Someone mentioned that they missed Donovan. Your wish is my command. *bows*

***********************************

The noisy hush of the library surrounded Carter as she sat in her chair, observing the couple across the way. They alone were the college students who didn't seem aware of the stress of assignments. All they seemed aware of was each other.

Carter smiled a little as Maddy leaned in to whisper something in Link's ear and his whole face softened. When she pulled back, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked at him with eyes that Carter could only think of as loving. Their emotions weren't only easy to read but felt they were being screamed to the world. These two people loved each other and only a few days ago had decided to get engaged.

Their love was palpable.

Carter glanced at Donovan sitting next to her, his focus entirely on his screen and the paper he wrote. For a moment, she mentally stepped away from the table and viewed herself and him as someone else would.

What would they see? Their emotions wouldn't be loud like Link and Maddy's. Would they see two people who'd been in a two-year relationship? Or would the space between them, the lack of obvious affection, and the divided attention make some people they weren't connected in that sense?

If the conclusion was they weren't connected, that could be explained away. After all, they were there to study, they weren't going to be showing signs of affection. But what about other moments in their day?

If someone spotted them crossing the quad, sitting in the coffee shop, in class would their relationship be noticeable?

With that viewpoint, Carter got the sad sense people wouldn't see it. Their acts of affection weren't shown in public, it made Carter uncomfortable to show that side to people. Holding hands felt fine but beyond that, she didn't think was anyone's business. But how often did they hold hands that it would show the world they were together?

More than that, when they held hands what did Carter feel? At first, she felt this warmth at his touch, this unexplainable sense of peace when he locked his fingers with hers. This thing she felt she'd been missing without knowing it.

But now? After two years? His hand felt normal, natural in hers. There were no sweeping emotions that came when he joined their hands. It simply was.

Was that feeling she had when holding his hand translated to their relationship?

The image of Donovan and her from the outside played out like snapshots in her mind.

"Do you think love can die?" Carter asked.

Without looking up from his computer Donovan answered. "Yes."

He continued typing, even as Carter stared at him.

After a second, he glanced over and paused.

"What?" he asked.

"You think our love will die?"

Donovan straightened, detaching himself completely from his paper.

"No. But that's not what you asked, you asked if I think will can die? I do. Love is like everything in this world, if it's not taken care of it will die." He leaned back in his chair, propping his ankle on his knee. "Think of a potted flower. You can put it in the ground and the flower will look pretty for a few days, but if you don't water it, encourage it to take root then it won't last. Depending on the flower, it might look like it dies in the winter but if its roots have gone deep enough then come spring it will bloom again."

Carter regarded Donovan for a long moment, never having pictured him in a garden.

"Your mother use that analogy for love?" she asked.

"No. My father."

That struck Carter as even more strange since she'd never guessed Mr. Keller would use such a poignant image.

"When did he tell you this?" she asked.

"Three weeks ago when I asked him if love could die away."

Carter stared at Donovan a smile slowly spread across her face. He grinned back.

"What made you question that? You looked at me and realized you'd be fine if I never talked to you again?"

The smile disappeared from Donovan's face. "No. Do you remember that date we had a couple of weeks ago, we were both so tired from studying earlier that all we did was watch a movie. We both fell asleep during it and somehow I woke up on the floor while you were still on the couch."

"Are you accusing me of pushing you off in the middle of the night?" Carter teased.

"No. I honestly think I slept walked into my room, got myself a blanket and pillow, and came back to the family room because I had both those things. But when we started out there was only one blanket and you still had that."

"And us being the world's most boring couple made you question whether we still had those feelings we first had and it wasn't just a sense of comfortability and that's why we hadn't broken up?"

"A little, yes."

Carter didn't say it but it felt nice to know she wasn't the only one questioning the state of their relationship. It would have been hard if he never questioned it while she was. But he did question it faster than her and she worked at not feeling competitive about that.

"Did your father have anything else to say about love and plants?" she asked.

Donovan smiled and even with the questions, she knew she loved his smile and the many facets of it.

