Chapter 23: Talking with Friends

Carter came in to see Andros sitting up. "Ashley told me you wanted to talk to me," he stated.

"Yeah, Carter, sit down," Andros instructed.

Carter pulled a chair up and looked at him. "What's going on?" He asked. Andros sat up with a groan and looked at him.

"I heard your thoughts the day you saved me," Andros replied.

"How can you possibly do that?" He asked.

Andros grinned and held his hand up. He lifted his cup off the table and had it floating in front of Carter's face. Carter stared at him with disbelief in his face. "Okay, you're telekinetic. So, what did you hear?" He asked.

"I heard your thoughts wanting to yell out to Dana that you loved her. You wanted to yell it," Andros replied.

Carter sat back with a sigh. "Do you love Dana?" He asked.

"More than my life," he replied.

Andros placed a hand on his shoulder. "Then tell her. If you let her go for too long, then someone else is going to come along and snatch her up," he told him. Carter nodded and grinned at his friend.

Dana was sitting by the pool when Ashley came in. "Hey, Dana," she greeted. Dana looked up and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Hi, Ashley," she greeted back.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" She asked.

"Of course not," Dana replied.

Ashley sat down and looked at her. "So, you and Carter got in a fight?" She asked.

(Flashback)

Dana was walking down the hall when she bumped into Carter. "Oh, sorry," he apologized. She quickly picked her stuff up and was about to walk away when Carter grabbed her arm. "Dana, what's wrong? You've been ignoring me all day," he stated. Dana yanked her arm out of his grasp and stared at him.

"I told you to leave me behind," she reminded.

"Yes, I know that."

"But you still didn't. I told you to save Andros. Andros was going to die and yet you just stood there looking at me like I'm an idiot."

"I couldn't leave you Dana."

"Yes, you could have."

She was trying to walk away again when Carter grabbed her wrist. "LET GO OF ME!" She yelled.

"Dana, let me explain," he insisted.

"NO!"

"DANA! I COULDN'T LEAVE YOU!"

"YES YOU COULD HAVE! I COULD'VE ESCAPED!"

Dana's blood was boiling. "Dana, Andros was almost killed in the hands of Zafina and Vypra. They would have killed you. You seem so anxious about wanting me to leave you behind," he explained.

"I am a strong woman, Carter. I don't need you to fight my wars. Let alone just stand there and let a friend die. If you were going to let Andros die, we might as well have left him in that dungeon. A few more minutes without Ms. Fairweather and he would have died. I told you to leave me behind to save him, but you didn't," she insisted.

She walked away after that.

(End Flashback)

Ashley placed a hand on her shoulder. "Carter was right though, they almost killed Andros. They would've killed you," Ashley pointed out.

"I know. I just didn't want him to die. He's my good friend," Dana sighed.

"I know why he wouldn't leave."

"He's my friend, that's why."
"That's one reason. But there's an even bigger reason. He's in love with you, Dana."

Dana looked at her in disbelief. "What?" She asked.

"Carter is in love with you. He loves your hair, your walk, and your talk," Ashley replied.

"He's not in love with me."

"Yes, he is. You should see the look in his eyes when he sees you. His face lights up like a Christmas tree, his eyes start glowing, and if you notice, lately he's had a hard time talking to you."

Dana sighed and looked into the water. "Do you love Carter?" She asked. Dana started fidgeting with her hands. "Do you love him, Dana Mitchell?" Ashley repeated. Dana just stared at her, but she didn't answer her. Ashley got up and left Dana alone to think about it.

Andros was able to walk and he and Ashley made up a plan to get Carter and Dana together. They had the whole team in on it. They had tricked Carter and Dana into a room and locked the door.

Dana she when the door was locked and sat down. Carter sat across from her. "I guess we're being punished," he stated.

"We are getting punished?" Dana asked.

"Well...yeah."

"Well, guess what, Mr. Grayson. If this is a trick to make me talk to you. They've got another thing coming."

"You know that I couldn't leave you behind."

"You know that I told you to."

"I was there, Dana. I know what you said."

"You should have listened to me. Andros almost died because you stayed for me."

"I couldn't leave you."

"We're not starting this again."

"We have to talk about this. Last time you were just screaming at me like a banshee."

Dana stood up and glared at him. "I have nothing to apologize to you for," she stated.

"I'm not asking for an apology. I'm asking you to let me explain why I couldn't leave," he insisted.

"Really, what would that be? I'm your boss's daughter, I'm your good friend's sister, I'm part of the..." Carter cut her off.

Before Dana could finish her sentence, Carter had grabbed he back of her neck and pulled her into a kiss. When he pulled back, Dana was in disbelief. "Team," she finished. He kept his hand on the back of her neck and looked into her eyes.

"I think of you more than just my boss's daughter, my good friend's sister, apart of the team, or my friend. Dana, I'm in love with you," he confessed.

Dana stared at him in shock. "You love me?" She asked. Carter nodded with a smile.

"I love you so much," he confessed.

She threw her arms around his neck. "I love you, Carter," she whispered. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to him.

"And I love you, Dana," he whispered back.

Andros and Ashley watched them with a grin. "Well, I'd say that just solves their problem," she stated.

"Yep," he agreed.

"Now what?" She asked.

Andros wrapped his arm around her waist and led her towards the galley. "How about a husband has dinner with his wife?" He asked.

"I'd like that," she replied.