O'Hare Airport-
"Susan!"
Susan turned around when she heard her name being called. "Al!" She met the other woman halfway with Luka close behind. "It's so good to see you." She said as she hugged her friend. "God look how dark you are. Don't worry a winter in Chicago will take care of that."
Abby rolled her eyes before she looked at Luka while Susan bent to greet Hope and Faith. "Hi Luka. How are you?"
"Good. You look great."
"Thanks. So do you." She smiled a little before they hugged awkwardly. "These are my girls. Hope, Faith, this is Aunt Susan's husband, Luka."
The girls looked at Luka shyly as he knelt down to say hello. He studied them, seeing that Susan had been right in her description. Faith was Abby all over again but looking at Hope's eyes he was reminded of John Carter. He looked up at Abby who smiled a little before looking back at the girls.
Well at least they'd both gotten Abby's nose.
John tossed his keys on the small table near the apartment door and soaked in the silence. He didn't hear the sounds of Bach wafting from the kitchen, nor did he smell anything. Water wasn't running and there wasn't any clicking of computer keys. He was alone for the first time in his apartment since the separation.
Ava had taken residence of the apartment, barring him from entering without his lawyer. She tossed all of his clothes into the elevator and made it stop on every floor. Four of his Armani suits are missing.
She swallowed a bottle of Valium from his medical bag. Her parents barred him from her hospital room. Her brother had punched him. She shunned him.
He couldn't help that he loved her. She had come into his life at a moment that he needed someone and she was perfect. Beautiful, fun, intelligent, daring. And now he's discovered, crazy.
She deserved to be more than second choice. And he tried to make that true. Abby was long gone. She never tried to write, and he wasn't going to beg. He had Ava.
Only, Ava didn't want him.
She had found the letter that he wrote to Abby right before they got married in Hawaii. He had confessed every emotion he felt toward her. Lust, fear, loathing, hatred, gratefulness, neediness, and love. All of this for Abby Lockheart, the woman that had rejected him.
The water turns on and he knows he is caught. After a long shift, he isn't in the mood for another blow out about alimony or custody of the Jack Russell Terrier. He just wanted to have her heal, so he could heal himself.
"John," she chokes, surprised that he is there. Her blond hair is tied in a knot on her head, her eyes red and puffy. She's been crying.
"Ava, I'm sorry that I'm here. I just--" he pauses, unable to come up with the next words. "I just wanted to be home."
"If this is your way of asking for me to take you back, you suck at it," she laughed bitterly, folding her arms tightly around her waist. "You used to be more suave."
"Let's call it caution. Having Dave punch me in the ER did damage to my suaveness."
"He was trying to protect me." She brushes past him, her hand lightly touching his. He lets her pass, watching as she curls up on the couch with Dakota. She strokes his long, tangled hair as he licks her arm. She is subdued, not fighting with him at all.
"Ava? What's wrong?"
"Question of the day. Let's see, I got served today. Nice touch John. Come to rub some salt in my wounds?"
"I didn't know that they were coming today. And you wanted out, not me." He pinches the bridge of his nose. "I worked all night and I'm not in the mood for this Ava. I'm really tired."
"Well, I'm pregnant."
"What?" he asks, completely off-guard. "Pregnant?"
"Apparently so. Blue. Congratulations, you're a father."
"Father?" The words sink in, causing his knees to weaken. Suddenly the room is spinning. He finds his way to the couch and sinks next to her. "We're going to be parents."
"Seems like it," she answers, feeling a mixture of happiness and helplessness. He takes her hand and brings it to his lips.
"Let me come home."
"I don't want you back for the baby. I know that you'll be a good father."
"Ava, I want you," he whispers, pulling her face to his. "I want to be home with you." His hand slides to her stomach and rests there for a moment. "And you."
"John--" she protests before his lips cut her off. As she deepens the kiss before falling onto her back and draping him over her.
The Carter family is suddenly a unit again.
Abby stretched as she came down the stairs of Susan and Luka's home. Luka had gone into work about an hour ago, the girls were asleep, and if her nose was accurate, she smelled pepperoni pizza.
"We have very little food in the house," Susan explains with a shrug. "At least, none really fit for human consumption."
"It's okay. I missed this. Army and hospital food leaves a lot to be desired."
"I remember." Susan grabs a slice and curls herself into a ball. Having Abby's daughters in the house reminds her of when Little Susie lived with her. Momentarily, her heart aches. Shaking her head, she banishes such thoughts and takes a bite.
