Soooo...this is my first story about Carrie and Al! I was looking for a good story and I did not found that much fanfictions, so I decided to try and write one myself. This isn't the ready story yet, but this chapter was ready, so I decided to post it...I hope you enjoy reading it and please excuse my mistakes...

Hope you enjoy it!

One day in October…

It is a warm, sunny morning in October as Carrie is on her way to work and decides to make a quick stop at a coffee shop. The weather forecast was correct for a change and not a single cloud could be seen on the light blue sky. It is a welcome change to all the rainy days that are typical for this time of the year. However, of all seasons, the fall is the favourite one of Al and her. They always liked the way the trees change their colour and the extraordinary smell when you walk through a park full of oak, birches and cherry blossom leaves flying through the air. And then, of course, there are all those pumpkin desserts and meals which – especially – Al loves so much. Sometimes even more than his favourite coffee from "Sam's C&C". Carrie knows that and is now standing in front of the best coffee shop in New York City to buy some for him.

Just as she is about to push the door open, a young woman with her child comes out. They seem to be in a hurry and none of them notices the white envelope that falls out of the woman's jacket. While Carrie picks it up, she shouts after the woman and is just about to run after her, but the only thing she sees is the brown hair of the woman that disappear into a cab towards Central Park. Carrie carefully looks at the envelope, looking for something that could tell her where the woman or the sender lives, but no name and no address. She decides to take it with her and try to find something out later. Maybe the woman realizes she lost it and will come back to the shop tomorrow.

Fortunately the queue isn't that long and it only takes a few minutes until she can order: "Morning Derek!", she greets the shop assistant. That causes a confused look at his face, but she does not take notice of it. It is always fun to confuse people with her extraordinary memory. Most of the time they do not know what they did or said anymore and can't think of a possibility that she knows all those things about them. "I would like to have two double hazelnut chip & chocolate lattes and two fabulous looking pumpkin cookies.", Carrie orders with a big smile on her face as she imagines the protest of Al about the latte. He always says he doesn't like those fashionable drinks, but secretly he loves them. Derek chose to play along and just pretend that she just called him by his surname even if there is no chance that she can know. She must have heard someone calling him that. "Excellent choice, they taste even better than they look", George answers.

After less than two minutes, her ordering are wrapped up into paper bags and coffee holders. "Two double hazelnut chip & chocolate coffees and…two pumpkin cookies…Here you go!" "Thanks,…what do I owe you?", Carrie asks smiling at him. Today she is even more happy than normally, but she has no real explanation for it. Maybe because it is such a beautiful day, maybe because it is Monday and she can see Al again. She doesn't know and she doesn't care. "Hm…two doubled Hazel C&C and two pumpkins", he mumbles to himself. Then a bit louder: "That makes 15 $!" "Okay, make it 20. Maybe your girlfriend gets those shoes she wanted…" , Carrie says with a wink. For a moment, Derek stares at her unbelievingly and just wonders how the hell she could know something like that. Before he can ask, Carrie explains to him: "I overhead your conversation last week, I didn't mean to eavesdrop…but she seemed very determined." "And you remember that, now?" "I remember everything!", Carrie answers and walks away with a friendly "goodbye!".

She walks down the street and is only a few blocks away from the office as her phone rings and the handsome face of Al appears on her display.

"Hey Al! What's up?", she asks cheerily.

"Just wondering what takes you so long?!"

"Oh that's sweet….you already miss me. But don't worry I'm almost there…and I have a surprise for you!"

"Oh really? You've never had a surprise for me…", Al answers with a played taunting voice.

"Hey, that's not true!"

"Sure, I can't remember you ever…"

"August 1987…We just closed our case and I was waiting for you in your apartment…With nothing, but…"

Before she can extend her description, he hastily interrupts her: "I don't think I remember!" Carrie knows that he only pretends to not remember. It was obviously, besides there is no way that he would ever forget that night.

