Bad Karma
Carby. Something happens to Abby. Will Carter get to her in time? Will he be able to save her? Read on to find out!
A.N.: I'm not the original author of this story. The original author is carby luva 313. She's decided she doesn't have enough time to write, so she's giving me the honor of finishing it for her. I hope I can do as good a job!
Disclaimer: I do not own ER. It belongs to Michael Crichton and the other members of the production team.
Chapter 20: Follow Up
The sun was just peeking over the horizon on a beautiful Sunday morning. It had been a week since Abby's suicide attempt. By now everyone knew, and Abby had come to realize how much everyone really did care. Elizabeth was right. All the individuals in the ER, and even some from other departments had sent her flowers and other get well gifts. Apart from that, Abby was feeling better. The sessions with Dr. Legaspi had proven to be beneficial after Abby decided she could accept help.
Abby lay awake next to Carter. The sunlight had brought her out of a deep sleep. She hadn't had a nightmare since the night before the suicide. Today was another big day for Abby. It was the day she would find out whether or not she could go back to work. She silently prayed the Hail Mary and Our Father before deciding to get dressed. As she got out of bed, Abby woke Carter.
"Wh-what's going on?" He asked as his head snapped up.
"Nothing. Sorry I woke you, I was just going to get dressed." Abby explained.
"What time is it?" Carter inquired sleepily.
"Wish I could tell you, but I don't have a watch." She replied.
"Okay. How's your wrist?" Carter asked.
"Rhetorical question. It's fine." Abby said sarcastically.
"Let me change the bandages." Carter suggested.
"Sure." Abby said.
Carter indicated the bed and Abby sat down as he retrieved the necessary equipment. After a few minutes the old bandages were gone and clean, white ones replaced them.
"That okay?" Carter inquired.
"Yup." Abby replied.
"In that case, I guess I'll get ready now. Your appointments start in a few hours." Carter pointed out.
"I know, don't remind me." Abby deadpanned.
"Its okay sweetheart, I'll be there waiting for you. After, we'll go to the Fiore Catalina restaurant to celebrate." Carter said, speaking the last sentence seductively.
"Yeah, if I pass inspection." Abby snorted.
"No, even if you don't we'll go out to dinner. To treat you for being such a good sport about everything that's happened." Carter said.
"Okay then." Abby said.
"Oh, and listen. I know you're desperate to go back to work, but I want you to promise me something." Carter suggested.
"Sure, what is it?" Abby asked unsurely.
"That even if you think it will hinder your recovery, be 100 honest with the surgeons. It's better to be safe than sorry." Carter said.
"Alright, I promise." Abby caved in.
"Good. I'll go get dressed and meet you in the kitchen." Carter said.
Once John had left the room, Abby walked into the bathroom. All reminders of the attempt were gone. Most of the emotional scars had faded as well. Can't say so much for the physical ones Abby thought as she looked at her freshly bandaged wrist. She absentmindedly brushed her hair and teeth. As she bent down to find the washcloth in the cupboard, a sharp pain shot through Abby's side. It's just nerves Abby assured herself. She quickly finished in the bathroom and went to find an outfit. Abby opened the closet and found white capri pants, a dark purple turtle neck tank top, and a white sweater to throw over her shoulders. Her shoes were simple: white platform sandals. Abby finished getting dressed and headed downstairs. On the way she ran into Carter.
"Wow, that was fast." She said.
"Yeah, I'm used to pulling on this suit quickly." He joked.
"Shall we go?" Carter asked, gallantly offering Abby his arm.
"Yes we shall." Abby replied, slipping her arm around his.
As the pair of them walked down the stairs, they looked deep into each other's eyes. Carter's full of warmth, and sympathy. While Abby's, on the other hand full of fright and uncertainty. Carter stopped walking, and made Abby face him. He looked deep into her eyes for a second before leaning in to kiss her. As their lips met Abby immediately felt better. A few seconds later they pulled away and continued walking, Abby with a new sense of relief. When they reached the kitchen, breakfast had already been made. Spanish omelets and English muffins sat on either side of a small table. Beside each plate was also a cup of coffee. Trudy greeted them warmly.
"Good morning!" She exclaimed.
"Hello, Trudy. Breakfast looks wonderful, thank you." Carter said.
"It sure does." Abby replied.
"I'm glad. Now I'll leave you two to eat. See you later." Trudy said before leaving them alone.
