Notes:
There's nothing much to say here except for the fact that this chapter
focuses more on the growing relationship between Carter and Abby. Don't
worry Dave fans! This *is* still a Dave fic, I'm just devoting this chapter
to the secondary plotline, there's plenty more Dave to come!
Disclaimer: I still don't own ER.it's very sad!
Where do we go from here?
Chapter Six- I'm with you
Abby looked around the dreary setting of Doc Magoo's the local take-away for the doctors of Cook County. She noticed that no matter what time you came in here, there was a pungent smell of fried food. If she'd had her mind on less important things, the smell would've probably turned her stomach, but she didn't have the time to think about it. She stared across the small table at the figure sat opposite her. John Carter seemed more interested in stabbing at his pancakes than talking to the nurse. Abby sighed deeply, causing Carter to look up from his plate. "These things taste like cardboard, I don't know why I bother" He said absently, hating the silence. "Carter, when are we actually going to talk about it"? Abby's dark brown eyes fixed Carter with an intense stare. Carter looked away briefly. "Talk about what"?
"The kiss Carter" Abby replied shortly, slightly annoyed. Carter looked away again, an embarrassed look crossing his otherwise gentle features. "I'm sorry about that" He muttered, his gaze reverting back to the pancakes. He'd never found maple syrup so interesting in his life. "Carter, people normally apoligise when they've made a mistake, are you saying what happened between us was a mistake"? Abby asked. Carter didn't answer, he knew deep down that kissing Abby wasn't a mistake, it was something he'd really wanted. The only thing jading these feelings, were his feelings of guilt. After she'd pulled away from the first kiss, had he made her feel pressurised to kiss him again? And was the second kiss just her guilt for making him feel bad about the first one? Carter's head was muddled with all these thoughts as he stared down at the smooth, china plate in front of him. "You know what? You silence says it all" Abby said angrily. With that, the young nurse stood up and without a backwards look, left the café. All Carter could do was sigh and watch her go.
~*~
"You seriously don't know who the Chicago Bulls are? Man Luka, you have a lot to learn" Dave stated as he made himself a cup of coffee. The two doctors had been spending their break in the lounge, favouring it more than Doc Magoo's. "I'm not really into sports Dave" Luka admitted, flicking through a car magazine. He stopped at a picture of a Viper, attracted by the car's sleek bodywork. He was torn away however, when the door burst open and Abby stormed in with a face like thunder. She charged over to the coffee pot and poured herself the cup. Both Dave and Luka jumped as she slammed the pot back down on the side. "What's wrong"? Luka asked, almost nervously. He was never sure how to handle an angry woman. "Oh nothing, just John Carter being a jerk as usual" Abby muttered. She put the cup to her lips and drunk heavily, almost as if the contents of the cup were alcohol. Luka stole this moment and motioned for Dave to leave, Dave nodded knowing well enough to avoid Abby in a bad mood. He slipped out of the lounge, quietly closing the door behind him. "Come sit down" Luka suggested, patting the seat beside him. Abby sighed and took up his offer. "So what's wrong"? Luka asked.
"Carter and I, we shared a kiss the other day in the storage closet" Abby admitted. She didn't look her friend in the eye. Luka frowned, anger immediately coming over him. "Did he force himself on you"? He demanded.
"No, no, of course not, it was completely mutual. It's just ever since it happened, Carter's been acting really strange" Abby replied.
"Strange how"?
"Well, we did nearly kiss before, right after that patient's boyfriend hit me. I broke it off though" Luka nodded, allowing Abby to continue. "And I was wondering if acting strange is how Carter is trying to punish me for breaking the other kiss" Abby continued.
"I don't think he is, he's probably feeling guilty if anything from the way you reacted to the second kiss, he might feel like he pressurised you into kissing him and the second kiss was you trying to make up for the fact you didn't respond to his first advances, he probably feels like he pushed you into it" Luka explained gently. "I suppose that's possible" Abby replied. She looked up at the older man and smiled, sometimes he could really read her. "Is it hard being so right all the time"? She asked with a smirk.
"It's a burden but I bear it" Luka joked. Abby laughed and pulled her friend close, Luka responded and the pair shared a hug.
