A/N: Dedicated to… umm… the guy I 'talked to' on his birthday. You know who you are!
Disclaimer: ER is Michael Crichton's and NBC's. I don't know who wrote the song, but it's from the Broadway play, Annie Get Your Gun
I'm superior, you're inferior.
I'm the big attraction, you're the small.
I'm the major one, you're the minor one,
I can beat you shootin', that's not all.
anything you can do, I can do better.
I can do any thing better than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
anything you can be I can be greater.
soon er or lat er, I'm greater than you.
No, you're not.
Yes I am.
No you're not.
Yes I am.
No you're not.
Yes I am, yes I am.
I can shoot a partridge with a single cartridge.
I can get a sparrow with a bow and arrow.
I can do most anything.
Can you bake a pie?
No.
Neither can I.
anything you can sing I can sing louder.
I can sing anything louder than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
anything you can buy, I can buy cheaper.
I can buy anything cheaper than you.
Fifty cents.
Forty cents.
Thirty cents.
Twenty cents.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
anything you can dig, I can dig deeper.
I can dig anything deeper than you.
Thirty feet.
Forty feet.
Fifty feet.
Sixty feet.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
I can drink my liquor faster than a flicker.
I can do it quicker and get even sicker.
I can live on bread and cheese.
And only on that?
Yes.
So can a rat.
anything you can reach, I can go higher.
I can sing anything higher than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
anyone you can lick, I can lick faster.
I can lick anyone faster than you.
With your fist?
With my feet.
With your feet?
With an axe.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
Any school where you went, I could be master.
I could be master much faster than you.
Can you spell.
No I can't.
Can you add.
No I can't.
Can you teach.
Yes I can, yes I can.
I could be a racer, quite a steeple chaser.
I can jump a hurdle even with my girdle.
I can open any safe.
With out being caught?
Yes.
That's what I thought.
any note you can hold I can hold longer.
I can hold any note longer than you.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can.
No you can't.
Yes I can, yes I can.
~Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better from Annie Get Your Gun
Carter stood. "Yes, Luka, you are, actually."
"Really?" Luka said, now at Abby's side. He bent over and whispered to Abby in a voice Carter could barely hear, "What were you doing with him?"
"I wasn't doing anything, Luka."
Wrong answer.
Carter knew Luka's anger by heart. He knew it would only take an answer like that from his wife, fiancée, girlfriend -- whatever Abby was -- to get him angry. And by the look on his face as he slowly raised back up to a standing position, it was apparent he was, indeed, angry.
He looked Carter straight in the eye. "What were you doing with her?"
"I came to see Jayleigh – my daughter – and she was in here. We talked, and... and I got angry..."
Luka's face glowed in what was positively sheer anger. His jaws were flexing, but his mouth was closed. He took a single step towards Carter.
"Carter," said Abby before Luka had a chance to say, or do, anything.
"What is it, Abby?" he responded, not taking his eyes off of Luka.
"I think you should go."
Hell yeah, I should go! he thought nervously. He wondered if Luka would do anything. He had, afterall, saved his life two years ago. And he had repaid him for that by not telling him he fathered a daughter. And he raised his daughter to be his own.
"Why? I've got a right to see her," he responded hotly.
"John, please don't do this. Please."
Carter's anger was coming back. "Again - do what? I'm not doing anything!"
"Carter, will you shut up and leave her alone?" Luka's voice was even, but Carter could tell it was stressed.
He turned to him, only half aware of what he was saying. "Stay out of this, Luka!"
His eyes flashed. "Abby is none of your business anymore."
He could have thrown Luka out of the window at this point. "How the hell can you say that? She's the mother of my daughter!"
Carter knew he had stricken a nerve. Luka's teeth clenched, and so did his fists. He didn't move, but Carter knew this was only true because of his apparent rage.
"Only – by – blood," he managed.
