Title: Time & Growth

Pairing(s): Kim/Kerry

Summary: I felt that I needed to do something about the episode "Rampage". This is what resulted. It was a new format for me at the time alternating Kerry then Kim viewpoints.

Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me...and this story has nothing to do with any of my other serieses.


Kerry

Kerry leaned heavily as she walked into the staff lounge and yanked a box over onto the table by her locker. She roughly pulled open the door, it slamming against Luka's locker with a crash. She looked

inside and sighed. She removed the coffee mug that she had used every shift for the past six years at County. Parts of the handle's design had been worn off from so much use. She placed it in the box. She looked back in and found her "emergency" gear for if she forgot to put on what little make-up she wore to work. She tossed that in without a second thought. She reached back in and pulled out a few sheets of paper. She closed her eyes wearily and thought about these sheets. They were tear stained in some places, and in other places the ink was scratched so deeply into the paper that it looked like Braille. She carefully folded up the first draft of "The Letter" as she was starting to think of it as. She reached

back into her locker for the one last thing she knew was in there. Kerry held it in her hands for a few moments staring down at the laughing, smiling faces. It hadn't been anything expensive. They had been walking around some mall one day, and somehow Kim had convinced her to have their picture taken in one of those Automatic picture booths. When the photos had emerged Kerry had cringed, but Kim loved them and had taken all but one into her possession, to do who knows what with. The one that Kerry had kept though, she thought it was the best. Kim wasn't looking at the camera she was glancing at Kerry. The camera had caught this second of time, where Kim seemed to glow from within. Kerry had seen it happen before when they were talking, or more precisely when Kerry was talking and Kim was laughing and flirting. But this picture had the glow on paper.

Kerry slowly placed the picture in her wallet. Took off her lab coat, ID and stethoscope and grabbed a file from one of her sparsely filled desk drawers. She slowly walked through her ER for what was

probably the last time. She came to Luka at the admit desk. "Luka, could I ask you a favor?" She leaned her box up against the Admit desk. "If Kim...Dr. Legaspi asks. This is where I can be reached."

Kerry handed over a piece of paper with a number on it.

Luka nodded, confused, "Are you going somewhere Kerry?"

Kerry smiled sadly, "Don't be afraid to try for the chief position Luka. Mark is too much of a loose cannon. You can tell Chen that I cleared her to work more than 60-hour weeks. She'll be a good Chief

Resident. Tell Malucci that he had better sit straight and fly right, or I WILL be back to kick his ass. And John...tell him I'm sorry."

Luka started to speak but Kerry didn't spare a moment to start walking out of the Ambulance bay. Over her shoulder she spoke, "Oh and Luka, tell Abby you love her...and mean it."

Luka stood there and stared at Kerry's retreating back open mouthed before yet another GSW went critical.


Kim

Kim stood in the doorway to her office. She had put so much of herself into this job, had so many expectations. She was going to be an Attending at County General Hospital of Chicago. Reputed to be

one of the craziest hospitals out there. And this wasn't even taking into account the patients. She shook her head, all this, had gone down the crapper because she was gay, and because the chief of staff

seemed to only want tall lanky blondes that he could date on the staff of the hospital.

She shook her head as she glanced down at the box that was full to the brim with her personal possessions. The pictures at the top caught her attention. It had been a day at the mall. She had needed

to get some more shirts, since Kerry seemed to be taking them in the morning, and then forgetting them at her own apartment. Kim didn't really mind, she kind of liked shopping. And then, she had spotted one of those Automated Picture Machines. Kerry had been not too keen on the idea of getting her picture taken. And so during the first frame of the pictures Kim had been trying to get Kerry into the shot. She had given that picture to Kerry, not knowing why the woman was so enamored by it. But she had taken the rest for herself. Once Kerry had gotten in the shot and Kim had convinced her to smile Kerry lit up the booth with her smile.

Kim shook her head. She didn't understand how everything could have gone so wrong and in such a short amount of time. She stowed the pictures in her wallet, and started to walk out of her office. But

was stopped by DeRaad in the doorway. "What can I do for you Carl?"

Carl smiled, "I have good news, something has caused Romano to change his mind. The man positively looked green in the gills. But you still have you job here Kim...if you want to stay."

Kim frowned, "Carl, I don't know. No one at this hospital seems to respect me all that much."

Carl gaped at Kim, "Are you kidding. You are the most requested Psych doctor on the ER rotation. If I could assign you permanently down there, I would...look. The only one who really has a problem is

Romano. If you really don't believe me...I'll do a poll. That's what we Psychologists are good at right? Polls, graphs..."

Kim laughed, "Okay, I'll stay, but if Romano..." Kim trailed off but Carl got the idea and nodded. "He will be on his best behavior. And he was mumbling something about the Men's room being sacred ground and how the bitch had broken it. I don't know, maybe he needs to get a Psych consult."

Kim smiled, "Just as long as I don't have to do it Carl."

Carl chuckled, "So...I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Kim nodded as Carl left the room. "Why do you do it Kimberly? You will never learn..."