"No, that's fine. Seriously mom, don't worry about it."
Abby rolled her eyes, shaking her head at Carter. He looked up at her from where he sat at the table. "Okay. No, I won't be alone.Yea. Okay, *Okay*.yea you too. Bye."
Abby sighed, hanging up the phone. "Not coming?"
Abby shook her head and sat down next to Carter. "Nope."
Carter reached over and rubbed her back. "I'm sorry." "Don't be. It'll be better without them, seriously."
Carter nodded. "Hey. Why don't we invite a few people from work?"
Abby looked around the small apartment. "Here?" "Yea, why not? We could clear out the living room, put a big table in there, invite just the few people who aren't visiting family for the holiday. It'll be fun."
Abby bit her lower lip, thinking. She looked at him. "Okay." "Yea?"
Abby smiled and smiled. "Yea. Lets do it." ~*~ "Abby, you're kitchen is too damn small." "Hey, its not too late to move this to your place."
Susan gave her a look. "My apartment is a mess. Besides, I cover New Years, remember?"
Abby rolled her eyes. "Yea, sure."
Abby walked into the living room. Carter, Pratt, and Gallant were watching football. She came up behind Carter, standing behind the couch. She bent over and wrapped her arms around his neck. He smiled and reached up to rub her arm. "The kitchen is free for your 'oh so special' mashed potatoes."
He looked up. "O.kay."
He reluctantly tore himself away from the TV and stood up. He kissed her cheek and walked into the kitchen. "Carter, gracing the kitchen with your. 'talents'?" "Yea Susan."
He smiled at her, rolling up his sleeves. She slid the turkey into the oven after re-basting it and set the timer for the remaining time. "Just don't burn down the apartment building."
Carter rolled his eyes. "I'll try not to."
She rose her eyebrows and walked out to the living room. Abby was busy annoying Pratt and Gallant with her questions about football. "Okay, what just happened?"
Pratt sighed impatiently. "First down." "Which is.?" "Shh!!" "It's not like they're talking or anything! They're just running around and hitting other guys."
She rolled her eyes and turned to Susan, making a face. "Guys and football. I don't get it."
Susan shrugged. "One of life's mysteries."
Abby laughed. Susan looked up at the clock. "When is Deb getting here?" "Her shift ends at four. She should be here soon."
Pratt and Gallant leapt off the couch, arms in the air with a loud shout. Carter ran out of the kitchen. "What did I miss?!" "Touchdown! Tie game!! Bears are still in it man!" "Damn!"
Carter hurriedly walked back into the kitchen. "We should play when Deb gets here."
Abby looked at Susan. "Play what?" "Football."
Abby rose an eyebrow at Susan. "Are you kidding?" "No, seriously, I think we could take the guys!" "Do you know anything about football?" "What's to know? You take the football, you run, you throw it, whatever."
Abby shook her head. "Oh come on, Abby. Live a little."
Abby smiled. "Fine. You take all the credit for this idea." "Oh, I will." ~*~
An hour later, dinner was over, and the guys returned to watch the last of the football game. "I hope you three realize *you* are doing the dishes."
Pratt hushed Abby. "Fine, whatever."
Abby laughed. "Come help me find the football. I have no clue where Carter keeps it." "Why don't you ask him to get it?"
Abby sighed melodramatically. "Because that would tear him away from the *game*."
Deb chuckled. "A fate worse than death." "Seriously."
After rummaging through the closet for nearly ten minutes, they found it, stuck in a box in the back. ~*~
Abby tossed the football from one hand to the other. "Dishes done?"
Pratt sighed. Gallant nodded. "All done."
Abby nodded. "Good. Okay. Susan, Deb and I are all set to."
She pointed to the three of them. Susan stepped in to finish the thought. "Kick your asses."
Pratt laughed rudely, smacking Gallant and Carter on their backs. "You three have *seriously* got some guts.going up against the three of *us*."
