Abby has to have an emergency hysterectomy. Joe spends several weeks in the hospital's NICU, requiring surgery during his stay. Abby and Luka's relationship becomes strained during this period, but they appear much happier in later episodes, caring for their now healthy baby boy. Throughout season 13, Abby is shown growing into her role as Joe's mother, first by taking time off to be with her seriously ill baby, then by participating in activities like Mommy and Baby classes and walks in the park, and then later by gradually reintroducing herself into the ER world. Mid-season, tension develops between Abby and Luka, partly as the result of Luka's apparently paranoid behavior regarding Curtis Ames (Forest Whitaker), a disgruntled former patient who has sued Luka due to a stroke he suffered that cost him the use of his arm. Not realizing that Ames approached her and Joe in the park posing as a friendly stranger, and has been stalking both her and Luka for some time after he lost the case, Abby brushes off Luka's concerns. However, Ames breaks into Abby and Luka's apartment with a gun, and demands to see Luka. Abby tries to bargain with him, telling him that she is a recovering alcoholic, and recounting an occasion where she felt she had hit 'rock bottom'. Luka is taken hostage, threatened and has his hand crushed by Ames, but survives when Ames commits suicide. In the next episode, an emotional Abby asks Luka to propose to her again. She says if they got through the shooting incident and the Curtis Ames nightmare, they can get through anything - he proposes and the couple get engaged. Later Luka realises that Abby is hesitant about planning the wedding, so he decides to prepare a surprise wedding for her. At first, she has her doubts but eventually she agrees and asks Neela Rasgotra to be her maid of honor. At the end of the thirteenth season, Abby and Luka plan to honeymoon in Hawaii. However, the night before they are due to depart, Luka receives a phone call from Croatia informing him that his father is ill, so the honeymoon is put on hold until Luka can return from his urgent trip abroad. After Luka's departure, Abby has a tough time with the stern new ER Chief Kevin Moretti (Stanley Tucci), who plans to mold the department into a more efficient and professional work environment, but Moretti quickly tells Abby he is very impressed with her work. Despite this, she seems to dislike him more than many of the other residents.