Because I have never written a New Years Eve chapter and I figured it was about time!

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Mason strode past Carter's desk but halted a few feet away and quickly swiveled around like he'd suddenly thought of something. Backtracking, he stopped at Carter's desk. Carter glanced at him then away, her only acknowledgment.

"Hey, Owens," Mason said.

Carter continued with her work. Mason would say what he was going to say whether she replied or not. Years of high school together taught her this. Also, the fact that Mason wasn't likely to never change meant this would always be true.

"I need your help with something," Mason said. "Before you say no, hear me out."

Again Carter didn't respond.

"I need a date tonight to my family's New Years Eve party and I need it to be you."

The word 'need' struck Carter as an interesting choice of word. It didn't imply want, more a helplessness to any other option.

"Okay," she said.

"Look, I know you're with boy scout Donovan, but I wouldn't be asking you this is if I didn't have literally any other option." He blinked like he'd just registered what she'd said. "Wait, you're fine going with me?"

"Yes."

"No argument."

"Nope."

"No all-out brawl where I have to somehow threaten you to make this happen?"

"No."

"Why not? This feels like a setup for you to say yes so easily."

Finally, Carter twisted her chair to look directly at Mason.

"Donovan has decided that doing something tonight isn't worth it. So I'm fine going with you."

Mason backed up a step and raised his hands. "Woah! Okay, I am not getting on the wrong side of boy scout. If this is your revenge then never mind, I take back the invitation."

"You're fine. And no, I'm not using you. It simply means I'm free."

Mason looked about as if he expected Donovan to jump up out of nowhere and attack.

"Okay then..." He ran his hand through his hair, his composure back. "I'll pick you up outside your apartment at nine." He started to walk away, then paused. "Is it possible for you to find some way to look decent?"

Carter arched her eyebrows at him. He rolled his eyes.

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I can."

He started off again but this time Carter stopped him.

"Why me?"

Sliding his hands into his pockets, Mason faced her. "I thought it would be obvious with going to a party with politicians and all."

"Enlighten me."

"You have this amazing talent of pissing someone off without even trying. I expect my mother to have invited a lot of women to this thing. Women I have no intention of dating. You'll be like my own personal force field."

Carter narrowed her eyes at him but Mason remained unfazed.

"You have that same ability," Carter said.

Mason raised a finger. "Ah, I don't. Not when it comes to politicians. My upbringing kicks in and I'm an obnoxious, polite First Son. It's disgusting."

"All right, fair enough. See you at nine," she said.

"See you then. Don't forget about the whole looking decent thing."

*****

Carter stood before her bathroom mirror. She managed to tame her hair into an artfully messy updo. Across the top of her head, she wore a golden head band. Something that matched her dress while drawing attention away from the not-quite-as-perfect-as-she-wanted hairdo. Standing back, she took in her reflection.

The gold dress had a high halter top, a small scoop in the back, and fell right above her knees. The color complimented her skin tone. She twisted one way and the other, checking that everything was in order. She had to admit it to herself, she looked good. Or in Mason's words: decent.

Slipping on her coat and collecting her clutch, one of the many accessory gifts from Maggie from over the years, she tossed her phone inside but kept her keys in hand. As she opened the door to her apartment, she found Donovan on the other side.

"You weren't answering your phone..."

He gaped at her, taking in her hair to her dress to her heels.

Ignoring him, Carter locked her door.

"You look-"

"Yes, I know. Goodnight, Donovan."

She strode off towards the elevator, Donovan breaking from his stunned state to chase after her. He darted into the elevator with her but she didn't look at him.

"Are you seriously going to go out with another man all because of what I said?"

Carter turned a passive face on him.

"No," she said. "I am going with someone, who needs my help, out to a party. Since you made it clear that you had no intention to do anything with me tonight I saw no reason not to say yes."

The elevators doors parted and Carter walked off.

"Carter, let's talk about this," Donovan said. "You know it's a misunderstanding and you're being stubborn about this."

"Ah, telling me what I am doing wrong instead of saying what you did wrong. Not a great way to fix this."

Carter pushed through the front door and out into the cold night air. At the curb waited a town car. Carter didn't break stride as she crossed over to it.

