Title: August 15th

Series: #15 in Holidays Series

Disclaimer: Don't own most of the characters.

oOOOOo

"Doctor Weaver."

"Di, what can I do for you?"

Di looked one way, then the other. Kerry took the hint, "Let's go outside... it's a beautiful day, don't often get that in August these days."

Kerry let the way into the ambulance bay and moved a bit away from the doors. "Di?"

She pursed her lips, "Do you not like me? Am I doing a piss poor job? What can I do better, I'll do anything."

Kerry held a hand up, "It's not you... You're doing a good job. Sometimes your histories aren't thorough enough, but your bedside manner is surprisingly good."

"And your but...?"

Kerry shook her head, "No but, you're right, I've been avoiding you, but because of my own issues, not because of you."

Kerry fell silent. The light in Di's eyes told her that the med student needed to know the issue, but didn't ask the question. Kerry look around, "Always this hospital." She looked back at Di, "You're adopted?"

Di frowned, "Yes, how'd you know? I don't think that's anywhere on paper, I mean, in my transcripts."

"It's not.. have you ever... looked for your mother, father?"

Di nodded, "Of course... I think... don't most adopted kids want to know where they come from, what they might become?" Di shook her head, "I haven't found anything th ough..." She frowned at Kerry, "May I ask why this matters?"

Kerry closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Sometimes it's better not to know."

"Never."

"I'm your birth mother."

Silence, a rare occasion in the ambulance bay, fell. "No one put you up to this?"

"I wouldn't joke about this... ever. I don't know for sure, only DNA would tell us that. But you have Mlungisi's nose, and his bedside manner. Even when we were both kids... I got horribly sick and he sat there with me. Probably got teased unmercifully by his friends and yet he didn't care."

Di pinched the bridge of her nose and abruptly dropped her hand staring at it. "This... is not what I expected you to say."

"You have a lot of potential Di... if you keep working hard you can probably have your choice of Residencies in two years."

Di didn't look convinced, "Somehow, what you say rings kinda untrue..."

"I'm not very good at lying or giving platitudes. And I would never give a medical compliment unless it was earned. My job and every person who goes through those doors depends on the fact that I do the job honestly."

Di pushed away from the wall and put her hands in her pockets. "I need time..."

Kerry nodded, "Of course."

Di walked a couple of steps away and turned, "Why did you tell me today?"

This made Kerry mute for a moment, "Just... felt like the day I guess."

Di frowned as she turned and walked towards the exit of the bay.

oOOOOo

Randi looked both ways and spoke softly, "Happy Birthday Doctor Weaver."

Kerry looked a bit amused at Randi's subterfuge, "Thank you Randi. Have you seen Kim?"

"I think Doctor Lewis sent for a Psych consult. Everybody says she's crazier than Carl was when it comes to covering the ER."

Kerry raised an eyebrow, "And you would tell me if Kim was planning to do something... unfortunate?"

"She knows you better than that Doctor Weaver."

Kerry inclined her head, "Yes, but sometimes she gets these... ideas in her head about me. And you didn't answer my question Randi."

Randi shrugged, "Didn't tell me anything. Of course, she knows that I'm the weak link."

This coaxed a smile from Kerry. "Indeed. Ah, Ms. Carlisle, you're back... from your break. Have you ever seen a pen through a hand?"

Di blinked and frowned, "Ah, no... a pen?"

Kerry held the chart, "Apparently. Would you care to join me?"

"Yes... yes..."

oOOOOo

Kim took a sip of her cafeteria coffee and closed her eyes, it wasn't home made, but it was good. She'd forgotten her traveling mug on the kitchen counter.

She started to raise the cup again, but her arm was stopped mid motion and lips claimed her own. They weren't Kerry's lips, the kisser was too tall, Kim's height, and the kiss was too light.

Kim pushed away with her free hand as her eyes snapped open, "Lindz, what the hell?"

A smirk graced the San Francisco Inspector's face. She was as tall as Kim with light skin, and dark black hair beautiful hair that just had to be from a bottle, though Kim had never found out if it was or not. "The halls'll be buzzin'."

Kim narrowed her eyes, "What are you doing here?"

"Chasing a lead, thought I'd say hello."

Kim shook her head and took a sip of coffee, it didn't seem to taste as good anymore. "Well... that you did. How are you?"

