I left for the hospital the next morning at around noon, which is when I was told to come pick Grammy up so I could take her home. She was done recovering from her surgery and was able to go back to her home. The doctors told me to make sure she took her medicines, but more importantly, keep her from feeling any stress at all. They wanted me to keep her happy. Because her heart was weaker, she was less able to handle any stressful news. I had to make sure her life was easy, which meant that I would be away from work for a while.

"Ryan, would you please stop yelling for a second and just listen to me!" I exclaimed as I walked down the street, making my way to the hospital.

"Stop yelling? Stop yelling?! Arya, I hired you because you're responsible and timely! And now you're telling me that you're going to be away for a while? You think this is OK? Who the hell is going to do all of your work?!" Ryan shouted on the line.

"I will. I will still do all of my work. I'll just have to fax it to you or something. I'm coming back later today to pick up all of the files I need and I promise, I'll still get everything done on time.  I just need you to understand my situation right now," I said.

"What situation?" he asked.

"Well, if you stopped shooting your mouth off while I was trying to tell you, you would have known!" I exclaimed.

"Quit the dramatics, Hansen. What's going on?" he asked, clearly sounding frustrated.

"My grandmother just had heart surgery. The doctors said that she's weak and so is her heart and she needs me to take care of her now. She can't be home alone," I explained.

"Why can't you just stick her in a nursing home?" he asked.

"Ryan, she raised me as a child when I was orphaned. If I did that, it would be like sticking my mother in a nursing home and I'm not going to do that," I said. I heard him sigh on the other end.

"Ugh, well, fine then," he said. I rolled my eyes internally.

"Besides, it's just temporary until I can convince her to come back with me," I said.

"Well, then use your skills of persuasion and get working! I can't have you working away from the office for too long. I don't know how long Matthews will allow this," he said.

"Kylie will be just fine. It's you whose acting like a child," I said back, turning the corner and waving to Mrs. Knolls. She bounded her way towards me, but I pointed to the phone, silently telling her that I couldn't talk. Thank God. The woman would have eaten my ears out.

"Well pardon me for needing my paralegal," he said.

"Just admit that you miss me," I said.

"Yeah, that's not going to happen," he replied. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, even though he couldn't see me. "I better see your perky ass in here before I leave for the night. I'll talk to you then," he said.

"Yes, sir," I said.

"See you, babe," he said.

"Bye," I replied, pressing the end button. I sighed and ran a hand through my wavy brunette locks. It was only 12:30 in the afternoon and I was already exhausted. I had a long day ahead of me.

I walked into the hospital and waved to the front desk greeter, who was an old man that smiled pleasantly at me. As I walked by, I did a double take.

"Larry?" I asked, squinting at the man to make sure I was seeing correctly.

"Arya Hansen," he replied back with a toothy smile that showed off his dentures. "For a second there, I thought you might have forgotten me," he added.

"How could I forget you, Larry! All those tomatoes!" I exclaimed, hugging the old man.

Larry O'Neil had been Grammy's neighbor for over 20 years. As a child, I remembered him bringing us bags full of fresh tomatoes that he used to grow in his garden. I remembered him and Grammy always exchanging vegetables and recipes. He was like a second grandfather to me, after Grammy's husband died. It was only recently that Larry had moved out of his house and into a retirement home. According to Grammy, he had had a stroke and his kids didn't want him to live at home alone anymore. So they stuck him in a nursing home.

"Ah! Well, I'm glad you remember something!" he said. I laughed.

"How've you been, Larry?" I asked.

"I've been well, sweetheart. What about you? Haven't seen you since you jetted out of here for college!" he said. I nodded and smiled half-heartedly.

"I've been good. I'm working at a law firm in the city now," I told him.

"Would ya look at that! I knew you'd chase after your dream. You were always so ambitious," he said, clapping me on the shoulder with his bony hands. I chuckled.

