Title: 'I Won't Leave You Lonely'

Series: 'Two Years On' Part Two

Author: Anna Rousseau <annadelamico@yahoo.com>

Genre: JC/AD

Rating: PG-15

Summary: Follows 'Someone Old, Something New'

Notes: This is set in Season 7, basically Anna comes back and this is what happens. Song used, Shania Twain's 'I Won't Leave You Lonely'.

Previously...

"Oh and the spare room, you can always room with us if you want," Dave said opening the door and flicking on the switch, "really nice bed....oh mama!"

Deb and Dave stood there open mouthed as they came across Anna Del Amico sprawled across an open-shirted Carter in her underwear, their lips locked and hands all over each other.

They suddenly broke apart and sat up guiltily, Anna grabbed her strewn dress and a sheet, hugging them protectively around herself.

Carter hastily drew his shirt around himself, "Dave...Deb...we..." he started.

Dave, amazed as he was, chuckled and turned to the open mouthed Deb, "Well, as you can see Dr. Chen, this is a really nice bed!"

************************************************************************************************

Anna Del Amico sat on the bed, paralysed with fear *what's going to happen?* she thought, biting her tounge, anxiously, *what do they think of me*.

Deb Chen coughed and turned away, "Nice apartment you have here, John...Dave, why don't you show me that balcony?"

Dave opened his mouth, as if to persue a line of conservation linked to their discovery.

"Dave?" Chen pressed, grabbing his sleeve and pulling him to the door.

Dave obliged with a smirk, turned the light off and pulled the door to, "Don't mind us, we're just off to the balcony."

Carter ran a hand through his hair and turned to Anna, fearing she'd call the whole thing off, "Anna, I'm sorry...what's so funny?"

Anna was in fits of laughter, as she tried to pull her dress on, "It's just...just..." then she was lost in another fit of giggles.

"What?" He asked, starting to laugh as well.

"I never..thought that would happen the first time we..." she broke off again, laughing until her sides ached.

"I see," Carter replied through his laughter, "so, was it all a mistake?"

Anna turned to him, more somber as she zipped her dress up, "Are you kidding- I want to find out what would have happened next!"

She lent over to him and planted a quick kiss on his lips, "Hmm, now I come to think of it, this bed isn't to bad, is it?"

Anna laughed, "Not at all, I like so much that I might just take up your offer."

Carter looked at her, "You want the room?"

She looked at him seductively, "That's not all I want, Dr. Carter," Anna murmered in his ear as she ran her hand in his hair and took him in another kiss. Carter ran his hand down her back as Anna leant back into the pillows.

Carter pulled away, breathing more heavily, "Dave, Deb..."

She kissed his neck and looked at him coyly, "Carter, I think a foursome might cramp our style slightly..."

"No...I meant..." he started, kissing her straight back.

"I know what you meant, stupid!" Anna replied hopping off the bed before bending over Carter to finish doing up his buttons.

"Hey..." he said, offended.

"About the room..."

"Yeah," Carter replied, fearing for the worst.

"It's the bed, I don't know if I'll actually use it that much," she grinned evily, pulling Carter off the bed.

"Don't say that, I'll just have to kiss you again!" Carter said, stroking her hair.

Anna entwined her arms around his neck, tipping her chin up, "Well I have no objections."

*************************************************************************************************

Dave listened to the hysterical laughter coming from the spare room, "What are they up to, cos I always thought you moaned, not laughed," he commented, a sly smile on his lips.

Deb sipped her drink, "Don't get any ideas, Dr. Dave."

"Me, ideas?" Dave replied innocently, "I think you got me confused with Rudolph Valentino MD in there."

Deb chuckled, "He never mentioned her to me."

"All I know is they interned together and the first day she's here, he's got her in bed," Dave replied.

"Well on top of a bed anyway!" Deb laughed.

"Let's just say they must have been *more* than friends," Dave replied, jumping as the guilty couple exited the room, sitting down on the sofa, as if nothing had happned.

"So what's the rent Dr. Carter?" Anna asked Carter as she took a sip of her flattened Coca- Cola.

"We can figure that out later, say tomorrow night, after our shifts," Carter replied, a glint in his eyes.

"Can't wait," Anna replied, smiling back.

