Disclaimer: Sue me if you please. I need the publicity.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Season 10
Authors Notes: Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback. I'll think about making it a Carby. ;-) While I'm all for the Carby-ness of everything, I kinda dig the fics where Abby is Carter-less. But obviously there's some Carby interaction. Angst if you will. I have no time to write this so sorry if it's short and it sucks. Keep the fb coming please! (Besides I'm known to bribe with cookies!) j/k...maybe…that's not a bad idea…
You and I Both
****Sunday 9 am
"Start walking the damn rope Pratt!" Kerry Weaver's voice echoed off the trees in the almost barren forest. They were all standing there in a somewhat line in front of the trees. Wearing their camping best and half-heartedly discussing how they'd play this game.
"Whatever, can someone else go first? I don't even see how we're all supposed to get to the end of this…rope maze…without falling on our asses." Pratt shook his head and hopped down off of the rope.
"Look dumbass…" Sam started as she walked forward in determination, hopping up onto the rope and grabbing a hold of the tree for support. Snickers were heard through out the group as Pratt glared at her. "You do it like this." Sam turned to all of them, still latched onto the tree. "One person starts. They get as far as their hand will reach to still touch the tree for support." Sam demonstrated her directions. Once she'd done that part she motioned for someone else to come over to her. Neela jumped at the chance, walking to stand in front of her and waited for her next order. "Now Neela, get up on the rope and hold onto the tree without knocking me off. Then I'll hold onto you instead of the tree." Neela skillfully did this, beaming as the rest of the group looked on, half amused and half bored. "So we just keep doing this until we get to the end." Sam smiled, gesturing for someone else to join them on the rope. They continued this for a while until everyone was on the one stretch of rope. Several feet of rope still stretched ahead of them, broken down into parts by trees. They looked at each other, quite happy with themselves that they had successfully made it this far.
"Uh, guys?" Susan scrunched her face up. They looked at her. "Achooooooo!" Her hand flew up to her face before anyone had time to think. Suddenly they were all falling. After they had all landed, sprawled haphazardly on the cold dirt ground, they looked up at Susan, who was still standing on the rope, holding onto the tree with one arm. She grinned shyly at her coworkers, giving them a small shrug. "Sorry?".
**** 7pm
Silently the four trudged back to their cabins, exhausted from the day. Luka was carrying Sam on his back, stopping every so often so she could pull a flower from a tree. Carter and Abby, who had spent the day trying to avoid one another, walked closely behind the pair. "So…" Luka broke the silence. "What do you guys want to do for dinner?" He asked, looking back at Abby and Carter.
Carter cleared his throat and looked at Abby briefly. "So, uh, we're eating together?" His eyes diverted back to Luka, but not before Abby noticed.
"Actually," Abby looked at Carter squarely. "I'm just going to grab a sandwich or something from our fridge, I don't really want dinner. You guys go ahead." Looking down at the ground, she picked up her pace.
"Not that there's anything wrong with us eating together or anything. I was just…asking." Carter continued, seemingly oblivious to what Abby had said. "I think tonight we should just go to the mess hall, I'm pretty tired so I don't really feel like walking to the little restaurant."
Luka nodded. "Good idea. We'll just stop off at the cabins to get a little cleaned off and then we can go."
Once they reached their respective cabins they went to get ready. Abby opened the little fridge, quickly scanning the limited food supply before deciding on a ham and cheese sandwich. Sitting down at the table she watched Carter clean himself up. Absent-mindedly she picked at the sandwich that sat in front of her. Carter stood by the door, staring at her.
"Abby?" Obviously she was in her own world. "I'm leaving now." He tried again. She adverted her gaze to him. He looked at her for a moment before turning and opening the door. Apparently she wasn't coming. "Bye." Letting the door slam behind him, he walked down off the porch, joining Luka and Sam. Abby rolled her eyes and sighed. This is going to definitely be a long week, she mused before turning her attention back to the almost untouched sandwich.
****
He watched as she got ready for bed. Pulling her clothes out and heading to the bathroom. She hasn't said a word since I got back from dinner, he recalled, wrinkling his brow as he contemplated the meaning behind that. Maybe she's mad at me. But what did I do? We hadn't even talked to each other all day long. Or, his thoughts turned, she might just be tired. Settling for this new reasoning, he pulled his clothes out, waiting by the door for her to come out of the bathroom. After standing there for what seemed like forever but was only, maybe, 10 minutes, he didn't hear any sounds coming from behind the door.
"Abby?" He called. What if she's not okay? His thoughts raced. Why wouldn't she be okay? It's a bathroom, people are fine in bathrooms John, she's probably just brushing her hair. He reasoned with himself. The bathroom door finally opened and she appeared. Brushing past him, she mumbled a sorry before walking directly out the front door. Her eyes had looked red. Carter kept his gaze on the closed door for a moment, wondering where she had gone to again tonight. Quickly he retreated to the bathroom. I wonder where she went? She did the same thing last night. She'd gone out the front door and hadn't come back in. Well she HAD, but not while I was awake. When I woke up she'd been in her bed like she'd been there all night long. Confused he hastily put his pajamas on and walked back out of the bathroom. Carter made his way to the front door, only needing to open it a crack to know where she had vanished to. He saw her there, lying on their porch swing, seemingly asleep. He turned back into the cabin, walking towards his bed he grabbed his comforter and pillow and walked back outside. He didn't want to wake her, she looked so peaceful, something he knew she rarely got enough of. Walking quietly over to her, he draped the comforter over her. Picking up her head slightly, he placed the pillow underneath. Carter sat there a moment, brushing the hair out of her face and listening to her deepened breaths. Then, in the softest voice he could muster, careful not to wake her, he sang.
"With each word, your tenderness grows, tearing my fear apart, and that laugh, that wrinkles your nose," His finger took its place under her chin. "touches my foolish heart, lovely, never, never change, keep that, breathless charm, won't you please arrange it, cause I love you, just the way you look," He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "tonight." Rising from his position he walked back towards the door, turning when he reached it to steal one last glance, before retreating to bed for the night.
"Luka?" Sam whispered into the night. His hand was protectively around her waste.
"Mmm?" Came his muffled reply as he snuggled closer to her, feeling the heat radiating off of her naked body.
Sam turned to face him. "Luka, where is this going?"
"Hmmm?" Luka replied, his exhaustion slowly catching up to him.
"I mean, where are we going? I need to know. I have Alex to think about and if this isn't serious, then, well, that's okay but I need to know."
He opened his eyes, trying his best to see her in the darkness. "Sam, I love you. I'm not looking to get out of this anytime soon. I want to be with you. I like to be with you. And I like Alex too. He's a great kid and I like spending time with him." He hoped this was enough for her. He didn't want things to move too fast but he knew that they had to move somewhat if he wanted to keep her. And he did want to keep her.
"I love you too Luka." She placed a kiss on his lips, wrapping her arms around his body. She felt safe here, with him. Snuggling her head under his chin, she drifted off to sleep.
