Title: Good Things Come

Disclaimer: Contrary to popular belief (read: my own), I'm in no way associated with ER or any of the characters used in this chapter. Those belong to The Powers That Be and the folks over at Warner Brothers. And since I'm likely breaking all kinds of laws, I'll just say this. No copyright infringement is intended.

Notes: Lookee! It's one of the "lost" post-eps. Spoilers for season 9's "Dead Again", if you have not seen it. Mind you, it's short, and it ain't all that spectacular.

Much thanks to KenzieGal for her support, honesty and genuine goodness.

This chapter is dedicated to Bugzey for being such a loveable bug.

What a day.

Packed to the hilt with patients, the ER had looked its busiest ever. And that's saying something. The endless cycle of human woe had certainly gone more than a few rounds in the ten hours I've spent at County today, and I certainly saw it all – animal vegetable and mineral.

One for the record books, in more ways than one.

And to top it off, I've had to work side-by-side with the man of my dreams all day and not lay a hand on him. Well, except for the goose at the admit desk, the neck rub, and the kiss on his forehead as I left the lounge.

But when you think about it, that's tame compared to some of the other shifts we've shared together.

Back at the beginning, not two months ago, it was rare to find us not glued to each other's hip. Rendezvous in the drug lock up, the lounge, the suture room, or anywhere for that matter, were quite common practice. And who could blame us, after two years of the fates teasing and taunting us, not to mention our own insecurities and stubborn, bull-headed ways? We had time to make up for, and damn it if we weren't going to use every spare moment to its raunchy, illicit potential.

It's amazing that we'd been able to keep our relationship under wraps for that week after the quarantine ended. A week, that's all it lasted until someone found out, and it was all over the place by the time we walked into work – together – the next morning.

Since then we've made no effort to keep it a terrific secret, aside from the discreet interludes in several semi-private cubbies throughout the ER.

The past two months have been nothing short of every last thing I'd ever dreamt they would be. Working with him, sleeping with him. Talking with him, laughing with him, teasing him. Making love to him. With him.

So one could say I was more than a little disappointed this evening when I realized that he would not be coming home with me after our shifts ended, just like every other night for the past two months. Instead, I had to settle for the simply scrawled post-it I'd left for him at the front desk after discovering his sleeping form in the lounge. I had no doubt he'd know exactly what it meant.

My place. Don't waste your time.

~ AL

Since I knew he wouldn't get to leave quite as easily as I had, I decided to distract myself during the wait, and dropped in on the middle of an AA meeting on my way home. It was the least I could do, I figured, seeing as I ended up missing one this morning due to an unexpected, yet very much welcome encounter with my extremely titillating boyfriend.

The truth was, I had been looking forward to the meeting. And going to the meeting with Carter. Instead, I had to settle for sex in the shower with Carter, which was a more than fair trade. After all, I can go to an AA meeting anywhere at any hour of the day. Quality time with John Carter is slightly harder to come by.

Especially these days. Which is why I'm planning on making the most of tonight.

Music playing softly in the bedroom. Candlelight. And the piece de resistance… Me, wearing one of his dress shirts, and nothing else.

All that's missing is the guest of honor. And if I know Carter… He's on his way over, right now.

Lying on my bed waiting for him to arrive, I close my eyes, imagining him ascending the steps to my building. He searches his pockets until he finds them, the keys I'd given him three weeks into our relationship, the magical entre nous he uses to let himself into the building. I picture him climbing more steps, two at a time, to the second floor, and taking those last few paces towards my apartment.

Honey, I'm home.

A slow smile creeps across my face as the faint sound of someone in the hallway filters through the apartment. Sure enough, seconds later there's a key in the door, followed by the sound of it opening and footsteps against the hardwood.

At last. We're alone. Together.

Pushing myself off the bed, I wait until I hear him drop his bag on the floor beside the closet door.

"Abby?"

I finally make my entrance, appearing in the threshold to the bedroom, propping myself up against the doorframe, one arm flanked above my head, the other resting lightly at my hip.

I smile, tying my best to put on my most seductive look.

"You rang?"

His eyebrows raise as he eyes me in his dress shirt, the faintest glimmer of amusement flickering across his face before settling into a look of contented wonder. He chuckles a little before sighing.

I pause for a moment to survey the man standing in my living room. His hair is mussed, his t-shirt is rumpled underneath his jacket. Tired, worn… and undeniably sexy. I push myself away from my perch and close the distance between us, stopping just in front of him. Tilting my head upwards, I purse my lips together as I gaze into his eyes.

