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Chapter 10 Dawn's clarity
The silence greeted Dana when she once more woke. She found it was early morning; the window shade was still drawn but not all of the way letting in a faint line of gold which streaked across the bottom of the bed.
As her eyes scanned the rest of the room she found she wasn't alone. Carter sat beside the bed, his head resting back against the wall as he slept. She wondered why he was here, and when he'd come back? When she'd fallen asleep Ryan had been with her. For a moment she didn't think about that, taking in Carter's unshaven features, his weary expression and wondered why he just didn't go back to the base. After all someone else could have stayed if they were afraid of the demons making a move on her while she was laid up. He didn't need to be the one.
Shifting she was reaching out to wake him, to tell him that when his eyes snapped open.
"You're awake." He said sitting up straight in his chair.
"Yeah, Carter that can't be comfortable." She managed to say hoarsely.
"I'm alright, how's your head?" He asked turning to fully face her, his hand rubbing over his stubble chin.
"I think…" It only struck her then that she had a killer head ache. She didn't need to finish the sentence though, for as soon as the pain crossed her face he was reaching for the call button.
Within twenty minutes Dana was once more laying peacefully, but awake, wondering what she should say to Carter. She knew since he said he was staying until she got sprung she should try and say something. She just couldn't think of anything.
"Dana?" Carter began quietly and she glanced over at him. He was sitting forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his chin in his hands.
"Yeah?"
"I'm sorry I messed up." He said quietly.
"Carter?" Dana asked confused. What had he messed up? They'd come to save her hadn't they?
"I know I didn't act like you wanted me too earlier when you came to see me but…" Carter began but Dana broke in frowning.
"Carter, what are you talking about?" She asked wondering if her Claude of a big brother had tried to help.
"Dana when you came to talk to me yesterday I didn't exactly know what out were up to."
"You didn't know what you wanted from me. I thought at first you wanted a complement, you know how some girls get to feeling awkward and need a guy to say something." He said once more rubbing his hand over his face. "I was still trying to understand why you changed how you looked." Realizing how that had probably sounded Carter added. "I mean you were always pretty, your hair was like spun gold and your eyes like a clear sky." He said not seeing how Dana's eyes widened. "I just couldn't why you thought you needed to where that makeup."
"Carter, you never said anything." Her soft voice had him finally looking at her.
"Why should I have to, you not a wall flower Dana, you know your pretty."
"Carter," Dana didn't know how to take that, had he meant she was too flashy? But then his description of her wouldn't make sense. It hit her then that he was nervous. Why? N they were best friends. Didn't he know he could say anything to her? But she'd felt so awkward because she liked him. So maybe he felt the same? "Do you like me?" She asked.
"No." He said a was on his feet and striding over to the window, throwing up the sash in exacerbation.
"Oh," Dana felt as if he'd kicked her. He didn't like her, even asked point blank. God he didn't like her… She felt the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Dana, when I first met you I knew you were perfect, smart beautiful and after you tended to that little kid I knew I liked you. I was thinking about asking you to a movie rescue or something. When I heard about that no fraternizing rule and felt sick. There went my hopes." He said but he was facing the window so didn't see her expression slowly changing.
"Carter there was no rule."
"I know that now but then…" He closed his eyes. "Dana I had to try and stop what I felt, it would make me crazy being around you so much and not being able to tell you the truth."
Dana didn't think, silently throwing back the sheets and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. When the room began to swim she had to pause. She knew she shouldn't get up but she had to go to him to see his face.
"I guess I hid the feelings a little too well." He sighed and then went on. "I hadn't even realized how far they'd grown."
"You didn't?" Dana asked now standing beside the bed, yet not moving. She was still a little dizzy.
"Not until you'd left and Joel gave me a what for." Carter admitted, remembering Joel's exasperation and then the news about Dana's date. "If I'd just have said something you never would have gone out with that guy."
"Carter," Dana started forward she hated the pain and guilt in his deep voice. Didn't he know it wasn't his fault? She'd been hurt but she'd made the choice to go out with Mark. He couldn't have stopped her unless she'd wanted to stay. Besides she'd been trying to…
"Dana I…" He heard the thud and turned in time to see her land on her backside on the floor. He didn't speak, crossing to her, and kneeling beside the blonde.
"Dana what are you doing?" He asked gruffly as he saw the teas glistening in her blue gaze.
"Carter, it wasn't your fault, I decided to go out with Mark, and I didn't care about anything but…"
"Dana if I'd told you the truth we would have spent the night at a movie or doing something else together. There would have been no reason for you to go out with him."
"Carter…" but his mouth was on hers, hot and yet tender as if by kissing her he could convince her he was in the right and it was his fault. Still when she kissed him back he felt giddy almost like he were about to faint. Then there was the sound of a throat clearing and they broke apart to find Ryan standing in the doorway.
"I um…" Carter couldn't think of anything to say so it was Dana who came to the rescue.
"I wanted to get out of bed and Carter didn't think it was such a good idea." She said and Ryan just gave her a look as if to say Lame excuse sis but I'll leave it alone.
"They said as son as the doctor checks you over you can go." The titanium ranger said and Carter lifted Dana and set her back on the bed asking in a hushed whisper.
"Are you ok? You didn't get hurt when you?" He asked concerned and she wondered how she could have ever thought he didn't love her, didn't care.
"Carter, I'm fine." She assured him raising a hand to trace his lightly whiskered jaw. She'd never thought he'd look that good unshaven but then he was Carter and that could be so unpredictable.
"In that case how about it?" He asked brushing hair back from her forehead in a gesture that unconsciously mimicked her own.
"How about what?" Dana asked and neither realized that they were still whispering to intent on each other and the topic at hand.
"A date." He answered and she smiled at him.
"I'd like that but Carter?" She asked biting on her lip a little as she paused in her gentle stroking of his cheek.
"Yeah?" He asked wondering what she was worried about. He knew that Ryan didn't have a problem with them together, as long as he didn't hurt her.
"Let's not go to the park." She said blushing a little and he just hugged her close as he smiled.
"Fair enough." He told her and they kissed again, forgetting further that Ryan was still there.
Neither saw the smile on Ryan's face or the titanium ranger back out of the room. Yet he did and the smile on his face was real and almost jaw splitting in his joy.
The End
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Author's Note: And there you have it folks. What do you think? Please review and let me know if you liked it if you hated it or if it was boring.