He had had it. Carter threw himself at Luka, who was only three feet to his left. Luka fell backwards toward the door, but his fall was broken by the intubation tray. (Why, Carter thought briefly, is that there?) Carter began pummeling Luka's stomach, not really feeling or seeing anything he was hitting. He had wanted to hit him so many times, but Abby or Susan had always pulled him away. Always. This was his chance. Luka attempted to roll him over on his back, apparently wanting to steer clear of a fight, as always. But Carter shoved him off, and his back collided heavily with the radiator. Carter took no time in leaping at him again. As he did, he felt a hand grab the back of his hospital gown.
"Sit." Abby had hold of him. How on Earth she had managed to keep steady when she grabbed him, halfway off the ground, was beyond Carter.
Carter pulled away from her, but sat down as she went to latch onto him again.
"What the hell did you think you were doing, John?" she said angrily, quietly helping Luka to his feet.
"Did you hear what he said?" he asked incredulously, laughing mirthlessly.
Abby sighed, looking between a red-faced Carter and a slightly bloody Luka.
"One of you should leave. You shouldn't be... together for a few days..."
"I'll go," said Luka in a raspy whisper.
Carter's attention turned back to him. He hated him more than anyone he had ever hated at the moment. He wasn't going to let Luka beat him.
"You know what?" he said, standing to face him. "Why don't you take my car? It'll get you out of here faster than the el. I'll come get it when I'm allowed out." To top off his blatantly self-righteous act, he smiled smugly.
Luka shrugged. "Okay." He, too, didn't want to be outdone.
Carter smiled again. "Keys are in my room. Down the hall. Two fifty-six."
"Thank you." And again.
"No problem."
"Goodbye."
"Have a nice night."
Luka walked out the door. Within an hour's time, Carter would feel worse than he had in his life.
******
Carter and Abby had been in the same room together for forty-five minutes, but neither of them had said a word to the other. Carter stroked Jayleigh's hair, and Abby held her hand, simply looking at her.
Of course, this peace didn't last long. There was a knock on the door. Abby, being the closest, got up and opened it. Susan stood at the door, Gallant not far behind.
"Oh, Abby!" Susan pulled Abby into a tremendously tight embrace.
Gallant did not move. He was staring at his shoes. His hands were behind his neck, as if he needed to hold his head down.
Carter carefully tucked his daughter's hair behind her tiny ears, and stood. "What's going on?"
Susan and Gallant both looked, almost frightened, at him. But her attention quickly turned back to Abby. She took her face in her hands, looking her in the eyes.
"Abby," she said, apparently with a great amount of effort, "there's been an accident."
Response to ReviewsCL_Curtis: You likes? ^^ Talented? Bah. I'll tell you what I tell everyone else on a regular basis: I'm okay. But I'm not as great as I'm told. ;) ER withdrawal? ME TOO! Hug your mommy. It helps. Lol.
AthleticCharmedOne: Yes, yes you are loyal! :) O, loyal one #2! :D
Starbright: Don't worry. I don't like Luby very much. :) But I'm not making any promises. *Hint hint* Do you like the number three? ;)
CL_Curtis: Hello… again… yes, of course I used Streets of Heaven! I told you I would eventually, didn't I?
Fariha Khan: You made up the next chapter in your head?? Now I feel as though someone is reading this. If I had to give out an award for best reviewer, it'd be you!
MrsWyle: Update faster? I'm trying… no promises. (Did I mention I love your name??)
CamiliaCarby: We all hate Luka deep down inside. Some of us don't know it. (Like me, for example) All of us know that he and Carter hate each other deep down inside too. Thus, this chapter was born. Carby is my life! Would you mind settling for Star Reviewer #4? ;)
Luby-Connor-Lizzy: Yeah, but it wasn't really writer's block that kept me from writing. Hockey practice, band practice (yes, I'm a band nerd!), and two more friends put in the hospital. Beh…
AnnaSun: Have I read that review somewhere before?? Lol… thanks, even if it is a simple copy-and-paste deal… :s lol
CookieAbby: It's my fault!
Carter: No it's not. If it's anyone's, it's mine.
Abby (hugging Carter): Don't try to blame yourself for this, too.
Carter (kissing her hairline): Okay.