Call it Good
Oh, man. This was not good. Not good at all... This woman was engulfing his senses. Everything about her was... intoxicating, and he was powerless, POWERLESS, to override her influence. He let the syringe drop carefully into the waste bin and then, slowly, glanced up, (over the filmy fabric covering her thighs) up, (the thin, perfect waist) up, (the delicate curve of her throat) into her deep, mysterious eyes. This wasn't infatuation. This was sorcery; this effect she had on him.
"...and, now we are finished up here, we can go get something to eat, John- John, are you listening to me?" Kem chided him mildly. Recognition at exactly where his eyes were roaming lit her gaze, "And just what do you think you are doing, John Carter, M.D.?" She smiled slowly, teasingly.
Caught off guard, yet again, Carter stammered, "I, well... we just, uh..." He let out his breath in a guilty laugh, "Yes... Kem! Let's go get something to eat, shall we?" His laughter dispelled any discomfort between them, "...and see -you thought I didn't hear you! You should give me more credit, Kem -I have more than a one-track mind..."
Before either of them had any time to think, Carter's arms snaked around Kem's perfect waist and caught her in an embrace. He bent his head to capture her lips; resistant at first, her lips melted slowly into his. Carter's mind was ablaze with all thought and none, simultaneously. 'You can't do this, You can't do this...' his mind chastised him. But, like a powerful drug, this woman had been plaguing him for weeks. This kiss; the first kiss, had been hunting around both of them for so long. Kem did not disappoint his swollen expectation, either. She was soft and enticing; exotic... And she tasted good. Like mint tea. And her eyes. Just the place -for an expat doc, running from his family and ... other people- to get lost.
When it ended... softly and slowly just as it had begun, Carter looked deep into those eyes... "Well... and how powerful, actually, IS Peter?" he laughed, but then noticed that Kem had stiffened in his arms. She pushed back and turned her attention on the cot, cleaning up the remainder of her supplies.
"We will not speak of Peter, John." she sharply spat at him. "He is, indeed, very powerful. And very possessive. And I don't find your insouciant American humor appropriate-"
"Wait.. just a minute... what are you, Kem- what are you saying here...?" Floundering, unhinged from the foundation of that kiss, regaining proper sense, Carter stammered, "Kem! I'm sorry - I don't know what came over me, but ... I have peop- I have things to think about here, too. I'm, this was just some... some temporary lapse of sense, I'm not going to .. make some kind of public declaration, here..." What. What had he just done?
"John, you kissed me; I didn't approach you, you approached me... I don't know what game you're-"
Cutting her off, he was beginning to get angry, "I don't play games, Kem. I've had enough games to last a lifetime." Was this a game? He felt pulled to this woman physically. But it was just that; physical. She was, simply, the most beautiful woman he'd ever come in contact with and her affect on him was alchemy. Nothing more. Just... an irresistibly beautiful woman with gorgeous eyes, and soft kissable lips and .... 'Stop it. Just stop,' again his mind attempted to reign him in. "I am sorry, Kem." Hurculean effort, to keep from falling under her spell again, "I, it's just... I think you are incredibly beautiful. I thought you were issuing an invitation... and I think... I guess I have poor impulse control ..." he lamely finished.
For a few tense moments, Kem silently went about her work. About to give up hope, Carter opened his mouth to further apologize, when Kem spoke softly, "You are forgiven, John Carter, MD." her glance stony, "I like you... I really do. You are very tolerable," a small smile in his direction, "...and I think your kiss was sweet, really." she was teasing him, "...like a little boy, kissing his first crush..." her eyes were twinkling now.
"Ow.... that ... hurt, Kem! So beautiful, but so cruel..." Carter, grabbing his chest, exhaled, finally, "...well... as long as I'm so harmless," stressing the last word, "then I guess there'll be no harm in kissing me again...?" checking her reaction, "No? Ah, well... I guess it's all for the best, really...."
Her eyes shone, then, "John, you are so graceful in losing... Maybe a consolation prize for you, then?" Kem's tone was light but not without meaning.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Abby was getting the hang of this stuff... Falling right back into med school routine. Except for the freaking "school" part. It didn't help that Romano rode her like a rough-rider. Bare-back. 'I mean, damn! What's his problem?' she thought. Abby toyed with the idea of fashioning a Romano-head dart board in the doc's lounge... But, hey, why incur further wrath... He'd already been targeting her, right? No sense in adding insult to injury.
Besides, the guy had been through enough. In spite of how harsh he was to her, Romano had lost a great deal... and Abby understood loss. And how it can change you. So, just because he was nasty to her, didn't mean she had to be nasty back. He'd get over his fixation on her and move on to a new victim soon enough... She had only to bide her time.