"Don't go, Carter," Donovan said.

She opened the door but paused, looking at him.

"Why not?" she said. "You said taking me out would be a waste of time and energy. But clearly, only you think that. Have a great New Years Eve, Donovan."

She stepped into the car and shut the door.

"Drive away as fast as possible," Mason said to the driver.

Carter didn't glance back to see if Donovan was watching the car drive away. She knew he was. Mason eyed her.

"You look decent."

"No, Mason I look amazing. You're welcome."

Mason nodded. They fell silent as the car cut its way through traffic.

"How badly did boy scout boyfriend screw up?" Mason asked.

"Enough that I'm in a dress and heels but it's not for him."

"Ouch."

The car dropped them off before an imposing apartment building with uniformed doormen and a lobby that could have fit Carter's entire studio apartment in the lounge area. At the door to the penthouse, Mason fidgeted with his bowtie and let out a breath.

"Man, I hate these things," he said.

"Why come?"

"Because my mother works hard to get them together and I actually like my mother."

"Then let's get this over with."

Mason rang the doorbell and a man in a suit ushered them in and another man took their coats. Carter gazed around the lavish apartment. Windows displayed the expanse of DC. Elegant men and women chatted in soft voices while servers drifted around them carrying trays of champagne and hors-d'oevres. It was everything Carter imagined a politician's party to be like.

"What do we do now?" Carter said. "Or do you want me to simply stand here and look pretty?"

Mason eyed her up and down. "You pretty?"

She punched him in the arm and he grinned.

"You're already making this night better by not acting with decorum." 

He held out his arm to her and she slipped her hand into his elbow. The instant they dove into the thick of it, Mason received greetings. Groups stopped talking just so they could say hello and make some comment about the party. Carter watched Mason, he was right. The second someone approached them he'd turned into a polite, politician's son. It was nauseating.

"And who is this lovely lady?" an older man asked Mason, smiling at Carter.

"Senator Norris, this is Carter Owens," Mason said.

Carter took the older man's hand but didn't return his smile.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Norris said.

"I would say the same but I don't care for politicians."

Norris started and Mason clapped the man on the shoulder.

"We'll see you around, Senator," Mason said, guiding Carter away.

"Perfectly done," Mason said once they were out of earshot. "That could handle all the democrats since those are the only people he talks to. Next the republicans."

They didn't make it far before Mason's mother appeared. She beamed when she saw her son looking dashing in a tux. On his end, Mason offered up a genuine smile.

"Hello mother," he said, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you for coming," she said. "And who is this?"

"Mother, I mentioned Carter Owens to you before."

"Ah yes, the one girl in high school who managed to piss you off continuously that I heard about it. I'm happy to finally meet you, Carter."

"Likewise. I'm happy I was able to make Mason complain so much."

Mason's mother laughed, a soft inviting sound.

"I take it you chose to bring Carter to avoid all the girls I invited here for you to meet?"

"Now why would I do that?" Mason said. "You always choose such wonderful prospects for me."

His mother patted his cheek. "All I ask is that you don't start a fight or make a scene."

"This is Carter Owens, I'm not sure I can make any promises with her here."

Carter smacked his chest with the back of her hand. "Shut up. I'm not that bad."

"No, merely confrontational at all times."

"I have more guests to greet. Enjoy the party. Also, your father is over by the Degas statue, say hello when you can."

When his mother vanished into the crowd, Mason purposely steered Carter in another direction.

"I'm taking it we're walking in the opposite direction of the Degas statue?"

"How'd you know?"

"You still have Daddy issues written all over you."

"Sometimes I forget how cruel you can be."

"Isn't that why you brought me?"

"That's true."

They barely made it a few feet when a stunning girl in a form-fitting dress appeared before them.

"Mason," the girl said. "A pleasure to see you again. It's been far too long."

"Fiona," Mason said. "I have to say the same."

Again Mason's cordial tone made Carter want to vomit all over the girl's shimmering gown.

Fiona smiled. "Dashing as ever."

"Do you want to stay with Fiona?" Carter asked Mason. "Because maybe she'll do a better job for your ego than I will. I don't find you all that dashing. Actually, you're pretty annoying."

The tactic worked. Mason dropped his polished veneer to glare at her.

