After Carter's shift, Carter was battling with himself whether he should go and see how Sara was. It was like she'd been avoiding him all day. He kept re running the last few days in his mind to see if he'd done anything wrong but couldn't think of anything except pulling Sara in to a pool after she'd pushed him in. But they'd laughed for hours after that, and she wasn't that petty as to stop talking to him after having a bit of fun. She'd started it anyway.

Pratt: Hey Carter, you've left your jacket behind

Carter: Oh thanks Pratt. You off now?

Pratt: No. I'm on a break.

Carter: Oh rite

Pratt: You ok? You seem a bit down. Did Mrs Samuels turn you down again?

Carter: Ha Ha (sarcastically). I'm just worried about Sara, she seemed really distant today.

Pratt: Look, don't worry about her, it's nothing personal. She's just having a bad day.

Carter: Why? What did she say?

Pratt: Oh nothing, she just a bit stressed out with the GSW and the double shifts she has to pull

Carter: But she's been able to handle it before

Pratt: You know women, sometimes things get to them more at certain times of the month

Carter: Yeah maybe

Pratt: Anyway I better get going. Chat to you later Carter

Carter: Yeah, see ya

Carter stepped on to the El. When Sara's stop came he stepped off, and walked over to her apartment. Tyrese opened the door.

Tyrese: Hey John. How are you?

Carter: Yeah I'm good. Is Sara in?

Tyrese: Yeah she's out back. Go on through, I was just going.

Carter: Ok, thanks.

Carter walked through the living room and took a right in to the garden to find Sara clad in sweatpants, a strappy top and boxing gloves hitting a punch bag with more power than Carter himself could manage. She looked up to see Carter.

Sara: Hey John, I didn't hear you come in.

Sara wiped the beads of sweat on her face.

Carter: Ty let me in before he left.

Sara: Oh rite. Anyway what can I do for you?

Carter: I just came to see if you were ok. You seemed really distant before and I was wondering if anything's wrong.

Sara: Nah, I'm just fine. I was just tired after a long shift that's all

Carter: And punching the lights out of a bag helps how?

Sara: Relieves stress

Carter: Ah ha so you admit you're stressed?

Sara: Figure of speech

Carter: Am I ever going to get you to tell me what really wrong or is this just one of our never-ending battles?

Sara: Honestly Carter, nothings wrong. Anyway how was Reese in four when you left?

Carter: Yeah he was fine, just determined not to speak to me. He was asking for you though

Sara: Was he?

Carter: Yep. But I told him you'd left.

Sara: Anyway do you want a drink?

Carter: Yeah, what have you got?

Sara: Lemon squash, orange juice

Carter: Lemon squash please.

Sara handed Carter the lemon filled glass.

Carter: But it must be hard for him. Getting stabbed and loosing someone in the fight is a hard thing to overcome

Sara: Yeah, poor kid. Did you tell him what happened, to his friend?

Carter: Yeah I did. It was hard. It brought back memories.

Sara: Of what?

Carter: You don't know? I'm surprised one of the gossiping nurses hasn't filled you in yet.

Sara: Filled me in on what?

Carter told Sara about the events that took place on Valentines Day a few years before. Sara was shocked. She didn't know what to say or do. She was even more shocked when she heard about the addiction to narcotics. But she was proud of him also, he'd overcome so much and he never let it get in the way of his future.

On the other hand, Carter found it easier telling Sara then he thought he would. For once he didn't see that disappointed look upon a face when he'd told them what happened. She just held his hand and squeezed it to let him know that she was listening. That one gesture made all the difference to Carter.

After he'd finished telling Sara there was a silence between them. Sara was the one to break the silence.

Sara: You don't realise how proud I am of you. Carter I never ever realised that you had been through so much because you never let it show. You've beaten you addiction and you're all the stronger because of it.

Carter: I don't think I'll ever fully beat it. It's always at the back of my mind. I'm always tempted but then I think of everything I have now and I don't want to ever throw it away.

 Sara: That's how it's supposed to be. You have to be grateful for what you have and only then can you overcome anything. 

Carter: Anyway I better be going. I've got a shift tomorrow as have you I guess.

Sara: Yep I have. I'll see you then

Carter: Actually Sara can I ask you a favour?

Sara: Yeah go for it

Carter: Gamma's having a fundraising dinner at the house next week and I was wondering if you'd like to come, um as my date, just as friends of course. I understand if you don't as in you might be busy and…

Sara: Carter shut up, of course, I'd love to.

Carter: Ok then, um I'll pick you up here around 7 next week Thursday?

Sara: That's fine. Is anyone else coming from work?

Carter: Yeah, Pratt, Abby, Susan, Deb and Luka

Sara: Ok then

Carter: Ok then, um I better go.

Sara: Bye Carter. 

Carter left Sara's apartment relieved that she wasn't mad at him and also like a weight had been lifted of his shoulders after telling her about the attack. But most of all he was happy that she had agreed to go to the fundraiser as his date. No he wasn't just happy he was ecstatic. But Carter had to keep in mind that they were going as friends.

Sara was left smiling. She couldn't help it. There was this enormous goofy grin on her face. She was Carter's date. Then the panic set in. What would she wear? Say if Gamma didn't like her?

Eventually she was brought back to earth with a thud. She had to remind herself that no matter what happened that night, her and Carter couldn't ever be a couple. Their lives were too different. He wouldn't understand why she was obliged to help people whose lives were in danger and whose families would be destroyed if she didn't. He wouldn't understand why she has to fight against people who ruined the lives of so many young people.  She'd been with too many boyfriends who found it hard, watching her come back with J and Ty looking like they'd each just had a round with Tyson. She cared about Carter too much to put him through that. She cared about Carter more than she cared about any other prospective boyfriend she'd ever had. There was always a chance that one day Sara wouldn't be as lucky as she'd always been as to survive and she didn't want Carter to have to go through what Lisa went through, watching Omarion die. That's why they could never be. There wasn't a future.  It wouldn't work.