Days of Our Lives and its characters belong to Corday Productions and NBC. No infringement is intended - this work is for enjoyment, not profit. Any resemblance of this story to persons living or dead, or works of fiction/non-fiction published or unpublished is purely coincidental. This story may not be printed except for personal use. Please print it in its entirety, including the header and the copyright information. Praise and thoughtful criticism may be emailed to Amber Rated PG-13 For Adult Content...This story begins in Las Vegas.   I lay on my stomach, wide awake. Listening to the sound of the rain lightly tap the window. My mind drifted back to Carrie and our evening of dining and dancing. I closed my eyes and imagined her. The door opened slowly.   "Mike?"   I smiled. Carrie.   I watched her walk slowly up to my bed. She was dressed in a sheer robe and as she reached my bed, she slipped out of it.   I closed my eyes. A dream. Why do I do this to myself?   I felt her slip between the sheets. My eyes popped open automatically. She then slipped beneath me.   I propped myself up on my elbows. She wrapped her arms around my neck. I felt her warm body start to pulsate beneath mine. I was sure she felt my body do the same.   "My dear Dr. Horton. I can't seem to sleep," she whispered softly, brushing her lips against my ear lobe as she spoke. I turned over so that my back was to her.   "Try warm milk."   She slid her hand up my back, down my stomach, and then stopped at my belly button. My stomach did about 100 flips at once.   "Michael William Horton," she whispered again making my body go numb. "I want your body against mine. I want all of you Mike. Please don't deny me of the man I want, need, - love. Please make love to me Mike."   I leaned down and put all my feelings - love for her, into a single, passionate, spine tingling kiss.   "Mike," she whispered kissing my lips again. Then my ear, my nose and my check. Then finally, my lips once more. She then pulled away and pushed my head down, keeping her fingers intertwined in my hair.   I kissed the side of her neck. Then the spot between her neck and breasts. The muscles in both contracted weakly to the touch of my lips.   "Carrie, are you sure about this? I mean have your second thoughts now before we go any further."   "Mike there isn't a doubt in my mind. I've wanted this for such a long time and it feels so right. I want you to put your hands in places that I've been dreaming for them to be for the longest time. I want to completely give myself to you. I love you."   I slowly lowered my head and began kissing everything I came in contact with. ~ 2 Months Later ~   I shuffled the paper in my hands as Carrie passed me. I quickly glanced at her. She was distorted, sort of zombie like. I didn't pretend not to know why. She'd been like that for two months now. Ever since that morning. The day she left Vegas and me. The man who snapped her heart in two.   I raised my hand to my check as the pain from that slap, her slap that day, rushed back.   Carrie slowly marched into her office and left the door slightly ajar...Teasing me. I stood there, struggling to see inside, to see her. My thoughts returned back to the day we left Vegas as I quietly gazed at her. Watching her throw herself into her work as usual. ~ Las Vegas ~   I recoiled my arms from around Carrie. She wiggled closer to me. I couldn't help but smile, and wrap my arms around her tightly, once again. As they always should be.   My noble mind began to churn. No, no, no, Horton! No! You've won! Don't look for a hole in the silver lining.   But I didn't listen to my heart. My mind produced a million reasons why we shouldn't be together, and number one being her wedding ring beside my CoS name tag on the night stand.   As much as I regreted it, I slid out of bed and put on a robe.   "Where do you think you're going Horton? I'm not done with you yet!" she laughed and leapt up and kissed me. I pulled away after a second. She looked at me confusingly.   "Carrie we can't do this. Not like - like this," I said looking down. Unable to gaze into her crystal emerald eyes. I can't bare to see pain in them.   I finally glanced into them after the longest moment of silence. They were full of mist and the twinkle was gone.   "Mike I love you. You love me. At least I hope you -"   "Carrie no. I love you so much that you couldn't possibly understand the depth of it. Don't you ever doubt my love. EVER!" I said trying hard not to put my arms around her.   "Then what's wrong Mike? Why can't we be together?"   I took her hand and sat her on a chair.   "Carrie I've wanted this for two years. Since I first fell in love with you in LA."   She smiled at the memories.   "Now that I have it - you. I just can't help thinking that there is heartache and pain that will accompany this. So much of it that we might not make it through- together."   "No Mike ple-". I put a finger against her moist lips.   " Let me finish. Much more heartache and pain then passion and pure love. And then comes all the reasons against us and our love. Carrie, there are just too many. And are you really ready to face them?"   She cried softly. I wanted so bad to hold her in my arms.   