Sitting in the lounge, Abby practiced her sutures on the preserved pig's foot... 'Just like Benton used to do...' she thought. She recalled Carter relating that to her, sniggering; could see the laugh-lines around his eyes in her mind. A pang shot through her heart. 'I wonder what he's doing today; right now.' But he hadn't communicated with her and she had basically told him he shouldn't have come back... And now, he was gone. Again.
Still, she missed him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"So. Who is this Abby?" Kem teased him.
Split second of "deer-in-the-headlights" and out it stammered, "She... she's a ... uh, a friend... at least I hope she still is..." Handled that one well, ya idiot. Try for humor, "Why? You jealous?"
"Mmmm. Maybe.." She smiled, tossing the gift carelessly on the bed. He detected a slight tension in the air. Uh-oh, maybe he did blow it... Then she stunned him, "I think I might be pregnant."
Okay... wait. What...? He felt the air rush out of his chest... and then... pride? Happiness? He didn't... He couldn't quite... Rational thought just wasn't going to be coaxed... "How...? Uh.. when...?" Kem's quizzical look refreshed his memory, "Oh...yeah..."
"Are you mad?" Vulnerable... just a touch of ... defiance.
"Are you... are you going to ... to have it?" He gingerly poked around.
"I don't know... I ... thought I'd be unhappy... but I'm not..." she spoke softly; he had to strain to hear her.
"How long have we known each other...?" he laughed out.
"Six minutes..." she shot back, her nose wrinkled.
"Six weeks..." he quickly corrected. He pondered his time with her... here. It, strangely, felt right... "Do you want to have a baby..?" Carter prodded her directly, this time.
"Do you?" She shot back, almost, but not too quickly.
"I asked you first..." This was frightening. And... exciting. He couldn't put it into eloquent words but he felt like he always did when the trauma doors opened; the paramedics shouting words in all directions, staff quickly dispersing... It was almost ... exhilarating...
She seemed to waver a moment, then fixed her gaze straight on him and uttered, "I'm really in trouble here..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Turning on the overhead lamp, Carter shuddered, involuntarily. So much has happened in so little time... Seven months ago... he walked out of County; frustrated, confused... disillusioned... And now? Everything seemed to have fallen right into place. He was coming back a changed man. Yes. He was changed. For the better. From now on, he knew where, and with whom, he would be. A baby. His baby. A family... Another shudder. Was it cold in this airplane, or what? He glanced at Kem, already sleeping. He... he loved her. He did. And she was so beautiful; so confident. Full of fire, but in a good way. And she loved him. He settled into the seat and put his head back... A smile tentatively alighting his face...
It was going to be fine, now... just fine.
Oh, man. This was not good. Not good at all... This woman was engulfing his senses. Everything about her was... intoxicating, and he was powerless, POWERLESS, to override her influence. He let the syringe drop carefully into the waste bin and then, slowly, glanced up, (over the filmy fabric covering her thighs) up, (the thin, perfect waist) up, (the delicate curve of her throat) into her deep, mysterious eyes. This wasn't infatuation. This was sorcery; this effect she had on him.
"...and, now we are finished up here, we can go get something to eat, John- John, are you listening to me?" Kem chided him mildly. Recognition at exactly where his eyes were roaming lit her gaze, "And just what do you think you are doing, John Carter, M.D.?" She smiled slowly, teasingly.
Caught off guard, yet again, Carter stammered, "I, well... we just, uh..." He let out his breath in a guilty laugh, "Yes... Kem! Let's go get something to eat, shall we?" His laughter dispelled any discomfort between them, "...and see -you thought I didn't hear you! You should give me more credit, Kem -I have more than a one-track mind..."
Before either of them had any time to think, Carter's arms snaked around Kem's perfect waist and caught her in an embrace. He bent his head to capture her lips; resistant at first, her lips melted slowly into his. Carter's mind was ablaze with all thought and none, simultaneously. 'You can't do this, You can't do this...' his mind chastised him. But, like a powerful drug, this woman had been plaguing him for weeks. This kiss; the first kiss, had been hunting around both of them for so long. Kem did not disappoint his swollen expectation, either. She was soft and enticing; exotic... And she tasted good. Like mint tea. And her eyes. Just the place -for an expat doc, running from his family and ... other people- to get lost.
When it ended... softly and slowly just as it had begun, Carter looked deep into those eyes... "Well... and how powerful, actually, IS Peter?" he laughed, but then noticed that Kem had stiffened in his arms. She pushed back and turned her attention on the cot, cleaning up the remainder of her supplies.
"We will not speak of Peter, John." she sharply spat at him. "He is, indeed, very powerful. And very possessive. And I don't find your insouciant American humor appropriate-"
"Wait.. just a minute... what are you, Kem- what are you saying here...?" Floundering, unhinged from the foundation of that kiss, regaining proper sense, Carter stammered, "Kem! I'm sorry - I don't know what came over me, but ... I have peop- I have things to think about here, too. I'm, this was just some... some temporary lapse of sense, I'm not going to .. make some kind of public declaration, here..." What. What had he just done?