~*~
Peter Benton grumbled to himself as he opened the door of Doc Magoo's. He hated the place with a passion, it was a dumping ground for second rate food and third rate service. However, despite his misgivings about the place, this was where Carter had wanted to meet him. Benton recalled receiving the phone call from a rather distressed Carter, it had involved him having to step out of surgery, much to Robert Romano's delight. Benton didn't really care about Romano now though, Carter was obviously having some sort of problem. Benton never was a man of many words or emotions but he couldn't help but have a soft spot for the younger man. He'd been with Carter through a lot during the years they worked together and he knew that Carter was a good friend to have. He gruffly ordered a coffee and located the table where Carter was sitting. The young doctor looked depressed as he was stirring his own cup of coffee over and over, a somewhat distracted look on his face. Benton made his way over to the table and took a seat opposite his younger colleague. "Hi Peter" Carter mumbled gloomily. Benton noted that Carter didn't meet his eyes or even glance in the surgeon's direction. "Tough shift"? Benton offered.
"Tough life" Benton sighed deeply. This was going to take a little more than talking about how much of a bitch Kerry Weaver could be. "What's wrong Carter"? He asked.
"Abby" Benton rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Great, he thought. Carter has a problem with a woman, the one thing that Benton had a problem with too. "What about her"? He questioned almost nervously.
"I think I've blown my chances with her" Carter replied glumly. The younger doctor continued to stir his coffee, much to the annoyance of Benton. "She got hit by some patient's jerk of a boyfriend a while ago. I took her to the lounge to calm her down and see if there was any damage. I was checking out her face when I just got this urge to kiss her, I've felt feelings for her before, but it was such a strong urge, I could barely fight it. She seemed to be radiating the same thing so I went in for a kiss and she didn't respond. It was pretty uncomfortable for me, I was really embarrassed. That's not the worst part though. The other day we were messing around in the storage closet, having a laugh and we knocked all these sets of scrubs off the shelves. We both bend down to pick them up and it was like there was some kind of electricity. I felt that urge again and before I knew what I was doing, I was kissing her and she was kissing back. Then I stopped because I realised what I was doing, it was wrong of me. I mean, she never wanted the first kiss...but then after I stopped she just says Carter kiss me, so we do. The thing is I feel like I forced her into it. Like made her feel like she had to kiss me so as not to hurt my feelings, and then when she wanted to talk about it I didn't know what to say...it's all just one big mess" Carter explained. Benton, who had been listening intently, nodded and looked Carter directly in the eyes.
"Do you love her"? He asked a serious tone to his voice. Carter didn't look up from his cup as he continued to swirl the liquid round. Benton leaned forward and snatched the cup away, forcing Carter to look at him. "Well do you"? he pressed.
"Of course, I loved her the first time I saw her" Carter replied.
"Look Carter, I don't know much about women, just look at what happened to me and Carla. What I have learnt though, is that with women, you have to go the extra mile" Benton explained.
"What do you mean by that"? Carter asked. He stared up at his old friend.
"Well let's take your career as an example. When you first came to County you were inexperienced and you made mistakes, but you kept at it and you worked hard, and now you've got where you wanted to be" Benton replied.
"Sure Peter, but what's that got to do with Abby"? Carter questioned, confused.
"Well let's just put it this way man. You make as much effort with Abby as you do with your career you shouldn't have anymore problems" Carter nodded. He had to admit, his old friend was making sense. All he needed to do was put a little more effort into his relationship with Abby. "Thanks Peter" Carter replied with a grin.
"No problem man. I'm sorry but I'll have to get right off. Romano has a rod up his ass about some appendectomy patient" Benton rose from his seat, and with a nod to Carter, left the small café. Carter watched his old friend go, as he did so, an idea began to form in his mind. He knew exactly how to make Abby feel wanted. Carter smiled a self-satisfied smile.
~*~
"So what happened with Mr Watson and the inflatable doll"? Haleh asked. She, Chuny, Lydia and Abby were discussing the latest antics of a sex- crazed patient. "Oh you don't want to know" Abby replied, smirking to herself.
"I have a delivery for the ER" A voice called out. The nurses turned around to see a delivery man at the desk holding a large bunch of beautiful red roses. Abby signed for the delivery and placed the large arrangement on the admit desk. "Man, all these flowers from my female fans get really tiring" Dave joked as he approached the desk and indicating the flowers.
"You're getting a bit desperate if you're resorting to sending yourself flowers Dave" Abby replied with a grin. Dave simply flashed her a sarcastic smile.
