Bad Karma
Carby. Something happens to Abby. How does it affect her life and her relationship with Carter? Read on to find out!
A.N.: I'm not the original author of this story. The original author is carby luva 313. She decided she didn't have enough time to write, so she's given me the honour of finishing it for her. I hope I'm doing a good job!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything and, although it seems physically impossible, it both sucks and blows.
Chapter 29: On The Beach
It was the morning after their Disneyworld trip and Carter sat with Abby eating breakfast. It was the perfect day for a trip to the beach. The sun shone brightly and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The air smelled of salt and rain. Abby let the breeze blow through the open balcony and ruffle her hair. Carter smiled at her as they ate. Abby was ready for a day of surfing, swimming, and parasailing. Carter was excited, but a little afraid. He shook off his nervousness and decided to enjoy life. Once they had finished eating breakfast, Abby and Carter both got ready to go.
Abby stood in the bedroom of their deluxe suite and got her things in order. She grabbed her beach bag out of her duffel and filled it with sunscreen, sunglasses, a towel, a sarong, a scrunchie, her wallet, and a few extra things. Carter was on the other side of the bed, doing the same. After they finished packing, Abby and Carter went down to the lobby of the hotel. They were going to head over to Daytona Beach for a day of watersports. Carter took Abby's arm as they walked out to the parking lot. They decided to walk a few blocks to rent a car so they would have more freedom in touring the scenic countryside.
A short walk later, they were at the car rental centre. Abby immediately fell head over heels in love with a black convertible. Carter smiled as he followed her gaze. He tugged lightly on her arm and dragged her inside. After all of the formal negotiations were taken care of, Carter was handed the keys to the car. He and Abby walked out of the building. Abby let go of Carter's hand and ran toward the car excitedly. Once she was close enough to the passenger's side door she sped up and, instead of opening it and sliding in, she vaulted the door and landed perfectly in the seat. Carter laughed as he caught up to her. He got in beside her and threw his bag into the back seat. Abby followed suit and buckled her seat belt.
A few seconds later they had left the parking lot and were cruising down the highway at a comfortable speed. Abby loved the wind blowing through her hair as they drove. Carter rested his hand on her thigh in between gear changes.
"Are you ready to go surfing?" Abby asked excitedly.
"Surfing I can do, it's the parasailing I'm worried about." Carter said, giving Abby a wan smile.
"Don't worry, it's not that bad. If you survived the rollercoaster, you'll survive parasailing." Abby laughed.
Carter shook his head and looked back out onto the road. After a while of driving, they arrived at the beach. Abby grabbed her bag and stepped out of the car. Carter did the same before walking around to the other side of the car and taking Abby's hand. He looked at her and leaned in to plant a soft kiss on her lips. Abby kissed him back and then pulled away. She tugged on his arm and started off toward the shack with the parasailing sign hanging over it.
"Come on, let's go!" She said ecstatically.
Carter rolled his eyes and followed Abby. He didn't know a single thing about parasailing, or surfing for that matter. Once they got inside, Abby took care of everything. She picked the beginner package. First they'd head out to the training area on the beach for a crash course in safety. Then they'd get their gear on and head out for the real thing. Carter got chills just thinking about it. The guide came out from behind the desk and ushered them both outside. Abby and Carter stood on the golden sand stripping off their clothes down to their swimsuits. The guide led them further down the beach to a wooden dock. There were numerous boats sitting idly in the water, and another wooden shack where the equipment was stored. The guide stopped walking and turned to face the couple.
"Stay here, I'll be right back." He said.
Carter and Abby nodded their understanding. A couple of seconds later the guide emerged from the equipment shack with another man. The man was younger, and fit, with a gorgeous tan. The guide looked back at the couple.
"This is Keanu, he'll be your instructor for the day. Good luck and have fun!" The guide said.
Carter and Abby smiled and waved him off as he ran back to the office before turning back to their younger guide. Abby smiled but Carter looked at him uncertainly. He couldn't be more than eighteen or nineteen years old. Certainly not old enough to be experienced enough to teach a class on parasailing. With that though came more worry. Abby squeezed Carter's hand encouragingly.
"Welcome to Daytona beach! As Mootai already said, I'm Keanu and I'll be your instructor. Is this your first time parasailing?" He asked warmly.
"Yes it is." Abby smiled.
"Alright then, let's get moving so we can get out there!" He said enthusiastically.
After an hour of reviewing safety procedures and how everything worked, they were ready to head out. Keanu went into the shack to get their harnesses and load all the other necessary equipment into one of the docked boats. He waved over to someone at yet another shack down the beach. The other man came running over.
