Something to Celebrate
an ER-based fan fiction
by: Joycelyn Solo
Author's note: This
story is a slightly alternative universe of ER. If I explained
more, it would give things away, so just read it and please enjoy.
Disclaimer: Don't own anything, but if anyone wants to
discuss leasing options, I'm interested...
Chapter One
"Maybe if we ignore it, they'll go away."
John Carter sighed and regarded his wife, who's face lay mere inches from his on the pillow. "I doubt that, they sound pretty insistent."
"Then you answer it." Abby grumbled, rolling away from him and taking the bed covers with her.
He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, reaching for his pajama bottoms. "I'll answer it," he smirked, "only because I know you need your beauty sleep."
He ducked just in time to for his pillow to be used against him and sail past his head.
The knocking started again with a fresh round of enthusiasm as he entered the living room. "I'm coming, I'm coming," he muttered, scratching his head in mid-stretch and making the tangle of waves even more unruly.
He looked through the peephole and was surprised to see the bubbled-visage of Benjamin Pratt, an ER resident from County General hospital, where John happened to be chief resident.
His rude-awakening-annoyance was replaced by a stronger feeling of rude-awakening-by-one-of-his-least-favorite-people-annoyance. He unlocked the door and jerked it open, a harsh greeting on the tip of his tongue
but he stopped short when he saw who else was with Pratt. Standing well out of view of the peephole, Susan Lewis and Jerry Markiewicz flanked the resident.
"Morning, Carter." greeted Pratt.
"Nice jammies." Susan added.
"Where's the missus?" Jerry asked.
Not quite sure what to make of the ensemble, John took a step back and closed the door.
"John?" Abby called, coming out of the bedroom wearing the other half of his pajamas. "Who is it?"
"I'm not sure."
Abby raised an eyebrow at his lack of answer and opened the door for herself.
"Morning, Abby." Pratt repeated.
"Nice jammies." Susan commented, noticing the resemblance of Abby's top to John's bottoms.
"What'd ya do with your husband?" Jerry asked, anxious to get the show on the road.
John appeared in the doorway again, a hand automatically resting against Abby's waist. He looked down at his wife and whispered, loud enough for everyone to hear, "I told you I didn't know who it was."
"Funny, John." Susan said, frowning. "We put the effort into coming here to do something nice even dragging one of your residents along kicking and screaming and this is the greeting we get?" To her companions, she said, "Alright, let's do what we came to do."
Her companions nodded and each pulled a party hat from behind their backs and placed them on their heads.
"Ready?" Susan asked. "Go."
Each took a deep breath and began singing...
"Ohhh
Hap-py hap-py hap-py hap-py hap-py happy anni-vers-ary.
Hap-py hap-py hap-py hap-py hap-py happy anni-vers-ary.
Hap-py anni-ver-sar-eeee to you"
Noticing that a few more doors had opened along the hallway, Abby looked cautiously at her husband. "John, make them stop or we'll get evicted."
Jerry grunted. "We know Carter's family owns the building. They can't evict him."
"You're still going to cause a riot." John admonished. "What are you guys doing, anyway?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Pratt asked. Initially irritated that Dr. Lewis had used blackmail to get him here, he was actually enjoying the adventure. When else would he get away with rousing his boss out of bed on a weekend?
Abby's brow furrowed. "Our anniversary was two months ago."
"Or you're ten months early for our next anniversary." John added.
Susan shook her head at them. "No. It's two years today that you two stopped beating around the bush and finally decided you couldn't live without each other."
"Uh-huh." said Abby.
"Right." said John. "Well, we appreciate the gesture, but we've got big plans for our anniversary that we'd like to get to."
Pratt, in the process of removing his party hat, pointed it at John. "But you didn't even know there was an anniversary to celebrate."
"Yes, but now that we know, we're going to go celebrate." Abby said.
"Privately." John stressed.
The three interlopers nodded their heads in understanding and turned to leave.
"Wait a minute," John called after them. "Let us have your hats. It'll help with the celebratory mood."
Handing over their hats, Jerry muttered, "That's so much more than I ever wanted to know."