AN: Thanks for taking the time to comment. This chapter is a little short sorry about that.

Drawn Uncontrollably To You

Chapter 10

'Where's Abby this morning?' asked Luka the next day

'Weaver left a message saying Abby was under the weather and wouldn't be in for a couple of days' said Frank

'Doesn't sound like Abby' commented Carter 'She usually comes in even if she feels rough'

'That's what I thought, but Dr Weaver insisted, she was right'

Carter shrugged, he had planned on calling her last night but hadn't got round to it and figured he would call her later.

She woke to the sound of a monitor bleeping feeling woozy and drugged. She was vaguely aware she was intubated before she slipped into an unconscious state once more.

'Wasn't it one of yours that got shot yesterday?' the medical rep asked generally to the staff as she approached the desk.

'No I don't think so' said Frank 'I never miss a thing when it comes to staff here'

'Oh I must be mistaken'

'I'm sure that if one of us from the ER was shot yesterday we'd all know all the details by now' Carter added

The rep shrugged and began to get her products out of her bag, wondering why all the doctors left so suddenly.

'Doughnut?' asked Frank

'Sure why not' she replied

'We're going to move you to a private room as soon as possible' Fleur told Abby later that morning.

'Have I been here long?' Abby croaked, her throat sore from being intubated

'A little over sixteen hours. Do you remember what happened?'

'Bit's. It's kind of sketchy'

'Well you were caught in the crossfire twice, unfortunately. Your shoulder was hit and the other bullet lodged right side of your pelvis; lucky you didn't shatter the bone or suffer injuries to your organs. You lost more blood than we would have liked though'

'I can imagine' Abby replied matter-of-factly

'Do you want me to call anyone, your Mom perhaps?'

'God no. I tried, I mean I wanted to say that yesterday in the trauma room, but I wasn't sure if I was speaking or not'

'Oh yeah, it came out a bit garbled but you managed to get your wishes across, you said something about not calling your Mom or some guy called Eric'

'My brother' she told Fleur 'Did I say anything else?'

'You mumbled a bit about being pregnant and you still are'

'I am?'

Fleur nodded as her pager bleeped and she said to Abby groaning 'MVA, catch you later'

Abby gave Fleur a weak smile and shut her eyes.

Kerry sat at her desk in her office absorbed in her thoughts. Why had she insisted on Abby going on the ride-along? Kerry had ensured for her own benefit that only vital personnel knew about Abby. Kerry needed to cover herself. A bit like when she had treated the friend of Alderman Bright, which had gone so terribly wrong. Not that this with Abby was the same but still she felt partly to blame for what had occurred.

The Next Day

It was strange waking up in the hospital environment. It was quiet and still in her room and she could occasionally hear noises from the hall on the other side of the wall.

Her wounded body hurt like hell, she felt so weak, lifeless, drained. Looking out the corner of her eye she watched as the blood and D5W dripped down their respective tubes and into her system. She guessed she might feel slightly better if she started eating, but just the thought of food made her want to retch. Not that she had anything in her stomach; she hadn't eaten for nearly two days.

It was odd, this time here; she had, alone reflecting on her life and how close she had come to losing it. Maybe she was supposed to have this baby, this new life growing inside her. She still didn't know if it was what she wanted. It would be tough enough being a single mother let alone a single mother who was a second year resident, for that is what she would be by then.

Carter walked into the Lounge and stuffed his things into his locker when Susan came in.

'Hey Carter' she said 'Get hold of Abby?'

'No she wasn't in or answering her phone'

'Mmm well I tried her cell and she didn't answer that either. Do you think she's really sick?'

'The only other thing that went through my mind was that she's gone on an emergency mission to Minnesota, but why Weaver told everyone she's off sick for a few days' he shrugged 'I just don't know'

'I guess that sounds possible. But why didn't she tell me or at least you where she was going? I don't get it'

'I don't get it either, but sometimes that's just how Abby is' Carter answered

Cramping pains in her stomach awakened Abby and initially she thought it was her injury at the side of her pelvis. By the time she was fully awake she realised that it was not. She clasped the buzzer and pressed it, to call the nurse.

The minutes that ticked by felt like hours, she was stuck in the bed unable to move far. She had forgotten how many times she pressed the call button for help, still no one came.

Eventually she could see the tell tale crimson leak through the bed linen which was covering her body. She had known it was too late since she had first woken up, the nurse wouldn't have been able to do anything anyway. She felt cheated that the choice had been taken away from her. She had just begun to really think she could be a mother and now that wasn't to be. She gave up pressing the call button and turned her head away from the door biting back the tears, which formed in her eyes as she did so.