Deb rolled her eyes. "Oh God, could your ego *be* any bigger?" "Okay, lets just go!!"
Susan grabbed the ball from Abby. They all grabbed their jackets and hats before heading out the door and down the stairs to outside. Carter walked up behind Abby and squeezed her sides. She yelped and laughed. "God Carter. That was unfair. None of that when we're playing."
He smiled. "Whatever you say." ~*~ "Ummm what do I say?"
Pratt laughed. "Just say your play."
Deb looked from Susan to Abby. "Yea."
She shrugged. "Hike!"
She tossed the ball to Susan who bolted through the shallow snow, running to where they had decided where the 'end zone' was. Pratt grabbed her, pulling her around until she fell into the soft snow. Ordinarily he wouldn't play hard on them, but the snow made for soft landings. "Damn. So our ball still?"
Susan stood up, catching her breath. "Yea, yours."
Carter tossed the ball to Abby. She held it. "Okay, come here."
She motioned Deb and Susan over. "Basically, just get the ball to whoever's open."
Deb nodded. Susan laughed a little. "Well, that's kind of a given Abby."
Abby nodded. "Okay."
They walked out to where the guys waited for them.
Deb again took the ball, yelling nothing but 'hike'. She was going to pass the ball to Susan, before she got cut off by Gallant. She quickly threw the ball to Abby, before getting tackled by Pratt. Abby started running, getting more into it than she thought she would. She dodged Carter, but could feel him right behind her. She tried running faster, until she felt his strong arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground. She yelled out, laughing. "Ahh Carter put me down!"
He laughed, spinning around with her until he fell over into the snow, her falling on top of him. She laughed. "Well that was fun for you." "Yea it was."
Abby laughed, her breath just starting to catch up with her. "Glad you had fun."
He smiled. "You didn't?" "Oh no, my fun comes later, making you pay for before."
He laughed. "I swear I didn't mean to tackle you hard!"
She rose her eyebrows and sat up. "Mmm Hmm."
He sat up, half chuckling. "I didn't!"
Abby just looked at him, a smile on her face.
He stood up and offered her his hand. "This is the second time you're helping me up today Carter. I sense a pattern."
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Okay, now that we've stopped, its cold out here."
Abby smiled over at Deb who was starting to tremble in the cold. "My shift starts in a half hour.I should probably get ready."
Susan said, pulling her hat back on her head. Gallant nodded. "Yea, me too."
They all headed upstairs to gather their things. Susan picked up her purse. She walked over to Abby and Carter. "Thanks you guys. This was fun. And Abby, was I right, or was I right?"
Abby rolled her eyes. "You were right. Football was fun. Of course, now that we will all be sick from being in the cold." "*I* for one, am not getting sick."
Susan smiled and hugged her. "Thanks again. I'll call you tomorrow." "Alright."
Susan hugged Carter. "Thanks Carter. It was fun kicking your ass at football."
Carter laughed. "Hey, re-match any time."
Susan rose her eyebrows and laughed. "Yea, whatever you say buddy."
Susan waved to everyone. "Bye guys!"
They all joined in saying goodbye to her before she left. ~*~
An hour later, the apartment was clean. Abby sat on the couch, watching some Christmas movie that was on TV. "Christmas Vacation."
Carter said as he walked over and sat next to her. "Probably the best Christmas movie." "It's funny. I've never seen it before." "You're joking right?" "Nope."
Carter wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him. She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "This is my favorite Christmas movie."
Abby smiled. "It reminds me a little of my family when I was a kid."
Carter nodded. "Yea me too."
She looked up at him and smiled. "This was really nice tonight Carter." "It was, huh? Nice having a few of our friends over. Better than dinner with my parents."
Abby nodded. "Yea."
He smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. Abby smiled and turned her attention back to the movie. This holiday season wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.quite the opposite. She was slowly starting to realize that with Carter in her life.nothing seemed as bad as it used to.
