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Two Hearts; That's What Friends are For's sequel
Topic Started: Dec 24 2004, 11:04 PM (347 Views)
Red
Medical Student (100+ Posts)
[ *  * ]
I doubt that anyone even remembers "That's What Friends Are For." Oh, well.

Two Hearts

Written by: Red

Category: Drama/Angst

Rating: PG-13

Summary: The sequel to “That’s What Friends Are For.” Yet another bit of Carter angst from moi.

Disclaimer: You know, it is Christmastime. Maybe I could find ER in my stocking? No. Okay.

Author’s Notes: Well, I agreed to possibly continue “That’s What Friends Are For” way back when, and I said, “Maybe it’ll be a Christmas present,” or something to that effect. Well, here it is, my Christmas present to you. Happy reading. And, if you haven’t read the original, I'll be happy to post a link to where you can find it, if you ask. :) Another thing, if Carter/Kem makes you gag, you might as well turn away now, because that’s what this story is.

The ice cold temperature of the newly-fallen snow perfectly matched the feeling deep in Dr. John Carter’s heart. Frigid, unfeeling, iced-over. He was still grieving over the loss of his child, and he missed Kem with all of his being. He tried to feel other emotions, but his sorrow was just too great. The cold harshness of his depression overwhelmed him, like a thick flannel blanket on a sweltering summer day.

He stared blankly at the snowflakes as they slowly drifted to the ground below his window. Today would have been his son’s first Christmas. He and Kem would have decorated their son’s first Christmas tree, and they would have probably been helping the boy rip the wrapping from his first Christmas gifts. Instead, their child was dead, an angel in heaven, Kem was in Africa, and Carter was standing by his bedroom window staring blankly at the winter weather.

He recalled a night a few months before when he begged a friend for help. He showed up at Dr. Peter Benton’s home in the wee hours of a morning and pleaded with his mentor for assistance.

There had been one thought on John Carter’s mind that day: suicide. He was near the end of his rope, and, if he had not gone to Peter, he would have taken his own life.

Peter had agreed to help, if he asked. That night, Carter did ask, and Peter agreed. Yet, since that day, Carter had not made an effort to receive that help. He was on autopilot, completing daily tasks with an Oscar-worthy performance. Even after he came in intoxicated one night, all of his colleagues genuinely believed he was fine, that he had recovered from his problems. However, the monster of grief was still gnawing relentlessly at his heart and soul, leaving him cold, emotional, frigid.

The electronic jingling of the cellular telephone resting on the table beside his bed ended his gloomy stare at the outdoors. He slowly ambled to the phone and answered the device with a monotonous, “Hello.”

“Carter?” the assertive, slightly gravely voice of his former colleague and close friend asked.

“Peter,” he replied, sounding genuinely shocked. “How can I help you?”

“I was just calling to, you know, check up on you. See how you were doing. The usual.”

“I’m fine.” Carter said the two words he had said the most over the past few years. They were his lifeline, the one object helping validate his belief that everything really was fine. “You?”

“I’m good.” There seemed to be a quickness in his voice, like he had other thoughts on his mind. And he did. He was worried about Carter. The first Christmas after the death of a child had to be horrible, no matter the age of the youth.

“How’s Cleo?”

“I’m not sure,” Peter replied. “We split up.”

“When?” Carter asked, suddenly interested.

“A few weeks ago. She met someone else.”

A tone of concern filled Carter’s voice. “God, I’m so sorry.”

Peter shrugged. “Wasn’t meant to be.”

“Yeah,” the younger man replied, solemnly.

“Have you heard from Kem?”

“Uh, yeah, a few months ago. She seemed to be doing fine.”

The doorbell downstairs rang, and Carter walked out of the bedroom. “Listen, I have to go. Someone’s at the door.”

“Okay, man,” the older man replied. “Talk to you later. Merry Christmas.”

“Yeah, you too,” Carter said, and clasped the phone shut. He slid the device into the pocket of his jeans and strolled towards the door.

When he arrived at the entrance, he twisted the doorknob. He smiled brightly at the sight of the dark-haired woman on his porch.

“Hey,” she shyly said, with an equally timid smile.

He seemed to have momentarily lost his ability to breath, and he inhaled sharply. “Kem,” he breathlessly said, and his face broke into an ecstatic grin. “Wow. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Yeah, me neither.” She pointed inside. “Can I come in? It’s cold out here.”

“Uh, yeah,” Carter replied, and he directed her towards the living room. As she stepped inside, he slowly slid the door closed. He helped her remove her black coat and placed it gently on the rack near the door. “You...You look great.”

“Thank you,” she replied, smiling. “So do you.”

They silently stood for several moments until she finally said, “John, there’s a reason I came here.”

“I figured that.”

“I came here to apologize.”

“For?” He could not think of a reason that merited an apology from her.

“For everything. For leaving, for the baby–“

He held up his hand and stopped her. “You weren’t responsible for that. It was an accident.”

“I’m sure you blamed me.”

“I never blamed you,” he assured her. “In fact, the person I placed the blame on was myself.”

“John–“

“Kem, it wasn’t your fault.”

“It wasn’t yours, either.” She sighed loudly. “Look, maybe we should sit down. We have a lot to discuss.”

They walked into the living room and sat on opposite ends of his plush black leather couch. They stared into each other’s eyes.

“John,” she said, her voice almost a whisper, “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” he replied, with an equal tone.

Tears slowly slid down her cheeks, and she made no effort to wipe them. “I love you.”

The both leaned forward, and their lips slowly met. They kissed with the gentle softness of an a capella song, and he ran his fingers gently through her dark locks.

“God, I missed you,” he whispered as they pulled away, cradling her face. He took a deep breath and said, “I love you so much.” Tears dripped from his eyes, and he stared into her equally wet eyes. “God, I love you so much.”

“I love you, too, John,” she replied. “And I missed you, too.”

They leaned forward and kissed again, their two hearts beating in an identical rhythm. They were each other's soulmates, their love, their forever.
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countygeneral04
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Medical Student (100+ Posts)
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r u going to post more?
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Sky's Fanatic
Spade Of The Sky
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Thanks for continuing Red, of course I remember your other fic it was teriffic and now so is this! :D
~Andy Griggs ROX~
~I guess the problem with only listening to a patient for fifteen seconds is, sometimes you don't hear everything...and when you finally realize what they were trying to say, you might've lost them forever.
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All that you see or seem, is but a dream within a dream. - Edgar Allan Poe
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countygeneral04
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this is excellent!, is it possible to read the other fan fic?
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Red
Medical Student (100+ Posts)
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Yep.

Here it is: That's What Friends are For

If you'd prefer it if I posted the story, then I will. :)
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countygeneral04
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as long as i can read it.. thanks!!!!
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Red
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No problem. :)
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