Chapter 1

Wiping his eyes in a bid to get up, John Carter sat up in his bed and gazed out of his window into the midst of the African jungle that he now called home. Climbing out of his bed, moving the mosquito net out of the way, he staggered as he stood up. Quite the bachelor party he had had the night before. Carter laughed slightly as he noticed the remains of his meal from the night before stained on the t-shirt he had slept in. Finally making it out of his bedroom, Carter entered the small, clammy kitchen.
"You look like you had a rough night" laughed a small, dark skinned woman

"That's just the polite way of saying you look like crap" Carter replied leaning forward and kissing her.
"Well you know me. Always one for politeness" she replied.

"Makemba my dearest, always one to think highly of oneself." Carter joked

At that Kem threw a small towel she held in her hand in his direction. She laughed and joined him in sitting at the small table.

"Are you ready?"

"For what" Carter questioned

"For Paris! You know, that's really comforting…it's great to see you take such effort in remembering your own wedding" She joked

"Hey" he smiled "you and I both know I had a 'rough night'! And of course I'm ready. This time tomorrow…" He smiled

"Actually John, this time on Thursday. This time tomorrow we'll be in the airport. You really are hopeless you know that and just to think…"

Embarrassed, Carter leant forward and kissed her in a bid to stop her proving him right.
"Now that that shut you up, I can finish packing" He laughed as he stood up and left the kitchen to sort out the rest of his things before heading off to Paris.

Abby rummaged around in her apartment frantically looking for her passport. She was never one to be organised. She could hear the frenzied honking coming from outside her building where two cabs waited for her and Susan, who stood in her kitchen complaining and telling her to move faster.

"Abby seriously, move!" Susan exclaimed with a anxious tone in her voice.

"Just give me two more seconds; I think it's in this drawer!" Abby replied with an equally anxious voice.
"You know we should really work on your organisational skills when we get back" Susan joked.
"You can do that on your own, I have more important things to worry about…"
"Yeah, like not missing this flight! Have you found it yet"

"Almost…I…think…I might…just…YES! Ok, we can go" Abby proclaimed

"About time, now come on!"

Both woman picked up a suitcase and rushed their way downstairs where they were greeted by Luka Kovac, waiting to take the luggage off them to load into the back of the cab.

"Any longer girls, really!" he commented.

"It wasn't my fault, Abby lost her passport." Susan stated. Luka rolled his eyes and Abby merely blushed laughed.

Susan climbed into a cab she shared with her husband and her son. Abby joined Luka, Sam, Alex and her guest – Jake- in the back of the second cab. Both cabs disappeared down the street and headed towards the airport.

Carter and Kem made their way through a crowed arrivals gate in the modern Charles De Gaulle Airport. Holding hands they happily strode through the crowds towards baggage reclaim. John Carter could hardly hold his excitement in, knowing that next time he stands in this airport with Kem – they will be married. The thought of this brought a great smile to his lips.

"What are you smirking at?" Kem asked.

"You" Carter replied innocently

"Ohh really, what about me?"

"That I think I like you…"

"Well I should think so" She added.

Within moments their small suitcases appeared on the conveyor belt. Carter leaned forward and picked up both suitcases, one in each hand. He grimaced in pain as he dropped them on top of the luggage trolley – forgetting of course that his back isn't exactly his strongest feature. He placed his hand on his back and took a moment to regain composure. Moments later Kem and Carter walked out into the busy Parisian taxi bay and into the beautiful spring sunshine.

Luka Kovac and Jack Scanlon graciously removed the suitcases from their cab with Alex trying to pick them up after the men had placed them on the ground. Abby and Sam stood by the sidewalk laughing about something or another. The men soon joined the two women in waiting for the second cab with Susan, Chuck and of course, the now 19 month old Cosmo.
"What's taking them so long" Luka asked looking at his watch.
"Maybe they got held up at the lights or something…" Sam considered.

"Maybe their dead, like the car crashed and they all burned" Alex added with a smile

At this comment Sam smacked Alex across the head
"Hey! Cut that out!" Sam laughed

"See you think its funny…"

"No, I just think it's funny that you are able to add someone burning into every situation"
"What is he like a pyromaniac?" Jake laughed

"A what?" a very confused Luka asked

Abby and Sam laughed and both, simultaneously said "Never mind!"