"Well, I'm not quite there, yet. I still quite a ways to go. I'm just working as a paralegal," I said.

"Honey, to an old fella like me, a law firm is a law firm. Everyone there is a lawyer. Even the janitor," he said. I laughed.

"I guess you're right about that," I said, poking him in the arm. He chuckled a hearty laugh.

"So what are you doing here, hun?" he asked.

"I honestly can't believe the entire town doesn't know. I guess we've done a pretty good job of keeping it a secret from Mrs. Knolls," I said.

"Why? What happened?" he asked.

"Grammy had heart surgery. She's been in the hospital for a few days now. That's why I'm back," I told him.

"By God! I volunteer here everyday and I haven't heard a word about that!" he exclaimed.

"I guess Grammy didn't want anyone to make a big deal out of it," I shrugged.

"Well, is she all right now?" he asked. I nodded.

"I'm bringing her home now," I said.

"Well, how do you plan on doing that? Whose car did you bring?" he asked. I felt my eyes widen.

"Oh my goodness! That completely slipped my mind! I didn't bring a car!" I exclaimed. Larry shook his head at me.

"They won't let you take her home unless you've got a vehicle, young lady," he told me.

"I am such an idiot," I said.

"It happens to the best of us, hun. We'll figure something out," he said.

"You wouldn't happen to have a car, would you, Larry?" I asked.

"Sweetheart, I haven't driven a car since 1992," he told me. I frowned.

"Maybe I can call Danny or something," I said.

"I'm sure he'd be happy to help!" he said. I nodded.

"Thanks, Larry," I told him. "Oh, and, please try to keep the Grammy situation to yourself. I think there's a reason she didn't want anyone to know," I said.

"Your secret's safe with me, toots," he said, winking at me. I chuckled and then waved to him as I walked away. I made my way to the cardiology unit, looking through my purse for my phone. As I rummaged, I ran into someone.

"Shit!" I cried, losing balance on black pumps I was wearing. Whoever I had crashed into, caught onto my arm before I fell.

"Woah, there!" the voice exclaimed. As soon as I heard it, I closed my eyes.

"Arya?" I heard Carter's voice say. I opened my eyes, feeling my heart rate increase slightly.

"Carter," I replied, shaking his arms off of me.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He wasn't wearing scrubs today. Instead, he was wearing a fitted light blue shirt and some dark grey khakis with his doctor's coat on top. He looked damn good.

"Nothing," I replied, tucking my hair behind my ears.

"Why have you been coming to the hospital lately? Is everything all right? Is Grammy ok?" he asked.

"It's nothing that concerns you, Carter," I said, starting to move past him. I heard him sigh deeply before coming after me. He grabbed onto my wrist, stopping me from going forward.

"Look, I'm sorry for the way I acted last night. It was completely immature of me. I don't know why I said those things," he said.

"I don't care how you acted," I said, twisting my wrist out of his grip. My skin tingled from where his hand had been.

"Yes, you do. You wouldn't have walked out like that if you didn't," he said, his eyes dark.

"Carter, it doesn't even matter anymore," I said, trying to get past him again. He blocked my way.

"Will you accept my apology or not?" he asked.

"Why are you so insistent?" I asked back. He sighed, frustrated.

"Will you at least tell Julie that I apologized, because she lectured me all night about the way I acted," he said. I let out a laugh in disbelief and shook my head at him.

"Unbelievable. So your apology wasn't even real? You were just saying it to get Julie off your case?" I asked, looking at him incredulously.

"I think we can both agree that I don't owe you anything," he said. I felt a sharp pang in my chest because I knew he was right. 

"Well, good then. I don't owe you anything, either," I said, hearing my voice crack at the end. I closed my eyes and cursed myself for being so vulnerable in front of him. I started to walk away again, but he called my name.

"Arya, wait," he said, stopping me once again.

"Can we just agree to be out of each other's way? I'm sure that's what you want," I said.