I stood up. "Are you really ready to give up on Austin? Divorce him? I can't be your 2nd anymore. I don't think I can take it. And I can't afford to lose my job for having an affair with a married woman."   She bit her lip so hard blood trickled from it. She then slapped me; slapped me with such passion, anger, and - love; which made it hurt worse then the actual contact.   "Mike Horton I can't believe you just said that!"   "Are you saying that you're gonna divoce Austin when you get back? Because I can't do this to myself anymore. I won't. I don't deserve it, you don't and neither does Austin. You should think about this a while."   She cried harder. I knew it. She's not ready to.   She picked up her ring and started to slip it on, but stopped. She held it up to me as if it were mine.   "Every time I wear this, I'll think of tonight, when I was truly happy. And every time Austin touches me, I'll feel as if I'm cheating on you. Every time I lay in bed next to him, I'll wish it were you there next to me. Holding me."   Slow torture.   "Are you going to LA?" I asked taking in a deep breath and changing the subject at hand. Horton - you're such a chicken.   "Is there any point?" she replied softly.   Oh God this hurts so much.   She gathered all her things and walked toward the door, but didn't open it.   "One last kiss. Please Mike ?" she pleaded turning around, tossing her things in a chair, then walking back toward me.   "Yes," I replied softly.   It was soft and seemed to last forever. It sealed our love and our good-byes. ~ Hospital ~   "Earth to Michael Horton," Lexie said, snapping her fingers in front of my face. "Are you here with us?"   I glanced at her blankly.   "Do you plan on working today or to just gaze at her?" she asked, lowering her voice.   "I'm sorry Lex," I apologized.   She smiled at me. "It's okay Mike. I understand."   "It's just that she looks so lost. So much sadder then usual. Something's just not right Lex."   Lexie gazed up at me concerned for me; for Carrie. "Mike, go talk to her. I'm begging you to. She is too. She's afraid. Go be her best friend. She looks like she could use one right about now."   I smiled at Lexie and made my way slowly toward her office. I closed the door behind me.   "Carrie."   "Doctor Horton." She scowled.   "Carrie are you okay?"   "Why do you ask? No, why do you care? I've looked like this for the past two months and you, YOU Michael Horton, you haven't even bothered to ask me how I'm doing. You haven't even bothered to give me one of your 'It breaks my heart to see you like this' looks. So why does it matter now?"   But I have Carrie. Oh God, I have Princess.   "Okay fine. As a doctor I'm asking you. How are you feeling? Is there anything wrong?"   I glanced at her painfully as her eyes filled with tears. She laid her head on her desk.   "Mike," she whispered faintly. " I think. I think I'm pregnant."   My heart dropped and then began skipping every other beat.   "And I'm afraid. So very scared that it's - that it's Au - Austin's," she cried softly, letting her voice squeak and crack.   "Huh? Carrie, what are you talking about?" I asked stupidly. Then my voice began cracking. "He is your husband."   "Mike, I want this baby to be ours. Yours and mine."   I gazed at her.   She swallowed and continued. "A token of our love, all of our passion. But Austin - he - he thought he could make things better between us." Streams of tears began falling down her cheeks. "And he - he became you. But he wasn't. He wasn't at all anything like you Mike. He could never be. Never even come close to you. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to betray you, Mike. I never meant to."   "Oh hun. Carrie no! You didn't betray me." I stroked her face softly. "You're married to Austin." I knelt down and took her soft hands. "I can only be there when he can't. I can only be your friend."   She fell into my arms crying. I wrapped them around her hoping they would immune her from this pain and everything that was hurting her - MY precious Carrie.   I kissed her head and buried mine in her hair.   She let go and looked at me. Her eyes were hungry and passionate just like the night in Vegas.   "Listen to me Carrie. I'll stay here - late with you. To help you clear ALL this - everything up."   "Thank you Mike. I'd love that. I just don't - I don't have the strength to do this alone."   "I promise I won't let you go through this alone. I love you too much to let you hurt alone."   I realized I had said what she'd been begging to hear. But it was true. I love Carrie. I want to be her baby's father. And I want to be with her forever.   "You still love me?" she ask smiling through a face drenched with tears.   "Do you remember what I told you the day we left Vegas?" I asked her as I softly wiped a tear away.   "I'd like to forget about that!" she hissed.   "No Carrie! I told you I'd always - ALWAYS love you no matter what! Please don't ever forget that!"   She smiled. The room lit up.   "And I love you now more then ever - Princess."   "Mike I -"   "Shh," I whispered.   I pulled her up. "I'm going to take you home. You need a lot of rest. I'll come by and bring you back here later," I said opening the door.   She pushed it closed. "Mike NO! I don't wanna go home."   "Yeah of course you don't. That was a stupid idea," I said, scolding myself.   "Come on you can rest in my office if you'd like."   