"Hey. You up to visitors?"

Abby glanced up to find Dave hovering in the doorway. "Yeah. Just about."

Dave quietly closed the door behind him and crossed over to the bed. "Would I get an evil look if I asked how you're feeling?"

"Yes."

Abby was sat up in the bed, holding the baby. Dave noticed she already had bunches of flowers and cards scattered around the room. "From the ER?"

Abby nodded. "You gotta save me from them. I've had pretty much every one of the nurses up here already."

"Oh no. You can do your own dirty work." Dave laughed and sat down in the chair at the side of the bed.

"You afraid of them, Dave?"

"Yeah, actually. This is the nurses we're talking about."

"Maybe you have a point. I don't really fancy pissing off Haleh."

Dave shook his head. "Definitely not a good idea."

"I expected you to have been here sooner. Susan said that you were outside the whole time."

Dave suddenly felt embarrassed. "Yeah, I had nothing better to do. Thought it might be exciting."

"Hope it was entertaining enough for you. Sat in the corridor for hours."

"It passed the time. After I knew you were ok, I thought that you'd probably want a bit of space so I took off for a bit."

"Do you want to hold him?"

"Yeah."

Abby could not help smiling at the huge grin on Dave's face as she passed the baby to him. It quickly faded however as she thought of Carter and how he would have reacted if he had been here; what kind of father he would have made.

"Does he have a name yet?"

Dave's voice shook her from her thoughts. "Erm. I've kinda decided but I dunno. What do you think of Ryan?"

Dave seemed to take a moment to study the baby for a second, before slowly nodding. "Yeah. I like it. Ryan Lockhart."





"Everyone's been asking bout you. Even Weaver." Susan looked down at the sleeping baby. Smiling, she turned back to face Abby.

"Even the nurses? I mean it's been all of an hour since one of them was up here."

"Yes, even the nurses." Susan laughed. "Luka wanted me to ask you if he could come up."

Abby shrugged. "Sure."

"Dave been by?"

"Yeah. He stopped in earlier. I think I fell asleep talking to him."

"I'm sure he'll get over it." Susan went back to watching Ryan.

"Do you think he looks like Carter?"

The question started Susan, causing her to spin around quickly. "Where did that come from?"

"I dunno. I was just looking at him before and he kinda reminds me of Carter."

"He's a day old baby."

Abby sighed. "I know I'm just being stupid but."

"You worried that people will know that Carter's the father?"

"No. It's not that. Everybody's already jumped to their own conclusions about that."

Susan moved and sat on the edge of the bed. "Then what?"

"He just reminds me of Carter."

"Well, considering that he is Carter's son then he will probably remind you of him even more as he grows up. Can you handle that?"

"I have no choice. I have to deal with this."

"Then deal with it."

"I am!"

"Then good." Susan smiled mischievously. "You know if Carter was around then he would insist on calling this baby John Truman."

"Ok, firstly, I'm dealing with it so you're not gonna succeed in winding me up. And secondly, if Carter was here I would never let him call our son after himself."

"There would have been major arguments about that."

"No, there wouldn't!" Abby smiled slightly. "I was thinking of John for Ryan's middle name though." she confessed. "Think that's a really bad idea?"

"No. I think that this kid deserves to have his father's name."

"Ok then. Ryan John it is."





"I can't believe that I'm finally out of that place." Abby carefully placed Ryan down in the carrycot that Susan had just dropped onto the floor of the apartment.

"Remind me again why I offered to help you?" Susan complained, as she headed back down to the car to bring up the rest of the presents people had bought Abby for the baby.

"Cause you felt sorry for a poor single mother."

"No, I'm pretty sure that's not it. More like you begged me to help and promised me coffee for my troubles." Susan complained as she left the room.

When she returned Abby had made her a cup of coffee. "Satisfied?" she asked, handing the cup to Susan.

"Yes." Susan tasted it. "On second thoughts, no!"

"I never promised you good coffee. And I didn't beg you to help. You offered. I said that Dave would give me a lift, but you said to tell him no, you'd do it."

"Well next time, I'll remember to let him help." Susan sat down on the couch.

Abby paced the room for a moment, then joined her. ""I'm gonna tell him!"

"Tell who what?"

Abby paused. "Carter. I'm gonna tell him."

"Right now?"

"No. Not right now. But soon."

"Why now? Why did you not decide this before you gave birth?"

"I didn't want him here. I still don't."

"Then why are you telling him?"

"Cause he's Ryan's father and has a right to know."

"You have a twisted logic, you know that?"

"You don't think I should tell him?"

"I think you should have told him before now."

"Well, I didn't."

"I told you to tell him."

"You're not helping."

"Sorry. Do you want Ryan to grow up without a father?"

"No. My dad walked out on us. I know how hard it is to not have a father around."

"Then you should tell him."

**********************

Ok, again I feel I should apologise for taking so long to update this. I just don't seem to have had the time lately. Anyway, thanks to the people who are still reading and reviewing this, especially The She Devil, Daveluva and Marie. Thanks also to SweetKittie and CARBYfan for suggesting names for the baby. In the end, I had to go with Ryan which my friend and beta readerish person choose. I did like CARBYfan's suggestion of John though so I gave the baby a middle name. Chapter 7 is nearly finished so fingers crossed that should be up Friday.