Coming Home
An ER fan fiction by AbCaLuDa
Chapter 8
Morning came too soon. I felt hung-over, even though I hadn't been drinking. My head hurt like hell and my stomach felt queasy. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, and realized I was alone in the bed. I could hear Carter talking softly in the other room.
I get out of the bed, wrap his robe around me, and stand in the open doorway watching him. His back is to me, so he doesn't know I'm there. He's making reservations on a flight to Africa, and he better be getting two tickets.
"We leave at noon," he says softly without looking at me. I close the space between us and put my arms over his shoulder. He leans his head back to look at me and I lean in to kiss him. He pulls me around and onto his lap.
I wrap my arms around his neck. I want to say something like "I'm sure Luka is okay," but I can't bring myself to do it. I've never put much stock in ESP or anything like that, but something is wrong. I can feel it. I can't explain it, but I can't deny it either. I think Carter feels it too.
"Is there anything you need to take care of before we go?"
I shake my head. "Only work. I have to call Weaver."
"I mean legal stuff. Just in case. Do you have a will?"
I doubt I could get a will drawn up in less than two hours, even with a Carter-family lawyer. "Of course."
"Good." His voice is thick. He's scared.
"You don't really want to d this, do you?"
"I have to. I never should have left him."
"I know." I kiss his forehead. "It's going to be okay, Carter."
He nods and tries to smile. He's putting on a brave front for my benefit. I don't have the heart to tell him I can see right through the mask.
* * * * * * * * *
Carter doesn't talk much on the plane. He keeps his eyes closed most of the time, though I know he isn't sleeping. I wonder what he's thinking about. I want to ask, but I don't want to disturb him.
I am exhausted by the time we get to Africa. The last flight had a lot of turbulence and I am more than grateful to get my feet on level ground again.
Carter still isn't in the mood for talking, but he takes my hand and holds it firmly. I feel like he's trying to say I belong to him so no one will bother me. It makes me feel warm inside and it reminds me how much I love him.
I shudder thinking how I almost lost him.
"Are you cold?"
I shake my head. "Just a chill. I'm okay."
He takes off his jacket and puts it over my shoulders. I don't need it, but I smile at him and pull it together at my neck.
* * * * * * * *
The sun should have just come up as we reached the hospital in Kisangani, but it is raining so the sky is a dull grey color. I hope it's not a bad omen, but I feel it. I have been praying most of the trip here that Luka is all right. Please God, let him be alive. As long as he's alive, he's got a chance. Carter will do anything and everything in his power…but this is crazy. We don't know anything. It's just a gut feeling, and gut feelings can be wrong. Please let this feeling be wrong. All wrong. I wouldn't mind if this whole trip was just a waste of time…
Carter has a solid grip on my hand. I know he wishes I hadn't come with him, but at least he was smart enough to know I wasn't going to stay in Chicago alone. He leads me in to the hospital and through the mass of people. So many people. I can smell the sickness and death in the air and I have to swallow hard to keep from throwing up.
"Dr. Carter?" a woman with braided pig tails and an accent calls out. Carter raises his free hand to wave to her. "You went home?"
"Angelique, this is Abby. Abby, Angelique. Is Luka here?"
Angelique's face changes noticeably at Luka's name. She looks down at the floor, rubs her hands together, and looks genuinely uncomfortable. After a few seconds, when Carter says her name again, she looks up. I can't read her expression, but I can tell it's not good.
She takes a deep breath. "Gillian went back for him, at the clinic in Matenda. All the patients in the clinic were dead. Luka had been shot twice."
I suddenly feel very dizzy, and I want to pass out. Only Carter's voice keeps me from sliding to the floor. "Is he dead?"
"He's here. He's alive. Barely. We don't have the supplies, the technology here."
"Take us to him," Carter says. He squeezes my hand. Luka is alive. Hopefully stable. I close my eyes and let Carter lead me.
Luka is in a small confined area blocked off with curtains made a thin material. Looks like mosquito netting. He's pale, but he looks peaceful. There is a woman sitting with him, holding his hand. She looks comfortable there, like she belongs. She looks up when we approach, and she smile slightly seeing Carter.
"Abby, this is Gillian. Gillian, Abby. How's he doing?"
Gillian shrugs. "Hard to say. He's still breathing. That's good. I think. He's in bad shape, Carter."
"When did it happen?"
"I found him yesterday. We're doing the best we can, but it's not good enough."
I wiggle my hand away from Carter's and move to the side of his bed. I reach out and stroke his hair away from his face. "Luka, we're here. It's Abby. Carter and I are here. We're going to help you. You just hang in there. It's going to be all right, Luka. Everything is going to be just fine."
* * * * * * * * *
Use the review option to let me know what you think at this point. I changed my settings to accept anonymous reviews so you don't have to log in to reply. Please take a couple seconds to let me know you're out there, and stay tuned for the next chapter to find out what happens next!
