They were sitting in a romantic restaurant, eating an incredible meal. There was no better time than the present. "So…"Abby said, finishing up the rest of her chicken and taking a sip of her sparkling grape juice. "What did you want to talk about?" Carter had taken her out to a nice dinner, but they had barely talked the whole time.
"You can go first," Carter told her. He looked up at her expectantly.
"No, I really think you should,"
"Abby… maybe we should forget about our talk… just enjoy this night together."
"Do you remember when we were just friends? I mean, before we started dating?" Abby asked abruptly.
"Yes," said Carter. "We used to sit on that bench by the river and talk for hours on end."
"Why can't we do that anymore?"
Carter looked down at his hands, thinking. "We still can," he told her, looking straight in her eyes. "Abby I love you," he said.
This caught her attention.
"Abby, I've loved you since the first time I saw you. I know we have many problems-"
This last remark earned him one of her famous eye rolls, but he continued on. "I know you haven't forgiven me for leaving you to go to Africa. Or for leaving you again after that…"
"I remember that day you left again. There was so much emotion. Raw emotion, so many feelings. Pain, fear, anger, John," Abby whispered so softly that he could barely hear her. "You just left, you wouldn't say why. I didn't understand why you were leaving me, and to this day I still don't know why you left." She couldn't help it. A big, fat tear rolled down her cheek.
Carter was floored. Abby had never opened up to him like this before. And he couldn't remember the last time he had seen her cry. He got up from his seat and went over to her, pulling her into a giant hug and holding her tightly.
"John?"
"Hmm?" he asked, moving a stray piece of hair away from her eyes with his finger.
"I'm pregnant."
"So how do you feel?"
"Happy. Definitely happy," John Carter whispered over the phone to Susan Lewis. "I'm gonna be a daddy!"
Susan laughed. He would make a great father. "Wow, that's great!"
"Yeah," Carter told her. "Listen I have to go, Abby's waking up. I'll see you at work in a few hours." He hung up the phone and went back to the bedroom.
"Abby?" he said, peeking his head through the bedroom door.
"Hi," she said with a weak smile.
"You were asleep for a really long time. How's the baby doing?"
"Same as the last time you asked me. It's not like I can feel it yet," Abby said.
"Hey," Carter said. "We can't call our baby 'It'."
"Well do you have a better idea?" Abby asked, annoyed.
"No…" Carter said. "But it's just weird."
"I'm going back to sleep," Abby said. "I'm on at six, so can you wake me up at quarter to five?"
"Yeah," Carter said with a sigh. He lay down on the bed next to Abby.
"You're gonna keep me up with your snoring," Abby muttered before drifting off to sleep.
"Crazy patients," Neela said.
"They're what we live for, right?" said Ray. "Otherwise life would be too boring."
"But it would be nice and easy without them," Neela complained.
"Come on, roomie. I bet I could cheer you up. Come see my band play."
"You wish," said Neela with a laugh. Just then Neela's patient started screaming, and she had to leave to go back to him. "See you later Ray."
"And then there was one," Ray said to himself.
"Hey Dr. Carter," Ray called as Carter walked down the hall to the lounge.
"I'm on a break, ask me later," Carter said. He walked into the lounge and opened his locker. Taking out his coat and wallet, he quickly ran out of the ER and over to the L station.
"Okay, I only got someone to cover me for half an hour, but that's enough time to get you down to the hospital," Carter told Abby as he walked in the door to their apartment.
"I think I can make it to the hospital just fine on my own."
"Yes, but if you fall down the stairs or something you could hurt the baby," said Carter.
"John, why would I fall down the stairs?"
"I don't know, just let me help you."
"You're being crazy! I'm just pregnant." Abby said.
At this Carter started grinning. He walked closer to Abby. "We're having a baby," he whispered in her ear.
Abby laughed and took his hand. "Let's go to work, or we're both gonna be late."
They left the apartment together, talking and joking the whole way to work.
"Quiet, they're coming."
"Why are we in here again?"
"Just shut up."
"We've been waiting long enough."
"When do they plan on getting here?"
Almost all the staff of the ER was waiting in the lounge for Carter and Abby to arrive. Just then they walked through the door. "Congratulations!" everyone shouted.
Abby's mouth fell open. There was a huge banner that said, "Come soon, Baby Carter!". The whole room was full of presents and every imaginable necessity for having a baby. Carter smiled at the look on her face and squeezed her hand. Abby was almost crying. No one had ever done something so nice for her before.
All their friends congratulated the happy couple, and the celebrations continued until a trauma came in.
"I guess some things never change," Abby said to Carter as their co-workers headed out the door to tend to patients.
"You and me, that's one of those things," said Carter. "I'll always be there." He took a deep breath. He was ready to tell her.
OK, so this is just another story about Abby getting pregnant. But I like the idea so much! Thanks for all the kind reviews. Please keep them coming!