"Abby, John, I'd like you to meet Kai, or as we know him, Captain Crass. He'll be driving the boat for us." Keanu smiled.
"Hello. Ah, first timers. I'll go easy on you, I promise." Kai laughed.
Carter gulped. Easy? Abby saw the look of terror on his face and pulled him closer. She smiled at him encouragingly.
"Now then, if you're ready let's head over to the dock." Keanu suggested.
"Yes, let's." Abby smiled.
Keanu and Kai turned and headed toward the dock. Abby proceeded to follow, but Carter remained firmly rooted to the spot. Abby gave an impatient tug on his hand.
"Come on scaredy cat! Trust me, you won't regret this!" Abby laughed.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Carter said quitely.
Abby rolled her eyes and pulled on Carter's hand again. This time he went, only putting up a little resistance. Once they reached the dock, Carter and Abby strapped on their life vests. They were thin and allowed for movement. Before either of them knew it, they were moving. They headed out of the little inlet and out into the open waters. Keanu looked at them and spoke.
"Okay, so who is going first?" He inquired.
Abby looked at Carter. He looked like he was ready to fall over, so she decided to go first.
"I will!" She said happily.
"Okay, step over here so we can get you harnessed in." Keanu said enthusiastically.
Abby stepped over to the other side of the boat. Keanu offered his arm for support as she stood. It was a difficult task to accomplish, considering they were speeding head on into the waves. A sudden, sharp turn caused Abby to lose her balance. Keanu caught her around the waist as she fell. Carter noticed the smile on his face and glared at him. If looks could kill. However, Carter trusted Abby. He knew she wouldn't make it anything outside of plationic. A few minutes later Abby was harnessed in and ready to go. Kai pulled the boat around and over to a long dock. Keanu helped Abby onto the dock and waited for her to reach the end before giving Kai the all clear. Abby ran a short distance before the full length of her rope had been reached and her feet lifted off the ground. She screamed excitedly as she rose higher into the air. Carter watched her enviously. How could she not be afraid? Abby laughed excitedly as she was pulled through the air. Keanu came over and sat by Carter.
"So what brings you to Florida?" Keanu asked an uneasy Carter.
"It's winter in Chicago. It's twenty below on a good day, with gale force winds. Besides, we need a break from work." Carter replied.
"What do you guys do?" He questioned.
"We're both doctors at Cook County General Hospital." Carter answered.
"Whoa, tough." Keanu said, bewildered.
"You don't know the first half of it." Carter sighed.
He then lifted his head and waved up at Abby. She was having the time of her life. If she was enjoying it, which she surely was, maybe he could too. Carter was glad they had taken some time off. Even though this might not have been the greatest idea, at least they'd come out of it with a tan, and, if he were to judge by the sun, it would be a tan to be envied.
Abby looked down at Carter and Keanu. They were having what seemed to be an interesting conversation. Abby was glad Carter was enjoying his holiday. Or at least, she hoped he was. It was Carter's idea to come to Florida, so all liability is placed on him. Abby looked around and admired the view. The ocean water was a shimmering blue green, and Abby could see the reef beneath them. There were schools of colorful fish everywhere, deflecting rays of sunlight making it look like the water was full of sparkles. The ride was all to short, and before Abby knew it her toes touched the warm, salty water. She came out of the water and into the boat.
As Keanu helped her off with her harness and parachute, Carter toweled her off. Abby reached into her bag and pulled out her sarong. She felt a little self-conscious just wearing her bikini around anyone but Carter. Keanu undid the final buckle on her vest and Abby stepped over to Carter. He put his arms around her waist and kissed her affectionately. The water on her skin was cold against his body, and the light breeze brought a chill. Abby hugged him tighter as he shivered slightly. After they pulled away, Abby sat down. Carter was about to follow suit when Keanu spoke.
"Oh no you don't. Come on, I'll help you get harnessed in and you'll be up flying with the seagulls before you know it." He laughed.
Carter took a deep breath, swallowed, and stepped over to Keanu's side of the boat. Keanu smiled knowingly as he helped Carter get the harness on properly. Kai turned the boat around and headed for the dock. Once Carter had everything on properly, he hopped out of the boat and onto the dock. He walked to the end and signalled he was ready. In a matter of seconds, he was in the air. Abby laughed and waved up to him. Carter shut his eyes. He didn't want to open them. Unfortunately, after a few minutes, his face started to hurt from closing his eyes to tightly and he had to open them. Carter was breathless at the sight. He was about a hundred feet in the air. Everything was beautiful. More to his surprise than anyone's, Carter found the experience enjoyable. Before he knew it, he was laughing. Abby had been right, it was great!