"Owens, you have zero manners and utter lack of respect for others around you."

"So is that a yes or no? Because I'm pretty sure she'd laugh at your idiotic jokes though you were born without a sense of humor."

"I was born without one? Look in the mirror."

Fiona looked between them then mumbled something before walking away.

"That worked well," Carter said. "Can you go get me something to drink? Ginger ale to be exact, nothing else in it."

"What am I your slave?"

"Yes. I'm the one wearing the pretty dress."

"Fine. Why no alcohol? That's the whole point of a party."

"I will never willingly drink something that will impair my control or awareness. I'm not an idiot."

Mason shrugged and walked away. Carter gazed about, hearing snippets of conversations. The pieces she heard bored her and made her wish that she wasn't there. Being Mason's personal force field was amusing but not enough for her to forget how much she didn't like these type of people. Or forget how much she disliked heels.

From the mass, a collection of girls approached Carter and she got the strangest deja vu from high school. Only this time it surrounded Mason instead of Donovan.

"You're here with Mason," one of the girls jumped in with.

"In the sense that we came together, yes," Carter said.

"Are you serious?"

"Most days, yes."

The girls didn't understand the joke but maybe because they'd been the ones not born with a sense of humor.

"Do you plan to be engaged any time soon?" another asked. "Or is it temporary?"

Carter liked these girls, they weren't trying to put Carter down, they merely searching for information. After all, they had been invited here for the purpose of meeting Mason.

"If you want him," Carter said. "You can have him. But I'll be blunt, he's egotistical. His needs will always come before yours. He's the sort of person you can't pin down. He doesn't want love, long-lasting, or even semi-serious. He might be charming at first but he gets tired of working that hard pretty fast. But if you want him, go for him. I won't stand in your way."

The girls all exchanged looks and nods.

"That's all we needed to know. Thank you for your time."

They left and Carter was surprised with how smoothly that had gone. Mason reappeared with a ginger ale for her.

"I need air," she said.

They stepped out into the balcony, the night air cooling Carter's hot skin.

"I got rid of most of your mother's prospects for you," Carter said, sipping her drink.

"Thanks. Only the republicans left and then we're all set."

"I'm guessing I'll never get another invite to one of your mother's parties."

"Depends on if there are people she doesn't like but has to invite. You're a very effective weapon."

"I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"You're welcome."

They stood side by side, staring out at the city while behind them politicians were getting steadily more loose with their words. Carter couldn't imagine the night would end well.

"So was it really boy scout who screwed up or was it you?"

Carter took a long drink. "Why do you assume I would be in the wrong?"

"Because we're both similarly damaged and I know I'm always the source of the problem."

"That's strangely insightful for you."

Mason merely shrugged. "So what's going on?"

"Do you honestly care?"

"No, I'm simply bored."

At least Mason was honest. If not a little too honest. But so was Carter and she found she didn't mind all that much.

"Link was throwing a New Years Eve party with a lot of lawyers he knows and he invited Donovan and me. I asked Donovan if he wanted to go and he'd said we'd have to look nice and it would be a waste of time and energy."

"Oh," Mason said, taking a drink. "It is boy scout's problem."

"Yeah. His brother Brock even invited us to his party and Donovan said there was no point going, I wasn't likely to enjoy it."

"Boy scout isn't perfect after all. Interesting. I might like him more for this."

Carter glared at him.

"Not because he messed up with you but because he messed up. If that makes any sense."

"It does. Weirdly enough."

Carter put her back against the railing and peered through the windows into the mass of bodies. She looked to the apartment's front door. Around them, the world was buzzing as the New Year drew closer and closer. Carter almost feel the seconds ticking down. She kept staring at the door, not sure what she expected to happen.

"Want him to make a dramatic entrance, race over to you, and kiss you as everyone shouts 'Happy New Years'?" Mason asked, leaning his elbow on the railing.

"Sounds nice."

"Well, it's not likely to happen. A former President is here. The lobby is surrounded by Secret Service agents and no one would be able to enter without an invitation. Not even a badge would do it."

"Then I don't get my dramatic kiss."

"Seems not."

