Carter stood before her closet, wearing a scowl, her hands on her hips. A neat line of clothes lay before her, the hues ranging from black to dark blue. The sky was dark beyond her window and the world was alive with noise. From apartment windows came the relaxed laughs of those soaking up the weekend. TVs battled with the yells and cries of children running loose in the small alleyways. Carter twisted around and eyed her punching bag, feeling the need to hit something.

Before she made up her mind whether to forget her task for the moment and pummel the bag, the front door opened. Maggie's voice rang through out the apartment, filling it with a cheery warmth the two other occupants had recently lacked. There was a murmur of voices as Maggie talked with Carter's father. Carter turned back to the closet, determined to not to be beat by her task.

The voices died away and Maggie's footsteps resounded on the wood floor. There came a light knock on Carter's door. With a muttered 'enter' from Carter, Maggie opened it and stepped in. She stopped at the sight of Carter in a ratty t-shirt and gray sweat pants. Carter glanced over, but didn't say anything.

"Hey hun," Maggie said. "What's going on?"

Carter shrugged, as if standing before her closet completely confused was a normal occurrence.

"Steve said he heard mutterings and was worried about you."

"Yeah, well Captain has nothing to be worried about." Carter crossed her arms, the scowl reappearing. "I'm completely fine."

Maggie sank onto the edge of the neat bed and crossed her legs.

"Is that so?" she said, a teasing note in her voice.

"Yup."

"So you're glaring at your closet because..."

Carter didn't answer. Maggie held in a smile and hit her thighs before standing.

"Alright, since you are completely fine," she said, in an offhanded tone. "I will let you get back to it then."

She moved to the door and put a hand on the knob.

"Wait," Carter said.

Maggie turned back, but didn't let go of the handle. "Yes?"

Carter scowled again and dug her hands into the pockets of her sweats, hating the gleeful light in Maggie's eyes. When her tongue remained securely behind her teeth, Maggie lifted an eyebrow.

"Carter?" she said.

Carter groaned, her head falling back. She lifted it and looked at Maggie.

"What does someone wear to a party?" she asked.

A smile instantly jumped to Maggie's face and Carter raised her hand.

"Laugh at me and I'll never talk to you again," she said.

Maggie nodded, the laugh tickling her throat. She swallowed it and walked over to where Carter stood. She looked at the closet, her lips pursed in a thoughtful expression.

"I thought I would wear what I just wore to the date, but...I don't know..." Carter growled and ran a hand through her damp hair. "This is stupid. I don't even know why I care? Maddy just asked what I was wearing so that made me wonder if I should actually be thinking about it. Which led me to wonder, if I had a mom would I be more aware of this stuff. Which led me to a complete blank on what to wear. And this is stupid, I sound like a pissy teenage girl."

Maggie chuckled and took a step towards the closet, rifling through the row of dark clothes.

"Well, hun, you still are a teenage girl. It's alright to sound like one," Maggie said, pulling out a shirt and looking over it. She put it back and moved on. "And yes, if your mother had been here when you were entering teenage life you would have been more aware of this stuff. But she wasn't and now you have me to help you." She turned back to Carter and gave her a soft smile. "I hope you don't mind."

Carter shook her head, some of her annoyance vanishing. "No, I don't mind."

"Good, because you're stuck with me."

Maggie continued to look through all the items. In the end she handed Carter a blue shirt, jeans and a pair of her nicer looking converse. Carter looked down at them.

"This looks almost exactly like what I wore for the date," she said.

"Well, that makes sense because you don't own a lot of variations. This will have to do. The blue is nice because it works well with your eyes." Carter accepted the items and Maggie looked at her with her hands on her hips. "Now, what did you plan on doing with your hair?"

Carter just stared at her with a flat look. "You say that like I had a plan at all instead of just letting it dry, or putting it up in a ponytail."

Maggie shrugged and moved to the door. "Either works. If you want to do something different, I'll just be outside."

She pulled the door open but paused when Carter spoke.

"What do you mean different? I'm not letting you curl my hair."