Abby rolled her eyes, shaking her head at Carter. He looked up at her from where he sat at the table. "Okay. No, I won't be alone.Yea. Okay, *Okay*.yea you too. Bye."
Abby sighed, hanging up the phone. "Not coming?"
Abby shook her head and sat down next to Carter. "Nope."
Carter reached over and rubbed her back. "I'm sorry." "Don't be. It'll be better without them, seriously."
Carter nodded. "Hey. Why don't we invite a few people from work?"
Abby looked around the small apartment. "Here?" "Yea, why not? We could clear out the living room, put a big table in there, invite just the few people who aren't visiting family for the holiday. It'll be fun."
Abby bit her lower lip, thinking. She looked at him. "Okay." "Yea?"
Abby smiled and smiled. "Yea. Lets do it." ~*~ "Abby, you're kitchen is too damn small." "Hey, its not too late to move this to your place."
Susan gave her a look. "My apartment is a mess. Besides, I cover New Years, remember?"
Abby rolled her eyes. "Yea, sure."
Abby walked into the living room. Carter, Pratt, and Gallant were watching football. She came up behind Carter, standing behind the couch. She bent over and wrapped her arms around his neck. He smiled and reached up to rub her arm. "The kitchen is free for your 'oh so special' mashed potatoes."
He looked up. "O.kay."
He reluctantly tore himself away from the TV and stood up. He kissed her cheek and walked into the kitchen. "Carter, gracing the kitchen with your. 'talents'?" "Yea Susan."
He smiled at her, rolling up his sleeves. She slid the turkey into the oven after re-basting it and set the timer for the remaining time. "Just don't burn down the apartment building."
Carter rolled his eyes. "I'll try not to."
She rose her eyebrows and walked out to the living room. Abby was busy annoying Pratt and Gallant with her questions about football. "Okay, what just happened?"
Pratt sighed impatiently. "First down." "Which is.?" "Shh!!" "It's not like they're talking or anything! They're just running around and hitting other guys."
She rolled her eyes and turned to Susan, making a face. "Guys and football. I don't get it."
Susan shrugged. "One of life's mysteries."
Abby laughed. Susan looked up at the clock. "When is Deb getting here?" "Her shift ends at four. She should be here soon."
Pratt and Gallant leapt off the couch, arms in the air with a loud shout. Carter ran out of the kitchen. "What did I miss?!" "Touchdown! Tie game!! Bears are still in it man!" "Damn!"
Carter hurriedly walked back into the kitchen. "We should play when Deb gets here."
Abby looked at Susan. "Play what?" "Football."
Abby rose an eyebrow at Susan. "Are you kidding?" "No, seriously, I think we could take the guys!" "Do you know anything about football?" "What's to know? You take the football, you run, you throw it, whatever."
Abby shook her head. "Oh come on, Abby. Live a little."
Abby smiled. "Fine. You take all the credit for this idea." "Oh, I will." ~*~
An hour later, dinner was over, and the guys returned to watch the last of the football game. "I hope you three realize *you* are doing the dishes."
Pratt hushed Abby. "Fine, whatever."
Abby laughed. "Come help me find the football. I have no clue where Carter keeps it." "Why don't you ask him to get it?"
Abby sighed melodramatically. "Because that would tear him away from the *game*."
Deb chuckled. "A fate worse than death." "Seriously."
After rummaging through the closet for nearly ten minutes, they found it, stuck in a box in the back. ~*~
Abby tossed the football from one hand to the other. "Dishes done?"
Pratt sighed. Gallant nodded. "All done."
Abby nodded. "Good. Okay. Susan, Deb and I are all set to."
She pointed to the three of them. Susan stepped in to finish the thought. "Kick your asses."
Pratt laughed rudely, smacking Gallant and Carter on their backs. "You three have *seriously* got some guts.going up against the three of *us*."
