Many thanks to the ERFFCC for their suggestions and comments This story idea came from a post in this newsgroup in connection with Kim's forthcoming 'Random Pairings' series. Someone (can't remember who) said that they wished they could see a Peter/Carol romance (which was part of the rejected group) well this isn't a romance, but it is Peter & Carol so enjoy.
Takes place just before Carol returns to work after having the twins - Season 6 spoilers
Peter Benton stepped into the elevator and held the doors open so Carol could maneuver the stroller in. "Thanks Peter," she said.
"What floor?" asked Peter
"Down to the ER."
"You back working already?"
Carol shook her head, "Not for another week. I had to bring the girls in for a check-up. Figured I might as well check out what shifts I'm on."
"Not to mention showing off your daughters," said Peter
"That too," grinned Carol.
"They are beautiful, Carol," said Peter indicating the sleeping children. "I'd say Doug's real proud of them."
"I don't know Peter, he hasn't seen them."
Peter looked at Carol in surprise. He was about to say something when the elevator stopped suddenly and the lights went out.
The emergency lights came on to the sound of two crying babies. Tess and Kate had both been woken by the elevator's sudden stop. "Shh, girls," said Carol crouching down before the stroller. "It's all right, Mommy's here."
The girls ignored her efforts to calm them and just screamed louder. "It's okay," said Carol as she unstrapped Tess and picked her up.
"Here, let me help," said Peter, taking Tess in his arms.
"Thanks Peter," said Carol as she took Kate out of the stroller.
With some difficulty the two girls were calmed down. "They're probably hungry," said Carol, looking worried. "I was hoping to feed them in the lounge before I went home."
"Do you have bottles made up?" asked Peter. "I can give you a hand. Oh, wait a minute; we've no way of heating it up for them. I guess you'll just have to wait until we get out of here, eh Tess? Unless you want a cold drink? What do you think Carol, will they take a cold bottle?"
Carol shook her head. "I don't have any bottles made up. I'm still breast-feeding." Carol looked down at her chest and swore softly when she saw the stain that was forming. "Oh dammit. Peter, I can't wait."
"You're going to feed them here?"
"Do you have a better idea?"
Peter opened his mouth and then closed it again. He looked away discreetly as Carol sat down in a corner and settled Kate at her breast. "You can look now Peter," said Carol, half-amused at his reaction. Peter sat down opposite her and tried to avoid looking at her breasts. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen a baby breast-fed before, but like a lot of men, he found it slightly disconcerting. He tried to think of something to say.
He finally said, "So you were saying Doug hasn't seen the girls?" Carol nodded, her attention firmly fixed on Kate. It wasn't the first time she had been forced to feed in front of someone, but it was always slightly unnerving. Peter continued, "I suppose it's not easy, him getting enough time off to come all the way from Seattle."
"I wouldn't know anything about that, Peter. I haven't spoken to him since Thanksgiving."
Peter was a bit taken-aback at this. "You haven't? Why not?"
Carol sighed, remembering the call she had made after Tess and Kate were born. Doug had been ecstatic at the news. "He wanted us to move to Seattle so we could be a family. I told him that if he wanted that then he could easily move back to Chicago. He refused."
"But why wouldn't he come to see them?" Benton was surprised that Doug hadn't made the effort.
"Because I told him not to." Carol stopped abruptly.
Peter looked at Carol "I don't understand you Carol. Why are you keeping them apart? It's not fair to Doug or the girls."
"Peter, it's not really any of your business."
"Carol, I'm a father. I know what it's like to be faced with the thought of
not seeing my kid."
"It's not the same thing. Reese is three. You've bonded with him. Naturally you don't want to lose him. I just feel that it's better that the twins don't get attached to a father who's probably only going to see them a few times a year." And who will probably disappear from their lives without warning, she thought to herself. At the back of her mind, all through her relationship with Doug, Carol had found herself holding back, unable to trust him fully. She had only finally begun to accept that he would be around when they had started trying for a child, and then he had upped and left her. She did not want her children to suffer that pain.
The sudden movement of the elevator as it resumed its journey startled Carol. Quickly she replaced Kate in her stroller, and rearranged her clothing. Peter silently strapped Tess back into her seat. He wished that he could persuade Carol to change her mind. Okay, he hadn't always had a lot of time for Doug, but it still wasn't right that he was being kept from seeing his kids.
"Carol, will you do me a favor?" he asked abruptly, as the elevator neared his destination.
"What is it?"
"Call Doug. Give him the chance to see the girls. It's the right thing to do, for all of them."
Carol sighed. "I don't know Peter. I'll think about it."
"That's all I ask." Peter gave her one of his rare smiles as the doors opened.
The End
--
céindreadh
"I have never understood why it is necessary to become irrational in order to prove that you care, or why it should be necessary to prove it at all"
Kerr Avon
--
http://homepage.eircom.net/~ceindreadh/index.htm