Disclaimer: I don't own anything dealing with ER.
Author's note: Please, pretty please review. Next to diamonds there a girls' best friend!
Shane, Arianne, and John all sat in a row on the plane that was destined for Shane's home of Seattle. John Cater sat next to the window, Shane sat in the middle, and Arianne sat in the seat closest to the aisle.
"Dr. Carter," Shane began "Thank you for upgrading the tickets to first class."
"Well thank you for buying the tickets to begin with."
"That's Poppa for ya, always the generous one."
""Well not as generous as you were when you were a child."
"Do I sense a childhood story about to be told?"
"Yeah, I'd say so. Go ahead Poppa."
"When Arianne was, oh five or six, Chuny had to bring her to the ER until I got off shift. Well Chuny brought in a bag of a few doll s and books for Arianne to play with in the lounge. Arianne just didn't want to stay where she was suppose to, so she took her bag of toys and walked right out of the lounge. There was a little girl who was about her age in the ER that day; I think that she was in for some type of liver failure. Arianne saw the girl, alone because her single father was with the other children, and felt sorry for her. She got out her dolls and asked if the girl wanted to play. The girl didn't have any dolls, even at home, so Arianne let the girl pick one of her own dolls for keeps. The doll that the little girl picked was a china doll made in France, the one that Gamma had custom made for her birthday. When I got off shift a bit later, I found Arianne sitting on the girl's bed. The girl was asleep with the doll in her arms and Arianne reading her some fairy tale from a big book."
"Ahhh…so sweet."
"Shane…."
"Now you two, let's not start."
Arianne started to get up from where she was sitting.
"Where you going?" Shane asked
"Just to the washroom."
When she was out of hearing range, Shane turned the conversation towards a much more serious topic.
"Dr. Carter?"
"Yeah."
"This weekend I'm planning on asking Arianne to marry me. I'd like your blessing on the engagement. I love your daughter so much and she is the best think that has ever happened to me."
"This is a life changing decision, you know."
"Yes, sir, I understand that one hundred percent. I'm ready to share the rest of my life with your daughter."
"Are you sure that you are capable of supporting Arianne and any children that you might have?"
"I have a good hold in the market and have enough money to support three people for a year stashed away in a savings account that I set up when I was eighteen. My job at the paper is secure and I'm being considered for a position as assistant editor. If I did get the promotion I would bring home five thousand more a year than I do now."
"I know that Arianne is crazy about you and genuinely loves you like I loved her mother when she was alive. She glows whenever she talks about you. Its so wonderful to see her happy and in love with a nice guy. You're nothing like your father, well at least when I knew him. Yes you have my blessing, welcome to the family."
"I wouldn't say that quite yet. She hasn't said yes yet."
John Carter laughed, but it wasn't his usual laugh. This one had a tone of sadness to it. His baby girl, and that is how he still thought of her, was going to get engaged. In his heart of hearts he knew that she wouldn't say no to Shane's proposal.
"You guys have a good talk while I was gone?" Arianne asked as she sat back down
"Yeah, yah. I'd say so, would you, Shane?"
"Definably"
"Ok, I don't know what's going on with you two. Hey, Shane, what time does the plane get in at?"
"Like an hour and a half-ish."
"Well in that case, I'm gonna take a cat nap." Arianne said yawning
Arianne set her head against Shane's chest and he wrapped a protective arm around her and held her close to him. She listened to his beating heart and his even breathing and it took her away. Shane was her harbor, the one who would protect her from the world. He laid his head on top of hers and inhaled the scent of her hair. It was like a field of lavender and rose; the most wonderful think that he had ever smelled.