Title: Changes
Author: Me
Email: soapqueenhotmail.com
Disclaimer: Don't own anything at all.
A/N: Sorry it took so long. I tided myself over with a vignette entitled 'Subconscious' in which a certain specter gives Carter a long overdue piece of advice.
Ch 4
"ER," Jerry said into the phone.
"Jerry? It's Carter," John shouted into the phone.
"Hey Doc. What's up?" Jerry held a hand over his other ear and listened.
"Is Susan around?"
"Dr. Lewis? No. She's off today."
"Oh. What about Abby?"
"Abby? I don't think she works here anymore. Weaver's trying to get Sam to take over as charge nurse."
"What? Who's Sam?"
"New nurse."
"Jerry? Who are you talking to?" Greg Pratt asked.
"It's Carter."
"Gimme, I'll talk to him."
"Be my guest man." Jerry handed over the phone and went back to his computer.
"Carter? It's Pratt."
"Hey! What was Jerry talking about? He said that Abby didn't work there anymore."
"As far as I know she's on vacation man."
"Where?"
"Don't know. She didn't say. Lewis might know."
"Who's Louie?" John shouted over the static.
"Not Louie. Lewis. You know, Dr. Lewis."
"Susan," Lydia supplied.
"Susan," Greg said into the phone.
"Where is she?"
"Who?"
"Susan!"
"Vacation."
"Where?"
"I don't know. I'm not her travel agent."
"Is there anyone there that does know?"
"Jing-Mei might."
"Put her on."
"It's her day off. Sorry man. I gotta go. See you when you get back," Greg said as he hung up.
hr
"No, Pratt! Don't hang-" The dial tone buzzed in his ear. "Up," he finished lamely. "Great."
"Everything alright," Kem, an AIDS worker, asked.
"No," John said putting the phone down. "No, everything is not alright. I completely screwed up with my girlfriend, or should I say ex-girlfriend? And now I don't know where she is."
"Maybe, I can help take your mind off of your problems," Kem said suggestively.
"Thanks but no."
Kem frowned. It wasn't the first time John Carter had shot her down and frankly she was getting a little sick of it. She knew what the Carter family represented and roughly how much they were worth. She wanted in on it.
But John wasn't being very receptive. All he kept doing was whining about his ex-girlfriend. "So, what did your friend say? I heard something about a vacation."
"Well, a friend might know where Abby is but the friend is on vacation and the friend who might know where isn't on duty." Carter frowned, "Was that a sentence?"
"You're having trouble tracking down a friend who might lead you to the friend who knows where Abby is. I got it."
"I guess I'll just have to wait until I get back to Chicago."
"When do you leave?"
"The week before Christmas."
"A Christmas present in the form of you? I'd say she's very lucky."
"Yeah, well that depends on whether or not she lets me get two words out before she tells me to go to hell."
"Do you think there might be someone else in the picture?"
"Not this fast. It took Abby and me a year before we got together. She doesn't jump when it comes to relationships."
((((((((
"God, Abby, he's great," Susan said as she sat at the bar. She was watching Mike talk to someone from the D.A.'s office. Jack something Irish.
"Yeah, he is, isn't he?"
"Remind me again who he's talking to."
"Jack McCoy. Executive Assistant District Attorney, Homicide Division. The blonde with him is ADA Serena Southerlyn. You know, he's single."
"Too old for me and geographically undesirable."
"Yeah. You're right. What about Mike's old captain? He's a widower, you know."
"Shut up before I hit you," Susan giggled.
Abby laughed. "Just kidding."
"Yeah, yeah," Susan rolled her eyes and then looked over at Mike who was looking over at Abby. "God, that man's in love with you."
"What?" Abby stared at her.
"It's just the way he looks at you. You could be the only clothed woman in a room full of naked ones and he wouldn't give anyone but you a second glance. I envy you that."
Abby blushed and looked down, "I don't know about that-"
"I do. He looks at you the same way Mark looked at Jen before the divorce and the way Doug always looked at Carol when he thought no one was watching."
