Chapter 21: Super Doc

3:00PM, County General

"Abby!" an annoying high pitched voice called out. Abby continued speed walking down the hall with Wyatt towed on her back in the baby carrier backpack. "Abby!! I can't have this!" Kerry continued whining and following Abby. "You're a doctor not a babysitter! Stop playing super doc!" Kerry added.

Finally, realizing that Kerry wasn't going to stop, Abby turned around. "Kerry, I'm sorry. I didn't have anyone to watch him" Abby explained.

"That's not an excuse. Where's Carter?" Kerry replied.

"Uh...he's on, too," Abby replied, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Ok, I'll let it go this time… But just don't make it a habit" Kerry said in an almost sympathetic tone before running after Pratt who was flirting with a patient just down the hall. Abby sighed in relief then went into exam 2.

"Hi, Amanda, I'm Dr. Lockhart" Abby greeted the little girl on the patient bed.

"She has a rash" the girls mother interrupted as Abby was about to speak. "See? It's just here" the mother continued, in a worried tone, and she pointed to the rash on the girls arm.

Abby walked over to the side of the bed to examine the rash. "How long has she had it?" she asked, still looking at the rash.

"Uh…two weeks maybe three, "the worried mother responded.

"Mmm hmm, gets dry, flaky, it itches, and comes and goes?"

"Yeah," the little girl said, surprised.

"Eczema", Abby said taking her gloves off. "You have a case of eczema."

The mother looked up in worry, "Oh my God! What is that? Is it bad??"

"No, she's just got a minor case…I'm going to give her some cream to put on," Abby replied.

"And that should clear it up?" the mother asked.

"Uh, yeah. She needs to apply it twice a day. In the morning then at night. It should clear up within a week, and if it doesn't you can bring her back in," Abby assured the mother.

"That's it?" the mother started again.

Abby turned from the door, "Yeah, you're free to go," she said, then left the room.

Her eye caught Carter passing by, so she followed him into the lounge. She opened the lounge door and saw Carter pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Hey," she said, leaning in for a kiss. As the couple locked lips Wyatt, who was still strapped on Abby's back began to fuss. "Ugh," Abby groaned braking away from their kiss.

"He's probably just hungry," Carter said, unbuckling Wyatt from the baby backpack.

Carter held the baby while Abby searched the fridge for the bottle she left there earlier. Carter held the baby up to his face, touching his nose with his own. This made Wyatt giggle and smile.

"Here, Abby said, nudging Carter's arm with the milk-filled bottle.

He took the bottle and gave it to the baby. Wyatt held the bottle up on his own as Carter sat him on the couch next to his mother.

Abby smiled at the baby, who took the bottle out of his mouth to smile back at his mother. She pinched his nose playfully before getting up. As she was about to reach for the door, Carter grabbed a hold of her hand and ran his finger over the engagement ring. Abby smiled lovingly and left the room.

"Abby?" a timid voice called out from behind her. Abby turned around just enough to see Maggie following her. Abby rolled her eyes and sighed, annoyed.

"Abby, please" Maggie continued. "Please…Abby...wait" Maggie pleaded. "I want to talk to you, I'm sorry."

Finally annoyed to her last nerve, Abby turned around in fury. "For what?!" Abby yelled out. "What are you sorry for now?" Abby added. Maggie opened her mouth to speak up Abby cut her off "Sorry for what? F-for screwing up my life every time you show up? For coming back to try to screw my child's life up too?"

"Ab-" Maggie was cut off.

"NO!" Abby yelled. "I'm not gonna let you do this! I'm not gonna let you back in to mess up everything I've worked so hard for! My career, John, my child! I don't want to ruin any of that!" Abby argued as she stormed into the restroom, tears forming in her eyes.

"Abby, what's wrong?" Susan said asked as she dried her hands.

Abby didn't answer. She went to the sink and turned the water on to wash her face. After flushing her face with water she dried it as Susan watched in concern waiting for an explanation. She threw away the paper towel and looked up at Susan.

"All my life...I've searched for someone or something...stable," Abby said, her voice raspy form yelling at Maggie. "And now that I've found it …in Carter and in our child...and in myself….."

"Is this about your mother, Abby?" Susan interrupted.

"She thinks she can just show up and mess it all up," Abby continued.

"Abby your mother can't take Carter away from you, and she sure as hell can't take Wyatt or your career away" Susan assured.

Abby looked down with tears welling up in her eyes again. "But John…there's gotta be a point…a breaking point when he says to himself 'I don't----'" Abby was cut off.

"Abby stop it" Susan said. "Stop… You have a child with him! That bonds you together forever...no one can change that. And I know Carter; he won't ever give up on you and the baby and even your mother. No matter how tough it gets, that's what marriage is Abby! Not giving up, through thick and thin, death and birth, sickness and health, for poor or for rich, you stick together through it all. Even your mother."

Abby looked down at the ring on her finger and gave out a sigh and shy smile. "I'm not so sure marriage is the best for us" Abby said.

Susan looked up in shock. "You're backing out?" Susan asked in a high whisper

"I don't know" Abby replied.

"Abby, he loves you" Susan assured her…

Abby stayed silent for a moment then looked to Susan, "I think he feels obligated to because of Wyatt" Abby said, wiping a tear from her check.

"Ok, I gotta go get back to work. But we're gonna talk about this later," Susan said on her way out.

The lounge:

Abby walked into the lounge, "Where's Wyatt?" Abby asked walking up to carter.

"He's asleep" he replied looking over to the sleeping baby on the couch. "What's wrong?" he then asked, trying to make eye contact with Abby.

Abby didn't respond. She walked into Carter's chest and wrapped her arms around him; he did the same.

The couple stood holding each other for a moment that seemed to last forever. Finally Abby broke the embrace and brought her hand to the sides of his face. She looked in to his eyes for a moment, then leaned in and kissed him. Carter returned the lover's kiss. While the couple locked lips neither of them noticed Maggie watching on from the window in the hall. She watched the two share another kiss. She smiled then left and walked through the ER doors for what she didn't know would be the last time.

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