"Bet you can't," Dave muttered, "so Dr. Del Amico, what's this about?"

Anna turned to him and giggled, "I'm taking the spare room."

Dave turned to Carter, "Well, I think that goes without saying. Apologies, Dr. Chen- I'll inform you if the sleeping arrangements change, however. Of course, we can discuss other sleeping arrangements if you want..."

"I have to go," Deb excused herself as she left for the door, "Nice meeting you Dr. Del Amico, Carter, Dr. Malucci."

"It's just Anna," she added, smiling.

"It's just anything you want," Dave smiled, before obtaining an icey glare.

"I better be off, see you at 9?" Anna asked Carter as she pulled on her shoes.

"You need a lift?" Carter asked before whispering, "Wanna stay here."

"Like you wouldn't believe," she breathed into his ear, "but I've got RA responsibilities...I'll take the El, we're on for tomorrow, right,"

"You bet. 'Night," Carter replied, as she left. Anna leant up for a brief but passionate kiss.

"Sweet dreams," she replied, with a wink.

"Like you wouldn't believe," he whispered, repeating her as she left.

Dave chuckled.

"What?" Carter asked, as headed for his room, a smile on his face and a spring in his step,

"What yourself, Cassanova!"

************************************************************************************************

"...there they were, on top of the bed, oblivious to the world and half-naked," Chuni concluded to the surrounding group of Haleh, Lily, Lydia, Randi, Malik, Conni and Amira.

Mark Greene looked up from the computer console and glared at the group who were sat gossiping at the admit desk.

"No kidding," Lydia asked in disbelief, filling in a lab slip.

"I knew it," Randi replied, "Didn't take them long though." Randi commented, before turning back to her fashion magazine.

"We should have run a betting pool," Connie said, picking up a chart.

"Well, they didn't give us much time," Chuni replied with a laugh.

"Carter and Anna, eh?" Dave asked as he approached the desk, "I said it how I saw it."

Mark was nearing the end of his tether, it was his first day back after a vacation and he was stressed, "I don't care who this Anna is, but I don't need to know about her sexual escapades with Dr. Carter thank you very much."

Luka Kovac wandered up to the board and wiped off a patient's name, "Anna and Carter, eh?" Luka chuckled picking up another chart.

The automatic doors swished open and Anna Del Amico entered, fanning herself with a Chicago Daily. Everyone grinned at her, whilst Dr. Greene continued on the computer.

"Hey," Anna said as she checked the board, "have you seen Carter?" She was totally oblivious to the fact that she had been the topic of conversation through out the early morning shift, courtesy of Dr. Dave Malucci.

"I thought he'd be with you," Dave said rather loudly. There was a lapse of laughter.

Mark stopped, he knew that voice from somewhere. "I see someone has been decided to take over the role as Dr. Intercom," Anna replied, staring at Dave with, pointedly.

"Who me?" Dave asked, "I have a patient in Curtain 3...gotta go!"

"Hi, Dr. Greene!" Anna sighed, she greeted the attendings with a smile, "Good morning Dr. Kovac!"

"Well does appear to be a good morning for you, Dr. Del Amico!" Luka grinned back, "Multiple fracture in the Peades ER when you're ready."

Anna left in the direction of the lounge, humming a tune.

"Anna *Del Amico*?" Mark replied distantly, *maybe I needed a longer vacation*.

Greene saw the bemused look on people's faces, "Anna's back Dr. Greene," Chuni supplied the information as his brow furrowed.

"Oh Carter and *that* Anna," he replied a smile played on his lips, "I knew it all along."

*I go away and Kerry hires half of Eastern America!* he steamed, clicking the mouse viciously.

************************************************************************************************

Deb Chen wandered into Trauma 2 for some 6-0 nylon sutures, meeting Carter on the way in, his arms overflowing with intubation kits for the mobile storage units.

"John, can I talk to you for a minute?" Deb asked, pulling him into the deserted Exam 1 next door and shutting the door.

"Sure," Carter replied, placing the medical supplies on one of the gurneys.

"It's about Anna...and you...and what seems to be..well...going on between," Chen coughed, "the two of you."

"Ye-s?" Carter asked with a smile on his lips.