"My ex-husband got remarried."

Kim guided Lindsey towards a table and they sat, "Is he still your boss?"

"We have an... uneasy working relationship."

"And your little club?"

Lindsey hurfed, "It's not a club, and they're fine. Jill broke up with her boyfriend, Claire is Claire, and I generally want to strangle Cindy."

"Jill and Luke broke up?" She raised both her eyebrows.

Lindsey practically growled under her breath, "Don't start Kim..."

Kim downed the last of her coffee and without looking threw the cup over her shoulder. Lindsey moved a bit and watched as the cup went into the trash barrel, nothing but net. At one table over a twenty changed hands between a second and third year resident. Lindsey shook her head, "You are..."

"Unique..."

"I was going to say weird."

Kim stood, "Want to go meet Kerry?"

Lindsey stood as well, "Kerry?"

"Ah, right... Kerry came back into my life after I talked to you last. Doctor Kerry Weaver, my... everything."

oOOOOo

Kerry glanced at Morris and then Abby and Sam. "What is it? Spit it out already."

All three met gazes and Sam and Morris seemed to choose Abby as their spokeswoman. "Ah, in the Caf, Kim was... mauled by some dark haired woman. Kiss, a long one."

Kerry rolled her eyes, "Don't you three have patients to see?"

Abby pointed towards exam one, "Aye, Aye Captain."

The elevator pinged and Kerry looked up. Kim stepped out of it followed by a woman about as tall as her. The second woman's gait was different than Kim's though, more confident, a 'don't screw with me' gait.

Kerry put a hand to her heart. Sometimes it hit her at the weirdest times. Sandy had had that same stride, that same confidence, it had been sexy as hell. She shook herself out of it as Kim and the brunette stopped in front of her. "I hear you're stepping out on me?"

Kim smiled, "Doctor Kerry Weaver, this is Inspector Lindsey Boxer from San Francisco." Kim raised an eyebrow, "A friend."

Kerry and Lindsey shook hands, "Good to meet you. Kim, we have someone in two you should see." Kim held out her hand and Kerry put the chart in it. "Thank you."

Lindsey had watched the two of them interact and shook her head, "You two, it's seamless. Easy."

Kerry shook her head, "Nothing in life is easy." She started to move away from the desk, but after a few steps she turned, "Do you have anything planned for dinner?"

"No."

Kerry nodded to herself, "You should come home with us. You don't have to decide now. Just hitch a ride with Kim. You can help her not burn the dinner."

oOOOOo

"Mac and Cheese? Really?"

Kim shrugged, "With ham. It's not the only think I cook, but it's what I cook the best and with the least thinking."

Lindsey picked up a brightly colored cup, "You have a kid?"

Kim paused her stirring, "Yeah, we do... Henry. Kerry's picking him up from his friends' house. He's four, getting nearer to five every day."

Lindsey laughed before covering her mouth, "Sorry. You tore through a pretty respectable number of the single lesbians in San Francisco, and here you are living with one woman and you have a kid."

"Kim..."

Kim turned and scooped Henry into her arms, "Hey kiddo. This is Lindsey, Lindsey, this is Henry Weaver."

"Hi..."

"Where's your mom?"

Henry shook his head, "In her room."

Kim frowned and put Henry down, "Hey, can you and Lindz hold down the fort for a bit Hen-?"

Henry nodded, and Kim made her way to her and Kerry's bedroom. She knocked on the door, "Kerry.." She slowly opened it. "Are you okay?"

Kerry wiped at her cheek, "I'm... your friend, how she walks, holds herself. It reminds me of Sandy... Sorry..."

Kim wrapped her arms around Kerry, "Then why the hell did you invite her back for dinner?"

Kerry laughed through the tears, "I'm an idiot."

"I'll tell her to leave."

Kerry reached back and held Kim so she couldn't move. "No... it's okay..."

Kim leaned back, "So, what'd your son get you?" Kerry looked upside down at Kim. "What did Henry get you?"

"Made me the Met." Kim laughed, "What's so funny?"

"I think we're gonna need a room for all his models."

Kerry sniffed and turned a bit so she could see Kim. "Want to look for somewhere... together?"

Kim fell silent for a little bit, but finally nodded, "Yeah, I think I do..."

"Lori's going to give you so much crap for it huh? Uhaul et al..."