"I know you dooo, Al"

"I don't…"

"You dooo…"

"Maybe…"

"HA! I knew you didn't forget!…Why did you call, anyway?"

"I wanted to ask, if you would accompany me tonight…a friend invited me to his wedding and I need a beautiful companion."

"And you ask me?"

"And I'll ask you!"

The chemistry between the two partners is even noticeable through the phone. For a moment nobody says something and they just enjoy the comfortable silence, wallowing in memories.

"That's so sweet of you..."

"So, you'll come?"

"I don't know..."

"Come on...we don't have to stay long...And I'll buy you a drink afterwards!"

"Fine…but no happily married chit-chat thing…"

"No! I Promise no married chit-chat…"

"Then, I'll come…"

"Thank god! I definitely need your support…", Al responds relieved.

"But I swear if I don't get my drink, I'll kick your ass!….I'm almost at the office…See you in a bit!"

About one minute later, she walks into the office and heads straight to her desk. Al is focusing on his computer and does not notice her right away. Carrie smiles to herself and approaches him backwards. As she stands behind him, she leans forward – her mouth touching his ear. She whispers seductively: "I was laying on your bed, waiting for you to come you. And then we did things…things that would cause everyone to turn red…" Al instantly recognises the voice. The voice he heard so many times – angry, happy, seductively, sad. Through the years he heard so many emotions in it. Now this voice causes a shiver to run down his spine as he remembers the night in question. He remembers every minute and every second of it. It was magical and a warm feelings spreads in his body. Every time he thinks about moments like that, he deeply regrets letting her go. He should have stopped her, make her stay.

"You really don't remember? You seemed to like it very much, you kept telling me to…", Carrie continues to tease him. Al quickly turns around and silences her by putting his finger over her mouth. The softness of her lips surprises him once again and for a moment his focus is totally on her lips. Carrie feels a warmth spread through her body and she cannot believe how much she missed his touch.

Suddenly their little moment is interrupted as Jay appears beside them. "You won't believe what I've just found…", he tells them, not looking up from his file. "I've downloaded the…", he stops right in the middle of his sentence and looks at them confused.

For a moment none of them moves or says anything. As Jay registers the scene in front of him, he says: "I think I've interrupted something…sorry.", turns around and quickly walks to his desk. Carrie and Al turn their heads to face each other and instantly break out in laughter. Al removes his finger from her mouth and Carrie unconsciously licks over her mouth at the loss of contact. This doesn't go unnoticed by Al, but he decides to keep it to himself. There has been enough teasing for one day. Besides, they are at work and shouldn't behave like a teenage couple. "I think we've unsettled him a bit, haven't we?", Carrie asks, not able to hide her amusement. "Yes…..Just to be clear I do remember…it was a wonderful night!", Al answers and looks her right into the eyes. Before their moment gets too emotional, he breaks the eye contact and asks after taking a deep breath: "So, what's my surprise?"

Carrie almost forgot about that and it takes a millisecond for her to remember the cookie behind her back. She slowly takes out the paper bag and triumphantly says: "The first…pumpkin cookie of the fall!" Al instantly grabs the bag and opens it while he asks: "You stopped at Sam's C & C?", although he doesn't really expect an answer. "Yeah. And I've also bought you your favourite latte…", Carrie answers and as she sees his face she ads: "Don't even try to deny it. I know you love them!" After short, silent battle of their stares, he finally admits: "Fine, they ARE delicious…" "HA!", Carrie answers and takes out her own cookie. "And thanks…", Al says, holding up the two things. "No problem. There is no better way to celebrate the beginning of fall than with a lovely pumpkin cookie."

End of chapter one

I hope you like the chapter... I will continue writing, but I don't have that much time lately...so it could take a while, but I promise there will be a next chapter. I will finish the story!

If you have the time, please review. I'd really like to know, what you think...and I'm open for suggestions...

~Melina