Maggie laughed. "No, I was thinking just blow drying it."

"I don't know if we own a blow dryer."

Maggie gave her a teasing grin. "You do because I gave you one for you birthday two years ago."

Carter shrugged and dumped the clothes on the bed.

"Good luck finding it. It's probably still in the box."

Maggie laughed and left the room. Carter slipped out of her shirt and sweats and pulled on the outfit. She heard a cry of triumph from Maggie as she was bending over to tie her shoes.

"It was still in the box!" she said.

Carter chuckled and grabbed her discarded clothes. Folding them, she put them into a drawer and went to the bathroom. Maggie rested against the counter, trying to release the hair dryer from its binds. Carter opened one of the drawers and pulled out a switch blade. She flicked it open and handed it to Maggie.

"Here," she said.

Maggie laughed and accepted the knife, cutting the plastic ties.

"I probably never thanked you for the hair dryer," Carter said.

"You did and now you will get to use it."

Maggie smiled at Carter, her face full of understanding.

"Did your mother teach you what to do?" Carter asked, as she plugged in the hair dryer.

"Yes and since I don't have a daughter yet, I get the honor of teaching you."

Ten minutes later Carter's hair fell straight over her shoulders. For a moment she looked at herself in the mirror and for the first time wasn't aware of all her mother's features in her face but her father's, realizing she had his round chin. She smiled.

"What?" Maggie said.

Carter shrugged. "Nothing. I just think I look a little bit like Captain."

Maggie laughed. "Of course you do hun. No one could deny that." She clapped her hands looking eager. "Now makeup?"

"No!"

The gut reaction to the thought of it hit Carter harder than she thought it would. Her mother's painted face flashed in her mind. All her features highlighted to mask the truth. Maggie was startled. Once she recovered from her surprise, she laid a hand on Carter's shoulder.

"That's totally fine. You are beautiful just the same."

Carter took in a breath and nodded. She turned away from the mirror and moved to her room.

"I'm going to grab my jacket," she said.

She pulled on her leather jacket and reached for her phone. As she did, it dinged. The message was from Donovan, telling her they were outside. She pocketed the phone and walked out into the family room. Maggie sat at the table next to her father, who had his computer before him. He looked up as Carter moved to the door and pulled her satchel off the hook. Maggie smiled and her father stood up.

"My ride is here," Carter said, pointing to the door with her thumb.

Her father stepped over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Do you know what I'm going say?" he asked.

Carter gave a single nod. "If I get high, drunk or pregnant, it's military school for me."

Her father smiled. "Correct."

He pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. "You look beautiful, Sarge."

Carter held him close and smiled. "Thanks, Captain."

He released her and she took a step backwards to the door.

"Have fun tonight," he said.

Carter gave him an amused look. "Do you actually mean that? Because my idea of fun is not a party but seeing if I can break into the Turkish Embassy without getting caught."

"Either way, I will find you if you don't come home tonight."

Carter touched the necklaces around her neck and gave him a salute.

"Got it. American soil it is." She slipped out the door but popped her head back inside. "Oh and have fun you two." She sent her father a wink and disappeared again.

His annoyed utterance followed her down the stairs. In the alley sat the black Mercedes. At the sight of her, Link stepped out and took a spot in the back. Carter slipped in and looked back at him, unaware of Donovan's blue eyes taking her in.

"You ready for this?" she asked, Link.

His jaw was flexed and he looked anything but ready. "Are you?"

She laughed. "No. Let's do this stupid and typical teenage thing."

Tearing his gaze away from Carter, Donovan smirked and pulled the car out.

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

Carter leaned against the back of the elevator, her back resting on a green cushioned surface. Maddy bounced slightly, her hand securely locked in Link's. Donovan stood beside Carter, his hands hidden in the pockets of his jeans.

"So pretty much everyone from school will be here so it will be fun!" Maddy said, her voice growing in volume and excitement as the box climbed.

Carter looked to Donovan and he looked back, both their thoughts aligned and both the opposite of Maddy's. Pounding music reached them a second before the elevator stopped and the doors slid open.