"He said love changes. The heightened emotions at the beginning of a relationship don't last but what does is the foundation that was built in that time and the deeper emotion you have for someone."

Carter sat back in her chair, considering this view of it.

"But how do you decide whether what you feel is that strong foundation and deeper emotion, or simply complacency? After all, you are the only person I have ever dated and I am the only person you've had a long-term relationship with."

At this Donovan, rotated his entire chair so that he faced her and leaned against the table, studying her. His narrowed eyes didn't judge her but contemplated what she said.

"If this is your way of breaking up with me I'd prefer it if you came out and said it."

He smiled at her but she didn't instantly return it.

"I'm serious," she said.

"About breaking up with me?"

"About wondering if we are in deeper or simply comfortable with each other."

"What's wrong with being comfortable with someone? Isn't that the best thing you could look for? Or do you think a relationship should always have the wild feelings of young love?"

Carter took and breath and let it out. "I don't know, but look at them. Together longer and all gooey."

Donovan did as Carter said and observed Link and Maddy for a full five seconds before dismissing them.

"You can't judge what we have in comparison to what they have."

"Why not?"

"Because they just got engaged. They have all those heightened emotions again because they've stepped into a different phase of their relationship."

The logic of that was unarguable. But still, Carter felt this something she couldn't put into words hovering around her. And for someone who used words like weapons, always at hand, she didn't know how to feel about it.

"Do you think that me being comfortable with you will somehow make me decide I don't want to be with you?" Donovan asked.

Carter didn't answer, because, though that felt like a natural explanation for why she even brought up this topic, she felt it wasn't the reason.

Donovan leaned forward and took her hands, brushing his thumb over the back of one.

"I'm not going anywhere, okay? Old married couples are comfortable with each other, that's why they bicker so easily, because deep down they know they aren't going to be separated."

"And that's us?"

"Yeah. You annoy to no end and I'm still here."

Carter laughed and shoved his shoulder but he didn't budge.

"How about this," he said. "You want to feel like Link and Maddy are right now? Why don't we actually go on a date? Falling asleep to a movie isn't one and before that, I can't remember when the last time we had one was. We've never done the whole expensive dinner type of date, we'll do that tonight."

"Are you saying that because you want to see me in a dress?"

"We have to keep the romance alive someway, sweetie."

"You have to dress up to then, I'm not going to be the only one putting in effort or else there's no making this work."

Donovan laughed as he leaned in and kissed her. Carter didn't mind the display of affection

"Okay, I'll look pretty too."

**********

"What are you looking for, girlie?" Maggie asked, walking into Carter's room.

Carter stuck her head out of the closet. Maggie had quickly taken a seat on the edge of Carter's bed, her pregnancy only just starting to be noticeable.

"The dress I wore for your wedding," Carter said.

At this, Maggie raised her eyebrow in surprise. Carter didn't blame her for the shock, she remembered saying something about burning the dress once she took it off after the reception.

"Whatever for?" Maggie taunted.

Carter removed herself completely from the closet and placed her hands on her hips. "This can go two ways: you can mock me for getting dressed up or you can help me."

Maggie smiled warmly. "I'm pretty sure I can manage to do both."

"Okay, out." Carter pointed to the door but Maggie only laughed.

Sidestepping Carter, she reached into Carter's closet and instantly found the dress Carter would have sworn wasn't there a minute ago.

"Now what level are pretty are we making you?" Maggie asked.

"I don't know."

"How about something to really wow Donovan."

"It can't hurt, it seems we're at the Comfortable stage of our relationship."

Maggie chuckled softly. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"No, it's not." Maggie gave Carter a very pointed look. "Did you ever doubt how you felt about Captain?"

"No, but I had years of knowing him before we got together so I've had years of knowing what I love about him. In comparison, you knew Donovan for a short period before you got together. You have to simply remember why you love him."

"There are too many things to count."

"Then there's no reason to doubt. Now, let's make him fall in love with you all over again."

Carter would say it was a testament to how much she trusted Maggie that she gave her complete control over her appearance for the night.

