Authors Note: Thanks for all your amazing reviews they are really encouraging me to continue with the story maybe faster than I anticipated. Glad you like it hope you continue to do so. Babyboots, I chose the name Michael as it has a good meaning and just so you know it has nothing to do with Gallant. AbbyLockhartrockmysocks, as you read this chapter you will discover how old Michael is.

Chapter 5

The following Monday morning.

"Morning Jerry" said a cheerful Carter

"Carter!" replied Jerry enveloping him into a bear hug "Good to see you back. You're looking good"

"Thank you" said Carter tilting his head to one side and adding "So what's new this morning?"

"All that" said Jerry indicating the huge rack of charts "And that" pointing to all the potential patients sitting in triage.

"Lovely" said Carter sarcastically

"Dr Carter!" said Haleh coming up and giving him a hug "We missed you"

Carter grinned he was feeling more like his old self since he had the news that he had been reappointed at County.

"Okay, okay enough of this, we need to work people" said Susan walking through the doors still in her street clothes

"Morning Susan" said Carter

"Carter" acknowledged Susan walking towards the doctor's lounge.

"Dr Carter!" said Greg "Didn't think we'd see you again"

"Well here I am" he replied "You good?"

"You're looking at the chief resident"

"Yeah I heard congratulations"

"Hey! Jerry" said Ray approaching the desk "There's a guy in triage asking for Dr Lockhart, says all the other doctors are crap"

"She's not in today, day off" supplied Jerry glancing up at Ray "Spending some quality time with Michael"

"If he's really ill he'll see any doctor" said Pratt

"That's what I told him" said Sam joining the conversation "So he left and said he'd be back" she grabbed some forms and went back to the triage desk.

"Michael and Abby deserve to have some time together" said Ray "They don't get to see each other as much as they should, and it's a shame 'cause Abby loves him to bits"

The others except Carter nodded in agreement before going their separate ways.

Carter inwardly sighed, he was glad. Well glad for one that Abby still worked there and two that although he wanted to see her he was worried about it being awkward between them after their goodbye eighteen months earlier. Little did he know how awkward it was going to be. He was also left wondering about this guy called Michael who had stolen Abby heart.

O0O

His first day back had felt as though he had never left. Within an hour of being there he was involved in trauma, whilst juggling twelve or so other patients at the same time.

That evening after tripping over the box in the hall for the umpteenth time, he decided it was high time he went through it. Tiresome chore as it was, it had to be done.

He fixed himself some dinner and sat on the floor propping himself up against the sofa. Opening the box, he sighed, it was fuller than he expected, he was going to be up all night. A lesson was to be learnt from all of this he decided, that it was better if you opened you mail as you received it and not leave it to build up uncontrollably as this. He was no to know at that moment how true those very thoughts were.

Hours and piles of opened and scattered post later he picked up the three remaining letters on the base of the box. He almost left them for another time, but the handwriting caught his attention. He took a further look and decided that it belonged to Abby Lockhart. He then took the time to look at the postmark on each and slit the oldest envelope first. He was not to know that what he was about to read would change his life forever.

Dear John,

This is the hardest letter I have ever had to write and I don't suppose you'll thank me for it. After all you have just moved continents to be with the woman you love.

John, I'm pregnant, I found out a couple of days ago, condoms aren't infallible you know and yes you're the father.

I would like to keep the baby I really would but everything is so uncertain, I'm so confused. I know that this is not what you want to hear, after all you have been through, but I'm trying to be honest with you here, you deserve that much at the very least.

I hope everything works out for you. If you want to write, call, email me, well you know where I am.

Abby

Carter let out his breath that he wasn't even aware that he had been holding. He bit his bottom lip as he felt the tears well up behind his eyes. He scanned the letter for a date, it was written a mere month after he had left. He couldn't believe it and spent the next fifteen minutes or so re reading it over and over again.

Sniffing he reached for the other two envelopes and choose the next time wise, opened it and with trembling hands began to read.

Dear John

Well I haven't heard from you, so I guess that must mean one of three things. One, you didn't receive my first letter, two, you are choosing not to reply or three this letter has crossed with one from you.

In case you didn't get my first letter I'll recap for you. John I'm pregnant, that last night we spent together, well… well…

I've thought and thought about everything, about what I'm going to do. I had half hoped that you might have called. You know, I've taken everything into consideration; at one time I would have been too scared to be a mother. Too scared that I would end up like my mother. But I know that I'm my own person, I'm not her and never will be. I know that I am going to love my child, our child. No matter what he or she is like, whether they develop bi-polar or not, I know I'll love it anyway, in fact I already do. I am under no illusions, I know it will be tough to be a single mother, who is a resident doctor in a busy city hospital, but it feel it's the right choice.

I know we've had our differences, but well you know if you want to be part of our child's life…… I know you will want to be even if I am the mother. I don't know how we can work this out but I know somehow we can.

Your friend

Abby

Carter shut his eyes for a moment, opened them again and before thinking about the second letter any more he slit open the third and started to read.

Dear John

I'm writing just this one last time. I know the letters are going to the right address. I just don't know why you're choosing not to answer. I have also sent a copy of this letter to you via Jack. So if you don't receive this, well then I hope at least you'll receive that.

Carter paused reading; he had never received such a letter from Jack and wondered why.

I had a scan today and I've enclosed a picture for you. It's a bit blurry, but you might like to know that it's a boy. I know that you will at least want to know that even if you don't want to stay in touch.

You know that I would like to hear from you; maybe you could email me at work or something if you're not too busy.

I'm not going to beg you to be part of our son's life, you know that's just not who I am. I'm not going to bother you again either. You do what you want to do; you always have so why change now.

And now just one last thing, 'thank you'.

Abby

Carter swallowed hard. He felt, he didn't know how he felt. Shocked, although the information he had just received had still not seeped into his mind. He felt numb. He gathered all three letters together and held them in his hand. His brain did some mental arithmetic and came to the conclusion that his son was now about 8 months old. Suddenly he recalled the bit about the picture; he hadn't seen it when he pulled the letter out. Checking the envelope he found the black and white, blurry image of his son. And that's when the tears really began to fall.

Author's Note: Just in case anyone is confused the writing in italics are the letters from Abby and as I wrote them I tried to imagine her speaking them.