There were only two apartments on the top floor of the building and Maddy guided the group to the one on the left. Carter vaguely wondered how anyone could hear someone knocking with the volume of the music, but Maddy didn't, instead she opened the door. A wall of noise crashed into them and Carter shook her head, already tired of the scene.

Groups of people Carter knew by sight crowded the apartment. At the center of the living room, couches and chairs had been pushed aside and people were dancing in the open space. Red cups filled hands and dotted the polished wood floor. Off to the right was a large kitchen that acted as Grand Central station, people always walking through and briefly stopping for drinks or food. Past the living was a balcony that lined the whole apartment and showcased parts of D.C. all lit up for the night.

Upon entrance, Maddy spotted some of her friends and waved eagerly to them. Her excitement was matched and an onslaught of girls came rushing over. They talked in pitches Carter believed even dogs couldn't hear. A girl with an extremely tight and revealing shirt sidled up to Donovan and draped an arm around his neck.

"Want a drink?" she asked, her lips moving close to his ear.

"Sure," Carter said. The girl looked at her, annoyed. "Though don't make it whatever you're having because it seems like its doing serious damage to your brain cells."

Donovan let out a loud laugh, that caused the girl to take a step back. She looked between them and stormed off as Donovan kept laughing. The second the girl was gone, his laughter was cut off. Carter looked at him and nodded.

"Being humiliated is one of the strongest defensives against people," she said.

Donovan smirked. "You say that like I'm not aware of this fact and like you don't know that's exactly why I laughed."

Carter shrugged. "I know. I just felt like saying it."

Donovan nodded.

"Link, let's get something to drink," Maddy said.

At the announcement both Carter and Donovan looked over to see Maddy navigating her way to the kitchen. Donovan waited a beat before starting to follow. Carter reached out a hand and grabbed his arm. He looked back at her.

"I have a better plan than you playing puppy dog tonight," she said.

Donovan cocked one challenging eyebrow. "Puppy dog?"

"Because you would be dogging them like a puppy. Now, come on."

She wound her way through groups and pushed open the door to the balcony. Outside the night air was a stark contrast to the overheated apartment. A few couples were outside, mashed together so closely Carter wasn't sure where one of them began and the other ended. She moved along the wall of windows, Donovan behind her. When she spotted Link and Maddy through the crowd leaning against the back kitchen counter, she stopped. She stepped back to the railing and rested against it.

"Now you don't have to be an overbearing friend," she said.

Donovan took the spot beside her, his arm brushing hers as he slid his hands into his pockets. The smell of his cologne got trapped in the air and drifted over her.

They silently watched the party. Girls laughed and boys made passes at them that either failed or succeeded. The music flowed through it all, slipping round everyone and encouraging them to move to the rhythm and let loose. Cups were emptied, filled and emptied again.

"Have you ever been to a high school party before?" Donovan asked.

His voice seemed quiet compared to the deafening noise that pushed against the glass. Carter shook her head.

"Nope," she said. "I didn't have friends to ask me to any."

Donovan looked at her. "Link and I are really your only friends?"

Carter shoved her fists into the pockets of her jacket, not meeting his gaze. "Yeah."

She didn't say anything else for a moment and neither did Donovan.

"Well, since I moved schools," she said. "Before my mom left and I went to a public school I had friends. Just at Hamilton, things were...different."

"Your mother left and you were below everyone around you in money and status."

Her lips curved into a wry smile. "Exactly. Even if I had had a mind to make friends, I wasn't in the place to do so."

Donovan nodded. Carter looked up at him.

"Have you been to a party?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. "We went to a couple at our old school. They were more low key than this."

"This isn't a common occurrence for you?"

Donovan shook his head. "The weekends are usually pretty quiet. Except for once every couple months."

She nodded in understanding. "Seeing his father. When does he get to see him next?"

"Sunday."

Carter looked back at the party and to where Link stood close to Maddy, smiling and giving off the appearance of being a normal teenage guy. He said something and Maddy threw her arms around his neck laughing up at him.

"How does he feel about it?" Carter asked.