An ER fan fiction by AbCaLuDa
Chapter 8
Morning came too soon. I felt hung-over, even though I hadn't been drinking. My head hurt like hell and my stomach felt queasy. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, and realized I was alone in the bed. I could hear Carter talking softly in the other room.
I get out of the bed, wrap his robe around me, and stand in the open doorway watching him. His back is to me, so he doesn't know I'm there. He's making reservations on a flight to Africa, and he better be getting two tickets.
"We leave at noon," he says softly without looking at me. I close the space between us and put my arms over his shoulder. He leans his head back to look at me and I lean in to kiss him. He pulls me around and onto his lap.
I wrap my arms around his neck. I want to say something like "I'm sure Luka is okay," but I can't bring myself to do it. I've never put much stock in ESP or anything like that, but something is wrong. I can feel it. I can't explain it, but I can't deny it either. I think Carter feels it too.
"Is there anything you need to take care of before we go?"
I shake my head. "Only work. I have to call Weaver."
"I mean legal stuff. Just in case. Do you have a will?"
I doubt I could get a will drawn up in less than two hours, even with a Carter-family lawyer. "Of course."
"Good." His voice is thick. He's scared.
"You don't really want to d this, do you?"
"I have to. I never should have left him."
"I know." I kiss his forehead. "It's going to be okay, Carter."
He nods and tries to smile. He's putting on a brave front for my benefit. I don't have the heart to tell him I can see right through the mask.
* * * * * * * * *
Carter doesn't talk much on the plane. He keeps his eyes closed most of the time, though I know he isn't sleeping. I wonder what he's thinking about. I want to ask, but I don't want to disturb him.
I am exhausted by the time we get to Africa. The last flight had a lot of turbulence and I am more than grateful to get my feet on level ground again.
Carter still isn't in the mood for talking, but he takes my hand and holds it firmly. I feel like he's trying to say I belong to him so no one will bother me. It makes me feel warm inside and it reminds me how much I love him.
I shudder thinking how I almost lost him.
"Are you cold?"
I shake my head. "Just a chill. I'm okay."
He takes off his jacket and puts it over my shoulders. I don't need it, but I smile at him and pull it together at my neck.
* * * * * * * *
The sun should have just come up as we reached the hospital in Kisangani, but it is raining so the sky is a dull grey color. I hope it's not a bad omen, but I feel it. I have been praying most of the trip here that Luka is all right. Please God, let him be alive. As long as he's alive, he's got a chance. Carter will do anything and everything in his power…but this is crazy. We don't know anything. It's just a gut feeling, and gut feelings can be wrong. Please let this feeling be wrong. All wrong. I wouldn't mind if this whole trip was just a waste of time…
Carter has a solid grip on my hand. I know he wishes I hadn't come with him, but at least he was smart enough to know I wasn't going to stay in Chicago alone. He leads me in to the hospital and through the mass of people. So many people. I can smell the sickness and death in the air and I have to swallow hard to keep from throwing up.
"Dr. Carter?" a woman with braided pig tails and an accent calls out. Carter raises his free hand to wave to her. "You went home?"
"Angelique, this is Abby. Abby, Angelique. Is Luka here?"
Angelique's face changes noticeably at Luka's name. She looks down at the floor, rubs her hands together, and looks genuinely uncomfortable. After a few seconds, when Carter says her name again, she looks up. I can't read her expression, but I can tell it's not good.
She takes a deep breath. "Gillian went back for him, at the clinic in Matenda. All the patients in the clinic were dead. Luka had been shot twice."
I suddenly feel very dizzy, and I want to pass out. Only Carter's voice keeps me from sliding to the floor. "Is he dead?"
"He's here. He's alive. Barely. We don't have the supplies, the technology here."
"Take us to him," Carter says. He squeezes my hand. Luka is alive. Hopefully stable. I close my eyes and let Carter lead me.
Luka is in a small confined area blocked off with curtains made a thin material. Looks like mosquito netting. He's pale, but he looks peaceful. There is a woman sitting with him, holding his hand. She looks comfortable there, like she belongs. She looks up when we approach, and she smile slightly seeing Carter.
"Abby, this is Gillian. Gillian, Abby. How's he doing?"
Gillian shrugs. "Hard to say. He's still breathing. That's good. I think. He's in bad shape, Carter."
"When did it happen?"
"I found him yesterday. We're doing the best we can, but it's not good enough."
I wiggle my hand away from Carter's and move to the side of his bed. I reach out and stroke his hair away from his face. "Luka, we're here. It's Abby. Carter and I are here. We're going to help you. You just hang in there. It's going to be all right, Luka. Everything is going to be just fine."
* * * * * * * * *
Use the review option to let me know what you think at this point. I changed my settings to accept anonymous reviews so you don't have to log in to reply. Please take a couple seconds to let me know you're out there, and stay tuned for the next chapter to find out what happens next!