Mother Dear

A/N: Hey, nothing special this time, just the usual begging for reviews :o).  Also, I wanted to thank everyone who has been reading since the beginning.  I'm really really self-conscious about my writing and your reviews are really great.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of them. 

~*~
Abby lay in the immense bed staring at the ceiling.  Carter and Ashley had wanted to watch 'Beauty and the Beast' in her room with her, but she had pardoned herself as she was uncomfortable and exhausted.

She couldn't tell whether it was her stomach that was keeping her up or the images of Carter that kept slipping into her mind.

He was smiling at her from the driver's seat of the car, he was playing with Ashley, he was whispering to her, he was yelling at her, he was kissing her…

She smiled as she thought of Ashley's request in the car.  Of course, she had wanted to say yes, but she knew she couldn't.  She couldn't send that message to her daughter.  So now, she was lying alone and uncomfortable and Carter would be doing the same shortly.  She sighed, but she wasn't really upset at all.  In fact, she was happy that they were taking their relationship slowly.  Was what they were doing even considered a relationship?  Probably not. It was more like close friends who happened to have a kid.

Argh!  She hated this; she hated just being close friends.  She had spent seven years thinking about him that was too long to just be 'close friends'.  But he probably didn't feel the same way.

Who was she kidding?  Hadn't he kissed her?  She could still feel his soft lips against hers… hadn't he stayed up all night next to her bed?... hadn't his eyes twinkled with delight when Ashley made her suggestion in the car?

This was too confusing.  She knew how she felt, at least she thought she did, but she didn't know if he felt the same way. 

And she needed to know.

~*~

She was still lying awake nearly two hours later when she heard a little knock on the door.

"Come in?"

"Hey," Carter whispered, "I didn't want to wake you if you were asleep."

"What's up?" she asked sitting up against the backboard painfully.

"You don't have to sit up, I just came to see how you were and … you know … talk."

Abby smiled.

"Have a seat," she said patting the bed next to her.  He sat down hesitantly.

"So…" He began.

"Yes?"

"I hope you don't mind the room.  I wanted to put you near Ashley, but I'm two doors down."

"It's great, Carter," she assured him.

"I- thanks for agreeing to stay here."

"Anytime, really, it was my pleasure." Abby joke.  She looked at Carter's face. He was grinning and it was being illuminated by the moon that was shining through the open window. She breathed in sharply.

"Well then, you'll agree to come more often?"

"Carter…"

"Not like that, Abby, I just like having you guys around.  You brought the happiness back into my life.  You gave me my daughter; you came back with all the things I was mourning for."

"Carter…"

"I mean, I loved Jason with all my heart.  He was so handsome… he was… perfect.  But Kem and I, we never hit it off like you and I did.  We were the best of friends, but I never felt this way around her.  We stayed together because of Jason…"

"Carter…"

"She used to go downtown Monday afternoons to work with a non-profit AIDS organization and I would have Jason all to myself.  I looked forward to those afternoons like nothing else.  He used to call me Daddy Carter because he couldn't figure out which was my name." Carter chuckled and Abby grinned, "Yeah, he was so sweet."  He looked out the window wistfully and his expression broke Abby's heart.  Without knowing exactly what she was doing and why she was doing it, she reached out and rubbed his arm comfortingly.  He looked at her sadly and smiled half-heartedly.  She took his face in her hand, caressing his cheeks tenderly.  He closed his eyes and Abby brought her face to meet his, kissing him tenderly.  She had never felt this way before, she had electricity shooting through her body and she felt lightheaded at the same time.  She felt him put his hand on the back of her hand, pulling her towards him.  He had his other hand lightly on her shoulder.

She heard him emitting a soft groan from the base of his throat and she moaned in response, unconsciously.  

They pulled away from each other, each breathing raggedly, desperate for contact. He lowered his head to her neck and trailed soft kisses down her neck and back up to her mouth. 

"Carter…" she said softly as he kissed her bare shoulder softly- she was in a tank-top.

"Hmm…"

"I've wanted this… for so long…" Carter looked at her.

"So have I," he whispered lovingly, "seven years is a long time."

Review me, mon cheri.