"Well," Chen started.

"I'm sorry that we made you two feel uncomfortable..." Carter added before being stopped by the fellow resident.

"It's not that, uh," Deb took a deep breath. "Do you think this is a good idea...I mean- you're recovering from an addiction, an operation..."

Carter's smile faded, "What? I don't believe this, god! You think...god... you're telling me that I'm really just using her as some sort of...I don't know...thing to get the attack out of my mind...geez Deb!"

"John I was just..." Deb looked uncomfortable.

"Just trying to help, I know, that's all that people want to do these days...well maybe," Carter fumed, then paused for a second as he recomposed himself. Carter finished his sentence as he lowered his crescendoing voice, "maybe I don't want any help!"

"I.."

"I have a patient," Carter said, gathering up the supplies, "for your information Deb, I think we are doing the right thing- I've loved this woman for three years, and I don't care a damn about what anyone else thinks because I know that I really *do* love her and I don't need anyone trying to tell me that it's just some figment of my imagination."

************************************************************************************************

Anna walked into the lounge to get her stethoscope from her locker. She noticed Carter was there, sitting on the sofa reading an issue of the 'Annals'.

"Hey," she said softly, "I've been looking for you."

Carter looked up, "Anna!"

Anna walked over to where he was sitting and traced his jawline with her finger, "Are you OK? You don't look too well to me."

He gave her a weak smile, "No, I'm fine." Carter stopped her hand with his own and held it for a while.

"John?"

Carter looked from the floor to her bright eyes that shone just like the light blue sapphires in his mother's engagement ring, "Anna...I don't think I can do this."

Anna expected this, she had prepared herself for this situation, but was totally taken aback, "I...what?

"I feel like I might be taking advantage of you...I really don't know if I've fully sorted out everything to do with..." Carter trailed off.

Anna sighed, it had all been too good to be true, just a single moment where they had followed their insincts. This wouldn't have happened if they had acted on it 3 years ago, all the odds seemed to be stacked against them, first Max turning up and now his attack.

"I know...I don't want to take advantage of you either...maybe I shouldn't of kissed you...but John, you have to know that I came back to help you and honestly, you aren't taking advantage of anything...I want this- but I have to know that you are ready, because I don't want to hurt you..." Anna stopped herself before she said 'again'.

Carter sighed, he was so sure that he was over the whole thing, but now what Deb said lingered in his mind. He spoke one of his thoughts out loud, one he thought he would never utter, but one that had been turning over in his head for the past two years.

"Are you going to leave me again?" Carter asked gazing off into the distance, his eyes welling up, "Because, I just can't take that...Anna please don't leave me..."

Anna felt her eyes flood with tears at just the sound of his voice, breaking with fear and hurt. She knew all along that he still didn't trust her, she could here it in his voice the whole time.

Anna knelt on the sofa, one leg either side of Carter's and she pressed her hands against his face, wiping his tears with her thumbs, "Of course not, I'm staying here with you...I am so sorry about before..but...I know that if I leave now or if you left me I wouldn't have a reason to live..." Anna sobbed through her sentences, choking back every other word.

Carter pushed her hair behind her ears and enveloped her in a tight embrace, pressing their lips together, "I love you Anna," he whispered through their tears.

"And I'll never leave you again."

*****************

Together

Midnight in summer

The air's so much warmer

Falling in love under starlight

Holding on so tight

Together

I won't leave you lonely, tonight

I want you to hold me

All night

It's gonna be alright

I won't leave you lonely tonight

**********************

Luka Kovac neared the end of a double shift, he blinked his bleary eyes and motioned to Conni, "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the lounge."

Chuni shook her head, "Uh-huh, Anna and Carter are in there talking...I wouldn't go in there."

Kovac ran a hand through his hair, "Ummm, exam one is free...I'll be in there, what exactly is going on between those two?"

"Long story," Chuni replied with a grin. "Goes something like, boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy asks girl out, girl thinks she still has feelings for another boy, girl goes back with other guy when he turns up where girl and boy work, boy and other guy fight before that, then girl sees the error of her ways and returns to boy."

Luka looked puzzled, "In English?"

"Well..."

"No, no... I have to get some sleep, but tell me later, right?" Luka headed off in the direction of Exam 1.

