Irreconcilable Differences

++++++++



"I've missed this," Kelly sighed as they got comfortable in the hotel bed.



"You've been having trouble sleeping?" Carrie asked, wrapping her arm around her and pulling her closer.



"Yea, but it's not bad. I've just missed hanging out with you," she explained, looking up at her shyly.



Carrie could feel the nerves in her stomach as she leaned forward.



"Care," Kelly breathed.



Carrie watched as the fear grew in her eyes. She pushed her hair out of her face, "Do you trust me?"



Kelly nodded, licking her lips subconsciously. Carrie leaned forward once more, her eyes focused on her lips, watching as they trembled slightly, feeling hers do the same. She pressed their lips together, breathing in. Both of them were frozen like that, not sure how to take the sudden rush of blood. Finally, Carrie felt Kelly move her lips against her, and she mentally sighed in relief as she began to kiss her back, or at least try to. It was the simplest of kisses, yet Carrie could easily mark it off as the best one she had ever experienced.



"You ok?" Kelly asked as she pulled away, her own heart racing, but nervous of if she had did something wrong.



"Where did you learn how to kiss?" Carrie asked bluntly.



"Um, I, well, I mean, I don't know. It's not like I kissed all that many people. Sorry," she apologized.



"No," Carrie said quickly. "Opposite. Opposite."



Kelly looked at her confusedly.



"That was amazing," she smiled, cradling her face.



"Oh," Kelly blushed.



Carrie kissed the tip of her nose sweetly, "How bout we get some sleep, k?"



"Definitely," Kelly yawned, snuggling into the warm body in front of her.



++++++++++



Carrie stretched as she woke up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She turned over to find herself in an empty bed. She sat up quickly, her eyes searching the room. Her ears detected the sound of rushing water, and she relaxed, realizing that Kelly was in the shower. She begrudgingly got out of bed, knowing that she had a plane to catch later and couldn't very well stay in bed all day.



She dug through her bag for her toothbrush and walked over to the bathroom area where there was an extra sink. She started to brush her teeth and smiled as she heard Kelly's voice carrying through the bathroom door as she sung in the shower. Carrie couldn't recognize the song, but that voice was definitely something to be reckoned with.



She heard the shower turn off and a few minutes later Kelly exited the bathroom in jeans and a t-shirt, her wet hair already starting to curl.



"'Mornin," she greeted.



"Good morning," Carrie replied.



"Bathroom's all yours," Kelly said, walking past her.



"Kell," Carrie said, taking her arm gently.



"Ye-" Kelly turned around but was cut off with a gentle kiss. A smile spread across her face, "You know? I think I can get used to this whole you kissing me thing."



"Good," Carrie laughed before walking into the bathroom.



++++++++++



"So, what have you got next on the agenda?" Carrie asked as she and Kelly played a game of speed while sitting on the bed.



"Um..." Kelly said, concentrating on the game. "Crap...ooo...yay...ok, um, I'm gonna go meet with my management and plan everything out for the next couple of months."



"Ew, so you're going to L.A.?"



Kelly shook her head, biting her lip as she laid down four cards in a row with a smile.



"New York?"



She shook her head again.



"Then where are you going?"



"Speed!" Kelly cried out triumphantly as she placed down her last card.



Carrie couldn't help but laugh at how into the game she had gotten.



"Huh?" Kelly asked, looking at her, completely forgetting the question.



"Where is your management at?" Carrie asked.



"Oh, Nashville," she answered, gathering up the cards to shuffle them.



"As in Tennessee?" Carrie questioned with a smile.



"No, as in Canada," Kelly laughed. "Yes, as in Tennessee."



"So, you'll be in Tennessee..."



"Yes," Kelly nodded.



"And I'll be in Tennessee..."



"Yes," she smiled.



"So, we'll be in Tennessee together?"



"Wow," Kelly teased. "That's some deductive reasoning skill you got there."



"Shut up," Carrie laughed, tossing a card at her that she had dropped. "So, this means we can like hang out and stuff?"



"I'd be offended if we didn't," Kelly replied.



"And when we hang out...you know, we can kiss and stuff?"



"It depends what that stuff is," Kelly smiled. "But yes."



"I looove Tennessee," Carrie sighed with a dreamy smile, making Kelly laugh.



++++++++



"So what time's your flight?" Carrie asked as she packed up her own suitcase.



"Not till later," Kelly replied, stretched out on the bed. "We were factoring in hang over time, and we've learned before never to fly with a hang over. Not fun."



"Yea," Carrie laughed. "So where are you staying when you get there?"



"Jason actually bought a house there since we've been so much time there lately."



"Oh, well, ok, I was just gonna say that if you needed a place to stay..."



"There's always time for slumber parties," Kelly smiled, leaning forward and pulling Carrie towards her.



