So I did research but none of it gave me concrete answers so I apologize ahead of time for this being completely unrealistic. What I'm referring to will make more sense once you read.

I hope you still enjoy it! ☺️

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"Why are we doing this again?" Carter asked, looking away from her reflection to Donovan.

He sat on the edge of the bathtub/shower, bent over his knees, hands clasped together. His gaze roamed around the cramped bathroom like even after five months of being together the space would reveal something new about her. At her question, his eyes landed on her.

"Because Link and Maddy decided that college parties are something that should be experienced at least once."

Shaking her head, Carter went back to combing her hair into a ponytail.

"It's still stupid," she said.

"You don't have to go," Donovan said.

"What? Let you go alone and get mauled by drunk college girls, I don't think so."

Donovan chuckled but said nothing.

"Can you hand me a hair tie, it's in the top drawer."

Donovan leaned forward and pulled the mentioned drawer open, rummaging through it. After handing Carter what she wanted, he lifted out a switchblade.

"Why is there a switchblade in your bathroom drawer?" he asked, amused.

Carter shrugged and tied her hair back. "Always good to have weapons stashed where they are easy to reach in an emergency."

Shaking his head, Donovan replaced the knife. The front door open and a second later Carter's father appeared in the doorway. Donovan stood as if he had been doing something more incriminating other than sitting.

"Where are you two off to?" he asked.

Carter rolled her eyes. "The idiotic tradition formally known as a college party."

Her father chuckled. "Did you know your mother and I met at a college party."

Surprised, Carter stared at her father's reflection. "I didn't know that."

He nodded, a strange distant look in his eyes. Carter spun around, but before she could press him for more information, his gaze focused and narrowed on her t-shirt. It was black with the Marines logo on the front. At her father's obvious displeasure, she grinned.

"Breathe, Captain," she said. "And remember you both fight for the same thing: life, liberty, the American way, and me."

As she slipped passed him, she patted his shoulder.

"I'm going to get my shoes. Donovan don't die before I get back. Also, remember there's a switchblade in the bathroom drawer."

As Carter tugged on her shoes, she heard the murmur of voices and figured it meant at least Donovan wasn't being strangled. When she walked back out, it was to find her father with his hand on Donovan's shoulder.

"....her safe," he was saying.

Noticing Carter, her father dropped his hand and nodded to them.

"Try to avoid as much stupid as you can," he said.

"It's a college party, I'm pretty sure that request is impossible."

"Still."

Her father hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "Stay safe, Sarge."

"Will do, Captain."

The pair left, picking up Link and Maddy before driving to the edge of Georgetown University campus. The house they stopped at looked like a manor from the 19th century, two-story redbrick with columns in the front, but what was going on within was anything but. Music blared from inside and managed to rattle even the windows of the cars parked on the curb. Strobe lights cut into the night like a lighthouse on drugs.

Carter climbed out of the car and stared up at the fraternity house, already hating everything about it. Sensing everything that was speeding through her mind, Donovan rounded the car and took her hand. Maddy bounced once as if gearing herself up for what was to come.

"We have to do it at least once, right?" she said, looking at Link.

He had the appearance of a man about to face hell, but when Maddy grinned at him, he relaxed.

"Yeah, at least once," he said.

Bracing herself, Carter stepped forward leading the group into the fray. The moment they walked inside, the air seemed to try and choke them. It was hot and reeked of alcohol and pot. The mass of bodies pressed in on all sides and the pounding bass slammed against Carter's eardrums. The front room was packed with bodies grinding against each other, the flashing lights distorting the scene into a jagged motion.

To Carter's relief that further back they went, the less crowded it was and she was able to inhale without it being someone's exhale. The back rooms were filled with games that were made all the more amusing when the players were drunk. There was a kitchen crammed with bottles and kegs that never seemed to lack for attention. Beyond this were a set of doors that stood open, revealing a deck and backyard beyond.

Before the group could decide what form of idiocy to get involved with first, someone staggered and ran into Maddy, upending their drink over her. Link shoved the guy off as Maddy scrunched her face up in annoyance.

"Carter, help me find a bathroom," she said, holding the shirt out from her skin.

Carter directed them down a hallway, knocking on doors and hoping that when she opened each one she wouldn't regret it. Most were locked and they were about to retrace their steps when a door further up opened and Carter caught a flash of tile. Maddy let out a breath as she slipped into the bathroom.

"Promise you won't leave," Maddy said.

With a nod from Carter, she closed the door. Carter leaned against the wall, acting as sentry. The noise still thrummed against her but it was growing more bearable with each minute. Around her couples had found the seclusion of the hallway a good place to try and suck each other's faces off.

One couple made a stumbling progression towards a bedroom door and slipped inside, their mouths never once breaking contact. The display twisted Carter's stomach as her father's earlier comment resurfaced. Her mind raced across time to a similar scene that might have involved her parents. The vividness of the occurrence gripped Carter, blinding her to the rest of her surroundings.

It was for that reason she didn't notice that guy who had been watching her and finally made his approach.

She snapped back when she felt a hand land on her waist and smelled the wave of alcohol on his breath.

