Title: "By the Skin of Her Teeth

Author: AliBee

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I don't own ER, Abby, or anyone else.

Author's Note: I just coudn't resist the urge to write a post ep of "Skin."

Abby stood just outside the ambulance bay, willing her feet to move, but they felt nailed to the spot in the pavement where they had landed. She had to move, to get into the safety of the ER. Who was to say they wouldn't come back, shooting her where she stood. The bright lights of her department beckoned her, and she headed toward them, first slowly, mechanically, then at a full out sprint. The doors seemed so far away and she felt like she had been running forever when finally the brightness of the waiting room assaulted her eyes. Paramedics were bringing in a patient, so she scooted in behind them, slipping through the glass doors and almost immediately running full tilt into Pratt.

"Abby," Pratt said, "What the hell?"

Abby felt her body tense, she knew this was just Pratt, but his voice, something about his voice set her more on edge. She pushed away from him, her eyes darting around the ER.

Luka looked up from his charting as he heard Pratt call out Abby's name, seeing not the strong, stubborn Abby he was used to seeing, but an Abby who looked more like a scared child. He rushed toward her, enveloping her into his arms. "Je dobio te, dijete. Svoj idući u biti prekid," he whispered to her, as he felt her begin to shake in his embrace. He held her tight a moment more, until he felt a familiar warmth seeping through his shirt. He gently moved back, so he could see her face. Running a finger against the edge of her scrubs he asked, "Is this your blood, Abby?"

Abby shook her head, unable to get any words past the huge lump in her throat. She balled her hands into fists, willing them to stop shaking. Then she felt Luka catch her as her knees gave way. Luka swept her up into his arm's and headed for the nearest exam room. "Frank," he yelled, as he strode past the station, "get Dr. Lewis, tell her I have Abby in Exam Two. And have someone get her some clean scrubs."

He set her on the gurney, and wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm. "What happened?" he asked softly, watching her pulse reading fluctuate wildly.

"I can't tell," Abby muttered, almost more to herself then to Luka. "I promised them I wouldn't tell anyone.

Susan pushed opened the door to Exam Two, clutching the scrubs that Haleh had thrust into her hands. Her jaw dropped as she saw a pale and shaking Abby huddled on the gurney. She stopped in her tracks, "What…." was all she was able to say. Luka gave Abby a quick pat on the arm, then walked over to Susan, pulling her the rest of the way into the room, so the door could swing closed behind her.

"I'm not sure what happened. She came in just a few minutes ago and she would not say anything except that its not her blood on her. I haven't checked though," Luka said, his eyes focusing back on Abby. " I though she would be more comfortable with you. Her vitals are a bit erratic." He headed back over to the gurney, slipping the B/P cuff and pulse ox cable off of Abby. "I'm going to step out while Susan helps you change," he said, his eyes locking on to Susan to try to stress with just his expression what he really wanted her to do. He saw Abby nod at him hesitantly. He hated to have to leave, but he knew he wouldn't rest easy until Susan checked for sure that she truly wasn't injured.

Susan ran the water until it was warm, soaking several washcloths. Helping get the scrub top off over her head, she then washed the blood off Abby, relieved to see no cuts or bruises marring Abby's skin. But as she undid the tie of the scrub pants, Susan could feel the tension radiating off of Abby, and her shaking increase. 'My God,' she though, 'what had happened to her.' Susan forced a reassuring smile on her face. "We need to get you out of these, to finish getting you cleaned up." Susan saw Abby's ever so slight nod, and felt her trying to help. As quick as she could, she washed someone else's blood off Abby's legs, then got her covered again. It was really starting to worry her as she realized Abby hadn't spoken a word since she had entered the room. She tenderly brushed hair out of Abby's eyes, then asked, "can you tell me what happened to you?"

Abby slowly looked up at her friend, her eye dull, and brimming with tears. "I can't," she whispered, "I can't tell anyone."