A Time for Redirection Part 3

Lucy felt nervous all of a sudden as they neared the entrance to the main hall. For some reason walking in WITH Carer in front of all these people made her more uncomfortable then she already was. She felt as if they would all be staring at her and talking, wondering what those two were doing together. Lucy of course knew that any such thing was ridiculous and no one would be paying the least bit of attention to them. But that still didn't help to ease her nerves. What did though was when they walked through the door and Carter placed his hand on the small of her back and leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"There's an empty table over there," Carter pointed towards it and waited for for her to spot it. "Is that good?"

Lucy nodded. "Yea that's fine." As they navigated through people and tables his hand remained securely on her back the whole way there. His hand only left her back when he grabbed a chair and pulled it out for her causing a small smile to cover her face. Lucy took the seat and waited patiently for Carter to sit down. Even though it was weird being like this with Carter, it still made her feel nice. How it would be once the got back she didn't know. They didn't have any form of restrictions like they would if she were say his med student. Walking back into work with oppisite attitudes then when they left would definatly raise questions. Ecspecially since they seemed to be attempting some sort of relationship. There would definatly be talk and questions asked. "What time do we leave tomorrow morning?" Lucy asked him once he was seated.

"Eight I think. I still have to finish packing. You had interrupted me." Carter told her in an accusing tone but his face told other wise.

"Well maybe I shouldn't have come then." Lucy told him with a little bit of her own attitude but a hint of a smile escaped in the process.

Carter shook his head. "No, I think I can live with finishing my packing later."

Lucy nodded knowingly. "Yea, I bet." Another further attempt at conversation was interrpted though by the arrival of once of Carter's blonds plus her friend.

"Hey, I'm guessing your not saving all six of these seats?" Rene asked with a smile.

"Of course not." Carter held out his hand. "Pick which ever one you would like."

Lucy frowned at their arrival but quickly changed her demeanor and tried her best not to let on that she was dissapointed by the company of the two women. They had only revealed there feelings to each other the night before. It would do her no good to get jealous so early on.

"Oh we lost you two in the crowd. But when I saw John I knew this is where you were headed."

Lucy turned behind her to see the other blond heading over with the man she had been with only a few days ago. Lucy couldn't help but roll her eyes at this point. It was getting ridiculous. At this point the night seemed to have been shot to hell. Or at least the dinner.

"Oh Jennifer there you are. I was about to tell David to keep a look out for you." Rene said to Jennifer as the new pair took a seat at what had been only moments before a practically empty table. Rene then turned to John and spoke. "So what time is your flight out tomorrow John?"

"It's for eight." John supplied for her.

"Eight?" Jennifer asked a little surprised. "Well that will be a pain. We're not leaving till 3, it takes forever just to get out of here."

"I'm sure it will, but I think Lucy has to be on tomorrow rather early." Turning to Lucy he questioned. "Don't you?"

Lucy nodded. "Yea I'm on at 12." Her response wasn't really noticed by anyone at the table except John.

"Well I guess your not going to come out with us again tonight. Here I was going to offer to buy your drinks again." Josh smiled and pulled out the chair that was next to her. "Of course I had every intention of asking Michael to pay since you broke me the other night."

Lucy smiled at him, relieved that she now had some other people to talk to besides listen in on Carter and his groupies' conversation. "Sorry about that. But no I won't be going out tonight. I'll probably be in bed as soon as this is over."

Josh shook is head with feigned sadness. "Pity."

Lucy laughed at him, as she had often the past four days.

"John, are you going to come out with us tonight?" Rene asked him casually.

Carter his eyes away from the conversation he had been watching between Lucy and the guy she had hung around with since they had arrived at the seminar. Carter's first instinct was to turn back and look at Lucy. Her face was blank though and he couldn't even tell if it mattered to her if he went out with them or not. "I um," Carter turned back to Rene, "I don't know, I still have to finish packing."

"Oh packing doesn't take long at all." Jennifer jumped in. "You can do it when you get back."

"I don't know. I'll have to see." Lucy was right. He did feel weird. He was already feeling guilty about leaving her alone while he went off with two other women. For the rest of dinner they barely said a word to each other. Which Carter also began to feel guilty about. Eventually though the plates began to get cleared away and Carter knew he would have to make a decision. He leaned over and whispered in Lucy's ear. "What are you doing after dinner?"

Lucy turned towards him, a little surprised that it was him whispering in her ear. "Watch TV then go to sleep. Im already packed. Why?"

