Author's Notes: Kat's Chapter you know the warning....
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"Carter-" She sighs, obviously not too thrilled to see me.
"Hi." Is all I can manage to choke out. She looks absolutely breath taking, just marvellous. "What the hell do you want?" She pushes her brown lock of hair behind her ear. I watch as she does this, mesmerized by her beauty. She notices this, fed up with me, she tries shutting the door in my face. I stick my foot out, and push it open with my free hand. "Abby wait." I say moving Christopher from my right arm to my left. She walks into the condo angrily. I follow her, I don't want to sleep with her. Well I didn't until I came here. The reason I came here was because I need help. I know she is the one to give it to me. Despite what she make think or say, she is great with kids. She would make a fabulous mother, unfortunately I know it will never be to my children. "Abby." I walk up behind her, she is lighting candles. Many of them are spread out nicely amongst the condo. A blanket lying by the fire place, I know it is set there for one purpose only, but I don't want to think about that. I cringe at the thought of them together, him holding her tightly in his arms. As they make love, her body rubbing up against his. She softly calls out his name, moaning into his ear. No, that's not how it is suppose to be. I am suppose to be the one that holds her, the one she moans for. The one she loves. "What do you want John?" She snaps. "I have plans for tonight, none of which involve you."
"Look Abby, I am not here to cause trouble, I just need your help!"
"With what?" She screams, with what? Has she not seen the little boy hanging off my shoulder. "This kid here." I say with an eye roll. She just stares at the poor little boy, who is starting to fuss. This commotion must really be getting to him. Abby reaches for him, taking him into her arms and rocking him back in forth. "Who is he?" She says looking up at me worriedly. "His name in Christopher. I tried to call you, but you didn't answer your phone." I explain. "His mother and I got into, I guess you could say a fight. Anyways it ended with her leaving and dumping, Chris here, into my arms." I say with a friendly pat on Christopher's head. "You can barley raise your own kid. Hell you don't. Your here fucking around. Why the hell would someone give you a kid?" She replies rudely.
"I don't think I am a bad parent." I am not suppose to be defending myself right now, but I don't like the personal attacks she has been taking on me lately. "Carter, you are here while your son is in Africa, you are not a great parent."
"I am always in fucking in Africa, I come home for a week and a bit, and suddenly I'm a worse parent then a murder convict?" I screech at her, Christopher whines, and cries. Abby just runs her hands up and down his back. "I never said you were worse then a murder convict. Maybe at the level of a murder suspect." She says sarcastically. I reach for Christopher and grab him out of Abby's protective and comforting grasp. "Hey, what are you doing?" I head for the door, but she jumps in front of me.
"If you are just going to be like that, I don't need your help." I try to walk around her, but she keeps getting in my way. Christopher cries some more. "Look Carter I'm sorry. Really I am. You are not my favourite person right now, but you are a good father. You love your son very much, and you seem to care about this little guy right here." She says rubbing Christopher's back reassuringly. "So please, just tell me what you need from me."
"I just wanted your help telling me what I should do." She looks at me, I nod for her to take Christopher. She holds him in her arms, "he needs a diaper change." She brings her face to his head to plant a kiss and immediatly pulls away. "And a bath." We walk towards the washroom, and she strips him of every article of clothing. Diaper rash covers the poor boy. Abby looks at me with sad eyes. "You should call social services. They won't be open until Monday though, seeing as today's Friday you might have something company for the weekend." I nod as she sets him into the bath, he screams, as the Luke warm water touch the dark red diaper rash. Big fat tears fall down his tiny face, his brown hair matted to his sweating forehead. He stops mid cry to swallow, then cry some more. "Poor guy." Abby says holding him up. "John, you have to go to the store and grab diapers and Vaseline." She says just loud enough to be heard over a wailing Christopher.
"Okay." I nod leaving the washroom, knowing Christopher is in great hands. "Oh John." I stop in the doorway and turn to Abby, she smiles weakly at me. I smile back. We are having one of those moments, where the world seems to stop, everything goes silent. Even the murderous cries of the baby. "John-" He voice is soft sensual, a smile playing upon her lips. Right now I know anything can happen. Anything. "Tissues, he is really snotty." My smile immediately turns into an upside down frown. I turn around, again. I walk out to the kitchen as she hollers for me to report this to the police. I head towards the door, just as a key turns in it. I stop dead in my tracks. Again everything goes silent. Accept this isn't because I am having a moment with the women I love. This is because I am about to get my ass kicked. Again. The door swings open, Zach's eyes meet mine. Rage covers his face. "Listen-" I start, but I don't get a chance as he approaches me.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" He screams.
"Zach." Abby, comes out of washroom with Christopher wrapped in a towel. "Hey baby." She walks over to him and kisses him on the mouth. Possibly the most painful thing I've ever had to watch. It feels as though she is doing it to hurt me. Showing me that she has moved on. She doesn't need me anymore. "What the hell is he doing here?" Zach says through gritted teeth. "Oh, John screwed up." She says in a matter of fact tone. "And he got a little boy, Christopher," she gestures towards Chris. "Thrown into his lap on the L train earlier today."
