AN: Thanks for your reviews again I was astounded at the amount WOW!!!. Also thanks to a couple of you who reviewed my old stories, I'm glad you found them and enjoyed reading. I apologise if some of you are not keen on the idea of Abby and Carter dating other people, but just trying to make the story different from last time. Hope you continue to read.

Drawn Uncontrollably to you

Chapter 3

'Want to hold her?' Susan asked Abby

'Sure' said Abby and Susan carefully handed over her precious day old daughter, Megan.

Abby held the infant close to her placing her index finger in the baby's palm for her to grab with the palmer reflex which newborn babies possessed.

'She's heavy' commented Abby

'Tell me about it, almost 9lb's of her, takes after her Dad I guess'

'And how's Chuck?' Abby asked

'Happy, besotted'

Abby for some reason unknown to her began to think of Carter and made a mental note to have a chat with him later to see how he was coping with everything.

'And you?' Abby said 'How it is with you and Chuck?'

'Okay actually, living together seems to be working. I don't want to get married again or anything, not right now anyway. How's Ben?'

Abby took her time to answer this question she had known Susan would ask. 'Okay'

'Abby' Susan said

'What?'

'And tell me more'

'Oh, well we've been out twice'

'Second date rule?'

'I haven't put that into practice'

'Why not?'

Abby shook her head 'Not sure, I just don't want to jump into bed with him right now. It's been a while'

'Mmmmm' replied Susan 'Carter didn't have trouble sleeping with someone else when you two split. So what's stopping you?'

Abby shook her head and said 'I think Megan needs a new diaper'

'Don't change the subject' Susan replied

'But I really think she does' Abby bent her head and sniffed looking back at Susan and wrinkling her nose.

'Okay but I'm not finished discussing this with you'

Suddenly Abby's pager went off 'Saved by the pager' she said with a grin while Susan looked at her with an expression with clearly told Abby that her friend would not let this subject drop.

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There was a soft knock on the door and Carter poked his head around the door.

'Busy?' he asked Susan

'No, fed up being cooped up in here, looking forward to going home'

She was rather surprised to see him actually she thought he would avoid her and the baby lat all costs. Having thought that he did seem reluctant to enter the room.

'I'm alone' Susan told him hoping he would come in and visit properly. 'Chuck and Megan have gone for a walk down the hall' she explained

'Oh' mouthed Carter entering the room and shutting the door behind him. 'Not inundated with visitors then?'

'Not really Abby came by earlier, trying to get information of out her is like getting blood out of a stone'

At this Carter gave a small understanding chuckle. 'What she been up to now?'

'Not much by the sound of it, but she's been dating a new guy'

'Really?' Carter replied raising his eyebrows at her and assuming that Chuck and the baby would soon return he added 'I better get going' he backed slowly towards the door and added almost as an afterthought 'Congratulations and all that'

Susan gave him a friendly smile and then he was gone.

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Abby was rushed off her feet, that was life she guessed when you were an intern. She seemed to have been landed with all the patients nobody else wanted. She was looking up from her immensely elderly patient who had completely no idea whom or where he was let alone who she was, when she spied Carter. Remembering her thoughts from earlier she took the initiative and went to briefly talk to him.

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Carter ran a hand over his face and turned from his patient and headed into the lounge where he poured a cup of tepid strong coffee, which didn't do much for him if he was honest with himself.

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Abby was at the desk when Jerry said 'Ben on line one'

'Okay' she said to Jerry then into the phone she said 'Ben, hi'

'Wondered if you want to go out tonight?' he asked the tone of his voice hopeful

'No sorry not tonight I have plans'

'That are more tempting that a date with me?'

'Yeah, I'm seeing a friend I haven't spoken to for a while, not properly anyhow'

'Is this your pregnant friend?'

'No my pregnant friend is now officially a mother'

'Does your friend have a name?'

'Checking up on me?'

'Just curious'

'Carter'

'That's not a girlfriend'

'No, no it's not'

As they hung up he felt a pang of jealously.

