Merry Christmas, Doctor Carter

Afterglow

His grin grew, briefly crinkling up his nose and eyes, eventually softening. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, yeah. Just come back."

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

Meanwhile, Kerry was scrambling around, trying to get as many doctors to fill-in as she could. Some were out sick, most of them couldn't be bothered. "Not a single white coat in this place that isn't busy," she muttered as she slammed the phone down. "Where the hell is Carter?" Kerry demanded. "Someone page him."

"I have," Jerry said. "Three times. He's not answering."

"Well, try again! And get a hold of Kovač, let him know he's now on-call."

Lucy couldn't help but overhear. Mostly because she did it on purpose. She leaned over the chart tray and flipped through aimlessly, attempting to appear active. "Has he done this before?"

"Once," Jerry replied. He eased himself down on the front desk, his back to the ambulance bay entrance. "He fled to Atlanta."

"But he came back, right?"

"Only because he had to. He was kinda forced to come back. Can't say I blame–" Catching sight of the glare Kerry had fixed on him, he cleared his throat. "I should get back to work."

"Good idea," Kerry flatly told him. "I'm going to help clear this board. Call me if he shows up."

Jerry spotted John at the far end of the ambulance bay entry and refused to say anything about it to Kerry. The last thing he needed was to have her ragging on him, and Jerry knew it. "You got it."

After the coast was clear, Lucy waved him over, a subtle yet still noticeable gesture to get him to come inside quicker. Once he was closer to her, she whispered, "Where were you?"

Deep down, proud as he was of finally feeling as though he could be his true self, John wanted to blurt out about having the most incredible sex he ever had, but in the end, he didn't want to admit anything. Instead, he parried, "Is Weaver angry with me?"

"Angry is one word for it," Jerry sniffed deep, an expression akin to someone who had just discovered a foul odor, even though it was actually quite pleasant, like pinapples. "What's that smell?"

"KY gel," John responded without looking up from a chart, without hesitation and without even thinking. It wasn't until seconds later that he realised what had left his mouth. His countenance crimsoned. "Uhh–"

"I knew it," Lucy said. "You had sex, I could tell."

"What? No!"

"You do have that glow..." Jerry tagged on.

"I do not know what you're talking about," While he tried his best to appear absorbed in the chart he was looking, he could still feel their eyes on him. With a sigh, he gave them his full attention and met their expectant eyes. "Okay, fine. I had sex, and it was... extremely intense!" John grinned widely, his eyes sparkled with excitement. "I've never– Have either of you felt this tingling sensation in your lower belly and thighs afterwards?"

Jerry scrunched up his face in puzzlement. "No?"

Nodding along, Lucy said, "Nerve-related. You must be hypersensitive."