A/N: So I thought the last chapter was the last chapter... apparently it's not. So here is the last chapter (I think) and I hope you like it.

Full Circle

"Good morning Detective" Reese said as he approached the park bench with 2 coffees in his hand.

"John" Carter said as she looked toward the familiar voice and smiled.

Once seated, Reese passed Carter's coffee to her.

"Thanks" Carter said just before taking a sip and turning to look straight ahead.

"You're welcome" Reese said just before taking a sip and turning to look straight ahead.

It had become their ritual to meet in this same spot on this same day each year.

"It's been 4 years since the first time we talked here."

"It has hasn't it" Carter nodded. "Time flies when you're having fun" Carter said as she turned and smiled at Reese's profile.

Reese smile but said nothing.

In between the stress and strain of their working lives, Carter and Reese had manage to find time for fun with each other. Whether it was him watching Law and Order with her, her watching the Cooking Channel with him, them watching the latest comedy or her, him and Taylor going to a Knicks or Giants game… there was fun, simple fun to be had when they were together.

…

…

…

…

"I'm proud of you" Carter broke the comfortable silence between them.

"For what?"

"For how far you've come."

"If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would be where I am."

"You would have gotten there" Carter said confidently.

"Not without you" Reese said sincerely.

"You are giving me entirely too much credit" Carter insisted.

"You have to have the last word don't you" Reese smiled and turned to look at Carter.

"Of course" Carter turned to Reese and smiled.

Turning his head back and looking down at the coffee in his hands, Reese began to fiddle with the cup. He had not planned on broaching the subject, not on this day. But sitting there with her… things felt right but then whenever he was with her, things felt right. Reese was not sure how to begin, how he would say what he needed to say so he decided to take the direct approach.

"I'm in love with you" he said softly.

The words came easy and he knew they would. Loving Carter, being in love with Carter came easy to him once he learned how to let himself feel again.

...

...

"I don't know when it happened" Reese continued. "But I'm in love with you" he said again.

Carter was at a loss. She did not know what she should say. She did not know how she should feel.

...

...

"I don't expect you to feel the same way about me" he started again, wanting to give Carter a way out. "And I hope this doesn't ruin what we have" he said, with the slightest hint of longing in his voice.

Carter was still at a loss. She still did not know what she should say. She still did not know how she should feel.

Her continued silence should have made Reese regret his admission but he did not. He regretted so many things in his life. Too many times he did or said things he should not have. Too many times he let opportunities pass him by, opportunities he should have reached out and grabbed.

Reese had hoped that Carter would return his feelings but he had prepared himself and even expected her to reject him. He knew she loved him as a friend. She had proven that point over and over again. But to love him, to be in love with him, to want him not only as a friend but a lover and dare he hope, even a husband…

But Carter's silence proved that lover and husband was too much for him to hope for.

"I would say I'm sorry about this, about putting you on the spot… but I'm not" he said. "I love you and I want you. I needed you to know that…"

Still nothing from Carter.

...

...

"I hope we can still be friends" Reese said before he stood and walked off, leaving a still speechless Carter to watch his retreating figure.

For the next few days, Reese avoided calling Carter and she avoided calling him. He did not want to push her or make her feel uncomfortable so he arrested his impatience and waited for her to make the first move, waited for her to tell him that they were still OK, that they were still friends. However, the longer he went without a word from her, the more be believed he had lost his friend.

Finally, Reese determined that if he did not hear from Carter by the end of the weekend, he was going to call her. On Saturday about 9 PM, he was pleasantly surprised when his text alert went off.

Carter

Hey. Are you busy?

Reese

No. Why?

Carter

I need a ride

Reese

Where are you?

Carter

Harry's on Bronough

Reese

I'll be there in 20 minutes

True to his word, 20 minutes later Reese walked through the doors of Harry's.

"How many sir" the hostess asked.

"I'm here to pick up a friend" Reese said then turned his gaze to search the room.

Reese did not see Carter until she stood up from her table. She was with a group of her girlfriends and he watched as she gave each one a hug and said goodnight. Reese watched her intently as she made her way to him. He missed her and seeing her made him realize just how much. The corner of his mouth turned up when he noticed she was a bit unsteady on her feet.

"Hello" Carter smiled once she reached him.

"Hello" Reese smiled back as he took her coat from her and helped her put it on.

"Thanks for picking me up" she said with the slightest slur.

Reese decided to wait until they were alone to point out to Carter that she was inebriated. He was going to bring it up on the ride home but Carter monopolized the conversation. First she wanted to talk about what he had been up to the past few days and then she wanted to know about the case he had been working on. She then flipped the conversation to the new Blu-Ray she needed him to hook up to the TV. After that she told him about the movies she was planning on renting or buying. She gave him an update on Taylor and everything under the sun except how she felt about his admission and what it meant for them and their future.

"Thanks for the ride" Carter slurred after they walked into her apartment and Reese closed and locked the door.

"You're welcome" Reese replied as helped Carter with her coat.

Reese took a moment to let his eyes appreciate the figure that was filling out black, body hugging dress Carter was wearing. The display of a bit of cleavage and her curvy hips… if only she was his, he would have her naked in seconds and would feast on every inch...