The final result proved why Carter felt she could trust Maggie. Even with the concession to wearing makeup, when Carter inspected herself in the mirror, everything was subtle enough that she didn't feel like she was hiding. She felt she still looked like herself, not her mother.

Her hair even though it was styled, was in a way that looked natural, slightly wavy, falling effortlessly around her shoulders. She didn't feel natural in the dress and heels but she was making an exception for the evening.

Her feelings over the exception weren't as negative when she walked into the family and found Donovan sitting on the couch with her father. It wasn't seeing him dressed up that turned her emotions less negative, it was the way he looked at her that turned them to the positive.

He rose slowly, an awed sort of smile on his face.

"Woah," he breathed.

Maggie leaned close to Carter. "I'm going to remind you of this moment every time you fight dressing up."

"I'm still going to fight you."

"I would expect nothing less."

Captain rose from the couch, eyeing Carter critically. "Is he worth it, Sarge? You're in a dress."

"I'm going to make him pay for an expensive dinner, after that I'll see if he is."

Donovan laughed with Captain and Carter couldn't help her smile. It had taken small steps but she'd watched as the more time Captain spent with Donovan, the more he came to respect him.

In turn, Donovan slowly grew less terrified.

The proof of this was when Donovan held out his hand to Carter, he didn't look at Captain as if asking permission.

She took it and Donovan waved to Captain and Maggie before leading Carter out of the apartment. Once they were out the door, he shifted closer.

"I should have offered to take you to an expensive dinner a long time ago."

"The dress really looks that good one me?"

"I think you are beautiful in many aspects and this is one of them."

Carter felt the words get captured in her chest and knew they weren't going to be forgotten anytime soon.

"For the record, you are very beautiful too," she said.

Donovan laughed. One of the reasons on her list of why she loved him.

Though Carter would have considered it a late hour to be starting dinner, the restaurant they walked into was packed. But maybe that was how the rich spent their time, late dinners. To Carter starting dinner nearly at nine at night was not normal. A late dinner to her was labeled as cereal at two in the morning and that was after hours of studying where she forgot to eat.

Seated, they were handed menus and Carter gazed over the list, knowing she couldn't pronounce half of the items and the ones she could pronounce were at prices she equated to a week's worth of meals. When she glanced at Donovan, it was to find him looking at her wearing a tiny grin.

"What?" she asked.

"You're scowling. Is the food that detestable to you."

"I don't know, I haven't tried any of the things mentioned."

"Do you want to stay?"

Carter thought about it, thought about ditching the place to go to their favorite Mexican food restaurant. The one that had been Donovan's and then he'd converted her to. But that was what they always did, the easy, simple, basic thing.

"No, let's stay," she said.

"You sound like what will come will be torturous."

"Even if it, it won't break me. I'm made of stronger stuff."

Smiling, Donovan shook his head in amusement and went back to studying the menu. When the waiter came, Donovan ordered for them with Carter's happy acceptance of this. They received their drinks and Carter decided to dive in.

"Why did you ever start liking me?" she asked. "Looking back on it, I was an obnoxious, closed-off girl with defenses  so strong it was a wonder you ever approached me."

"As opposed to how you are now?" Donovan said.

"I'm going to throw a roll at your head."

"I think that's frowned upon here."

"True." Carter tore off a piece of the roll instead and ate it. "I'm serious. I've often wondered if it's because you were lonely and bored. If that's true, what basis of a relationship is that?"

"That might have played a factor in it, but that means that come college I could have broken up with you and found someone else."

Carter could see the logic of that statement. In college, the girls around his age were studying for their masters therefore making them interesting and worthwhile.

"Are you really unsure why I fell for you?" Donovan asked.

"I feel I can only see the negative of who I was."

Donovan leaned forward on the table, elbows and all, which Carter thought was frowned upon among the rich. But he didn't seem to care.

"Do you want to know why I fell for you?"

"Because I was the only girl who didn't trip over myself to get your attention."

"Cute image but no there were a lot of other girls who looked at me and couldn't care less whether I talked to them or not. No, it's because when I was with you I felt like I could breathe for the first time. I hadn't realized that part of me was drowning until I met you."

