"We'll stop when um... When you're back working in the ER. And you've gotten back into the swing of things, and the transplant's gone well, and you've got a massively successful career as an attending."

"Oh so we're looking at a good few years then?" she smiled at the, letting everyone know she really was joking.

"Might be. We'll see." Susan said.

"Well I seriously doubt you'll even let me do anything in the ER for a long time," Abby replied, knowing it was probably true.

"Sutures. IV's. Paperwork."

"So, I'm a nurse again?"

"Nurses can't suture. Oh, and you'll be an honorary thorn in Morris's side." Susan smiled.

"Your kidding me right?"

"About what? Being a pain in Morris's side? We figured it wasn't worth the effort to try to stop you."

"You know what I meant," she said as the nurse walked in thermometer in hand.

"No I don't.

"I'm not going to do just scutt work," Abby sat there as the nurse took her temperature, knowing if she still had a fever, they would never let her go outside. Damn it, should have left earlier.

"We'll let you do other things too. Maybe you could take a few of the calmer electives?"

"I am perfectly capable of handling traumas!"

"We'll see."

"Yeah, that's a resounding 'no;' if I've ever heard one,"

"It's not a 'no', I'm just being cautious."

"What could happen Susan? I can handle it, I've always been able to, nothing is different,"

"101.4" the nurse interrupted and quickly excused herself, not wanting to be caught up in the argument.

"I can Susan, you just have to forget what happened and let me go on," Abby added ignoring the nurse.

"Which is lower at least." Susan ignored what Abby was saying, and referenced Abby's fever that the nurse had just reported.

"You are not keeping me inside for 101.4"

"Oh we're not? Abby come on, you can not risk anything right now,"

"You're taking me out there."

"Abby, listen to me okay, just hear me out. Its cold, your sick with a fever that is just now starting to come down after two days. We can get out of the room.."

"Out of the room and out of the building."

"Alright and when you get sicker?"

"I won't."

"Right." Susan shook her head no point in arguing, and grabbed a wheelchair that had been parked outside of the room.

"Thank you." she smiled, or maybe smirked. Susan had been trained.

"Five minutes max, and not in the snow, under the hanging, or no deal,"

"Fine, spoilsport."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Sit down," Susan pointed to the wheelchair as she grabbed a multitude of blankets.

Abby eased herself into it and waited as Susan arranged the wool blankets around her so that only her eyes and nose were visible, a very muffled voice emanated from the lump, "Is this maybe a little bit of overkill?"

"Nope," Pratt said and briefly disappeared coming back with one more blanket, "now it might be,"

"This is cruel and unusual."

"And what you're doing to us isn't? Pratt grab the IV," Susan ordered.

"At least I'm not mummy-wrapping you."

"Hey, it can be undone provided you decide not to go outside,"

"Not a chance in hell. Though I'd like to be able to move my arms. My neck itches and I can't get to it."

Susan laughed, "Did you ever see the movie A Christmas Story?"

"No, why?"

"Never mind, you just reminded me of.. Oh we'll have to rent it and watch it when your home bound,"

"Just tell me before I throw a clot."

"The mom wraps her youngest son up in almost as much gear as you are in, and the main character describes him as a tick about to pop. And I'll stop there,"

"What? You don't want me to pop and bleed on you?"

"I recall a familiar scenario in a trauma room a few months back,"

"Don't start."

"Already did, alright we're outside, clocks ticking missy,"

"Air, I just wish I could actually feel it against my face."

"No, we had a deal." Susan said as she locked the brakes on the wheelchair. Abby didn't say anything, just sort of glared at Susan. "Yeah, didn't think so," she said leaning over and checking the IV bag, discovering it was empty. She could use it as an excuse to get Abby up to her room later, if it came down to having to use an excuse.

"That's all you have to say?"

"Yep, hell I'm not going to cut in on your waltzing here," in other words, she wasn't going to insult Abby right now, not when she seemed to be the best she had been in two months.

"Now, if I weren't wrapped too tightly to move, I might actually try to waltz. Dance through the snow like an overgrown five year old... Although at my height, not all that overgrown."

