We Go On

Chapter Fourteen

     The doctors removed most of the tubing from Carter, only leaving the essential ones. They informed Katherine that Carter was stable for now, and if she kept it up, she might be able to return home in a few days.

     Carter's finally able to have more than two visitors and all of her friends walk into Carter's room with flowers and balloons, wanting to surprise her, but they find her sleeping, angled up on her bed, the monitors still beeping, but at a more steady pace.

     They try to keep quiet, hoping they won't wake her. Though Erick has always been the loudest, he accidentally kicks the chair and wakes Carter.

     "Sorry kiddo." he apologizes

     "Wow... you guys are a sight for sore eyes." she says with a smile, her heart monitor beeped a little faster, and she was thrilled to see her friends again.

     "Thank God you're okay." Maria runs up to Carter and wraps her arms around her, tears running down her face.

     "How are you?" Liam asks Carter as he leans in, hugs her, and plants a gentle kiss on her temple.

     "I'm okay. You guys?" she asks them.

     "Better now that you're awake." Erick says, taking hold of Carter's hand, and giving a soft squeeze.

     Carter looks into his eyes and sees the redness, the dark circles forming underneath. She notices the same about Charlie, who is standing off in the back. She brings Erick's hand to her lips and kisses it, "I'm so sorry for putting you guys through that." she says, guilty for all the pain and worry she has caused.

     "No, we're sorry... we're sorry for making you feel like you couldn't talk to us, confide in us." Liam says

     "Carter, you could have told us what was going on. Your mental health, your heart..." Samantha says

      "My mom told you guys..." Carter says, nodding her head slowly in the realization that her mom must've told them about her heart condition.

     "Why didn't you tell us?" Erick asks

     Carter shrugs and looks down at her hands in her lap, "I was scared... I didn't want my last months to change our friendship, to ruin anything. I figured if I didn't say anything, everything would stay the same." she says

     "If it did change, it would be for the better. We'd make each day more special. Spend as much time as we could together." Maria says

     "No, see that's just it. I didn't want you guys to put your lives on hold because mine was ending. Whenever one of us was sick, we'd all cancel all of our plans to be together, to be on call just in case we were needed. I didn't want that. I didn't want you to cancel your plans for me." Carter says

     "But-" Samantha was about to protest.

     "No. I just want this. You guys. Nothing special. Just us, for us to go on." she smiles

***

      After talking for hours, the Doctor on Carter's case came in to check on her progress. Letting everyone know she was doing good and on the right track to going home.

     Eventually, Carter fell asleep and her friends all snuck out so she could sleep in peace. Saying their silent goodbyes to her and to Katherine who wished them goodnight.

     Once they were in the hallway and away from her room, Charlie spoke up.

     "I know she said nothing special, but I have an idea." he says