His smile grows and he takes a deep breath, holding my gaze. He's almost beaming. However, he doesn't make a move to touch me.

"What's all this?" He inquires, gesturing towards the candles that line the room.

"What does it look like?"

He nods softly, a twinkle of knowing in his eyes. "Just felt like it?" He adds, taking a step closer. Still, he doesn't reach out for me.

I roll my eyes playfully. "Yeah. Something like that."

Another step and he's literally hovering over me. I can almost hear his heart beating in front of me, and it's a struggle to keep my breathing in check. I wonder if this game is making him as aroused as I am. A quick glance downwards affirms the answer to that question.

"And the shirt?"

I draw my head upwards to meet his stare once more. "You like?"

"Oh… Absolutely." He reaches up with a hand and gently grazes the collar with his fingers. I swallow slowly, pushing back the incredible urge to jump him as well as the reflex to whimper when he pulls his hand away and straightens. He clears his throat. "So, were you, umm… Expecting company?"

I close my eyes and heave an exasperated sigh. "John…" Glancing up, I catch the look of pure mischief that edges his features, and shake my head, smiling coyly.

"What?"

I laugh lightly. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"As a matter of fact - "

"Shut up."

He stops mid-sentence and frowns. "What?"

I blink once, cocking my head to the side. "I said, shut up. As in, shut up and kiss me."

He grins widely, opens his mouth to respond - no doubt with another comeback - and reconsiders. Instead, he attempts to compose himself, dipping his head closer to mine. I feel the fingers of one hand travel up my arm and across my shoulder.

I lick my lips.

"Well, if that's all you wanted…" He whispers huskily before tipping my chin upwards, capturing my mouth in a tender kiss.

Of course, the peck is much too short for my satisfaction, and when he pulls back a moment later, I give in to the passion welling up inside me, drawing him downwards again for another, more intense encounter. I step back and take in his shocked expression before snaking both of my arms around his torso, underneath his jacket and around his shoulders.

"Care to stay awhile?" I ask as I slowly slide the garment off him. It drops to the floor a second later.

He glances behind him. "Do I have a choice?"

I shrug as I slip my arms around him, pulling him towards me. I trace a small pattern on his chest with my index finger and gaze up at him.

"Not if you ever want to be invited back…"

He mimics my actions, wrapping his own arms around me, pulling me even tighter against him. "Mmm… I guess I'm here for the night, then." He leans forward, resting his forehead against mine.

I sigh. "Mmhmm, I guess you are." I smile, reaching up on my tiptoes for another kiss.

"Lucky me."

***

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

I raise my head from its resting spot atop his chest and shift positions, propping myself up on my elbow. I gaze down at him, biting my lip as I lightly trail my fingers around the canvas of his body.

He looks at my curiously. "Abby…"

I take a deep breath. "You don't need permission."

He frowns. "What?"

"You don't need permission, John…" I repeat, then smile. "To touch me. You don't need permission anymore."

His expression softens with relief as he stares at me for several moments, allowing my words to truly sink in. His eyes drift from my face to the hand that now dances lightly around his torso. He picks it up and brings it to his lips, kissing it gently. I close my eyes and sigh softly, losing myself in the moment.

"Thank you."

I peel my lids apart, peering curiously at him. "For what?"

It's his turn to sigh now, as he lifts himself up off the mattress, shifting to mirror my own position. Reaching out, he pushes a lock of hair away from my face, his thumb carefully caressing my cheek as he does. A quiet, contented expression splashes across his face as his eyes slowly follow his hand that travels the curve of my neck, across my shoulder and down my side to my hip where it rests. Even through the cotton of the sheet, his touch is enough to set my flesh ablaze, and I bite back a low moan.

"For tonight. For every night. Abby, the past two months have been…" He trails off, his eyes flicking upwards to meet mine.

I catch his gaze and we smile together.

"I know." I bite my lower lip shyly, and giggle a little as his eyes roll back in his head at the sight of my coy expression. He expels a throaty groan, which makes me laugh even harder.

"What is it?" I manage to squeak out between fits.

He shakes his head and chuckles. "It's you."

My giggles subside and I raise my eyebrows. "What about me?"

His smile fades as his features take on something more serious. "Do you know how incredibly sexy I think you are?"

I roll my eyes. "Cut it out."

"For two years I had to hold myself back. Remind myself that you were off limits. Do you know how much torture that was?"

I blink slowly and lower my head. "I think I have some idea."