Back in the boat, Abby melted inwardly when she saw Carter laugh. This was a good experience for him. He needed to get out more. Abby cast her eyes back down to Earth when Keanu came and sat right across from her. She smiled politely at him. It was obvious he had a crush on her. Unfortunately for him, Carter was the only man Abby saw herself with. Not that she didn't crush occasionally. Abby was snapped out of her reverie by the sound of Keanu's voice.
"Did you enjoy the ride?" He asked warmly.
"Oh, definitely. It was great!" Abby exclaimed.
"Glad to hear it." Keanu replied.
Abby smiled at him once again. Before she knew it, Keanu had leaned in and kissed her hard on the lips. Abby pulled away sharply. She looked up to make sure Carter hadn't seen what happened. He was preoccupied with observing some dolphins splashing off to their starboard side to notice. Abby turned her head swiftly back to Keanu and gave him a cold, indignant look. Embarrassment was etched across his young features, and Abby's expression softened.
"You shouldn't have done that." Abby deadpanned.
"I know, I'm sorry. You're beautiful, Abby. John is the luckiest man in the world to have you." Keanu said apologetically.
"Thank you, but I'm luckier to have him." Abby said ruefully.
Keanu smiled and Abby turned her face back to look at Carter. She didn't dare look down again untill he had come down, which wasn't too long after.
The feeling of the cool water against Carter's hot skin was a welcome sensation. He took a deep breath when he broke the surface of the water and swam over to the boat. Keanu helped him into the boat and Abby shrank back into her seat. Once Carter's harness was off, he stepped across the boat and sat by Abby. She fell into his arms, albeit stiffly. She felt guilty about what she had let Keanu do to her. It was an unwelcome feeling, like the ones of remorse she had after her attack a few months earlier. Carter noticed her shying away and rubbed her back comfortingly. He decided she would talk about it once she was ready.
After a few minutes they reached the docking platform. Carter got up and stepped out of the boat. He offered Abby his hand and she took it. Once they got up onto the dock, Carter gathered their bags and they walked over to the white sand on the beach. After a few minutes Keanu and Kai walked over to them. Abby relinquished her hold on Carter and just went to standing close to him.
"Hope you guys had fun." Kai smiled.
"We sure did, thanks guys." Carter replied.
"Yeah, thanks." Abby said monotonously.
"Have a great vacation, see you!" Keanu said.
"Bye." Abby and Carter chorused.
Kai and Keanu waved them off as they walked away. Abby went back to holding on to Carter. Keanu had no idea of the effect he had had on her. Once Abby and Carter reached the car, Abby got into the front seat and started crying. Carter heard her quiet sobs and hurriedly got into the seat beside her. He held her close to him untill she calmed down a bit. Abby pulled away slightly and wiped the tears from her eyes. She took a deep, steadying breath and looked up into Carter's eyes.
"He kissed me." Abby said regretfully, expecting an angry reply.
"Who?" Carter asked.
"Keanu." Abby replied, taken aback at the softness of Carter's tone.
"How, when?" Carter inquired.
"When you were up on the parachute. I looked down for a second and he kissed me." Abby sobbed.
"Shh, it's okay." Carter comforted.
"No, it's not. It was wrong. I felt so used, so worthless. I didn't get any say in the matter. It was like being with Jack Conner all over again." Abby cried.
"Nothing could ever compare to that. Keanu didn't know what effect it would have on you. Mind you that doesn't make it right. Don't let him get to you." Carter reassured.
"I can't help it. It's a nightmare." Abby sighed.
"I can't even begin to fathom what you've been through, but I can assure you that things like this happen. It was violating, and it's perfectly okay for you to be upset by it. Just remember that I'm always here and that you can always tell me everything." Carter said softly.
"I know, I just wish my life could go back to being normal." Abby said wistfully.
"One day it will. This will all stop bothering you, I promise." Carter smiled.
Abby put her hand on Carter's chest. The fabric of his shirt was soft against her skin. Carter pulled Abby closer and held her tight, protecting her from all the evils of the world. Abby wiped away the last of her tears and slid properly into her seat. She buckled up her seat belt and looked at Carter.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go surfing!" She shouted excitedly.
