A/N: This is one of the best songs in the world. Y'all need to download it. Anyway – I might not be updating for a while… I've got another project I'm working on. *Sigh* That's the reason I've not been updating while. However, there's a bright side! My friend asked me to make a website demoting Kem. Here it is. (Remember – NO www. When you type it into the address bar.)
Anti-kem-mob.cjb.net
Disclaimer: You know the drill. The song is Gary Allan's.
*~LTDan~*
I never once, backed down from a punch.
I'd take it square on the chin.
Well I found out fast a bully's just that and you got to stand up to him.
So I didn't cry when I got a black eye as bad as it hurt I just grinned.
But when tough little boys grow up to be Dads
They turn into big babies again.
Scared me to death when took your first steps,
Well I'd fall every time you fell down.
Your first day of school,
I cried like a fool, I followed your school bus to town.
Well I didn't cry when ol Yeller died
at least not in front of my friends.
But when tough little boys grow up to be
Dads they turn into big babies again.
Well I'm a grown man and as strong as I am.
Well sometimes it's hard to believe,
One little girl with little blonde curls can totally terrify me.
If you were to ask my wife would just laugh ,
she'd say I know all about men,
how tough little boys grow up to be Dads
they turn into big babies again.
Well I know one day I'll give you away
and I'm goin to stand there and smile.
When I get home and I'm all alone,
I'll sit in your room for awhile.
Well I didn't cry when ol Yeller died
at least not in front of my friends.
Cause when tough little boys grow up to be
Dads they turn into big babies again
when tough little boys grow up to be
Dads they turn into big babies again.
~Tough Little Boys by Gary Allan
"Wake up, sleepyhead," whispered Carter, sitting on the edge of the couch.
"Time-a go already?" responded Jayleigh, rolling over on her back.
"Nope, you've gotta take your meds."
"Aww…." she whined. "Whaffor?"
"To make you better so we can go out," he said, smiling down at her.
"Where?"
"Hm… can't say. It's a surprise."
She lit up. "A surprise!"
"Yep."
"Go now?" she said excitedly, sitting up.
Carter shook his head. "Nope. You've got to take your meds first."
She stuck out her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes in a nearly effective puppy-dog look. Which was actually saying something, as the person she was trying to hoodwink was a well-experienced doctor.
"That's not gonna work, kiddo." He laughed a bit. "Here you go."
He took her medicine off the table, and gave her a trainer cup of Coke to take it all down with. She sighed once, and took it without a word.
Carter disheveled her hair. "See, that wasn't so bad." He hoisted her up off of the couch and placed her across his shoulder. He felt her biting into his shoulder. Taking it as a small child's behavior, he disregarded it.
"Hungry, much?" he asked her, carrying her to the kitchen.
"Huh?" she said as he placed her in the chair next to his usual one.
"Do you want some breakfast?" he said, forgetting that the two-year-old didn't understand his adults' sense of humor.
"Mhm… panakes?" she looked up at Carter.
He smiled. "Just a minute. Sit still."
Carter checked the cupboards, looking for pancake mix. Of course, he didn't have any.
"I don't have any pancakes, Jays," he said, pulling out the seat next to her and sitting in it.
"No panakes?" she repeated sadly.
He frowned. "No… we could go to McDonalds. Want to do that?"
If all truth be told, Carter hadn't set foot in a McDonalds in ages.
"Do they got panakes?"
His frown turned up at the edges to form a smile. "Yep, they do."
"Ohh… okay, le's go!" Jayleigh said, jumping out of her seat.
******
"I thought you wanted pancakes?"
Jayleigh cocked her head to the side. "Ehh… not no more." To complete her act, she smiled so sweet, Carter smiled himself.
He sighed. "Hand them here, then."
She pushed her Styrofoam plate towards him. Carter raised his eyebrows, but took it anyway.
"Sure you don't want it?" When she nodded he said, "Okay. I'll eat it. But it looks really good…"
He cut a piece off, stabbed it with the plastic fork, and put it in his mouth.
Jayleigh watched him for a moment, then said, "I wanna panake!"
Carter smiled, knowing that she would eventually say that, and gave her the rest.
"Mmm…" She picked up the pancake with her hands, and put it up to her mouth. Carter's only thought as she done this was on washing her off later.
"Good?" he asked, grinning.
"Yup," she responded, trying to lick the syrup off her cheeks.
Carter grinned. She was impossible to resist. He slid around in the booth towards her, and bit at her face, making a sound like he was eating.
She laughed loud enough for everyone in the restaurant, who turned to look. Carter, however, found that he didn't care. He just wanted to hear her laugh.
******
Carter walked through the doors in the ambulance bay four hours later. Jayleigh's hand was held tight in his left hand, a diaper bag in the other.
"Carter!" Jerry yelled, sounding surprised. "Who's that with you?"
"Jerry, Jayleigh Carter. Jayleigh, Jerry," said Carter, making his way quickly to the lounge.
