The Kerry Weaver and John Carter Romance Page

Don't these two people look like they should live happily ever after?

There was a moment of hope in November of 1998 for "ER" fans everywhere. Dr. John Carter, newly freed from the clutches of the evil Beard which had plagued him since September, showed up unexpectedly on the doorstep of a certain slightly tipsy Dr. Kerry Weaver. She invited him to stay, and stay he did, for ten months. As her roommate he gave exciting new insights into the mysterious personal life of the very private ER doctor. She likes funky music! She's a morning person! And even... she's adopted! Without Carter we would never have known these things.

Knowing that they were becoming closer friends as they lived together, I started to wonder. We have watched both of them struggle in relationships before; Carter being alternately seduced and then left in the dust by a growing trail of women, Kerry being so hurt and mistrustful over her failed relationship with Ellis West that she apparently hasn't had a serious partner since then. And I started to wonder.... what about the two of them together? Both intensely loyal; both on the quiet and serious side, although with wonderful moments of humor as well; both willing to commit for the long term; both trustworthy and loving enough to heal the other's wounds from the past; both able to provide the "home" and "family" that neither has on their own.

Sounds good, doesn't it? Imagine my dismay when instead, Kerry asked Carter to move out during the first episode of season six! She said it seemed inappropriate for him to live in her basement now that she was the chief of the ER, but I find that very odd. And I honestly don't understand why it happened, but needless to say, here we are... they are once again, apart.

Although the two have not had many scenes together the past couple of years, the moments are even more magical because they are rare. Noah Wyle and Laura Innes have a wonderful chemistry, and their scenes together sparkle with the subtleties of superb acting and genuine affection between the actors. After Carter was stabbed last season during February sweeps, there was a wonderful scene when Kerry came to talk to him at the end of his first day back at work. Although he made it clear that he didn't want to talk about what was troubling him, both of them knew that she wasn't fooled.

Since then, I'm not sure *what* happened. Kerry was suspended from the ER and shortly after she came back, it became clear that Carter had fallen into the nasty little habit of stealing drugs from work and shooting up in the trauma room! Meanwhile, she was concentrating on other, more important matters, like the number of Carol Hathaway's sick days. In any case, Carter seems to have recovered now, under Kerry's "supervision" (if you can call it that, seeing how distracted she's been by her relationship with Kim Legaspi). In "The Crossing," we even saw him hit on a new co-worker, Rena. Never mind that he can't (legally) take her out for a drink... ugh, ugh, and more ugh.

When you think about it, Carter has not had a really satisfying, loving relationship since Abby Keaton left for Pakistan four years ago. And we hadn't even seen Kerry go on a date in three years, until Kim Legaspi made it her personal crusade to show Kerry the error of her previously-heterosexual ways. (Parenthetically, one has to wonder why it is that the only main character on ER with a physical disability has also been the one with the most woefully underdeveloped love life until the Powers made her the poster child for their efforts to get all Politically Correct this season. Discrimination? I feel sure of it, but you decide for yourself.)

It's high time that both of these characters stopped serving as the source of angst and despair on ER and were each granted a little happiness. These two belong together, plain and simple... not for a quick fling mind you, but for a slowly and carefully developed, long-lasting, and indeed sizzling romance. Maybe they can share woes over their respective broken hearts this spring, or something...

I'm hoping, among other things, to create a set of links to all the Kerry and Carter fanfiction out there. If you have a website featuring predominantly Kerry/Carter fanfic please mail me!

*sigh* Geocities ate my guest book, I think. I've given up figuring out how to make a new one. If you have something profound to say about Kerry and Carter, e-mail me. Or better yet, e-mail the Powers that Be at NBC and let *them* know.

Enormous thanks to Shelby for images from her site, The ER Criterion.

This page was started by Alice on October 25, 2000. Last update February 27, 2001. Visit my other page for ER fanfiction, including Kerry and Carter stories, and a resource page for medical fanfic writing.

other visitors want John Carter and Kerry Weaver together too!

Love in the