"Why is he here?" Zach asks again, a little calmer, but not much.
"Because he didn't know what to do." She says looking for something to feed Christopher in the refrigerator. "John, pick up some arrow root crackers from the store when you go. Cheerio's, and maybe some formula." I nod.
"I thought he's a father?" Zach interjects.
"He is." Abby answers turning to me again. "I think he's dehydrated John, malnutrition too." She cringes, "we really need to take him to the hospital to get checked out."
"Okay, lets go." I say walking towards the door. She follows me, stopping suddenly.
"We need something to put him in." I shrug, I have no clothes. Nothing.
"We can put him in his old stuff, then grab some other stuff on the way to the hospital, as well as diapers." She suggests, walking into the bathroom, with an angry Zach on her heels. "Abby, why do you have to go." He stands in the doorway watching her gather Christopher's things. "Because I can keep Christopher calm, and help him." She reasons.
"No, this is just a ploy for John to get into your pants." He says becoming more and more infuriated by the second. His fists are balled, knuckles going white. How I remember that from the other night. I rub my cheek cringing at the memory. "No Zach it isn't. This little boy needs me. This has nothing to do with John." She says in defence of herself.
"Yes, it has everything to do with John." He is now screaming causing Christopher to fuss. Abby pushes by Zach and into the living room, where I am standing me. Handing me Christopher, as she prepares to get him dressed. "No Zach, it doesn't. I love you. Hear me, YOU! Not him." This hits me like a ton of bricks, and if I wasn't standing in front of Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver, I would have. I watch as Zach stares at her, I can tell she looks sorry, and she really loves him. I hate this moment, I hate it so Damn much. Why the fuck did I give up something so good? Abby puts Christopher's shirt over his head, then his pants, he doesn't have a diaper. I hope he can last for the five minutes it takes up to get to the store. "Come here." She takes Christopher from me and plants a kiss on his forehead. "Abby, don't do this." Zach warms, she looks at him sympathetically, obviously not backing down. "We'll be back in a bit. I'll call you." She leans up and kisses him. He doesn't reciprocate. Hell if it were me, I'd be all over her. I would never let her. I never should have let her go. "Abby." He grabs her free wrist, making her look him in the eye. He glances over at me, not wanting on lookers. I don't turn away. He whispers in her ear, "if you do this, there won't be an us." She looks at him hurt. Hoping he is joking, I'm hoping he's completely serious. She looks hesitant at first. "I have to go." She wriggles free of his grip then walks ahead of me through the door.
~*~
"Carter-" She sighs, obviously not too thrilled to see me.
"Hi." Is all I can manage to choke out. She looks absolutely breath taking, just marvellous. "What the hell do you want?" She pushes her brown lock of hair behind her ear. I watch as she does this, mesmerized by her beauty. She notices this, fed up with me, she tries shutting the door in my face. I stick my foot out, and push it open with my free hand. "Abby wait." I say moving Christopher from my right arm to my left. She walks into the condo angrily. I follow her, I don't want to sleep with her. Well I didn't until I came here. The reason I came here was because I need help. I know she is the one to give it to me. Despite what she make think or say, she is great with kids. She would make a fabulous mother, unfortunately I know it will never be to my children. "Abby." I walk up behind her, she is lighting candles. Many of them are spread out nicely amongst the condo. A blanket lying by the fire place, I know it is set there for one purpose only, but I don't want to think about that. I cringe at the thought of them together, him holding her tightly in his arms. As they make love, her body rubbing up against his. She softly calls out his name, moaning into his ear. No, that's not how it is suppose to be. I am suppose to be the one that holds her, the one she moans for. The one she loves. "What do you want John?" She snaps. "I have plans for tonight, none of which involve you."
"Look Abby, I am not here to cause trouble, I just need your help!"
"With what?" She screams, with what? Has she not seen the little boy hanging off my shoulder. "This kid here." I say with an eye roll. She just stares at the poor little boy, who is starting to fuss. This commotion must really be getting to him. Abby reaches for him, taking him into her arms and rocking him back in forth. "Who is he?" She says looking up at me worriedly. "His name in Christopher. I tried to call you, but you didn't answer your phone." I explain. "His mother and I got into, I guess you could say a fight. Anyways it ended with her leaving and dumping, Chris here, into my arms." I say with a friendly pat on Christopher's head. "You can barley raise your own kid. Hell you don't. Your here fucking around. Why the hell would someone give you a kid?" She replies rudely.
"I don't think I am a bad parent." I am not suppose to be defending myself right now, but I don't like the personal attacks she has been taking on me lately. "Carter, you are here while your son is in Africa, you are not a great parent."
"I am always in fucking in Africa, I come home for a week and a bit, and suddenly I'm a worse parent then a murder convict?" I screech at her, Christopher whines, and cries. Abby just runs her hands up and down his back. "I never said you were worse then a murder convict. Maybe at the level of a murder suspect." She says sarcastically. I reach for Christopher and grab him out of Abby's protective and comforting grasp. "Hey, what are you doing?" I head for the door, but she jumps in front of me.