"Well," Carter began amd looked around to see if anyone had noticed their conversation. Seeing that there wasn't he continued, "if I can do something with you then I'm not going to go out with them."

"I'm sure going out with them would be more interesting them sitting in front of the TV with me." Lucy told him. Of course she would have rathered him stay with her.

"But I like you, not them." When he saw her smile he knew he had won her over and that any more of her pushing him to go have fun elsewhere had ended. "What do you say we leave now?"

Lucy looked at him a little shocked. "What about the speaker."

"I don't like him either." Carter told her and wrinkled his nose to show his disgust of the man.

Lucy laughed. "You know what I mean."

Carter began again, this time a little more seriously." Who cares? I doubt he'll miss us."

Lucy pursed her lips together and gave it some thought. "Alright, but lets hurry before he comes."

Carter smiled and moved away from her as he stood up. "I think I'm going to have to cancel on you tonight Rene."

Rene looked up at him. "Oh alright. Are you leaving? The speaker hasn't even come yet."

"Yea, I think I'm going to have to skip that too."

By that point Lucy had stood up and moved to stand behind both Josh and Michael's chairs. "I'm going to leave too. So I guess this is were I say goodbye."

"Awwwww. You're leaving us to this torture. I would attempt to leave with you but I'm guessing you already have plans elsewhere." Josh hinted with a smirk and looked in the direction of Carter.

Lucy's eyes widened at what he was suggesting, even though it was the truth. "Yea I guess you could say that."

"Well then I'll let you be and just say goodbye then Lucy." Standing up Josh gave her a quick hug. "Have fun."

Michael stood up and held his hand out, always the professional type. "Well good luck Lucy with everything."

Lucy smiled. "Thanks. You to. Maybe I'll see both of you one year if we all get sent back." With that Lucy turned to Carter who was already waiting patiently for her.

"Alright, lets get out of here before that short bald man decides to ruin our fun." Carter said hurriedly and gave her a gentle push in the direction of the door.

"Well I wonder what is up with John, I would have thought he would have joined us tonight." Jennifer stated out loud with the dissapointment in her voice noticed by everyone at the table

Rene watched him walk away with his hand on the girls back. "I think John has other rmore personal issues to attend to."

Josh leaned back in his seat. "I would have to concur. But the last time I saw them together they would have bitten each others heads off. So I obviously missed something."

Rene narrowed her eyes at them as she watched Carter hold the door open for Lucy. "I would have to agree."

"May I have everyones attention."

All the heads of the table turned in the direction of the short bald man and groaned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucy let out a sigh of relief after the door shut. "That little man just walked up there. I could even feel his little beedy eyes staring at my back."

"I doubt that." Carter said as they walked towards the elevator. "Your to short and so is he."

Lucy frowned. "Ha ha. Maybe you were just to tall and he coudln't see me."

Carter shrugged. "Could have been that too."

As soon as they had reached to elevator Lucy jammed her finger onto the brightly lit arrow pointing up. "I feel like I am skipping school." Even while saying so she looked around her to see if anyone noticed. The elevator dinged and she turned her head back around to find the doors opening.

"Well then lets get in the elevator quick before we're caught and are brought to the short bald man." Carter said to her and stepped into the elevator. After pressing the button with the number for on it he turned to face her. "So what's on TV tonight?

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucy opened the door and flipped on the light which illuminated the living room.

Carter walked in behind and made quick obsevations of her room as she locked the door behind them. "They really have no originality when it comes to these hotel rooms."

"Well then maybe you should quite your current profession and design hotel rooms." Lucy offered him as she made her way to the sofa.

"Why would I do that when I can have people bleed and vomit on me?" Carter asked her jokingly as he followed.

Lucy laughed as she plopped on the couch. Looking down at her feet she concentrated on toeing off her shoes while Carter seated himself down near her. At this moment she felt more comfortable around him then ever. It didn't seem like they were trying to start some form of relationship. Insteaed she felt as if they were just friends spending time together. Leaning forward, Lucy grabbed the remote that laid on the table. and after pressing the ON button she jumped up and walked quickly to the light switch and turned it off. Once back to the sofa she flipped on the lamp and turned to him. "I'm warning you, this won't be very interesting."

Carter shurgged at her commit."I'll live, it isn't like I've never sat in front of the TV for a couple of hours." Carter told her.

Lucy shurgged. "I warned ya."

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