Carter and Abby ate their breakfast in silence. Abby was looking at the seconds ticking by on the clock. Soon she would be back with Drs. Corday, Dorset, Romano, and Legaspi. She'd seen enough of them, as a patient, to last a lifetime. Working with them would be completely different. Carter noticed Abby's worried expression so he reached across the table and took her by the hand. Abby's appreciation for this small gesture of affection was beyond words. Soon they had finished breakfast and Carter was putting the dishes in the sink.
"We still have two hours to kill. What do you want to do?" Abby asked.
"Let's go for a walk along the beach." Carter suggested.
"Cool." Abby replied.
A few minutes later they were walking along the shore of Lake Michigan. It was a beautiful day so they decided to let the waves wash over their bare feet. It was so nice to be outside, with Carter, laughing. Abby's whole world was compacted to that strip of white sand for the time being. She just let her mind run wild, not thinking about anything in particular.
Soon, however, their two hours had just flown by and it was time to get to the hospital. Once again Abby was nervous. As they drove, neither said a word. Nothing needed to be said. Carter knew Abby was nervous, but Abby knew Carter would be there for her. A few minutes later they arrived at County General. Carter got out of the car and opened Abby's door for her. As she took his hand, he noticed she was shaking slightly. When Abby got out of the car, Carter pulled her into a hug. She was sobbing lightly, hoping Carter wouldn't notice.
As they walked toward the surgical ward, Carter held Abby close. Nervous sobs still racked her body. When they reached the waiting room, they took their seats and Carter went to let Shirley know they had arrived. When he returned, Carter walked over and sat down beside her. Abby's eyes snapped open when his chair creaked.
"Oh, sorry. I didn't hear you come in again." Abby blushed.
"No need to apologize. Actually, I'm sorry I startled you. Are you okay?" Carter inquired.
"Yes, I'm fine, just a little nervous." Abby said apprehensively.
"Ah." Carter sighed.
The mood had certainly lightened. The two of them sat together for the next few minutes, laughing and joking. Abby had almost forgotten why she was here. Just then, conveniently enough, Dr.Dorset entered the waiting area.
"Hello. Glad to see you're feeling better." He smiled.
"Hey Dr.Dorset." Abby responded.
Carter slightly bowed his head to acknowledge his presence. He gave Abby's hand one last encouraging squeeze before letting go. Abby faced him and gave him a quick I'll be okay kind of kiss on the cheek.
"Alright Abby, are you ready?" Dr.Dorset asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Abby answered.
"Alright then, follow me." Eddie instructed.
Abby waved to Carter one last time before exiting the room. As she followed Edward, she felt nervous all over again.
Carter watched Abby leave and hoped she would be okay. She needed to get back to work to keep her mind clear. Soon he would find out whether she could. He tried to occupy his thoughts with a million year old magazine, common to all waiting rooms. No matter what he did, he couldn't help but worry about Abby. At least she was safe with Dr.Dorset.
Abby and Eddie finally reached the exam room. He held open the door for her gallantly and let it click shut as he followed her in. When they entered the room, Edward spoke.
"Alright Abby, can you just sit up on the table for me?" Dr.Dorset said.
Abby nodded and made her way over to the exam table. She hopped up onto it as Eddie pulled out her file. He came over and sat on a chair across from her.
"Alright, before I start, I'm going to explain the procedure to you. We had to fit you in around our electives, so it'll be a little hectic. First I'll get you to change into a gown, then I'll do the history and work up. After I'm finished, I'll leave some notes in your chart and will come in to do the pelvic and remove your sutures because I've got an elective endoscopic discectomy. After that Dr. Romano will come in to do the sonogram, x-rays, labs, and review your prescriptions while Dr. Corday does an elective in the cath lab. Finally, you'll go up to see Dr.Legaspi, and she'll determine if you are emotionally stable enough to go back to work. Is that okay?" Dr.Dorset questioned.
"Sure." Abby smiled.
"Great. I'll let you get changed. I'll come back in five minutes." Eddie said.
Abby watched him as pulled out a gown for her before leaving the room. She lightly hopped off the exam table and took off her shoes. Her feet were still sandy from the beach. The thought brought a smile to her face. Abby slowly undressed and put on the gown. She felt so vulnerable in this position. At least it was going to be performing the pelvic. Who knew there were still people out there who take others feelings into consideration? For now it was just easier for Abby to trust a woman with that sort of thing. Abby carefully finished folding her clothes and she put them on the counter opposite. She got up on the table just as there was a knock on the door. A few seconds later, Dr.Dorset re-entered the room.
"Okay, shall we get started with the questions?" Dr.Dorset asked.
"Yup." Abby replied.
"Good. First off, is there any pain?" Eddie inquired.
"A little. Only about a one out of ten. This morning when I bent down to pick something up off the ground, I felt a sharp pain in my side." Abby admitted.