"They're for Abby" Randi commented, indicating the card that had been embedded in the bunch. Abby wheeled round and blinked at Randi, shocked. "What was that about sending flowers to yourself Abby"? Dave grinned. Abby wasn't listening, instead she was intently studying the small white card in her hands. "Who are they from"? Haleh asked. Haleh's voice was merely a muffled mumble as Abby re-read the words on the card. She found herself seeing nothing but a red mist. Ramming the card in her pocket so hard the material almost ripped, Abby stormed off towards the lounge. "What's her problem"? Randi asked with a frown. "PMS"? Dave smirked, picking up his latest chart and heading to the curtain area.
~*~
Luka finished his coffee as he stood in County's ambulance bay. The place always looked gloomy, whatever the weather, however the grey slush on the ground didn't help. Luka looked at the entrance to the bay, there was no sign of his major MVA yet. Shivering slightly, the Croatian attending hugged himself. The doors behind him slid open with that distinctive 'whoosh' noise. Luka turned to see who was about to join him in his waiting game and was pleased to see Dave's smiling face. "Chief told me to assist on the incoming MVA" Dave said cheerily. He loved getting the interesting cases. Particularly since all he'd been doing all day was minor sutures. "There's no-one I'd rather work with" Luka smiled.
"Flattery will get you a beer later" Dave replied with a grin. "What's the ETA on this one"?
"About ten minutes"
"Chilly out here" Dave commented, hopping from one foot to the other in an attempt to get warm. "Yes, it's certainly different to Croatia, Chicago weather took a lot of getting used to" Luka agreed.
"What's Croatia like"? Dave asked. He had always noticed that Luka spoke of the country with such love, which interested Dave. "It's a beautiful country. Very scenic, the most picturesque panoramas I've ever seen. The people are all very friendly too, willing to help you out if you're ever in need of anything. We lived in a fairly small place so it was a very close-knit community. Definitely not like here, everyone shoving and rushing, Croatia is much calmer, much more serene" Luka answered with a wistful look on his face.
"You obviously love Croatia very much" Dave replied.
"Yes, It would be nice to go back there sometime"
"Maybe I could come with you, it'd be great to see the place you talk so passionately about" Dave admitted. He was feeling a distinct bond with his colleague, which was slowly but surely getting stronger and stronger. "That would be nice" Luka smiled. Before Dave could reply, the ambulance came rolling into the bay. Dave and Luka immediately snapped into action. "Well Luka, show-time" Dave commented, pulling on his latex gloves.
~*~
Carter stared up at the stars. He was laying on the ornate wooden garden swing that was situated at the bottom of the huge gardens of the Carter Mansion. Carter would often come here after a hard day at work to relax and be alone with his thoughts. He distinctly remembered frequenting this very spot numerous occasions after the Valentine's Day stabbing where his med student Lucy Knight had been tragically killed. Carter somehow always felt peaceful here and looking up at the stars always managed to calm him down and de-stress him. Carter allowed a smile to play across his lips as he thought of what Peter had said to him earlier. He certainly had made an effort, the only problem was he had no idea how Abby had felt about his effort. He had been kept busy all day and had barely seen the beautiful nurse. Carter would've given anything to see her face light up when she received those beautiful roses. Naturally, they were the best roses he could buy, since Peter had advised him it was worth going the extra mile. "John Truman Carter" An angry sounding voice said, breaking the young doctor's train of thought. Carter sat up on the swing and Abby came into view. The woman looked extremely angry. She had a scowl on her face and her lips had almost disappeared. Carter stared at his friend, confused. "How did you get here"? He asked.
"Gamma let me in" Abby replied shortly. She folded her arms across her chest.
"What did you use to bribe her"? Carter joked, knowing how strict his Grandmother could be on house guests. "I didn't because unlike some, I don't use bribes to get what I want" Abby said angrily. Carter blinked at her, totally lost as to what the nurse was angry about. Abby shot him a dirty look before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small white card. She thrust the offending object into his face. Carter took the card and read it, immediately recognising it as the message he had asked to be delivered alongside the roses.
***Abby,
Here's a token to show you just how much you mean to me.
John***
"I can't just be bought Carter" Abby said as Carter still looked confused.
