Discoveries Part 1
Discoveries : Part 1
 Disclaimer : These are not my characters. This story takes place during Season 7. Opens as Carter and Peter are on the plane returning from Atlanta. It is mostly from Carter/Kerry's points of views.
"I want to start over, you know, start some new parts of my life. All that's happened has just told me how much I want to settle down and have a family - someone to love." Carter says thoughtfullly.

Peter puts down the newspaper he's reading. "It's about time."

"I just don't know how I'll be recieved - how everyone will react to me." Carter continues, nervously looking out the window.

"It'll be fine." There's a long pause before Carter breaks the silence. "We're almost there."

"Um humm," Peter says, again imersed in the newspaper.

Carter pretends to read a magazine until the plane touches down. They get off the plane to Reese and Carla.

"Hey Reese," Peter says, pulling his son into his arms.

"Hello Carter. How was the trip?" Carla asks, turning back to Peter. Peter takes him home. Well, atleast as much as home as Carter has - Gamma's.

"John!" Gamma says as Carter walks through the door. "You must be tired. Why don't you go rest." No hi, just - go sleep. Great, he thought.

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Carter stands in the ambulance bay, watching teh ER at work. He shakes his head and moves on, through the doors.

"Welcome back Carter."

"Hi Carter."

That's what he got all day, cheerful greetings, but he knew no one trusted him. Dr. Greene was never far from him, always watching him.

The day started slowly, but the afternoon went by quickly. Not locked up with his own thoughts, Carter was happier than he'd been in ages. It felt good to be back practicing medicine.

His shift ends, and Carter goes to DocMagoo's and sits down, alone again with his thoughts.

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"Dr. Weaver, can you check this patient?"

Kerry sighs. The day had been long, and she's ready to go home. She looks up and sees Abby waving her over.

Mechanicly, Kerry works up the patient. When she's done, Kerry grabs her coat from her locker and rushes out the door before anyone else can catch her back for one last patient.

A safe ways form the hospital, Kerry stops and leans up against the building wall, grimacing. Her hip didn't bother her much anymore, but for the last few days, it has been getting more and more painful.

Opting not to climb the long stairs up to the EL, Kerry goes to DocMagoo's. On entering, she sees Carter alone in a corner. Kerry hadn't talked to him much since his return.

"Carter, mind if I join you?"

He looks up with blank eyes, then shakes his head as if to forget something. "Sure, sit down."

Kerry orders and then sits in silence, not sure what to say. "How was your first day back? You did well."

Carter shrugs. "Fine."

"Is something wrong?" Kerry asks, noticing how distant Carter seems to feel.

"Nothing."

"Really, Carter, you can tell me. You've been through a lot these past months. Let it out."

Carter sighs. "It's just . . ." He can't believe he's telling her this. Dr. Weaver is the last person he'd have thought to confide in. But, what 's the point in hiding everything? he thought. "While I was in Atlanta, I had a lot of time t think. I became more aware of er . . . missing . . . parts of my life."

Kerry nods, encouraging him on.

"I just want things to be back to normal, the way they were before the . . . stabbings. Everyone at the hospital seems so on edge, so uneasy around me."

"It'll take time."

"I know. So, how where things while I was away?" Carter asks, changing the subject.

Kerry sighs. Usually, she would have waved the question off, but if Carter was being truthful, then she might as well be, too. "Busy. The ER's been crazy. Without you, Lucy, Carol, and Benton, things have been hectic. The budget's even tighter then usual, and Ramano isn't taking news of anything well. I've been a little run down lately, but now that you and Benton are back, things will be better." She gives his a small, tentative smile.

Carter grins back, the first real smile he's shown since returning to Chicago.

They talk on and on into the wee hours of the night, then Carter offers to take Kerry home in his car.

"Hey, Dr. Weaver, thank you for listening to me." Carter says as she gets out of the car.

"Your welcome, and you can call me Kerry now, I think." She quickly adds before turning around and climbing up her front steps.