When it grew too cold, they braved the party once more, though a majority of those in attendance gave them a wide berth. The rest of the guests did as well after Carter verbally cut down one republican. By the time everyone started the count down to midnight, Carter and Mason were completely left alone.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven."

Carter looked to the front door one more time.

"Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One! Happy new year!" 

The door remained closed. She looked at Mason.

"I know it's tradition but I'm not kissing you," he said. "I might die."

"The thought of kissing you made me throw up in my mouth."

"Now I'm definitely not kissing you."

Carter laughed and Mason smiled.

"You're free to leave now," he said. "I think I'm safe."

"Goodnight, Mason. Happy new year."

"Happy new year, Owens."

Carter retrieved her coat and slipped out the front door as everyone kept shouting happy new year. The city roared with fireworks and people yelling as Carter made her way back to her apartment.

When she stepped inside, she saw her lights were still on and Donovan sat in an armchair. He stood as she entered. She stopped, surveying the apartment.

"You cleaned," she said.

Donovan rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah. I needed something to do."

She noticed one of the few books she owned sitting on the arm of the chair.

"At least it didn't take you very long," she said. "Why are you still here?"

She shut the door and hung up her coat, tossing her clutch onto the kitchen countertop.

"I didn't want to start the new year with you mad at me," he said.

Carter leaned against the counter, her arms crossed.

"Do you even understand why I'm mad at you?" she asked.

"Honestly, no."

Carter found her anger had simmered down and she was still hurt but not as pissed as she had been.

"Because you said going out, getting dressed up wouldn't be worth the time or energy. You said I wouldn't even enjoy going to a party."

"I did say that and..."

Carter threw up her hands. "Seriously? Donovan, that makes it sound like I'm not worth the effort. That going somewhere to have a good time would take too much work. That going somewhere with me would be too much work."

"Oh," Donovan said, his shoulder sagging. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant." He took a step towards her. "Carter, I know you. I know that you hate dressing up. I also know you hate lawyers because they are always cocky and want to argue with any little thing you say."

She sighed. That was true. Link was the exception.

"I also know that you dislike being around drunk people because they think they are hilarious when they aren't."

Again that was true. The few parties she'd gone to in college were extremely boring.

"I said it wouldn't be worth the time and energy because I know you wouldn't have a good time. Not like if we stayed in and watched something, or simply talked about past new years and what our future would look like."

He drew closer to her and Carter felt her anger melting away.

"You are worth all the effort in the world. All the time and energy. Even knowing all those things about you I should have let you talk. I didn't. Please forgive me for being inconsiderate of your feelings."

Carter thought of the party with Mason, how annoyed all those people had made her and how it would have been worse if they'd drunk, like most of the people at Link's or Brock's parties would be. She'd dressed up but mostly because she'd been mad at Donovan. Now all she wanted to was change and kick off the painful heels.

He'd been thinking of a night in with just them two, possibly in joggers and a t-shirt. That sounded like a good plan.

She stepped out of her heels.

"I forgive you if you forgive me for not giving you the benefit of the doubt. You know me and I should have trusted you. More than that, I should have talked to you. Instead, I shut you out. My defense mechanism."

Donovan laughed. "Of course. Though you're making up for it with how amazing you look."

He took a step back to take her in. "Maybe we should have gone to one of those parties. I could have showed off how gorgeous my girlfriend is."

This time Carter laughed and hooked her arms around Donovan's neck.

"You're right, it's better we didn't go."

He held onto her.

"Did you kiss Mason at midnight?" he asked.

He didn't sound worried like he already knew the answer but need confirmation.

"No. My lips are for one man only."

Donovan leaned in, hovering a breath away. "Happy New Year, Carter."

He kissed her and Carter heard more fireworks exploding in the night.

"To another year with you."

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SQUIRREL!

(An Up reference for Disney fans)

Carter, Donovan, and Mason, oh my! All in one delightful chapter, thoughts! 🗯💭💬

I always find it interesting to write them fighting because it makes them more real to me. Every relationship has ups and downs I like seeing how they handle their downs.

What's a New Years resolution of yours?

Mine is to publish Open Case File.

Oh! Does anyone want to draw Carter wearing her gold dress?

I would try it but I'm really not good at drawing.

Vote, comment, follow