"That's not--" he started, but then caught himself. "Just tell me why you're here," he insisted.

"Why does it matter, Carter? You don't care anymore! It doesn't matter," I said, saying the words slowly and clearly.

I saw something flash through his eyes when I told he didn't care. In my desperation, I thought it might have been regret. I thought I saw a flicker of guilt. But as soon as I saw it, it was gone. Nothing happened. He was still the same, bitter Carter.

"I'll find out eventually. I work here," he said.

"Don't even try. I've told them not to tell anyone. Especially you," I replied.

"Arya," he said sternly as I began to walk away again.

"What?! What do you want from me?" I asked, turning to face him again.

He stared at me for a long while before speaking, his honey brown eyes showing a storm of emotions, none of which I could recognize anymore.

"Are you all right?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"I'm not here for me, if that's what you're asking," I said.

"Is Grammy all right?" he asked. I looked at him, fighting back tears. He still called her Grammy.

"She's fine. I'm here now," I replied.

I turned and then walked up to the front desk, feeling Carter's eyes on me.

"I'm here for Martha Hansen," I said.

"Are you her ride home?" the woman at the desk asked. Fortunately for me, she was a different lady from the night before.

"I can be if you lend me a car," I said, a sheepish smile on my face. She gave me a stern look.

"We cannot release the patient unless she has a proper ride back home," she said.

"No chance for a taxi here, right?" I asked jokingly. She raised an eyebrow at me.

"I'll take her," I heard Carter say, coming up next to me. I closed my eyes in annoyance.

"You will?" the woman asked.

"Yes, I'll drive her home," he said, not glancing at me.

"We'll prepare her for her release, then," the woman said. I nodded and then stepped away from the desk. I gave Carter a glare and then began walking towards Grammy's room, Carter walking right behind me. I got to her room and knocked, entering when she told me I could.

"Hey, Grammy," I said.

"Hello, dear," she said, smiling at me.

The door opened a little more and then Carter stepped inside next to me. I saw Grammy's eyebrows shoot up.

"Carter? What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I'm your ride home," he said.

"Really now? Did Arya ask you to be?" she asked.

"She didn't have to," he said quickly before I could answer. "Are you all set to go?" he asked, reaching down an picking up Grammy's bag.

"Why, yes. Yes, I am," Grammy said slowly, looking at me. I silently tried telling her how I didn't approve of the situation, but I had no choice. Grammy, however, seemed amused, because her eyes twinkled in a way that told me she was thinking and whatever those thoughts were, I knew I wouldn't like them.

Carter grabbed all of Grammy's things and I helped her out of bed, holding her arm as we walked out of her hospital room. I followed Carter out to his shiny black Mercedes. I raised my eyebrows at him.

"It was a gift from Natalie," he told me, popping the trunk and tossing Grammy's bag in it.

"I'm sure that had to do a lot with you getting along with her," I said. He gave me a look.

"Not a lot, but it helped," he said.

I found myself let out a tiny laugh and then I saw something that made me think I was dreaming. The corners of Carter's lips turned up in the slightest way, reaching up to his eyes. For a second, it was as if everything was all right between us. It was almost as if we were back to the way we were six years ago, before I had broken his heart. But a second only lasts so long and before I knew it, his lips were drawn in their straight line once more.

I helped Grammy sit in the backseat and then made to get in after her. But she put her hand up and pushed my face out, not letting me sit with her.

"Sit in front," she hissed.

"No! Grammy! What are you doing?" I hissed back, glaring at her.

"I don't want you to sit with me," she said.

"Gra-" I began.

"Are you ladies ready to go?" Carter asked, coming around to the driver's side. I stood up so quickly that I bumped my head on the roof of his car.

"Shit! Mother fu-" I cursed. Grammy gave me a look before I could finish the word out loud. My curses continued in my mind, though.

"It's not a convertible," Carter said as I stood up and rubbed the top of my head.

"Oh, really?" I asked, sarcastically.