Donovan didn't answer right away, his eyes trained on Link as well.

"It's never an easy thing, but I think he prefers to have it rather than not."

Carter nodded and pulled her jacket tight around her. The air was cold so many stories up but she didn't bother suggesting they go back into the party. Out of their line of sight, they heard a shout as a pair of drunk teenage guys decided to beat each other up. Link and Maddy remained unfazed by the commotion their thoughts lost in each other. Donovan looked at Carter.

"You want something to drink?" he asked.

She looked up at him. "Are you sure you can go in there and make it back alive? Some of these girls look wasted and their aggression and hormone levels are probably high."

Donovan smiled. "I've taken down 250 lbs Marines, I can handle a few wasted teenagers."

Carter waved her hands towards the doors.

"Then by all means go get me a soda with the cap sealed," she said. She crossed her arms and smirked. "This should be fun to watch."

Donovan made no comment and walked over to the door. As he opened it the volume rose and fell out over the city before dying down as the door closed. Carter watched him make his way through the party, avoiding eager girls and teasing hands. Her attention was fully captivated by his progress that she wasn't aware of Lucas making his way towards her.

The sound of his footsteps was drowned out by the music. He leaned against the railing and eyed her up and down. Aware of his presence, she looked over at him. Instantly, her expression fell into a bored look. Along his jaw she could see the fading bruise from Donovan's fist.

"Owens," he said. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. "You look hot."

Carter looked back at the party.

"Could you be anymore of a cliché at this moment?" she asked.

He moved closer, one hand sliding on the railing and moving along her back.

"Come on, you know everyone knows we have a 'will they, won't they' thing going on."

She looked at him. "I'll clear that up right now. They won't. Ever."

Donovan appeared, holding two bottles of Pepsi in his hands.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked, looking between Lucas and Carter.

Carter smirked and crossed her arms.

"Interrupting implies that something is even going on." She shifted her gaze to Lucas. "Are you going to leave or do you want to make an idiot of yourself one more time? I'm sure Donovan would be amused and I'll get a kick out of it."

Lucas turned around and Donovan gave him a cool look. Lucas flexed his jaw, the pain of Donovan's blow still clear in his mind, despite the copious amounts of alcohol he had consumed. He brushed past Donovan and disappeared back into the party. Both Carter and Donovan watched him go.

Donovan resumed his spot by her side and handed her one bottle. She snapped the cap off and took a sip.

"What did he want?" he asked.

She gave him a look. "If you have to ask that question you clearly are not as smart as I took you for."

He chuckled. "Asked you to bear his offspring, did he?"

"Yes, but he didn't put it as eloquently as that." Carter shook her head in exasperation. "Teenage boys."

She took another drink and watched as Maddy pulled Link away, from the crowd in the kitchen, to a quiet corner.

"Thanks for the soda," she said.

"Sure. Not big on alcohol, I take it?"

Carter let out a bright laugh. "Are you kidding me? There is not enough mouth wash or breath mints that would keep my father from knowing I was drinking."

"What would he do? Ground you?"

"Please, I would take grounding over what he would do. He would have me up at four in the morning doing military drills."

"Harsh punishment."

Carter shrugged. "Not really. I've done it before. He would just be making me do it while hung over. And he has a really loud whistle. But it's what you get when you grow up under a Navy Seal."

Donovan looked over at her. "Must have made for an interesting childhood."

She gave him a wry smile, touched with sadness. She looked back towards the party and spoke to the window.

"It came into play mainly when my mother left. He didn't know how to handle a teenage girl and fell back on what he knew. A month after she left, he bought me a punching bag. When I found something frustrating with homework or school he taught me to assemble a gun. He taught me to focus my frustration and energy into something productive." She laughed. "I've spent that last four years, assembling guns, running through training courses, throwing knives and learning how to defend myself. Definitely makes for an interesting life." She turned her attention to him. "But that's something I figure you know something about."

He smiled and nodded.

"You just described the first sixteen years of my life." He shrugged. "Except I was competing against men and brothers who were a few years older than me."

She smiled up at him.