Title: Shadow of John Carter: All These Things You've Shown Me
Author: Lindy
Rated: G
"Pomp and Circumstance": the undismissable hymn carried its weight proudly as Lucy Knight looked out at the crowd. *I'm finally here...* she thought to herself. It was a good thing too; for a long time she didn't think she'd make it.
"Jessica Elise Kevins." The crowd clapped as a girl in Lucy's line went up and accepted her award. Lucy searched the crowd, looking for any faces that she might know. As she did, she thought about her journey, the perilous one, the one that had taken her so very long to overcome. Had the events in the past month not happened, Lucy wasn't sure that she would be this happy about graduating. The accident would have destroyed all feelings of lighthearted cheer, joy, and excitement with its dampening sorrow.
But now, Carter had shed new light on to things. He wasn't dead after all!... well... sort of... but Lucy had already debated that in her head, and let herself succumb to an indecisive conclusion. Lucy smiled at Dave, and there was Haleh beside him! Oh, it was certainly wonderful to have her friends and *co-workers* there... Ah, that had a nice ring...
"Laura Jean Klamp," Lucy watched the girl beside her grin, and she watched her walk up, her gown flowing as she went. That was the thing about the gowns, Lucy would have to let the scar on her left neck be seen. It was better that way; everyone knew anyhow... this was sort of a reminder. A reminder to never forget, a reminder of all past problems, and all future things to come. She thought of these as she then pointed out Drs. Greene, Kovac, and sitting beside them was Dr. Benton. He had decided to show up after all! Most surgical residents would have nothing to do with their medical students...
"Lucille Elizabeth Knight," Her head snapped back as she heard her name. She flashed a quick grin to the last group, smiling at her zealous mother who was now adorned in tears. Lucy's jaw quivered slightly, her mother had been to every one of her graduations. Still... no sign of ever getting rid of the water works...
She stepped up to the podium, taking the diploma, when someone standing in the corner caught her eye. "Carter..." she uttered, a smile smothered her face as tears of her own fled to her eyes. The Dean looked at her, smiling, obviously unwanting to damage her moment, but gave an odd look to the direction Lucy was staring at.
Carter leaned against the wall to the side of the auditorium, arms folding, and smiling back at Lucy. "You did it..." he mouthed to her silently. His smile got wider, and he brought his hands from his side to his mouth and cupped them. "You did it, Lucy!" He shouted over the somewhat loud cheers and clapping of the crowd. No one heard but Lucy, and no one else had to. Tears rolled down her cheek, and she didn't take her eyes off of him as she walked back to her position in line. All through the rest of the ceremony Lucy stayed focused on that one man on the side, the man that had helped her to believe again, and make every hope in her that had deteriorated to nothing more than a hateful wish come alive with passion and dreams of great proportion. John Carter might be dead to everyone else, but he would never be dead to Lucy. Never.
Fall hit like a storm upon the cemetery. Everywhere could be heard the last minute calls of sparrows, bringing it in for the upcoming weather. The trees glistened with colors of gold, greens, and burgundies, as they slowly made their way upon the earth.
"Won't be much longer now, will it?" Lucy said, her heart lifting as the breezy fall air hit her.
"Nope," he said, leaning against his tombstone. Carter lit a cigarette, cupping his hand to the flame. Lucy gave him a look as he did it. "What?" he asked, taking it out of his mouth.
She shook her head, slightly rolling her eyes as she focused on the cars that moved along the highway far below them. Lucy had grown fond of sitting up on that hillside, watching the slope of the hill send leaving tumbling down, watching the sun diminish into a glowing sea of orange. "Do you have to?" Lucy asked, looking at Carter.
He shrugged, blowing the cigarette smoke out. "I'm dead, Lucy, it's not gonna hurt me, or you for that matter. It's just one cigarette anyway."
"No, that's not what I mean." She looked at him, knowing that he knew what she meant.
He looked off, smashing the cigarette lightly on to the frame of the tombstone. There was silence while he gathered his thoughts, moving around only a little, until he was finally comfortable. Carter waited another minute before speaking, taking a silently large breath. "Yeah, I do. I have to go." He let the rest of the air out, almost in an exasperated sigh, the rest of the smoke from the cigarette floating away.
Lucy had already known the answer. Someone else was running the show, not Carter, and that scared Lucy a little. After all, that meant there was a God... it sort of scared her to think that he had personally sent Carter. Of course, had she asked Carter who had sent him, he would've given the typical male reply of honor, dignity, and valor... something Carter didn't have much of. Lucy smiled at her sarcastic thoughts.
Carter watched her expression change from disappointment to contentment. "Well, don't look so happy about it!" he said, raising his eyebrows to the effect and turning his head away, only half-joking.
"No, it wasn't that," Lucy said, letting a laugh out as she said it. "I was just thinking about you."