"Mmm hmm. I'm sure you just over extended. It's normal after such a long period of bedrest. Now, how about swelling? Redness? Nausea? Dizziness? Lightheadedness?" Dr.Dorset listed.
"No, no, no, no, and no." Abby said truthfully.
"Alright. Let's move on with the exam then. First I'll take your pulse." Eddie explained.
Abby nodded and extended her hand to Dr.Dorset. He gently took it and rested his middle and index fingers on Abby's radial artery. His hands were cool, it was a soothing sensation. A few seconds later he was done. He spoke as he filled out a blank on the chart.
"Pulse is seventy five and strong. Are you nervous?" Dr.Dorset asked sympathetically.
"A little. Okay, I lied. A lot. It's just, I really hope I can get back to work. I need something to keep my mind occupied. I'm going insane being stuck at home." Abby elaborated.
"I see, but don't worry. I'm sure everything will be fine. You'll be back at work tomorrow." Eddie said reassuringly.
"I hope so." Abby muttered inaudiably.
"Good. Now I'll get your temp." He said.
Abby slightly turned her head to the side. Dr.Dorset pulled a few stray strands of hair off to the side and carefully inserted the thermometer into place. It beeped after a few short seconds.
"Temp is 98. No sign of any serious infection so far. Let's check your dialation." Dr.Dorset suggested.
Eddie pulled out his penlight. Abby looked straight at him. He was always in such a good mood, she found it hard not to laugh. After a couple of seconds he was done, and Abby was seeing spots. She blinked the light furiously out of her eyes.
"Four milimetres and reactive. Perfect. At this rate you'll definitely be back to work tomorrow. If I didn't know any better, I would never have guessed you'd had surgery two weeks prior." Eddie laughed.
"What can I say, I'm a fighter." Abby said.
"That's right. You are. After all you've been through. The kidnapping, the rape, the abuse, the surgery, the hospitalization, and the suicide..." Dr.Dorset trailed off at the end, wondering whether it was a good time to bring that up.
"It's okay, you can say it. I tried to commit suicide. I'm so happy I didn't fully go through with it. My life is good, but I was too blinded by the bad aspects at the time to see that." Abby explained.
"Even the best of us make mistakes. I'm just glad you fixed yours." Eddie empathized.
"So am I." Abby agreed.
"Okay. Now let's get your blood pressure. Just relax." Eddie said.
Abby closed her eyes and took deep, calming breaths while Dr.Dorset slipped the BP cuff around her arm. She tried not to be nervous, so she could be taken off her meds. She continued breathing deeply as Edward took the reading. When he was done he put the sphygmomanometer back in it's respective place and smiled at Abby.
"Good news. Your blood pressure is 110 over 70. Normal. You can stop taking your perscriptions. I'm sure the other doctors will be happy to hear that, too." Dr.Dorset exclaimed.
"Thank God! I guess I just needed to get some stuff off my chest." Abby reasoned.
"Mmm hmm. Now I'll check your reflexes." Edward explained.
Abby was overjoyed. Everything was going well so far. Just a few more tests and she'd be free to go back to work. Kerry had already schedualed her for the following day at 7am, but she told Abby to call if something came up. Not that anything was going to.
"Excellent. Negative babinski, and great reaction time. You're a textbook example of perfect health. All there is left for me to do is check the incision site, rib fractures, breath sounds, and heartbeat. I'll do the heartbeat and breath sounds first." Eddie proceeded to explain.
Abby felt nervous about untying her gown and exposing her body to the world. She decided to face her fears and do it anyway. It was a giant leap forward in her recovery. Edward saw Abby was nervous so he gave her an encouraging smile. She felt a little better after his sympathetic gesture. Dr.Dorset was careful to only expose Abby as much as was necessary. The stethoscope disk felt cool against Abby's back, just like Edward's hands. She felt a little more relaxed.
"Take a deep breath for me. Again." Dr.Dorset instructed.
Abby carried out his orders as he moved the disk around her back, pausing every so often to listen to the air flowing in and out of her lungs. Edward then moved the stethoscope to Abby's chest. He held it over her heart for a few seconds before taking the ends of the stethoscope out of his ears and placing it back around his neck. Abby pulled the gown a little tighter around her neck.
"Your breath sounds are wonderful, indicating your diaphragm has fully healed. Your heartbeat is strong and steady. All I have to check now is the site of the incision and your rib fractures and I'm done here. Can you just lay back for me and pull aside your gown?" Dr.Dorset inquired.
