DISCLAIMER: I do not own ER. I am making no profit.

Chapter Eight: The Good Samaritan

……….

"You want me to do it again?" Abby asked playfully.

The small boy lying on the cot smiled, his two front teeth missing. "Fine, one more time." She willfully conceded. "Once upon a time there was a boy named Jack. He lived with his mother on their farm. One day Jack's mom told him to go into town and sell their cow, Moo Moo. Jack loved Moo Moo and was sad. Even though he didn't want to see Moo Moo go he listened to his mother…

The child's eyes began to get heavy and before long he had drifted off to sleep. He looked so peaceful. Abby gently brushed his head with her hand and gave him a kiss on the forehead as she whispered "And Jack climbed right back down the bean stock." It broke her heart to know that she and the other workers here were all he had. Even with her less than desirable upbringing she couldn't imagine loosing both parents at age four. To never know them, or their love. This small time she had him, she was determined to show him love. She quietly moved out of the room and exited the clinic. Outside she found everyone gathered in the mess.

"Abby, dance with me." Alex demanded in his Scottish accent.

"As hard as it is, I'll have to say save me one later."

"Fair enough." He replied as he grabbed Kem's hand and spun her into the make shift dance floor.

"What's going on?" Abby asked as she sat at the table with Carter and Ethan.

"I was just telling Ethan that I have to head into to town for a meeting at the embassy."

"Sounds exciting." Abby replied.

"Do you think you and Ethan could handle heading out by yourself tomorrow?" Carter asked.

"Shouldn't be a problem. Might take a little longer, but it's doable."

"Good. There shouldn't be more than twenty or so."

"Yeah, it'll be fine." Abby stated as she glanced at Ethan.

"It'll be fine." Ethan agreed. "Abby will protect me." He joked.

"Ha Ha." She mocked as she stole the bottle of soda from the middle of the table.

……….

"It's going to be hot today." Abby stated as they rode down the small jungle trail.

"It's been getting hotter every day."

"Yeah."

"Can you believe there's only six more weeks until we fly back."

"I'm not sure I'll know what to do with myself." Abby added.

"I can think of a few things." Ethan said with a smirk.

"You just keep thinking that buddy." She retorted.

"While I am thinking about that, can we talk?"

"Aren't we already?" She said sarcastically.

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah, what's going on?"

"I know I've seemed distant lately."

"I just thought it was because we've been so busy. It isn't?"

"Yes…No…This is new to me, the relationship thing."

"Ok." Abby replied.

"I mean, this is the longest I've been with anyone."

"I'm not quite sure where your going with this." She added.

"No where I guess. I just wanted to let you know that…this is all…"

"New."

"Exactly." He stated.

"Ok." Abby smiled, a little unsure of what they discussed. "So what did we just talk about?"

Ethan smiled. "I just went through a little funk, that's all I wanted to tell you."

"Oh, ok. Thanks for letting me know." Abby said with a smile as she placed her hand on top of his. She felt a little bad. It wasn't her fault they had been working twelve hours a day, there was barely enough time to eat, let alone notice someone's funk. Still it was cute, most of their relationship was. She attributed it to his being three years younger than her. Not that three years was a huge difference, but still. They had fun, that was something Abby was glad to have.

"What?" Ethan asked.

"Huh?" Abby replied, bringing her gaze back from outside the car window.

"You just looked like you were thinking about something interesting, that's all."

"Oh." Abby replied. "I was just wondering what Susan was having."

"I bet it's a boy."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Chuck just seems like the kind of guy who would have a son."

"Oh my god, stop the truck Ethan." Abby practical ordered.

"What is it?" Ethan asked as he slammed on the brakes and looked out the window. "Abby!" He yelled as her door shut.

Abby was out of the car and ten yards back. There half way in the clearing, a man badly beaten and lying unconscious. "Ethan grab the first aid kit." She yelled as Ethan emerged from the truck and began to run towards them. He slid as he tried to stop on the dirt and reverse directions.

"Here." He said as he laid it on the ground and opened it. "What the hell happened?"

"He's fractured his skull." She opened his shirt. "Shit. Looks like at least three of his ribs are broken. Possibly fractured his left arm. He has defensive wounds, and a gun shot to the leg."

"Lets get him into the truck. I don't want to stay here."

"We need to stabilize him. What do we have?" She asked.

