March's fan fiction challenge from One Can Only Hope. Criteria for this month, Carter and Abby must be together and Abby's pregnant (not necessarily Carter's child).

For now and Forever.

The day was perfect. The sun shone through the tree's shading some of the people that sat awaiting the bride. The groom stood at the end of the aisle nervously looking at his watch. His best man, best friend, placed a supportive hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him.

The music began and everyone's attention was drawn to the woman walking down the aisle. She smiled to everyone but her smile was for one man and one man alone. She caught his eye and kept that hold until she was by his side.

"We are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony." The priest began. But they could only look to one another. Who would have thought?

Flashback

Abby's POV

This can't be happening. I mean really can it? I am standing in one of the many bathrooms in the Carter family mansion, staring at the little white stick in front of me. I know I had my suspicions but really can it be happening?

"Abby, are you all right?" I can hear his voice from outside the door. Has he really been out there all this time?

"Yeah, I'll be out in a minute." I shout back. I know this was the weirdest place to do the test but I felt the need to do it. We were only there to pack up a few of his things that were still in the place. He was finally giving the home up. Well not completely. It was being turned into a children's home.

I finally emerged from the bathroom to find him pacing the hallway. "Are you sure you are all right? You were in there a while." He had such a concerned look on his face.

"I'm okay, lets just go." Suddenly I felt so claustrophobic.

Back at the apartment I went straight to the bedroom, unsure of how to tell him. I know he will want the baby but is he ready for it. He was so devastated when his son died; I couldn't bare it if anything happened to him now.

"Abby, are you sure you are all right? You've been so quiet since we were at the mansion." John spoke after entering the bedroom to find me sitting by the window staring out to the blue sky as if it was going to give me all the answers.

"There's something I have to tell you. It's going to have to be something we discuss at great length but we have to." I finally manage to speak. How on earth am I going to tell him?

Carter's POV

She is really scaring me now. Why won't she talk to me? She disappeared just after we arrived at the mansion, into a bathroom and didn't come back out till just before we left. Since we got back home she's been really quiet, now she wants to talk.

I love this woman more than anything else in this world, I just hope that whatever is on her mind she can tell me and we can work through it together.

I look to her and watch as she takes a deep breath before finally speaking. "John, I'm pregnant."

My mind has officially gone blank. Did she really say what I think she just said? She's pregnant with my child and thinks I am going to be upset about it. I look back to her and she has her head bowed. I walk across to her and take her chin in my hand, bringing it up so I can look into her eyes. "Do you realise you have just made me a very happy man?" I tell her. I cannot be happier than I am just now. The woman I love is having my child, but there is something in her eyes that tells me she isn't happy. "Abby what's wrong? Please tell me."

She looks back up to me, tears evident in her eyes. "What if…..?" She starts.

"Don't think about the what if's? If we do then nothing would ever get done in this world. Abby we will face everything this pregnancy throws at us. If our child is bipolar we will face it together. You will not do it on your own."

The tears have started to pour down her face. "Do you mean that? I mean really do you mean it because I don't think I could bear it if you were to leave me. I don't think….."

I didn't give her a chance to finish. "Abby I am never going to leave you, that I promise you." I pause in my speech taking a deep breath. "I was going to ask you this later in the week but since you have brought this up I am going to do it now. To show my commitment to you." I dropped down onto one knee in front of her. "Abby, be my wife, let me love from now until forever. Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?"

The look of love in her eyes was enough to tell me her answer. I began to slowly place the ring on her finger, when I heard her answer. "Yes." Sweeping her up into my arms just wasn't enough. I wanted to shout it from the rooftops, tell everyone in the world that Abby had agreed to be my wife.

We spent that night laying in ones another's arms planning for the future. Who would our child looking like? What would our wedding be like? I know in my heart Abby would prefer a small affair, maybe that was what I really wanted. I just wanted to be her husband I didn't care how we got there.

End Flashback

"Ladies and gentlemen let me introduce your bride and groom to you. Please put your hands together for Mr and Mrs Luka Kovac." Sam and Luka walked into the reception room to rapturous applause. They looked so happy. Sam had a smile that only the Cheshire cat could outshine.

Abby and Carter stood to the side of the hall. His hands round her waist resting on top of her extended stomach that housed their child. "So do you regret our wedding?" He asked her.

"Not in a million years." She answered, craning her neck to kiss her husband on the lips.

Flashback

Sneaking off to New York and marrying was exactly what they both wanted. Abby wanted to be married before the baby was born but wasn't willing to look like a beached whale in the process. So on a surprise weekend off work, they flew down to New York and came back married. The day had been perfect. They had spent the morning lounging round their hotel before heading to City Hall with John Carter Senior and his new lady friend. The bride wore an off white dress that reached her ankles with a pink pashmina draped over her shoulders. The groom was dressed in his favourite blue suit complete with a pink shirt and tie to complement his bride. Carter's father was more than happy to witness his son getting married and especially to someone he really loved.

Arriving back at the hospital on the Monday morning they were inundated with people congratulating them and also people being angry with them. "Why didn't you tell us?" Susan asked them. "We would have been there."

"It was a last minute decision. My dad knows a guy in City Hall and managed to get us the license quickly. Susan we're sorry you weren't there but it was what we wanted." Carter tried to explain. Susan was just happy that her best friends were happy.

End Flashback

"Could we have our best man and maid of honour on the dance floor now. Mr and Mrs John Carter."

John held out his hand and led Abby onto the dance floor. She looked so beautiful today. The light blue of the dress seemed to make her eyes sparkle. Holding her in his arms everything just felt so right. "Just think in a few weeks Abby, our baby will be here." He said looking down to where he head rested on his chest. He felt her sharp intake of breath. "Abby what's the matter?"

"Don't think it'll be a few weeks, John, my water just broke." She spoke calmly.

"Oh my God!" John panicked a little before gathering his thoughts. "Okay. Lets get you out of here."

They made their way towards the door but not before getting accosted by Sam and Luka. "Where do you think you're going?" Luka asked.

"The hospital. "Abby's water just broke."

"Okay."

"Sorry guys, really didn't want to take away your big day." Abby said through gritted teeth. A contraction overtook her body, causing her to call out.

"Don't worry about it, just get yourself to the hospital and good luck." Sam told her friend before hugging her.

A few hours later

"That's it baby, one more push and we will have our baby." John spoke convincingly to his wife. "Ready, 1,2,3 push." Abby bore down and pushed with all her might.

"Okay Abby, stop pushing now, put your arms down and help your baby into the world." John helped his wife lean over and watched as she gripped their child under the arms and pulled till the baby slid out and onto her stomach. "Congratulations mom and dad. You have a baby girl." Doctor Coburn told the ecstatic parents. She watched as Abby lifted the baby higher to have her cuddled closer to her. John was leaning over his wife kissing her forehead before leaning down to kiss the baby's forehead.

"You did it." He told her. "Our baby is here."

"That she is." Abby said leaning back onto John's shoulder. "Lara Millicent Carter is finally here." She reached up so she could kiss her husband on the lips. "We finally have our family."

"We do." He replied through his tears as his wife handed him his child. His daughter who was more perfect than he could has expected. Life was perfect, for now and forever.