Abby nodded her head and fell back against the pillow at the head of the exam table. She looked at the ceiling to keep herself busy as Eddie pulled her gown away from the incision. He gently palpated it to make sure there was no swelling, or severe residual tissue damage. It was a little rigid, but that was normal after surgery. A few seconds later he pulled Abby's gown back to it's original position and helped her sit up.
"Excellent, only minimal residual tissue damage. Your ribs are healing well, too. If this was all there was to your examination, you'd be free to go back to work tomorrow. Unfortunately, I can't be single handed in making that decision. Although I'm sure Drs. Corday, Romano, and Legaspi will all agree. When you're done with everyone we'll review your chart and decide your fate." Dr.Dorset explained.
"Wow, that was fast." Abby said enthusiastically.
"Well, they don't call me Fast Eddie for beating the pants off the opposition in varsity track when I broke the record for the 1500." Dr.Dorset joked.
Abby and Eddie both laughed.
"Alright. I'll leave a few notes on the chart for Drs. Corday and Romano, and I bid you farewell. I'll page Elizabeth and she'll be here in a few minutes. See you later." He said as he finished scribbling something down on the chart.
"Bye." Abby responded.
With one last warm smile, Dr.Dorset left the room. Abby was ecstatic. She was well on her way to returning to work. Once some of the euphoria had worn off, Abby realized the next step was the pelvic exam. Again, she felt nervous. This was what caused her most of her grief. Abby felt extremely uncomfortable with anyone touching her down there. It was less embarrassing if it was a woman, preferrably one she trusted, such as , but it was still a horrible ordeal. Abby didn't have much time left to brood, because just then, entered.
"Hello Abby, it's great to see you again." She said.
"Hi Elizabeth, how are you?' Abby asked.
"I'm fine, you?" Elizabeth inquired.
"Great." Abby walked over to the counter opposite Abby and skimmed over Dr.Dorset's notes. Everything seemed to be in order.
"Good to see Dr.Dorset has cleared you. Everything is much improved." Elizabeth commented.
"I hope you and the other doctors clear me, as well." Abby said pointedly.
"Don't fret, I'm sure everything's fine." Elizabeth said ecouragingly.
"I think it is. After all, what are the odds of complications this longs after?" Abby asked.
"Slim to none. I trust Dr.Dorset has explained the situation with our confliction elective procedures?" Elizabeth questioned.
"Yes." Abby replied.
"Then you know I need to ask you some questions, and then perform a pelvic before removing your sutures." Elizabeth listed.
"Mmm Hmm." Abby murmured.
"Good. First, I'd like to ask you something else. How have you been, in terms of mindframe, since your attempt?" Elizabeth asked cautiously.
"Much better. Last week, when I told you I didn't come to anyone because I felt like a burden, it was only partially true..." Abby trailed off.
"Go on." Elizabeth encouraged, listening intently.
"Well, what I really meant was, I just didn't know how to ask for help. What would I have said? How could I have explained what I was feeling?" Abby asked, tears now trickling down her cheeks.
Elizabeth understood. She too, had almost died by ecstasy overdose when she was a teenager. She didn't know what to say, either. With the memories came tears. Both Abby and Elizabeth were now crying. Elizabeth walked over to Abby and pulled her into a hug. She pulled away as she spoke.
"I know how you felt. When I was fourteen I went through the same thing, only I overdosed on an amphetamine. I felt my parents would be in denial when I told them. They never really cared in my eyes back then. For me, too, it took a suicide attempt to put it into persepective. I for one, am glad I lived." Elizabeth explained.
Abby was shocked. She never would have suspected Elizabeth of being suicidal. At least now she felt that she wasn't alone. Now she had someone who completely understood. Someone who didn't pity her, only empathized.
"I'm glad I lived, too." Abby said, wiping her tears away.
"Aren't we all." Elizabeth smiled.
"Can we please get the examination over with? I just want to put this whole day behind me." Abby pointed out.
'Sure. I need you to answer some questions for me first." Elizabeth said.
Abby nodded and waited for Elizabeth to start her questioning. After a few very awkward minutes, it was done. Now it was time for the physical.
"Okay, great. Now could you just lay back for me and scoot down to the end of the table? Put your feet in the holders. Good." instructed.
Abby lay and watched as Elizabeth got everything ready. This was embarrassing for her, and probably awkward for , too. It would only take around ten minutes, but it was still horrible. Abby watched as Elizabeth came to stand at her side. She looked into the surgeon's warm and trust filled gaze. Immediately she felt better.
"Alright Abby, now I'm going to start. I'll talk you through it, okay?" asked.
"Sure." Abby replied.