"Oh."

Carter felt her face warm, the unexpected depth and feeling of his confession catching her off guard.

"With that logic," Donovan said, easing back. "You're my oxygen. You can't ever leave me or I'll die."

"So I'm to be held in this relationship as a hostage?"

"Sure, I'll just Stockholm syndrome you into loving me."

"This makes me feel better, we really don't have any issues in our relationship."

"And you worried that our love would die. It can't die if it's fabricated."

Carter laughed and saw how the sound of it made Donovan simply look at her with an expression of adoration.

"I don't know what kind of guy wouldn't want to be with you, Carter."

"A lot. I have years of high school to prove it."

"No, you pushed those guys away because you didn't want them, there's a difference."

The observation stuck with Carter through the rest of the dinner and their wandering conversations. From Donovan's point of view, she hadn't dated anyone but him, not because there wasn't an option of it, but because she hadn't wanted to.

She would have said the reason she chose him was because he could match her but that wasn't true there had been a few others at times. His capability with weapons and combat was a draw but not completely a dealbreaker if they hadn't been there. Something gnawed at Carter and continued to as they left the restaurant.

But that thing vanished when, as they reached their car, two masked men appeared out of nowhere, knives in hand. Donovan instinctively pushed Carter behind him, his hand remaining on her waist.

"Wallet, phone, and keys," one of the men said. "And no one gets hurt."

Carter clutched Donovan's arm, not in fear but with a message. He responded by touching her left side. He'd understood.

"Did you hear-"

The final words were cut off as Carter lunged for the man on the right as Donovan took the one on the left. Seizing the wrist of the hand holding the knife, Carter kneed the man in the side. The knife tilted towards her, but she kept her grasp firm. As he bent at the painful blow Carter kicked higher, clipping the man in the head. He went down and Carter snatched the knife from his hand. Using the handle of it, she struck the side of his head, knocking him out.

Swiping away her hair, she raised her head and saw Donovan rolling his unconscious assailant onto his side.

As Carter stood, a worker rushed towards them but stumbled when he saw the two men on the ground.

"I saw and... called the police," he stammered.

"Thanks," Carter said. "We'll wait here until they come."

"Do you...uh... want..."

"If you have zip ties or rope would be great," Donovan said.

"Yeah... okay."

The worker left and Carter leaned against the back of Donovan's car. He took the spot next to her, eyeing her clinically.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Carter didn't respond, her attention completely captured by Donovan.

"Carter," he said.

"I remembered why I fell for you," she said softly.

Donovan laughed. "If you're saying it's because with me you get adrenaline rush from danger then we have some issues to deal with."

She shook her head, not laughing. "No. I wasn't afraid. Not because I thought about being able to handle it. But because I was with you. With you I feel safe, Donovan."

Donovan held her gaze for a long moment, then cupping her face he kissed her. And Carter knew it would always be him. It would only ever be him.

**********************************************************************

Hello Ducky!!

How's life? Did you like the chapter? Are you a bubble of wibbley wobbly emotions? If so, let me know. 🗯💬💭

I think writing Carter and Donovan in this college era of their relationship is interesting because I haven't done it a lot. I pretty much wrote high school straight into engagement.

But this in between is interesting because they do have to hit what all couples do and that's a shift in love, that spark everyone thinks is true love actually going out and what's left is a deep ever-burning attachment to someone.

And honestly, something I think is a sign of deep meaningful love is feeling safe with someone. It's not even just comfortable but safe. That's a level I think proves that person is someone you want to stay with forever.

Thoughts on love and such??

Go ahead and leave a dissertation if you feel like doing so! 💜

Vote, comment, follow, I love you and thank you for being a safe place for me to post my stories and be myself!

Shout out comments from: A Normal Tuesday

(Just let me say I'm sorry I didn't get to reply to the comments. But I read them and loved them. Again sorry I didn't reply. 💜)

Poor Chad

🙈❤️

Loved this one!! Great reference! 😂

🥰

Awww shucks! ☺️

I don't know why they are always tigers but they just are ☺️