Carter had offered Abby a ride back to her apartment. She accepted.
She didn't want to walk home alone in the rain. The drove in silence,
except for the radio. It was a comfortable silence. The silence of old
friends.
Carter pulled up next to the curb in front of Abby's building and turned off the engine. He glanced at her and decided to walk her to the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said as Abby unlocked the door. "I'll tell Romano you're not feeling very well. I'll tell him you won't be in for a few days." Abby said nothing. Carter turned to leave.
When he was halfway down the hall he heard her call him back. He turned around. She looked so small, so scared. He wanted to take her into his arms and make everything go away. But he couldn't.
"Will you."she started. "I don't wanna be alone right now," she confessed, her eyes on the floor.
Carter walked over to her slowly. "Do you want me to stay here?" he asked.
She nodded, not moving her eyes. He put his arm around her waist and guided her into the apartment and sat down on the couch. Carter wanted to ask questions. He wanted to know how.and why. But he didn't have to ask.
"It was suicide," Abby said, staring at the blank TV screen. "He shot himself in the head. Maggie said he got the gun from a friend of his." She paused. Maggie found him this morning. He'd been staying with her and she said everything was fine. I talked to him two days ago and he said everything was fine. He said he was gonna be OK." Abby dissolved into tears.
Carter didn't know what to do or if he was allowed to hold her. But he couldn't stand not comforting her when she so obviously needed him.
He pulled her towards him so that her head rested on his chest. He just held her, rocking back and forth slightly, held her and let her cry.
When Abby's crying stopped Carter realized she had fallen asleep. He lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom. He placed her on the bed and slid her shoes and socks off. He tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw him leaving the room.
"Where are you going?" She sounded panicked.
He smiled. "To the couch. I'm pretty tired."
She shook her head. "Stay with me. Please. I know it's a lot to ask, especially after.well, after everything but I need someone right now." She realized this wasn't true. "I need you."
As soon as Carter was in the bed Abby wrapped herself around him. She had always felt safe in his arms and now was no exception. She felt like she had been away for a very long time and had just come.
********************
Carter pulled up next to the curb in front of Abby's building and turned off the engine. He glanced at her and decided to walk her to the door.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said as Abby unlocked the door. "I'll tell Romano you're not feeling very well. I'll tell him you won't be in for a few days." Abby said nothing. Carter turned to leave.
When he was halfway down the hall he heard her call him back. He turned around. She looked so small, so scared. He wanted to take her into his arms and make everything go away. But he couldn't.
"Will you."she started. "I don't wanna be alone right now," she confessed, her eyes on the floor.
Carter walked over to her slowly. "Do you want me to stay here?" he asked.
She nodded, not moving her eyes. He put his arm around her waist and guided her into the apartment and sat down on the couch. Carter wanted to ask questions. He wanted to know how.and why. But he didn't have to ask.
"It was suicide," Abby said, staring at the blank TV screen. "He shot himself in the head. Maggie said he got the gun from a friend of his." She paused. Maggie found him this morning. He'd been staying with her and she said everything was fine. I talked to him two days ago and he said everything was fine. He said he was gonna be OK." Abby dissolved into tears.
Carter didn't know what to do or if he was allowed to hold her. But he couldn't stand not comforting her when she so obviously needed him.
He pulled her towards him so that her head rested on his chest. He just held her, rocking back and forth slightly, held her and let her cry.
When Abby's crying stopped Carter realized she had fallen asleep. He lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom. He placed her on the bed and slid her shoes and socks off. He tucked her in and kissed her on the forehead. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw him leaving the room.
"Where are you going?" She sounded panicked.
He smiled. "To the couch. I'm pretty tired."
She shook her head. "Stay with me. Please. I know it's a lot to ask, especially after.well, after everything but I need someone right now." She realized this wasn't true. "I need you."
As soon as Carter was in the bed Abby wrapped herself around him. She had always felt safe in his arms and now was no exception. She felt like she had been away for a very long time and had just come.
********************