AN: Another short chapter I fear, sorry. On a good note it's fuzzy, well I hope you think it's fuzzy. Thanks for your continued reviews.
The Other Side Of Never
Chapter Fourteen
November 2010
Abby and the kids were out shopping. Carter sat in the kitchen nursing a coffee, lost in his own private thoughts.
He couldn't believe that he had been here a year today. Susan was still badgering him to go back to County, telling him that good doctors were hard to come by.
If someone had told him last year that he would be here today with Abby, happy. He would have laughed at them. He left County looking for something, which was lacking in his life and he found it.
He didn't expect Abby to have kids, he didn't expect to fall in love with the kids. But most importantly he thought that he had in the past loved Abby as much as he could, but this last year he realised that she was so much more to him then he ever visualised and he couldn't imagine his life without her, without all three of them.
It felt now was the time to do something about it, this time it would be right. This time it would go well.
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Carter was taking care of the kids, Abby was working. Elise and Toby were ready for bed. They all sat together on Abby and Carter's bed as Carter read a story. When it finished he closed the book and sighed inwardly, he was about to embark on one of the most difficult conversations of his life.
He cleared his throat and said 'Elise, Toby we need to talk'
'You're not leaving are you?' Elise asked alarmed.
'No' he replied smiling slightly 'I need to ask you guys something'
'What?' asked Toby fixing all his attention on Carter
'Well.. er... well, you know that I love you both' he looked at them and saw that they were looking at him intently 'I also love your Mommy very much and I'd like to ask her to marry me, what do you guys think?'
Elise gave Carter a broad grin 'We could be a proper family?'
Carter nodded, Elise and Toby looked at one another, then jumped up and down on the bed hugging each other and squealing.
After a while Carter feeling slightly seasick said 'That's a yes then'
They stopped bouncing up and down.
'When you going to ask her?' Elise said plopping back down on the bed.
'Later, somehow I don't think you two will be able to keep it a secret for long'
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Abby was surprised when she let herself into the house, it was after midnight and Carter was up reading.
'I thought you didn't read after midnight?' she asked sitting beside him
'Tonight is an exception to the rule' he said, as he had needed something to take his mind off proposing, not that it had worked incredibly well.
'Any particular reason? Were the kids difficult?' she asked noticing that he looked rather dishevelled.
'No, no they were good' he replied
'Oh' she replied looking rather puzzled 'What's up? You look like something's bothering you'
'Abby?' he started
'Yeah'
'I know it's late, but I have to talk to you about something'
'You have to go to Chicago or somewhere?' she asked
'You sound like Elise, she asked if I was going away'
'You told the kids what you're about to tell me?' she asked
'Kind of' he nodded
'What? John what is it?' she asked putting her hand on his arm and feeling rather worried as he just didn't seem his normal self.
He turned his head to look at her 'Abby' he said more confidently this time. 'It's been just over a year since I've been here'
'Yeah I know I was going to suggest we went out, just the two of us but it's been rather manic lately, sorry I hadn't forgotten'
'No, that's not it'
'Oh'
'Abby. We wasted so much time, before we got together then when we split up, then after you left. I don't want to waste any more time' he paused
'What are you saying John?'
'Abby' he took a deep breath 'Abby I love you, you know that don't you?'
She nodded and replied 'I love you too'
'Abby' he took both of her hands in his and shifted round to face her 'I guess I've always loved you. I ..Abby... I ... What I mean is Abby, will you marry me?'
The words came out in a rush; he looked at Abby who looked stunned.
'Really?' she said raising her eyebrows at him
He nodded
'Wow'
'Is that a yes?'
'You know that I may be a bad bet, I've been married twice already'
'Third time lucky' he whispered
She smiled and nodded
'Is that a yes?' he asked again
She nodded
'Didn't quite catch that' he said teasing her
'Yes' she whispered and lent forward and caught his mouth with hers in a breathtaking kiss.
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Three Weeks later
'Elise, Toby are you ready?' Abby shouted as they came running down the stairs. 'Come on I told Grandma we'd be there in ten minutes time, Carter will be waiting there for me, wondering what we're up to'
'Where's our stuff?' Elise asked
'In the car already, where you two should be'
'Did you pack Angela?'
'No, you usually pack all your toys you want to take'
'Can I go get her'
'Okay but be quick, do you need to take anymore toys?' she asked Toby
He shook his head holding up his favourite cuddly toy, George a monkey.
'Good' she sighed exasperated, ushering him into his coat.
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Carter and Abby sat in the car outside the house later that evening after having eventually got their meal out together. He had been away again just for a couple of days to Chicago.
'Shall we go in?' she asked as he seemed reluctant to leave the vehicle.
'Abby' he touched her hand as she reached for the handle of the car door.
She noticed he was looking down and she followed.
'Carter?' she said
'Now you know why I had to go back to Chicago' he said as he slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her.
'What are we still sitting here for, in the cold, when there is a perfectly snug bed indoors to warm up in?' she said in a suggestive manner
They got out the car and headed indoors, but somehow they didn't make it to the bedroom, until much later, after the floor in the hall, they decided was, rather uncomfortable.
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