Deb rolled her eyes. "Oh God, could your ego *be* any bigger?" "Okay, lets just go!!"
Susan grabbed the ball from Abby. They all grabbed their jackets and hats before heading out the door and down the stairs to outside. Carter walked up behind Abby and squeezed her sides. She yelped and laughed. "God Carter. That was unfair. None of that when we're playing."
He smiled. "Whatever you say." ~*~ "Ummm what do I say?"
Pratt laughed. "Just say your play."
Deb looked from Susan to Abby. "Yea."
She shrugged. "Hike!"
She tossed the ball to Susan who bolted through the shallow snow, running to where they had decided where the 'end zone' was. Pratt grabbed her, pulling her around until she fell into the soft snow. Ordinarily he wouldn't play hard on them, but the snow made for soft landings. "Damn. So our ball still?"
Susan stood up, catching her breath. "Yea, yours."
Carter tossed the ball to Abby. She held it. "Okay, come here."
She motioned Deb and Susan over. "Basically, just get the ball to whoever's open."
Deb nodded. Susan laughed a little. "Well, that's kind of a given Abby."
Abby nodded. "Okay."
They walked out to where the guys waited for them.
Deb again took the ball, yelling nothing but 'hike'. She was going to pass the ball to Susan, before she got cut off by Gallant. She quickly threw the ball to Abby, before getting tackled by Pratt. Abby started running, getting more into it than she thought she would. She dodged Carter, but could feel him right behind her. She tried running faster, until she felt his strong arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground. She yelled out, laughing. "Ahh Carter put me down!"
He laughed, spinning around with her until he fell over into the snow, her falling on top of him. She laughed. "Well that was fun for you." "Yea it was."
Abby laughed, her breath just starting to catch up with her. "Glad you had fun."
He smiled. "You didn't?" "Oh no, my fun comes later, making you pay for before."
He laughed. "I swear I didn't mean to tackle you hard!"
She rose her eyebrows and sat up. "Mmm Hmm."
He sat up, half chuckling. "I didn't!"
Abby just looked at him, a smile on her face.
He stood up and offered her his hand. "This is the second time you're helping me up today Carter. I sense a pattern."
He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Okay, now that we've stopped, its cold out here."
Abby smiled over at Deb who was starting to tremble in the cold. "My shift starts in a half hour.I should probably get ready."
Susan said, pulling her hat back on her head. Gallant nodded. "Yea, me too."
They all headed upstairs to gather their things. Susan picked up her purse. She walked over to Abby and Carter. "Thanks you guys. This was fun. And Abby, was I right, or was I right?"
Abby rolled her eyes. "You were right. Football was fun. Of course, now that we will all be sick from being in the cold." "*I* for one, am not getting sick."
Susan smiled and hugged her. "Thanks again. I'll call you tomorrow." "Alright."
Susan hugged Carter. "Thanks Carter. It was fun kicking your ass at football."
Carter laughed. "Hey, re-match any time."
Susan rose her eyebrows and laughed. "Yea, whatever you say buddy."
Susan waved to everyone. "Bye guys!"
They all joined in saying goodbye to her before she left. ~*~
An hour later, the apartment was clean. Abby sat on the couch, watching some Christmas movie that was on TV. "Christmas Vacation."
Carter said as he walked over and sat next to her. "Probably the best Christmas movie." "It's funny. I've never seen it before." "You're joking right?" "Nope."
Carter wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him. She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. "This is my favorite Christmas movie."
Abby smiled. "It reminds me a little of my family when I was a kid."
Carter nodded. "Yea me too."
She looked up at him and smiled. "This was really nice tonight Carter." "It was, huh? Nice having a few of our friends over. Better than dinner with my parents."
Abby nodded. "Yea."
He smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. Abby smiled and turned her attention back to the movie. This holiday season wasn't as bad as she thought it would be.quite the opposite. She was slowly starting to realize that with Carter in her life.nothing seemed as bad as it used to.