"I hope I didn't pull you away from anything" Carter pulled Reese from his erotic imaginings.

"I told you I wasn't busy" Reese said as he watched her take her coat and purse and dump them on the couch.

"Do you want something to eat or drink" Carter asked as she headed to the kitchen.

Reese knew Carter was avoiding the elephant in the room and he grabbed her arm as she tried to pass him and gently pulled her in front of him.

"When did you start drinking" he said with a small smile.

"I haven't started drinking" Carter informed Reese in a slurred huff.

"You're drunk" his smile grew wider.

"Tipsy" she insisted.

"Same thing" he said teasingly. "So when did you start?"

"Start what?"

"Drinking?"

"It was wine thank you."

Carter was not a drinker. Whenever she went out with her girlfriends, she would always order club soda… but not this night. She had been stunned by Reese's admission and she did not know what to do with it or her reaction to it. When her girlfriends called for an impromptu GNO, Carter readily accepted and instead of her usual club soda, she opted to have wine and to make things worse, she drank on an empty stomach.

"How much did you drink" Reese asked, the humor in his voice evident.

"I don't know" Carter slurred as she turned from Reese and walked toward the couch.

"That much huh?" Reese laughed. "You might have one hell of a hangover since you aren't use to alcohol."

"I told you it was wine" Carter slurred vehemently as she plopped down on the couch and suddenly felt extremely drowsy.

"Same thing."

"And I don't see what's so funny" Carter continued as she turned and glared at Reese. "This is your fault."

"My fault?" Reese's eyes twinkled. "It's my fault that you got drunk" Reese laughed again.

"Tipsy damn it! And yes it's your fault" Carter drunkenly insisted. "If you didn't drive me crazy you wouldn't have driven me to drink."

"So you're admitting that you're drunk" Reese decided not to resist the urge to tease.

"Tipsy! How many times to I have do tell you it's tipsy!" Carter insisted again as she laid her head back on the couch and closed her eyes.

Reese was tempted to push the subject of him driving her crazy but quickly opted against it.

"I'd better go. Can you put yourself to bed?"

"Where are you going?"

"Home."

"I don't want you to go."

Reese wanted to stay more than anything but he did not want to read anything into Carter's words and he knew it would be better to talk about this, about them when Carter was sober.

"Tell you what" Reese said after he walked over to the couch and sat down next to Carter. "When you wake up" he said as he took her hand and held it between his. "Call me and we can meet for breakfast… or, if you're hung over, I'll come over and make breakfast."

"Let's go to the park" Carter sighed, her head still resting back on the couch and her eyes still closed.

"The park it is then" Reese smiled at the nearly sleeping drunk detective.

Reese waited until he was sure Carter was asleep before he moved her into a comfortable position on the couch and removed her heels. He got a blanket from the closet and laid it over her before bending down and kissing Carter on the temple.

"Goodnight Detective" Reese whispered and kissed her temple again.

The next morning, Carter woke promptly at 6:30 and it took her a minute to remember why she was on the couch fully dressed.

Goodnight Detective

She heard that voice and a smile slowly crept across her face. After stretching for a few moments, Carter sat upright then stood. She was thankful that she did not suffer any side affects of her wine drinking the night before. By 8:00 AM, she was dialing Reese's number.

"Good morning Detective" he answered promptly.

"Good morning John" she said with a smile in her voice.

"You don't sound hung over" he teased.

"ha ha" Carter said. "You have time for a friend" she asked in an apologetic tone.

"That's something you never have to wonder about" Reese returned sweetly.

By the time Carter made it to the park, Reese was already there waiting for her. When she saw him on the bench her steps became quicker but once she got to the bench and sat down next to him, words eluded her.

Reese allowed the silence to continue. He had put himself out there with his admission and though he still did not regret it, he wanted Carter to make the next move.

"I'm sorry" she finally said.

Reese prepared himself for the rejection. Maybe it was the wine saying that he drove her crazy. Maybe it was the wine asking him to stay last night.

"I am sorry for hiding out" Carter let out a little laugh. "It's just… you took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting this, any of this… I wasn't expecting to like you let alone become so close to you."

...

...

"Our lives are so complicated and I didn't want to admit that I wanted more with you because... I'm afraid that it will all be taken away" she confessed.

...

...

"I am in love with you" she said vehemently. "And it scares the hell out of me."

...

...

"Do you regret it, us?" Reese asked.

"No" she said quickly and honestly. "I wouldn't turn back the clock even if I could."

...

...

"I'm afraid too" Reese admitted. "But I want you more."

A few moments passed in silence before Carter slid across the bench until she was pressed against Reese. Hooking her arm around his, Carter laid her head on Reese's shoulder.

She wanted him more too.

...

…

…

…

"Where do we go from here" Carter wondered aloud.

"Where ever it is, we go together" Reese proclaimed as he intertwined his fingers with hers.

After a few moments, Carter tilted her head back on his shoulder as Reese turned his head and looked into her eyes. They smiled at each other as Reese lowered his head and they shared their very first kiss.

Two adversaries had become unlikely friends… and now, two unlikely friends had come full circle and together they would become more because of the love that was born between them.

Finis

A/N: I hope you have enjoyed my little story about the beginning of the love between Carter and Reese.