Disclaimer: I do not own any of the ER characters.
Behind Closed Doors, part one, story about Carter and Lucy.Written By Louise Mills.
Authors Note: This fiction places during summer of 1999 when officially Lucy is not a medical student as she is one her summer holidays.
John rushed out of the hospital as fast as he could once his shift was over. He had been distracted all day and the staff in the ER had noticed. He just couldn't get his mind off of Lucy. She hadn't come in the hospital today because the medical school had broken up for the summer holiday. Yesterday when she said her good byes to the ER staff for the holidays, he didn't think he would of missed her as much as he did. This morning an hour within his shift he realised he couldn't not see her for 3 full months. And at the same time he understood why, he was in love with her; she was the reason he broke up with Roxanne. And when he did break up with Roxanne he convinced himself it wasn't because he and Lucy had kissed in exam 6 and now he knew it was the reason. Ever since they kissed he was happy, he believed it was because he had finally got ridden of Roxanne. After the break up with Roxanne he told himself he would date people he liked. This morning he remembered he had said to himself he would say yes to women if they asked him on a date, then remembered 6 women since his break up had asked him out, but he said no to all of them. This plagued his mind most of the morning why he had said no, and then it hit him. He didn't need to say yes he was happy every morning realising that in a couple of hours he would be seeing Lucy. John knew then Lucy was the one he wanted to be with, and the rest of the day he tried to find a reason why he could go round hers and see her. But his mind came up blank, but he needed to see her, so he told himself he go and tell her how he felt.
John pulled up in his jeep just outside her new apartment; he turned off the engine and just sat there for a while. He was started to think if this was a good idea, he convinced himself it was. Before getting out of his jeep he breathed in deeply then slowly let it out again. As he stepped out of the jeep his legs felt all weak, and he nearly jumped back into the jeep and drove home. But he slowly climbed up the steps to the front door of the apartment building. He pushed the button on the COM that said L. Knight; it was some time before her voice echoed out of the coms speakers.
"Hello," "Hi Luce," "Carter, wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon, miss me that much." John breathed in deeply again, she always knew what was on his mind. "Sort of, Can I come up." "Yeah hang on I will have to come down for you?? The electronic doors are not working right now." "Okay see you in a minute."
John took in another deep breath; if he didn't calm down soon he would have an anxiety attack. John noticed the lights on in the hallway came on, then a few seconds later Lucy walked towards the door. Under his breathe John whispered, 'what the hell are you doing, John she's your med student.' Then he heard a little voice from the back of his mind said, 'No she's not, is she working at the hospital right now, No she's on holiday meaning not at medical school. So she isn't a med student right now!' He agreed with the statement his conscience had just given him and was ready to tell Lucy. Lucy opened the door and spoke immediately,
"Sorry for making you wait, I had to put on some shoes." "Don't worry, I hadn't really noticed." Then he smiled he was unable to tear his eyes from hers, which made her feel a little uncomfortable. "Okay, then Carter, we better get in, before I freeze to death." "Luce, its not that cold." "I know but I think I'm coming down with something I've been feeling cold all day!" She said as she walked into the apartment followed closely by John. "Oh I hope not, I don't want to see you being admitted into hospital for being too ill." Lucy turned and glared at John, "Sorry I Spoke" John said in defence from the look she had given him.
Lucy opened her door and dropped her keys on a small table by the door, "Make yourself at home, do you want some coffee," "Yeah thanks that be great." "Okay then," Lucy walked to the kitchen and John made his way to the couch. "So," Lucy shouted from the kitchen, "Was there a reason you came to visit?" "Yeah, I needed someone to talk to." "And you came to me, why not someone from the ER you have known for years, like Dr Greene." "Believe me, he wouldn't understand!" Lucy poked her head round the corner of the kitchen and looked at John. "And I would?" "Yes and anyway Luce I value your opinion." Lucy quickly picked up the mugs of coffee and walked into the living room, she handed him a mug, and said, "Do you really value my opinion?" "Luce, I value it a lot more then you think!" Lucy finally sat down into the chair opposite to John, "So, what is it?" John held his mug with both hands and looked down to look at the black liquid within the mug, without looking up at Lucy he spoke, "I have found myself in a tricky situation, I've fallen for someone, and its someone I'm forbidden to form a relationship with."
Lucy was a little taken back by the information that he just given her. He had fallen in love and she wanted to cry, she had always had a crush on John, and maybe once she graduated they would have been able to date each other. But she couldn't let him see how she felt; he needed her advice and she was determined to give it to him, no matter what she was like after.
"So, does she feel the same?" John looked up from his mug, he though he noticed some sadness in her voice, but she looked fine. "I don't know, I haven't told her." "You haven't, you never find out how she feels until you tell her." "I know, and that's not the tricky part of the situation, telling her will be simple." Lucy knew then she worked at the hospital most probably in the ER. "She works in the ER doesn't she?" John differently noticed Lucy wasn't happy about this discussion, he smiled but he tried hard to hold it back, he knew then she felt the same way about him, as he did her. "Sometimes, but that's not the tricky part!" Lucy became confused. "Then what is it?" "I love her with the whole of my heart and she hasn't been around lately that much, and I miss her dreadfully. And it's effecting my work, I can't image a life without her Lucy." 'Oh My God' Lucy thought 'he wants to marry her, oh please god don't let this be the tricky part.' "Are you saying, John you want to marry her? You haven't even been on a date! No even worst she doesn't even know how you feel!" Lucy said in a raised tone. 'She was obviously hurting,' thought John, 'She never raised her voice like that unless someone hurt her feelings. He needed to break it to her soon that he was talking about her. "Yes, Lucy I do want to marry her." Lucy now who was standing slowly sat back down, and he could see by her face the exact moment what he said, broke her heart. She obviously didn't realised it was her, he hated himself for what he just done to Lucy; it broke his heart to see her like this. He walked over to Lucy and bent down in front of her, "Lucy, you okay? You look ill!" "No John just surprised." "Okay the rest of the answer to your question is?" She looked at him to say, please no more, but he continued. "No we haven't been on a date, but she my best friend and we know each other better then any girlfriend or boyfriend would. And Lucy your wrong, she does know how I feel!" Lucy looked at him confused, "But you said…" "I know what I said, she didn't know how I felt, but she does now Lucy!"
Lucy looked straight into John's eyes to see if what he just said was true, that it was her they talked about. And she started to cry from happiness, as she could tell he told her the truth.
"Oh Lucy, I'm so sorry I told you like this but I didn't know how to tell you. And a minute ago then I said I wanted to marry you and you didn't know I was talking about you, the way I hurt you, really hurt me as well." Lucy stopped crying, "John shut up," She leaned over and kissed him, then they broke apart she said, "Yes," "What?" "Yes," "To What?" "To marrying you, you stupid idiot!" "Really?" "Yes, this not like the hospital can stop us, you aren't officially my teacher right now." John smiled at her, he stood up and pulled her up at the same time and passionately kissed her.
End of part One…