"So how is married life? You haven't really told me anything."
"Such as?"
"Well for starters where did you two get married?"
"City hall."
"How romantic." Abby rolled her eyes.
"Not big on ceremonies. It's better then getting married at work though. And married life is fine. I like coming home to someone that's waiting for me. Someone to care for me. Luka too."
"He makes you happy." Abby observed.
"Yeah he does." Susan smiled.
"Good. I'm glad."
"So what about you? What happened with Nick?"
Abby grimaced. "Well I told him I was resigning and he proceeded to have a cow. Once he'd calmed down a little, he suggested boarding school and I proceeded to have a cow. Once I'd calmed down I told him to take a flying leap into enemy territory."
"Ouch. Is that how you left things?"
"Pretty much yeah. He arranged shifts so we weren't working together and he traded shifts with one of the doctors so he was working on the night of my going away party."
"I'm sorry Al."
"It's okay."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Nick was a good guy. I just knew that he wasn't the one I wanted for forever, ya know?"
"I know."
Abby snorted. "Geez we're depressing."
"Yeah we are, aren't we?" Susan agreed.
"How's Susie?" Abby asked.
"Oh she's great." Susan beamed. She took such pride in Little Susie's accomplishments and life. "She was just here at Easter."
Abby looked at the wall where pictures hung. "Is that one her?"
"Yeah. That's her school picture from the past year."
"She's beautiful."
"Thanks." Susan smiled. "And in case I forgot to mention it, so are your girls."
"Thank you."
"Faith looks more and more like you every day. But Hope looks like her dad."
"You think? I always thought she looked like my dad."
"Al."
Abby sighs as her eyes flutter a little. "Okay I admit there's a little of John in her but she doesn't know that and neither does he."
"Look I don't want to start an argument and you can tell me to mind my own business."
"But?"
"But have you ever considered telling him?"
"Every day since they were born and even before that."
"Then why didn't you?"
"I don't know."
"That's a copout." Susan says bluntly. "I know you better than that."
"Fear. Of possibly making him go through watching one of his children become bipolar, of it happening to me after all, and of rejection." Abby finishes quietly. "When it all comes down to it I am just a huge chicken."
"You know what? You're also human." Susan tells her.
"Yeah I guess so."
There was a pause before Susan spoke again.
"Sucks, doesn't it?"
"Like you wouldn't believe."
Abby raised an eyebrow at the scene she was presented with when she entered the kitchen the next morning.
Luka was unsuccessfully trying to get Hope to sit still while he poured cereal for Faith.
"Want eggs." Hope whined.
"Eggs? Okay." Luka said tiredly.
Faith was frowning at her cereal, which, from what Abby could tell, was Susan's health stuff. The little girl looked up and spotted Abby.
"Mommy!" Faith cried jubilantly getting out of her seat and running for her.
Abby scooped her up. "Hi sweetie."
"Mommy he's trying to make me eat cereal." Faith said in an exasperated tone. "I want some of those funny things Max makes for breakfast."
"Who's Max?" Luka asked.
"The cook at the army base." Abby explained. "And those funny things he makes are grits. I think I've permanently scarred my daughters' eating habits." She put Faith back in her seat and turns to Luka. "You should've woken me up. You've been on all night. You need sleep."
"I'll sleep later." Luka says easily.
"Where's Susan?"
"She got called in."
"You're kidding."
"No. Why?"
"Because she was supposed to watch the girls while I went house hunting."
"I'll do it."
"Luka I couldn't ask you to do that."
"You're not. I'm volunteering."
"I don't know." Abby says looking back and forth between the girls and Luka.
"I do know how to take care of children."
"Oh I know that but-"
"No buts. You need to find a house."
"Sick of me already?" Abby teases. "Just kidding. Are you sure?"
"We'll be fine."
"Alright." Abby agreed. She knelt down to talk to Faith and Hope. "You guys be good okay? I'll be back soon."
"Okay Mommy." They agree. Abby smiles and kisses them both. She stands back up and Luka gives her car keys and a cell phone.
"They're mine. If you think you're going to be late call and if I need help I'll call."
"Thanks Luka." Abby smiles. "Bye guys. Love you." She headed out the door.
Dave rubs his eyes and yawns. It's been a long night. Three traumas and four vomiting kids. The ER is never dull, he muses. Groping for a cup of coffee, he collapses on one of the uncomfortable lounge chairs. Sighing, he props up one of his legs. It is a balancing act of comfort.
