Return

A/N: Wow, sorry for the lack of updates. I haven't had much time, but I promise I'll be better now!

Abby slammed the door to the house and nearly threw her keys onto the table by the door. Sara wasn't home yet, thank God, so she had some time to mull things over in her head and try to calm her anger.

She sat on the couch and rubbed her eyes with the tips of the fingers, trying to soothe her headache.

"Abby! Why do you keep running away?"

"Oh, please, Carter, don't start with me. I don't have the strength to deal with this right now."

"That's right, Abby. Just run, Abby, as usual."

Abby turned on her heel and came up to him so that their faces were almost touching.

"Don't ever say that to me again, Carter. Not after you left me. Not after you left our daughter. You make me sick," she snarled. She sensed that someone had come up behind her, watching their interactions. It was probably one of the hospital staff. She didn't care about maintaining her dignity anymore.

"Oh, please, Abby," he said, throwing his hands up in the air in frustrated resignation, "You asked me to leave! You kicked me out!"

"You were sleeping with her, Carter. You were having an affair. Don't try to turn the tables against me."

"You know what, you're right. You know what? I'm happy I left. I got away from you. You don't even have the decency to leave me alone now. We have nothing to do with each other anymore and you're still blaming me."

"You had a daughter to care for. You still do," her voice was getting shrill and hysterical.

"I give you money for her whenever you ask. I pay for her education."

"Your mother pays for her education."

"It's all the same."

"No, it's not, Carter. You're wrong. She wants a father. She doesn't want a bunch of money. Paper can't comfort her and love her and give her everything that it's your responsibility to give her."

The phone rang and Abby stared at it blankly. She wasn't in the mood of talking to anyone.  The message machine picked up and Abby turned her attention to a bird that was fluttering about outside the table.

"Abby, it's Susan. I know you're there. Please pick up." Silence. Susan was waiting for her to pick up. "Abby, please. We need to talk." Abby stared at the message machine contemplatively. Should she pick up? Finally, after a few seconds more of listening to Susan's calm breathing from the other side of the machine, she reached an arm out and picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Abby?"

"No, It's the Queen of England."

"I heard what happened to day," Susan said with a sigh, "I feel awful."

"It's not your fault."

"I can't please everyone Abby."

"No, but your family should come first on your metre of importance."

"He was a really ass-hole about everything."

"Whatever. I don't really want to talk about it."

"Okay."

There was an awkward silence.

"Well," Susan said slowly, "I should probably be going, but if there's anything you need – anything at all – you know who to call."

"Thanks, Susan."

"My pleasure, talk to you later."

Abby hung the phone up lightly.

Carter didn't have anything to say to that. He just glared at her for a few seconds.

"I'm sorry I left," he said finally, not sounding sorry at all, "I thought it was what you wanted." Abby looked at the floor, embarrassed.

"How could you even say that?" she asked finally. Quietly. Tears threatening to fall.  She turned around walked through the doors of County and back into the hospital. Susan was standing just outside the door wearing a trauma gown – obviously waiting for an ambulance to arrive – watching.

Abby sighed again and picked herself off the couch to start making dinner.