(née Wyczenski) is a fictional character from the NBC medical drama series ER, portrayed by Maura Tierney.
[citation needed] The character Abby Lockhart first appears in season 6 of ER in the episode "Great Expectations", guest starring as Carol Hathaway's (Julianna Margulies) labor and delivery nurse.
On her first day, she meets Dr. Luka Kovač (Goran Visnjic), her first teacher, with whom she will experience both a professional and personal relationship, and who will become the most important character in her long-running story.
She also has had to speak to superiors Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) and Mark Greene (Anthony Edwards) about John Carter's (Noah Wyle) growing drug addiction.
At the start of season 7, Weaver breaks the news that her registration for her final year of medical school has been denied due to lack of payment.
Abby's childhood is revealed to have been very difficult: she was forced to cope with her mother's erratic behavior and long absences and had to take care of her younger brother Eric (Tom Everett Scott).
Abby reunites with her father (Fred Ward) in season 13, when he initially approaches her under the guise of being a patient named Eddie Jackson before finally revealing his true identity to her.
They finally split for good when Richard cheated on her and part of the divorce agreement was that he would pay for her medical schooling.
Soon after taking the position in the ER, Abby begins a relationship with Dr. Luka Kovač, who is initially a mentor figure to her until she has to quit medical school.
After allowing her to recover at his apartment, Luka traces Brian to a bar and beats him, threatening to kill him if he comes near Abby again.
After Abby states that she is not changing, he puts the ring back in his pocket; although they discuss it briefly in a later episode, he never proposes again.
Their relationship is badly strained when Carter's grandmother (Frances Sternhagen) dies, and Abby's brother, Eric, conclusively diagnosed with bipolar disorder, acts out at the funeral and falls into the grave.
When Carter goes to Africa for a second time to recover the body of Luka, who, in a plot twist, has not actually died, he sends Abby a letter, ruling out all hope of reconciliation.
Dr. Lucien Dubenko, Chief of Surgery, is attracted to her for some time, but Abby does not return his affections, seeing him as just a friend.
In season 12, Abby rekindles her relationship with Luka in the episode "The Human Shield" when her attempt to vent her frustration at him turns into a kiss and subsequently sleeping together.
Despite clearly wanting another child, his own having perished in Croatia, Luka states that he will support whatever choice she makes, as long as they can still remain together.
The trauma of their son's birth and hospital stay takes a toll on them both, but they appear much happier in later episodes, caring for their now healthy baby boy.
Abby's drinking problem continues to escalate, and she realizes how bad it is in "Blackout" when she shows up drunk to a party in honor of Pratt and Morris passing their boards.
Abby tells Luka to take Joe to Croatia for the funeral while she seeks help for her alcoholism- though she does not initially reveal the infidelity that her blackout caused.
He decides to work at a long-term care facility and soon has a change of heart about Abby's mistake, especially after a tense conversation with Dr. Moretti.
Abby's happiness at this is tempered when the ambulance she walks past explodes, jarring her and mortally wounding her friend and colleague Dr. Gregory Pratt.
At the beginning of the 15th season, we learn that Abby has sought a position at a hospital in Boston where she and Luka plan to move with their son for a new start.
Long-serving nurse Haleh Adams shows the departing Abby a closet wall where all the past doctors and employees have put their locker name tags.
In 2003, Abby starts her final year of medical school and newcomer Samantha Taggart replaces her as the central nurse character on the show.
As both a nurse and later a doctor, Abby has a tendency for sarcasm towards troublesome patients (and her co-workers), but she exudes gentleness and security as well.
Although she is not as intellectually gifted as Neela Rasgotra, John Carter, or Gregg Pratt, she has many years of experience and one of the highest patient-satisfaction scores.