How To Say I Love You:
By Jo
Step One: Find a nice romantic spot
"Hey, Abby!" Carter called, running to catch up with her as she walked through the ER.
"Hey." She grinned at him when he'd caught up. "Having a good day?"
"As good as any. Are you up to anything this evening?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
"On whether you're about to ask me out for a romantic evening, or tell me that I'm needed to work an extra shift," she laughed as they came to a stop at admit.
"Well I was going to go for the romantic evening option, but if you want an extra shift I'm sure I can arrange it..."
"Don't you dare!" she yelled, hitting him on the arm playfully. "So, tell me about this romantic evening and I'll decide whether I can cope with it..."
"Ah, it's a surprise." He winked at her.
"That means you don't know what we're doing yet."
"No, it means you have to wait and see."
"Right." She laughed again. "I have patients. See you later Carter." She walked off, leaving him standing at the admit desk.
"So, do you know?" Susan asked, leaning on the desk listening in.
"Hey, it's rude to eavesdrop."
"I didn't eavesdrop, I just accidentally overheard." He shook his head at her, laughing. "So?"
"I'm still trying to decide."
"Where's it between?" she queried, pulling herself up to sit on the admit desk.
"Somewhere romantic."
"You're hopeless."
"Any ideas?" She swung her legs for a while, thinking.
"How about that new Italian place?"
"Lanni's?" She nodded. "No, don't really fancy a restaurant."
"Okay...well what else is there?" He shrugged. "What's it for anyway?"
"None of your business!" he exclaimed, laughing. "And no, I'm not proposing."
"Oh. I could do with a nice wedding about now." He shook his head at her once again. "Well, what about the park? Nice romantic walk..."
***
Step Two: Prepare a romantic meal
"Susan, you have got to help me," Carter announced, joining her on the couch in the lounge.
"Oh, in what way? If it involves killing someone or stealing something I'm afraid I have moral objections."
"Haha, funny. Can you cook?"
"Cook?" She laughed loudly.
"What's so funny?"
"How long have you known me Carter? And you think I might actually be able to cook?"
"Well it was a shot..."
"A long one at that." She continued to laugh. "Trust me Carter, I can rival you and Abby for the number of take outs I order."
"Well who can cook?" he asked, looking slightly dejected.
"What do you want cooked? I do a pretty good spaggi bol."
"I was thinking a little more romantic than that."
"Ah! Is this to go with that romantic place for tonight?" He nodded.
"I was thinking a picnic."
"Why do you need someone who can cook to do a picnic?!" she exclaimed, confused. "Anyone can make a picnic. Even I can do that. When do you get off, I'll give you a hand."
"Not just a normal picnic Susan. A romantic picnic."
"Romantic?" He nodded once again. "You mean romantic or posh?"
"I don't know. I want it to be special."
"Isn't it the company that makes it special?" She laughed slightly. "Listen to me, the walking talking clique dictionary."
"I don't want it to be boring and ordinary though."
"How often do you two have a picnic?" He shrugged. "Well, when was the last time you had one?"
"I don't think we ever did."
"Well it's not going to be boring and normal then." She got up, and deposited her empty coffee mug in the sink.
"Susan, the fount of all knowledge."
"I always knew I was a genius." She winked. "I have to get back to work. Catch me later, I'll help you plan the picnic."
***
"Right, I went to the shops and bought the picnic essentials," Susan announced. "You ready for this?" Carter nodded, and she turned the shopping bag she'd be carrying upside down, emptying the contents onto the kitchen table.
"Marmite?"
"And cheese. Essential part of any picnic: marmite and cheese sandwiches." She lifted those items out of the way, and grabbed a loaf of bread. "Abby's not going to come back and find us, is she?"
"No, she still has two hours left on her shift."
"Excellent." She turned to the fridge and grabbed the butter. "Wouldn't want our illicit affair being uncovered."
"Well, the microwave might blow our cover and tell her," he joked, opening the bread and taking a few slices out. Susan handed him and knife and the butter.
"Get spreading!" She lifted a small packet of carrots out of the pile, and started to peel them.
"What are the carrots for?"
"Cut into fingers...you nibble them, you know?" He merely nodded, and continued making his marmite and cheese sandwiches. "Please tell me you had carrot sticks at picnics when you were a kid."
"I don't really remembered."
"You were deprived, I tell you!" she exclaimed. "Just goes to show that money isn't everything. Even the richest kids can miss out on something as simple as carrot sticks."
"Right." He paused, giving her a strange look. "So, what else do we have?"
"Salt and vinegar crisps." She chucked a packet towards him. "These ones are gorgeous, believe me. Cheese straws, also delicious. And finally cookies." She picked up a box of mini cookies and passed them to him.
"Cute."
"I thought so. Home made are best for picnics, but I didn't think us attempting to make cookies would be very successful."
"Probably not."
***
Step Three: Get the woman to the romantic spot and meal
"We're at the park, Carter," Abby said, confused.
"Yup."
"I thought you said we were going for a romantic evening out."
"We are." He got out of the car, and grabbed the bag with the food from the back. "You coming?"
"Sure." She reluctantly got out of the car and joined him walking through the park gates. "What are we doing here?"
"Having a romantic evening out."
"Carter, stop playing games..." she reprimanded.
"I'm not. Trust me, yeah?" She nodded. "Follow me." He led her through the flower gardens, and round a corner through the bandstand area. They went through a tree-lined alleyway, and came out at the end by a fountain, softly lit from under the water.
"Wow," she whispered, taking in the site of the fountain. "I never realised it looked like this at night. I never thought it was anything special during the day."
"I told you to trust me." He put the bag down, and pulled a rug out of it.
"What are you doing?" she asked, joining him sitting on the rug.
"Picnic." She giggled softly, and smiled as he lifted the boxed sandwiches out of the bag.
"You did this?"
"With a little help from Susan." She leant over and kissed him on the cheek.
"Thank you. This is so sweet, I never would have thought of it."
***
Step Four: Say those three little words
"That was delicious."
"Who would have thought marmite and cheese sandwiches could taste so good," he laughed.
"Maybe it was the company."
"Now you're sounding like Susan."
"Oh dear..." she laughed, grabbing another one of the mini cookies. "I mean it though. I've really enjoyed this evening. I never would have thought it when I saw we were at the park, but it's great."
"I'm glad you approve." As she smiled shyly, he grinned happily. She looked gorgeous smiling with the pale light from the water illuminating her face.
"What are you smiling at?" she asked, moving closer to him so that she could lean against him.
"You." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her towards him. She looked up at him a smiled once again. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met."
"You're a hopeless romantic Carter," she joked, but he could see in her eyes that she was touched. "Thank you."
"I really mean it. Abby...no one ever looked so beautiful to me, and I never loved anyone so much. I love you, I don't know how to say I love you enough." Her face lit up with a grin once again, and he couldn't help a grin spreading across his own face as well.
"I love you too," she whispered, as if she were scared to say it.
"I'm sorry I didn't say it sooner," he said, pulling her closer to him. "Because I've known it for so long. I really do love you."
***
Author's note: Yup, I know, it's at the end. :-p I don't care! lol! This fic was written as a response to a challenge on the One Can Only Hope message board. It was to write a Carby fic using the title "How To Say I Love You", including those words in the fic, and it had to be between 1,000 and 2,500 words. This was my result! Please let me know what you thought of it, and go read other peoples' too! :-D
Jo xx