Concealed

Disclaimer: I don't own ER or it's characters.

Rating: G for now.

Pairing: Abby and Carter

Summary: It's been 10 years since Carter left Chicago to be with Kem, Abby runs into him in Chicago, why is he back?

Author's Note: Don't worry I'm wil lstill be writing Stuck In A Storm, but I had to write this. Thanks for Heather for editing the story for me and coming up with the title for the story.

Chapter 1

Carter can still remember when he left Chicago ten years ago to be with Kem in Africa. He thought he was doing the right thing being with the one that he loved, so why did it turn out to be the worst thing he did in his life?

He opened the door to his hotel room, and put his stuff on his bed. He walked over to the window and looked out, he never realized how much he missed Chicago. He was happy to be home, but was it really his home any more?

He left his job, his friends, to go be with Kem, the love of his life, but now look at him; he is lonelier than he has ever been in his life. He has no job, no house, nothing. He has to start fresh, and he didn't know where to start first.

He picked up his jacket and left the hotel room, he didn't know where he was going, but he knew he couldn't just sit there and do nothing.

He stopped at the hospital, he didn't know why he'd shown up there, but it was where he spent 11 years of his life, he just wanted to see what it was like now.

It still looked the same, but he was sure that it was all different inside, Abby was probably an attending, Morris probably didn't last long as chief resident and most likely was either not working there anymore or just a doctor, Susan was probably still being a great doctor and chief of ER.

"Sir, do you need some help?" asked a young doctor. Carter looked at him. " I use to work here many years ago and I just wanted to see how it is now. It hasn't changed that much."

"Why don't you come in and see everybody." The doctor replied. "I didn't get your name."

Carter shook his head. "I don't need to go in there. I left years ago and I can't go back now."

"Oh, does Morris still work here?" Carter asked, curious to see if Morris lasted here or not.

"I don't know anybody name Morris."

Carter smiled to himself that Morris wasn't working here anymore. "What about Luka… Sam, Abby?"

"You are asking a lot of questions, why don't you just come in and say hi for yourself." the doctor asked.

"I can't, I don't belong here anymore. " Carter replied, as he walked away.

A few minutes later,

"Who were you talking to Jeremy, just a few minutes ago?" Abby asked, the young doctor.

"I don't know, he said he used to work here, and he asked about you and some other doctors, but he didn't say who he was."

"Probably just some old doctor that work here many years ago."

"He seems like he wanted to come in, but he didn't think he could." Jeremy replied. " He seem like he was lost."

"Lost?" Abby asked with a laugh.

"I don't mean he was lost, but in his eyes, he looked lost. Maybe he wasn't even a doctor, and he was a little crazy."

"I've had enough crazy people today." Abby said. "I can't wait to just go home."

"I'll see you tomorrow, Dr. Lockhart."

"You can call me Abby; you have been here for nearly a year." Abby said.

Jeremy nodded. "Okay, Abby." Abby smiled at the young doctor, who was just an intern, she remembered when she was an intern, now she was an attending. She loves her job.

Abby walked into Ikes, as she was getting a seat, she looked at a man sitting by himself, she could swear that she knew that man somewhere, he looked so familiar, he then turned around, she couldn't believe who it was. It was John Carter. But it couldn't be him, could it? He's in Africa and has been for the last 10 years. She walked up to the man. "Excuse me, you look like someone I know."

He turned around. "Abby."

"It is you, John. I'm so happy to see you, it's been how long? 10 years nearly."
she said as she hugged him. He smiled at her slightly. " It's been a while." She then sat down next to him.

"So how are you, John?"

"Fine," Carter said, not saying much. She looked at him. " You were the one that was talking with Dr. Mack, weren't you? Why didn't you just come in."

"I didn't feel like it. I heard that Morris isn't there anymore."

Abby grinned. "He left a year after you left. I don't think he could handle the job anymore, last I heard was that he was working in a convenience store.

Carter laughed for the first time in a long time. "I never thought that Morris could handle the job. How are you others doing?"

"Susan is still working as the Chief of ER; she is taking some time, because she is having another baby, a daughter this time. Kerry is still here, Luka and Sam left town a year ago. Ray is one of the best doctors here, he is the chief resident and Pratt is the chief of ER, while Susan is away. He seems like bossing people around, but he is a great doctor. Neela is an attending now, as am I."

"I can see there's something else." Carter replied.

She looked down at her stomach. "I'm due in a few months."

"You and your husband must be happy." he replied. She didn't say anything to him; she didn't know how to answer that.

"So is Kem meeting you here?"

Carter stood up. "I'm sorry, Abby, but I've really got to run, it was great seeing you. Tell everybody I said hi."

"Why don't you come over and see everyone?" Abby replied.

"I'm just in town for a day or so. Don't tell anybody I was here." he said, as he rushed out of Ikes, leaving Abby to wonder what she did.

She sat down, and put her hand on her stomach. "That's an old friend of your mommies, and I think he isn't telling me the whole truth."

She ran out of Ikes after Carter, but he had already gone. Maybe it was for the best, she couldn't deal with anymore stress than she already had.

But the only thing she could think about now was why was Carter here, and why is he hiding from her?

To be continued