Noa: Bit more angst this time, hope you like...
Fire Dancer: Thanks! I was hoping for a little déjà-vu with that scene. And
nice job on ch. 2 of 'Lost'!
Venus Smurf: My thoughts exactly. I've never been much of a Carter fan, let
alone a Carby, and the last episode only capped it off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All too soon, a muffled beeping startled them both into wakefulness. The
sound came from the small suitcase at the foot of the bed, and he
automatically checked his watch. Eight o'clock, the tiny numbers read, and
he looked up, both of their gazes locked on each other. Yesterday, he'd set
it to go off at eight, so he could wake up...and catch his plane. The one
today left the same time - they both knew it. He looked down, as if
retrieving the small clock, still beeping, was akin to the most complicated
surgery he'd ever done.
Quickly, the small piece of black plastic was in his hand, and he turned it
off, feeling deafened in the sudden silence. With something like defiance,
he reached over to replace it, not in the bag, but on his bedside table. A
gentle hand stayed his, and he looked up, meeting her eyes once more.
*All my bags are packed I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin' it's early morn
The taxi's waitin' he's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die*
"Abby, I don't have to go. I -"
Humorlessly, she tilted a brow at him. "They must have changed the rules
since I read the pamphlet last."
She was right, and he knew it. The time off was arranged with Weaver, and
the med team in the Congo was expecting him. Volunteer organization or not,
a promise made was one they expected to be kept. Privately, he damned
himself - but then, as little as twenty-four hours ago, there'd been no
reason to stay. Watching Abby from a distance had become almost an
obsession to him, but he'd never realized...he honestly hadn't thought
she'd miss him when he left.
But then...her eyes then, as she told him to take care of himself, her eyes
now, watching him with a quiet understanding that only made the inevitable
hurt worse.
*There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I tell you now, they don't mean a thing
Every place I go, I'll think of you
Every song I sing, I'll sing for you
When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring*
With a heavy sigh, he relented. "No...guess they haven't."
She only nodded, her expression devoid of the pain he saw in her eyes.
It was those eyes that did it. For better or worse, looking into her eyes
told him what he needed to know. He'd lost her once, by keeping silent.
Much though he might fear her rejection, far worse would be the pain of
leaving her again before she knew...and before he did.
"Abby, I..." his voice nearly failed him, and he spoke the words in a
whisper. "I love you."
*Now the time has come to leave you
One more time let me kiss you
Close your eyes I'll be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the times, I won't have to say*
Her breath left her lungs in a gasp, and for a moment, she simply stared at
him. A sharp pang hit him, sure that he'd been wrong in speaking, that he'd
hurt her somehow...and she was in his arms, both of them enveloped in a
wild embrace of regret, sadness, and joy.
When they broke apart, her gaze stayed fast with his.
"I love you too, Luka..." as she said his name, her voice broke suddenly,
and they kissed one last time, each with a whispered, 'Goodbye...'
*Kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go...*
Fire Dancer: Thanks! I was hoping for a little déjà-vu with that scene. And
nice job on ch. 2 of 'Lost'!
Venus Smurf: My thoughts exactly. I've never been much of a Carter fan, let
alone a Carby, and the last episode only capped it off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All too soon, a muffled beeping startled them both into wakefulness. The
sound came from the small suitcase at the foot of the bed, and he
automatically checked his watch. Eight o'clock, the tiny numbers read, and
he looked up, both of their gazes locked on each other. Yesterday, he'd set
it to go off at eight, so he could wake up...and catch his plane. The one
today left the same time - they both knew it. He looked down, as if
retrieving the small clock, still beeping, was akin to the most complicated
surgery he'd ever done.
Quickly, the small piece of black plastic was in his hand, and he turned it
off, feeling deafened in the sudden silence. With something like defiance,
he reached over to replace it, not in the bag, but on his bedside table. A
gentle hand stayed his, and he looked up, meeting her eyes once more.
*All my bags are packed I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye
But the dawn is breakin' it's early morn
The taxi's waitin' he's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die*
"Abby, I don't have to go. I -"
Humorlessly, she tilted a brow at him. "They must have changed the rules
since I read the pamphlet last."
She was right, and he knew it. The time off was arranged with Weaver, and
the med team in the Congo was expecting him. Volunteer organization or not,
a promise made was one they expected to be kept. Privately, he damned
himself - but then, as little as twenty-four hours ago, there'd been no
reason to stay. Watching Abby from a distance had become almost an
obsession to him, but he'd never realized...he honestly hadn't thought
she'd miss him when he left.
But then...her eyes then, as she told him to take care of himself, her eyes
now, watching him with a quiet understanding that only made the inevitable
hurt worse.
*There's so many times I've let you down
So many times I've played around
I tell you now, they don't mean a thing
Every place I go, I'll think of you
Every song I sing, I'll sing for you
When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring*
With a heavy sigh, he relented. "No...guess they haven't."
She only nodded, her expression devoid of the pain he saw in her eyes.
It was those eyes that did it. For better or worse, looking into her eyes
told him what he needed to know. He'd lost her once, by keeping silent.
Much though he might fear her rejection, far worse would be the pain of
leaving her again before she knew...and before he did.
"Abby, I..." his voice nearly failed him, and he spoke the words in a
whisper. "I love you."
*Now the time has come to leave you
One more time let me kiss you
Close your eyes I'll be on my way
Dream about the days to come
When I won't have to leave alone
About the times, I won't have to say*
Her breath left her lungs in a gasp, and for a moment, she simply stared at
him. A sharp pang hit him, sure that he'd been wrong in speaking, that he'd
hurt her somehow...and she was in his arms, both of them enveloped in a
wild embrace of regret, sadness, and joy.
When they broke apart, her gaze stayed fast with his.
"I love you too, Luka..." as she said his name, her voice broke suddenly,
and they kissed one last time, each with a whispered, 'Goodbye...'
*Kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go...*
