Open Case File [COMPLETED]

High School Reunion

As always cause someone requested it and I was bored, always makes for an interesting combo. 😄

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Carter stood before the mirror in the bathroom, tying up her hair, but not registering what she was doing. Behind her, Donovan emerged from the closet, barefoot and wearing only a pair of slacks. He held up two collared shirts.

"Carter, which one is less attractive on me," he said.

Carter didn't reply, staring unseeing at her reflection.

"Carter?"

When Donovan walked closer he finally caught her eye in the mirror. She blinked, coming out of her thoughts.

"Hmmm?" she said.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded and reached for hairband to twist around her hair. Frowning, Donovan set the shirts down on top of her vanity.

"What's going on?" he asked, resting his hands on her shoulders.

A brush off response rose in Carter's throat but she swallowed it down. They had been married long enough now that she knew he would never believe the lie. She sighed and leaned back into him, comforted by the feel of his steady body.

"I don't want to go tonight," she said.

Donovan cocooned her in his arms, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Can you tell me why?"

She gave a wry chuckle. "I will sound cliché but I detested high school." She dropped her gaze, running her fingers over his forearm. "Until you and Link came along...I was so alone. I know a part of it was my own making, but there was another part of it I was never going to be able to fight. The part where I was a scholarship student with no money, no status, and a father who was simply a shield for someone more important."

Sighing, Carter lifted her eyes, meeting Donovan's. His were soft with sympathy and understanding.

"Well, tonight you can go prove to all those people who thought you were worthless that you've made a name for yourself."

Carter shook her head. "If I lived my life with the goal of proving wrong people I haven't seen in ten years then I was not living my life right."

Donovan kissed her cheek. "Fine, go tonight and show them you're married to an extremely hot man that they all wanted."

Carter spun around, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Well, when you say it like we have to go! And you have to wear the dark blue shirt."

He laughed as he kissed her and for a moment Carter forgot about the night, forgot the bad memories it had drummed up. When she broke away, she trailed her fingers through his hair, staring at him.

"Sometimes I don't know what I did to deserve you," she said.

He kissed her cheek. "Nothing. I spent a long time working to deserve you."

Carter was going to argue this, but Donovan started kissing her again and she forgot what she was going to say.

Twenty minutes later, they locked up their apartment and knocked on Link's door. They heard the shuffling of feet before it opened.

"You ready to go relive the misery that was high school?" he asked stepping out.

"Of course," Carter said. "I have nothing better to do on my Friday night."

Link laughed and the trio headed down the hall. As they rode the elevator, Carter couldn't help feeling a bit like she had ten years ago. These two men were her best friends and with them by her side, she didn't feel alone.