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Despite all that had happened between them they sat looking over the river in a companionable silence.

Carter finally broke the moment, his curiosity getting the better of him. 'Susan said you had a new boyfriend'

Abby nearly chocked on her coffee and sputtered. 'I'd hardly define Ben as my boyfriend'

'That's not what Susan implied'

'We've been out twice' she clarified 'And no before you ask I haven't slept with him, I'm not the ER slut everyone thinks I am'

Carter replied by shaking his head, secretly pleased for some reason that she hadn't yet slept with him but also slightly jealous of a guy he had never met and finally surprised that she would tell him something like that. Something that was none of his business anyway.

'You haven't heard the gossip then?' she asked

'Who have you supposedly slept with?'

'You and Luka'

'Really they're calling you slutty for that?'

'Yeah... well..' Abby decided to change the subject 'So anyway we didn't come here to talk about me'

'We didn't?'

'No, we came here to talk about you. Don't look at me like that'

'Like what?'

'With that fake look of surprise that we might actually talk about you'

He couldn't help but grin at her; she was the only one who had the ability to cheer him up when he felt really blue.

They resumed their silence both finding the river particularly interesting.

'How's it going?' she asked after a while

His shrug spoke volumes more than an answer would have done.

'Carter? Have you talked things over with anyone'

'Not really, Luka a bit'

He looked at her, she could see that his face was not only etched with tiredness, but a fatigue which seemed to have robbed his spirit, maybe his purpose for life.

'You should you know, talk to someone properly'

'I'll get over it, right?' he said his gaze still intent on her.

'I don't mean me. That didn't come out right of course you can talk to me but what I meant was..... what about seeing someone who.... A professional'

'A psychiatrist?'

'No, I was thinking more of a counsellor, a grief counsellor'

'Nice idea but I don't think so'

'Why not? It might help, surely it's worth a try'

'I'm not broken' he said echoing her words of a couple of years back

The look she gave him told him that she disagreed with his last statement and then she said 'And I'm not going to fix you, you have to want to fix yourself, it has to come from deep inside you, no matter how much I want to see the old John Carter I once knew...' She just stopped herself telling him 'and loved' or to be more accurate 'the John Carter despite all his problems I still love'. But she knew that that was not a good thing to say right now. This now was about John not John and Abby.

He sighed looking out at the water and then sneaking a look at her out of the corner of his eye. She was staring into her coffee, wisps of hair falling over her face and he had a sudden urge to tuck the tendrils behind her ears, but he thrust his hands into the pockets of his pants instead.

'Everything's different to what I had planned' he finally told her

'Life's has a way of doing that you know' she answered still focusing on the coffee.

'I've noticed' he said wryly. 'I don't know what to do any more, about anything' he added

She looked up at him and he read the concern there in her eyes as she saw the hurt and pain in his. After what seemed an eternity they both looked away at the same moment.

'When you're ready, you'll ask for help' she said

He ran his fingers through his hair 'Help. I think I'm ready now'

'Then do something about it, to work through this. I know you can get through this. If you need me I'll be here for you' she told him 'If you ever need me just call'

'Even if you're with Ben?'

'Yes'

They lapsed back into their pattern of silence each evaluating what the other had said, Abby wondering if she had pushed too far and Carter asking himself if he was ready to dig himself out of this hole he had fallen into.

She sighed and moved to stand up. 'I ought to get home for some sleep I'm on in eight hours for a 36 hour shift'

'I'll walk with you to the El' he said standing up and walking alongside her.

She turned when on the first step of stairs leading up to the platform and surprised him when she spontaneously drew him into a warm embrace. He couldn't help at wonder at the changes in her and his arms automatically snaked around her small frame and he pulled her close.

She saw the same expression in his eyes as he had had at the river. He on the other hand was completely unaware of the love for him shining in hers as they broke apart and she headed up the stairs alone, leaving him standing at the bottom staring after her.

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