"If you are just going to be like that, I don't need your help." I try to walk around her, but she keeps getting in my way. Christopher cries some more. "Look Carter I'm sorry. Really I am. You are not my favourite person right now, but you are a good father. You love your son very much, and you seem to care about this little guy right here." She says rubbing Christopher's back reassuringly. "So please, just tell me what you need from me."
"I just wanted your help telling me what I should do." She looks at me, I nod for her to take Christopher. She holds him in her arms, "he needs a diaper change." She brings her face to his head to plant a kiss and immediatly pulls away. "And a bath." We walk towards the washroom, and she strips him of every article of clothing. Diaper rash covers the poor boy. Abby looks at me with sad eyes. "You should call social services. They won't be open until Monday though, seeing as today's Friday you might have something company for the weekend." I nod as she sets him into the bath, he screams, as the Luke warm water touch the dark red diaper rash. Big fat tears fall down his tiny face, his brown hair matted to his sweating forehead. He stops mid cry to swallow, then cry some more. "Poor guy." Abby says holding him up. "John, you have to go to the store and grab diapers and Vaseline." She says just loud enough to be heard over a wailing Christopher.
"Okay." I nod leaving the washroom, knowing Christopher is in great hands. "Oh John." I stop in the doorway and turn to Abby, she smiles weakly at me. I smile back. We are having one of those moments, where the world seems to stop, everything goes silent. Even the murderous cries of the baby. "John-" He voice is soft sensual, a smile playing upon her lips. Right now I know anything can happen. Anything. "Tissues, he is really snotty." My smile immediately turns into an upside down frown. I turn around, again. I walk out to the kitchen as she hollers for me to report this to the police. I head towards the door, just as a key turns in it. I stop dead in my tracks. Again everything goes silent. Accept this isn't because I am having a moment with the women I love. This is because I am about to get my ass kicked. Again. The door swings open, Zach's eyes meet mine. Rage covers his face. "Listen-" I start, but I don't get a chance as he approaches me.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" He screams.
"Zach." Abby, comes out of washroom with Christopher wrapped in a towel. "Hey baby." She walks over to him and kisses him on the mouth. Possibly the most painful thing I've ever had to watch. It feels as though she is doing it to hurt me. Showing me that she has moved on. She doesn't need me anymore. "What the hell is he doing here?" Zach says through gritted teeth. "Oh, John screwed up." She says in a matter of fact tone. "And he got a little boy, Christopher," she gestures towards Chris. "Thrown into his lap on the L train earlier today."
"Why is he here?" Zach asks again, a little calmer, but not much.
"Because he didn't know what to do." She says looking for something to feed Christopher in the refrigerator. "John, pick up some arrow root crackers from the store when you go. Cheerio's, and maybe some formula." I nod.
"I thought he's a father?" Zach interjects.
"He is." Abby answers turning to me again. "I think he's dehydrated John, malnutrition too." She cringes, "we really need to take him to the hospital to get checked out."
"Okay, lets go." I say walking towards the door. She follows me, stopping suddenly.
"We need something to put him in." I shrug, I have no clothes. Nothing.
"We can put him in his old stuff, then grab some other stuff on the way to the hospital, as well as diapers." She suggests, walking into the bathroom, with an angry Zach on her heels. "Abby, why do you have to go." He stands in the doorway watching her gather Christopher's things. "Because I can keep Christopher calm, and help him." She reasons.
"No, this is just a ploy for John to get into your pants." He says becoming more and more infuriated by the second. His fists are balled, knuckles going white. How I remember that from the other night. I rub my cheek cringing at the memory. "No Zach it isn't. This little boy needs me. This has nothing to do with John." She says in defence of herself.
"Yes, it has everything to do with John." He is now screaming causing Christopher to fuss. Abby pushes by Zach and into the living room, where I am standing me. Handing me Christopher, as she prepares to get him dressed. "No Zach, it doesn't. I love you. Hear me, YOU! Not him." This hits me like a ton of bricks, and if I wasn't standing in front of Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver, I would have. I watch as Zach stares at her, I can tell she looks sorry, and she really loves him. I hate this moment, I hate it so Damn much. Why the fuck did I give up something so good? Abby puts Christopher's shirt over his head, then his pants, he doesn't have a diaper. I hope he can last for the five minutes it takes up to get to the store. "Come here." She takes Christopher from me and plants a kiss on his forehead. "Abby, don't do this." Zach warms, she looks at him sympathetically, obviously not backing down. "We'll be back in a bit. I'll call you." She leans up and kisses him. He doesn't reciprocate. Hell if it were me, I'd be all over her. I would never let her. I never should have let her go. "Abby." He grabs her free wrist, making her look him in the eye. He glances over at me, not wanting on lookers. I don't turn away. He whispers in her ear, "if you do this, there won't be an us." She looks at him hurt. Hoping he is joking, I'm hoping he's completely serious. She looks hesitant at first. "I have to go." She wriggles free of his grip then walks ahead of me through the door.