Disclaimer: Surprisingly I don't own anything! Lyrics from "Rumor Has It".

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Season 10

Authors Notes: It's summer but I seem to have less time to write than I ever did before. Thanks for all the great feedback, it's really appreciated.

When All Hope Is Gone

December- New York

"Abby, come on, our plane leaves in 30 minutes." Mikael stood in front of the elevator door with their luggage, waiting.

"Coming, coming, sorry." Abby jogged over to where he was standing. The elevator door made a ding as it opened to let them enter. She helped Mikael push their luggage through the doors. It had been months since Sam had told them about the engagement, and it felt that way, the months leading up to tomorrow seemed to go by slowly. Now she was finally going back...home? Did it seem right to call it home? She looked over at Mikael who was busying himself getting the straps off the luggage. Nope, here was home, here with Mikael and their two bedroom apartment in Manhattan with a mixture of both of their furniture. Home was where they both worked countless hours and went to the movies and dinner. Home, here in New York, was where they were going to start their lives together. Abby leaned over and kissed Mikael on the forehead before the doors finally dinged open again, allowing them to make a run for their terminal. They ran to the security check-point, thankfully able to skip obtaining boarding passes since they already did that online. Technology, Abby marveled.

Once they found their seats and were settled down, with only moments to spare, Mikael took her hand in his. "You excited?" He watched the expression on her face.

Abby smiled at him. "Kind of." She paused. "You know, I haven't anyone in months. And now I get to see them, on my best friends wedding no less. It's sort of....overwhelming, to tell you the truth." She gripped his hand tighter.

"I'll be there though, whenever you need me. I love you Abs" He leaned over, kissing her on the top of her head, inhaling the scent that was only hers.

"Thank you. I love you too." She rested her head on his shoulder, preparing for liftoff.

It musta been the roses and the wine

Or maybe this, unexplainable smile

They say, where there's smoke, there's fire

Well I hope it's true

Cause rumor has it, you love me too

Yes you do, I heard it too


December- Chicago

He pulled his wallet out of the pocket of his pants. "Two Twenty-Nine sir." Carter nodded at the man behind the counter. Flipping open the wallet, a picture caught his eye. Abby. From the camping trip. "Sir?"

"Sorry." Carter handed the man his money and took his coffee off the counter, making his way to an empty table to sit before heading home for the day. He'd been at the hospital since 5 in the afternoon yesterday. He glanced at his watch, 5:26 pm. Carter sighed, knowing he needed to get home to sleep before the wedding tomorrow. He opened to the picture of Abby and him again. He could remember clearly when it had been taken.

"Jooooooooohhhhn!" Abby yelled.

"What Abby?" He came over to where she was standing on the dock holding a bucket.

"I can't get water." She whined again.

"Abby, you gotta go down there," He emphasized by pointing to a spot of dirty land that led into the water a little further down the river. "to get water. You can't get water from up on a dock. It's too far of a reach, you'll fall in or something." He stood there watching her sitting on the dock, holding the bucket and looking at the water, as if staring at it was going to make the water jump up into the bucket. "Come on, I'll help you." He reached for her hand, but stopped, holding onto her elbow.

"No, let me try just one..." Abby started as she reached back into the water. "more...time..." In a split- second they were both hitting the cold water. It took a minute before Carter realized what was happening. He surfaced, grabbing a hold of Abby and holding onto her tightly.

"Are you okay?" She looked about ready to cry. Carter rubbed her back to soothe her.

"I just..." Abby gulped, pushing her hair back out of her face. "I just wanted to get some water to put out the fire later." Sniffling she looked at her surroundings. Her arms were around his neck and her legs around his waste.

"Hey, it's okay." He moved through the water with her. He chuckled. "It's funny actually." Laughing harder when he noticed her joining in. They stood there a moment laughing at the situation.

"Smile!!" They turned around to see Susan standing on the dock with a camera in hand. They smiled as Susan took the picture. "What are you two doing by the way? We've been waiting for that bucket of water for twenty minutes."

"We decided to go for a quick swim." Carter teased sarcastically.

"Yeah I bet, in your clothes no less." She came to the edge of the dock, looking down at the pair. Her eyes traveled to the bucket, now floating atop the water. She snickered. "And a bucket."

"Okay, okay, we fell in." Carter moved, hoisting Abby onto the dock before getting water in the bucket. Susan stood there a moment in hysterics before she turned to walk away when Carter handed her the bucket.

Looking back at the pair now sitting soaking wet on the dock together she added, "Well in that case, I'm glad I brought my camera." Shaking her head she walked back to camp.

Carter shook his head and looked into his coffee cup which was now empty. He stood, grabbing his stuff he walked out the door.


Sam and Luka's Wedding Day

"I'm so nervous. But excited at the same time. You know?" Sam looked to Abby for confirmation.

