Answered Prayers

Carter didn't walk in straight away.

There wasn't much to the small hospital church: a few pews, a small dais at the front, and a collection of candles around the perimeter. They were the only source of light in the room, leaving the pane glass windows dark and indistinguishable. He could just make out the figure sitting in the middle row, but Carter would recognize her anywhere.

He couldn't tell if Amber was actually praying or not, so he decided to take his time. His head was still all over the place, both from the events of the day and what Mark said in the waiting room. Staring at her profile silhouetted by the candles, Carter wanted more than anything for it all to be true. Every sweet word.

Of all the things I wanna say to you, number one is that I love you.

"There's a draft."

Carter jumped when Amber spoke, her voice echoing in the empty room.

"What?"

"It's warmer in here than in the hall," she finally looked over her shoulder at him with a soft smile, "In case you were going for discretion."

"Damn, sorry." He let the door close behind him, cringing at being caught. "The cops told me you were in here, but I can come back—"

She motioned to him with a wave of her hand. "No, it's ok. Come sit."

Maneuvering between the aisles, Carter's heart was racing by the time he reached the seat next to her. The pew creaked under his weight, but she still scooted closer until their thighs were touching — which did nothing to steady his pulse.

"Were you praying?" he asked, glancing around the church. Carter didn't remember her being religious growing up, but who knew what life changes she'd made since then. He was excited to learn each one.

"Not really... I don't actually know how to. This just seemed like a good place to think. Quiet." Amber looked at him expectantly. "How'd it go?"

"Mark? It went—" Better than Carter was expecting, honestly. After years of playing out the moment in his head, it was still surreal that they had finally cleared the air. Of course, part of him was still cautious. Did he trust that Mark would fully accept him now? Not really. Only time would tell. He didn't want to get Amber's hopes up too high, so he settled with the truth. "Ok. We're ok."

"Well, that's good, right? Great, even." She was doing a horrible job of hiding her excitement; Carter could see the megawatt smile trying to take over her face. So much for deterring her hopes.

"How were the police?" When in doubt, change the subject. There would be plenty of time to talk about Mark later. "What'd they ask?"

Amber shrugged and leaned against the pew, turning her body so they were facing each other. "Just more stuff about Mark and the deal with Darren. They were mostly curious about why I showed up at the diner and if I was somehow involved."

"What did you say?" Carter studied her for any reaction.

Instead of answering, she met his eye. "What did you say when they asked you?"

"I said Mark must have told you about tonight," Carter propped up his head and rested his elbow on the back of the pew. "But of course, that's not true."

"Who says it's not?" Amber asked lightly, taking his hand and pulling it into her lap. "In some ways, he did."

Carter was done beating around the bush. "How did you know what would happen tonight, Amber?"

He downplayed how much she knew about the deal when he talked to Mark, but it was all Carter had thought about when he was being interrogated by the police. Their questions had sparked ones of his own, specifically about Amber's ramblings at the party. She may have put two and two together about some things, but others were impossible for her to know ahead of time.

"Would you let it go if I said intuition?" She shot him a hopeful smile.

"Intuition doesn't tell you the exact time people are gonna be places, so no, I'm afraid I wouldn't."

Groaning, she rolled her eyes. "Fine, it was all on his phone. That's why I wanted it so bad. He said something in the car yesterday about nine tonight and it made me suspicious. Turns out I was right. Darren and him were set to meet then, and the message was still in his inbox. Chloe mentioning the diner just helped me figure out the rest."

It was just close enough to plausible, but Carter still felt she was holding something back. He tried to find it in her eyes, but she only looked back at him humorously.

"I'm glad you find my confusion amusing," he relented. Her answer didn't fully satisfy him, but he had no way to prove she wasn't telling the truth. Besides, what other explanation was there?

"I always find you amusing, Carter," she quipped. "Just one of the many things I love about you."

There it was again — love. It sent Carter's heart sputtering in his chest. Even after Mark confirmed how Amber felt, Carter didn't want his own hopes too high. Part of him still insisted she could take it all back.

"Love, huh?" He was going for smooth and failing horribly. His voice hadn't squeaked so bad since he was thirteen. "That's a pretty big change from slamming the door on me last night."

She gave him a look he couldn't read. "A lot's happened since then."

He wanted to let it go there, but he had to be sure she wasn't just messing with him. Carter didn't think he could bear it if she was. "So yesterday wasn't a mistake?"

The silence that followed was almost painful. He could tell Amber was mulling over something in her head; he just hoped it wasn't a list of excuses to get out of answering.

"Do you remember the night we sat in my backyard as kids?" she finally asked. "When we talked about marriage?"

Of course Carter did. He only overanalyzed it for days afterwards, but he couldn't very well say that. "Yeah, why?"

"I think that's when I knew," she answered, looking away to stare at the dais in front of them. "Maybe sooner, but it's the first time I can remember loving you. I don't really remember much before that, to be honest."

He was stunned — there was no other word for it. So stunned, he couldn't get his mouth to work if he tried.

"You were my happiness, Carter. Every time I spent a day at your house, I wanted a thousand more. Every time I made you laugh, I wanted it on a loop so I could hear it always. I can't begin to tell you how many nights I fell asleep staring at your house. Even when the blinds were down, I knew you were there. So no, I don't regret yesterday for a second. If anything, I was waiting my whole life for it. Even after you cut me out, I just couldn't stop loving you."

His stomach dropped. She had to know he felt the same, that he'd go back and change it all if he could. "Amber, I have to tell you—"

"I know what you did back in middle school. Or I guess, what your mom did." Before Carter could panic, he relaxed under her palm against his cheek. "And I know why you did it, too. All you ever wanted was to protect us, and I need you to know I don't blame you for it. Nothing that happened was your fault."

It was all too much. Carter had to take a breath to help hold back any tears. The last thing he wanted was to cry in front of her, but between talking things out with Mark and what Amber was saying now, he was terrified this might all be a dream. He had imagined getting them back more times than he could count.

As if reading his mind, Amber rested her forehead against his. "We've always been real, Carter. No matter how much time we've spent apart, that has never changed. I'm sorry if this is all coming at you too fast, but I can't spend another minute keeping it to myself. We've wasted so much time already. I refuse to waste any more."

Carter reached up and caressed her neck, his other hand gripping the pew so he wouldn't keel over. He couldn't think straight, his head lost in her words, in her smell, in her touch. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he'd held back for years. Now faced with the moment he'd been waiting for, words evaded him.

"It's ok. You don't have to say anything," Amber whispered. "I already know you feel the same."

"How?" Carter was proud of himself for even getting that out. His focus was narrowing in on her lips, close enough that they brushed his when she spoke.

"We've had this conversation before."

He didn't care what that meant; in seconds, he was kissing her, pulling her in until there was no space between them. Carter knew he would never get over how she felt in his arms, or the way her mouth moved against his. As he got lost in her embrace, all he pictured was a lifetime of this feeling. If he could, he'd live in this moment forever.

Before things got too hot and heavy for church, someone opened the door that led back to the hospital. Reluctantly, they broke apart, Carter planting a final kiss on Amber's forehead before scooting back on the pew. Still, his hand lingered in hers; he doubted he'd ever stop touching her again.

Thankfully, it wasn't a total stranger interrupting them. Once his eyes adjusted, Carter could make out Tori standing in the doorway. Her face was completely unreadable.

"Not to like, ruin your moment or anything, but you're needed back in the waiting room. The doctor has an update on Darren."