Nash POV

As soon as he sees us, he starts thrashing on the stretcher, they have him on 4 point restraints and there's two nurses on either side trying to make sure he doesn't break out of the restraints. He has a wild look in his eyes and I don't recognize the boy that used to be my best friend.

We talk quietly to the doctor who explains that they can't let him leave, he needs to be admitted for suicide precaution and he will likely be transferred to an inpatient psych unit. I do feel bad for Carter, his downward spiral started the moment he broke up with Matt for the last time all of those years ago. He's the only one who holds a grudge against Matt for moving on, everyone else understands the situation. The relationship was caustic, it was eating Matt alive.

I'm happy he and Justin were able to work things out.

When Carter is calm they let us approach the bed, he's staring blankly at the wall and he won't meet our eyes.

"Should've just fucking done it without telling anyone. How can I live the rest of my life without Matthew?" He asks flatly, Cameron and I share a worried look.

Cameron is amazing because even though Carter punched him he's here on behalf of his friend.

"Carter, you're going to get the mental help you need. You can't tie your life to a relationship that was ended by you, that's not healthy. I hope you can learn coping strategies and start to move on from Matt. I'm not saying this to be an asshole, I'm just trying to be honest with you. I can't deny that I'm unbelievably angry right now for the pain you've caused us all, for you punching my husband, for the callous way you treated our friendship after we supported you through so much. I hope you get better, I really do Carter but just know that I'm cutting ties with you." I inform him quietly and he blinks back tears as he stares at the same spot on the wall.

His breathing quickens and he lets out a few hitched breaths, I know he's trying not to cry in front of us but I don't go back on my decision. Today was the last straw for me. Cameron's safety is so important to me, Carter has become completely unhinged and I no longer trust him.

"I'll miss you, Nash." He whispers brokenly and my heart clenches at the utter defeat that's apparent in his voice. I wish it didn't have to end this way but I won't be changing my mind.

"I'll miss you too, Carter." I reply and I will miss him in a way, I'll miss the boy I knew in high school. Maybe in the future whenever he's more stable, we could resume our friendship but I'm not very hopeful.

I grab Cameron's hand and we walk out of the hospital room together.

I drive us back to our home and Cameron is typing away at his phone, I'm guessing he's filling Matt in on what happened.

I'm feeling sad when we arrive to our apartment and I cuddle with Cameron in bed while he attempts to read his medical school textbook.

"Ugh. I have such a headache, fucking Carter." Cameron mutters and I sigh.

"I'm so sorry, babe." I murmur and I hear him sigh.

"It's not your fault, Nash. Carter is an adult, he's responsible for his own actions." He replies and I nod in agreement because he is right.

When Carter is released from the hospital he tries to contact me, he wants to meet up to hash things out. He's on medication now supposedly and while he was in the hospital they diagnosed him with Bipolar disorder. I guess that makes a whole lot of sense but I feel no inclination to resume my friendship with him any time soon.

My life with Cameron is stable, we're happy. We spend time with our friends and grow closer to Lia and Andrea.

Andrea and Cameron are in the middle of their 2nd year finals, Cameron has the summer off and I want to take him on a vacation so he can de-stress. My mind wanders as I think about places he'd like to go, it keeps coming back to the cabin. That has always been our escape and I know Cameron will be happy to go to our cabin. Neither of us need some fancy vacation to have fun.

All we need is each other and our cabin.

When Cameron finally emerges from his finals, I drive us up to the mountains to spend some time together. I took a month off from Lacrosse because I've missed Cameron desperately while he was so busy with medical school. It's a rigorous program and I understand that when he has to study, it needs to have his full attention. I don't want him to fail or get a bad grade just because I was being needy. That's the last thing I want.

We turn off our phones and spend the first week concentrating on us. I need him so much, we haven't had much sex during his spring semester because he was just too stressed and I can't fault him, I did miss our intimate time together, I can't deny that.

"Baby?" He asks, we're lying on a blanket right by the lagoon, the fresh mist from the waterfall drifts over to us, keeping us cool on this hot day.

"Hmm?" I reply, my eyes are closed and my arms are around Cameron with his head laying on my chest.

"Uhm... What do you think about a baby?" He asks me softly and I open my eyes to meet his beautiful brown ones. They look at me worriedly, he's gauging my reaction.

"What brought this on?" I ask him, evading the question for now.

