Surprise

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of it.

A/N: Takes place about 6 years from now.

~*~

A girl of about eleven approached the desk of County General hospital.  She was dressed in a shabby coat and a too-large hat.  Her cheeks were rosy with the cold afternoon air and her brown hair that escaped her hat was wind-swept. She was carrying an over-stuffed knapsack over one shoulder.

"Hello," she said, removing her gloves and stuffing them into her pockets, "I'm looking for Abigail Wyczenski."

Frank eyed her from behind the desk as he entered some information into the computer.

"Take a seat in 'chairs'."  The girl looked over her shoulder to the cluster of chairs at which the man was gesturing.

"Oh, no, I'm not sick," she said, "I just need to see Ms. Wyczenksi."

"Listen, kiddo, there's no one named Wyczenski here.  Take a seat and a doctor will see you soon."  The girl looked slightly discouraged before realization struck her.

"I'm sorry," she started again, causing Frank to turn to back to her with an impatient air, "I'm looking for Abigail Lockhart."  He glanced down at her curiously once again before saying,

"Dr. Lockhart isn't here right now.  She won't be in for an hour or so," he looked toward the clock. "You can take a seat and wait for her if you want or you can come back later."  The child nodded reproachfully and turned toward the chairs.

~*~

The girl sat watching everything that was going on around the emergency room with interest.  The older man at the desk was talking to a pretty blonde doctor now and she knew from the way they kept glancing at her, that they were discussing her.

The doctor approached her and took a seat beside her.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Susan Lewis.  I'm a doctor here. What's your name?"

"Julie," she said nervously.  Her hands were shaking and she suddenly didn't know if any of this was a good idea.

"Frank, the man at the desk there, told me that you were waiting for Abby." Julie nodded hesitantly.

"She won't be here for a while.  Is something hurting you?" Julie shook her head.

"Are you sick?" Julie shook her head again.

"Do your parents know that you're here?" There was a momentary pause before Julie nodded somewhat hesitantly.  She was almost sure that Dr. Lewis knew she was lying, but she looked her in the eye unblinkingly.

"Okay, well, if you get hungry or bored or you need anything, just come find me, okay?" Julie nodded quietly again and Susan stood up to leave.

"Is she married now?" the girl asked suddenly. Susan looked at her questioningly before understanding dawned upon her.

"Abby? Yes, she is." Julie nodded thoughtfully and Susan walked briskly away.

Julie pulled a book out of the depths of her bag and, taking a deep breath, began to read.

~*~

Her book had proved a good distraction and the time passed quicker than Julie had thought it would.

Every time the electric doors opened, she glanced at the doorway and watched as various doctors and paramedics came in.  She would always watch them momentarily until she heard someone talk to them addressing them as: Dr. Chen, Sam, etc. just to be sure that it wasn't Abby before turning her attention back to her book.

After an hour and fifteen minutes and two traumas, the doors opened again, letting in a gust of chilly air.

Julie looked up from her book.

"Hey, Abby… Carter…" a doctor with a crutch greeted as she walked by, "how's Kaylie? Is she over that nasty cold?" Abby nodded and Carter said,

"Yeah, thank goodness. She's back in school again."

The doctor with the crutch smiled and walked away.

Well, this was it, then.  That was Abby.  Suddenly, Julie didn't want to talk to her anymore.  She just sat wondering who Kaylie was and watching 'Carter' and Abby as they headed toward the lounge together, talking spiritedly about something.  Her book had fallen limply into her lap as she had forgotten to mark her page and, even after the two doctors had disappeared behind a door marked 'doctor's lounge', she continued to stare in that direction.

The doors of the lounge opened again and Abby and Carter stepped out with their lab-coats on. Julie was suddenly very aware of where she was.  She looked nervously around to make sure no one had seen her staring and she shoved her book back into her bag.

Hastily, she put her hat on, pulled on her gloves and swung her bag over her shoulder.  She stood up just as Susan approached Abby and gestured toward her.  She saw Abby glance at her and she immediately turned around, walking briskly toward the door.

"Hey!" she heard a voice from behind her and she hurried up, "Hey! Hold up!" She felt an arm rest lightly on her shoulder and she stopped in her tracks. She turned around to face Abby.

Julie was about the same height as Abby.  Both of them had curly brown hair, pouty lips, and a stubborn forehead, but where Abby's eyes were brown, Julie's were a brilliant blue. 

Julie stared at Abby, taking in every feature of the doctor's face.

"Dr. Lewis told me you've been waiting an hour and a half for me…" her voice was sympathetic and curious. Julie shifted her eyes to the right and then looked back at Abby before nodding slowly.

Abby looked her up and down and Julie knew that the doctor was examining her coat, hat, gloves and trainers, all of which were old and worn-out looking.

"Are you okay?" she asked as the tall, handsome doctor called Carter came up behind her.  Julie nodded again, her gaze moving from Abby to Carter and back again.

"Here, why don't we go to the lounge and we can talk about whatever it is that was bothering you?" Julie's face displayed her nervousness, though she tried desperately to conceal it.  She really should go.  It was stupid of her to come here at all. And yet, she had to talk to her.

After a small pause, Julie nodded and followed Abby into the small room that was filled with lockers and coffee mugs and tables and comfy looking couches.

They both took a seat on a sofa and Carter stood in the doorway.  Julie eyed him curiously.  Who was he and why was he following Abby around?

"So…" Abby said, looking at her expectantly.

"I'm Julie," the girl said quietly, waiting for the doctor to respond.  When she saw no recognition on the woman's face, she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Abby still looked confused until the girl said,

"Julie Lockhart."

An unrecognizable emotion flickered across Abby's face as she examined the girl in a new light.

"Julie…" the doctor echoed quietly and the girl nodded as she tried to will the tears to stop falling. Abby raised an arm and wiped a hair away from the girl's face.

"You're beautiful," she whispered.

"My Dad's dying," the girl said, pushing Abby's hand away from her face, "I just though you might like to know.  I have to go," she muttered. She gathered her bag once more.

"Wait!" Abby cried and the girl turned around, "Don't… don't go… Stay, I want to talk to you."

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"You said Richard's dying. What's… what's going to happen to you?"

"Whatever the court decides, I guess," Julie shrugged, trying to look like she didn't care, though it was obvious she did.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Cancer."

"How long have you known?"

"Two years."

"And you're just telling me now?"

"I wouldn't tell you at all, but I thought it was only right seeing as they'd probably tell you anyway.  They'd have to. There's nowhere else to go.  I don't have any grandparents or uncle or aunts or anything.  It's you or a foster home."

Abby looked at her strangely and the girl shifted uncomfortably.  She was aware of the doctor behind Abby staring at her, but she refused to look back at him.

"Well," Abby stated as she cleared her throat, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Another tear found its way down Julie's cheek before the girl stood up, this time Abby did not stop her.

Julie looked at Carter for the first time, he looked confused.

"Julie…" Abby began, more sincere this time, "Do you have any plans for dinner tonight?"

Julie looked contemplative for a few seconds before shaking her head.

"Do you want to come to our place?" The girl looked from Abby to Carter and back, realization dawning on her.  Susan had said Abby was married. She didn't want to interfere on Abby's life, and besides, she hardly knew her.  On the other hand, Julie had no memory of her mother, none at all, except a flash of brown hair or a soft lullaby here and there.

She shrugged after a momentary pause.  Nobody moved.

"Yes, thank you," she said quietly and Abby exhaled deeply as though she had been holding her breath.

"I have to work until six, but then we can take you home.  You can hang around here if you want."

Julie shook her head.

"No, I really should get back to my Dad.  I don't want him to die without me there."