The dark of the morning cloaked over the city thickly, purple and orange threading in jaggard patches through the creme' coloured curtains adorning the windows. Irrevescent shapes illuminated across the room, falling across the bed and the lone figure laying across the centre of the bed snugly.
A shrill beeping pierced the silent of the night, jolting Kate from her slumber with a start. Hands immediately went to the fabric adorning her eyes and flinging it across the room with an unattractive grunt, it skidden across the empty side of the bed before toppling to the floor near her hardwood drawers.
Reaching for her phone that was still insisting on her attention, Kate swiped her thumb across the screen and turned the alarm off. Taking her phone into the kitchen with her, Kate shook her hair loosely out of the loose ponytail that had become askew during the night. Grabbing her silk robe off the back of a chair and wrapping it around her snugly to keep the cold air from travelling underneath her loose clothing. Kate made her way down the dark hallway and through to her kitchen, immediately making her way to her electronic coffee dispenser and switching it on so that it could start brewing. Grabbing 2 bagels from the fridge and beginning to prepare her breakfast before she made her way to work.
The sun was just starting to peak out when Kate's phone started to go off again, she half-walked/hopped whilst she tried in vain to put on her heels. Kate quickly picked up the device and answered it breathlessly.
"This is Kate Beckett,"
Kate talked to the person on the other end of the line as she finished getting ready, running back into her bedroom to grab her handbag and pager, turning off her bedroom light as she made her way back into the kitchen.
"Oh shit! Oh shit!" Kate gasped, as a burnt smell made it's way towards her.
Turning the toaster off at the wall, the charcoal coloured pieces of bread shot out of the toaster and landed on the bench next to her with a clatter. Muttering under her breath, Kate picked up the hot pieces of bread gingerly before throwing them into the bin underneath the bench.
"Katie...are you still there?" The voice on the other end spoke loudly.
Jumping slightly, Kate bit her lip to stifle a frustrated groan as she focused her attention back to the person on the other end of the line.
"Yeah, look I have to go. Thank you for ringing I'll make sure to swing by on my break, if I can manage to take one. If not I'll drop in after my shift, okay?" Kate said quickly.
Turning back to the opposite bench, Kate nodded more to herself than the caller. Spotting her coffee in the jug, she hung up the phone and grabbed her coffee holder and filled it to the brim, a brief smile flitted across her lips as she thanked her lucky stars that she at least had a decent coffee before she flew into the world of chaos. Squatting down slightly, she sipped a decent amount so that she could fit her lid on.
"Mmmhmm who needs a man when there's coffee?" She breathed.
Uhh well, I'm sure sex would be better than coffee.
Laughing throatily Kate slung her bag over her shoulder and picked up her keys before turning back to her coffee and picking that up. What would I know? It's been so long since I've had sex.
"They've probably changed it." She muttered under her breath.
Locking her front door behind her, Kate double checked the locks like she did everytime before making her way towards her car.
Kate made her way inside the automatic doors, pulling her coat tighter around her when she was met with a freezing cool breeze. Heading straight towards the elevator and punching the up arrow repeatedly.
"Whoa taking out your sexual frustration on the elevator button helps no one, girl." Winked a woman that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "
God, Lanie! You're so crass." Kate scoffed, rolling her eyes.
Her fingers jabbed at the button a few more times when it still had not opened. Lanie watched Kate with a wry smile tugging at her lips, taking a bite out of her breakfast donut (technically dinner since she was just finishing up her own shift.) Finally the elevator arrived and opened before them quickly to reveal an empty elevator.
Stepping in quickly, Kate took a swig of her coffee when her stomach growled at her in protest. I'll just pick up something from the vending machine when I get to the fourth floor. Lanie pressed both of the floors she knew they'd be taking, settling next to Kate and taking the last sip of her caramel latte before turning to Kate and offering her the box of donuts with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh no, no I'm right Lanes." She said softly.
"Hey, I know you wouldn't of had time to eat this morning-" Lanie said, pausing when Kate was about to interrupt her. Pointing her empty coffee cup at her before she continued "And I was going to take this up to the nurses station anyway for everyone, so just have one before I make you have one." She slightly shook the box of sweets in front of her.
Kate smirked as she reached her hand into the box of delicious treats; bagels, donuts and even a few fruit pies. "Yes nurse..." She taunted.
Lanie laughed, closing the lid tightly and resting her cup on the lid. "I might as well be... I take care of you enough to be fully qualified." She jostled.
Taking a big bite out of the strawberry stuffed donut, she gaped at her friend in mock horror.
"Ouch."
Licking her top lip to rid the cinammon mustache that the donut gave her, Kate then focused her attention back on her coffee; taking a healthy swig to wash down the sweet sticky sensation coating her throat. A loud, distinct ringing noise then filled the room and Kate swore under her breath, well as much as she could with her mouth filled with liquid. Swallowing quickly, Kate gasped from the slight burn the liquid left down her throat and tongue. Looking down at her preoccupied hands, she groaned softly.