"Let me look." Ethan replied as he ran back to the truck and opened the back. He pushed medicines, vaccines, miscellaneous supplies around until he found part of a four by four. As he tried to pull it out he heard a muffled yell from behind him. He turned to see a man with a gun grabbing her as she fought him. Ethan began to sprint.

A few seconds later Ethan and the gunman were on the ground. Ethan was yanked up by shirt as the man began to hit him in his face and stomach. Abby saw Ethan fall to the ground where the guard commenced to kicking his stomach. Gathering her where a bout's Abby slugged the gunman as hard as she could in his kidneys. Suddenly a figure came from the left and Abby felt the forceful jolt of the end of riffle hit her face. She fell to the ground, all she could see was the blood that had ran into her eyes. She tried to get up, he kicked her in her stomach. She could hear her ribs crack. "Ethan." She yelled. The pain was excruciating, and she could feel herself start to loose consciousness. She could here the two men yelling in another language. She could here Ethan mumbling. It sounded like the word doctors. As everything began to fade Abby heard three sharp noises, and more yelling. She tried one last time to push herself off the ground, only to once again draw attention to herself. She felt the men push her over, she could feel the metal of the gun on her forehead. One of the men yelled something to the other, and once again Abby felt the quick sharp pain shoot through her body as they kicked her.

……….

"Where the hell are they?" John asked as he sat at the entrance of the clinic with Kem.

"I don't know. Perhaps one of the women went into labor. Perhaps someone was on their death bed. You've been delayed hundreds of times." Kem argued.

"There is no way I should have beat them back."

"You weren't suppose to back until tomorrow."

"I know, but something isn't right."

"Yes, they are a little late, but…"

"A whole nine hours." John argued.

"It's four o'clock in the morning."

"That's what worries me."

"What do you want us to do?" Kem asked.

"We leave at dawn. Alex and I will go look for them."

"Ok." Kem replied as she put her arms around John. "I'm sure they are ok."

"I hope so."

……….

All she could see was darkness. She couldn't tell if it was night, or if she just couldn't see. She tried to push herself off the ground. Pain shot through her body. As she fell to the ground she tried to yell, a weak mumbled noise emerged. Which hurt more than falling. She moved her hands back and forth along the ground, hoping to find someone. Nothing. All she could hear was the loud ringing in her ears. She could feel how swollen her face was. She tried to crawl, and managed to move about three feet before succumbing to the pain. Lying on the ground, in the darkness she could still feel the blood slowly running down her face. She fought the pain as she tried to move her hand to cover the wound. Once again the pain was too great and she felt herself begin to pass out.

……….

"We're only an hour away from the village. I'm sure they are there." Alex stated, breaking the silence of the ride.

"I hope so." John replied.

"You don't think so."

"No, Abby wouldn't have stayed the night. She would have brought them back to the clinic."

"You don't know that."

"They didn't have supplies to deal with anything major. I don't know why they would stay."

"We'll find out shortly." Alex replied as he looked out the passenger window.

"Stop the jeep." Alex screamed. "Bloody hell, stop the jeep."

The tone in his voice confirmed every one of John's fears.

"Check for a pulse." John yelled as he ran to Abby.

"Nothing." Alex yelled as he hovered over the man. "Oh my god, Ethan." He stated as he saw Ethan to the left of the man he was hovering over.

"Pulse is weak. She's barely breathing." John yelled as he put his hands on Abby's face.

"Oh my god." Alex said emotionless as he fell to his knees and then to his butt. Before John could turn around he had puked.

"Alex?" Alex continued to throw up as John moved over there. "Oh my god." Carter mumbled in disbelief. He stared at the body of Ethan. His face was swollen, and there were two gunshots into his abdomen. Carter ran his hands through his hair as he fought back the anger, the despair, and hatred.

"Come on John, we've got to get her back. John, come on. John! Let's get them loaded."

John tried to fight back the tears. "How could I have let this happen? How could I do this?"

"There's no time John! Come on! Help me!"

Finally Alex's words began to register with him. He looked over to see Alex waiting for his help.

……….

"Do you think she'll make it?" Alex asked as he glanced back to see John hunched over Abby trying to get her vitals.

"I don't know. She's lost a lot of blood. She could be hemorrhaging. I don't know." He stated, his emotions increasing with every word. "Just hurry."