"All alone with no one to be with," he said as if he knew she was desperate for company.

His hand lowered to her butt. Carter's annoyance flared and she grabbed his hand. This seemed to only spark something in his eyes.

"Are you an athlete?" she asked.

His lips curled. "No. Why? Want to play a game?"

"No, just checking."

She deftly broke his pinky finger. Crying out, the guy dropped to one knee holding his wrist. When his gaze rose to meet Carter's once again, she merely stared back.

"Still want to play that game?" she asked.

Holding his hand tenderly against his chest, the guy backed away. Part of Carter almost wished he hadn't gone, for with his absence her mind was able to revert to its last train of thought, one that had her crossing her arms, her fists clenched. Years of beliefs about her parents and how she came to be were thrown into question, history fracturing.

The bathroom door opened and Maddy stepped out.

"Well, it was never my favorite shirt so I guess it's okay," she said.

"Good," Carter said, trying to control her thoughts but only barely managing.

Back in the heart of the party, Carter found herself spinning, everything about it pounding against what she was thinking and all that she had thought as a little kid. When Maddy spotted Link, Carter let her go and pushed herself to the backdoor, needing to breathe something other than the fumes of beer and weed.

The deck was less full, but still, Carter had to move to the furthest edge before she could find a piece of available railing. She leaned against it, and closed her eyes, trying to forget the chatter and too loud laughter around her. 

Even with all that she knew about her parents and how she had been a surprise, part of her had thought they had been together before it happened. But given her current setting and the look in her father's eyes she wondered if she was the product of a drunken one night stand that lasted longer than both of them imagined.

Carter buried her face in her hands, hating how childish she felt. Though her mother was no longer part of the picture she still wanted to believe some of her had been born out of love and not intoxicated stupidity.

Someone bumped into her and she straightened, knowing that this was not the place to lose herself. As she turned around, she found herself dreading returning to the party. But to get to Donovan it's what she needed to do. Shoving her emotions down, she made her way back inside. Though she wouldn't have thought it possible, the music had grown in intensity and was trying to deafen her.

She moved through the rooms, trying to find a sign of Donovan or even Link and Maddy. When she spotted the couple dancing, she knew Donovan would be somewhere in the vicinity. She spun around, searching every face.

What she found instead froze all thought and overwhelming emotions.

Pinned against a wall was Donovan with some girl's mouth attached to his and her hands under his shirt.

Carter elbowed her way to the pair. Despite the lithe muscles that told of the girl spending a majority of her time in some sport, Carter managed to yank her off. She stumbled back in surprise.

"Touch him again and I'll break you," she said.

The girl was taller than Carter and the top she wore showed that even her body had an advantage on Carter's but that changed nothing.

"Maybe he doesn't want you, he seemed pretty happy with me."

Angrier than she should have been, Carter jabbed the girl's throat. The girl clenched her neck, choking on her words. Carter turned to Donovan and found him crouched on the floor, palms pressed against his eyes. The vulnerability of his posture startled Carter and she touched his shoulder.

"Donovan," she said.

He raised his head and she knew something was wrong, there was an unfocused look in his eyes. Carter spun around.

"What did you do?" she yelled at the girl.

Still unable to speak, the girl only smirked.

"Donovan," Carter said, gaining his attention again.

This time his eyes managed to meet hers. In a breath a moment of clarity hit him. Grabbing the closest container - that happened to be what looked like a random empty ice bucket - he stuck his fingers into his mouth and threw up. Uncaring about anyone else, Carter snatched someone's discarded jacket and handed it to Donovan. He used it to wipe his mouth, then tossed it away.

"Your drink?" she asked.

He crouched back against the wall, shaking his head, but instantly stopped, putting it in his hands. "It was in her mouth."

The words were slightly out of focus. Carter reined in her desire to punch the girl unconscious.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

The question took a while for Donovan to gather his scrambled thoughts.

Carter knew she had only been gone for less than twenty minutes so depending on the drug it wouldn't have had time to take full effect. She hoped that he had thrown up the majority of it and that he could avoid the worst of the side effects.

"Dizzy," he said carefully as if working to control his mouth.

Carter let out a breath, knowing that murdering the girl would do nothing.

"Stay here," she said.

Finding Maddy and Link, Carter told them that they needed to leave. To her relief, the couple happily agreed, having satisfied their curiosity and ready to never return. Carter found Donovan in the same spot and lifted one arm over her shoulder.

"Just lean on me," she said.

He nodded but grimaced when the world tilted. Carter held onto his side, keeping him stable. With the help of Maddy and Link, they managed to find their way back to the car. The drive home was a quiet affair. By the time they arrived back at the apartment building, Donovan had drunk three bottles of water and eaten four power bars in the hopes of draining his body of the drug.

"Well, that was something," Maddy said as they paused at Link's door.

Smiling, Link tugged at her hand. "Want to come in and fall asleep to a movie like a couple of old people?"

She laughed and nodded. "Sounds like my kind of wild night."