Carter smiled and turned to face the road. He buckled his own belt and took off down the road. The wind blowing through their hair reminded them both of parasailing. Carter was glad he let Abby drag him out to do it. Abby still felt discouraged after what had happened back on the boat, but she decided to put it to the back of her mind and enjoy her day at the beach with Carter.
After another few minutes of driving along the coast, they reached a spot on the beach where they offered surfing lessons. Carter pulled into the parking area and stopped the car. Abby grabbed her bag and got out of the car, with Carter on her heels. They held hands and headed off toward the surf shack. Once they got inside, the girl at the desk arranged their rentals and lessons. Abby's and Carter's boards were both Sunberts. After all of their equipment was picked out, the girl led them out to the beach, where there were two instructors waiting. The girl led them over to the instructors.
"Abby, John, these are your instructors, Launa and Tai. Have fun!" The girl said and headed back toward the main building.
After waving her off, Abby and Carter both turned back to their instructors. They shook hands and exchanged greetings. After the instructors showed them where to put their things, Abby and Carter followed them out to the water's edge. The instructors turned to face them.
"There's no easy way to explain surfing, so the best way to learn how is to go out there and try. We'll be with you telling you what to do next every step of the way." Launa explained.
"Are you ready? Well then, come on!" Tai shouted.
Abby, Carter, Launa, and Tai all ran into the waves, carrying their boards. The water was pleasantly warm as the waves broke around their knees and splashed them up to the shoulders. Once they got out a little deeper, Abby and Carter were instructed on how to swim out to a good spot. They waited a for the perfect wave and the instructors showed Abby and Carter how to find their balance on the boards. On the first try Abby and Carter both failed miserably. Despite their failure, they were laughing. Carter was glad he had chosen Florida as their vacation destination.
After a few more tries, Abby and Carter were finally getting the hang of surfing. Carter could finally stand up and Abby could make it most of the way to the beach without wiping out. Tai and Launa were great instructors. Abby was glad that she got stuck with Launa as her teacher. At the moment she was still a little tormented by the thoughts of Jack Conner and Keanu.
Once Launa and Tai decided that Abby and Carter were good enough to be allowed to surf unsupervised, the foursome headed back to the surf shack. Abby and Carter collected their things. They had the boards signed out for the rest of the day. Launa and Tai put their boards away and came back over to Abby and Carter.
"So, what did you think of the lessons?" Launa asked.
"They were great." Carter and Abby replied in sync.
"Alright, not much more we can teach you. All you have to do now is go out and practice. Have fun and be safe!" Tai said.
"Thanks, see you." Abby smiled.
"No problem, bye!" Launa replied.
Abby and Carter waved Tai and Launa off. After the instructors had disappeared into the shack, they headed off down the beach to a more popular surf spot. After a few minutes of walking, they reached the perfect place. It wasn't crowded, and the waves were mild enough for beginners. They dropped their things and laid out their towels before running into the crashing waves. Abby and Carter swam out and glided back in on a great wave. It was then that Abby realized she hadn't eaten since breakfast. It was nearing three o'clock in the afternoon.
"Hey Carter, fancy lunch?" Abby queried.
"Oh, definitely!" Carter replied.
They dropped their boards off near their things and headed up the beach. There was a small hut that sold all sorts of things. Carter ordered them a couple of hot dogs and sodas. Once their food was ready, they carried it back down to the beach and sat down on their towels to eat.
"Beach food, there's nothing like it." Abby laughed.
"Except carnival food." Carter reasoned.
"You always have to argue with me, don't you?" Abby said mock-seriously.
"It's what I do." Carter assured.
They both laughed and finished eating. Neither of them cared about the 'don't swim one hour after you've eaten' rule. After all, they were adults now, they could set their own standards. Abby and Carter grabbed their surfboards and raced into the ocean. The waves were getting higher despite the receding tide. Abby was ready, but Carter was getting a little nervous. Abby was a natural surfer, but he, on the other hand, wasn't. Ignoring the warnings his better judgement was giving him, Carter followed Abby out.
They floated, sitting idly on their boards, waiting for the perfect wave. After a few more waves had passed, a good one was coming. Abby and Carter readied themselves and stood up at the right moment. Abby was doing great. She had ridden the wave and made it to shore. She turned back to look for Carter. After searching the seascape for a few seconds, Abby grew concerned. Carter was nowhere in sight. He had probably just wiped out and was hidden by the waves.
Out in the surf, Carter had hit a rock that was uncovered by the receding tide. He had come off of his board and hit his head, rendering him unconscious. Abby was still frantically searching the waters. If he had wiped out, he would have been in view by now. Abby dropped her board on the beach and ran back into the water. She swam out to where they had started and swam along the same course by which they had returned. She noticed Carter's bright orange and yellow surfboard floating on the water, but Carter was nowhere to be seen. She swam closer to the board.