She looked at me mystically.   "Carrie you are going to rest on my office sofa. That's all. I just don't want you to be alone right now." I opened the door a little. "And besides," I whispered, "there are people everywhere."   She laughed lightly.   She's such an angel.   She met my gaze and touched my hand.   "Let's go Carrie."   She walked across the hall staying in front of me.   "Go in and shut the door. I'll be in later," I whispered in her direction.   She shook her head at me. I walked off into OR. ~ A Few Hours Later ~   I slipped into my office. Carrie slept on. Soundly and peacefully on my sofa. I walked over and touched her head tenderly.   "My sweet angel," I whispered. "I love you my Princess."   She stirred a bit.   I knelt down and rubbed her palm. My mind and heart raced. Each trying to catch up with what the other was feeling.   "Tonight will change everything."   I stood up and walked to my desk. A knock brought me out of the trance Carrie's sweet sleeping figure had put me in.   "Mike can I come in?" Lexie asked from behind the door.   "Yes."   She walked inside slowly. Taking in the sight of Carrie sleeping and me leaning against my desk.   "She's very tired Lex. She needed so much sleep. It will her so much." I sighed gazing at her.   "Well Mike, I came by to let you know that the hospital's empty and I'm leaving now."   "Bye Lex."   "Bye," she smiled.   I knelt beside Carrie. I ran my hand down her face, tracing its charming shape. She opened her eyes and locked them with mine.   "It's time Carrie."   She got up and grabbed my hand as I lead her to the lab. ~ Lab ~   I starred at the results blankly. My heart was screaming and I felt dizzy. Too dizzy to think.   How will Carrie react to this?   A smile spread across my face.   "In tears. Tears of pure joy," I answered myself softly.   I planned how I'd tell her as I slowly walked out.   I couldn't let her read the news from my smile. I wanted her to hear it from my mouth my lips. See it in my eyes; feel it in my touch. I wanted to see her reaction. I wanted her to hear the words, feel them.   I walked slowly to her bundled up body in the corner. Her head was resting against my jacket that was draped casually over the cushion of a couch.   "Mike - what - who's - am I ?" she asked, not sure how to exactly ask this question.   "Carrie, I want you to know that no matter what this paper in my hands says, I will be here, there, any and everywhere for you no matter what."   She cupped her face in her hands. "I want you to be Mike. I want you to experience every moment of this with me - but, I..." she stopped as tears began to softly roll down her face.   I swallowed hard. "Carrie you are a pregnant Princess," I started. She closed her eyes. "But not with -,"   She clutched my hand cutting my sentence off. She opened her beautiful eyes. I decided to finish.   "But not with Austin's baby!" I smiled. "Carrie you're having my baby! Our baby!"   She smiled so brilliantly, the room glowed.   "Mike, I wanted it to be yours so badly. I can't believe it is! It's ours Mike!" She cried throwing her arms around my neck and sliding her fingers through my hair.   I kissed her and then knelt down and kissed her stomach. My baby, our creation is inside. And we couldn't have chosen a better place! ~ Epilogue ~ ~ Mike's Loft ~   I opened my eyes slowly. My hand was resting silently in Mike's hair. I smiled. He sound asleep beside me.   The events of the night replayed in slow motion as I ran my hand through his hair then down his neck, stopping at his back then staring upward only to return to that spot many more times. I sighed as I glanced at our bodies, intertwined like wire, and smiled at the thought of how they got that way.   I lay on my back with my right arm stretched up and out. Mike's tanner, stronger arm, his left, draped over my upper body. His dark, strong fingers locking, finally, with mine.   Mike lay on his strong chest. Resting his sweet head in the space between my shoulder and the top of my head. I moved mine closer to his. His right hand and arm, my pillow, followed. His fingers staying locked in my hair.   I listened to his soft, sweet breath. Each breath was like a quiet, wordless promise. Intent on being kept. And my heart rejoiced every time his lips softly brushed my neck as he exhaled.   I glanced past him at the slightly ajar door of the joining room. Beth's. Mike and I' s sweet baby girl. Our beautiful creation.   I turned my head and looked down at my sleeping lover and repositioned my hand so that I could stroke his face.   His sweet, warm breath became longer, more peaceful. "I love you," he whispered from somewhere deep in a dream. It was so light and breathy that only my heart could hear his soft words.   "I love you too," I whispered gently. "More then life itself. More then I can express in words alone."   I heard him sigh softly. It was a dreamy, lust-filled sigh and I knew he heard me and was dreaming of me - us.   I kissed his head gently and took in my world once more. Then silently closed my dreamy, dazed eyes and returned to MY dreams. The sweet passionate dreams of my lover, my husband, and my best friend. The End! Thank you, Amber! I appreciate that you took the time to write this awesome story! :o) Back to Mike and Carrie: Together Forever