Title: Coburn Moves Up
Series: #18 in Holidays Series
Spoilers: 3.16 of Bad Girls
Disclaimer: Don't own most of the characters, ER or otherwise.
"You're sixpence short of a shilling, Coburn is the new Chief of Staff?"
"No, Nik, I just heard 'em upstairs. Janet's gonna be the next Chief of Staff."
Nikki passed a full pitcher of beer to one of the servers. "I reckon your red head got that arranged."
"Kerry in no way is mine, but, you're most like ri..." Helen trailed off and blinked, "Bloody... and they're..."
Helen's eyes barely blinked as she watched Nikki's former roommate at County lock lips with someone who definitely wasn't Kerry.
Nikki made an ooh sound and Helen glanced over to see the County party filing down the stairs and towards the door. Kerry paused at the bar. "How are you doing Nikki?"
Nikki somehow managed to peel her eyes away from the train wreck in the back of the room, "Oh?"
"Headaches?"
"Other than my favorite one?
Helen gave Nikki's arm a hard squeeze and then another. Nikki looked down, "Love?" She followed Helen's eyes, "Ah..."
Both women grimaced as Kerry turned, the one thing they hadn't wanted her to do, coming face to face with Kim and the unknown blonde woman. Kerry didn't even look at Kim, but could have killed the other woman with her stare. "Christy."
"Look, Kerry..."
Kerry ignored Kim, instead she caught Abby's arm as the younger woman went by. "You have a second?" Abby shrugged, glancing warily at Kim. Kerry planted a pleasant look on her face as she turned to Nikki and Helen. "Thank you for the use of your event room." A small smirk that just barely touched Kerry's lips appeared, "It... pushed some people's buttons just the right way."
Helen nodded, "Anytime... or, perhaps never again..."
Kerry's eyes twinkled though her mouth stayed in a frown. "Goodnight." She turned and walked by Kim without looking at the tall blonde. She came so close that it almost seemed as if the two women had touched.
Kim stared at Kerry and Abby's back until the door closed. "I should..."
Christy groaned, "What, chase after her like a wounded puppy dog? A neutered bitch? Kim, she'll live, she's a big girl. You don't even remember her, what's the big deal. It must not have been too great if that's the case right?"
Kim slumped down at the bar, "Damnit, damnit..." She put her head in her hand as the bartender approached her.
Helen gave Nikki's arm a pull, "I can see the gears turnin', so, c'mon Prefect, let's let the women we pay to tend bar, tend it."
"Are you sure Kerry?"
Kerry zipped up her suitcase. "I'm sure Charles."
"You won't tell me why?"
Kerry shrugged and shook her head, "Kim needs her space, this is her home, not mine. Henry will love seein' Joey every day."
"But e'll 'ate you..."
Kerry didn't move or look up as Kim stumbled into the bedroom. "I'm his mother. Wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last. You're drunk."
Charles took a hold of Kim's shoulder, "I'll make you a cup of..."
Kim shook off her father's hands, "No, go way Da... da... da..." She giggled. A sound that was worrying to both Kim and Charles. Kim never giggled, and for that matter, she never really got out of control drunk like she was.
"Kim..."
Kerry spoke up, "It's okay Charles."
Charles shrugged and left Kim and Kerry alone. He didn't go far though, standing just outside the room. Rose approached Charles and frowned as he put a finger to his lips and pointed at the still slightly open door.
"You're leavin'..." Kerry nodded silently, "Why?"
Kerry shook her head and went over to the dresser, mostly to put more distance between them. "You need time, obviously." Kerry looked Kim up and down.
Kim rubbed at her face, as if trying to physically get her memories back that way. "I can... can't remember..."
"I kno..."
Kim was over to Kerry's side with her right hand, the one not in the sling, on the red head's arm before Kerry could blink, "NO... I know that you like Grace Jones, you had a cru-cru-crutchy, Henry's mother's name is Sa... was Sandy..." She paused, "I know all, but I can't..."
With her right hand she yanked Kerry's hand to where her heart was trying to beat itself out of the blonde's chest. She watched as Kerry swallowed and set her jaw. After a moment the blonde woman let Kerry's hand go and they stood silent for a while again.
"I don't remember what you just felt. Henry look... looks at me like I'm God, I don't deserve that, I don't..." Kim made a face, "I don't, he's cute, he's smart, but why would..."
They stood an arm length apart for a long time more before Kerry nodded. "You need to remember who Kim Legaspi is, maybe then..." Kerry trailed off as she shook her head, "You have to know you first, if you... knew yourself you'd say that too..." Kerry gestured towards the door, "Please, leave me alone to go. I'm... I'm not going away, just, across town."
Kim started to, but turned at the door, "I-I'm sorry."
Kerry didn't blink as she answered, "You don't have to apologize, you can't remember."
"No.. That notwithstanding... 'm sorry." She turned and left. Kerry stood perfectly still for a bit and put her own hand over her heart.
"We should have a Halloween Night..."
Helen frowned, "Are you hatching a plan Nikki?"
"Me? Why ever would I do that darling?"
Helen smiled, "They're two very headstrong women, it could backfire."
"I'll see if I can convince the good ER doc to come..."
"Oh..." Helen draped her arms over Nikki's shoulders and rested her head on the right one. "You fancy the red head then?"
Nikki laughed, "'Course not love."
"Her... stern attitude perhaps reminds you of someone?"
"You can wrangle the tall leggy one then."
Helen bumped the back of Nikki's chair and Nikki laughed. "What, she's a Psychiatrist right. You like her type don't ya?"
Helen practically growled 'Nicola' out of the side of her mouth, but Nikki just kept laughing.
