Title and Author ; 'Nowhere else' - Becky

Spoilers ; Only if you haven't seen the season nine episode 'First Snowfall'.

Disclaimer ; Sadly, they don't belong to me, and if they did, d'you really think that I'd be sitting writing about them on fanfiction.net? Yeah, probably.

Style ; The ending we didn't see from 'First Snowfall'.

Feedback ; Please! Make my day - review! Please! Email me -(with 'fanfiction' in the subject title), or leave me a review here, or if you're from the C4 board - review there!

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He was there. A cellphone to his ear, his eyes watching her. From Chicago to Nebraska, wherever she went, wherever she needed him, he would turn up. To help her, to look after her, to make it known that he really 'wasn't going anywhere'.

" How're you holding up?"

She was speechless. Tucking her phone under her chin, her hair behind her ears, and blinking profusely, she was speechless. Completely and utterly.

He moved towards her, perching on the step, and folding her hand in between his own.

" Um, uh, okay." She whispered, watching his movements, his thumbs, caressing her knuckles.

" Good."

Her head found his shoulder, resting upon it, the fabric of his coat and scarf soft against her skin.

" Thankyou. Thankyou for coming."

" No problem. I've never really been to Nebraska anyway..." It was a pun, a silent one, one that he knew she would understand because of their history, and their last roadtrip ; Maggie, in Oklahoma.

" How is he?"

" He's been better."

" Of course."

Silence erupted again, if only briefly..

" I got us a.........room."

They both looked up. Carter searched both of their eyes ; Maggie's, and Abby's. And then he stood.

" Maggie."

" John."

" Mom...."

" Abby, it's okay. I'm not stupid. How're you John?"

" Not bad. Good infact. Yourself?"

" I'm okay."

Abby watched them. Both of them. And as silence again overwhelmed them, she took her cue.

" Uh, okay, mom, well, I don't think there's much more we can do for him tonight, so, I guess we should all just turn in, it's been a long day." She looked pointedly up at Carter, their hands still perfectly entwined. He was tired, actually, exhausted was better fitting. From the dark circles under his eyes to the weary expression cast upon his face, he was tired.

" Okay. I guess I'll see you two in the morning then?"

They both nodded.

" Hey, uh maggie, d'you need a lift?" Carter - the polite one. Carter - the lifesaver. Carter - the thoughtful one. Carter - Abby's.

She shook her head, motioning towards the hire car behind, and he nodded back in recognition.

And they broke apart. Maggie left, turning towards the car - lot, and Carter stood there, watching her retreating form. He gazed back down at Abby.

" You okay?" He was whispering through a silent atmoshpere, dropping a kiss to her head.

" Yeah. Thankyou, John. I mean, really, thankyou."

He nodded, not knowing what to do in response, except from one thing, and the one thing that he did do. He placed his arm around her cold shoulders, and kissed her on the forehead. It was a simple gesture that made so much to her. To know, that he really, for the time being, 'wasn't going anywhere'.

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Author's Note ; And once again, I can see you all sitting there thinking ; What the hell was that? It was my ending to 'First Snowfall' and as late as it may be appearing I felt the need to write some good ol' carby fuzz - I should actually be saying some *more* carby fuzz because at the moment, that's all I'm writing. Anyway back to the point - thankyou for reading, but please, make my day by reviewing!