Here With Her
The blankets barely lifted from his legs, but he was already slightly awakened nonetheless. His eyes were sore at the corners, probably from keeping his eyes open so late into the night. He couldn't fall asleep the previous night, and he wasn't sure why. After his talk with Maggie, when Abby has spoken to him, the two of them lingered there in the dark together. Neither said a word; if anything was needed to be shared, it would wait.
The only light in the room was streaming in from the hallway outside. Most likely from the bathroom. Abby was supposed to be starting a shift at seven. He opened his eyes a little wider to question the non-existent sunlight; there should be sun at seven, he thought.
One look outside indicated that it wasn't a possibility outside. It was dark, darker than usual. Clouds had gathered over the radiant city's facade, giving its picture a dirty definition. The few people on the streets outside of their apartment had been shadowed in umbrellas. Ironically, the majority of these were black. As if a painting right out of an old town, or a funeral. Or something equally dark.
Abby walked into the room quietly, her eyebrows creased. "Did I wake you up?"
"Nope," he answered with a smile, coincidentally yawning. "You leaving pretty soon?"
"In a rush to get me out?" she asked with a dry smile.
" 'Course not," he grinned. "Its raining outside."
"You're kidding."
"Here I thought you were a little on the off lately," he said, "but I like sarcastic, smiling Abby *much* better."
She chuckled quietly and walked over to the bed. He stood up and met her halfway and hugged her. he knew it wasn't something she expected, and to his surprise she hugged him back wholeheartedly. They pulled back, bodies still pressed together to smile once more.
"I need to get to work," she whispered.
"Can I walk you?"
She smiled and moved her eyes to the left, then back his way. "You aren't ready."
"Pants and a coat," he said, "and no one will notice."
"Yuck," she said with a grin, "but okay."
--
"Where are you going?"
"John's going to walk me to work," Abby said. "You going to be okay?"
She nodded and slowly fell back to the mattress, pulling the covers closer to her. Raising her eyebrows in exhaustion, she asked, "Do you mind if I sleep a little while longer? I'm really tired."
"No, no," Abby and Carter said together. "Go ahead," Abby continued. "Are you coming right back?" she asked Carter.
"Yeah," he said, sensing the feeling in Abby's voice. "I'll be right back."
"You hear that?"
"Yep," Maggie answered, closing her eyes. "See you later."
"Bye," the two of them said.
"I love you," Maggie said, looking at Abby.
Abby looked back and only nodded. Carter watched as she began to curl her hair behind her ears, as she always did when she was nervous.
-
They exited the apartment, hands clasped together. Their usual sardonic, cutting comments fluttered here and there, as their banter always carried. Although neither one would ever admit it, they both loved it. The nothings they tossed back daily, as they had done for almost three years now. From the beginning of their friendship to now, its the way it had always been.
They came to the double doors and stood there, watching as they opened somewhat abruptly to allow someone out, and another in. They watched as the amount of people standing there disseminated until finally they were the only two.
The thunder rolled above them, but there was still not lightning. She looked up to him and smiled. He smiled back as she reached up to kiss him.
"Thank you," she said, somehow cockily.
"You're welcome," he replied. He put his hand on the back of her hair and pulled her closer. "Love you," he said into a kiss.
She laughed. "I'll see you at noon for lunch?"
"Its a date."
--
"Hey, those are good," he said, glancing over Maggie's shoulder to where she deeply focused on work. There was an assortment of drawings, mostly of women in purple and red garments. She looked up, down, then back up again.
"What?" she said, sounding startled. "You think so?"
"Yeah, they're excellent," he assured her again. "You have a knack for it. Abby said something about you being an artist."
"She said I was an artist?"
"She said you were pretty damn good," he said, still surveying the drawings. "No lie."
"Thank you," she said modestly. "I love to draw."
"I can see."
Maggie swallowed and picked up another pencil. "Abby didn't answer me when she left this morning."
"She's just a little tired," he said.
"That's not it," she argued gently. "Why won't she just forgive me?"
"She'll come around," he said, "trust me."