Mother Dear
A/N: Okay, I won't ask for reviews because 'frog' told me that I sound desperate. I'll just sit here meekly and writer. ;)
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of it.
~*~
Abby woke up to darkness. She was trying desperately to figure out where she was, but she was uncoordinated and weak.
"Ashley…" she cried out softly into the empty room, "Ashley…?"
A soft light from the hallway was escaping beneath the doorway and she strained to see her surroundings. As far as she could tell she was in a hospital. That didn't comfort her at all. Where was Ashley? Had something happened to her when the paramedics came? She felt her heart pounding against her chest and she wanted to get up, but she couldn't. She could feel an IV in her left hand and her right arm was being held firmly in place from the base of her fingers to just below her shoulder by a heavy cast. Her stomach was sore and her head was throbbing lightly.
"Help me," she whispered as a tear fell down her cheek, "help me." A figure somewhere near the bed stirred.
"Shh…" a reassuring voice came from next to her, "don't worry, I'm here." He held her hand gently and she closed her eyes, somewhat relieved.
"Ashley?" she asked again, anxiety rushing through her once more.
"She's here, she's sleeping, just rest," Carter's voice cooed again.
She closed her eyes, tired and strained and fell asleep again, wondering where she was, what had happened and if Ashley was alright.
~*~
Abby awoke in the morning, less groggy than she had been the night before. Her fingers tingled uncomfortably and she looked them, red and swollen and protruding from the immense, heavy cast. Her stomach was bothering her and she couldn't figure out what was wrong with it. Her head ached, but much less than it had the night before.
"Good morning, sunshine," an exhausted voice said from next to her. She shifted uncomfortably, a pain shooting through her stomach and there was Carter, sitting next to the bed in a chair.
"Have you been here all night?" she asked her voice raspy and tired.
"Pretty much," he responded, "Ashley refused to leave. They had to bring a cot for her." Abby looked past Carter at the tiny body sprawled across the little cot that had been rolled into the room.
"Is that even allowed?" Abby wondered aloud, but she smiled despite her worry.
"I pulled a few strings," Carter stated.
"What happened?" Abby asked him after a few seconds' pause.
"Your appendix ruptured suddenly. I assume that you fell over in pain. You hit your bed on the way down and broke your arm. You passed out from a concussion."
"Is Ashley okay?"
"She was scared silly when the paramedics brought you in. Thank God Susan recognized her right away. She was muttering something about blood and vomit and your bedroom floor. She was pretty upset, but she should be okay. As soon as we convinced her that you would be alright, she settled down." Abby nodded.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her.
"Sore," she said with a wince.
"Yeah, I would be too if I weighed that much and fell against a huge bed." Abby chuckled but had to stop immediately because her stomach began to hurt intensely.
"I didn't know what was happening. I was sure I was going to die. God, it hurt so much, I don't think I've ever felt anything that extreme before… including childbirth," she said with a grin.
"It's a good thing Ashley called 9-1-1 when she did. They had to take out your spleen because it had already been damaged, but it could have been much worse if you were left any longer." Abby looked fondly at the little girl in the bed and then back at Carter. A tear slid down her cheek. Carter wiped it away and smiled at her.
"Don't worry," he said quietly, "It's going to be okay." Abby nodded.
"I know," she said, "but I was so scared. I remember falling over and all I could think of was Ashley and what would happen to her if I died. She'd be all alone, Carter. She's only six."
"She wouldn't be alone," he whispered, "She has me now." Abby nodded again.
"She does, doesn't she?"
"She always will," he said softly and he kissed Abby softly on the lips. He pulled away afterwards, remembering what she had told him the night before, and she smiled at him. How could she have gone seven years without him?
~*~
When Ashley woke up, it was already late morning. Carter had gone to get himself some lunch and Abby was watching the television quietly. They had both decided that it would be best to let the little girl sleep in and miss a day of school after her traumatizing night. Abby watched her yawn and stretch and she flicked the TV off.
"Good morning, Ashley," she said brightly. Ashley turned to face her, a broad grin on her face.
"Mommy!" she exclaimed happily, "how is your tummy? Susan said that you had such a bad tummy ache that you fell over and that's when you hurt your arm. She said it was like the time I had a tummy ache. I threw up then, too, only I made it to the bathroom. Remember?" Abby nodded, smiling.
"Yes," she said and she patted the bed and waited for Ashley to come and sit on the bed next to her. The little girl stared at her mother quietly.
"I was scared last night, Mommy," she whispered, "I didn't want you to die. I thought that I would never get to see you again and I was so scared. I love you so much, Mommy." Abby felt a lump grow in her throat.
"I'm not going anywhere," she said quietly, wrapping her good arm around the little girl. She kissed Ashley's forehead and Ashley leaned against her mother's head, tears falling silently down her cheeks, "I love you too, Ashley," she said giving the little girl a squeeze, "more than you'll ever understand."
"Mommy?" the little girl said after a few seconds, "Where did Daddy go?"
"He went to bring you lunch. He thought you would be hungry when you woke up."
"He was so scared last night too. He even cried. One time Ben told me that boys don't cry, but Daddy did last night. He cried when he first saw you because of the blood on your head." Abby felt awful, but at the same time, she was so happy to be with her daughter and Carter and to have this time together, the three of them. And she felt so evil because deep down she was pleased that Carter had cried for her, she was happy that he cared.
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