March 7, 01.
I wrote this because I wanted a happy story. I know it's short and it's simple, and that's exactly the goal I wanted to achieve while writing this.
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Doug watched Carol walk into the house. She slipped off her shoes and coat and trudged to the kitchen where he stood. He had been home for nearly an hour from work and she was just getting in. She sighed and offered him a weak smile before she headed to the refrigerator. She popped open a carton of orange juice and took a swig before placing the carton back in the refrigerator. Doug chuckled. She looked up at him, her eyes confused, questioning him. He grins.
"It always amuses me how you drink out of the carton like that." He says. She shrugs and moves closer to him. He can see she is not in the joking mood.
"What's wrong?" He murmurs. She stops and leans back against the counter.
"I dunno. Nothing." She grins slightly without the usual enthusiasm. "I'm tired. Work sucked tonight. I'm just....drained." She says. He nods his head.
"Yeah, it was a tough night, a busy one." He says. She closes her eyes, leaning her head back against the cupboard with a small sigh and a slight nod of her head.
"This guy....was..very drunk." She says. "He kept hitting on me. Then when I finally got his girlfriend to come in, she about threw a hissy fit.....at me. I think because he was hitting on me and she knew it." She says, opening her eyes to peer out at him. He moves forward, taking her hand into his and squeezing gently.
"Why didn't you get Lydia or Haleh to take over?" He asks softly. She shrugs.
"I figured if he was hitting on me, he would hit on them, and I didn't want to bother them. They were just as busy as me, and probably just as tired." She says. He just watches her. "I..." She stops and looks him in the eye. "I wanted you. I just wanted to come home and see you....and just be with you and try and leave it all behind for today." She says quietly. He grins softly.
"You know what you need?" He asks. She shakes her head slightly.
"What?" She asks quietly.
"You need to go change into your pj's and then we can crawl into bed and just cuddle or talk or whatever until we fall asleep. Then in the morning we will be all rejuvenated and ready to go back." Doug says. She moves forward, sliding into his warm, comforting embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding tight.
"Mmm." She murmurs, burying her face into his neck. He rubs her back, glad she is letting herself lean on him, take comfort from him.
"Let's go." He whispers softly in her ear. He then scoops her up into his arms and she grins at him, happy to have him to come home to after having a bad day. She's happy to have him to come home to any day.
He plants her feet firmly on the bedroom floor. He kisses her softly and grins. He kisses her forehead and turns towards the already open closet.
"So, what's your choice of pajama's today?" He asks.
"I want......one of your shirts." She says. He turns his neck and grins at her slightly before shuffling through the closet and finding one of his big t-shirts. He reaches down, tugging her own shirt out of her scrub bottoms and pulling it up over her head. She grins slightly and stands there, letting him undress and then re-dress her, giggling every now and then as he changes her into the t-shirt.
"Now, I've got to find something to sleep in." He says.
"I'm going to go to the bathroom." She says and turns, walking towards the master bathroom, just off the bedroom. He grins and watches her go.
Inside the bathroom, she uses the toilet. She looks in the mirror at her make-up and she shakes her head. She should wash her face, but all she wants is to go back to Doug and cuddle under the warm covers. She smiles at herself in the mirror, loving the fact that he is waiting for her. She heads out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.
"I was keeping your side of the bed warm." Doug says. She grins and slithers under the covers as quickly as she can.
"Mmm..You're a keeper." She moans slightly at the warmth, immediately moving towards him and slipping into his embrace. He grins and kisses her gently.
"Let's hope so." He says. She smiles and rubs her nose against his and closes her eyes gently. He grins softly, basking in the feel of her next to him, in his arms. He stares at her, enthralled by her beauty. When she opens her eyes, she notices the look on his face and in his eyes.
"What?" She whispers. He shakes his head slightly.
"You're so beautiful." He whispers in reply. Her cheeks pinken slightly, pleased by his comment. He chuckles lightly.
"Where did I find you?" She asks, reaching up and touching his cheek with her fingers. He shrugs.
"Do you ever wonder about that?" Doug asks.
"What? Wonder where I found you?" She asks, puzzled. He chuckles slightly and shakes his head.
"No...not really. I mean....do you ever wonder how or why we found each other? You know...we'd never have met had we not both entered the emergency medicine field. And...do you believe in destiny? You know..maybe we were destined to be together. I mean...we've had some pretty rough times in our past but we've overcome them every time. Is it a sign?" He asks. She giggles slightly.
"You still surprise me, Doug." Carol says.
"Why?" He asks.
"You're getting all philosophical on me." Carol says. He shrugs slightly.
"Well....sometimes..I can't believe you are here with me. I mean...of all the men in the world..why did you choose me?" Doug says. She smiles and trails her finger over his jaw.
"Something about you draws me in, Doug. We have a lot in common, Doug. We're both stubborn." She grins. "We're both, obviously attracted to the emergency field, we both have pasts with our family that don't exactly equal up to fairy tale standards. We've both had our fair share of bad times. Then..there's just you, Doug. Lots of women are attracted to you...so why out of all of them would you pick me?" She asks. He grins.
"Because you're beautiful. Inside and out." He says. "We've got a history, Carol...one that I regret sometimes...but it's still a history. And ever since the moment I laid eyes on you, Carol Hathaway, I've loved you. Even if it took me a long time to admit it to myself...and to you." He says. She grins.
"I love you, Doug." She says. He smiles and touches his lips to hers.
"I love you too." He replies. She giggles and he looks at her, raising an eyebrow.
"What's funny?" He asks.
"I was just thinking about something I said earlier. You know how I asked you where I found you?" She asks. He nods. "It reminds me of that night that you threw my surprise birthday party and before we left, I asked E Ray why we needed a temp clerk and he told me it was none of my business. Then I said he was strange and asked you where we found him." Carol says. Doug chuckles deeply.
"I remember that. That was a nice night." He says. She grins.
"I fell in love with you again, that night." She says. His eyes widen in surprise.
"You did?" He asks. She nods.
"Yes..I mean..I've always loved you...But, that night was special. You were so disapointed in yourself for forgetting my birthdays in the past. And...I don't know..something just happened and I was thrown back into that crazy whirl of love and then a week later you came and swept me off my feet." She grins before it fades. "I'm sorry it took so long for me to trust you, Doug." She says. He shakes his head and brings her hands up to his mouth.
"It's okay....I understand why it took you so long. It was all my own doing, really. I wasn't trustworthy back then and I hurt you and I deserved to pay for it." He says. She smiles.
"Well you have, believe me. I trust you, Doug." She says. He smiles and leans over her, kissing her warmly, making her brain turn to mush. She wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him further into her, devouring his mouth hungrily. "Make love to me." She murmurs against his lips before reaching out to drag her tongue across his lips. He groans softly and moves his body up over hers.
"It would be my pleasure." He says and she giggles slightly before she is cut off by his hungry mouth.
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