The main idea for the video is one of missed opportunities, because that is what Mike and Carrie's relationship essentially is. The song is from Mike's point of view, even though Carrie is the person we see the most of.
The look and feel of the video is wistful and sad. The lighting is minimal and has a soft glow to it. The setting is nighttime. The shift has just ended and Mike and Carrie are alone in their offices in their little corridor of the hospital. Mike has just come off of a grueling twenty-hour shift in the emergency ward and Carrie is dreading having to go home to her "loving" family, so she's staying late to work.
The song has approximately 16 bars of introductory music. The breakdown goes as follows:
1-4: We see the good ole hourglass spinning, letting up know that this is a DOOL Mike and Carrie music video.
5-8: Mike is walking by Carrie's office with a bouquet of flowers. He's dressed in his labcoat and scrubs. He raises his hand to knock on her door.
9-12: Then decides against knocking and leaves the flowers on a chair next to her office.
13-16: He walks into his own office and shuts the door.
VERSE I
Verse I is supposed to convey that Carrie has the sensation of being trapped. She wants to go back to a time when she was happy and peaceful. Even though the summer she got married was anything but, she knew that she felt she was happiest when she was with Mike.
I can't remember how we fell apart
Cut to Carrie's office, where she is looking at a picture of herself and Mike from L.A. and smiling sadly.
From something that was so meant to be
She picks up the picture with her left hand and traces Mike's smile with the tip of the middle finger of her right.
Forever was the promise in our hearts
She puts the picture back and catches a glimpse of her wedding band on her left hand.
Now more and more I wonder where you are
She sighs and rests her right arm against the chair arm, pressing her fingertips into her forehead as if to say, "Did I do the right thing?"
CHORUS
The first chorus is when Carrie finds herself thinking of Mike because of a thoughtful present he left her.
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
She gets up suddenly, desperate to escape from her memories and her self-doubts. She yanks open the door.
Do you ever wake up reaching out for me?
And halts abruptly when she sees a bouquet of stargazer lilies lying on the chair next to het door. A look of wonder and happiness tranforms her face as she picks them up.
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
She buries her nose in them and finds a card hidden in the paper sleeve.
I miss you. . .
She opens it and it reads: "Haven't seen you in awhile. Your best friend, Mike." And she smiles like she hasn't smiled in a long time and looks up towards his office, where the door is ajar. . .
VERSE II
This verse wants to convey the idea that Carrie is secretively crushing on Mike and doing all of those things you do when you've got a crush on a man you aren't supposed to feel that way about.
Still have your picture in a frame
A pan of Mike's office where all is illuminated only by star light, showing the door, the desk with Carrie's picture on it, his labcoat draped over his chair and the door to the bathroom door, which is also ajar.
Hear your footsteps down the hall
We see a sideways view of Carrie's feet, panning up her legs to her hands, which are holding a single lily and a piece of folded paper, crossing the hallway.
I swear I hear your voice driving me insane
Cut to Mike in the bathroom, peeling off his scrubs shirt. He looks up suddenly as if he's hearing something, then shakes his head wistfully as if to say, "Nah."
How I wish that you would call to say. . .
He looks at himself in the mirror. His face is dejected, tired, strained and sad. He takes a deep breath and rubs his face roughly, runs his hands through his hair.
CHORUS
Scenes of Carrie in Mike's office, stealing a few moments of peace and quiet for herself.
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
She walks into the room and looks around. Seeing no one is there, she crosses to his desk and puts the lily and the note on his blotter.
Do you ever wake up reaching out for me?
Carrie gets a furtive and giggly look on her face as she reaches out for his labcoat. She is surprised to find a picture of herself on his desk. (Mike only puts it there during the night so she's never seen it before.)
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
A smile plays at the corners of her mouth as she puts on the labcoat and snuggles into it, burying her nose in the folds of white cotton that carry the smell of Mike.
I miss you. . .
She sits in his chair and leans back, closing her eyes and smiling as she thinks of Mike.
I miss you. . .
She spins around in the chair, using the tips of her toes to push herself off. Her eyes are still closed and she's enjoying the stolen moment.
I miss you. . .
Quick shot of Mike's hand turning on the water which cuts immediately to Carrie's eyes flying open as she realizes that she is, in fact, not alone, that Mike is in the bathroom and most likely taking a shower.
BRIDGE
We see just how miserable Mike is because his day has been too long and he's thinking about the futility of his situation. We also see Carrie's forbidden curiosity in regards to Mike as it surfaces.
No more
Carrie slowly gets out of the chair. She can't describe it, but she's got this wicked, wicked need to know what's going on in there.
Loneliness and heartache
Shot of Mike in the shower. From the side we can see him shutting the frosted glass door, and his profile shows us that he's resting his head against the tiles; he's obviously worn and spent.
No more
Carrie creeps towards the slightly open door.
Crying myself to sleep
3/4 full facial shot of Mike in the shower. Mike raises his eyes and we see his lashes are spiky with tears. He closes his eyes slowly and breathes deeply.
Oh, no more
We see a shot of the door and a sliver of Carrie's face. We can identify her left eye and the left side of her mouth. Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open at the sight of Dr. Mike Horton without clothes!
Wondering about tomorrow
Through the glass door, we see the vague, shadowy outline of Mike's torso. His head is hanging and his hands are braced against the wall as the scalding hot water pounds his back. (A lovely sight, indeed.)
Won't you come back to me
Mike seems to sense that someone is there and his head whips around.
Come back to me
Carrie gasps and spins away from the door, clapping her hands over her blushing cheeks as Mike opens the shower door a crack.
Oh. . .
Carrie strips off the labcoat and it falls on the floor as she beats a hasty retreat.
CHORUS
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
Mike grabs his towel and wraps it around himself as he's opens the shower door. He's concerned about the noise, but not overly worried.
Do you ever wake up reaching out for me?
He opens the door to his office and sees his labcoat lying on the floor. He reaches down to pick it up and smells Carrie's perfume on it.
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
He smiles to himself, not believing that she could have actually been there, and then he notices the lily and the note on his desk.
I miss you. . .
He opens it and it reads: "I've missed you, too." Mike closes the note, not willing to believe that it was her who wrote it, but it has to be.
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
We see Carrie back at her desk, holding her very blushed face in her hands, unable to believe that she just spied on Mike in the shower. What kind of a sick and twisted girl was she?
Do you ever wake up reaching out for me?
"But oh," she thinks, "he is so gorgeous. . . " She touches her picture of the two of them, remembering as she smiles and giggles to herself. She almost got caught ogling her best friend!
Do I ever cross your mind, anytime?
She gathers up her stuff and goes to leave the office. Just as she's opening the door. . .
I miss you. . .
She sees Mike at the door to his office, dressed in nothing but a towel. There's a wonderful moment during which we can see that all that Carrie can think is "I'm so embarrassed that I want to die now!" while Mike gives her this little smile as if to say, "I know what you were doing."
The song ends with Carrie blushing and Mike looking at her as if he's going to pull her into his office and teach her a lesson or two. Something that goes to the tune of, "You shouldn't spy on me in the shower if you don't intend to join me there."