"Slumber parties?" Carrie questioned with a smile, sitting on Kelly's lap.



"You know, smore's, ghost stories, pillow fights."



"Making out," Carrie offered.



"Is that all you ever think about?" Kelly laughed.



Carrie leaned forward, kissing her softly, "With lips like that, how could I not?"



Kelly blushed as she felt her heart flutter.



"Now," Carrie clapped her hands together. "I've got a flight to catch."



"You want me to come with you?"



"Um, no, you stay here. Get some more sleep," Carrie smiled.



"You sure?"



"Yep."



"Alright. Call me as soon as you land, ok? Let me know you got there safe."



"Look at you, all worried about me," Carrie laughed.



"Shut up," Kelly pushed her playfully.



"It's ok," Carrie leaned forward, kissing her once more. "I kinda like it."



"Good."



"Ok, time to go," Carrie hopped up and off the bed.



"Be safe," Kelly smiled.



"I will. Behave."



"I'll try."



"You better," Carrie laughed, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I'll call you."



Kelly beamed in response, "Bye."



"Bye," Carrie smiled.



++++++++++



"Where'd you disappear to last night?" Ashley asked as they waited in line at the airport.



"The roof," Kelly shrugged.



"I know that," Ashley said. "But you usually come back after the fireworks."



"Yea, I know. I was just showing Carrie around and talking and stuff. I guess I lost track of time."



"You have any asprin?" Jason grumbled from behind her.



Kelly laughed as she dug through her purse and handed him a bottle of advil, "You can not seriously still be hung over."



"Oh, you missed it," Ashley laughed. "He got in a shoot out with Arman."



"As is in the back light guy?" Kelly asked in shock.



"Yea," Jason grumbled.



"The one who moved here from Germany?"



"It was like Jason took that movie Beerfest to heart," Ashley teased.



"God Jason," Kelly laughed. "Seriously?"



"I just want to let you know," he said, pulling his sunglasses down.--the lights in the airport seemed unnaturally bright, "that I wiped the floor with that guy."



"Yea, but something tells me, he doesn't feel like a semi just ran over his head right about now," Ashley pointed out.



"I still won," Jason replied defiantly.



"That's the American spirit," Kelly smiled.



"No," Ashley shook her head, laughing. "That's the Clarkson spirit."



+++++++++



"Home sweet home," Kelly sighed as they walked through the front door of Jason's house. "Well, at least about as close as we'll get for the time being. So what's first on the list?"



"Shower and bed," Jason replied, carrying the girls' bags in.



"We don't have anything to do?"



"Nope, I made sure we were all caught up before we left. That way, if one of use wound up feeling like shit, which looking at the history of our previous New Years Eves was bound to happen, we wouldn't have to worry about it."



"You are so my favorite brother," Kelly smiled, taking her bag from him and making her way to her room down the hall.



"And don't you forget that!" he called after her.



Kelly laughed as she closed the door behind her, dropping her bag on the floor. She quickly took out her phone, scrolling through the addresses.



"Hey."



"Hey," she smiled at the sound of her voice. "So, I never got a call, and I was worried sick."



"You checked your texts?" Carrie asked.



"No, you said you'd call," Kelly pointed out.



Carrie laughed, "Check your texts.



Kelly bit her lip as she saw she had a text message. She opened it up, reading:



I made it here, but my battery's about to die. Can't call. Talk to you tonight?



"Oh," Kelly laughed, bringing the phone back to her ear.



"Yea, I left my charger at my parent's house so I had to go get a new one," she explained. "So how was your flight?"



"Ok. You?"



"I slept through it."



"Lucky you. I had Jason on the side of me, grumbling the entire time."



"That sucks," Carrie laughed. "So, um, when do I get to see you again?"



"When's the next time you have free time?"



"Well, tomorrow, I have these reservations around 7 at this stupidly fancy restaurant that I just can't get out of," Carrie replied.



"Bummer," Kelly frowned.



"But, it seems they made a mistake," Carrie continued.



"A mistake?"



"Yea, they set the reservations for two people, and I'm clearly not two people."



"Really?" Kelly smiled.



"So, I was just kind of wondering if maybe you wanted to come with me? I mean, it's no big deal, nothing special, really. I grew up with one of the chefs, and I've been meaning to go and--"



"I'd love to," Kelly cut in.



"You sure?"



"Yes," she laughed. "I'm always up for some good food and good company."



Carrie could feel her cheeks blushing, and she was glad that Kelly couldn't see her, "Alright. Um, I'll pick you up around 6?"



"Sounds good. I'll email you directions."



"Cool."



"Cool," Kelly nodded. "So, I'm kinda tired, and I'm sure you are too, so I'll talk to you tomorrow?"



"Definitely," Carrie smiled. "'Night hun."



"Good night," Kelly replied, hanging up the phone.