"I just... I know I have to graduate from medical school but... I really would like to raise a baby with you, Nash. Or maybe two, it would make me so happy to have our own little family. To have children that we can tell our love story to, how we were high school sweethearts that lost our way for a while but our love was able to conquer time and distance..." he explains sweetly and I truly think about the possibility of raising a baby with my husband.

I'm quiet for a while and he doesn't push me, I love that about Cameron. He always gives me time or space whenever I need to think about something.

"I would love to raise children with you, Cameron." I tell him truthfully and the bright light in his eyes accompanied by the happy smile makes me happy in return.

"I can't wait," he breathes and I rub his side tenderly.

"I can't either..." I reply and I close my eyes again.

That's the only time we speak about raising children while Cameron is still in medical school. That's all we needed. We know that once he graduates we'll start exploring options and I'm not deluding myself, I know it will be difficult but our relationship is solid and we're able to work through most of our problems maturely.

When I watch my husband walk across the stage and receive his medical degree my heart swells right pride.

Those four years of medical school seemed to fly by.

I'm sitting next to Lia and the rest of Cameron's and I's friend.

Most of our friends are married now, only Lia and Andrea are still girlfriends. I'm not sure whats happening in Carter's life, I never rekindled our friendship. He sends me happy birthday texts and I send them to him in return but I don't engage in anything further than that.

My life is peaceful and I'm happy without the constant drama that came with being Carter's best friend. I'm still playing professional lacrosse but when the coach retires they offer me the position, I accept it because I won't be able to play forever and I want a stable career for when we have our baby

That evening after Cameron and I had celebratory sex, he gets a look in his eyes and I know what he's thinking about.

"How do you want to have our baby?" I ask him and he appears relieved, maybe he thought I'd change my mind because it's been 2 years since that conversation.

"Uhm... well Andrea is willing to be our surrogate. I... I'd really like two babies, one with you donating and one with me donating. She's willing to carry both pregnancies because Lia will carry theirs if they get to that point," he explains softly and I chew at my lip as I think about what Cameron just informed me.

"That actually sounds like the best option for us, babe." I reply and he smiles at me.

The four of us meet over dinner to discuss everything and have everything out in the open. even though they do want a baby in the future, we all agree that it's best for neither Nash or I to donate semen because things would be too complicated with half siblings. They'll choose someone from a sperm bank.

Cameron insists on me donating my sperm first, I donated the sperm which was then inserted inside of her at her gynecologist's office. It takes a few months of trying before Andrea finally gets pregnant.

When she shows us the positive pregnancy test Cameron and I cry in happiness. We attend every doctor's appointment and mark milestones together in an album we've created for our little baby.

We buy a home together in preparation for our incoming baby. It's not too far from where we lived at our mother's houses.

We find out it's a boy and close to the due date our mother's throw us a surprised baby shower.

Andrea sits in between us and nothing is awkward at the party. Everyone close to us knows our situation and they're very accepting. Chad is a little reserved but it doesn't bother me.

One month after the shower, Andrea delivers a healthy baby boy that we named Alexander Hamilton Grier-Dallas. Everyone liked the use of our names and we think it's cute.

When we take him home for the first time I spend the entire night rocking him in the nursery. I can't keep my eyes off of my beautiful baby.

Cameron walks in at 600am, he's a resident now at the hospital training to be an attending and open his own practice. He chose Orthopedic surgery as his specialty with a special interest in sports related injuries. It spans all the way back to my injury in high school.

He bends down and kisses my lips gently and then the top of our baby boy's head.

"Good morning, my babies. Did you sleep at all Nash?" I shake my head sheepishly, I'm enthralled by our baby.

"Baby, you have to get some rest." He admonishes me and I know he's right. I just fed Alexander some milk so I put him down in the crib and Cameron follows me to bed.

I lie down on the bed and he sits facing me, he leans down and presses his lips against mine in a soft kiss.

"I love you, Nash." He says simply.

"I love you too, Cameron." I reply just as simply.

We cuddle for a few minutes before he has to go to the hospital. Luckily it's the off season so I'm able to care for our baby while Cameron is at work.

Before I drift off to sleep I think about our relationship.

When we met in high school we seized the night. In college we seized the day. After getting back together and overcoming obstacles we seized it all. And there's nothing I would change about our journey.

A/n- omg the end of the Carpe series. I started writing Carpe Noctem in December of last year I think... It might have been November but almost an entire year on this series and I'm pretty proud of that. I stuck with it and finished it! The mpreg version will continue with sporadic updates as I concentrate on my newer books.

I hope you guys liked the ending, sorry if it was lackluster.
😚😚