Quite a few people liked the Carter one-shot I made so I turned it into a series. I'm glad I'm not the only Carter fan girl out there... Oh well. This is the same Serenity from the one-shot, which is good because you definately get to see more of her character.

I actually received 5 reviews in 1 day!! O.o 8 in two. .

So thank you to:

Kisa-chan-2006, kelley28, klutz586, Awesome Rapidash, Ekoaleko, MyShadowsThorn, TheScarletSky, and Momo-chan12

Ah yes. The K names stick together. Oh and My religion doesn't allow priest to be married too...But Pastors...

What The Poor Man Can Give

Carter took a step out of the church doorway. The snow crunched beneath his feet, and the air was smooth, crisp. He drew in a deep breath. Today was the 28th of Winter. Two days until the New Years Festival. He always watched the sunrise. Something about the colors…yeah. Definitely the colors.

Spring, he thought. What a wonderful time of year.

Carter spun on his heel into the graveyard. It irked him ever so slightly at how ignorant some people can be. He had to repeatedly tell tourists that a "cemetery" wasn't connected to a church as a graveyard was. It must've been that some many people got it wrong, that he began to get tired of correcting everyone. Though, he wasn't too peeved when she got it wrong…

"Eh! I'm so sorry!"

"Heh. It's quite alright."

"I'll remember from now on, I promise!"

"I have no doubt in my mind that you won't."

He chuckled to himself and knelt down to bless the graves, taking note of all the ones that must be cleaned. Which basically meant every single one. Most likely she will ask to help.

"Carter!"

Speak of the Anti-Goddess. Carter smiled involuntarily, not that he really cared. "Good morning, Serenity!" He called over his shoulder. He dared stand up and watch as the sweet Serenity came to halt. She was just an arm's reach away.

"And good morning to you, too." Her pink lips formed a tired smile. "I take it you're taking note of which graves need to be cleaned?"

"All of them." Carter loved to talk to her. It was so easy. He especially loved it when… "No boyfriend for me to interrogate, yet?"

Serenity flushed. "I wish you wouldn't talk like that." …She turned her many shades of red.

Carter stroked her feathery hair. "I can't help myself."

The wind blew through the bare branches as the first rays of winter's light reflected onto the snow, brightening up Serenity's ginger orange eyes. Her shoulder length hair caressed her sun kissed cheek. Carter lost all train of thought. All he could think of was, I think my favorite color is orange now...Or maybe Brown. No, definately orange.

"The wind has been strong lately." Serenity commented.

Carter shook himself conscious. "Yes, I hope there isn't a snow storm coming soon. Keiko's house will suffer serious damage."

"How is Cliff by the way?"

Cliff. Keiko, the farmer, found him collasped in the snow two days ago in Rose Square. She was so scared. She hasn't left his bedside since then. She had a picture of Cliff and his family and has yet to give it to him. "I don' wanna wake 'im, ya know?" Carter knew. It was funny. He could plainly see the love the two shared for each other. They were like his family. They were his family. Not Serenity though, until recently when Keiko dragged her into the Church. Carter found it humorous when Keiko explained the simularities between Cliff when he first came to town and Serenity.

"He's still in bed." Carter finally answered after the narraration was finished.

"And Keiko?"

"Still sitting next to him, waiting for him to wake up."

Serenity's eyes became sad. "I see. So will you allow me to give a helping hand with washing the graves this year, since Keiko and Cliff clearly have their own plans?" Carter's favorite game: Teasing Cliff and Keiko's relationship when they weren't around.

"I should hope so. It's time they stopped dancing around eachother and finally allow themselves some privacy."

Serenity laughed. "Oh my, when you say it, it sounds almost sinful."

Her laugh is contagious; Carter joined in. "Just a talent I picked up. And, yes, you can help me clean the graves."

"In that case..." She reached into the picnic basket Carter hadn't even noticed until now. It was emitting a sweet fragrence. "I made a cake yesterday, but I still have some left over. Would you like it?" She held a plate, wrapped in plastic wrap, to his chest. He gratefully accepted it.

"So, are you implying, Ms. Serenity, that if I hadn't accepted your offer, then you wouldn't have given me anything?" Carter tried to feigned smugness, but it wasn't quite working out.

Serenity beamed. "Darn." She, too, was unsuccessful at faking seriousness, and snapped her fingers in defeat. "I was found out."

"Good thing I said 'yes' or I wouldn't have breakfast this morning." Wrong thing to say. Serenity flashed the smile. The one that said "I'm upset but I'm not going to bother you with that thought".

Carter held the cake in his right hand. "Serenity."

"Yes?"

"Hold up your right hand."

Serenity cocked her head to the side and gave Carter a quizzical look before doing what he said. At least the smile was gone. She held it with the palm staring him in the face. He pressed his palm to hers and lined up there fingers perfectly. Her hand was slender, with a small, dry palm. Her fingers were definately skinner than Carter long, square ones. His palm was bigger than hers, but not by much.

"Elementry."

Carter abruptly stopped studying there hands. "I'm sorry?"

Serentity appearently was also out of it, because she was also abruptly ripped from dreamland. "Your palm...It's and elementry palm. You're a kind man, generally hands-on. You love to play, but can sit down and relax, too. Most people who have this kind of hand aren't disliked by anyone, really, and tend to be liked much by children."

Carter stared at her for a moment. "That was incredible." He balanced the cake on top of the nearest gravestone and held both of her hands between his. They were freezing, he noticed. He rubbed them between his trying to warm them. "You need gloves."

"Yes, I know. As soon as I save up enough money I'll buy a pair."

Carter glanced from her hands to her face. "Y-You're lips are blue!" He took her moment of shock to look over her. She was wearing her summer clothes! Her knee-length green skirt, her yellow sleeveless-shirt, she wasn't even wearing shoes, but sandals! "Serenity, what were you thinking?! Come inside, now." Carter removed his coat and placed it around Serenity's shoulders and picked her up as he would a bride.

"C-Carter?!" She clutched herself to his body.

"I'm not letting you walk in the snow anymore. You are going to stay in the Church until you warm up, then I'll carry you to the Inn where you will stay until you at least buy a pair of shoes." Carter heard the sternness in his voice and smiled to make up for it. "Alright?"

Serenity nodded. She finally allowed herself to shiver. Carter opened the door and closed it behind him. He walked to the back of the Church and opened the confessional door. "Carter? You can set me down now."

"Alright." He layed her down on the futon. Her confused face mixed with a fluster and embarassed look. Carter kept both hands on either side of her and leaned in steadily. "I'm hungry..." He murmured.

Serenity swallowed a lump in her throat, but it immediately returned.

Carter stood. "How dissapointing. I left that cake out there, didn't I?" He glanced down at Serenity. "Made you think something interesting, didn't I?" He laughed.

Serenity laughed with relief. "Yes, well, I would be lying if I said I didn't think anything."

He smiled. "I don't have any shoes but you can borrow my coat. Let me think. Where did I put it?"

Heh heh, made you think Ol' Carter was up to no good didn't I? Aw right! - I'll try to update soon I promise!