"Cuteness, eh?" Chuni commented.

"More like a Greek god if you ask me," Conni replied from her position at the telephone.

"No I meant Anna and Carter, I wonder if he's recovered from the Lucy thing yet."

Conni sighed and picked up a pen, "I don't think he'll ever recover from it. That sort of thing will stay with him until the day he dies."

"I'm glad Anna came back, she's just the sort of person he needs to get over it," Chuni commented, "and they make a cute couple."

Yosh Takata came up to the two nurses and started to whisper, "Earlier, when I was in Exam 2, Dr. Chen and Carter came in and started talking- they didn't know I was there, and Dr. Chen started telling Carter that he wasn't ready for a relationship and that he didn't really love her."

"The bitch!" Conni swore fuming, "She comes in here, hasn't seen Carter since he was a med-student and suddenly she knows what's best for him...geez, that woman!"

"Well that isn't the point, Carter said, and I quote, that he has loved Anna for three years and he is still in love with her," Yosh continued.

"Wow," Chuni said whistling, "we all knew that he liked her, but I really didn't guess it was that serious!"

"No wonder he was so depressed when she left, I thought it was family trouble," Conni said, chewing on a sweet.

"Now we know," Yosh concluded.

**************************

Carter and Anna were in the middle of a passionate embrace, their tears were drying on their cheeks.

"I love you, John," Anna told him brushing his hair off of his forehead.

"Me too," he replied stroking her hair, and kissing her on the temples.

Suddenly the door burst open, "Drs Carter and Del Amico, get your asses out of the lounge now! We have 12 people in chairs and a major trauma coming in," Kerry stopped as she realised what was going on, then she continued with her harsh tone, "Despite what the staff's gossip is about, I doubt County's paying you to make out to boost morale, so get back to your real jobs before both your butts get fired!"

With that she left, as ratty as when she came in, "What was that all about?" Carter mused.

"PMS," Anna chuckled, prizing herself out of Carter's arms, "that or double shift."

"See you at 7?" Carter asked giving her one last kiss on the lips.

"Seven it is!" Anna replied with a sweet smile as she slung her stethoscope around her neck.

********************

Anna moved quietly to the place where Carter was standing in front of his locker, 7pm on the dot. She bent her head up and blew on his neck.

Carter jumped, "Hey, Anna!"

Anna smiled, "Sorry I made you jump."

"So where are we going, your place or mine," Carter asked, "oh, the dorms...hmmm....my place, I guess."

Anna opened her locker and pulled out a large duffel bag, "Here...I'll settle in tonight and then pick up the rest of my stuff from the dorms at the weekend."

"They let you go pretty quickly," Carter commented as he helped her with the bag, "I wouldn't let you go that quickly..." he whispered in her ear.

"Well not everyone is as great as you, John Truman Carter!" Anna smiled, pulling off her lab coat in the place of a light weight jacket.

"You said it, not me!" Carter replied, a smile on his face as they walked out of the lounge.

**********

Imagine the air filled with jasmine

The breeze blows with passion

You and me dance with desire

The moon is on fire; imagine

Anna turned the faucet off and stepped out of the shower. Carter had used the shower before her, but had still left plenty of hot water- perfect. The only glich in this arrangement was sharing a bathroom with Malucci. *Don't get me wrong* Anna mused *I don't mind sharing a bathroom with Carter, anytime...* her thoughts drifted back to the night before. She thought of another reason to dislike Dr. Dave Malucci and added it to a quickly growing list.

She wrapped one of the fluffy towels around her glistening body and stepped out into the lounge, heading for her room. Carter was coming out of his bedroom in a pair of blue pyjamas that matched the colour of the summer sky.

"Hey," Anna said, making her way towards him.

Carter could smell the soap that she always washed with on her skin, he longed for her touch, her kiss... he moved closer to her and placed his hands on her waist.

Anna was intoxicated with the scent of his masculine shampoo. His hair, which had been recently washed was fluffy and soft- just waiting to be caressed with her hands.

Carter bent down and kissed the base of her neck, running a line of caresses from there, up her neck, along her jawline. Anna moaned with pleasure and longing, she ran her fingers from his shoulders, down his back and under his top, feeling his muscular build. Finally he reached her lips, both of them caressed each other with as much urgency as the night before.

