Thanks for the reviews guys - reallyappreciated. Sorry, in advance for this chapter. I hit a big big brick wall and this is basically me trying to get over it.

Chapter 7

Although it was Abby's last night with her friends she didn't seem to be enjoying herself as she should have been. In reality it was her much younger friend, Neela who was having the most fun and attracting the most attention – as she continued to cause utter chaos around the bar. The would be elders – Abby and Susan had found a much quieter corner of the bar, one where they could not only watch the party before them; they could also talk without the constant interruptions of a rather rowdy Neela. Hidden in their corner they sat discussing very complex matters.

"…and then what happened?"

"I asked him to leave – told him to go find a hotel or something…"

In response to Abby's latest statement, Susan threw her a very surprised look.

"It's okay! I think he owns one…" Abby replied as a joke.

"Abby!" Susan shouted.

"What? It was going to be too awkward anyway" Abby said rather "matter of a fact".

Susan nodded her head softly before giving Abby a very confused look. She couldn't quite understand how it could have possibly gotten any more uncomfortable.

"Oh come on Susan!" Abby said.
"Jake's home tomorrow and, I dunno, I guess the idea of me, my fiancé and my ex shacking up doesn't exactly sound like fun."
Susan nodded her head again, this time in agreement as she finally understood what Abby had meant. She still on the other hand couldn't quite work out what was going on with her two friends. She couldn't understand how or why they had fought even though Abby had told her how it all started. Susan knew Carter was right and she couldn't believe that Abby hadn't seen how right he was.

"Do you know where he went?"

Abby shrugged her shoulders. "Nope"

"So…you haven't spoken to him?"

"Not since the fight and I told him to leave" Abby stated.

Un-aware of exactly what had been said between the two of them Susan began to assume what had went on – knowing that once Carter starts, he can't stop; everything finds a way of coming out.

"So, I'm guessing you found out about Kem?" Susan asked, convinced that topic had come up.

Abby gave Susan a bewildered face. "Found out what exactly?"
Susan tilted her head. "You don't know do you?"
"Know what?" Abby replied, elevating her voice.

Susan's stomach turned, she didn't want to have to be the person to tell Abby – she had to hear it from Carter.

"It's nothing…" Susan spoke quietly as she shook her head.

Abby laughed doubtfully as she said "If it was nothing, then why did you bring it up?"

"Carter should be the one to tell you" Susan stated, certain she wasn't going to blab anymore than she had already done.

"…ok. I guess" Abby said as she looked down onto the table. She put her hand on her straw and began to stir her soda.

John Carter was thankful he hadn't unpacked at Abby's apartment on arrival, but then again, it wasn't like he knew things would have gone the way they did. As he walked through the long corridor his thoughts were not of his wife, alone in their home halfway around the world – instead he thought of the last woman he fought with. He thought of what could have happened, or more what wouldn't have happened had he just went to a hotel in the first place. Their fight replayed in his head a thousand times and he cringed at the many, many things he knew he shouldn't have said. Soon his thoughts drifted to Kem and what had been said between the two of them. Thoughts of what he wished he could have taken back and things he wished he had said. As he made his way into his new home for the next few days his head continued to churn. He threw his bag on the floor and quickly inspected the room – checking the bathroom and the closets. He then sat on the bed and slowly allowed himself to drift off again.

He began to regret how he had left things; how he wished he had just stopped what he was doing and taken her in his arms. He wished he hadn't allowed her to tell him to leave – he wished he had just stayed. He sat praying that she would forgive him, hoping that they could have a civilised conversation and talk things through – anything to over-ride the truths that came out whilst they fought, although there were many things he was glad he had said. He was aching to talk to her. John Carter quickly glanced at his watch and worked out that she wouldn't be home, instead he knew exactly what he would do. He reached over to the other side of the bed and picked up the phone.

"Hey, you have reached Abby. Thanks for calling and if I don't answer this I'm probably at work so, just leave a message."

"Hey Abby, it's John – I just wanted to say sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did and I just…can we talk? Ok, I know you're not in so can you just call me at the hotel. Bye."

"Hey Abby, it's John – I just wanted to say sorry. I shouldn't have said what I did and I just…can we talk? Ok, I know you're not in so can you just call me at the hotel. Bye."

Abby placed her keys on the table as she listened to the message play – pausing when she realised who was talking. She stood staring at her phone as John's voice played out to her. For a moment she thought of calling him back but she quickly changed her mind – knowing she just couldn't face him, or face hearing what he had to say. Her head was in a thousand different places at once. She felt as though she was being pulled in four different directions at the one time and she was about ready to pop. Until Carter had shown up Abby had been happy, or at least she was getting there. She had put her feelings for Carter aside and was fully ready to move on. She had spent the first few days back home reflecting on what had went on. She wanted to make sure she was doing the right thing. Every time she thought of calling the thing with Jake off she stopped – knowing that whether she was with Jake or not, she'd still want something more. In those days she had played through every possible case scenario in her head; what if Carter comes back? What if he doesn't? What if Jake runs off? What if Maggie re-surfaces? What if…

She was tired; tired of thinking of Carter, tired of pushing Jake out, tired of lying to herself and everyone else around her. Instead, she let it out – spilling her heart and her soul onto the only friend that would understand the situation – Susan. She told her about Carter and Paris, and about how she felt about Jake. She spoke of what had been said between herself and Carter in Paris and about the phone calls – about how nervous she always seemed to be whenever he phoned; terrified of what would happen if Jake found out. His jealousy could get pretty extreme at times and he had already sensed something wasn't right between Carter and Abby. Jake knew something had gone on in Paris and he knew it had affected Abby – for that alone he felt some resentment towards Carter.

Abby was well aware of how Jake felt towards Carter. She knew he already suspected something even though they both knew it was impossible, granted he was 3000 miles away. In a sense, Abby feared Jake's reaction to Carters early arrival, especially if he was to have found out that he had already seen Abby.

She looked at the clock sitting by the side of her couch and tried to calculate how long it would be until Jake got back, how long it would be until the wedding, and how long it would be before Carter would leave. She was desperate to see the back of him once and again – to say goodbye to him and the awful feelings he brought with him. If he was out of sight, he was out of mind…