"That funny, huh?" Carter grinned sheepishly.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's just that.." she let her hand fall to her thies as she stretched her legs out on the grass, leaning against his stone now too. She crossed her legs, thinking of the right words. "All those times, we were always fighting, or arguing.." her voice trailed off for a moment. "No matter how right I was, you just couldn't admit the fact that you were wrong..."
"I was wrong?" Carter perked up. "It's the other way around, Lucy Knight, and don't you forget it!" He poked her in the side, laughing his signature giggle.
Lucy laughed, batting his hand away and looking at the ground. "Even now, it still feels the same." Her eyes drifted up to his. "But it's not."
"Why?" He asked, the grin fading back to a soft smile. "Because I'm dead?"
Lucy didn't speak, she just thought to herself for a moment, thinking. "Because of everything, I guess. And now you really have to go... and I guess I'm afraid that you'll be dead all over again." She shrugged, looking down at her hands while playing with her fingers. "I'm afraid that I'll go back to being miserable all over again."
"Don't say that, Lucy..." Carter turned to face her, so that his body was at an angle. "Look at what you've done, look at me!" He waited for her to turn, but she didn't. "I'm okay, I'm fine."
"You're dead, Carter. How fine is that?"
"Well, that's not your fault."
"Carter, I know. But that's not the point. I meant... I meant that I missed what we have right now." She motioned to the space between them, as she now looked him in the eye. "I missed that brother-sister bickering that we had. Even the real fights."
Carter chuckled softly, staring off at the ground. "You're not the only one whose going to miss them..." He said softly, in a deeper tone.
Lucy's smile largened as she realized that although Carter was gone, he was still the same in all the same ways he had been before. They were still the same.. "We're not going to lose that, are we?" she asked rhetorically.
Carter looked up, grinning as he shook his head. "Never." Lucy smiled, resuming her appreciation for the season that was oncoming. "And about the thing... in the X-ray room..."
"Hey, don't even bring that up!" Lucy smacked him on the shoulder.
"Believe me, I don't *want* to remember it, it was such a painful experience for me, but you know... that scar from when you bit me, it's still there..." he pulled down the red shirt he had on under his jacket.
Lucy rolled her eyes as she saw the red spot. "Well, there are some things you can't escape even in death, John Carter." She waited a moment, gathering what he had just said to her. "A painful experience?!" Lucy took a double take on his words as Carter collapsed in laughter. What they didn't realize was that they were being watched closely, and from a far distance, as another friend watched one of them in sheer amazement and terror.
Author: Lindy
Rated: G
"Pomp and Circumstance": the undismissable hymn carried its weight proudly as Lucy Knight looked out at the crowd. *I'm finally here...* she thought to herself. It was a good thing too; for a long time she didn't think she'd make it.
"Jessica Elise Kevins." The crowd clapped as a girl in Lucy's line went up and accepted her award. Lucy searched the crowd, looking for any faces that she might know. As she did, she thought about her journey, the perilous one, the one that had taken her so very long to overcome. Had the events in the past month not happened, Lucy wasn't sure that she would be this happy about graduating. The accident would have destroyed all feelings of lighthearted cheer, joy, and excitement with its dampening sorrow.
But now, Carter had shed new light on to things. He wasn't dead after all!... well... sort of... but Lucy had already debated that in her head, and let herself succumb to an indecisive conclusion. Lucy smiled at Dave, and there was Haleh beside him! Oh, it was certainly wonderful to have her friends and *co-workers* there... Ah, that had a nice ring...
"Laura Jean Klamp," Lucy watched the girl beside her grin, and she watched her walk up, her gown flowing as she went. That was the thing about the gowns, Lucy would have to let the scar on her left neck be seen. It was better that way; everyone knew anyhow... this was sort of a reminder. A reminder to never forget, a reminder of all past problems, and all future things to come. She thought of these as she then pointed out Drs. Greene, Kovac, and sitting beside them was Dr. Benton. He had decided to show up after all! Most surgical residents would have nothing to do with their medical students...
"Lucille Elizabeth Knight," Her head snapped back as she heard her name. She flashed a quick grin to the last group, smiling at her zealous mother who was now adorned in tears. Lucy's jaw quivered slightly, her mother had been to every one of her graduations. Still... no sign of ever getting rid of the water works...
She stepped up to the podium, taking the diploma, when someone standing in the corner caught her eye. "Carter..." she uttered, a smile smothered her face as tears of her own fled to her eyes. The Dean looked at her, smiling, obviously unwanting to damage her moment, but gave an odd look to the direction Lucy was staring at.
