Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Resolution (Part 4)

"I'll see you tomorrow," Dr. Hendricks said.

"Thank you," Donovan said.

They didn't talk as they moved towards the exit. Carter never asked what he talked about with Dr. Hendricks and Donovan never told her. One more way the gap between them grew. When they pushed through the front doors and onto the sidewalk, Carter stopped.

Waiting there were Brock, Clint, and James.

Beside her, Donovan stiffened. He hadn't wanted to see his brothers. One more thing weighing on Carter, a bond broken by her choice. No one spoke, silently regarding each other. Finally, Donovan approached his brothers, his face closed off.

"Who did she tell first?" Donovan asked, eyeing each one in turn.

"Me," Brock said.

Donovan punched Brock so fast, Carter didn't have time to blink. Pressing his hand to his jaw, Brock straightened. He grabbed Donovan and hugged him. Donovan broke down against his brother, clutching his shirt. As Clint and James joined in, smothering their little brother with love, Carter stepped back.

It hurt to see how just like that they could find their bond again.

Carter stood frozen on the outside of their reunion. It wasn't her place to join in when she'd torn them apart. Clint looked at her.

"We'll bring him back to you," he said.

Nodding, Carter left, wishing those words meant something more than just making sure Donovan got home. Carter climbed into her car, started it, but sat there, hands on the wheel. She didn't know where to go. After a second, she pulled out her phone.

"Hello, Carter."

Carter tightened her hands on the wheel. "Hi, Eleanor."

"How is my son doing?"

The four brothers remained in Carter's sight, James jostling Donovan's shoulder as Clint clasped the back of Donovan's neck. Even after it all, they were unbroken.

"He punched Brock and then hugged him crying," Carter said.

Eleanor gave a soft chuckle. "He's getting his spirit back. That's good." A pause. "How are you doing, sweetie?"

A lie easily came to Carter's lips because in the light of the damage Donovan faced, how could she be anything else but okay?

"Carter, I've raised four boys, I suggest not lying to me, I'm very good at not believing them."

Carter laughed, the sound strangled by a sob. She pressed her fist to her mouth, trying to reign in the mistake.

"Ah, that's more like it," Eleanor said.

Closing her eyes, Carter shook her head as if she could make everything go away with the gesture.

"I thought about him constantly," she said. "There wasn't a moment when Kennedy and him weren't on my mind. It killed me to know what I put them through because I had to. Now that I can finally be back in their lives I have her back but I feel like I lost him. What we had died when I did."

The truth carved a hole in Carter's heart, fear eating away at the edges.

"That's most likely true," Eleanor said. Carter laid her head on the steering wheel, everything in her aching. "But it doesn't mean you can't rebuild something in its place. You are not only his wife but his partner. When you left you broke that bond. To be able to rebuild he's going to have to be able to trust you again."

Carter clung to the words, clutching the to her chest, needing them to strengthen her.

"Do you think he can?" she asked.

"Yes, if you earn it."

Slowly, Carter raised her head, understanding slicing through her mind.

"I will," she said.

*********

The slam of Carter closing the car door filled the empty air. Waning sunlight scattered long shadows across the ground. Hugging herself, Carter walked to where Brock, Clint, and James stood. A shudder ran through her and she tried to ignore it.

"Why here?" she asked them.

"Not sure," James said. "He only asked us to drop him off."

"But to not come with him?" she asked.

All three brothers shook their heads. Carter paused, indecisive but left the trio heading down the winding path. Rows and rows of headstones surrounded her, lives living only in memory. With each step, Carter felt the grief that pervaded the air. The air Donovan had breathed and walked through each day to visit her.

When she finally spotted him, a lone figure silhouetted by the sun, she wanted to sink to her knees with relief. This place, this reminder of the pain he lived over and over again knifed her heart.

He didn't turn around at the sound of her approach, only stood there staring at her headstone. Carter stopped beside him, reading the words he would have read countless times. Below Carter Owens-Keller were the dates of her birth and death, below that read 'Always fighting to protect her left side and the ones she loved'.

"I used to think I was strong," Donovan said. "Growing up with three brothers and surrounded by Marines I knew how to take a hit. Years of working for the FBI I survived more pain then most people understand. Each time I thought it proved I was strong. Then you died..." He didn't look at her. "And I found out how weak I really was. When I should have had the strength to hold it all together for our daughter, I failed. I wasn't strong enough."

Carter wanted to reach for him, hold him, take his guilt away, place it where it belonged, on her shoulders. But she didn't move.

"I can see how I should have been stronger. I don't know what could happen in the future. I don't know where you'll be sent on the next mission. I could be back here again one day...I need to be stronger if that time comes. Not only for Kennedy but myself."

Carter didn't realize she was crying until she felt the tears sliding down her cheeks. She took Donovan's hand and laced her fingers through it. For a breath, he didn't react then he closed his hand around hers.

"I visited the office today," she said.

Instantly, Donovan tensed, eyes pinned on the headstone.

"I told them I was resigning."

A heartbeat.

Then another.

Then Donovan scooped Carter into his arms, face buried in her shoulder, his chest shaking with relief and laughter. Carter feared she'd never hear that sound again and she clutched his laughter to her heart, letting it heal the hole there.

They would find their way back. They wouldn't be who they were. But it was okay because they would be together. They would rebuild.

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

Don't hate me I gave you hope! 🙈

Okay fine you can hate me, but as long as you also hate the ones who asked for this, cause there were a lot of them.

I hope it didn't make you cry as hard as the last couple chapters. This was meant to show you that there is hope for them, that they will find their way back to each other. Let me know if it helped or didn't, or you don't know because it's been such a rollercoaster of a time. 🗯💭💬🌝🌤

I'm not doing to lie to you, when I wrote the first part of this depressing saga I didn't realize the magnitude of what I'd done. I thought it would be an interesting one shot and we could move on. I didn't realize that I tore away the foundation of Carter and Donovan's relationship and would have to see it find a new beginning.

But that's the life of a writer I guess, you think one thing and your characters think another, drive a bulldozer through your plan and laugh all the while. How delightful.

Vote, comment, follow or do none of that and honestly I'll still love you! Crazy how that works out!