Anna's towel slipped from around her, and she pressed her naked body closer to Carter's, waiting for the feel of his skin upon hers.

Carter murmured in her ear, "Maybe we should relocate...bedroom?"

"Hmm...mine or yours?" Anna gasped through their passionate kisses.

"Yours...I want to finish where we left off," Carter replied picking her off her feet.

"I never knew you worked out so much," Anna murmered in his ear, feeling the upper part of his torso through the silk cotton.

He was just about to reply when he heard a key in the lock, "Oh no..."

"Dave..." Anna scowled.

"Shi-" Carter said, heading for the nearest door.

"Towel first, then move!" Anna gasped, swiping the towel from the chair it landed on and then covering herself.

Carter carried her into Anna's room and slammed the door shut just as Dave burst into the lounge, unharmoniously singing some song by Limp Bizkit.

Anna and Carter landed on her bed, "OK," Anna continued as she got up ducked behind a Japanese silk painted screen, and pulled on some clean underpants and a neglige. "I'll stick my head around the door and tell Dave you're out, at your grandparents..."

"Good idea," Carter replied, realising just how beautiful she was when she appeared from behind the screen.

"I won't be long," Anna said with a smile as she opened the door a crack.

Te amo mucho mi amor

You are the one I adore

********************************

Dave stopped singing. *Hmm* he thought *I could swear I heard someone in here*. Sure enough the lights were on and in the bathroom the mirror was all steamed up from someone's shower.

"Carter?" Dave called. No reply. Anna and he had got off around the same time, mused Dave, he smiled as he imagined what they were up to.

Suddenly he heard a door open, Anna's head poked around it.

"Dr. Del Amico," Dave said, glad that he wasn't going to stumbled in on them again.

"Can you keep the noise down?" She asked politely, her head, the only part of her outside the room, "I'm studying, thanks."

"Sure thing, my friend!" Dave said, suspiciously, "Where...you don't happen to know where Carter is do you?"

Anna pulled a straight face, she could feel Carter behind her, pulling the strap of her top down, running his hand under the pink satin, and up to her chest. She blinked her eyes, not disliking the sensation of his touch and the feel of his breath coming quickly on her neck. She was sure that her face was flushed as she gasped to answer the simple question, "I think that he...oh...", she moaned as he caressed her body, she kicked his shin to keep him away, temporarily.

Dave smiled, "What's the matter?"

Anna panicked, "I...umm...forgot one of my text books in the lounge...anyway, Carter said that he was going to see his grandma, he said not to wait up for him."

"Just curious," Dave smiled, "goodnight fair doctor."

"You too Dr. Malucci," Anna said quickly as she shut the door, turned to Carter and waved a finger at him. "Do that again and you're a dead man, Dr. Carter!"

"Oh, so you don't want me to do this?" Carter asked as he picked up Anna and placed on the bed, smothering her body with his.

"No, not at all," Anna murmered as she melted in his embrace.

Je t'aime beaucoup mon amour

You are the one I adore

*************************

3 months later

Anna looked at her diary, examining it thoroughly before reaching a conclusion. Suddenly Chuni burst into the lounge.

"Hey, Anna!" Chuni greeted her friend, "You look pretty pleased with yourself!"

Anna smiled, feeling full of life and contentment, "Hmm," she murmured, shutting her diary.

Chuni smiled, bearing her teeth and talking through her them, as she often did when she wanted to extract the truth from someone, "What's up?"

Anna sighed happily and leant forward a Chuni sat opposite her, "We're going to have a baby!"

Chuni whistled, "Carter, eh?"

"Who else?" Anna smiled as Chuni gave her a congratulary hug.

"Congratulations, Anna. It's great to see you two together!" Chuni smiled, "So, have you told him."

"I'm waiting for a blood test first," Anna said.

"Do you want me to do that for you?" Chuni asked, squeezing her hand.

"If you have the time," Anna said with a thankful smile. She didn't really want to try and stick herself.

"I always have the time for my best friend who's having a baby!" Chuni exclaimed as the pulled Anna off the sofa.

"Exam 1 should be free."

"Anna, what size are you?"