"John, you kissed me; I didn't approach you, you approached me... I don't know what game you're-"
Cutting her off, he was beginning to get angry, "I don't play games, Kem. I've had enough games to last a lifetime." Was this a game? He felt pulled to this woman physically. But it was just that; physical. She was, simply, the most beautiful woman he'd ever come in contact with and her affect on him was alchemy. Nothing more. Just... an irresistibly beautiful woman with gorgeous eyes, and soft kissable lips and .... 'Stop it. Just stop,' again his mind attempted to reign him in. "I am sorry, Kem." Hurculean effort, to keep from falling under her spell again, "I, it's just... I think you are incredibly beautiful. I thought you were issuing an invitation... and I think... I guess I have poor impulse control ..." he lamely finished.
For a few tense moments, Kem silently went about her work. About to give up hope, Carter opened his mouth to further apologize, when Kem spoke softly, "You are forgiven, John Carter, MD." her glance stony, "I like you... I really do. You are very tolerable," a small smile in his direction, "...and I think your kiss was sweet, really." she was teasing him, "...like a little boy, kissing his first crush..." her eyes were twinkling now.
"Ow.... that ... hurt, Kem! So beautiful, but so cruel..." Carter, grabbing his chest, exhaled, finally, "...well... as long as I'm so harmless," stressing the last word, "then I guess there'll be no harm in kissing me again...?" checking her reaction, "No? Ah, well... I guess it's all for the best, really...."
Her eyes shone, then, "John, you are so graceful in losing... Maybe a consolation prize for you, then?" Kem's tone was light but not without meaning.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Abby was getting the hang of this stuff... Falling right back into med school routine. Except for the freaking "school" part. It didn't help that Romano rode her like a rough-rider. Bare-back. 'I mean, damn! What's his problem?' she thought. Abby toyed with the idea of fashioning a Romano-head dart board in the doc's lounge... But, hey, why incur further wrath... He'd already been targeting her, right? No sense in adding insult to injury.
Besides, the guy had been through enough. In spite of how harsh he was to her, Romano had lost a great deal... and Abby understood loss. And how it can change you. So, just because he was nasty to her, didn't mean she had to be nasty back. He'd get over his fixation on her and move on to a new victim soon enough... She had only to bide her time.
Sitting in the lounge, Abby practiced her sutures on the preserved pig's foot... 'Just like Benton used to do...' she thought. She recalled Carter relating that to her, sniggering; could see the laugh-lines around his eyes in her mind. A pang shot through her heart. 'I wonder what he's doing today; right now.' But he hadn't communicated with her and she had basically told him he shouldn't have come back... And now, he was gone. Again.
Still, she missed him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"So. Who is this Abby?" Kem teased him.
Split second of "deer-in-the-headlights" and out it stammered, "She... she's a ... uh, a friend... at least I hope she still is..." Handled that one well, ya idiot. Try for humor, "Why? You jealous?"
"Mmmm. Maybe.." She smiled, tossing the gift carelessly on the bed. He detected a slight tension in the air. Uh-oh, maybe he did blow it... Then she stunned him, "I think I might be pregnant."
Okay... wait. What...? He felt the air rush out of his chest... and then... pride? Happiness? He didn't... He couldn't quite... Rational thought just wasn't going to be coaxed... "How...? Uh.. when...?" Kem's quizzical look refreshed his memory, "Oh...yeah..."
"Are you mad?" Vulnerable... just a touch of ... defiance.
"Are you... are you going to ... to have it?" He gingerly poked around.
"I don't know... I ... thought I'd be unhappy... but I'm not..." she spoke softly; he had to strain to hear her.
"How long have we known each other...?" he laughed out.
"Six minutes..." she shot back, her nose wrinkled.
"Six weeks..." he quickly corrected. He pondered his time with her... here. It, strangely, felt right... "Do you want to have a baby..?" Carter prodded her directly, this time.
"Do you?" She shot back, almost, but not too quickly.
"I asked you first..." This was frightening. And... exciting. He couldn't put it into eloquent words but he felt like he always did when the trauma doors opened; the paramedics shouting words in all directions, staff quickly dispersing... It was almost ... exhilarating...
She seemed to waver a moment, then fixed her gaze straight on him and uttered, "I'm really in trouble here..."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Turning on the overhead lamp, Carter shuddered, involuntarily. So much has happened in so little time... Seven months ago... he walked out of County; frustrated, confused... disillusioned... And now? Everything seemed to have fallen right into place. He was coming back a changed man. Yes. He was changed. For the better. From now on, he knew where, and with whom, he would be. A baby. His baby. A family... Another shudder. Was it cold in this airplane, or what? He glanced at Kem, already sleeping. He... he loved her. He did. And she was so beautiful; so confident. Full of fire, but in a good way. And she loved him. He settled into the seat and put his head back... A smile tentatively alighting his face...
It was going to be fine, now... just fine.