"Nope!" Abby smiled at her friend who was now dressed in her white flowing dress. "But I can imagine. It's the rest of your life. You and Luka are perfect for each other. And I'm so happy for you. Okay..."Abby turned so Sam could look at herself fully in the mirror.

Sam admired herself for a minute. "Well...um...so...something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue." She bit her lip.

"Okay, the garter is blue. New is the dress. You borrowed the shoes. So, something old?" Abby walked over to her bag.

"Oh no! I'm missing something old!" Sam looked around the room, trying to figure it out.

"Here." Abby handed Sam a box. "Came from an antique shop in Soho." She watched her friend open the box.

Sam gasped as she looked inside. "Oh...Abby...it's beautiful!! You didn't have to, really, you didn't. I love it!"

"Really? Good. It was made 100 years ago." Abby laughed. "So if that's not old, I don't know what is."

She pulled the necklace from the box, unclasping it. "Would you help me please?" Handing the necklace to Abby she turned and looked in the mirror once again. A soft knock was heard at the door.

"Come in?" Abby responded, smoothing her purple satin dress. The door cracked and Mikael appeared. "Hey hun."

"Hey baby. You two almost ready? They're waiting. Almost time to start." He hesitated at the door, in awe of Abby.

"Oh, yeah we're ready. We'll be out in a minute." She glided over to him. "You look so handsome." She whispered in his ear.

Mikael kissed her. "And you're absolutely beautiful Abs. See you soon." He whispered back, then turned to Sam. "You look beautiful Sam, congratulations."

"Thanks Mikael." Sam waved as he shut the door. "He's great Abby. I'm glad you found someone. You seem really very happy with him. In fact I don't think I've seen you this happy."

"I am. I'm so in love with him." She gushed. "Come on." Abby took Sam's hand and led her out to the doors of the sanctuary. Carter and Sam's parents were already standing there when they arrived.

Carter held her eyes for a few moments before she said something. "Hey John."

"Abby." He breathed. "You look...great. I mean, you know." Stumbling on his words, he fidgeted with the hem of his tux.

"Thanks, so do you." She stepped forward. "I've really missed you."

The smile was apparent in his eyes before she could see it on his face. "I've really missed you too." He held his arms open to her. She fell into them. A perfect match, he remembered. The smell of her hair, the softness of her skin, her touch, her mannerisms, her. It all came flooding back to him.

Like Carter, Abby was lost in the embrace. It had been so long. The last time he had held her was in the airport, just before she left. Just before she met Mikael. Mikael. Abby stepped back. Giving Carter a small apologetic smile, she turned her attention to the church doors. They opened, cueing the music. He offered his arm to her, and she took it, stepping into the sanctuary with him. This feels right, Abby thought as they walked arm in arm down the isle. This would be right. If Kem hadn't come into the picture. Now he was with her. Abby glanced at him. He was staring at her. Maybe he feels it too. Her attention was snapped back to reality when she heard a soft clearing of the throat to her right. She looked down. Mikael. Her smile became wider as she passed by him. Carter noticed. He turned his attention to the left of him, looking for Kem. He spotted her. She grinned at him, and he forced his smile wider. It wasn't that he didn't love her, he did, he just, wasn't IN love with her. But she's carrying my baby, he reminded himself.

"You may kiss the bride." The preacher said as Luka leaned in, kissing Sam. The guests cheered. Abby looked back at Mikael, she could feel him staring at the back of her head for the past ten minutes. She waved, and smiled, as she got up and followed Luka and Sam out of the church. Taking her hand, Mikael joined Abby as she stopped at his pew.

"You looked fantastic up there Abs." Mikael kissed her temple, leading her out of the church.

"Thanks. It was a beautiful wedding, wasn't it?" Abby looked back for Carter. He was behind her and gave her a tight smile, holding onto Kem's elbow. She smiled back, sympathetically.

"You want to wait here while I bring the car around? So you don't have to walk in those shoes any longer. Or I can always carry you." He winked at her.

Abby laughed. "Nah, I'll wait here, you might break your back."

"Doubt that. I'll be right back." Abby watched Sam and Luka get into the limosine that would take them to the reception. Carter and Kem stood next to her.

"I'll bring the car around. Be back." Carter stepped away, leaving Kem and Abby to stand there.

They stood in silence for moments before Kem turned to Abby. "I know he still loves you." She waited for Abby to respond, but then must have decided not to when she continued. "I lost the baby. Miscarried. But I haven't told him yet. Was waiting for the day when he realized that maybe he loved me as much as he loves you. But then I had to face reality. He's never going to." Abby stared at her as she looked across the street. "Don't worry." Kem added, looking back at Abby. "I'm going to tell him, before I go back home."

Abby continued to stare at Kem, stunned, until Mikael broke the silence. "Ready?" She nodded, wordlessly going with him.