Authors Note: This takes place two months after "Raised in Goodbye", Carol is pregnant but she hasn't told anyone. The song used is "Feels like Home" by Chantal Kreviazuk and is in italics.
Something in your eyes makes me want
to lose myself
Makes me want to lose myself
In your arms
There's something in your voice makes my
heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts
The rest of my life
Alone. It had been two months and she was still alone. In that time she had only talked to Doug six times. She could tell, when she talked to him, that he was just as lonely as she was. The fact that she was pregnant wasn't helping much. She had just found out a few days ago and had made an appointment with her OBGYN. The ultrasound had concluded it. Dr. McKennon had estimated the date of conception to be the last day Doug had been home. The day they had spent making love. She hadn't told anyone, least of all Doug. She didn't him coming back for the baby. Her friends weren't suspecting anything yet, but she would tell them when the time was right.
If you knew how lonely my life has been
And how long I've felt so low
If you knew how I wanted someone to
come along
And change my life the way you've done
Work. That was all that kept her busy these days. That's where she was about to leave from right now. After today, which had been paticularly hard, she just wanted to go home and soak in a bubble bath and then go to sleep in Doug's arms. She would half to settle for only one of the two.
Feels like home to me
Feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where
I come from
Feels like home to me
Feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
Slow. The EL ride home seemed slower than ever. When she finally did reach her stop, she got off and made her way to her front door. Letting herself in, she saw a light coming from the kitchen. Going in she didn't see anyone, but she hadn't left it on, she was sure of that. Cautiously she made her way up the steps to her room.
A window breaks down a long dark street
And a siren wails in the night
But I'm alright cause I have you here with me
And I can almost see through the dark there's light
Reaching the top of the steps, she slowly made her way down the hall, checking every room as she went. When she finally reached her bedroom, she laughed at herself, "Stop being so paranoid Carol." She told herself. Going into the darkened room she stopped when she saw a lump in the bed. Her hand ran along the wall and flipped on the light switch. The lump groaned and rolled over, awake now.
If you knew how much this moment
means to me
And how long I've waited for your touch
If you knew how happy you are making me
I've never thought I'd love anyone so much
Her hand flew to her mouth in shock. He was here, in their bed. After all this time, he was here.
He grinned sheepishly, "I didn't know when your shift ended."
Rushing to the bed, she threw her arms around him, not sure if she would ever let go again. Pulling her to him, Doug wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair.
"God I missed you so much." Carol whispered, starting to cry.
Pulling away slightly, Doug wiped away her tears. "Sshh, don't cry. Ever since I left, the image of you crying has been replaying in my mind, over and over. I still can't believe I left you, and I am so sorry. I promise, I'm never going to leave you again."
"What about work?" she asked, smiling.
"Aunspaugh called me a few weeks ago and offered me my old position as Pedes Attending back. I accepted."
"What about Kerry?"
"I don't answer to Kerry anymore. If I have a problem I go straight to Aunspaugh, and he's the only one I answer to. I start in two days."
Feels like home to me
Feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back where I come from
Feels like home to me
Feels like home to me
Feels like I'm all the way back
where I belong
Feels like I'm all the way back
where I belong
Pulling him back to her, Carol kissed him on the forehead. "That's wonderful. You don't know how happy you just made me. But I also have some news."
"What is it?" Doug asked worriedly.
"I'm pregnant Doug. Two months."
"Really!?" He looked disbelieving, but hopeful. She could tell how much he wanted this baby.
She nodded. "Yep."
"So it happened… that last day?"
"It seems that way."
"God Carol, I love you so much." Doug said, pulling her in for another kiss.
After a moment, she pulled away, "What about everybody at work?"
"We'll go in tomorrow and tell them. However, lets not worry about it until then." Doug proposed.
Carol nodded, "That sounds good."
And they left it at that, for now, both secure in their future, together.
Coming Soon: Doug and Carol break the news to their co-workers.