"Tell you a secret?"
"Okay."
"I love him, too," Abby smiled.
Susan nodded, "Yes, I knew that."
"Oh, you did, did you?"
"I'm very wise."
"Hmmm. Did I tell you that Luka called?"
"No. When?"
"This morning while you were in the shower. He wants to stop by the next time he goes through New York. He says he wants to visit but I think he wants to give Mike the once over too."
"He's going back to Africa? Has he lost his mind?"
"That was my question too, but I didn't voice it."
Susan shook her head. "Did he happen to mention if Carter called looking for one of us?"
"I didn't ask."
"Really?"
"Susan, what part of 'it's over' do you not understand? He went his way, I'm going mine and you know what? I like it this way."
"Really?"
"Really," Abby nodded.
"Okay." Susan took a look around the crowded tavern. "Oh, now he's cute."
"Which one?"
"The one sitting with the gorgeous brunette in the back."
Abby looked and recognized the one Susan had pointed out. "Right age, wrong status."
"Status?"
"Yes. He's 'm' for married."
"How married?"
"Four kids."
"Damn. Well, for future reference, what's his name?"
"Elliot Stabler. He's a detective at Don's precinct."
"What division?"
"SVU."
"SVU?"
"Special Victims Unit. They investigate sexually based offenses, crimes against children, stuff like that."
"Sounds like fun."
"Yeah if you like getting your heart ripped out on a daily basis," a new voice said.
Abby smiled. "Hi John."
"Abby. Guess you were listening."
Abby nodded, "John Munch, this is Susan Lewis, a friend from Chicago. John's with SVU, too."
"Nice to meet you," Susan shook his hand.
"Same here."
"John? Drink? Food?"
"Both."
"What'll it be," Abby smiled.
((((((((
"Night Susan," Abby said to her friend.
"Night guys. Thanks for putting up with me the last few days," Susan smiled. "I'll try not to wake you when I get up to leave at five."
"Thanks for that, but Mike'll be up." Abby looked at her boyfriend. "Even though right now he's having trouble keeping his eyes open."
"Go to sleep. I'll call when I get to Chloe's tomorrow."
"Alright. Night Susan."
"Night," Susan disappeared into the guest room while Mike and Abby went into the master bedroom.
Abby shut the door and turned on the lights. She changed quickly to a T- shirt and then crawled into bed. Mike came next after turning off the lights.
"Okay, so I like her," Mike said after a moment of silence.
"See? I told you so," Abby teased.
"Point taken. She's pretty great. Of course since you like her I should've known I would."
"Suck up."
"Better believe it baby."
)))))))
Mike straightened his tie the next morning. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the door and then stopped beside the bed.
"Ab?"
"Mmm," she mumbled.
"Just saying bye."
"Mmm, 'kay."
"Aren't you gonna give me a kiss before I go protect the mean streets?"
Abby cracked open one eye and smiled at him, "I'll pray for you sweetheart."
"Thanks," Mike grinned at her before he gave her a kiss. "See you later."
"Be careful."
"Always."
Mike met Susan as she dragged her bag towards the elevator that went down to the street.
"Need a hand?" He asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"Sure," Mike took her suitcase and put it into the elevator. They rode down and when the doors opened there was a taxi waiting.
"That it?" The driver asked.
"Yeah. Just give me a sec," Susan looked at Mike.
"What?"
"I wasn't sure about you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I wasn't sure I'd like you. Carter's an old friend and as idiotic as his actions were, he does still love Abby."
"So do I."
"Yeah I know. But the way you love her is different than Carter. He loves her as long as things stay simple or as long as they don't louse up his own needs. You love her even when she puts being there for her mother and brother before being there for you."
"How do you know?"
"Long lunch yesterday."
Mike grinned, "Oh. Well, yes I do love Abby."
"She loves you, too. And since I love her, I'm going to tell you this. Be good to her or I will strip you naked and take a scalpel to any appendage that presents itself."
"Got it," Mike nodded.
Susan smiled, "Good. Bye Mike."
"Bye."
