Disclaimer: I don't own them
Thank you once again to all of you who reviewed my last chapter. This chapter gets a little angsty, but then it gets back to the fuzz.
Chapter Three
It's two days after the funeral. Carter is working and Abby is at the mall with Susan having lunch.
"So how's Carter doing?"
"Ok I guess. I mean he's kind of quiet and distant, but that's to be expected. What bothers me though is that I think he's hiding something from me."
"Maybe he's gonna propose again."
"I don't htink so. I have a feeling it's not gonna be something good."
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"So Carter when are you leaving?"
"Two days."
"I thought Abby didn't want you to go. Did she change her mind?"
"Actually I haven't told her yet."
"Carter---"
"Luka, I'm gonna tell her tonight, I just don't know how."
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"So what do you think it is?"
"I don't know. I just have a feeling. Like he's gonna leave me or something."
"It can't be that bad. He loves you Abby. I saw the ring remember?"
"Yeah, I saw it too. He knows I saw it and yet he hasn't proposed. That can only mean one thing Susan."
"What's that?"
"He finally decide I'm not good enough, and he just doesn't know how to say it."
"That's not true Abby."
"Yeah well he didn't propose."
"And what wopuld you have said if he had?"
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"Listen Carter this is hard for me to admit, but you and Abby have something together. You can read her like I never coould. She opens up to you. And no matter what she says or how she acts she loves you. I see it in the way she looks at you Carter. YOu won, she picked you. Now don't fuck that up by leaving now, she needs you Carter just as much as you need her. Even if she won't admit it."
"I have to go Luka. I need to get away for awhile."
"And what it she asks you to stay?"
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"I don't know."
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"I don't know."
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Two hours later Abby is sitting on the couch in her living room when she hears his key in the lock. He comes in the room and she turns around on the couch.
"Hey."
"Hi."
"Rough day?"
"Not really. Listen we need to talk about something."
I was right. Oh my God I was right. He's leaving me. Remind me not to listen to Susan anymore. Ok just stay focused. Don't cry.
"Ok. I'll make it easy for you. Susan and I will go to a movie. That'll give you time to pack up and leave me. The new Vin Diesel looks good. Maybe I'll-----"
"Abby don't do this. Stay here with me."
"Why? So I can sit here and cry while I watch you walk out of my life?"
The tears start welling up in her eyes.
"I just need to get away for awhile."
"Fine go then, but I'm not gonna watch."
"Abby don't do this. Don't make this hard."
Why is she acting this way?
"I'm not making it hard. I'm making it easy. Goodbye Carter."
"Abby---"
"I just want you to know one thing before you go."
"Abby---"
"I would have said yes."
With that Abby opens the door and leaves, but as soon as she closes it behind her the tears begin to fall. She runs down the stairs and out the door to hail a cab. When she gets in the cab the radio is on.
Goodbye to you. Goodbye to everything that I knew. You were the one I loved. The one thing that I tried to hold onto.
"Could you turn that off please?"
"Sure."
The cab driver flicks off the radio.
"Where to miss."
Abby gives the cab driver Susan's address.
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Twenty minutes later Susan hears a knock at her door and answers it.
"Hey Abby what's up?"
"Uh...you want to see a movie or something?"
"Yeah sure. Let me get my coat."
"Ok."
"Abby?"
"Yeah?"
"Is something wrong?"
"No. Why?"
"You just look upset."
"Tired."
"Oh. Well I'm ready to go. What are we gonna see?"
"The new Vin Diesel?"
"Yeah, he's hot."
They arrive at the theater twenty minutes later and run into Luka.
"Hey Luka."
"Hey Susan. Hey Abby did you talk to Carter?"
"Why?"
"I was just wondering if he told you yet."
"Told me what?"
"About going to Africa for two weeks."
"Africa? Oh my God."
Abby's hand flies to her mouth.
"Abby are you ok?"
"Shit! Susan I have to go, I'm sorry."
Abby takes off running down the street and catches a cab. Ten minutes later she is running up the stairs to her apartment. As she starts to unlock the door she notices a note.
Abby,
I'm sorry things happened this way. I thought you would understand. I just want you to know that I'm sorry for hurting you like this. I never meant for that to happen.
John
Abby crumples the note and starts crying. Why did she have to be so stupid? Why didn't she just talk to him? Way to go Abby. You screwed up big time on this one. She opens the door and her hand immediately flies to her mouth. There are candles lit everywhere and rose petals cover the floor and standing in the middle of it all is John Carter. She tries to walk to him, but she can't move. She just stands there tears falling down her cheeks. When she finally manages to speak it's only a whisper.
"I thought you left."
"No."
"I ran into Luka. He told me about Africa. I'm so sorry Carter. I thought you---"
"I know. I figured that our about two minutes after you left."
He walks over to her.
"I just have to know one thing."
"Yeah?"
"When you left you said you would have said yes. Well, what about now?"
Carter gets down on one knee and pulls a familiar box out of his pocket.
"Abby, I love you more than anything in the world. You make me happier than I've ever been in my entire life. You're everything to me. I just never realized how much I really truly loved you until I almost lost you tonight, and I don't want that to happen again. I would give my world just to see you happy. I would die so you wouldn't feel pain. And if you were hurt I would cry an ocean of tears if they could heal you. You're my whole life Abby, and you will always be in my heart. Will you marry me?"
"Yes."
Carter slips the ring on her finger and stands up. He puts his arms around her waist and pulls her close to him. He kisses her and it's soft and tender and then it deepens and it's as if time stops and there's no one else but them.
"Please don't go to Africa."
"Luka asked me what I would do if you asked me not to go."
"And?"
"And....how would you feel about a vacation. Just you and me, quiet beaches, lots of sun, a condo on the beach, crystal blue waters."
"I love it."
"I talked to Weaver after you left and we both have two weeks off and we leave in two days."
"This is unbelievable. Where are we going?"
"Surprise."
"I love you."
"I love you too."