Elizabeth gave Abby a reassuring smile and went to sit at the foot of the exam table. was true to her word, she talked to Abby through the entire process. Abby was nervous, and tense having Elizabeth touch her. just had one thing left to do, but found it difficult when Abby was so uncomfortable.
"Abby, I'm almost finished. Just relax, and it'll be over in a minute." Elizabeth soothed.
Abby took a deep breath and relaxed. Elizabeth found it much easier to continue after that. It was all over in a matter of seconds. Elizabeth had everything she needed. She put the tray aside and walked over to Abby's side again.
"Everything looks good. I've cleared you to go back to work. I've noted everything down in your chart. All I need to do now is remove your sutures. Can you sit up for me please?" Elizabeth asked.
Abby slipped her feet out of the holders and swung her legs back over the edge of the bed. This was much more to her liking. Elizabeth walked over to the cupboards in search of the necessary equipment to remove Abby's stitches. Once she had found it, she set it up and scooted her chair over to Abby's bedside.
"Are you ready?" Elizabeth asked.
"Definitely, I just want them out. They itch like crazy!" Abby laughed.
"Okay then!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
Abby watched as carefully unraveled the bandages. The wound looked much better now than it had a week ago. There was no swelling, and the redness was within normal limits. Elizabeth carefully proceeded to cut each individual stitch. It was an odd sensation. Not painful, just uncomfortable. Thankfully there were only three sutures. Soon, everything was done and Elizabeth gently re-bandaged Abby's wrist.
"You'll want to change the dressings once a day for another three days. After that it should be okay." said pointedly.
"Great!" Abby said enthusiastically.
"Alright. Is there anything you wanted to talk about?" Elizabeth asked, while filling in Abby's chart.
"No, I'm fine. Thanks anyway." Abby said.
"Good then. I've got to go, but I'll page Dr.Romano and he'll be here in a few minutes. Get well and hopefully I'll see you at work tomorrow! See you later." said cheerfully.
"Bye." Abby smiled.
As the surgeon walked out the door, Abby thanked God everything was turning out okay. Two down, two to go. As long as Drs. Romano and Legaspi gave her the all-clear, Abby was going to be waking up for horrendously long shifts again starting the following day.
Meanwhile, Carter sat in the waiting room. He was wondering how Abby was doing. She had been in the exam room for close to an hour already. Maybe they had found something, and needed to run more tests. Carter had observed Abby over the past couple of weeks, and hadn't found anything to prevent her from going back to work. He hoped they were just lost in conversation, for Abby's sake.
Abby was wondering how long she had been in the exam room. Carter was probably worried sick by now. Oh well, there were only a few test left to run. Then Abby would go see Dr.Legaspi, and wait for the board of doctors to give her a verdict. A few seconds later, Dr.Romano entered. Abby's head snapped up.
"Oh, hello Dr.Romano. You startled me." Abby gasped.
"Good afternoon, Abby. Sorry about that." He smiled.
Abby watched Dr.Romano curiously as he walked over and sat down to read through her file. He was nodding to himself. A few minutes later, he turned around to face Abby.
"Well, Ms.Lockhart, everything looks good so far. As long as I clear your labs, x-rays, and sonosite, you'll be fully cleared, medically. After that you'll see Dr.Legaspi and be well on your way back to work." Dr.Romano said pleasantly.
"I have my fingers crossed." Abby said hopefully.
"How are you feeling?" Robert asked.
"Do you mean physically, mentally, or both?" Abby inquired.
"Both. I mean, after the suicide attempt." He said quietly.
"Good. Physically, there's not much damage. It doesn't hurt, just itches to no end. Mentally, I've come to accept what happened. I'm happy I failed." Abby replied.
"That's great to hear, then. How about we get started on the sonogram, first. Just lay back for me while I go hunt it down." Dr.Romano suggested.
Abby laid back against the exam table for the third time that day. Dr.Romano left to find the sonosite. It's almost over she thought to herself. A couple minutes later, Dr.Romano returned with the portable ultrasound. He clicked the screen on and set everything up. He gently pulled Abby's gown aside and spread the transmitting gel over her diaphragm. Abby was transfixed at the screen as Robert slowly moved the transducer over her stomach. When he was finished, Romano wiped the remaining gel off of Abby's skin and helped her sit up.
"Everything looks great. No signs of hemmorhage or sclerosis. There is some residual tissue damage, but it will clear up over the next few months." Dr.Romano explained.
Abby nodded as Dr.Romano put the sonosite aside and filled in her chart. He then walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a lab kit. As he set up, Abby found she wasn't nervous any more. She had somehow gotten over her fear of needles.
