Abby was folding her laundry when the apartment door bell rang.

She shoved the stack of towels aside and stood up.

"I'm coming!" she called as the bell rang again. She pulled open the door and her mouth dropped open.

"Gillian," she said. The woman on the other side of the door smiled slightly.

"Hello, Abby," she said. Abby stepped aside.

"Uh...please come on in," she said. "It's a bit of a mess right now..." She frowned and looked out in the hall before closing the door.

"It's...umm...sweet," Gillian said as she looked around. Abby hurriedly swept the clean laundry back into a basket and shoved it around to the end of the couch.

"Can I get you some...tea...or something?" Abby asked as she tugged at the very old MASH tee shirt she'd thrown on with her sweat pants. Gillian shook her head.

"I want you to give me Luka," she said firmly.

"I am sorry?" Abby replied. Gillian was silent and just looked at her.

"Luka is not mine to give...to anyone," Abby shrugged.

"Oh, but he is," Gillian said with a lilting French accent. "Much more than you know."

"The Luka that I knew from Kisagani never looked past tomorrow," she said slowly as she wandered to the curtained window and looked out onto the street. "Always ...only today. He never cared to know what was down the road before him until now." Gillian turned and her green eyes bore into Abby's brown ones. "And now, I need him."

"Well..." Abby smiled wryly. "Since I have only seen him once at the hospital and have had only two phone calls since you've arrived..." She put her hand on her hip.

"I think you have him," she finished firmly. Gillian chuckled.

"Be careful, Abby," she said as she traced a finger along the back of the couch. "Jealousy does not become you." Abby's face burned as she glared at the carefully groomed red head before her. Gillian stopped and picked up the book that sat on Abby's end table. It was one that Luka had brought to her. She smiled softly as she read the title and put it back down again.

"He will be yours for the rest of your life," she said. 'I am asking only for the next two months...the rest of my life." Gillian looked up at Abby's stricken face and chuckled.

"Ah...our Luka is still - and always - an honorable man..." she sighed. 'I see that he has not told you what I asked him not to after all. I don't need anyone's pity...especially yours." Gillian took a deep breath.

"There was a lump..." she continued. "And I was too busy to take care of it." She looked back at Abby.

"The tests that Luka made arrangements for here have only confirmed what the doctors in Africa told me, " she said. "My visa does not allow me to stay in Chicago if I can get comparable care in Canada. So..." She turned away. "We go to Montreal...to wait." Abby stood in stunned silence. Gillian turned to her.

"Yes...he is with me...and yet he is not with me," she said. "So, I must ask you to give him to me...please." Gillian headed toward the door and turned the knob. She looked back at Abby's back and smiled sadly.

"He is at the hospital clearing up some things before we go," she said. 'I imagine he will be there for some time." Abby heard the door close behind her. She took a deep, deep breath and let it out slowly. Her eyes narrowed and she reached for the jacket laying over a nearby chair. She threw it on and shoved her wallet deep into the pocket. She was frowning as she walked to the train station and found a seat on the El. She was fuming by the time she reached the hospital. She strode up to the ER admit desk.

"Abby!" Morris said happily. "Are you here to..."

"Where is Luka?" she interrupted him. Morris' face fell and he pointed down the hall with his pen. Abby turned and strode toward Luka's small office. Chuny stood up straight and watched Abby's back.

"Well...finally!" she said happily. "You GO, girl!" Morris looked over at her and frowned worriedly.

"You women are so scary..." he said. Chuny grinned and hissed like a cat as she bared her 'claws' at him. Morris whimpered and scampered out of her way away from the desk.

Luka looked up from his desk as the door to his office slammed open.

"Luka Kovac," Abby said sharply. "Damn you for not telling me what was going on!"

"Abby!" he said and stood up. Abby advanced toward him and punched him in the chest.

"For five days I have been patient and played the maligned and understanding girl friend...but no more! You should have told me!" She punched him again and again until Luka grabbed her hands. He twisted her arms around her chest and picked her up from behind. Abby kicked and twisted in his grasp.

"Stop it!" he said. "This is not the place...and besides I am getting very tuned in." Abby stopped writhing and then laughed frustration. Luka let her feet slide down to the floor and she turned around in his arms.

"Turned ON," shegroaned.

"That too..." Luka grinned. Abby looked up at him and laughed sheepishly. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

"Gillian came to see me," she said with her face pressed to his chest. Luka's arms tightened around her and he kissed the top of her head.

"You need to go," she sighed. "She brought you back to me once...and now, you need to go."

"So, it is okay with you?" he asked. Abby pulled back and looked up at him.

"No...it's NOT okay with me," she said, "but I understand." Luka sighed heavily and kissed the end of her nose. Abby looked up at him again.

"But this is the only time," she said. "I don't want any more of your...and shall I add...many...past relationships making a claim on you like this ever again." Luka laughed and nodded.

"I promise..." he said as he kissed her. Abby tucked her head under his chin and held him tightly.