Carter leaned against the wall to the side of the auditorium, arms folding, and smiling back at Lucy. "You did it..." he mouthed to her silently. His smile got wider, and he brought his hands from his side to his mouth and cupped them. "You did it, Lucy!" He shouted over the somewhat loud cheers and clapping of the crowd. No one heard but Lucy, and no one else had to. Tears rolled down her cheek, and she didn't take her eyes off of him as she walked back to her position in line. All through the rest of the ceremony Lucy stayed focused on that one man on the side, the man that had helped her to believe again, and make every hope in her that had deteriorated to nothing more than a hateful wish come alive with passion and dreams of great proportion. John Carter might be dead to everyone else, but he would never be dead to Lucy. Never.
Fall hit like a storm upon the cemetery. Everywhere could be heard the last minute calls of sparrows, bringing it in for the upcoming weather. The trees glistened with colors of gold, greens, and burgundies, as they slowly made their way upon the earth.
"Won't be much longer now, will it?" Lucy said, her heart lifting as the breezy fall air hit her.
"Nope," he said, leaning against his tombstone. Carter lit a cigarette, cupping his hand to the flame. Lucy gave him a look as he did it. "What?" he asked, taking it out of his mouth.
She shook her head, slightly rolling her eyes as she focused on the cars that moved along the highway far below them. Lucy had grown fond of sitting up on that hillside, watching the slope of the hill send leaving tumbling down, watching the sun diminish into a glowing sea of orange. "Do you have to?" Lucy asked, looking at Carter.
He shrugged, blowing the cigarette smoke out. "I'm dead, Lucy, it's not gonna hurt me, or you for that matter. It's just one cigarette anyway."
"No, that's not what I mean." She looked at him, knowing that he knew what she meant.
He looked off, smashing the cigarette lightly on to the frame of the tombstone. There was silence while he gathered his thoughts, moving around only a little, until he was finally comfortable. Carter waited another minute before speaking, taking a silently large breath. "Yeah, I do. I have to go." He let the rest of the air out, almost in an exasperated sigh, the rest of the smoke from the cigarette floating away.
Lucy had already known the answer. Someone else was running the show, not Carter, and that scared Lucy a little. After all, that meant there was a God... it sort of scared her to think that he had personally sent Carter. Of course, had she asked Carter who had sent him, he would've given the typical male reply of honor, dignity, and valor... something Carter didn't have much of. Lucy smiled at her sarcastic thoughts.
Carter watched her expression change from disappointment to contentment. "Well, don't look so happy about it!" he said, raising his eyebrows to the effect and turning his head away, only half-joking.
"No, it wasn't that," Lucy said, letting a laugh out as she said it. "I was just thinking about you."
"That funny, huh?" Carter grinned sheepishly.
Lucy rolled her eyes. "It's just that.." she let her hand fall to her thies as she stretched her legs out on the grass, leaning against his stone now too. She crossed her legs, thinking of the right words. "All those times, we were always fighting, or arguing.." her voice trailed off for a moment. "No matter how right I was, you just couldn't admit the fact that you were wrong..."
"I was wrong?" Carter perked up. "It's the other way around, Lucy Knight, and don't you forget it!" He poked her in the side, laughing his signature giggle.
Lucy laughed, batting his hand away and looking at the ground. "Even now, it still feels the same." Her eyes drifted up to his. "But it's not."
"Why?" He asked, the grin fading back to a soft smile. "Because I'm dead?"
Lucy didn't speak, she just thought to herself for a moment, thinking. "Because of everything, I guess. And now you really have to go... and I guess I'm afraid that you'll be dead all over again." She shrugged, looking down at her hands while playing with her fingers. "I'm afraid that I'll go back to being miserable all over again."
"Don't say that, Lucy..." Carter turned to face her, so that his body was at an angle. "Look at what you've done, look at me!" He waited for her to turn, but she didn't. "I'm okay, I'm fine."
"You're dead, Carter. How fine is that?"
"Well, that's not your fault."
"Carter, I know. But that's not the point. I meant... I meant that I missed what we have right now." She motioned to the space between them, as she now looked him in the eye. "I missed that brother-sister bickering that we had. Even the real fights."
Carter chuckled softly, staring off at the ground. "You're not the only one whose going to miss them..." He said softly, in a deeper tone.
Lucy's smile largened as she realized that although Carter was gone, he was still the same in all the same ways he had been before. They were still the same.. "We're not going to lose that, are we?" she asked rhetorically.
Carter looked up, grinning as he shook his head. "Never." Lucy smiled, resuming her appreciation for the season that was oncoming. "And about the thing... in the X-ray room..."
"Hey, don't even bring that up!" Lucy smacked him on the shoulder.
"Believe me, I don't *want* to remember it, it was such a painful experience for me, but you know... that scar from when you bit me, it's still there..." he pulled down the red shirt he had on under his jacket.
Lucy rolled her eyes as she saw the red spot. "Well, there are some things you can't escape even in death, John Carter." She waited a moment, gathering what he had just said to her. "A painful experience?!" Lucy took a double take on his words as Carter collapsed in laughter. What they didn't realize was that they were being watched closely, and from a far distance, as another friend watched one of them in sheer amazement and terror.