"I would like to see that actually. When you get back to the ER, you'll have to dance for us all, not just dance, but waltz."

"I'm a doctor, not a performer, thank you very much."

"A doctor who insist in sitting outside in the sub zero temperatures with nearly 102. Fever at that,"

"Nearly 102? You're kidding me, it was 101.4, and therefore closer to 101."

"Yeah, only because of Tylenol given forty five minutes before, it was 103. This morning, Dr. Lockhart, remember that part,"

"Yeah, but it's closer to 101, and affected by Tylenol, therefore manageable."

"You are as stubborn as they come. And its been seven minutes, so you owe me," Susan stood up and began pushing the chair back into the hospital.

"What exactly do I owe you?"

"Hm, how about oh I don't know, following medical advice, lets say for example, a diet. But then again, you need to put on weight so.."

"So eat all the shit I want? I can do that. If I can keep it down, I can definitely do that."

"Your nephrologist is going to kill me, well after she gets done with you,"

"I'm sure."

"Abby, I'm not so sure eating anything that you want is necessarily going to agree with you now."

"I was joking, or couldn't you hear me, what with the sound having to filter through all this?"

"Well we're inside, so shed the blankets if you must,"

"Like I said, you pretty much bound me. You're going to have to do the first three."

"Well, anywhere else you'd like to go before returning to your room?" she asked taking off the first layer of blankets.

"Junk food machine? Sour cream and onion Ruffles. Or Sunchips. Harvest cheddar Sunchips would be good."

"How about soup? I'm even willing to get you a pizza," she rolled her eyes, "or the cheese enchilada"

"A cheese enchilada, a double espresso, and get these damned blankets off me!"

"One or the other,"

"A cheese enchilada, a double espresso, and I'll survive the blankets then."

"Well technically since you have a fever, lets ditch the blankets, and honestly do you really want an enchiridia?"

"I'd prefer a double bacon bleu cheese burger, but I'm guessing the answer is no to that one."

"Oh I'll get it for you, just promise me you're not going to give back after you've eaten it,"

"I'll do my best captain."

"Yeah, yeah I've heard that before. Want anything else while I'm out?" Susan asked as she guided the wheelchair back into Abby's room.

"Um... A fifth of bourbon," after Susan had panicked adequately, she amended, "Kidding, kidding. How about pickled jalapenos?"

"More food? I was thinking along the lines of a movie, book, anything? I mean I will defiantly get your jalapenos but…" Susan shook her head, the food Abby was asking for not exactly something Susan would ever crave.

"Book? Er... Something fluffy."

"Okay Abby, I'm thinking your fever has gone a tad bit higher, since when do you read anything 'fluffy?"

"Since I don't feel like reading anything that'll give me nightmares."

"Like you don't have any right now?" Susan immediately regretted her choice of words. "I'm sorry Abby."

"Something that won't give me more, then."

"You want to talk about it?" She asked softly, Abby had yet to describe to anyone what had happened that night, beyond that there had been two attackers. And earlier in the day, she had told Susan to forget it all, only concerning Susan more.

"Maybe later."

"Abby, when is later?"

"I'm not sure."

"Don't you think its past later?" she said hoping to get Abby to talk at least a little about that night.

"Right now, I don't want to discuss it.

"Then when Abby? You really need to, I think it might help.."

"Well, right now, I'm in a pleasant mood and don't want to do anything to ruin it. I'll talk when I want to talk, damn it.

"Abby please, you're ignoring what happened, you can't and I wish it didn't happen, but please at least talk to someone, it doesn't have to be me, but someone, and not later," she reached over a and grabbed Abby's hand. "It doesn't even have to every thing, just to start, to talk to someone, it might help lessen the nightmares,"

"I'm not denying what happened, but I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Then what happened Abby?" she didn't need to hear the details, just needed to hear Abby actually admit what had had happened.

"I said I don't want to talk about it now, and I mean it. Damn it Susan, can't you even respect just that?"