"I'm going to get labs for hormone levels, CBC, chem 7, coag panel, HIV, creatine level, and serum." Dr.Romano listed.
"Wow, I thought it would be more." Abby whispered to herself.
"What was that?" Dr.Romano asked.
"Pardon? Oh, nothing." Abby said.
"If you say so. Stretch out your left arm for me, please." Dr.Romano instructed.
Abby did as she was told. Dr.Romano gently tied the tourniquet around her upper arm. Abby squeezed her hand into a fist a couple of times to make her veins more visible. Robert carefully palpated her forearm in search of a good vessel. Soon he found a good site. It was on the side of Abby's arm, where there were no tracks from previous draws and IVs, so he'd use a butterfly needle. First he cleaned the area with alcohol, and then counted to three before inserting the needle. It hurt more than the others. Abby's eyes began to water but after a minute Dr.Romano untied the tourniquet and pulled out the needle. After covering the site with a small bandage, he looked up and met Abby's tear shined eyes.
"Are you alright?" He asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Butterflies just hurt more than regular draws, and I'm terrible at handling pain." Abby laughed.
"Well, that's done now so you have nothing to worry about." Dr.Romano said and rubbed her back comfortingly.
"Except the results." Abby said quietly.
"I'm sure everything's fine. All I need now is a chest x-ray. Luckily I left the portable in here before, so we don't have to go down to radiology. Just lay back for me." Dr.Romano said.
Abby laid back and he slipped the film underneath her back. After Robert securely put on his lead vest, he instructed Abby to stay still and hold her breath untill he had gotten the picture. A few minutes later Abby was sitting up and Dr.Romano had the film in his hand. Now all that needed to be done was to send the labs off and get the x-ray developed. Romano quickly scribbled something down in Abby's charts.
"Okay, that's everything. You're free to go, Abby. While you're with Dr.Legaspi I'll get the lab results and films back. We'll discuss your case when you're done and let you know if you can get back to work." Dr.Romano said pointedly.
"Thanks so much." Abby said appreciatively.
"No problem. I'll go run these to the lab and let you get dressed. I'll page Dr.Legaspi and tell her to expect you. See you later." Robert said.
"Bye." Abby replied.
Once he had left the room Abby proceeded to get dressed. The surgeons had pretty much given her the all-clear. All she had to do now was convince Kim she could handle the pressures that came with working in the ER. Abby finished getting dressed and grabbed her purse. She walked aimlessly down the hall toward the waiting room. When she walked in Carter's head snapped up.
"Abby!" He exclaimed.
"Hey John." She said happily.
"How'd it go?" He asked excitedly.
"Very well. The surgeons pretty much say I'm fine. All I have to do now is go see Legaspi. After that, the four of them will review my file and tell me the verdict. Hopefully I'll be able to stop taking the meds, my blood pressure's dropped." Abby elaborated.
"Great! What are we waiting for, let's go up to psych!" Carter said.
"You seem more excited about this than me!" Abby joked.
"I'm just happy for you. You've wanted nothing more than to go back to work, and now you're so close to it!" Carter said knowingly.
"You're right about that." Abby said quietly before leaning in to kiss Carter.
The two of them kept close as they walked up to psych. They ran in to Dr.Legaspi outside her office. She surveyed them with a smile. Abby let go of Carter.
"Hey guys." Dr.Legaspi said.
"Hi." Abby replied.
"Good afternoon." Carter acknowledged.
"Alright, come on in Abby. Dr.Carter, if you'd just wait in the waiting room, please." Dr.Legaspi said.
"Sure. See you soon, Abby." Carter smiled.
Abby smiled back as she followed Dr.Legaspi into her office. It was funny because most people see psychiatrists offices to have those leather couches, but this was different. There was a desk, an office chair on one side, and two armchairs on the other. Dr.Legaspi walked over and dropped into the armchair. She motioned for Abby to sit down as she deposited a copy of Abby's file on the desktop.
"How are you doing?" Kim asked.
"Fine, and you?" Abby replied.
"I'm doing well. Now tell me, do you personally think you are ready to return to your duties? Working in the ER is high pressure, and I just want to be sure you can handle it." Dr.Legaspi said.
"I've never been more ready. I think it would be good for my recovery, so I have something to do to keep my mind off of my thoughts." Abby replied honestly.
"Mmm hmm, and what do you mean, thoughts?" Dr.Legaspi inquired.
"Even though I try not to think about it, I always have flashbacks of the incident, and the suicide attempt. It's not as bad as it used to be anymore, but I still don't like it." Abby explained.
