Chapter 2

It had been 4 days since Kerry had run into Kim in the ER, needless to say, the visit was all she found herself thinking about. Being the Chief of staff afforded her some latitude so she knew Kim's patient hadn't been discharged yet, she wondered if they would cross paths again, she didn't have to wonder long when she heard the light tapping on her office door, it was already open and she saw Kim leaning against the door jamb...angelic as ever, she had changed up her hairstyle a bit, choosing to go with a straight, more controlled mane instead of her once unruly curls, leaving her with a softer look.

With a small smile Kerry invited her in, "Hi Kim, come on in." she knew she sounded quiet, almost afraid, but in a way she was, she knew how her body always betrayed her when she was in the other woman's presence, losing all traces of the chiefs swagger when around her.

Kim reached for the name placard on her desk, "Chief of Staff? Congratulations"

"Thanks, long story." Kerry said, a small smile forming. "Look Kerry..." Kim began "I wanted to stop by...to...Um, well, to be honest, I just wanted to see you again. 30 seconds in the hallway just wasn't enough time..."

"Enough time for what Kim?" Kerry had found her voice was raising a little. Startling Kim as she stumbled on, "to...catch up I guess...I feel there are still a lot of things left unsaid..." Kerry suddenly interrupts, "and whose fault is that? I mean, seriously, do you even remember how hard I tried to talk to you back then? The unreturned calls, the unanswered doors...how about the dismissed sentiment filled letter Kim?"

Catching more steam, Kerry rounded on her…"I don't know about you Kim, but I think we are all caught up just fine." Kim was shocked as she stared across the desk at Kerry, finding her nerve to continue…"Kerry, please…" her words faltered as her eyes landed on a picture on the shelf behind the desk, it was of Kerry with a beautiful brunette holding a newborn, they were both beaming with huge smiles that overtook their petite features. Kim looked away allowing herself to refocus so she could continue, "I guess I just wanted to say that I'm happy for you Kerry, I'm happy that you found someone...that you found yourself...that you didn't let what happened with us, stop you from living your life and finding some happiness"

That last line was Kerry's undoing, "Well, I did, and I was very happy. But that wasn't because of you Kim, it was in spite of you" Kim felt the sting that the comment was meant to leave. Kerry was now on her feet leaning over her desk, "Kim, I thought you loved me, I believed it in my bones, even though you never said the words, you made me feel it, every day that we were together" exasperated "Every night we were together"...Kerry grew quiet as if remembering…Kerry dropped back to her seat, "I thought you had really loved me, but to find out I was wrong, dead wrong...well, that really did a number on me Kim. All that time you accused me of experimenting when it was you who was experimenting...what Kim? Was it some kind of ego trip, seeing if you could disrupt Chief Kerry Weaver's life, come in, blow everything I ever knew, or believed I knew, up, only to turn around and leave me to put the pieces back together...alone?"

Kerry was now looking down now at her hands, knuckles turning white as they gripped the edge of the desk "What was it you said? Go back to your life?...well Kim, you made damn sure that that was impossible, when you refused to speak to me, and then replaced me, and finally, left me"

Looking up from the desk, Kerry eyes found Kim's "Kim, you were my life and I had nothing to return to."

Kerry paused before landing her next jab "So yeah Kim, I did finally find a life, a good one…" The rant was cut short by the Chief of Staff's beeper, Kerry looked down and looked back at Kim, "It's me...thanks for stopping by Kim" the last words drenched in sarcasm, getting up she quickly made her way past Kim, leaving the stunned blonde alone in the office.