Well thanks to all of you that have reviewed. I wasn't sure where I was going to go with this but now I have a few ideas. This is my first attempt at a fanfic and I'm really enjoying it. Just wish I had more time to spend on it. Please read and review.

Three days later

Carter charged out the hospital main entrance, the doors rebounding violently. He had to get away. Away from the noise, the chaos and the stress. Hell he was due a break anyway. He started running. He needed to be alone, to calm down and to think.

Moments later he found himself at the river, the calmness of the water doing nothing to ease his mood. He was furious. He knew he'd over-reacted but he didn't care and strangely it felt good. The emotion made him feel alive.

He thought back to what had just happened. It was stupid really. Morris was just doing what he thought was right. A nine year old girl had been brought in by paramedics with a gun shot wound to the shoulder. At first it seemed she was lucky the wound was only superficial. Carter had joined Morris, Abby and Halle to check on the child and ordered Morris to clean her up and treat the wound but half an hour later she had arrested and after 45 minutes of trying resuscitate her, she had died. Morris had failed to present the full story to him. He had not told him that as the girl was shot the force of the bullet had thrown her in to the air smashing her back against a book case which then collapsed on top of her. This had caused internal injuries and she had haemorrhaged before they were able to treat her.

"Hey"

He turned to see Abby standing behind him. How long had she been there? And for a moment he just stared at her.

"Hey"

"Are you OK? What happened back there? She tilted her head questioning, wisps of her hair blowing in her face and she tried to push them out of her eyes.

"Nothing, apart from a kid has just died that we could of saved"

"You don't know that"

"Yes I do. I should have saved her"

"It's not your fault Carter. OK, Morris should have given you the full history straight away, but we were all examining her, she had no indication of internal injuries when she first arrived."

"No. If he had told us her history we would have done an ultrasound sooner. We would have checked more thoroughly" His voice was rising now but he didn't care. "I'm sick of putting up with him, he's sloppy, he's cocky and he shouldn't be a trauma room when he doesn't know what the hell he's doing!"

"Carter! Abby yelled back. She took a deep breath and sighed. "Morris could be a better doctor I'll give you that, but screaming at him and storming out of a trauma will not help the situation." She pauses looking at the water not quite ready to meet his gaze. Slowly she looks up at him, touching his arm.

"What's this really all about Carter?

He doesn't respond.
Abby nervously stares at her foot, lightly kicking a loose slab in the paving. She had been trying to talk to him about this for the past few days but there had never been a good time. Taking a deep breath she adds "We all know you having a rough time Carter. You need to get help, you need to talk about this, and stop the drinking. And after a paause she added "It's been three months Carter"

"Two and half actually" he spat bitterly and I'm sorry if I haven't been my usual jovial self lately Abby."

"Carter that not what I..."

His voice dripped of sarcasm as it rose, not letting her finish " And you'll have to forgive me if I'm a little short with people sometimes it's just that I have been a little distracted lately. Having you life fall apart and everything you care about gone... " His voice broke and he couldn't finish. His breathing was heavy as he tried to regain his composure. Not giving in to the emotion welling inside him he leans forward, calm now and inches from her face.

"And you of all people Abby can not lecture me on how my personal life and my drinking effects my work. I seem to remember not so long ago a sad drunken loser losing grip for a while there too".

Abby stared at him wide eyed, stunned by his words. She couldn't believe he had just said that. She was routed to the spot in shock, then slowly she turned and walked away.

What do think? Lots more to come...