"Oh my God!" Abby gasped.
Carter was under the water, which was turning a bright red from the blood spreading from the cut in Carter's head. Abby dove under the water and pulled Carter up. She took the leash off of his surfboard and attached it to her wrist. She pulled Carter up out of the water and laid him on the surfboard. He wasn't breathing. Abby ran back to shore with the surfboard carrying Carter in tow, yelling frantically.
"Help! Someone help!" She screamed.
A small group of young surfers ran over to where Abby had pulled Carter out of the water. Their eyes were wide with horror. Abby started hurriedly blurting out orders with tears in her eyes.
"You, call 911. Tell them we have a thirty year old male with a severe head injury. He's lost a lot of blood and he's not breathing. Tell them I've started CPR." Abby instructed.
The teen ran off and came back with his cell phone. He dialed the number and relayed the information to the dispatcher. Meanwhile, Abby was trying to single handedly give compressions and rescue breaths. She was crying and praying to God that Carter would be okay. After a few minutes, it was too exhausting to go on alone.
"You, what's your name?" She asked, pointing to one of the older teens.
"Lily. What can I do to help?" The girl asked nervously.
"I need you to give him two deep breaths when I say so, okay?" Abby inquired.
The girl nodded and placed herself at Carter's head.
"Good, when I give the order, you'll pinch his nose shut and form a tight seal around his lips, giving two slow breaths, just like I've been doing." Abby reassured.
The girl nodded again. Abby continued to do compressions.
"Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen. Breathe! Again." Abby ordered.
After a few more minutes of their attempts at recusitating him Abby checked Carter's pulse again. It was thready, but it was something.
"He's got a pulse!" Abby rejoiced.
"And he's breathing." Lily exclaimed.
"Thanks so much for your help, Lily." Abby said, relieved.
"No problem." Lily replied, a little shaken.
"Are you going to be okay?" Abby asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Lily smiled.
"Okay. If you need anything, or if you want to talk about it, here's my cell number. I know you've saved a life today, but it can still be difficult to deal with something so scary and sudden." Abby said, scribbling her number down on a piece of paper.
"Thanks." Lily answered.
Abby gave her one last smile and turned her attention to Carter. He was still bleeding severely.
"Actually, Lily, I still need you for a second." Abby called out.
"Sure." Lily said, returning to Carter's side.
"Hold this towel here and apply strong pressure to stop the bleeding." Abby instructed.
Lily took over holding the towel and did as she was told. Abby took another towel and put it under Carter's neck to hold it steady. She checked his dialation. His pupils were five millimetres and sluggish. Next she checked his plantar reflex. The reaction was delayed, but it was negative. So far there were no signs of permanent brain damage. Unfortunately, Carter still had only minimal responses to painful stimuli. His Glasgow coma score was about seven.
"John, can you hear me? If you can hear me squeeze my hand." Abby said softly, but sharply.
After a few seconds she thought it was hopeless, but she suddenly felt a tighter grip on her hand. She smiled in relief.
"Great. Now open your eyes for me." Abby instructed.
She waited patiently for Carter to open his eyes. After a few seconds, he managed it. He squinted in the sunlight, so Abby moved over a bit to shade his face. After a few more seconds, Carter spoke.
"What happened?" He asked groggily.
"Do you remember anything?" Abby asked gently.
"We were surfing. I remember losing my balance." Carter whispered.
"You wiped out and hit your head on a rock. You went into full arrest, but we got you back." Abby said.
"We?" Carter inquired.
"Yes, Lily and I." Abby smiled.
"Who exactly is Lily?" Carter queried.
Abby motioned for Lily to lean over from where she was holding the towel to Carter's head. Lily did so and smiled down at Carter. He smiled back weakly.
"Thank you." He said to the girl.
"You're welcome." Lily said shyly.
"Way for me to ruin our vacation." Carter said jokingly.
"You didn't ruin it, you just brought me back down to Earth from cloud nine." Abby laughed.
"Well then." Carter laughed weakly.
"Okay, now you have to tell me if your neck hurts. Any numbness, or tingling?" Abby asked.
"Stop playing doctor, I'm fine. It's just my head." Carter smiled.
"I just wanted to be sure." Abby said caringly.
"What happened to my head, anyway?" Carter questioned.