"I'm sure you do. But..."

I feel a finger lift my chin, directing my gaze at him. "… I never want to do anything to hurt you."

My breath catches in my throat. "You won't."

"Abby…"

"No, John. Listen to me. You won't. Nothing will ever be worse than being with you except not being with you. Do you understand?"

He swallows once, nodding.

I smile. "Good." I heave big sigh. "Now…" I roll on to my back, pulling him over top of me. "I think it's time to try and break these old habits of yours."

He grins as he lowers himself down around me, his head dipping to meet the swell of my chest. "What habits?"

I thread my fingers through his hair. "Well, for one, you ask too many questions."

He lifts his head and eyes me lustily. "How about I shut the both of us up, then?"

"Okay. But only if you kiss me instead."

He groans again and lunges forward. "Incredibly sexy…"

"Shut up."

"My pleasure."

***

I shift my head on the pillow to look at him and smile. His eyes are closed, a peaceful expression resting across his face. One arm is lazily draped over my hip, his hand splayed out on my abdomen. I lift my own arm up, my fingers grazing up and down the length of his forearm, stopping at the back of his palm, tracing small circles over each of his knuckles.

I sigh.

I'm spooning with John Carter. Who would have thought?

Two years ago, I had nothing. And now…

Sometimes I feel the need to pinch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. Yet one look into the chocolate oasis of his eyes, and I know that I'm not.

It's no small wonder that I can't keep my hands off of him. It's all I can do to get through the day without pinning him against the wall of some empty exam room and having my way with him. Hell, the room doesn't even have to be empty.

But I can feel it changing. The mood. The intensity. The need to be with each other all the time. The desire to touch him, it's not out of lust anymore. And I can't quite put my finger on it, but I know…

I'm drawn to you, it's kind of that simple.

It's a little funny that, after everything we've been through, this would be the easiest part of it all.

Surreal doesn't begin to explain it, I realize as I feel him inhale deeply behind me, his arm drawing me closer to his chest. I purse my lips as his fall to rest at the back of my neck and linger there for a moment.

"Abby…" His breath is warm against my skin. He knows I'm awake.

I sigh again and sink into his embrace, leaning my head against his shoulder, craning my neck to look up at him in the cascading moonlight. He shifts back against his pillow to make it easier for me to see him and we lie there for a moment, staring at each other in sleepy, joyful wonderment. It's he who breaks the silence once more as he dips down, brushing his lips sweetly against mine.

"What are you thinking about?"

I smile.

"You."

"Me?"

I giggle. "Don't look so surprised, Carter. It was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Mmm." He responds by wrapping his arms tighter around me and entwining our fingers together. "I just wish it had happened sooner rather than later."

I peer up at him. "You do?"

He looks pained. "Of course, Abby. You know that."

I bite my lip and look down at our hands. "Yeah."

"Hey." He kisses the top of my head. "That's not to say that I'm not happy it happened when it did. I would have waited twenty years for this."

I roll my eyes. "Don't get carried away, now. I'm not that much of a catch."

"Oh, but you are." He whispers, lowering his head again to kiss me. "And the wait was worth it."

"Yes, it was." I pull one of my hands out of his grasp and reach up to stroke the side of his face. "Thank you."

He raises an eyebrow. "For what?"

I smile lovingly. "For kissing me in that trauma room. For every night after that. And for every night to come."

"Believe me when I say this… The pleasure is all mine."

"I believe it." I pause to study his face, taking a deep breath. "It's different now, though."

"What is?"

"Us. This. It's… changed, somehow." I shake my head and shrug. "I don't know." Smiling, I snuggle closer to him. "Two years of all this pent up sexual tension and we've managed to exhaust it in two months. I would have thought it would have lasted longer than this."

He chuckles lightly, and I can feel the vibrations in his chest. "Well, we were rather eager, weren't we?"

"I'll say." Closing my eyes, I sigh. "I can feel your heart beating."

"Mmhmm. That's a good thing."

He takes a deep breath and sinks lower into the mattress, taking me with him. His arms relax around me, our hands still interlaced. Another kiss to the top of my head, I imagine him closing his own eyes, urging sleep on, that peaceful, contented expression once again taking residence upon his face. His breathing slows along with mine, and we're both close to unconsciousness when one of us – I'm not sure who – dares to break the spell one more time.

"Hey."

"Yeah?"

"Let's do this again tomorrow night, okay?"

Pause. "Okay."

Yeah, I wouldn't mind doing this every night.

Until the stars don't shine.

***