"At least admit to it Abby, at least say what happened, that's all,"

"Fine, screw being able to keep anything down, I was raped. You happy? Is that what you need to hear? Screw the enchilada, now I just want to go sleep.

"Yes, that's exactly what I needed to hear and so did you," Susan said reaching over and bringing Abby into an embrace. Abby tried to shrug out of it, but Susan's arms weren't cooperating, so she gave in. "I know you're pissed at me Abby, and I'm sorry,"

"You're sorry. And you'll do it again. I suppose I should be thanking you for it, but I'm apparently legendary for my stubbornness"

"Just a tiny bit,"

"Really? I haven't been keeping up my reputation then. Ill have to work on that."

"Believe me Abby, you're more stubborn then ever before,"

"You're just saying that."

"Outside with a fever, refuses to follow a diet, snuck out of the hospital, tried to leave AMA. Should I keep going?" Susan paused. "No Abby, you're still the same," she reassured.

"Ech well, have to keep you on your toes."

"Yeah well your doing a damn good job of it. Alright," she stood up. "you said you wanted to sleep, so I'll let you do that,"

"Mkay."

"Do you want me to bring you back anything else?"

"No. I lost my appetite."

"Are you sure? I'll go search for those jalapeños if you want them."

"No. Not now. Thanks."

"A movie?"

"No, Susan. No thank you."

"You okay?" Susan asked, knowing that Abby was getting agitated, right after the subject had been brought up.

"Just peachy."

"Abby.." Susan said sadly and shook her head. "You are allowed not to be fine, okay?"

"I didn't say fine. I said peachy."

"And what exactly is peachy?"

"Peachy is sarcastic."

"Your also allowed to cry, show emotion, I wont tell I promise," Susan said, sitting back down.

"I will. But not right now. Right now, I want to go to sleep."

"Okay, want me to stay with you for a while?"

"Not necessary."

"Okay, I'll see you later then," she smiled and headed out. Running straight into Kerry, Luka, and Pratt.

"Susan?"

"She admitted to it, actually spoke the words. At least its something. I still think she's pretty depressed though,"

"Pretty depressed isn't exactly unexpected."

"I know, I know. I just want her to start talking more about it, instead of just pushing it away,"

"She's acknowledging it, just slowly."

Susan nodded, "Have they found anyone yet? I know everyone in the ER was being tested to see if they matched?"

"Results aren't back yet," Kerry replied.

"And Morris wasn't tested," somehow, Pratt felt a need for the addendum.

"I know I didn't match," Susan added.

"Different blood types?"

"Yeah," she paused. "I had to get tested, just hoping that maybe I could have helped"

"There's been some work in live donor transplants with mismatched blood types, but the results aren't particularly promising."

"I think she is more depressed about the dialysis then anything else,"

"Well, when the results are back, she'll know if she can get off it a bit sooner."

"Do we know when the results will be back?"

"Any time now. You know how labs operate."

"Most of the ER was tested, I think some in OB also volunteered,"

"I know, Susan.

"So it was a total of nearly a hundred people, her odds aren't that bad, even with her blood type." Susan spoke. "Maybe her luck will start to change." and then another pause. "Do you think she'll testify at the trial?"

"That's up to her. It would make the prosecution's job a bit easier, but even without her, I think they can make a case."

"But do you think she'll want to?"

"Probably not."

"What about her second attacker? Do the police even know or…"

"Did you tell them?" Susan shook her head slowly. "Then they don't."

"They should know,"

"Do you want to tell them?"

"I don't know anything else beyond that there was a second attacker, they would want to talk to Abby about it, and then she would know that I told,"

"So what do you suggest then?"

"What if he comes back, finds her?"

"That's not a suggestion."

"I know, but." She paused. "we all know it's a possibility"

"The most we can do is try to watch out for her. We can't help her any more than she will let herself be helped."

"And if they haven't caught him by the time she returns to the ER?"

"Then there'll be more security, everyone will have to be careful, but I don't see much else that can be done in that regard."

Susan nodded, knowing Kerry was right, as usual. "I um, I heard you sectary quit," she tried not to laugh, but it was mildly funny, another one gone.