"Like I said, when you came off of your board, you hit your head on a rock which rendered you unconscious. You have a major scalp lac and you've lost about six units of blood." Abby elaborated.
"Whoa." Carter said.
After a few more minutes the ambulance arrived. The paramedics carried their equipment and a backboard down to the beach. Abby waved them over.
"How's he doing?" The first paramedic asked.
"He's doing well." Carter said sarcastically.
"Alert and responsive anyway." The other paramedic laughed.
"He's lost about six units of blood, no apparent neck or spinal injury. Suspected skull fracture, major scalp lac. We've managed to stem the blood flow with a towel." Abby said.
"What are your names?" Carter inquired.
"I'm Meg O'Sullivan, and this is Matt Harvey." The woman replied.
"How about you two?" Matt asked.
"Dr.John Carter." Carter replied.
"Abby Lockhart, med student." Abby informed them.
"That would explain a lot. How about you?" Meg asked.
"I'm Lily Campos." She replied.
"Lily helped save John's life." Abby said proudly.
"And I will be forever grateful." Carter smiled.
"Alright on my count we'll move you onto the backboard." Matt said to Carter.
A few minutes later they carried Carter up the beach and to the ambulance. Lily had accompanied them. When they were ready to leave, Abby came over to Lily.
"Thanks again for all your help, I couldn't have done it alone." Abby said with tears in her eyes.
"It's no trouble, really. I'll call later to see how you two are doing." Lily smiled.
Abby smiled back. She stepped over and hugged Lily. After that she stepped into the ambulance and Meg shut the door. Lily waved them off as they drove away into the distance. It was a day she wouldn't soon forget.
Inside the ambulance Carter was being given pain meds and was being carefully monitored. His blood pressure was low due to the amount of blood he had lost. His pulse was strong and steady, and his breathing was improving. He still had pulmonary edema, but the would give him drugs for that at the hospital. Tears were streaming down Abby's face as she held Carter's hand. He reached up to wipe one of them away and Abby kissed his hand affectionately.
"What's wrong?" Carter asked.
"I'm just so glad you're okay. It was horrible, I thought I might lose you for a while." Abby sobbed.
"I'll be fine now. We're heading to Misercordia hospital and I'll be good as new in a little bit. Surgery might slow me down a little, but life goes on." Carter smiled.
"I know, but today has just been a little difficult." Abby replied.
"There's always tomorrow." Carter reasoned.
At those words Abby smiled. The phrase was cliche, but somehow reassuring nevertheless. A few minutes later they arrived at Misercordia and were greeted by the ER department staff. Abby stood aside and watched as Carter was thoroughly examined by other doctors. Normally she was confident in her diagnostic skills as a med student, but this was an exception. She didn't want to make a bad judgement call that could prove fatal to the man she loved so much. A half an hour later, the doctors finally finished their survey. One of the doctors led Abby out into the waiting area to talk while Carter was taken for a computed tomography scan.
"Miss Lockhart, I'm Dr.Alberghetti from neurology. Right now his vitals are stable. The X-rays show a minor skull fracture that will heal by itself within a few weeks. We have to wait for his CT scan results to come back before we can determine if he'll need surgery. Neurological function is intact, no brain permanent brain damage is evident. We'll suture the scalp lac once he comes back from radiology. We're transfusing him with two units of O-neg. We've also got him on morphine for the pain. I'll let you know more once his results are in." She explained.
"Thank you." Abby replied.
Dr.Alberghetti smiled and left the room. Abby sat and laid her head back against the wall. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Carter was very lucky, and hopefully he wouldn't need surgery. It had been a long day. Before Abby knew it, she was asleep.
A while later, Abby felt someone shaking her. She opened her eyes and looked up at Dr.Alberghetti.
"How's he doing?" Abby asked groggily.
"He's sleeping. They've finished suturing his scalp lac. Twenty one stitches. The head CT came back negative. No bleeding, no swelling. We'd like to watch him overnight, but if he's stable tomorrow he can go home in the afternoon. Those stitches will need to come out in about two weeks." Dr.Alberghetti explained.
"Great. Thanks so much." Abby smiled.
"No problem. He got lucky. He's alive and he's got you to thank." Dr.Alberghetti reassured.
"One last thing. Where can I get some coffee?" Abby asked.
"Go sit with Dr.Carter and I'll bring you the coffee. You've had a long day I imagine." Dr.Alberghetti suggested.
"Yeah, thanks." Abby replied.
"He's in room 1-1042 down the hall and to your right." Dr.Alberghetti explained.