"Wait Abby, the flowers were meant to be intended as a romantic gesture" Carter answered, a little defensively. Was she rejecting his efforts? "I'm sick of your indecision Carter, one minute you're kissing me and the next you're acting like it's the biggest mistake in your life. Now you're buying me flowers"? Abby spat. She stared intensely at Carter, anger radiating from her every pore. "Well you weren't exactly decisive either"! Carter argued. "I distinctly remember you breaking away the first time and then eager to shove your tongue down my throat on the next occasion"!
"Well at least I don't use cheap gestures" Abby replied.
"Hey! Those roses weren't cheap"! Carter said, feeling his own anger rising. Abby merely let out a sarcastic laugh. "That's all it boils down to isn't it Carter? That's all anything ever boils down to with you, money"!
"I don't understand what your problem is Abby. All I wanted to do was send you a nice gesture so you could see how much I care about you and now you're throwing it back in my face"!
"Damn it Carter! It's not the flowers that have made me so angry at you! It's the fact that you don't seem to know what the hell you want"! Abby shouted.
"I want you" Carter said as he stared deeply into Abby's hazel eyes.
"What"? Abby let out a gasp. All the anger on her features melted away and were replaced by shock. "I know what I want Abby! I want you and I've wanted you ever since I first met you in the ER" Carter continued, not breaking the gaze once. His eyes remaining locked onto Abby's. Abby didn't reply, she couldn't, she was far too stunned. After all their indecision, Carter had finally professed his feelings for her. Carter took hold of her hands and pulled her closer. "Look Abby, I was so confused when you broke away from that kiss in the lounge. Then when I tried to kiss you again, you reciprocated, which confused me even more. I had no idea what you really wanted, or whether I'd forced myself on you so you felt like you had to kiss me" Carter explained.
"I wanted it Carter" Abby admitted, returning Carter's intense stare.
"Really"? Carter asked. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Abby nodded. Carter pulled her even closer to his body and Abby smiled, her most beautiful of smiles. Carter looked deep into her eyes, it was now clear. They both wanted this, they both needed this. The moment was so perfect, Carter could hardly believe it was really happening, the starlight reflected into Abby's eyes, making them light up. Carter leaned in, holding the beautiful woman close to him. He parted his lips slightly, and closed his eyes. Abby did the same and before they knew it, they were a couple, sharing their first truly magical kiss.
END OF CHAPTER SIX
Disclaimer: I still don't own ER.it's very sad!
Where do we go from here?
Chapter Six- I'm with you
Abby looked around the dreary setting of Doc Magoo's the local take-away for the doctors of Cook County. She noticed that no matter what time you came in here, there was a pungent smell of fried food. If she'd had her mind on less important things, the smell would've probably turned her stomach, but she didn't have the time to think about it. She stared across the small table at the figure sat opposite her. John Carter seemed more interested in stabbing at his pancakes than talking to the nurse. Abby sighed deeply, causing Carter to look up from his plate. "These things taste like cardboard, I don't know why I bother" He said absently, hating the silence. "Carter, when are we actually going to talk about it"? Abby's dark brown eyes fixed Carter with an intense stare. Carter looked away briefly. "Talk about what"?
"The kiss Carter" Abby replied shortly, slightly annoyed. Carter looked away again, an embarrassed look crossing his otherwise gentle features. "I'm sorry about that" He muttered, his gaze reverting back to the pancakes. He'd never found maple syrup so interesting in his life. "Carter, people normally apoligise when they've made a mistake, are you saying what happened between us was a mistake"? Abby asked. Carter didn't answer, he knew deep down that kissing Abby wasn't a mistake, it was something he'd really wanted. The only thing jading these feelings, were his feelings of guilt. After she'd pulled away from the first kiss, had he made her feel pressurised to kiss him again? And was the second kiss just her guilt for making him feel bad about the first one? Carter's head was muddled with all these thoughts as he stared down at the smooth, china plate in front of him. "You know what? You silence says it all" Abby said angrily. With that, the young nurse stood up and without a backwards look, left the café. All Carter could do was sigh and watch her go.