"I see, but I think you need more time to come to terms with your experiences. How about nightmares, have you had any lately?" Dr.Legaspi demanded.
"Only one since the suicide. I fell asleep during the day while I was watching tv, but I think it was because I was watching Cold Case Files, and there was sexual assault involved." Abby said, trying to sound convincing.
"Maybe, or maybe you still haven't gotten past your feelings on the whole situation. I want you to describe everything that happened in both the kidnapping and the suicide, down to the last detail, to me. Trust me, it'll make you feel better." Dr.Legaspi instructed.
Abby sighed and nodded. Kim listened intently as Abby described the images very vividly. After a few minutes, she was finished. Abby took deep calming breaths to steady herself. It had been quite a difficult task to get everything out in the open, even after this much time. Never the less, Dr.Legaspi was right. The memories didn't scare Abby quite as much, knowing another person could see them and face them with her.
"That's terrible. How do you feel now?" Dr.Legaspi asked.
"Better. It's easier now." Abby said.
"I'm glad to hear it. Now tell me, how have you been sleeping lately?" Kim asked.
"Very well. There's not much else I've been able to do with Carter breathing down my neck to stay in bed all week." Abby laughed.
"Okay, and how about your appetite?" Kim continued, while scribbling in Abby's chart.
"Improved. At first I didn't eat much, but now I feel more like myself again." Abby replied.
"Good. Have you cried much lately?" Kim asked.
"No, only when I'm trying to explain my feelings, but even that's getting better. I think it's only because I find it hard to believe whoever I'm telling can understand." Abby reasoned.
"Well, pardon the pun, but I understand." Dr.Legaspi said sympathetically.
Abby smiled. She knew Kim understood, but still felt like her feelings were her own, and nobody could share them.
"Okay, that's everything. If you just want to wait outside with Dr.Carter, I'll talk everything over with the other doctors and we'll let you know in a few minutes." Dr.Legaspi said.
"Great, thanks." Abby said as she got up and left.
Drs. Corday, Romano, and Dorset had been waiting outside for Abby to finish. They smiled at her as she passed. Abby entered the waiting room to find Carter absorbed in an outdated copy of the Chicago Times.
"Hey handsome." Abby said.
"Hey. How'd it go?" Carter asked as he got up and hugged Abby.
"Quite well. I'm almost 100 sure I can go back to work tomorrow. I'm just waiting for them to talk over my case and give me a verdict." Abby explained.
"That's great!" Carter cheered.
Back inside Dr.Legaspi's office, the four doctors sat, arguing over Abby's charts.
"I think she should take another week or two, just to make sure she's fully emotionally recovered and ready to tackle the stress that comes with working in the ER." Kim pointed out.
"I think she's fine. She's in much better shape than she was a week ago, and it would be a good step for her to get back to something. She needs to stay occupied." reasoned.
"There's nothing medically wrong with her." Dr.Romano said.
"Unless there's strong evidence that she can't go back to work because of psychological trauma, she's going back." Dr.Dorset said firmly.
"Well, there's no sufficient evidence, but I still think..." Dr.Legaspi was cut off by
"Thinking is not good enough, there has to be proof. Abby can be taken off her meds today, and be back at work tomorrow. End of story." Elizabeth affirmed.
"All in favour?" Dr.Dorset said.
"I." The three surgeons said in unison.
"All opposed." Dr.Romano asked.
"Oh alright, she can go back." Kim said grudgingly.
"Excellent, I'll go talk to her." Elizabeth smiled.
Abby and Carter sat anxiously in the waiting room. He held her reassuringly. Abby prayed she'd be allowed to go back to work. Personally, she didn't see any reason not to be. A few seconds later, the door to the waiting room opened and Elizabeth entered.
"Abby, we've made our decision." said.
"And?" Abby asked nervously.
"We've cleared you. You can start work again tomorrow. Congratulations." Elizabeth smiled.
"Yes! Thank you so much!" Abby rejoiced.
Elizabeth was engulfed in a hug. Abby was crying happy tears. After she let go of , she went to embrace Carter. This was the best news she'd had in the longest time.
"Wait, there's more good news. You don't have to take your meds any more, and your labs came back free of any discrepancies." Elizabeth added.
"Awesome!" Abby squealed.
"That's great news!" Carter said joyfully.
"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow then, Abby." Elizabeth said.
"Bye. Oh, and thanks. For everything." Abby smiled back and left the room. Abby fell into Carter's arms and smiled into his chest. Carter held her and was extremely glad for her. They stayed like that for a few minutes before heading towards the ER to tell Kerry that Abby would be back at work the following day. As they walked, Abby thought about how good it would be back at work, something she never thought was possible.