Abby nodded and left the room. She walked down the hall and found the right door. When she stepped inside she was careful not to wake Carter. He needed his rest. Besides, it was bad enough being woken up once every half hour for neuro obs. A few minutes later Dr.Alberghetti came back with Abby's coffee. She sipped it gratefully. After about fifteen minutes, a nurse came in to do neuro obs. Abby sat back as the nurse took everything down. Once she left, Abby came back to sit by Carter's side.
"Hey. How are you feeling?" Abby asked.
"I've been better, but I've also been worse." Carter said philosophically.
"That's... interesting to hear." Abby laughed.
"How about you?" Carter inquired.
Abby was taken aback. Carter was in a hospital, a giant gash in his head, and a skull fracture, yet he was asking how Abby felt. She smiled and spoke.
"I'm alright. It's just taking me a while to get over the shock." Abby said.
"You win some and you lose some. I'd say we won this one." Carter smiled.
"I'd say so, too." Abby replied.
Carter's eyelids were heavy, and he yawned. Abby smiled and stroked his cheek gently with her finger before planting a kiss there. She told him to get some rest. Once Carter was asleep, Abby went outside. The sun was setting on the horizon. The time was eight o'clock. Abby took out her cell phone and turned it on. Just in time, too. As soon as she turned it on, it rang. She flipped it open and brought it to her face.
"Hello." Abby said.
"Hi Abby, it's Lily." She replied on the other end of the phone.
"Hey, how are you?" Abby asked.
"I'm fine. I wanted to see how you were holding up. How's Dr.Carter doing?" Lily inquired.
"He's going to be fine. He's being discharged tomorrow. I'm alright, just drained. Nothing a couple hours of sleep won't fix." Abby smiled.
"Good to hear. Which hospital are you at?" Lily asked.
"Misercordia, why?" Abby said.
"I thought I might come by tomorrow morning to see how both of you were doing." Lily explained.
"That's sweet of you. Sure, come by tomorrow. He's in room 1-1042 for recovery. We'll be in the hospital untill about noon, so anytime before then. After that, if he's up to it, we can go out for lunch. It's the least we could do to thank you for saving John's life." Abby said.
"That would be great." Lily said politely.
"Honestly, you were great out there today. Have you ever considered a career in medicine?" Abby asked.
"Yes, actually. I'm in my last year of highschool, but next year I'm going to Yale to study medicine. Cardiovascular surgery, actually." Lily smiled.
"That's great! If you're ever in Chicago you should come by County General. There's someone you should definitely meet. Dr.Edward Dorset, the most talented and skilled cardiovascular surgeon I've ever had the pleasure of working with. He saved my life a few months back." Abby said nostalgiacally.
"What happened?" Lily asked interestedly.
"I tore a hole in my diaphragm and I was bleeding internally. He put it back together and got me through my recovery." Abby explained.
"I'm glad you're okay. I'll definitely come see you if I'm ever in Chicago." Lily said.
"Great." Abby smiled.
"Sorry, I have to run. You get some sleep and tell Dr.Carter that I wish him well. See you tomorrow." Lily said.
"Bye." Abby said.
After they hung up, Abby decided she would go back inside to see Carter one last time before going home for the night. She walked inside and made her way to Carter's room. A nurse was back doing obs again. Abby stood at the back of the room untill she finished. She glanced at the chart quickly before the nurse put it away. Carter was improving by the minute. After the nurse left, Abby walked over to Carter's bedside and sat down on the edge of the gurney.
"Hey again." Abby laughed.
"Hey." Carter said.
"I just got off the phone with Lily. She wishes you well. She's going to come by tomorrow morning to see you. If you're up to it we can go to lunch after your discharged." Abby explained.
"Sounds great, but I'm wearing a hat over these bandages." Carter replied.
"Oh but they're sexy!" Abby joked.
"Very funny. You should get some sleep." Carter suggested.
"I'll wait untill you fall asleep." Abby said.
Carter smiled and closed his eyes. Soon he had drifted off to sleep. Abby moved over to sit in the chair by Carter's bed. She held his hand and soon drifted off to sleep as well.
The next morning Abby woke up bright and early. Carter was still sleeping. After a few minutes a nurse came in and woke him as well. It was eight o'clock in the morning. The nurse took down Carter's obs and turned to Abby.
"Dr.Alberghetti will be in soon to do one last assesment, then if she's satisfied he'll be free to go." The nurse explained.
"Thanks." Abby replied.
The nurse left the room. Abby came back over to sit by Carter. He looked a lot better than he had the day before. Abby took his hand again and leaned in to kiss him. After they pulled apart, Carter smiled. A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and the nurse entered.