~*~
"You seriously don't know who the Chicago Bulls are? Man Luka, you have a lot to learn" Dave stated as he made himself a cup of coffee. The two doctors had been spending their break in the lounge, favouring it more than Doc Magoo's. "I'm not really into sports Dave" Luka admitted, flicking through a car magazine. He stopped at a picture of a Viper, attracted by the car's sleek bodywork. He was torn away however, when the door burst open and Abby stormed in with a face like thunder. She charged over to the coffee pot and poured herself the cup. Both Dave and Luka jumped as she slammed the pot back down on the side. "What's wrong"? Luka asked, almost nervously. He was never sure how to handle an angry woman. "Oh nothing, just John Carter being a jerk as usual" Abby muttered. She put the cup to her lips and drunk heavily, almost as if the contents of the cup were alcohol. Luka stole this moment and motioned for Dave to leave, Dave nodded knowing well enough to avoid Abby in a bad mood. He slipped out of the lounge, quietly closing the door behind him. "Come sit down" Luka suggested, patting the seat beside him. Abby sighed and took up his offer. "So what's wrong"? Luka asked.
"Carter and I, we shared a kiss the other day in the storage closet" Abby admitted. She didn't look her friend in the eye. Luka frowned, anger immediately coming over him. "Did he force himself on you"? He demanded.
"No, no, of course not, it was completely mutual. It's just ever since it happened, Carter's been acting really strange" Abby replied.
"Strange how"?
"Well, we did nearly kiss before, right after that patient's boyfriend hit me. I broke it off though" Luka nodded, allowing Abby to continue. "And I was wondering if acting strange is how Carter is trying to punish me for breaking the other kiss" Abby continued.
"I don't think he is, he's probably feeling guilty if anything from the way you reacted to the second kiss, he might feel like he pressurised you into kissing him and the second kiss was you trying to make up for the fact you didn't respond to his first advances, he probably feels like he pushed you into it" Luka explained gently. "I suppose that's possible" Abby replied. She looked up at the older man and smiled, sometimes he could really read her. "Is it hard being so right all the time"? She asked with a smirk.
"It's a burden but I bear it" Luka joked. Abby laughed and pulled her friend close, Luka responded and the pair shared a hug.
~*~
Peter Benton grumbled to himself as he opened the door of Doc Magoo's. He hated the place with a passion, it was a dumping ground for second rate food and third rate service. However, despite his misgivings about the place, this was where Carter had wanted to meet him. Benton recalled receiving the phone call from a rather distressed Carter, it had involved him having to step out of surgery, much to Robert Romano's delight. Benton didn't really care about Romano now though, Carter was obviously having some sort of problem. Benton never was a man of many words or emotions but he couldn't help but have a soft spot for the younger man. He'd been with Carter through a lot during the years they worked together and he knew that Carter was a good friend to have. He gruffly ordered a coffee and located the table where Carter was sitting. The young doctor looked depressed as he was stirring his own cup of coffee over and over, a somewhat distracted look on his face. Benton made his way over to the table and took a seat opposite his younger colleague. "Hi Peter" Carter mumbled gloomily. Benton noted that Carter didn't meet his eyes or even glance in the surgeon's direction. "Tough shift"? Benton offered.
"Tough life" Benton sighed deeply. This was going to take a little more than talking about how much of a bitch Kerry Weaver could be. "What's wrong Carter"? He asked.
"Abby" Benton rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. Great, he thought. Carter has a problem with a woman, the one thing that Benton had a problem with too. "What about her"? He questioned almost nervously.
"I think I've blown my chances with her" Carter replied glumly. The younger doctor continued to stir his coffee, much to the annoyance of Benton. "She got hit by some patient's jerk of a boyfriend a while ago. I took her to the lounge to calm her down and see if there was any damage. I was checking out her face when I just got this urge to kiss her, I've felt feelings for her before, but it was such a strong urge, I could barely fight it. She seemed to be radiating the same thing so I went in for a kiss and she didn't respond. It was pretty uncomfortable for me, I was really embarrassed. That's not the worst part though. The other day we were messing around in the storage closet, having a laugh and we knocked all these sets of scrubs off the shelves. We both bend down to pick them up and it was like there was some kind of electricity. I felt that urge again and before I knew what I was doing, I was kissing her and she was kissing back. Then I stopped because I realised what I was doing, it was wrong of me. I mean, she never wanted the first kiss...but then after I stopped she just says Carter kiss me, so we do. The thing is I feel like I forced her into it. Like made her feel like she had to kiss me so as not to hurt my feelings, and then when she wanted to talk about it I didn't know what to say...it's all just one big mess" Carter explained. Benton, who had been listening intently, nodded and looked Carter directly in the eyes.