"Any luck?" a mocking voice asks, as the door swings open, causing Dave to loose his balance and sends the coffee flying. Her soft laugh fills the room.
"Always a klutz Dr. Davey," she jokes as she tosses a roll of paper towels at him.
"Always late Dr. Ava-y," he adds with a chuckle as he mops himself up. A large ring of coffee has stained his scrubs. She wrinkles her nose and wipes the splatters of coffee off of her Prada skirt.
"I am never late," she challenges back. "I was seeing a patient."
"And who might that be?"
"Mrs. Gunderson," Ava challenges back as she pours herself a cup of coffee. Taking a long sip, she crinkles her nose in disappointment. "Don't you taste this sludge?"
"Sorry, no Starbucks Princess."
"Shut-up Dave," she moans, dropping the chart onto the table. "The woman was convinced she was a bird."
"Ah, bird insanity."
"I can't wait until I'm in private practice."
"What, plotting upscale offices with ex-hubby's money?" Dave asks as he reaches into his locker and locates another pair of scrubs.
"He may not become my ex-hubby," she murmurs quickly into her coffee, hoping to slip her comment past her brother. Only, she doesn't.
"You're not divorcing Carter?"
"It's complicated."
"What's more complicated than he's in love with another woman Ava?" Dave takes a deep breath and worries that her grip on her sanity has completely slipped. "Ava? You tried to kill yourself, remember? The bottle of Valium, from his MEDICAL BAG!!!"
"I remember," she says stubbornly. "And don't analyze me Dave. You suck at it. You barely passed your Psych rotation."
"Don't throw scholastic-aptitude at me."
"I won't, out of the country MD."
"Okay, you're Mom and Dad's smart child Ava. You always have been," he snipes back. "I may not have gotten my degree from Stanford, but I got it, okay? But, John Carter is bad for you Dr. Carter. Grasp that."
"You tell that to my child then."
"You're pregnant."
"Yep, timing is everything, isn't it?" she bitterly asks.
"ER." Randy said.
"Is Susan Lewis there?"
"Dr. Lewis is with a patient, can I take a message?"
"Tell her Al called and that 3 at Doc's will be fine."
"Okay I will." Randy said hanging up. She scribbled down the message and put it with Dr. Lewis' other messages.
"Hey Randy. Got anything good for me?" John asked.
"No but have you seen Dr. Ross or Dr. Finch? I have a set of puking three year olds who made the mistake of eating the cafeteria special."
"No on Dr. Ross and I think Dr. Finch is taking a break in the lounge."
"Great." Randy said. "Oh Dr. Lewis, these are for you. Two from Dr. Kovac and one from someone named Al who says three at Doc's is fine."
"Thanks Randy."
"Al?"
"Old friend. Bye Carter." Susan picked up a chart and walked away.
"Chilly in here." Randy said smartly.
Jing-Mei Chen frowned at the stack of charts she still had to go over before she went home. She wasn't even half way through them. She looked up briefly when the door of the lounge opened.
"Hi John." She murmured.
"Hey Deb." He greeted. "You look swamped."
"That is an understatement. I'm never going to get home."
John smiled. "Do you want some more coffee?"
"No I think if I drink anymore my teeth are going to start chattering to the tune of "Dixie Land". Hey I meant to ask, how's the apartment search going?"
"Actually it's on hold indefinitely."
"What?" Jing-Mei looked up.
"Ava's pregnant."
"Oh." She looked stunned. "Um, I'm happy for you?"
"Once more with less feeling Deb."
"John, I don't know what you want me to say."
"Congratulations, maybe."
"Congratulations John. I hope you and Ava are happy."
"You know you said the exact same thing in the exact same tone when I told you Ava and I had gotten married."
"Maybe because I knew you were still in love with Abby Lockheart."
"I don't want to talk about Abby."
"You never do. That's the problem John."
"There's nothing to talk about Deb. Abby's gone and I'm married."
"You are so bull headed."
"What's bull headed about facing reality?"
"Why did you let Abby go so easily?"
"What was I supposed to do? She left the country."
"You should have gone after her. Laid everything out for her."
"I told her flat out that I wanted her. How much clearer was I supposed to make things Deb?"
"I honestly think that Abby had a good reason for leaving."
"Me too. She wanted continents between us."