This is basically the beginning of a big part of the story. Some fluff but not all. Just read and review.

After a few minutes the sleep that had succumbed her was taking over. She was absolutely worn out. For only a few minutes she had rested in a deep but restless slumber.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door, loud enough to rouse her from the dreamless sleep. She rose from her broken in spot on the couch and made her way to the door before quickly unlocking the several locks she had in place.

"Carter, I need to talk to you," she declared barely whispering, not allowing her visitor to even make himself known. He had no need to do that, she knew him well enough.

"Yea, we need to talk," he agreed.

"Sit down with me?" she asked him in a soft weak voice.

"What's up Abs?" he questioned joining he on the couch.

Somewhere in his mind he registered the warmth which indicated that she had not vacated that spot long before he sat down. However his mind was too preoccupied with other things to really register the thought.

"Carter, did you do what you said you were going to do?" she asked, wringing her hands in a nervous manner.

"Huh?" He couldn't help but wonder aloud. Why does she have to be so cryptic? This isn't Abby, not my Abby.

"Did you and Rena break up?' she restated the question. The answer to this question depended on whether or not she told him the real reason for her sudden eagerness to talk with him at this unreasonable hour.

"What, of course we did. I broke up with her earlier this morning," he explained. He couldn't help but wondering why she would doubt his promise. He would never break a promise to her; he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. She had been hurt so many times in the past he was determined to never cause her any more pain.

"Good, but, then why'd she answer your phone this evening?" she asked questioning his response. If they had broken up then she wouldn't be answering his phone. He had better have a good reason for this, she thought.

"She was getting her stuff Abs. What are you asking me this for?" he was bewildered at her questions. Did she not trust him?

"I just, Luka and I broke up too." she stuttered.

"Good, that's really good Abby; just like we planned. Things are going well for us. We had a bad beginning; certainly not the best of stats but this is like a new beginning for us. A clean slate, I suppose. Now, why did you seem so hesitant about asking me that?"

She was acting really weird and right now he could read her emotions like a book. She was scared and he didn't know why.

"I didn't know if you really… really, uh, loved me…" she trailed off it was not natural for her to be so blunt and open with her feelings but something about Carter just put her at ease about things like this - things which would have been touchy, hard to broach subjects with others. It felt good to get it off her chest

"Of course I do, Abby. I love you, I always will, and to be completely honest, ever since you turned me in for my drug abuse, I've loved you in a way," he said expressing his emotions was something that wasn't hard for him especially with Abby, "You've helped me so much, Abby, and I owe you everything. I love you more than I could ever hope to tell you.

"Good, I feel the same way about you Carter. I love you, I really do, I always will," she was opening up in a way she never had before, she could almost feel tears pricking her eyelids at the soppiness of the situation but it wasn't like Abby to cry over something like this. She'd wasted enough of he tears n lost causes already, she could bear to shed no more.

Abby tried, and failed dismally, to suppress a yawn. Smiling, Cater wrapped his arms firmly around her, pulling her into his chest. He loved her and he never wanted to let her go, he wanted to protect her against the entire evil still yet to come. He hadn't been there through some of the worst times in her life so now he was determined to fill the rest of it with better moments and memories. Gently she snuggled her head against his torso, letting the rhythmic beating of his heart lull her to sleep. Within a few moments she was sleeping, her fingers intertwined with his, dead to the world and all it's pain.