Second Chances

Chapter 8

"CASEYYYYY!!!!"

The banshee descended the steps squealing Casey's name. "You're kidding, right?" Casey was still seated at the breakfast table, frowning at the blonde woman who approached them with a speed that rivaled Mario Andretti.

"THAT's my best friend?"

Carter nodded, his face still somber. "I'm afraid so, love." Casey quickly turned back to him at the use of the endearment, but then she realized that it was only part of his natural Aussie vocabulary. "Choosing Carly Roberts as your best friend never ranked in my top ten list of best decisions you've ever made."

Casey never got a chance to question his remark. Carly grabbed her around the neck and squeezed hard, even though Casey was still seated. "CASEYYY! I am like SOOOO glad to see you again!!" Thankfully, she loosened her grip on Casey's neck and straightened up abruptly, re-adjusting her top. "Oh -- and hi, Carter."

"Carly." Carter barely nodded his head in Carly's direction and definitely didn't have a smile for her.

Carly turned back to Casey, totally oblivious to Carter's palpable dislike for her. "Sooo....aren't you glad to see me, too?"

Casey cleared her throat awkwardly, glancing over her shoulder at Carter. "Well, Carly......I....uh.....I really......"

Carly threw her hands up in the air, frowning and then moving them to her hips. "Oh, sure....I get it! You're freezing me out because you're p*ssed that I didn't come to see you in the hospital, aren't you?"

Casey's eyes widened. "Oh, no, Carly, that has nothing to do with it...."

"Cause I tried, Casey, really I did," Carly interrupted again. "I mean, Jason wasn't too thrilled about me leaving him home alone, but I told him that you just had a kid, and how many times would that happen in this lifetime? But when I got to the hospital, they wouldn't let me come up to see you. These stupid guards got all huffy with me....."

Carly continued to gesture wildly as Casey gave Carter another pleading glance over her shoulder. He shrugged his shoulders as he pretended ignorance, but then Casey gave him desperate look and he grimaced in capitulation.

"Carly!" Carter had to practically shout to get the other woman to stop talking. She finally blinked in surprise and gave him her attention. "Thank you." He folded his hands in his lap as he chose his words carefully. "Casey isn't upset with you for not visiting her in the hospital. Actually, it was my orders that kept you *and everyone else* from seeing Casey."

"Your orders?" Carly looked back and forth between them in confusion. "Why? I don't get it."

Carter took a deep breath. "Carly, Casey had some difficulties during the baby's delivery." He paused as Carly's face began to register with understanding. "She....uh.....well, she flatlined for almost a half a minute."

"Flatlined?" Carly's voice was hushed.

"Died." Casey leaned towards Carly, who was reaching for a chair with a shaky hand. "I was dead, Carly."

Carly's hands flew to her mouth and Carter was surprised when he saw real tears form in her eyes. "Oh, my God!! OH, MY GOD!!! YOU DIED??"

Casey looked to Carter again for help. "But obviously she came back to us, as you can see." He gestured towards Casey with his hand, and Casey gave Carly a reassuring smile.

"So.....so you're OK, right? You died, but you came back and you're OK now?" Carly reached out to grab Casey's hand.

"Sort of." Casey patted Carly's hand, almost feeling sorry for the poor woman who obviously thought the sun rose and set on Casey Jacks. "I just.....well, I......"