Chapter 20: Revenge

Abby felt like crying. She felt empty inside her. And John woke up with her loud breaths.

"What happened, sweetheart?"

"I think... something happened to the babies"

"It's nothing. Go back to sleep"

And with that he slept again. But she couldn't forget. She knew there was something wrong. He sat and hugged her.

"Abby... don't worry. Susan is taking care of them"

In Chicago...

"What? What you mean she came and took them? Who let her take them?" – Susan asked angrily.

"What's going on?" – Luka asked.

"Maggie took her grandchildren away"

"That's not good"

"I'm sorry. I thought I could let her take them, because she's the grandma"

"No, you couldn't. She's sick! She wants to get back to Abby!"

"Yeah, she never liked Carter. She took the girls to get back for Abby getting married him"

"I didn't know. Maybe the security had stopped her from going"

"Then let's go"

And the three of them rush to the admitting, hoping to Maggie still be there.

"Now what?"

"We're gonna have to tell them"

"I'm out"

"Me too"

"Your cowards!" – Susan laughed – "Ok, right. I'll tell them"

Susan started to dial the first numbers, but hesitates on dialing the other ones.

"What happened?"

"I'm sorry. I... can't"

"It's ok. I'll call"

"Thank you Luka"

Luka grabs the phone from Susan's hand, who sits on the couch with her head on her hands, with tears on her eyes.

"Susan, I'm so sorry. Really. I shouldn't have let her hold them"

"It's ok, Gallant. You can't go back in time"

"Carter? Hey, it's Luka"

"Hey, something happened?"

"Hum, actually yes. Is Abby around?"

"Yeah, just a minute" – He walks away from her – "Tell me"

He wanted to confirm what his heart already knew.

"Abby's mother came here and took the girls away"

"What?"

"I'm sorry"

"It's ok. We're flying back. Bye"

"Ok. See you guys then. Bye"

He looked at her, who was sobering from crying.

"She really took them, didn't she?"

She sat and he walked towards her, sat down and took her hand. Her eyes were red and she couldn't even talk.

"Yes"

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have let them alone"

"Sweet, it's not your fault. We didn't know she'd do that"

"Oh, I did. You know, this is so typical of her. You can blame me"

"You know, it's my fault as much as is yours. I'm feeling the same pain you are. But we'll do anything we can to save our daughters. Trust me"

"I'm wondering what my mother is doing with them. Nothing bad, I hope. I'll never forgive her for this"

"Don't worry. We're going to fly back"

"I'm sorry John"

"Don't be"

"Kidnapping wasn't on my plans"

"Neither on mine, but it's ok. Now let's pack and fly back to Chicago"

"Ok"

"It's going to be ok. We'll use all the ways we can to get them back, ok?"

"Yes"

"Great"

"And what if we don't?" – She got up from the bed – "What if my mother do something crazy with them to get back at me?"

Tears fell from her eyes, making him get even more worried and upset.

"She wouldn't do that"

"Believe me. She would"

"Ok, let's not think about it. Let's go back and then we decide what to do" – He got up.

"I just… want them to be ok and safe"

"I know" – He hugged her.

"She did it. She tried to let me down and did it. I'm so stupid"

She sat down and put her head on her hands. He sat next to her and grabbed her hand.

"We'll get over it. We'll go through it. Together. Just like we did the other times"

"Promise?"

"Yes. I won't leave you alone. We'll face this together"

He kissed her on the forehead.

"Thank you"

"Now let's go"

He got up and picked the bags.

"John, I… Nevermind"

He looked at her, kind of knowing what she wanted to say, but didn't say a word. 5 hours later… they arrive at Chicago and go straight to County, where they are greeted by Luka, Susan and Gallant.

"I'm sorry" – Gallant said.

"It's ok. You tried" – John said, leading an ecstatic Abby to the lounge.

"How is she?" – Susan asked.

"She's been crying since she knew. I gave her some sleeping pills. And she's been like this since then. She sensed, you know?

"What?"

"She sensed something had happened before you called"

Susan felt the pain that John put on his words and felt a rush in her heart and her eyes watered.

"I'm sorry, Carter"

"Yeah, we'll help you guys" – Gallant said.

"I'll go with you to look for the girls" – Luka said.

"Me too"

"Count on me"

John smiled.

"Thanks guys. Abby…" – He gave her a glance – "…We need all the support we can have"

"Well… we're the perfect team" – Susan joked.

"I guess we are. I appreciate all your help. Really"

"Anytime you need"

Luka and Gallant's shift had finished and they were leaving when John spoke.

"We're going to Minnesota tomorrow morning"

"We'll be here"

John stays alone with Susan, that looks at him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Good. My daughters got kidnapped, my wife is sedated, but I'm ok" – He said sarcastically.

