“Hey. How are you holding up?”

Susan walked into the room and smiled at an exhausted looking Abby. She shook her head. “Ok I guess, Carter’s driving me mad with his nervous fidgeting! I sent him to get some tea.”

Susan laughed. “Well, I’ve got something that might cheer you up!”

She pushed open the double doors to reveal half the ER staff with an assortment of soft animals, flowers and fruit.

“Thought you might be going crazy staring at these nasty beige walls, we thought you might need it brightening up!” Sam put her bunch of flowers down on a monitor.

Abby smiled. “Thanks guys. Does Weaver know you’ve all gone AWOL.”

“Shhh!” said Chen, “she went up to radiology to chase up and x-ray, we have to be quick.”

“Yeah, we just came up to say good luck.” Chuni tossed a fluffy duck at Abby and she caught it in mid air. “And to give a few presents to baby Erin.”

Abby groaned. “She’s not called Erin!!!”

“We know” said Haleh smirking, “we’re just teasing.”

Abby rolled her eyes. “Ok, we’ll leave you to it” Chen said, and the rest of them stepped outside.

Susan stayed behind and sat down on the side of Abby’s bed. “So, give me gossip! Have you decided on a name yet?”

“Carter has.”

“Yeah, I know that! Have you?!”

“Well, yeah. But he hates it, I can tell.”

“You hate Erin though, that makes you even. Tell me!”

Abby nodded. “Lily-rose.”

“That’s gorgeous Abby, don’t let him talk you out of it OK?”

Abby smiled at her friend, glad that she had someone to talk to right now who wasn’t panicking at the slightest little things. “How are you coping down there without me? Keeping all the newbies in check?”

“Yeah, I suppose so. I just hope to god I wasn’t that annoying when I started out!”

“So, tell me. How many has Pratt made a move on so far?”

“Abby, stop it! That’s no way for a pregnant woman to talk.”

“Well, it’s a good job I’m in labour then isn’t it? Tomorrow I’ll be back to my old self.”

“I better get going” Susan announced after looking at her watch, “Weaver might just kill me, the waiting room’s pack. Guess who got stuck with most of the triage cases?”

“Have fun” Abby said sarcastically.

Susan bent down to hug her. “Good luck yeah, I mean it. And I call Godmother!”

“Of course. Who else is there?”

Susan smiled and turned to leave the room. Suddenly, the tone of the baby’s heart monitor changed and Abby looked at the screen with shock. “Susan, what’s happening?”

A nurse and a doctor rushed into the room. “Your baby’s in distress, Dr. Lockhart. It’s too risky to deliver naturally, you’ll need a C-section.”

Abby’s eyes darted around the room as the wheeled her towards the OR, her mind struggling to process the information that was flooding into her head. Susan was standing just outside the door not knowing what to do. “Susan!” Abby yelled, “Find Carter!”

* * *

“Carter, what are you doing down here?” Luka called to him as he walked into the cafeteria.

Carter sighed and sat down at the table opposite him. “Abby sent me down here for a cup of tea. I think I was making her even more worried than she is already. I don’t want to drink anything though, I’m too nervous.”

“Luka laughed. “You’ll be fine. I remember what I was like when my kids were born.” Luka smiled wistfully.

“I’m sorry…” Carter began but Luka stopped him.

“No, it’s fine. I like remembering happy times.

Carter paused, not quite knowing what to say but Luka started the conversation up again. “So, have you got any ideas for a name?”

“Ergh” Carter groaned, “don’t get me started…”

“Would you like anything?” the woman from behind the till called out, “we’re not open but I can get you something if you like.”

“No thank you” Carter called back. He turned to Luka, “I should be getting back.”

“Tell Abby good luck from me yeah?”

“I will.”

Carter turned to leave. He walked towards the door and was face to face with a worried looking Susan when the doors swung open in front of him.

“What…” He couldn’t get his words out. The shock on her face told him everything he needed to know. “Susan! Where is she? What’s happening?”

“Carter, calm down.” She placed both her hands on his shoulders in an effort to calm him down but it was futile.

“Take me to her Susan. She has to be Ok, she has to be…”