"Do you love her"? He asked a serious tone to his voice. Carter didn't look up from his cup as he continued to swirl the liquid round. Benton leaned forward and snatched the cup away, forcing Carter to look at him. "Well do you"? he pressed.
"Of course, I loved her the first time I saw her" Carter replied.
"Look Carter, I don't know much about women, just look at what happened to me and Carla. What I have learnt though, is that with women, you have to go the extra mile" Benton explained.
"What do you mean by that"? Carter asked. He stared up at his old friend.
"Well let's take your career as an example. When you first came to County you were inexperienced and you made mistakes, but you kept at it and you worked hard, and now you've got where you wanted to be" Benton replied.
"Sure Peter, but what's that got to do with Abby"? Carter questioned, confused.
"Well let's just put it this way man. You make as much effort with Abby as you do with your career you shouldn't have anymore problems" Carter nodded. He had to admit, his old friend was making sense. All he needed to do was put a little more effort into his relationship with Abby. "Thanks Peter" Carter replied with a grin.
"No problem man. I'm sorry but I'll have to get right off. Romano has a rod up his ass about some appendectomy patient" Benton rose from his seat, and with a nod to Carter, left the small café. Carter watched his old friend go, as he did so, an idea began to form in his mind. He knew exactly how to make Abby feel wanted. Carter smiled a self-satisfied smile.
~*~
"So what happened with Mr Watson and the inflatable doll"? Haleh asked. She, Chuny, Lydia and Abby were discussing the latest antics of a sex- crazed patient. "Oh you don't want to know" Abby replied, smirking to herself.
"I have a delivery for the ER" A voice called out. The nurses turned around to see a delivery man at the desk holding a large bunch of beautiful red roses. Abby signed for the delivery and placed the large arrangement on the admit desk. "Man, all these flowers from my female fans get really tiring" Dave joked as he approached the desk and indicating the flowers.
"You're getting a bit desperate if you're resorting to sending yourself flowers Dave" Abby replied with a grin. Dave simply flashed her a sarcastic smile.
"They're for Abby" Randi commented, indicating the card that had been embedded in the bunch. Abby wheeled round and blinked at Randi, shocked. "What was that about sending flowers to yourself Abby"? Dave grinned. Abby wasn't listening, instead she was intently studying the small white card in her hands. "Who are they from"? Haleh asked. Haleh's voice was merely a muffled mumble as Abby re-read the words on the card. She found herself seeing nothing but a red mist. Ramming the card in her pocket so hard the material almost ripped, Abby stormed off towards the lounge. "What's her problem"? Randi asked with a frown. "PMS"? Dave smirked, picking up his latest chart and heading to the curtain area.
~*~
Luka finished his coffee as he stood in County's ambulance bay. The place always looked gloomy, whatever the weather, however the grey slush on the ground didn't help. Luka looked at the entrance to the bay, there was no sign of his major MVA yet. Shivering slightly, the Croatian attending hugged himself. The doors behind him slid open with that distinctive 'whoosh' noise. Luka turned to see who was about to join him in his waiting game and was pleased to see Dave's smiling face. "Chief told me to assist on the incoming MVA" Dave said cheerily. He loved getting the interesting cases. Particularly since all he'd been doing all day was minor sutures. "There's no-one I'd rather work with" Luka smiled.
"Flattery will get you a beer later" Dave replied with a grin. "What's the ETA on this one"?
"About ten minutes"
"Chilly out here" Dave commented, hopping from one foot to the other in an attempt to get warm. "Yes, it's certainly different to Croatia, Chicago weather took a lot of getting used to" Luka agreed.
"What's Croatia like"? Dave asked. He had always noticed that Luka spoke of the country with such love, which interested Dave. "It's a beautiful country. Very scenic, the most picturesque panoramas I've ever seen. The people are all very friendly too, willing to help you out if you're ever in need of anything. We lived in a fairly small place so it was a very close-knit community. Definitely not like here, everyone shoving and rushing, Croatia is much calmer, much more serene" Luka answered with a wistful look on his face.
"You obviously love Croatia very much" Dave replied.
