Power Struggle




John dropped his bag and listened to all seven messages left on the machine.  To all seven pleas.  To all seven 'I love you's. 

Just as he hit the erase button, the door opened and in breezed Abby, carrying an armful of groceries.

Carter rushed to help her, setting the bags on the counter next to him.  He passionately kissed her, then grabbed her shoulders and stared at her with a look that could shatter glass.  "Where the hell have you been?" 

Confused, Abby shrugged off her jacket and slung it over the stool near the counter.  "What are you talking about?  I went to the store," she said.  Suddenly, she started rushing around the kitchen.  "After you left, I got this burst of energy, so I got dressed and went to the gym, the grocery store, clothes shopping..."  She stopped and looked at him.  "What?"  John was looking at her, concern etched on his face.  Without a word, he headed for the bathroom.  Following him, she asked, "What... what are you doing?"  "Checking," he said, opening the medicine cabinet.  "For what?  What?  You think I'm on drugs or something?  Is that it, John, huh?  You think I'm getting high or something?  Well, you're absolutely crazy!"  She practically spat the words, ran to their bedroom and slammed the door behind her.  John sighed, turning the light off and leaving the bathroom.  He wanted desperately to talk to her, to find out what was wrong, but he knew Abby well enough to know that she needed her space when she got angry. 

*1 hour later*

John knocked softly on the bedroom door, hoping he'd given her enough time to cool down.  "Abby?  Can I come in?"  "Yeah," she answered, sitting up on the bed.  John opened the door and found Abby sitting there, hair tousled and clothes wrinkled.  "Hey," he said.  "Hi," she replied, wiping at her tear-stained face. 

Sitting beside her, he gently took her in his arms.  "What's wrong?" he asked, smoothing her hair. 

"I'm so sorry, John.  I didn't mean to-"  "It's fine," he said.  "Just tell me what's wrong."

"That's the thing.  I don't know." 

"Did I do something wrong?  Did something happen with your mother?  With Eric?  Was it something at work?"

Abby shook her head.  "No, none of those things.  I just... have the can't-help-it's I guess."

Suddenly, something occurred to him.  "Abby, when was your last period?"

Pulling away to look at him, she smiled.  "I'm not pregnant, if that's what you're thinking."

"Are you sure about that?"  He knew the possibility wasn't all that great, but he couldn't come up with anything else, and like anything else in life, it was always possible.

"Uh, yeah.  I think I would know if I were pregnant, thank you very much."

"Don't 'uh, yeah' me.  You're a nurse, hell, you were an OB nurse at one point.  You know that's not always true," he said, smiling.

"Oh shut up."

*12 hours later ~ County General*

Kerry Weaver was on a rampage.  She'd pulled two doubles in the last week and a half and she was letting everyone feel the toll it had taken.  Practically sprinting to the admit desk, she made her presence known.  "Carter!" she barked, snapping her fingers.  "Yes?" he asked, trying to give Kerry his full attention.  "Exams one, two and three are all yours," she said, handing him a chart for each.  "I've already got-"  "I don't care what you've already got," she said, writing his name on the board.  "Get to work.  There's plenty more where that came from."  As Kerry walked away, Carter sarcastically saluted her.  "Yes, ma'am!"

Just as Carter was about to head to Exam 1, he spotted Abby.  "So..."  "Sooo....?" she replied, looking up from the chart she was writing on.  Shoving his hands in his pockets and looking straight ahead, he asked, "You take it?"  "Take what?" she asked, putting her pen in her pocket.  "C'mon."  She smiled.  "No, I haven't.  I was thinking it'd be better to do it at home, y'know... things tend to get around here pretty fast."  John nodded.  "Okay, um, my shift is over in, well, never, considering Weaver's mood.  Um... I'll... catch up with you later, 'kay?"  Abby laughed.  She could see how the possibility of her being pregnant was affecting him.  "Okay," she said, kissing him.  Starting down the hall, she turned to face him.  "Oh, and John?  Don't start handing out cigars just yet, okay?"  "Ha ha, very funny," he said, smiling.

*11pm ~ John and Abby's apartment*

John unlocked the door and threw his bag on the couch.  "God, that was the longest shift in history."

Abby laughed.  "Why?  Because it was physically demanding, or because your little brain couldn't hold anything more than this question?" she asked, holding up the pregnancy test.

"That," he said, pointing to it.  He walked toward her, taking the box out of her hands and kissing her deeply.  "Or this... I can't remember now."  She smiled, reaching for the box.  "So, would you like to find out if you're going to be a daddy?" she asked.  "Yes.  Please."  "Okay.  I'll be right back," she smiled.

John paced the living room.  He heard the bathroom door close as he crossed his fingers.



Part 3
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