Something to Cherish
an ER-based fan fiction
by: Joycelyn Solo

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Author's note: I hope this is a filling chapter and can tie you over for a couple days. Feel free to snack on other fan fics in the meantime. Thanks for all the great reviews so far!

Disclaimer: ER and characters all belong to someone far more talented -- and richer -- than me. This story is meant for the amusement enjoyment of fans such as myself.

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Chapter Four

Saturday afternoon found Abby and John lounging in her living room amid various bridal magazines, a Martha Stewart Wedding Planner, and their respective calendars as they prepared for the first step toward their nuptials: setting the date.

"The question is 'how soon do we want to be married'." Abby stated, taking a Modern Bride out of John's hands.

He waggled his eyebrows. "Does tomorrow work for you?"

"Unless you're planning a trip to Vegas, I don't think tomorrow's going to work." Abby flipped the calendar -- a full-size Hello, Kitty she'd received from her secret Santa -- a month ahead.

"How do you feel about a trip to Vegas?" he asked.

"I don't think your grandmother would be real happy about that."

"It's our wedding, Abby."

"I know." She looked again at the heirloom ring on her finger. "But...I don't know. It's not like me at all, but I kind of like the idea of a big wedding. Besides, Millicent wants to go all out for her favorite grandson."

"You're going to be part of the family soon. You can call her 'Gamma'."

"I don't think I'm quite ready for that, Carter."

"You can also start calling me 'John' at some point if you want."

She smiled impishly. "There are a lot of things I can start calling you if I want."

"I get the feeling you're not thinking along the lines of 'sweetheart' and 'honey'?"

Her smile grew wider as she focused her attention on the calendar. "So, when do you have in mind?"

"Subtle way to drastically change the subject."

"It's a gift."

"Okay then." John took the calendar from her, raising an eyebrow at the site of the cartoon kitten. "How much planning time do we need?"

"Considering your family's connections, I don't think there will be a problem with most of the booking." She leaned back and looked thoughtful. "You're mother offered to help."

John was genuinely surprised, if the offer to help was sincere. With the friction between his parents, Eleanor had been distant from her son as of late -- more so than usual. Perhaps this was an extension of the olive branch to the new couple.

Or, and he hated to admit it, perhaps his mother had a grander scheme in mind. He loved her, of course, because she was his mother. But there was no denying that most anything she did was for the benefit of her own interests.

"How do you feel about her offer?" John leaned back and wrapped an arm around Abby to draw her close.

Abby shrugged, bumping his arm as she did. "There are a lot of things I don't know about your family that I'm sure she can help me with. But --"

"You don't know how sincere her offer is, either."

"Carter, she's your mother but..." She frowned. "Well, sometimes I don't know if she likes anyone."

He smiled. "Abby, she's my mother. I know she doesn't like anyone." He planted a kiss on top of her head. "If you want to ask her for help, go right ahead. But just make sure she doesn't get carried away. This is our wedding."

"If this is 'our wedding,' why don't you keep an eye on your mother?" She poked him playfully in the side.

"So...what about December? That gives us two months."

"Uh-huh. Now who's making a drastic attempt to change the subject?"

John's eyebrows rose in mock indignation. "I don't know what you mean."

She shook her head at him and flipped the calendar ahead another month. "We could do a Christmas ceremony. Frank could wear his Santa costume and give me away."

He wrestled the calendar away from her and threw it behind the couch, grabbing the next year -- a Barbie calendar he'd grabbed at the last minute when they bought the magazines and the wedding planner -- off the coffee table. "Is the lady free in January?"

"That's probably not a good idea. That's when the nurses all have to attend hospital training. Three weeks of hospital administration telling us how to do our jobs."

"And onto the next month." John turned the page again, his features freezing momentarily as he saw the hearts displayed on the second weekend of the month.

"John..." Abby placed a hand lightly on his arm. Since that fateful night, Valentine's was a day to be ignored in his presence. "Let's skip onto March." She moved to turn the page, but was stalled by his hand on hers.

"No, Abby, it's okay." He looked at her. "What do you think?"

She gave him a look. "About what?"

"It's the start to our new life together, a time to put the past behind us." He pointed to the hearts. "Let's get married on Valentine's Day."

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You get upset over cards and chocolates -- are you ready for a full-blown celebration?"

He let out a deep breath and took her hands in his. "I can't hide from what happened forever, but being with you has given me strength I never knew existed. With you by my side, I can face anything." He kissed her briefly on the lips. "We can face anything."

"Can Frank dress as Cupid and give me away?" Abby joked lamely, still not sure if she thought he was ready for this. Yes, it had been three years since he was stabbed -- but to take a step like this...

John interrupted her train of thought with another kiss. "I want to do this, Abby. To begin our new life, I need to be in control of mine. I can't let what happened haunt me forever, instead I want to find a reason to celebrate February 14 rather than fear it."

She looked thoughtful, her gaze going from his face -- with his determination and strength apparent in his features -- to the calendar -- a picture of Barbie and Ken smiling at her amidst a myriad of hearts.

"And if you really want Frank walk you down the aisle in a diaper..."

She laughed and slugged him playfull in the shoulder. "I actually think I can make it down the aisle by myself, thank you." She looked at him, lost again in the depths of his eyes and the determination she saw there. "Okay," she said, "Valentine's Day it is."

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