With an assurance from Carter that she was fine with taking care of Donovan, the couple slipped into Link's apartment. Donovan's stability had mostly returned. To help it along, Carter did everything it said online to help stave off any more effects. When Donovan felt he could move about without any help, he went and took a shower, saying he needed to rid himself of the girl's perfume.

Hearing the patter of water on tile, Carter sank onto the couch. With the crisis averted, her mind flowed back into the path she had tried to break it from. But the thoughts that had risen up earlier gnawed at her, demanding attention and consideration. Exhausted with the night and all it had brought, Carter buried her face in her hands.

She remained that way until the water cut off and the door opened.

"Carter?" Donovan asked.

She lifted her head. His hair was damp and he wore sweatpants and faded t-shirt.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better."

She stood and crossed to the kitchen.

"You hungry? I can make you something."

Donovan accepted the offer, settling onto one of the barstools. As Carter made a basic meal of eggs and toast, she watched him, looking for any signs that he still had side effects. In turn, he watched her too, the edges around his eyes softened with an unseen smile.

"Here you go," she said, sliding the plate over to him and leaning against the counter. "How did she get the jump on you?"

Donovan swallowed. "I'm not sure. She approached me at the drinks counter and I ignored her. Then I was making sure Link was fine and the next second I'm against the wall with someone's tongue jammed down my throat and her hands..." He shook his hand like he rather not remember that incident.

"I'm sorry," she said.

Donovan finished eating and pushed his plate away. Carter rose, knowing she needed to go home though she felt hesitant to see her father, fearing what truth she might learn. As she picked up her bag, Donovan reached for her hand. She paused, looking at him.

"You could stay," he said, his thumb making circles on her skin.

If it had been any other time, Carter knew she would be tempted, but with her mind buried so deeply in the past, all she could see were the repercussions and the disastrous endings. She took a breath, not knowing if what she was about to say would change everything, but knowing she needed to.

"Donovan," she said. "I think we should wait."

She held her breath, waiting for him to be annoyed with her. To comment on how he had been waiting for the last six years. About how they had been together long enough. Asking her whether she truly didn't want him.

But all he said was one word. "Okay."

"Really?"

Donovan smiled at the disbelief in her voice.

"Does that mean you don't want to-" Carter didn't get to finish the question.

"Of course, but more than that I want you." He shrugged. "That makes it a non-issue."

Carter stepped forward and kissed him. "Thank you. Though part of me wonders if you still have the drug in your system and whether you will remember this later on. And whether the answer will be the same."

Donovan rested his forehead against hers then kissed her.

"Then ask me again later. It will be the same."

Carter ran a hand through his damp hair. "You going to be okay on your own?"

He nodded and stood. "I'm going to go sleep the rest of it off."

They kissed once more then Carter left.

The lights in the living room were still on as she climbed the stairs to her apartment. When she opened the door, her father looked up from the book he was reading - a pastime Maggie had been nudging him into. Seeing him, Carter froze in the doorway. Her father frowned in concern.

"What is it, Sarge? Are you okay?"

She nodded but found she couldn't move. Fearing the result but knowing she needed the answer she forced out the question that had been plaguing her.

"Am I the product of a college party one-night stand?" she asked, hating how pathetic she felt asking.

Her father's eyebrows shot up. "What? Carter, no." Her father crossed the room to stand in front of her, his hands on her shoulders. "Sarge, I met your mother at a college party and we started dating after that. It was months later that you came along."

Carter let out a shaky breath.

"Okay. I just thought..."

Her father smiled. "You were not a mistake, simply ahead of schedule."

A thought struck Carter. "Do you think she would have stayed if you had waited and had me later?"

Her father sighed the sound heavy with years of turning over that same question.

"I don't know, maybe." He squeezed her shoulders. "But it makes no difference 'cause I got you. Whether it had been later wouldn't have changed anything, I love you."

Carter hugged him. "I love you, Captain."

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Fight me!
(Just kidding, don't do that. It would end terribly for me)

So this was a combination of a couple people's ideas. I think it was Donovan getting kissed by another girl, Donovan drugged, and college party (maybe).

Look, before you get into leaving thoughts about it all I have to say one thing.

I love you and I know that people using drugs to take advantage of others is something that legit happens and so that's why I have to say this:

• Be smart when you go to parties.

• Don't leave your drink unattended.

• Don't accept drinks that aren't sealed.

• Watch the bartender as he mixes your drink.

• Leave your drink with someone you trust if you have to use the bathroom.

• If it tastes weird dump it out.

I know someone of you could be rolling your eyes and saying 'duh', but I had to say this because the thought of something happening to you makes me so sad.

So if you're not going to be smart for yourself at least do it for me cause I love you! ❤️

Now you can leave whatever thoughts you want about the chapter! 🗯💭💬

Maybe even suggestions for other ones. 🧐

I was surprised by Carter's reaction to thinking she was a product of a one-night stand. That whole aspect of the chapter I didn't see coming. But what didn't surprise me was what she asked of Donovan, because of her screwed up past she would more scared of repeating her parents mistake.

What do you make of it all? 💭🗯💬

Vote, comment, follow but only if you want to.