Title: Abby who?

Author: AnnaSun

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimers note: I don't own ER but I do this fanfic

Chapter 9

Author's Notice: I'm no Doctor so I may be wrong about some medical terms. I hope you enjoy reading it.

Abby woke up later with Carter at her side. She yawned and decided to try and sit up. Her whole body felt heavy and her head was throbbing. She reached over and grabbed a glass of water, taking slow slips of it. Her throat was parched a little. Carter was still asleep so she lay back against the pillows and waited for him to wake up. In only a short while Carter began to wake up. His eyes fluttered and when he opened them Abby was looking at him.

"Hey." She said smiling.

"Hey." Carter replied back "Feeling any better?"

Abby nodded.

"A little. My head is throbbing though."

"Yeah you'll be heading for a head CT soon. We need to check you haven't fractured your skull or got any haemorrhaging. How's your breathing?"

"Better with the oxygen mask on." Abby replied.

"Good to hear."

Abby removed her mask and gave Carter a long kiss on the lips.

"I love you. Thanks for looking after me."

Carter smiled widely.

"I love you too Abby."

Susan walked into the room and smiled at both Carter and Abby.

"I need to take you up for your head CT now. Okay?"

"Yep I'm ready." Abby replied smiling.

"Good."

Susan took Abby up for her head CT and Carter went to find some coffee.

"There is no sign of a skull fracture or haemorrhaging." Susan said, observing the scans. "Everything looks normal to me."

Carter nodded "I agree. At least that one thing Abby won't have to worry about."

Susan smiled.

"I'm going to Doc Magoo's for some coffee. Want to come?"

Carter shook his head.

"I'm going to stay with Abby and keep her company."

Susan smiled "That nice. See you later."

Carter went back to Abby's room. She was sitting in bed reading a book.

"Hey Abby. Do you remember seeing anyone come and poison you at all?"

Abby thought for a bit.

"I remember someone coming into the room. I thought it was a nurse but I was so tired I didn't really open my eyes up enough to see. Since then I started to feel ill. Do you think the men did it to me? The guys in masks?"

"Maybe. Let's just hope it wasn't them. Remember you're safe here with Susan and I."

Abby nodded "I know and I'm grateful for that."

"Anyway how's your appetite? Feel like eating anything?"

Abby shook her head.

"My stomach still feels unsettled."

Carter nodded "Just tell me when you feel hungry and I'll get some food brought up. What are you reading?"

"Oh Susan let me borrow this book. It's quite good. It's about a girl with Aspergers Syndrome. Have you heard of that? It's a form of Autism?"

"Yes I have. What made you want to read that?"

"Oh a girl with Aspergers came in a while back and I wanted to find out more about the condition. You should read it sometime it's very interesting."

"Maybe I will. Now I need to check your blood pressure and temperature."

Carter checked Abby's blood pressure and temperature.

"Good news. Your temperature has come down. Your blood pressure is normal which is good also."

Abby smiled.

"That's good to know. I wish I could go home. Having that seizure has started off new problems for me which will mean I'll have to stay in here longer."

"I know but you need to be 100% well before you can be discharged."

Abby sighed.

"I'll forget how to walk at this rate!" She laughed.

Carter laughed with her.

Abby yawned.

"God these drugs make me sleepy."

"Why don't you go to sleep then? I'll get something to drink and come back. Alright?"

Abby nodded and closed her eyes.

Abby woke up again later that morning and found Carter wasn't there. She tried to sit up but felt her chest tighten slightly. She shifted around trying to remove the tightness but couldn't. She decided to go find Carter and started to clamber out of bed. She staggered to the door holding her chest as the tightness increased. It was getting more and more harder to breathe and she started to feel faint. She wished she hadn't taken her oxygen mask off before falling asleep. She made it into the corridor and half way down the hall. She couldn't go any further before she had to sit down. She sat down on the floor, taking in deep breaths. Carter came around the corner and nearly walked straight into Abby. He saw her sitting on the floor and immediately dropped to her side.

"Abby why are you sitting down here?"

"Tried." Abby choked out, her breathing laboured. "Tried…to…find…you."

"Okay Abby let's get you back to bed so I can check you out okay?"

Abby nodded and Carter helped her up. Abby's hand flew to her chest.

"Hard…to…breathe. Can't…b…breathe"

Carter nodded and decided to pick Abby up and take her back to her room quickly. Once inside he laid her on the bed.

"Chest…tight." Abby got out.

Carter immediately slipped the oxygen mask over Abby nose and mouth and turned the oxygen to 100%.

"Nice deep breaths. There you go. That's it."

Abby took deep breaths, trying to control her breathing. Carter took his stethoscope from around his neck.

"Alright I'm just going to listen to your lungs. Take a deep breath for me. Again. Good."

Abby winced painfully as she sucked in another breath.

"Okay there is a rasp in your breathing so I'd like to get a chest x-ray."

Abby nodded, still struggling to breathe.

"If you breathing doesn't come under control in the next ten to fifteen minutes I'm going to have to intubate."

Abby looked a little scared.

"Don't worry." Carter reassured and kissed Abby on the forehead.

Abby smiled at him.

Luckily Abby's breathing came under control just before she was sent up for a chest x-ray. She was worried that the poison may have filtered into her lungs somehow. She hoped that wasn't the case.

"I've got your results back." Carter told Abby "The poison has filtered into your left lung and caused a build up of fluid. We'll have to set up a chest drain."

Abby started to look scared.

"Its okay. Once it's over you should be able to breathe much better and your chest won't feel so tight."

Carter got busy setting up Abby's chest drain. Once it was in place Abby was starting to feel a little better.

"How's that?" Carter asked her.

Abby smiled.

"Much better. The tightening is lessening."

"That's good. Why don't you get some sleep. I'll be right here."

Abby nodded and closed her eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.

Abby woke up a few hours later to find the room dark and Carter and Susan not in the room. As she sat up she felt a hand clasp around her throat…

To be continued…

AN: Thanks for all the cool reviews! What did you think of this chapter? Good/Bad? I'm on holiday for the next two weeks so I can't update. I shall write the next chapter when I get back. See you all then.