He rolled his eyes at me and then got into the driver's side of the car. I slammed the backseat door closed and then got into the passenger seat, huffing and crossing my arms over my chest. If Grammy thought that she would be able to get me to confess what caused me to break Carter's heart to him, she was delusional. I would never, ever do that. I couldn't ruin his life; not right before he was about to get married.

"So, what happened, Grammy?" Carter asked, glancing at her from the rearview mirror.

"Oh, you know, dear. Age," she replied, brushing the topic aside easily.

"You were in the hospital for three days and I had no idea," Carter said. "If I had known, I would have come to visit you or something," he added.

"Oh, that's quite all right. No one knew and that's how I wanted it. But it turned out to be a blessing, because it brought my Arya back to me after so many years," she said, patting my shoulder. I forced a smile at her and saw Carter's jaw twitch.

The drive back home to Grammy's house was a quick one. In a small town like Saranac, it was quick to go from place to place when driving.  Because everything was so close together, most people preferred simply walking over driving.

Carter pulled up in front of Grammy's house by the sidewalk. I hopped out of the car and held open the door for Grammy while Carter grabbed her bags from the trunk. Grammy held onto my arm as we walked up the pathway to the door. I extracted the key from my bag and opened the door with my hip. Grammy walked inside and I held the door open for Carter, who seemed hesitant to walk inside. How long had it been since he had stepped foot inside that house? It was probably the same amount of time that I had been gone.

I followed in after Carter, who dropped Grammy's bag on the ground.

"Well, thanks for driving us," I said to Carter, still holding the door open for him to leave.

"Umm, yeah, it was no problem," Carter said, looking at me with a distracted expression.

"So I guess we'll just see-" I began, but Grammy cut me off.

"Why don't you stay for dinner, dear?" Grammy suggested, a smile on her face and a twinkle in her faded green eyes.

"Grammy," I hissed. She ignored me.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Carter said, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"Nonsense. I haven't had a proper conversation with you in years. We can catch up over dinner. What do you say, Arya?" Grammy said. I pursed my lips.

"I can't. I promised Ryan that I'd come by this evening to pick up my paperwork and files since I'm obviously going to be here for some time," I said, shrugging dramatically. Grammy smiled at me, mischief in her eyes.

"Well, then Carter can give you a ride to the firm and then we can all have dinner together when you come back," she said.

"Don't you have work?" I hissed at Carter.

"I don't want to do this either," he hissed back.

"Then make up an excuse!" I replied. We had a glaring contest for a few moments before he turned his attention back to Grammy.

"What about Julie? She can't eat alone-" Carter began saying.

"She's a big girl and you two eat together every night. It's time for a little change," Grammy said.

"But Grammy-" I protested.

"That's enough!" she said sternly.

"Gr-" Carter started.

"From both of you! We are all having dinner together, and I don't want to hear a word otherwise. The doctor said not to stress me out and if you two keep arguing with me, it will stress me out," she said, her tone final.

Carter and I nodded at the floor, defeated. There was nothing we could do now; we couldn't go against Grammy's decision. I silently cursed her for pulling the stress card. She was going to abuse her newfound illness to make me do things I didn't want to do. Carter glanced at me, a stressed expression on his face.

I sighed.

This was certainly going to be an interesting evening.

_________________________________________________

A/N: Hehe. Next chapter is going to be a fun one to write. I have the perfect song picked out for it already. And the inspiration for it is the movie 13 Going On 30, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. So if you've seen that movie, you're in for a treat!

Anyway, do you think Carter and Arya are somehow breaking down that awkward-tension barrier? Do you think Carter still has feelings for her? Or is it still one-sided?

Leave me a comment and vote!

I've got about a week and then school starts up again. So I'll try to get in a chapter before Monday, but don't get your hopes up, because I've still got work to do

XOXO

P.S. Idk what the song has to do with anything. I just love All Time Low.