"Yes, It would be nice to go back there sometime"
"Maybe I could come with you, it'd be great to see the place you talk so passionately about" Dave admitted. He was feeling a distinct bond with his colleague, which was slowly but surely getting stronger and stronger. "That would be nice" Luka smiled. Before Dave could reply, the ambulance came rolling into the bay. Dave and Luka immediately snapped into action. "Well Luka, show-time" Dave commented, pulling on his latex gloves.
~*~
Carter stared up at the stars. He was laying on the ornate wooden garden swing that was situated at the bottom of the huge gardens of the Carter Mansion. Carter would often come here after a hard day at work to relax and be alone with his thoughts. He distinctly remembered frequenting this very spot numerous occasions after the Valentine's Day stabbing where his med student Lucy Knight had been tragically killed. Carter somehow always felt peaceful here and looking up at the stars always managed to calm him down and de-stress him. Carter allowed a smile to play across his lips as he thought of what Peter had said to him earlier. He certainly had made an effort, the only problem was he had no idea how Abby had felt about his effort. He had been kept busy all day and had barely seen the beautiful nurse. Carter would've given anything to see her face light up when she received those beautiful roses. Naturally, they were the best roses he could buy, since Peter had advised him it was worth going the extra mile. "John Truman Carter" An angry sounding voice said, breaking the young doctor's train of thought. Carter sat up on the swing and Abby came into view. The woman looked extremely angry. She had a scowl on her face and her lips had almost disappeared. Carter stared at his friend, confused. "How did you get here"? He asked.
"Gamma let me in" Abby replied shortly. She folded her arms across her chest.
"What did you use to bribe her"? Carter joked, knowing how strict his Grandmother could be on house guests. "I didn't because unlike some, I don't use bribes to get what I want" Abby said angrily. Carter blinked at her, totally lost as to what the nurse was angry about. Abby shot him a dirty look before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small white card. She thrust the offending object into his face. Carter took the card and read it, immediately recognising it as the message he had asked to be delivered alongside the roses.
***Abby,
Here's a token to show you just how much you mean to me.
John***
"I can't just be bought Carter" Abby said as Carter still looked confused.
"Wait Abby, the flowers were meant to be intended as a romantic gesture" Carter answered, a little defensively. Was she rejecting his efforts? "I'm sick of your indecision Carter, one minute you're kissing me and the next you're acting like it's the biggest mistake in your life. Now you're buying me flowers"? Abby spat. She stared intensely at Carter, anger radiating from her every pore. "Well you weren't exactly decisive either"! Carter argued. "I distinctly remember you breaking away the first time and then eager to shove your tongue down my throat on the next occasion"!
"Well at least I don't use cheap gestures" Abby replied.
"Hey! Those roses weren't cheap"! Carter said, feeling his own anger rising. Abby merely let out a sarcastic laugh. "That's all it boils down to isn't it Carter? That's all anything ever boils down to with you, money"!
"I don't understand what your problem is Abby. All I wanted to do was send you a nice gesture so you could see how much I care about you and now you're throwing it back in my face"!
"Damn it Carter! It's not the flowers that have made me so angry at you! It's the fact that you don't seem to know what the hell you want"! Abby shouted.
"I want you" Carter said as he stared deeply into Abby's hazel eyes.
"What"? Abby let out a gasp. All the anger on her features melted away and were replaced by shock. "I know what I want Abby! I want you and I've wanted you ever since I first met you in the ER" Carter continued, not breaking the gaze once. His eyes remaining locked onto Abby's. Abby didn't reply, she couldn't, she was far too stunned. After all their indecision, Carter had finally professed his feelings for her. Carter took hold of her hands and pulled her closer. "Look Abby, I was so confused when you broke away from that kiss in the lounge. Then when I tried to kiss you again, you reciprocated, which confused me even more. I had no idea what you really wanted, or whether I'd forced myself on you so you felt like you had to kiss me" Carter explained.
"I wanted it Carter" Abby admitted, returning Carter's intense stare.
"Really"? Carter asked. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Abby nodded. Carter pulled her even closer to his body and Abby smiled, her most beautiful of smiles. Carter looked deep into her eyes, it was now clear. They both wanted this, they both needed this. The moment was so perfect, Carter could hardly believe it was really happening, the starlight reflected into Abby's eyes, making them light up. Carter leaned in, holding the beautiful woman close to him. He parted his lips slightly, and closed his eyes. Abby did the same and before they knew it, they were a couple, sharing their first truly magical kiss.
END OF CHAPTER SIX
