A/N: First of all, I'd like to apologize for this ridiculous long time I took to post this chapter. To be honest, with all the stress of graduating, and then waiting for results and starting college, I kinda forgot about this fic. I had this chapter ready for months and I found it today and decided to post it. So I'm sorry I took so long. Hope you'll forgive me. And this is a long chapter too, thought you guys would like that. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews I got. You guys rock! Enjoy the chapter.

Starting Over

Chapter 8 – Talking things out

I seem to be daydreaming a lot today. I've been on for two hours now and I just can't concentrate. My mind is constantly traveling back to last night. Susan and Sam looking suspiciously at me from behind the admit desk.

"Abby" I hear Sam's voice as she snaps her fingers in front of me bringing me back to reality.

"Yeah?" I say shaking my head slightly trying to get John out of my mind.

"Are you ok?" Sam asks.

"Yeah." She looks at me with raised eyebrows. "I'm fine."

"So did you and Carter have fun last night?" Susan asks with a grin.

"Yeah, it was nice." I say trying to end the inquisition at that.

"Last night?" Sam asks interested.

"Yeah, she went out with Carter last night." Susan says, her grin wider.

"Really?" Sam says, a smile playing on her lips.

"We took Jared to McDonald's. nothing happened." I say rather snappish.

"Ok, if you say so, Ab." Sam says quietly. I think they got the message that I don't want to talk about it.

"Hey, you know you can talk to us, right?" Susan says.

"Yeah, you can talk to us about anything. We're your friends." Sam says. Ok, now I feel guilty I sort of lost my temper with them.

"I know that. I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just…" I stop halfway through the sentence when I see John coming through the doors. His eyes find mine and he smiles at me. A little smile plays on my lips.

"Just what?" Susan asks. I see John going to the lounge.

"Nothing." I say picking up a chart. We'll talk later, ok? I have to get back to work." I say trying to get this silly smile off my face.

"Sure." Susan says. I go to Curtain 3 trying not to think about Carter.


"Ok, Mr. Wilson, we'll take some of your blood to run some tests." I say writing on the chart. Mr. Wilson nods. Behind me someone opens the door.

"Dr. Lockhart?" A smile comes to my lips as I turn around and see John at the door. "Can I talk to you after you finish here?" he asks.

"I've already finished." I say getting up. I turn to the patient. "I'll be by later to check on you Mr. Wilson. I say following John out of the room. He takes my hand and leads me to an empty exam room.

"Hi." He says after locking the door behind us. He pulls me to him, arms around my waist. I smile up at him and kiss his lips softly.

"Hi." I say. "Thought you weren't coming on anymore. What took you so long?"

"I was on at 10." He says with a smile. "Why, you missed me?"

"Of course not. Why would I?" I say teasing him. He kisses me again, deeply this time. I feel the ground disappear from under my feet. I break the kiss after a while breathless. "Ok, maybe I did miss you a little bit." He laughs.

"How about we go out to dinner tonight?" he asks as I rest my had on his chest.

"Tonight?" I ask. He nods.

"I don't have a sitter and Susan and Sam are both pulling doubles."

"Damn."

"How about having dinner at my place tonight? I'll cook." I say grinning. "And Jared sleeps early so we can watch a movie or something after he goes to bed."

"Ok, sounds good. What time should I be there?" he asks.

"Around 7?" I suggest.

"Alright." He says kissing my neck. "Rain check on dinner?"

"Sure. This weekend ok?

"Uh-huh." He says as he proceeds on kissing my neck.


"Mom?" I turn around and see Jared on the door.

"Yeah, Jar?" I ask. He enters the kitchen and sits on the table. I check the food one last time and turn off the oven.

"Is Dr Carter coming here tonight?" he asks.

"Yes, he is." I say and our conversation seems to end at that. Jared stays silent for a while, thinking about something apparently. I go over to the fridge and get a bottle of water out.

"Mom?" Jared asks again.

"Yes?" I say taking a sip.

"Can I ask you something?" he asks shyly.

"Sure, baby. Is there anything bugging you?"

"Not really." He says shaking his head.

"What is it then?" I ask pulling a chair to sit in front of him.

"Is Dr Carter your boyfriend?" I almost choke on the water I was drinking. I don't say anything for a minute. What am I supposed to say? "Mom?"

"I don't know for sure yet, honey." He nods and seems to accept my answer. "Would it be ok with you if he was my boyfriend?"

He shrugs. "I guess so." He says. "I like him."

"Do you?"

"Yeah and besides, he's a lot nicer than dad." He gets up and makes his way to the door. "Hey, mom?" I look at him. "Are you guys gonna get married?" I smile

"I don't know, sweetie." He nods.

"Alright. I was just wondering that it'd be nice to have a real dad for a change." He says and runs to the leaving room to watch tv leaving me with my thoughts.


The conversation I had with Jared really got me thinking. Especially what he said about John and me getting married. I guess he really misses having a dad around. And I feel bad now because I had never realized how much my little boy needs a male figure to look up to. He's never had one in his life, not with his bastard, good for nothing of a father.

Now about my relationship with John. Jared's question caught me off guard and made me wonder if there is a relationship at all. Ok, scratch that. There is a relationship. I like him a lot and am highly attracted to him and I think the feeling is mutual. I can see it in his eyes. But now the question is where is this relationship going? Because I really want it to last.

The door bell rings echoing through the house, bringing me back to reality. I take a quick look at the mirror and then run to get the door.

"Hi." I say happily. John smiles at me as I step aside to let him in. He leans in and kisses me lightly.

"Hey." He says just as Jared runs into the room.

"Dr Carter!" he yells jumping on John.

"Hey there, little man. How are you doing?" John asks picking him up.

"Great! Guess what! I'm gonna have a field trip to the museum next week!"

"Really? That's really cool, Jar." John says enthusiastically. "I'm sure you'll have a great time."

I watch the two of them interact with each other and it makes me wonder if that's what it would be like if Carter was Jared's dad. The thought brings a smile to my face.

"Penny for you thoughts." I hear John whisper in my ear as his arms encircle my waist. I look up at him and realize that Jared is not even in the room anymore.

"Oh, it's nothing. Where's Jared?" I ask moving out of his embrace. I take his hand and lead him to the kitchen.

"He went to his room to get this remote car that you got him for his birthday." He says pulling a chair.

"I didn't even see him going to his room." I chuckle shaking my head.

"Well. You were miles away." He teases me. I hit him lightly on the back of his head. "Hey!"

"How was the rest of your shift?" I only worked a half shift today.

"Hectic." He says leaning his head back, running a hand through his hair. "Major MVA. Truck versus school bus. A tragedy really.

"Wow. Thank God I wasn't there." I say. "You want a soda?"

"Sure." He says and I hand him a Coke. "It was horrible. Three DOA's, two died in the ER and four are still critical. Most of them are kids." He says sadly. I take his hand in mine and smile at him.

"We save who we can, right?" I say trying to comfort him. It's even harder to deal with these deaths when there are kids involved.

"Here it is, Dr Carter." Jared says showing John this red car I got him.

Jared drags John to the living room to play XboX and I follow them. I lean on the door and just watch them play and have fun together. I guess tonight is gonna go really well.


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