TITLE: For You

AUTHOR: Ceri

EMAIL: ceriellis@yahoo.com

CATEGORY: JC

RATING: Universal

SPOILERS: Probably…

ARCHIVE: Sure, just ask

DISCLAIMER: Don't own them. Never will. No need to rub it in.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is the sequel to The Dreams You Keep, Welcome To Paradise and If It's Hurting You.

SUMMARY: Carter relishes in the new stages of his relationship with Abby.

For You

There was a pause, then someone cleared their throat. Soft harmonizing filled the dense air around them, building and building until it reached it's crescendo, crashing down on their ears with rhythmic precision.

Carter stifled a yawn, shock waves of fatigue coursing through him. Okay, so it was his own fault he was tired. But, if given a time machine and the chance to live the past week again, he wouldn't change a thing.

Not that it was all about the sex - though naturally, that did factor in to it quite strongly. There was the friendship that had floundered, but was now back in full strength. There was the love, the undying feelings that constantly stirred inside of him.

And there was the sex. Thus, no sleep had been had.

But still, who was he to complain? His life had turned around in a matter of months, from the bewildering lows to the dizzying highs. He had been to more NA meetings than he cared to think about - standing up and saying "I'm John, and I'm an addict" had become part of his daily routine for a long period of time - and a couple of therapy sessions had helped him up from the place he had stationed himself for so long.

He shot a glance at the woman by his side, staring, enraptured, at the scene enfolding in front of them. He smiled softly at her expression - she looked thrilled, amazed, as if she wanted to get up and applaud. Her blue eyes were fixated on the figures, following them without a blink to stop her viewing. He leaned over slightly, and whispered in her ear.

"It's only Dirty Dancing, Abby."

She turned to him, a smile lighting up her features. God, she was beautiful. Every day, he looked at her, and thanked whoever was upstairs that he was still alive. Maybe he had a guardian angel, maybe it was the Lord God. Who knew.

"Can’t you see?" she asked, breaking in to his thoughts, "They've had the time of their life! He's opened a new chapter in the book of her life - "

"A *what*?" he interrupted with a chuckle, "You take this movie way too seriously, you know that?"

She gave him a quelling look, then turned back to the TV screen. "Doesn't it make you want to get up and dance?" she asked with an innocent smile.

He grinned, snaking his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer. "I can move like Patrick Swayze, you know."

Abby giggled, resting her head on his shoulder as she watched the credits go up. "Hate to break it to you John, but you don't look nearly as good topless as Patrick does."

He gasped in mock-horror. "Thanks a bunch!" he retorted, getting off the couch and switching off the VCR. "You don't see me comparing you to Jennifer Gray do you?"

"Jennifer Gray is all funny looking anyway," Abby told him, getting to her feet and slipping her arms around his waist. "If you did compare me to her, I hope that I would come out the prettier woman."

They stood there in momentary silence, just holding each other. It amazed him how well they fitted together - like their bodies were two halves of an original mould. He didn't tell Abby this - there never seemed to be a right time for sick-inducing cheesy love talk - but he could tell she felt it too. It was new for the both of them, but strangely…it felt like they had been together forever.

"You always come out the prettier woman," he told her finally, his voice hushed.

**********

Carter grinned, stretched out on the bed. A slither of light pushed through a tiny crack in the door to the bathroom, and a familiar, if slightly off- tune voice filtered through.

"…and I owe it all to you…"

Carter rolled over on to his back, listening to her singing. His eyes darted around the room, then rested on the ceiling, memories flooding back to him of a month or so ago, on the same bed, but his whole life upside down. It had changed…but he hadn't done it alone. He couldn't do anything alone…not without her. She meant so much to him, was such a big part of his life that without her, everything would be meaningless. Life…well, life wouldn't be worth living.

Right now, it was definitely worth living.

"…had the time of my life…"

He smiled, and clambered off the bed. Stepping over the pile of clothes and random shoes that stood in his path, he opened the bathroom door, greeted immediately by a cloud of steam and louder, more illustrious singing.

He entered, closing the door behind him. Her face peeped out from behind the shower curtain, damp and glowing from the intense heat of the water rushing down on her.

"Christ, John, you look like you're gonna pull a Psycho on me," she joked, pushing a wet strand of dark brown hair out of her eyes. He smiled, leaning back against the sink.

"Sorry," he replied, eyes skimming her form with interest. "But your heavenly voice just beckoned me in here…"

"Don't make fun," she warned, flicking some water at him. It spattered on his robe, and he looked up at her with a grin. "Next time you'll be wetter."

"Oh yeah?"

He stepped forward, grasping her around her slender waist, not noticing or caring as the water seeped through the flimsy material of his robe. His lips met hers, his hands moving up to tangle in her hair, his whole body feeling like there was a tornado of emotions inside of him. It never failed to amaze him how every time, every kiss, felt like the first one, each new, each more exciting than the last. Sure, he'd had kisses before. But not mind-blowing, life altering kisses.

He pulled back, gasping for air as she smiled down at him. He watched her, entranced by her beauty, her elegance, and that was when he knew. This was it.

The One.

"What?" she asked self-consciously, running her hand over her face awkwardly. "Do I have soap on me?…"

He grinned, and shook his head.

"I love you, Abby."

She smiled, realization dawning, and leaned in to kiss him again,

"I love you too…"

**********

Eyes open, mouths murmuring, touching, feeling, living.

Living. That was his experience with Abby. Even now, collapsed on the bed, limbs intertwined as if nothing could tear them apart, he felt it. It was like he had new blood coursing through his veins, like he had new oxygen filling his lungs. New life, taking over his heart, mind, body and soul.

He watched her fondly, inhaling and exhaling, eyes shut to the world around her. She looked so peaceful, holding on to Carter as she slept. He loved it that she needed him as much as he needed her. At one time, his feelings had been so intense that he had no hope she would reciprocate - if she had felt the same, he would've known. She knew. It was clear in his eyes, in his actions, in what he said. But she wasn't.

She was indifferent.

But not anymore. Now, she looked at him as if it was the last time, and she had to relish the moment whilst it lasted. She touched him as if his skin radiated a warmth that she craved, something she needed to survive. She kisses him like he was her oxygen, her lifeline, the thing keeping her alive.

It was refreshing to not be the only one feeling that way.

His fingers traced light patterns on her bare skin, his eyes idly following the swirling paint on the ceiling. Her skin felt soft under his touch, so delicate, just like her. She stirred in his arms, turning on to her back, her eyes still shut.

Missing her next to him, he sat up, taking the opportunity to get out of the bed, pausing only to drape the sheets over her exposed body. He padded out to the kitchen, pulling his still damp robe around his shivering body.

Methodically, he boiled the kettle, dumping ground coffee in to a cup, pulling the milk from the refrigerator, searching for the sugar. It looked like Abby had been rearranging his cupboards again.

A smile crept on his face, the very thought that Abby was sorting out his apartment…were they as good as moved in together?

His smile broadened, and he pushed the coffee away. He didn't need to stay awake anymore - he was no longer afraid of sleeping, of dreaming, of what awaited him in his unconsciousness. Now, his dreams were reality.

He slid back in to bed next to the woman of his dreams, lying on his side, watching her just exist with him. His heart swelled with over-whelming love, passion, happiness…and finally, his eyes fluttered shut, fatigue washing over him in torrents.

"Good night, my love…"

**********