Author: Me
Email: soapqueenhotmail.com
Disclaimer: Don't own anything at all.
A/N: Sorry it took so long. I tided myself over with a vignette entitled 'Subconscious' in which a certain specter gives Carter a long overdue piece of advice.
Ch 4
"ER," Jerry said into the phone.
"Jerry? It's Carter," John shouted into the phone.
"Hey Doc. What's up?" Jerry held a hand over his other ear and listened.
"Is Susan around?"
"Dr. Lewis? No. She's off today."
"Oh. What about Abby?"
"Abby? I don't think she works here anymore. Weaver's trying to get Sam to take over as charge nurse."
"What? Who's Sam?"
"New nurse."
"Jerry? Who are you talking to?" Greg Pratt asked.
"It's Carter."
"Gimme, I'll talk to him."
"Be my guest man." Jerry handed over the phone and went back to his computer.
"Carter? It's Pratt."
"Hey! What was Jerry talking about? He said that Abby didn't work there anymore."
"As far as I know she's on vacation man."
"Where?"
"Don't know. She didn't say. Lewis might know."
"Who's Louie?" John shouted over the static.
"Not Louie. Lewis. You know, Dr. Lewis."
"Susan," Lydia supplied.
"Susan," Greg said into the phone.
"Where is she?"
"Who?"
"Susan!"
"Vacation."
"Where?"
"I don't know. I'm not her travel agent."
"Is there anyone there that does know?"
"Jing-Mei might."
"Put her on."
"It's her day off. Sorry man. I gotta go. See you when you get back," Greg said as he hung up.
hr
"No, Pratt! Don't hang-" The dial tone buzzed in his ear. "Up," he finished lamely. "Great."
"Everything alright," Kem, an AIDS worker, asked.
"No," John said putting the phone down. "No, everything is not alright. I completely screwed up with my girlfriend, or should I say ex-girlfriend? And now I don't know where she is."
"Maybe, I can help take your mind off of your problems," Kem said suggestively.
"Thanks but no."
Kem frowned. It wasn't the first time John Carter had shot her down and frankly she was getting a little sick of it. She knew what the Carter family represented and roughly how much they were worth. She wanted in on it.
But John wasn't being very receptive. All he kept doing was whining about his ex-girlfriend. "So, what did your friend say? I heard something about a vacation."
"Well, a friend might know where Abby is but the friend is on vacation and the friend who might know where isn't on duty." Carter frowned, "Was that a sentence?"
"You're having trouble tracking down a friend who might lead you to the friend who knows where Abby is. I got it."
"I guess I'll just have to wait until I get back to Chicago."
"When do you leave?"
"The week before Christmas."
"A Christmas present in the form of you? I'd say she's very lucky."
"Yeah, well that depends on whether or not she lets me get two words out before she tells me to go to hell."
"Do you think there might be someone else in the picture?"
"Not this fast. It took Abby and me a year before we got together. She doesn't jump when it comes to relationships."
((((((((
"God, Abby, he's great," Susan said as she sat at the bar. She was watching Mike talk to someone from the D.A.'s office. Jack something Irish.
"Yeah, he is, isn't he?"
"Remind me again who he's talking to."
"Jack McCoy. Executive Assistant District Attorney, Homicide Division. The blonde with him is ADA Serena Southerlyn. You know, he's single."
"Too old for me and geographically undesirable."
"Yeah. You're right. What about Mike's old captain? He's a widower, you know."
"Shut up before I hit you," Susan giggled.
Abby laughed. "Just kidding."
"Yeah, yeah," Susan rolled her eyes and then looked over at Mike who was looking over at Abby. "God, that man's in love with you."
"What?" Abby stared at her.
"It's just the way he looks at you. You could be the only clothed woman in a room full of naked ones and he wouldn't give anyone but you a second glance. I envy you that."
Abby blushed and looked down, "I don't know about that-"
"I do. He looks at you the same way Mark looked at Jen before the divorce and the way Doug always looked at Carol when he thought no one was watching."
"Tell you a secret?"
