Authors' Note: Thanks to everyone for your continuing reviews. More italics with another little flashback, sorry there seems to be a lot of those in this story. The place that Abby and Carter visit I invented out of my imagination as I have no idea if such a place exists in or near Chicago. The nearest I have been to Chicago is probably New York! Sorry if this chapter is a bit too soppy. There is one small chapter to follow this. I will hopefully post it by the end of the week so that you don't have a long wait for it.

Chapter 20

Three months later Abby took one last look around the room. The walls were bare, the furniture had gone. Where pictures once hung, the original colour of the wallpaper showed that the remainder was very faded. So many things had happened in this room, these rooms to be exact and many of the memories were far from happy. Abby walked to the door and let herself out locking it securely behind her, as if to shut away all the negativity in her past. She took the keys downstairs, slipped them into a brown envelope and slid that into one of the mailboxes there. Then she left and walked out into the night.

0o0

"Mommy will be home soon" Carter told Michael who was wriggling impatiently in his highchair, for food and Carter cut up some pear and gave it to him.

"More" said Michael

"Please" said Carter, encouraging Michael to extend his vocabulary of fifteen words or so.

"'an'oo" Michael said as way of thank you, when Carter gave him some more.

"Good boy" Carter said praising him.

"Hey" said Abby suddenly startling Carter

"Didn't hear you come in" he said in way of explanation "How did it go?"

"Fine" she replied first kissing Michael on the head and then Carter on his mouth.

"You sure? You seem a bit odd"

"Its was my home John, it was just a bit sad to let it go"

"You and Michael have got a home here with me now. Right?" he stated then queried to make sure.

She nodded and said quietly "Yeah".

Abby wished that she knew that he wanted them here, not just for Michael, but for her and John and also because he loved her for herself too.

"I care about you Abby" Carter said "Don't go, come and live with me, for good, you and Michael" his dark brown eyes looked pleadingly into hers and she couldn't say no.

Carter had somehow got his own way almost without her being aware of it, but strangely now she didn't mind she wanted to be with him. And now here they were today living with John, she in every sense of the word. It had always been Abby who had been reluctant to let anything permanent into her life and now it appeared the tables had been turned and instead it was Carter.

"Are you ready for our surprise outing tomorrow, to celebrate?" he asked

"Celebrate what?"

"You and Michael and I, here together"

"Oh" she sighed slowly and deeply "It seems like we've been here forever already. What has it been five months?"

"About that, but its official now"

"So I don't get a lay in on my day off then?" she said with a humorous quirk to the corner of her mouth.

"I see more of you at work, it's not often we get the same day off is it?"

"And that's only because you wangled it with Susan. What did you have to do for it?"

"Susan's nights next week, three" he said shrugging then at Abby unconvinced expression added "Worth it though, huh?"

"Depends on what you have in mind"

"Don't worry; it's something we're all going to enjoy. Go have a shower I have got dinner and Michael all under control"

She wondered if that was true as she ascended the stairs and heard a loud clattering of saucepans, but left him to it anyway.

0o0

The next day held promise of fine weather which pleased Carter no end as he got energetically out of bed and went to fetch Michael, giving Abby a few moments longer of peace and slumber. After changing Michael's diaper he sat him on the middle of the bed he shared with Abby and went to make coffee and a bottle of milk for Michael.

"Momma, Momma" said Michael over and over again whilst playfully prodding Abby's still form in the bed.

Abby groaned and decided that it couldn't possibly be morning already. Opening one eye and feeling her hair being pulled she discovered that it was and there was Michael sitting in the middle of the bed laughing with a clump of her hair in his chubby hand. She groaned again before sitting up and pulling Michael to her for a hug.

Then the three of them sat there in the large bed drinking their morning coffee and milk and watching TV.

0o0

A small queue had formed by the time they reached the Zoo and they joined the end of it.

"Wow Carter, pulling out all the stops today" Abby said

"I thought Michael would like it" he replied "There's meant to be a really cool new indoor playground" he added his eyes lighting up at the prospect and Abby rolled her eyes to the blue cloudless sky.

"What?" he asked

"Nothing" she answered shaking her head with amusement but secretly knowing which of the men in her life would enjoy this outing the most.

0o0

They went round the animals first, the monkeys, the prairie dogs, the llamas, the marsupials, the farm corner, the pet corner, exotic birds and the camels. Abby pushed the empty stroller round as Carter and the little boy hurried on ahead, Carter picking up Michael to show him something now and again, and sometimes to slow down and wait for Abby.

It wasn't long before they reached the playground and they took him on the swings and slides and other outdoor things first, before grabbing a bite of lunch. Then they ventured into the soft play zone and Carter and Michael were in their element, although a lot of the equipment was way too old for Michael, Carter took him on it all. Abby was certainly sure then who was having the most fun, until they dragged her into the soft play zone too and then she had to agree with Carter it was something that would be fun for all of them. She wished that there had been places like this when she was a child, although she probably wouldn't have got to go to then even if there had been.

0o0

Exhausted but invigorated Carter and Abby fell on to the sofa later that night almost in a trance as you do when you have tired yourself out completely. After a while they seemed to regain some of their energy levels once more.

"You have fun today?" he asked her quietly

"Yeah, Shame there didn't have places like that were we were kids" she told him voicing her earlier thoughts

"Yeah it would have been cool"

"Not that we would have gone. Me and Eric"

"Are you getting nostalgic on me?"

"Nope" she said looking at him "What's done is done"

"Yeah. Didn't you ever go anywhere?"

"Not really. We didn't even get to Disneyland, remember?"

"Oh yeah she had a moment on the plane, so you said"

"Mmmm"

"We could have gone there I guess"

"What today?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"It's a bit far for a day trip Carter, even by plane"

"I suppose so" He admitted after a while of contemplation.

"You ever wish you done things?" she asked

"In my childhood?" He thought for a minute and replied "Not really, maybe to have spent more time with my brother" He smiled and gave her a hug.

They sat there enjoying the company of the other for some time until Abby said "I know you want us here with you John, but I feel like, well you know watching you today with Michael. That you want us to be together for him. I don't expect you to love me I never have, but sometimes it just feels like all you want is a son"

"What brought this on? I thought you were happy with me, with us?"

"I am, I just need to know, where I stand with you. It's just well you've never said. You say you love Michael but how do you feel about me, John?"

"You don't know? Even now, even after all this time?"

"You never tell me how you feel about me" she said softly wondering if it had been the right moment to bring this up, after all they had had a really good day and she didn't want to spoil it. But one thing that had come out of the day was this, where did she Abby Lockhart fit into this thing with Carter and Michael?

"Abby" he started and then turned to face her and look right into her eyes, her soul. "I love you, not because you gave me Michael and let me be part of your lives. I love you for just being you" She didn't reply she couldn't and he sensing this framed her face with his hands and kissed her.