"I'm so sorry, Carter. But we're here for you"

"I'm moving with Abby to England"

"What? Does she know it?"

"I haven't told her yet"

There was a long pause.

"You know, she went through a lot in these 9 months. Her ex showed up, she fought with her mother, she had a gun pointed to her head"

"What? A gun?"

"Yes, in Switzerland" – He puts his head on his hands – "That was the worst day of my life" – He took a deep breath before he continued – "I just want to push it all away. I want to start a new life. With my new family. My daughters and my wife. She… suffered a lot. And the best way to make her forget is going away and leaving the past behind"

"Oh Carter. You are really in love. That's so cute!"

"I am. I love her. I want my family to be safe"

"I know. I find that wonderful. It's the best thing to do"

"I'm not sure if she'll want to go"

"Why?"

"We've been fighting. And I got a little violent"

"You hit her?" – A shocked Susan asked.

"No, but I was close. She cried and I couldn't"

They hear a sound coming from inside the room.

"Abby, you can't get up"

"I need to find my daughters"

"We will, but not today"

"Yes today. I need to"

"Rest a little"

"I can't" – She looked at John – "John, tell her we have to find them"

John didn't know what to say. Susan was right. But Abby's red eyes made his heart melt. He was as worried as her. He was worried about the trauma she would have because of her mother and their baby daughters kidnapped. He was afraid about her going through it all, knowing that there was a possibility she might be pregnant again.

"Susan, go get some rest. We'll have a long day tomorrow"

"What about you? Are you gonna be ok?"

"Yes, I'm gonna take care of Abby"

"Ok. Call me if you need me"

"You got it"

Susan leaves the room and stares through the window. John grabs Abby's hand to try to comfort her.

"It's gonna be ok, honey. It's gonna be ok. Susan, Luka and Gallant are going with us"

"We shouldn't put them into this. This is our business"

"They wanted to help"

She held his hand tighter.

"John… I'm scared"

"I know. I'm scared too"

"I mean, no one knows what she did or will do about them"

"Let's hope she haven't done anything"

"Yeah, I won't forgive myself if something happens"

"Don't be so hard to yourself. We can't see the future. But I want you to know that I'm here with you. I wanna be with you"

"You're already with me. For one year. But you've been in my life for two years. I knew that you and me were soul mates in the moment I first saw you"

"I love you"

She put out her arms asking for a hug and he hugs her. Then he looks at her and kisses her.

"We're doing the best we can"

"I know"

"We're moving"

"What?"

"We can't stay here anymore. Ex-boyfriends, mother, violence. This gotta stop. I don't want our daughters to grow up between so much confusion and violence"

"We'd have to move to another planet then" – She joked and saw his face – "Ok, I understand. I don't want that either. We're moving"

"Really?"

A smile came across his face and she smiled.

"Yeah. I'll go with you wherever you go. I wouldn't be able to live so many miles away from you"

"Me too. So it's official?"

"Yes, we'll get our daughters back and leave. Oh…"

"What?"

"Wait… the house. We just bought a house"

"Don't worry"

"But you cared so much about decorating it"

"Honey, our security comes first"

"I know. Have you told them?"

"Just Susan"

"I'll miss them"

"Me too. But we can come visit them"

"I know. But it doesn't matter as long as I'm with you"

She placed her head on his shoulder and he laid his over hers.

"Everything's gonna be ok. We're gonna call the police and tell them to arrest her"

"I just want this to end up soon"

"I know honey. I know. I want this to be over as much as you do"

She sleeps on his lap and he gently lies her down in bed and keeps watching her.

I'm worried about her. She's too scared. I'm scared too, but I don't want to make her feel worse than she already is. But it hurts to think about what Maggie might be doing with them right now.

While he was thinking, he sat down and put his head on his hands and let the tears fall. And he ended up sleeping.

Next morning… the five of them meet in front of County.

"Hey, how you guys doing?"

"Abby is ok by now"

"And you?"

"I'm trying not to think"

"I'm sorry. I can imagine how hard it is for you"

"It is"

"So, I guess we can go"

Abby began to feel bad in the car and Susan tried to calm her down.

"Carter, did she do a test?"

"The effect of the sleeping pills must be finishing" – John changed the subject.

"Carter, is she pregnant?"

"We don't know. She didn't do a test"

"I can't believe this! She just gave birth and you already want to get her pregnant again!"

"Susan, I'm not discussing this with you. This is between Abby and me. This is something we both want"

"Ok, all right then" – Susan said, upset.

A few hours later they arrive at Minnesota, where John and Abby are about to go through the hardest experience of their lives.