When they reached the ER, Carter stood back as Abby was engulfed in a giant group hug. Haleh, Chuni, Lydia, Lily, and Yosh were the first to notice Abby. They ran at her to welcome her back. Shouts of oh my gosh, we missed you and how are you came from all sides. Weaver noticed the commotion and walked over. When the crowd cleared, after she yelled at them to go back to work, Kerry finally saw what all the commotion was about.
"Abby! How are you doing?" Kerry asked sympathetically.
"Fine. I'm came to tell you I'll be back at work tomorrow." Abby said.
"That's great! Sorry I have to go, see you tomorrow." Kerry said as she crutched away.
Abby smiled. On their way out of the ER, Abby and Carter were greeted by Luka, Susan, Dave, Mark, and Carol. After a few more rounds of we missed you and great to have you back Abby and Carter finally escaped the ER. They both laughed as they walked to the car. They'd drive home to change before they went for dinner at the Fiore Catalina. The two of them drove in a comfortable silence.
When they got home, Abby went to find something to wear, and Carter waited for her downstairs. Abby looked through her closet and decided on the dress Carter had bought for her on the day she got out of the hospital. She slipped into it, put on some makeup, a light spray of Alfred Sung, a silver locket, and brushed her hair. She put on a pair of black strappy spike heels to go with the dress. Abby looked at the white bandage around her wrist. It clashed horribly with her dress, but Carter would kill her if she took it off. Abby dug through her closet to find something to cover it with. She settled for a silken handkerchief she expertly tied around her wrist. After perfectly tucking the loose ends under it, she went to meet Carter.
Carter stood, leaning against the wall at the bottom of the spiral staircase. He looked up as Abby came down. She looked absolutely magnificent. Carter smiled and held out his arm as she joined him.
"You look so beautiful." Carter smiled as he leaned in to kiss Abby.
"Thanks. You look great, too." Abby blushed after they pulled away.
Carter silenced her with a kiss. The two stood, lips locked, for a few minutes. The sparks flew. Each one of them longed to spend the rest of their life with the other. After they pulled away, the couple walked through the door and down the front steps. Carter decided to let his grandmother's chauffer drive them to dinner in the towncar. He wanted to spend the entire evening with Abby, giving her his full attention.
A few minutes later they arrived at the Fiore Catalina restaurant. It was a beautiful night, and the waiter led them to a small table set for two out on the deck. Carter looked at Abby, glowing as she was bathed in the moonlight. Her smile could warm the coldest night.
"You look absolutely stunning." Carter said.
"You already told me that!" Abby laughed.
"I just can't say it enough!" Carter smiled.
They joked for a while before ordering. A wonderful looking plate of Pollo Giardino pasta sat before each of them, alongside a glass of Chianti Bocelli wine. It was a very enjoyable meal, followed by a dessert of Tiramisu. After dinner, Carter and Abby enjoyed eachother's company. They spent two hours talking about anything and everything. After a few more glasses of wine, they decided to be on their way. Both of them had 7am shifts.
The ride home was a short one. Abby leaned back on Carter in the back seat of the car and he slipped his arms around her waist. She closed her eyes and sighed contently. Carter was glad Abby could finally enjoy herself, and get back to a normal lifestyle. A few minutes later, they had arrived back at the Carter mansion.
Carter carried Abby all the way up to her bedroom and tossed her on the bed. She giggled as he flopped down beside her.
"We should get to bed, early shift tomorrow." Carter reasoned.
"You're right." Abby said.
Carter went to put his suit away while Abby changed. She washed off her makeup and hopped under the covers. Not long after, Carter came in. He crawled in next to her and pulled the covers up. Abby had set the alarm clock for 6am. That would give them an hour to wake up, get dressed, and get to work. It would be tough, but they'd make it. Carter switched off the lights and turned to face Abby. She snuggled up to him and he put his arm around her waist. Soon, Abby had fallen asleep. Carter watched her. She looked like an angel. He brushed some stray hairs from her face. Abby was so close to him, he felt her hot breath on his shoulder, and her rythmic breathing against his chest. It was so comforting, and reassuring. Carter was happy to finally have the old Abby back. He would never let anything take her away from him again. Till death do them part...
A.N.: What did you think of that one? I took a few days off this week, stupid cold... Oh well, it gave me more time to write. The outline for this chapter was full of cross outs and mix ups, but I got it sorted. I hope you like this one, I'll post the next one soon. In the meantime, tell me what you think, just click 'submit review' and type a few words! Love my readers, thanks for sticking with the story! Julia