ON, give me a hand here. I'm not psychic you know."

"Okay," she looked up at her friend, shaking her hair out of her face. "Last night he took me out for a meal, he asked if I'd marry him, making me the happiest woman alive. Then, after I'd agreed to marry the fool he announced he was going back to Africa. And yeah he has to go, but he won't let me go, and he let me think when I said yes that he wasn't going to leave me ever again." She stopped and sighed. "And that is why I am pissed off, because the man I love is going to go get himself killed and he won't take me too. Happy now?" She turned and walked off to start the IV, leaving Susan staring after her in shock.

***

"What are we waiting for?" Susan approached Carter in the ambulance bay.

"Multiple MVA, didn't get much detail..."

"Thank god! Normal patients! I must have some sort of freak attraction!"

"Why, who you got now?!" Carter replied laughing.

"Oh, it's one of my best! Transvestite dad, got home to find his 19 year old son's girlfriend dressed up in his clothes...got a bit messy, few broken bones... you know, the usual!"

"Ha! I'm glad I didn't get that..."

"So...Abby says you're going back to Africa?" she asked tentatively.

"Yeah. She's pissed at me 'cause I don't want her to come."

"Well she thinks you're off to get yourself killed...talk to her, make her understand. You can't leave like this Carter!"

"Its like a constant circle, we talk, we argue, we make up...it never seems to go smoothly for any amount of time."

"What relationship does?!"

They stood in silence for a few moments, eventually the sirens became audible...

***

"Hey you," Carter smiled widely at Abby as he approached her at admit, trying to give the illusion that everything was fine. Maybe it would reassure her.

"Stop grinning like a Cheshire cat, Carter." Or not. "I'm not marrying you if you get killed."

"You guys got engaged?!" Jerry exclaimed as Abby turned angrily away and stood staring at the board.

"Yes," Carter answered firmly, not bothering to look at the clerk. "Abby, can you just cut this out, please? Everyone's going to think something's wrong."

"Something is wrong," she muttered, still staring intently at the board.

"Oh dear, doesn't sound like it's going to be marital bliss?" Jerry muttered.

"Shut up Jerry!" they yelled in unison, both turning to glare at him.

"Right, yeah...I have work to do." He quickly turned back to the computer.

"Shall I just call the wedding off, Abby? Because right now it doesn't seem like this is such a good idea."

"Yeah, go ahead. There's not going to be a wedding anyway, when you're dead." She pulled the ring off her finger, and held it tightly in her hand, before making her way determinedly to the lounge.

"What are you doing?" he followed her, panicking: he hadn't actually meant it like that. She shrugged. "Abby, I'm not going to get killed."

"I'm sure that's what Luka said, and look what's happened now. He's dead Carter." Tears began to form in her eyes, and she flung the ring back into his hand. "I said yes because you were never going to leave me again. That's not so true anymore."

"This really bothers you, doesn't it?"

"What do you think?" she mumbled, trying not to cry. Abby Lockhart did not cry. Especially not at work.

"Oh Abby." He reached out and pulled her into his arms, which she willingly fell into. "It'll be okay, you'll see," he said, stroking her hair gently. "You won't even know I was gone." They stayed in a silent hug for a while longer, before Abby pulled a way.

"Thanks." He smiled at her. "This doesn't mean I'm any less annoyed with you though."

"Okay." He twisted the ring around in his hand, holding it up in front of her. "What about this?"

"I already said yes," she smiled. "But there's a condition. Either you take me with you..."

"No Abby, we've already been through this!"

"Either you take me with you, or you have to keep that until you get back alive." He stared at her, unsure how to react.

"Abby, do you..."

"Fine, have your way. Keep it forever." She turned angrily and stormed out the door.

"Way to go Carter," he mumbled to himself, staring at the ring. "Way to go."

***

"Hey Abby! Fancy coming out for a 'get together' later?" Deb asked her, as she clocked out.

"Sure! Who's going?" She needed to relax for a while; maybe a night out would do her good.

"You, me and Susan...maybe Chuny! If you're up for it, we're meeting here at 7?"

"Didn't we used to reek havoc on a Friday night?"

"That was until we realised it was buy one drink get two free on a Thursday!" Deb grinned, and wandered towards admit.

She knew he finished at 7, she also knew that it was immature to play these games...but when 7 o' clock arrived she'd be looking her best to show him exactly what he'd be missing. She just hoped no one told him it was buy one drink and get two free... he'd go to Africa regardless then...

***

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