"Six, why?" Anna asked suspiciously.

Chuni sighed, "No reason, people as thin as you don't show as easily, you lucky thing!"

***********************************

Carter smiled as he saw Anna across the ER a week later, she looked so happy. He was happy to, for the first time in a long time. She gave him a secret smile as she went into the lounge for her break.

"Alright, give her five minutes," Carter said, leaning over to where Yosh was waiting, "and get Chuni to tell her I'm in the SICU."

Yosh nodded, wandering off to find Chuni.

***********************************

Anna sauntered into the lounge, a huge smile plastered over her face. Dreamily she placed the portable defribbilator on the coffee table, "Hey Haleh, Conni, have you seen Carter, I need to tell him something."

Chuni wandered in through the other door a second later, "Carter says he's up with a patient in the SICU, but he'll be down for his break in a few minutes."

Haleh smiled at her, "You look positively glowing, honey!"

"Well I should," Anna said with a grin, "I'm pregnant!"

Connie and Haleh gasped and threw their arms around the the paediatrician, "Congratulations!"

Chuni smiled knowingly, "Haleh, didn't you want to ask Anna about the dress?"

The charge nurse smiled, "Oh, yes, Anna are you a size 6?"

"Yes."

"I need you to try this on. I have a niece, your size who is getting married, and I need to adjust the hem, could you try it on."

Anna smiled. "Sure, Haleh!"

Haleh produced the dress from her locker and within a minute it was on, Haleh admired her handiwork, "Perfect!"

Anna looked at herself in the locker mirror, "Oh my, it is the most gorgeous dress!" She exclaimed as she studied to beaded, highwaisted bodice, the thin straps and the full satin skirt.

"Looks like a perfect fit," Chuni said to Haleh as she pulled Anna's hair up into a fancy do and placed the veil over her head, "You have to get the full effect."

"Jolie is going to be very pleased, well done Haleh!" Connie praised the nurse's creation.

Anna suddenly realized that her beeper was going, "Dammit!"

"What dear?" Haleh asked.

"I'm on the code team and they need me in the chapel, oh no, the dress."

Haleh exclaimed, "Don't worry, it won't get hurt, it'll take you ages to get out of it."

Anna grabbed the defibrillator and rushed to the elevator, hardly noticing that the ER was practically deserted.

*****************

Mark Greene, rushed onto the elevator just as Anna got there, brushing the veil out of her eyes.

"Where to?" Mark asked, pressing the floor for the chapel. He looked at Anna in the full bridal gown.

"Oh, god, don't look at me!" Anna said, embarrassed, "It's a long story, Mark!"

"Did I ask?" He replied as she rushed off the elevator when it stopped.

Anna threw open the door to the chapel and gasped at what she saw.

Carter was standing at the altar, in a smart tuxedo, the chapel was covered in flowers and everyone was there: Chuni, Haleh, Conni, Malik, Lydia, Jeanie Boulet, Dave, Jing-Mei, Anspaugh and Morgernstern, Kerry Weaver, Yosh, Elizabeth, Cleo, Benton, Carol and the twins, Luka...wait, Doug and Carol!....god even Robert 'Rocket' Romano!

Anna gasped, realising how easily she had been fooled, "Hi everyone," she announced shyly, "I guess I'm the one who was going to code!"

Everyone laughed, Carter spoke up from the other end of the room, "Well you'll be the first bride to walk down the aisle with a portable defibrillator!"

Anna smiled, and placed the machine on the ground, Mark handed her a bouquet of mixed roses, "These'll be more useful, may I?"

Tears ran from Anna's eyes as she took Mark's arm and he led her down the aisle where she was 'given way' to Carter.

"Marry me?" Carter asked, drawing a ring from his pocket.

"If there's the right time and the right place, it's here and now," Anna replied tossing her veil to the side and kissing Carter on the lips as he placed the ring on her finger.

"Yes?"

"Yes, I want to be with you forever, Dr. Carter!" Anna exclaimed.

"Me too, with you and our baby."

Anna smiled, "How do you know?"

"Chuni isn't that good at keeping secrets!" Carter replied with a trusting and loving smile as they kissed again, to the approval of the gathered audience.

"Dearly beloved...."

THE END