"Can you grab that?" Kate asked Lanie, motioning to her right pocket with her head.
"Sure, girlfriend." Lanie nodded, placing the items in her own hands on the floor in front of her.
Grabbing the offending little item out of her black pinstriped pants, she read it quickly before holding it up in front of Kate's eyes. "They need you in OR2, babe. Jared Harrison needs emergency surgery."
"What? Oh shit!" Stuffing the last bite of her donut into her mouth, she slammed her hand against the button repeatedly in frustration. "Come on!"
7 hours later - 2pm
Sitting in the break room, Kate was going over the chart in her hands for the fourth time in an hour. Her white coat draped over the chair behind her and a steaming fresh mug of coffee set up in front of her. A plastic container dropped on top of the chart in front of her and sprang open from impact, a turkey and mayo rollgreeting her. Turning her head and rolling her eyes with a small smile on her lips when she recognised who had just taken up habitat next to her.
"Hey Javi," She greeted him, leaning back in her chair whilst her fingers played with the edges of the plastic containing her meal.
He offered her a small smile before taking another large bite from his own chicken and chilli roll. She knew she should eat but she just didn't think that her stomach could handle anything right now. Definitely not something that had such a thick and creamy topping smothered through it.
Leaving her roll for the moment Kate focused her attention on her coffee, wrapping the fingers of her right hand around the warm ceramic mug, she let out a soft sigh at the calming effect it had on her.
"Rough morning?" Javi spoke quietly, his head turned slightly as he watched her.
Kate choked out a laugh; scratching the back of her neck with her free hand before looking back down at the chart beneath her lunch. "Rough week."
Digging in her pocket she fished out her phone, unlocking it she saw that she had 3 missed calls from within the last 5 hours. Her thumb hovered over the number glaring at her accusingly.
Am I that work obsessed that I can't take 10 minutes to make a simple phone call?
Her pager beeped at her loudly, drawing her attention away from the phone in her grasp. Locking her phone and putting it in her pocket, Javier passed her her pager that was sitting next to him.
"I have to go...thanks for lunch." Pressing a kiss to her fingers and patting his head with them before picking up her coat and putting it on, shoving her pager and turkey roll in her pockets then running out the door.
10pm
Opening the side gate Kate made her way through the back garden and towards the back door. Knocking quietly once, Kate then pulled her keys out and unlocked the door pushing it open slowly. In the dark of the night it creaked loudly and rudely as if it was trying to advertise her arrival. Flicking the back light off and shutting the door as quietly as she could before leaning back against the the wood briefly.
Letting out a sigh and standing up properly, Kate noticed that the kitchen light was on. Walking down the hall as silently as she could and then turning right to go through the doorway. Sitting up at the kitchen bench in her pajamas with some tea and biscuits reading an article on politics was her mother.
"Just a little light reading before bed..."Kate commented quietly, a small smile smile teasing her lips.
Johanna looked up from the magazine in front of her and smiled gently at her daughter. "Long shift?" She asked.
Kate moved further into the kitchen and stopped just before her mother; pressing a kiss to her cheek and giving her a one armed hug. "Yeah, sorry I'm late. Where is she?"
Johanna stood and lead the way through the other doorway into the family room. Stopping near the head of the couch, she motioned to the figure half-sitting/half-laying against the cushions fast asleep. "She wanted to wait up for you but fell asleep around 8pm."
Kate felt a pang in her chest, like someone had just squeezed her heart too tight. Taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly she took the last remaining steps and gently picked her up so as to not wake her up. Johanna went around to the other side of the couch to pick up her bag and a few of her things.
"I'll go put Emma's things in the car."
Kate nodded at her mother before following her slowly through the house and back out the way she had come. Settling Emma into the backseat; making sure her head was leaning against the back comfortably, Kate then adjusted the seatbelt straps so that they weren't twisted or digging into her.
Standing back up and turning towards Johanna who had just put Emma's things in the boot of the car. Wrapping her arms around her gently and hugging her close. "Thanks for today, mum. I really appreciate it." She said softly.
Johanna shook her head, reaching out and gently squeezing her daughters cheek in affection. "Anytime honey, okay? I love you."
"Me too."
She blew her a kiss before shutting Emma's door and then making her way around to the drivers side.
20 minutes later, she pulled up into her driveway and turned the car off. Immediately going around to her daughters side, Kate opened the door and unbuckled her seatbelt. Emma moved slightly, raising her arms up to her chest and rubbing her cheek. When Kate picked her up her eyes opened slightly to reveal a dark forest green and she wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and leaned her head against her shoulder.
"Mu-mummy? It's...is it...you?" She mumbled quietly.
Kate felt a flutter in her chest, her dark curls falling across her face as she looked down at the light of her life. "Yeah bug, it's me." She whispered.