"Okay."
"I love him, too," Abby smiled.
Susan nodded, "Yes, I knew that."
"Oh, you did, did you?"
"I'm very wise."
"Hmmm. Did I tell you that Luka called?"
"No. When?"
"This morning while you were in the shower. He wants to stop by the next time he goes through New York. He says he wants to visit but I think he wants to give Mike the once over too."
"He's going back to Africa? Has he lost his mind?"
"That was my question too, but I didn't voice it."
Susan shook her head. "Did he happen to mention if Carter called looking for one of us?"
"I didn't ask."
"Really?"
"Susan, what part of 'it's over' do you not understand? He went his way, I'm going mine and you know what? I like it this way."
"Really?"
"Really," Abby nodded.
"Okay." Susan took a look around the crowded tavern. "Oh, now he's cute."
"Which one?"
"The one sitting with the gorgeous brunette in the back."
Abby looked and recognized the one Susan had pointed out. "Right age, wrong status."
"Status?"
"Yes. He's 'm' for married."
"How married?"
"Four kids."
"Damn. Well, for future reference, what's his name?"
"Elliot Stabler. He's a detective at Don's precinct."
"What division?"
"SVU."
"SVU?"
"Special Victims Unit. They investigate sexually based offenses, crimes against children, stuff like that."
"Sounds like fun."
"Yeah if you like getting your heart ripped out on a daily basis," a new voice said.
Abby smiled. "Hi John."
"Abby. Guess you were listening."
Abby nodded, "John Munch, this is Susan Lewis, a friend from Chicago. John's with SVU, too."
"Nice to meet you," Susan shook his hand.
"Same here."
"John? Drink? Food?"
"Both."
"What'll it be," Abby smiled.
((((((((
"Night Susan," Abby said to her friend.
"Night guys. Thanks for putting up with me the last few days," Susan smiled. "I'll try not to wake you when I get up to leave at five."
"Thanks for that, but Mike'll be up." Abby looked at her boyfriend. "Even though right now he's having trouble keeping his eyes open."
"Go to sleep. I'll call when I get to Chloe's tomorrow."
"Alright. Night Susan."
"Night," Susan disappeared into the guest room while Mike and Abby went into the master bedroom.
Abby shut the door and turned on the lights. She changed quickly to a T- shirt and then crawled into bed. Mike came next after turning off the lights.
"Okay, so I like her," Mike said after a moment of silence.
"See? I told you so," Abby teased.
"Point taken. She's pretty great. Of course since you like her I should've known I would."
"Suck up."
"Better believe it baby."
)))))))
Mike straightened his tie the next morning. He grabbed his jacket from the back of the door and then stopped beside the bed.
"Ab?"
"Mmm," she mumbled.
"Just saying bye."
"Mmm, 'kay."
"Aren't you gonna give me a kiss before I go protect the mean streets?"
Abby cracked open one eye and smiled at him, "I'll pray for you sweetheart."
"Thanks," Mike grinned at her before he gave her a kiss. "See you later."
"Be careful."
"Always."
Mike met Susan as she dragged her bag towards the elevator that went down to the street.
"Need a hand?" He asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"Sure," Mike took her suitcase and put it into the elevator. They rode down and when the doors opened there was a taxi waiting.
"That it?" The driver asked.
"Yeah. Just give me a sec," Susan looked at Mike.
"What?"
"I wasn't sure about you."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I wasn't sure I'd like you. Carter's an old friend and as idiotic as his actions were, he does still love Abby."
"So do I."
"Yeah I know. But the way you love her is different than Carter. He loves her as long as things stay simple or as long as they don't louse up his own needs. You love her even when she puts being there for her mother and brother before being there for you."
"How do you know?"
"Long lunch yesterday."
Mike grinned, "Oh. Well, yes I do love Abby."
"She loves you, too. And since I love her, I'm going to tell you this. Be good to her or I will strip you naked and take a scalpel to any appendage that presents itself."
"Got it," Mike nodded.
Susan smiled, "Good. Bye Mike."
"Bye."