to confess to Whitney, as Whitney has caught chlamydia from Lee. Abi does so but this results in much resentment. Babe emotionally blackmails Abi, forcing her to resign. Abi exposes Babe's secrets to the pub's landlord, Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) with Whitney defending her, so he tells Abi that she can keep her job, but this causes tension when she is later threatened by Babe. However, Abi struggles to work on her own and so Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) is forced to ask Babe back to help her. Abi then persistently bickers about an order and lack of hygiene so blames it on Babe. Angry with Abi's behaviour, Linda sacks her. Abi locks Babe in the kitchen freezer room as an act of revenge, although Babe frames her sister Sylvie Carter (Linda Marlowe) who she strongly dislikes and has Alzheimer's disease. Abi is then reinstated at the Vic by a seemingly apologetic Babe but her behaviour, when alone in the kitchen with Abi, is threatening. Babe later leaves Walford after being thrown out by her family, so Abi runs the kitchen alone. Abi forms a friendship with Donna Yates (Lisa Hammond) when she moves in with Ben and Jay, and Donna convinces Abi to move in as well, though she feels bad about leaving Dot on her own, but Dot gives her blessing when Donna reveals that Abi wants to move out. Abi is inwardly resentful of Lauren's success and, following Lauren's secret abortion of which Abi was made aware, Abi tells Lauren's boyfriend, Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell) that they would make a good couple during a heart-to-heart, but he tells her she is too young to be a mother. On Father's Day, feeling second best to Lauren and wound up during an argument with Steven, Abi reveals the abortion. At Abi's 21st birthday party, Lauren is jealous when her boss, Josh Hemmings (Eddie Eyre), flirts with Abi, which leads to an argument, with Abi throwing a drink over her sister and then evicting her from the party. Later, the tension simmering between Abi and Steven leads to them having sex, even though he warns her it will mean nothing. Abi and Steven continue an affair and Abi learns that Steven is lying about having a brain tumour so that Lauren will not leave him. Despite being against the idea, Abi does not tell Lauren as Steven promises Abi he