As always here are the Thankyou's etc that all you good little reviewers fully deserve:
starbright: Thanks. It seems everyone wants it to turn out like that, as a Carby, and it will because I prefer that, too.
Hibbs: Thanks for the eventual review :) London Rain is a v good fic by the way (plug plug plug)
Carby6: Thanks for your enthusiasm! Yay!
dynamite dawn: Thanks for the review (go check out her fic, too. It's also v good)
Well this is Chapter Ten – it's nearly all over. This one goes a tiny bit backwards in time from the last one, just so you know. Enjoy. Love LJ xXx
"Carter's back," Luka told Susan as she came in to start her shift.
"I know, I saw him yesterday. Is he here right now?" she asked. Luka nodded to the Lounge door. Susan raised her eyebrows and bit her lip.
"I'm glad," Luka admitted. "I'm glad he's back – I was starting to worry." Susan smiled kindly at him.
"Me too," she agreed. The Lounge door creaked open. Carter walked through and walked out.
"Carter?" Luka called after him. Carter ignored him and walked out of the ER, his eyes fixed on the floor. Luka and Susan looked at each other, anxious and confused.
"Carter?" Susan shouted. Luka nudged her.
"Go after him." He urged her. "Go after him." She nodded and dashed after. The Carter-shaped figure crossed the street and she sprinted down the other side, slipping and skidding but not really caring.
"Carter! Carter, where the hell are you going?" she yelled. People on the street stopped and stared. She didn't care about that either. "For God's sakes, Carter, you asshole." He stopped and turned, slightly shocked. Susan slid to a halt on the opposite sidewalk and stood, glaring at him.
"Abby's got Luka. And they're happy and they're a family," he hollered at her. She stared, momentarily stunned.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she yelled back across the roofs of cars driving past.
"I shouldn't have expected her to not move on after I left. Luka and she had a history,"
"Move on? What? You think she and Lu-? Jesus, Carter – you're more deluded than I thought you were."
"Huh?"
"You think she and Luka got back together? Carter, she's missed you more than anything. She'd never do that. How long were you away?"
"Erm – " Carter thought for a while. "About five months I guess."
"Right then – how long would you like to guess Abby's been pregnant for?"
Carter's arms fell to his sides. How come he didn't see this before?
"About five months?" he suggested, weakly. Susan shot a withering look at him.
"That's right, jerk." She snapped. He looked hurt. Susan sighed and softened – he was so confused, poor guy. She crossed the street and put her hand on his shoulder.
"I – I didn't realise." He stuttered.
"You should've, honey. You are a doctor, after all," she smiled, sympathetically. "All Luka has ever been to her is a good friend while you've been away."
"I'm sorry," he mumbled, ashamed.
"I think you're telling that to the wrong person, Carter." Susan told him, gently. "You can still make it up to her. And you damn well better or you'll have me to answer to." Carter looked at her and smiled.
"Abby's pregnant with my kid," he murmured, slightly in awe of it all.
"Yeah, and she sure as hell wouldn't have wanted you to find out this way." Susan sighed. "I think you'd better go and sort this out."
* * *
A few minutes later, Susan was heading back to the ER alone to begin her shift ten minutes late. It didn't matter, Weaver could yell at her all she liked – that didn't matter. It was then that she saw Abby standing out in the sub-zero winter looking distraught.
"Abby?" Susan called and raced down the street towards her. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing." And as Abby cried in her arms, Susan hoped Carter was going to make it up to her in a seriously significant way.