"Luka! A little help please!" Screeched at frantic Susan Lewis who has struggling to pull a large suitcase out of the back of a cab.

Luka rushed up to the cab and took the suitcase out of her hand. In the mean time, Chuck stood contently holding Cosmo and talking to him.

"Hey Chuck, don't you worry about the luggage. I've got it!" Susan said sarcastically.

"Huh? What? Ohh sorry…its just...Cosmo?"

Susan laughed as she took the baby out of her husbands' arms and placed him in his stroller.

Now together, the party of eight headed towards the check in desk to join the queue.

"I'm really glad you decided to show!" Abby laughed
"I'm really glad you decided to come!" Susan added

Abby laughed. "Yeah. I uhh..I guess I just realised I had nothing to stop me going right? I mean it's not like I still love Carter or that I'm not over him or anything" She added, sounding somewhat hesitant.

"Right…" Susan added with a disbelieving smile. Abby noticed this

"What! I am over Carter. 100 Carter-free. Happy Abby" she laughed

"Yeah, I know" Susan smiled. "I've not seen you this happy in a long time"

Abby exaggerated a laugh "Is that a compliment?"

Susan chuckled. "I don't know"

Both women laughed.

As they continued to walk up to the check in desk Susan was plagued with thoughts of her two friends. She knew Abby would never be 'over' Carter, and likewise with him. She was happy to see both of them happy but if she was honest, she would much rather see them happy together. Not that it would ever happen they just don't work in a relationship; they are both far too similar. But they had changed so much since they were together. Susan continued to wonder if they 'could' work it out until her thought train was brought to a halt by Chuck.

"Hey babe! Give me the passports" He asked

"Ohh sorry. I was in a whole other planet" she smiled handing Chuck the three passports.

They were then asked a series of random, airport questions and they checked in their luggage.

Susan glanced back to her friends where she seen Sam and Luka, standing together with Alex terrorising Jake who was standing close by with Abby, who stood laughing at Alex's attempts to jump on Jake's back.

"Alex! Will you please stand still and leave Jake alone" Sam screeched.
"Shut up mom, do you need to make a scene every time we go out?" Alex remarked somewhat slyly.

Sam moved towards him with a look of fury and was just about to give him a piece of her mind when the 'Kovac – Party of three' was called. Alex let out a relieved sigh and headed towards the desk with him mom and his step-dad.

Abby and Jake followed minutes later and then the eight friends headed towards the 'Air-France' gate for their flight to Paris.

"Oh John is beautiful!" Kem said in awe

"Nothing but the best for you" carter added smiling

She smiled politely and continued to explore the enormous suite.

"When are you parents arriving?" Kem asked.

"I'm not sure, don't expect them to arrive on the same flight, I don't even expect them to be on the same continent as one another right now. Soon though. I don't expect them to be any later than tomorrow evening" Carter added.

"What about your friends?" Kem continued to quiz Carter

"Uhh…their flight is leaving in an hour from Chicago; they should be here by the evening. I hope." Carter smiled.

"Who is coming again?" Kem added

"Susan, you remember her – blonde hair?"
"Yes. I remember"

"Well, Susan, her husband Chuck and their son Cosmo."

"Cosmo?" Kem asked looking bewildered

"Yeah…Cosmo" Carter laughed.

"Who else?"
"Uhh...Luka and his wife Sam and her kid Alex…and uhh…Abby" Carter said that last name somewhat hesitantly.

"Abby…your ex Abby?" Kem said

"Well yeah, I couldn't not invite her. She's like my best friend. Jake is coming too" Carter added with a sense of optimism

"Have I met Jake?" Kem asked

"Uh no, Jake is Abby's fiancé." Carter stated

"Ohh. That's nice." Kem added, still with a hint of jealousy in her voice

"Hey, I'm not marrying Abby, I'm marrying you. And besides, you have invited Peter and Michael…both of whom are YOUR exes if I am correct" Carter laughed.

But I'm not still in love with them she thought.
"Yeah, ok you're right" Kem added smiling. A smile which soon turned to a frown as soon as Carter turned his back.