Playing With Fire

++++++++++



Kelly chewed on her bottom lip as she listened to the phone ringing.



"Hey sweetie," came the familiar greeting.



"Hey 'Lyssa," she replied nervously.



"Hey, what's wrong?"



"Nothing. Everything's really, really great right now."



"You sure? You sound nervous."



"Well...I kinda have some big news..." she admitted.



"You're going on tour with Reba again? Sorry to burst your bubble, but Jason already told me," Alyssa laughed.



"Um, no, it's not that..."



"Ok, then, I give. What's the big news?"



"Well, Carrie and I...she asked me...she, um..."



"Kelly, spit it out before I fly over there and make you."



"Carrie propsed to me, and I said yes, so we're engaged!" she blurted out.



"Kelly!" Alyssa squealed.



Kelly pulled the phone back from her ear, wincing, "Damn Lyss..."



"Oh my God, baby, I'm so happy for you."



"Yea?"



"Yea, I am. This is...this is big. Dang it, now I wish I really could fly over there. I wanna see you and see the ring. Aw, Kellbell, this is great. Are you excited?"



"Over the moon," she laughed softly.



"Aw...so, I want the details, all of them."



"Well, I'm already late for soundcheck, but I promise to call you back after and let you know all the details. I just couldn't wait to tell you, though."



"Ok, you better call me as soon as you get a chance, you hear me?"



"I will, I promise."



"Alright. Go have a good sound check. Love you sweetie."



"Love you too."



"And tell Carrie I love her too, and congratulations."



"Thanks, 'Lyss."



"Bye hunny."



"Bye," Kelly beamed.



++++++++++++++++



"So, Alyssa was excited?" Carrie asked as they played a game of cards on the bus.



"She made me tell her the story like five times," Kelly nodded.



Carrie smiled, "That's sweet."



"So, when are you telling your parents?"



"In person when I go back."



Kelly looked up at her.



"Yes, I have to go back," Carrie laughed softly.



"And leave your fiancée all by herself in some foreign country?"



Carrie grinned, "Fiancée, huh?"



"Like the sound of that?"



"Definitely," she nodded.



Kelly looked over Carrie's shoulder to the back of the bus. The country singer nodded, taking her hand as they both stood.



"Hey, where are y'all going?" Ashley asked as she and Kate and Jill walked on to the bus. "I thought we were playing games."



"Sorry," Kelly replied over her shoulder. "Got some business to take care of."



"Seriously?" she laughed.



"I'd recommend either ear plugs or loud music," Carrie winked as she opened the door to the back bedroom, allowing Kelly in first before following her, closing the door behind them.



+++++++++++



"So...engaged, huh?" Jason asked as he and Kelly sat in a small pub, eating lunch. The other girls had agreed to occupy Carrie so that the short Texan could spend some time with her brother by themselves, which she really hadn't gotten to do lately.



"I know, right?"



"I remember an article just last year where you said you didn't want to get married."



"Same one where I said I had never been in love?"



"My how times have changed," Jason smiled.



"So, you're ok with this?"



"Is this what you want?"



"It's everything I ever dreamed of; I was just to afraid to admit it because I didn't think it would ever come true."



"Then, I'm perfectly ok with it," he nodded.



"And I know that it's way too soon to even be thinking about this, I mean, both Carrie and I want to wait a bit more before we even set a date or anything like that, but I just...it was one of the things that I was thinking about the night after she proposed..."



"Ok?"



"Our family is so screwed up, Jay," Kelly laughed softly. "And, I just, you've always really been great to me, and I hope if Carrie and I have a son someday that he'll grow up to be like you. I know we give you a lot of shit sometimes, and rag on you, but it's true: I couldn't ask for a better big brother. So, when Carrie and I finally do set a date, and the day does come that we get married, would you be willing to give me away?"



Jason smiled sadly, "I don't know...giving you away is gonna be pretty hard to do."



"Not like that, you nerd. I'm not gonna leave you by yourself. I meant, like, you know, normally the dad walks the daughter down the aisle...like that."



"Oh..." he nodded. "Are you sure?"



"It would really mean a lot to me."



"Well, I would be honored," he smiled proudly.



Kelly giggled, "Thanks, Jay."



"So, this giving you away thing...does it come with presents?"



Kelly rolled her eyes, "And you wonder why we tease you all the time?"



"What? That's totally a legitimate question."



"We'll see," Kelly patted his hand.



+++++++++++



Kelly sat curled up on Carrie's lap, not even caring that they were in the middle of an airport terminal with people all around them.



Carrie held her closely, kissing the side of her head every now and then.



"Do you have to go?"



"Yes, I'm already behind on the promo for my next single."



"I wish you didn't have to go."



"Me too," Carrie nodded.



"How long until I see you again?"



"A little less than a month."



"A month?" she squeaked, pulling back to be able to look at her.



"A little less than," Carrie corrected.



"That's a really long time," she pouted.



Carrie couldn't help but smile, "I'll call you every day."



Her pout deepened.



"Hey, we can try the whole webcam chat thingy. That way we can at least see each other. That sound like a good idea?"



Kelly nodded.



"Could be kinda hot too," Carrie grinned.



Kelly giggled, "I swear I didn't know you were so horny when we started dating."



"You love it."



"I do," she agreed. "We're totally gonna be one of those old married couples that still does it in their eighties."



Carrie smiled broadly.



"What?"



"We're gonna be an old married couple some day."



Kelly nodded, her fingers running across the country singer's jaw line lightly, "Yes, we are."



"All old and wrinkly and--"



"And you'll still be beautiful."



Carrie's smile softened, "How do you do that?"



"Do what?"



"You're just so...like you're just this ball of love."



Kelly laughed, "I'm a what?"



"Oh, hush, you know what I meant."



"Not a clue," she shook her head.



"Well, will you settle for an explanation of you're perfect and I'm the luckiest person on the planet?"



Kelly nodded, "Yea, that sounds about right."



Carrie laughed as she pressed their lips together.



"I'm so gonna miss kissing you," she noted.



"I'll be back as soon as humanly possible," Carrie assured.



"When you're over there, don't let those reporters get to you, ok? They're just stupid people with no lives."



"Look who's talking, Rocky," Carrie teased. "Promise me you won't go beating up any fans when I'm gone."



"I didn't beat up anybody," her eyes were wide.



"That's not what I read in the tabloids," she laughed.



"For goodness sake," Kelly sighed. "Seriously?"



Carrie shrugged, "The way I see it, the more outlandish the stories get the more people will doubt the entire thing."



"Maybe..."



"So...can I have one for the road?"



Kelly nodded as her head tilted while Carrie leaned forward, kissing her softly.



"I love you," she whispered



"I love you too," Kelly smiled, their faces still barely an inch apart. "A month?"



"A little less than," she nodded.



Kelly kissed her again, "Tell your parents I said hi."



"And that you said yes," Carrie beamed.



"And that I said yes," she agreed, smiling as Carrie kissed her fully. "Call me as soon as you land to let me know you made it there safe."



"Great thing to tell a girl that's afraid of flying."



"Alright, call me as soon as you land because I'm gonna already be missing you...better?"



"Much," Carrie kissed her lightly.



"You know, if we keep this up, you'll miss your flight."



"I'm fine with that."



"Care..."



"Alright, one more, and that's it, I promise."



"It's never just one more with us," Kelly pointed out.



"Which is why we should get started now," Carrie replied, kissing her again.