"Dr.Carter, you have a visitor. A miss Lily Campos." She said.
"Send her in." Carter smiled.
The nurse left and a few seconds later, Lily stepped into the room carrying an elaborate bouquet of flowers. She walked over to Carter's bedside and handed them to him.
"Hi. How are you doing this morning?" She asked Carter.
"Better. It's thanks to you that I'm feeling at all." He laughed.
"We were just waiting for Dr.Alberghetti to come and see John one more time and sign the discharge papers. After that we'll head out." Abby explained.
Just as Lily was about to answer, there was a knock on the door. A few seconds later Dr.Alberghetti stepped in.
"Ah, speak of the devil." Abby laughed.
"Good morning John, Abby. Oh, and who is this?" Dr.Alberghetti asked, noticing Lily.
"This is Lily Campos. She helped save my life." Carter said proudly.
"Really? It's nice to meet you." Dr.Alberghetti smiled.
"The pleasure's all mine." Lily replied.
"Alright Dr.Carter. I'm going to examine you and if I'm happy with the results, I'll sign off on your discharge forms. Would you prefer if your visitors waited outside?" Dr.Alberghetti inquired.
"No, that's fine. They can stay." Carter said.
"Actually, I'm going to go get some coffee. I'll bring Lily along, she can show me some of the city's finest cafes." Abby laughed.
"If you say so." Carter replied.
"I do. See you soon!" Abby exclaimed.
Carter waved to them as they left the room. Lily led Abby down the hall and out through the doors of the ER. They walked down the street, talking animatedly, to a small cafe. The sign above the window read Death By Chocolate. The two girls stepped inside.
"This is the best coffee shop in all of the United States. Trust me, I've been to all fifty states, and none of their coffee shops compare to this one." Lily marveled.
The girls walked up to the counter and both ordered chai lattes. Hot herbal tea with nutmeg, cinnamon, milk, and sugar. Abby soon discovered that Lily was right. She had had many chai lattes in her day, but none could hold a candle to this one. With their drinks in hand, the girls walked back to the hospital, sipping the hot liquid slowly. Once they got back, they sat outside Carter's room, waiting for Dr.Alberghetti to finish her examination. A few minutes later she appeared from Carter's room.
"That was fast." Abby commented.
"Neurological function intact. He's still mildly concussed, so I want you to check his obs once every hour tonight. The laceration is healing nicely. I'm satisfied for him to go home if you keep an eye on him. No travelling for a few days, no strenuous activities. Change the dressings twice a day, once in the morning, once in the evening. If you are at all concerned, call me straight away. I'll go sign the discharge forms while he gets dressed." Dr.Alberghetti elaborated.
Abby nodded and motioned for Lily to follow her into Carter's room. It was lucky that Carter had brought a change of clothes in his beach bag. Once they were inside they found Carter sitting on the bed, already changed. They all talked animatedly for a few minutes while they waited for Dr.Alberghetti to return. She came back with the signed forms and wished them well. Once they got outside, Abby led Carter and Lily to their car.
"How did this get here? I thought we left it at the beach." Carter asked.
"We did, but I called the rental place and they sent someone out to pick up the car and bring it here." Abby explained.
Once in the car, the three of them contemplated over where to go for lunch. It was still early, so Abby decided they could go for a walk along the beach. It was great dipping their toes in the ocean, feeling the breeze blowing through their hair.
Later that day Abby and Carter dropped Lily off at her house and wished her well.
"Keep in touch!" Abby smiled.
"I will, thanks! Feel better soon, Dr.Carter!" Lily replied.
Abby and Carter drove back to the hotel. It had been a long couple of days, but ones they would never forget. Maybe they could still salvage this vacation. They were going home in four days, but they could still have some fun.
The two of them changed into their pajamas and lay down to sleep. Abby took down Carter's neuro obs and changed the dressings. They lay, entwined in eachother's arms. Carter drifted off quickly. Abby was soon to follow. Both of them slept better than they had in a long time. Abby was glad that tomorrow would be another day. Another day to spend with Carter. Too bad their vacation was only a week long. However, they would be sure to make the best of it. Oh, there would be some great stories to tell once they got back to work, but all of them were worth telling again and again...
A.N.: Did you like it? Thank you to Caitlin, Kim, carbybubbles, hyperpiper91, and carbylover for reviewing the last chapter! Happy Easter everyone! Roses are red, violets are blue, tell me what you think, by clicking review! Love my readers! –Julia-