Chapter 3 Nuts
Dana watched him moving about the kitchenette with a fluid grace she'd have thought more present in a panther than in a fire fighter but still there he was, Carter Grayson, in the flesh, heating up dinner for the both of them.
It wasn't humorous really, just the fact that he could get around in a kitchen seemed normal for him, Carter just seemed so self reliant. In that they were very much alike. True she leaned on her father but most of the time she tried not too. William Mitchell had lost so much and she didn't want him to ever have to worry about losing her to.
Dana wondered if Carter's family missed him, if they were proud of him. She wondered what they were like. She knew from his file that he was 19, had had some home schooling at times but had gone to public high school. She also knew he was braver than ten men. He'd taken a real risk to save the child in the apartment fire that morning.
"Can I do anything?" She asked and Carter didn't miss a beat. He wasn't used to help here but he didn't mind, she was just so… Well he didn't know what Dana was but it was something he definitely liked.
"Sure, why don't you set the table?" He suggested and it was only then that she realized he didn't have a table.
"Where?" Carter was the one to blush now at the reminder, he still didn't have a dinner table. After moving here a while ago he'd gotten so busy he'd not thought about it. Now though they didn't need one.
"We could use the coffee table." Dana helpfully suggested and he nodded.
"I forget things when I'm busy." Carter admitted a little sheepishly.
"It's ok; I get like that when I'm studying myself."
"What are you studying?" Carter asked adding a little brown sugar to the carrots he was heating.
"Medicine. I'm going to be a doctor." She informed him as she searched the few cupboards for the needed flatware. "What about you?"
"Sociology."
"Hmm, an unusual choice."
"For a fire fighter?" He asked and she shook her head as she lay out the two plates on the low table. It struck her they were lucky the room was so small they didn't have to shout to talk while they went about their tasks.
"For anyone. It just seems that very few people want to go into that field these days." Dana explained easily.
"It isn't what a lot of the guys I know would have chosen either but I think it's kind of interesting to try and find out the causes for what people do."
"Hmm, I think so." She agreed as she fished in the four drawers to the right of the sink for the silverware. "It's also good to have a back up lest your chosen profession falls through for some reason."
"Maybe you should be the sociologist." Carter laughed and Dana blushed yet again.
"I think I'll stick with helping kids and leave that to you." She replied and he smiled.
"So you want to be a pediatrician?" Carter asked lowering the heat beneath the sliced turkey.
"Yep, I love kids." Dana admitted fishing for napkins.
"Me too. It's one of the reasons I became a fire fighter." Carter wondered where that had come from; he'd not told anyone that. What was it about the blonde girl that had him opening up?
"How so?" She asked adding the napkins.
"When I was about seven there was a fire in the apartment where we lived." Carter's voice went distant a minute, before he went on. "I was trapped and really scared, you know like kids get in times like that."
Dana didn't speak sensing he needed to go on. Besides it was interesting to get a real look at the new red lightspeed ranger.
"In any case, this firefighter came in and got me out…" Again his eyes and voice faded slightly and she wondered if he were seeing it all over again. Dana wanted to move to him, to comfort that little boy who'd been so scared, to say something to the man before her but what? Carter would think she was nuts. Was she? She was in the apartment of this guy she barely knew and sharing things with him she'd never told anyone as he was. But then maybe it was just another part of today, of the insanity that was now her life. An apart she very much liked.
"It must have been amazing." Dana murmured, thinking of how her father had been a lot like Carter before Ryan… She felt a little sick at the memory of her big brother and had to force back tears as she added glasses to the table settings.
"Dana?" The voice was questioning and she glanced up to find Carter watching her, a puzzled and rather concerned look on his handsome face.
"Yeah?" What was he doing to her? What was it about those eyes, so blue…? What was she thinking? This was just so nuts.
"Are you ok? You look…"
"I was just thinking how like my dad you are." She admitted and then promptly wanted to kick herself. Could she say anything more stupid?
"Really? You think I'm like the captain?" Carter asked and she realized he was surprised. Didn't he know he was? They were just so alike. From what she'd seen Carter was neat, meticulous and very good at planning things through, just as her dad.
"Yeah, dad always tried to help people…" Dana looked away, feeling the tears welling up once more.
"But he couldn't."
"No…" she Forced back the thoughts of Ryan; it wouldn't help to think of the little boy who'd died on that long ago winter night. "But then we can't save everyone." She forced herself to say.
"No, we just do the best we can." He said and she'd not realized he'd come to stand with her, the food for the moment forgotten. He just saw her sadness, her helplessness and without thinking or knowing if it was right, or a good idea he wrapped his arms about her.
Dana hadn't expected to feel the steel bands gently enfolding her or to feel safety in them yet she did. The young woman didn't think just hugging him tightly as she let her tears come.
Carter knew what ever was hurting her would come out with time but for now he had to just do this, for himself as much as for Dana. There was just this feeling now, had been since this morning, maybe even since that kiss… What was going on? They barely knew each other, yet that was not true, she knew him better than most of the guys he had called friend for the last years. Maybe that's why standing there like that sort of felt like being with his family, like coming home.
***
When she was cleansed by the tears and had cleaned up her face they sat down to dinner, each wondering what this all meant. Were they friends then? Was there more between them? However it was Dana who broached the subject.
"Carter, I'm sorry about everything, embarrassing you at the club, being so abrupt this morning and crying all over you tonight." She blurted and he lifted a brow.
"You mean it wasn't planned?" He asked pokerfaced.
"Carter!" Dana laughed, and he liked that sound too, it was soft and sweet, just like the girl across from him.
"Ok ok so we've had an interesting beginning I can't say I'm sorry for any of It." the new red lightspeed ranger confessed now completely serious.
"You can't?" Dana asked hopefully.
"No, I didn't mind the kiss, I understood the need for haste this morning and everyone needs a good cry sometimes." He said and the blonde felt as if she'd just been granted a dame-hood from the Queen of England.
"You didn't mind the…" Dana was still reeling over that revelation. She'd been so sure he'd be angry or miffed but he didn't dislike it?
"Well…" Carter knew this was it. He had to take a chance, if he was wrong; if there was nothing between them then there would at least be clear breathing space. "I don't think anyone would mind."
"Oh," Dana felt as if he'd just kicked her, was he saying a guy liked kisses from anyone?
"I mean I don't think any guy would be sorry to be kissed by a pretty girl."
"You think I'm pretty?" She asked a little surprised. True William Mitchell told his little girl that ahs was lovely just like her mother but no guy, not in all of her 18 years had ever told her that. Now this totally hot guy was and she felt a little like she'd just gotten off of a tilda-whirl, happy and yet dizzy.
"Dana, I..." What could he say? Carter didn't know but then intuition kicked in and he was leaning across the table, and pressing his lips to hers.
TBC
***
How's that for a chapter? Ok, yes I know it's strange, why would they not be missed at the base? The thing is it's my fic so I can tamper with time. Ha ha I'm the time keeper. *falls off chair laughing at stupid joke*
In any case what did you think? Was it believable in this situation? Do you have any suggestions? Please review and let me know.