"What?" Jerry said, apparently trying to appear hurt. "I don't get a last name?"
"Nope," he responded, turning into the door to the lounge.
When he entered, he noticed Neela stretching out on a recliner, Sam relaxing on the sofa, and Gallant was pouring coffee.
"Rough shift?" he asked, opening his locker.
There were general groans as Gallant nodded and said, "Hellacious."
Neela sat up. "Four GSW's, three MVA's, an LOL with a ruptured spleen, two cases of SIDS, and a twelve-year-old basketball player diagnosed with a brain tumor. How was your day?"
Carter's eyebrows shot up. "Ouch. Anything to look forward to? Anything at all?"
Neela and Gallant shrugged simultaneously. "Probably not," he said, walking out of the lounge.
"Daddy?" Jayleigh was tugging at Carter's pant leg.
He'd almost forgotten she was there.
"Can we go upstairs now? Alex said he'd give me a quarter if I got there before him."
Alex, Carter reasoned, must have been one of her friends in the daycare. He threw on his lab jacket, and grabbed her hand.
"Oh," gasped Neela before he had a chance, "is that your daughter?"
Carter, despite his wanting to get to work and Jayleigh upstairs, felt his chest swell with pride. "Yep."
"Oh my goodness! She's adorable! How old is she?" Neela got up and went over to her, a large grin on her face.
"Two."
"And she's yours?" she asked, as if she did not believe him the first time.
"Yeah…"
"Is her mother in the Congo still?"
Damned E.R. women – can't keep their noses in their own business for a minute. "Eh – no."
"Oh. Well…" She grinned precariously. "Who is she, then?"
Urgh, why does no one know?
"Abby."
Neela was clearly surprised. "Lockhart? Abby Lockhart?"
Carter shrugged his left shoulder. Beep, pager, beep! he begged silently. "I gotta get to work…"
"Oh. Well, goodbye then." She sounded very disappointed.
Carter led Jayleigh up the stairs, and by the time he had reached the landing, he had gotten a load of awws from the people he passed. Wouldn't Neela know? he thought. From what I've seen since I got back…they seem to be pretty close. Close enough, at least for her to know that I was the father of her daughter. Hasn't she ever seen Jayleigh before? Did no one know about Jayleigh?
Something was seriously wrong.
Carter dropped her off at daycare, receiving admiration from Alyssa, the daycare worker. Everyone loved his daughter. He loved his daughter. He loved her more than he ever thought he could love something. When he saw her hurting in the hospital bed, he wanted nothing more than to absorb all the pain she felt, and make her better with his own wellness. Never before…
Response to Reviews
CARBYforever: It made you cry? Now I know I'm doing a good job. :)
Rock Lobster: Hehe. Anne's gone for a couple of chapters, anyway… Yep, watching since '94. I watched with my mummy as a kid, because, well, I was a kid. And I thought Carter was cute. (No joke!) Now I watch it because I'm totally in love with it. :D
Amanda: Thank ya. Sorry for not updating sooner. :(
Carbylobsterandavrilfan: #1 Carby fan, eh? I think we all think that's a title of our own… Anyway – thanks for reviewing!
Starbright: :D All I have to say. Hehe, thanks for the review.
ER-Carby-Luva: Enjoying it heaps? ^^
AbbyLockhart2: Kem's a woman? I was sure she was a Martian in disguise or something equally horrific. Hmm… lol – thanks for reviewing!
Lily: Yep, I've got you added. But I'm sure you already know that. Lol. Thank ya for reviewing!
Lily: Congratulations! You've given me about the longest review I've gotten. In any fandom. On any website… Ever. Don't harm the stuffed bears, k? Though, if it had been me, I probably would have thrown it too. I tried to throw my little brother at Anna Del Amacio when I saw it the first time. I did not like her. Lol. My brother was about a year old… hehehe.
Becky: Warm and gooey? Hehehe. Thanks for the review!
Becky: Déjà vu…
MrsWyle: Hehe. Of course! A kid with Carter's genes HAS to be cute – have you seen Owen Wyle? Lol.
MrsWyle: That's odd. Déjà vu… again…
CamilaC: I do know a bit about what's going on… more than you can find on a spoilers page. ;)
Jordan_Cavanaugh: No Anne, nope. No Anne in this chappie either. Does that make you happy? ;) I love JC/AL… it just warms my heart… *sniff*
Jordan_Cavanaugh: Déjà vu for the third time! WHOA!
Kattybaby2318: LMAO! You think they should get into each others pants already, eh? Hahaha… upfront, aren't we? Lol. Oh yeah, and thanks for recommending this to other peoples… it's really cool of you. Hehe. :)
AnnaSun: It gets better with each chapter? Hehe – thank ya! Sorry for not updating sooner… been busy.
A/N: There we go. I hope to update sooner next time. I've finally gotten a plot for a Harry Potter fanfic, if anyone cares to read. It should be up sometime next week or so… as should chapter sixteen!
~LTDan