Kim groaned, "As the rest of my oh so delightful siblings will. But... It will be okay because of one piece of knowledge it will be okay."

"Oh?"

Kim smirked, "They're gonna tease you too."

Kerry groaned.

oOOOOo

"San Francisco... that's the Kiss Me Not Killer?"

Lindsey's lips thinned into a straight line. "Yes..."

Kim put a hand on Kerry's shoulder. "Ker..."

Before either could speak Henry stuck his head around the door jamb and sniffed. "Mama... Kim..."

Both looked up and Kim stood. "I have it. Try not to give Lindz the third degree..." She picked Henry up, "Hey, bud, what's up?"

Lindsey watched them go and then spoke to Kerry. "Sorry, I... the Kiss Me Not Killer is a sensitive subject."

Kerry nodded, "Of course. Do you... like it when the papers nickname a criminal?"

"It depends... but generally, hell no."

Kerry chuckled, "That makes sense."

"Ah, Happy Birthday by the way."

"Thank you."

They fell into an uneasy silence. "I'm hiding..." Lindsey winced. "Forget I said that."

Kerry hid a smile, "Okay."

"I was married, but..."

Kerry sat back and clasped her hands in front of her. "So was I. Ken Court, I would find out after we were married for six months that he had all the bad qualities of a surgeon and none of the good ones."

Lindsey looked puzzled, "Good ones?"

"Hands..." Lindsey looked over at Kim and Kerry smiled as Kim kept talking, "What, it's the twenty-first century, remember, there are women surgeons, with... amazing hands..."

Kerry patted Kim on the shoulder, "I know hon."

Kim rolled her eyes and perched on the easy chair's wide arm. "So, what're you two talkin' about?"

"Lindsey was about to tell me the name of her lady love."

Lindsey blinked in surprise, and not too much surprised Lindsey Boxer anymore. "How..."

Kim slipped from the arm into the chair, squishing Kerry in the process. "Are you getting a gay dar Ker?"

"Ha... no."

Lindsey looked between the two women, "Hey, I'm not comin' out, Kim knows, I'm firmly bi."

Kerry raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"

Lindsey held one hand up, "No, ah, not that way..." Kerry just smiled as Lindsey put a hand to her forehead. "We've been such good friends for so long, and... we're both friends with two other women. My relationships don't stay calm, they get messy fast... tornado messy."

Kim and Kerry shared a glance, "Messy can have good endings. Is she worth it?"

Both women looked back up at Lindsey, "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with one doctor I kinda know... and one I don't know at all in Chicago."

Kim raised an eyebrow, "Kinda?"

Lindsey let her gaze drift to Kerry and back to Kim. It was Kerry's turn to roll her eyes, "I know she was a player, and truly I'm past that, even if you were part of that past. As long as the emphasis is on the was..."

"Of course..." Kim stopped short of batting her eyelashes at Kerry.

"Uh huh..."

Lindsey smirked, "You're in trouble."

Kim shook her head, "I'm almost always in trouble Lindz, just talk to her. I mean, who wouldn't want to go out with you?" Kim jerked as an elbow hit her gut, "Uh 'cept for me, I would never, ever, ever consider it, ever again of course..."

Lindsey laughed and Kerry shook her head.

oOOOOo

Kim put her pretty large box on the bed before she climbed behind Kerry and put her chin on Kerry's shoulder. "Open it."

Kerry did and gasped, "My God Kim, where, how... it is every single Bach Cantata on LP... who..."

Kim shook her head, "I got the weirdest email from Mlungisi. First, he reminded me of your birthday..." She rolled her eyes, "Like I would forget August Fifteenth or January Fifteenth. I know all my extended family's birthdays, now yours and Henry's too. Anyway, then he tells me about this little store and even gives me specific instructions about what to pay for 'em." Kim smirked, "Oh, and there was something else."

Kerry chuckled, "Perhaps tell me they were from him too?"

Kim snapped her fingers, "Good point."

Kerry stood and moved the pile of LPs to the dresser and turned. "So..."

"Hmm..." Kim gave a faux yawn, "I'm so tired, after all that talking, and eating, and talking..."

Kerry slowly walked over to the bed as she started to unbutton her shirt. "Well, I guess we'll just have to go to sleep then..."

oOOOOo

Fin ~ March 26th, 2008