73. I Can't

"I can't do this."

Carlton freezes in the kitchen doorway, his gun holster halfway off. Victoria is hunched on a stool by the island with her face buried in her hands. When he doesn't say anything, she looks up. There are tears on her face and she swallows once, twice, three times before speaking again.

"I hate it, Carlton. I try and I try and I try, but I just can't do this."

The holster slips down to suddenly nerveless fingers, catches for a second, and falls to the ground. He swallows back his fear and paranoia and manages to keep his voice steady.

"Can't do what, sweetheart?"

Victoria looks at him like he's lost his mind and gestures at the kitchen counters.

For the first time, he notices the mess that not even the most generous critic would have called food.

The cold dread that had curled in the pit of his stomach at his new bride's words eases. He wants to laugh with relief, but she looks so distraught that he keeps his expression serious as he circles the island to pull her off of her stool and into his arms.

"It's just so stupid, Carlton." Her head is tense on his shoulder, her breath warm against the patches of his neck where it's managed to slip under his collar. "All you have to do is follow a stupid recipe. I should be able to follow a recipe!"

Carlton makes vague soothing noises and smooths his hands down the curve of her spine, which has always seemed to calm her in the past. After a few minutes, she's still sniffly, but much more relaxed. He can't resist the urge to tease her a little.

"I didn't marry you for your culinary prowess, you know. If I'd wanted a cook, I'd have married Janie Turner when she asked me."

Victoria snaps her head up to glare at him. "When who did what now?"

Who knew a glare could be so cute? He presses a quick kiss at the corner of her pursed mouth. "Oh, I told you about her. Sweet girl. Brought me cakes all the time."

He relaxes his grip a little as Victoria leans back in the circle of his arms to frown harder. She's trying to be intimidating and that's just adorable, but he bites the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning and ruining his Serious face.

"You've never told me about her." Victoria says accusingly.

"Didn't I?" He asks, pretending to be puzzled. "I'm certain I would have at some point. After all, we were pretty serious. We were together for almost all of third grade." Victoria's jaw drops in disbelief and he grins. "She was a whiz with an Easy Bake oven."

Victoria rolls her eyes and swats at his chest. Carlton chuckles and pulls her in tighter, kissing her, light and teasing, over and over until her mouth is pliant and laughing beneath his.

He smiles against her lips. He can't imagine his life without this woman.

"So, should we order Chinese or pizza," he asks as his wife shifts to nuzzle her face into the crook of his neck.

"Surprise me."

Kristin: Is that some Carlton/Victoria I see there? Why, yes, I believe it is. I can't remember ever seeing anything that showed the two of them together before their marriage failed, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Also, I just plain like writing happy, in love Lassie. I'd like to think that he was a hell of a lot less bitter before the separation/divorce. Not a constant beam of sunshine or anything, but happier. Feedback, as always, would be amazing.

I wasn't planning on posting this until tomorrow, but I started watching Criminal Minds a few days ago and just saw the sixth episode, L.D.S.K, which has Surprise!Evil!Tim Omundson. I squeed, fangirled, and decided to post an extra Lassie fic.

Oh snap, look at the numbers! 1/4th of the way through. Twenty-five in nine days. It's amazing what you can accomplish with little to no sleep.

25/100