"I think I'm going to try going without one."

"Any idea why he quit?"

"I may have scared him off over a couple of documents he spilled coffee on."

"Oh good Kerry! He lasted the longest I think, probably set some sort of record!"

"Four months is not a record. Or at least shouldn't be."

"When did he quit?" Pratt asked, remembering seeing him in the ER days before.

"I haven't been it my office in a while. He left a note, no date on it."

"I saw him in the ER the other day,"

"That's odd. I told security to delete his code."

"He was talking on his phone as he walked through the halls," Pratt added.

"If you see him again, and he's not a patient, have security escort him from the premises." Susan, Luka and Pratt all looked over to Kerry, trying to catch onto her train of thought. "He doesn't work here, he has no business lurking around. Besides, with what's happened, a bit of caution isn't out of place."

"Do you think if we brought his name up to Abby, she could…"

"I doubt it, but try if you'd like."

Susan shrugged, wonderful, why did it have to be her? "What do I say?"

"That's up to you."

"Of course," she turned around to head back into the room, but stopped. "Wait, she's asleep, we need to have a plan before just going in there," she wanted coffee needed coffee, coffee and food, oh and not to worry about Abby.

"There's not much to plan, really. No way to anticipate her reactions."

"I mean what to say, how to put it gently," and then an idea hit her, "where is Hernandez?"

"Home, probably. I think this is her day off."

"Ugh. Okay, anyone have any ideas of how to bring this up? Or should we even?"

"Maybe not yet."

"Alright. Pratt, he didn't ask about her or anything?"

"No. Didn't say much of anything."

"Did he speak with Morris at all?"

"I would hope not."

"But does the entire staff know where Abby is?"

"I don't think much of anyone knows."

"Well they know something had to have happened to her, and they know she didn't just go home," Susan didn't mean to sound rude, she was just frustrated.

"There are a lot of hospitals in Chicago, most probably won't guess this one."

"I hope not, I think she would be freaked out if people just started showing up,"

"That too."

"I thought she seemed a lot better, she seems to be making a lot of progress," Pratt spoke up.

"She is, or at least she's pretending to."

"You think she's pretending?" Susan asked, realizing that Kerry was probably right, that was defiantly something Abby would pull.

"It's pretty hard to tell anymore, but with Abby, just about anything is a possibility."

"Well," Pratt crossed his arms. "She got us again," he said remembering the conversation they had had a week before down in their own ER. About how Abby was always a step ahead of them.

"It's not that she's got us again, it's that she always had us," Susan sounded more than a little depressed by the thought. Abby had once again fooled them all.

"It would make sense, she was so… hostile at County just yesterday and now she's perfectly happy?" Luka said.

"So do we proceed under the assumption that she's lying, or that she's made a breakthrough?"

"If we address it as if she is lying she is going to know it, see right through us. However if we pretend that we think she's fine, we might never catch up with her,"

"So what? We flip a coin and hope it's smarter than we are?"

"Well Kerry," Susan began "What do you think?"

"I think that right now, none of us have the sort of training that'd be much help."

"So we just leave her? Let her continue with whatever plan she has right now?"

"No, we get someone in there."

"Like hell Abby is going to talk to anyone she even thinks might be a psychiatrist,"

"How she reacts to them will say a lot about what's actually going on."

"Abby has never reacted well to being with a psychiatrist,"

"Not reacting well is pretty vague."

"She wont talk to them Kerry! They…" she stopped, her fight was futile. "Who do you suggest then?"

"Call Hernandez and tell her to get her ass to the hospital."

"She's only signed on as a neurologist, Abby knows that,"

"So sign her on as a shrink too."

"Fine. But you deal with Abby when she finds out about this," Susan spoke and headed off to go and call Hernandez.

"Whatever it takes."

Pratt seeing this was probably not going to turn out well turned to Kerry. "I've got to get back, tell Abby I'll come and visit soon," he smiled and walked away, thankful he wouldn't have to be there when the shit hit the fan.. Again.