The Date
Summary: Kim and Kerry go on their 'Just Once' date.
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December 14th, 2014
Kim and Kerry sat at their table in silence. They had ordered and were waiting for their food. Kim was the one who finally broke the silence. "So— is kid talk permitted?"
"I don't know. Do you think we can do it?"
Kim chuckled, "Nope— not at all, but, we'll try right? Oh— have you heard from Abby lately? Last I'd heard she and Luka were on the rocks."
Kerry nodded, "Yesterday actually. Joe got into a bit of trouble at school. And Mags is on a constant sugar rush because she's so excited about Christmas."
"So, Maggie is Maggie, and Little Maggie is now Mags?"
Kerry shrugged, "Apparently. Oh— and Abby and the kids are coming to Chicago in March. Maggie's coming too. A sort of— meet in the middle family get together, but…"
Kim nodded, "You think that perhaps Maggie aims to get Abby and the kiddos to move closer." Kerry nodded. "You may be right. You two are still friends?" Kim's brows furrowed a bit.
"Yes."
Kim shook her head, "She never said one word about… anything you were up to. I had to get my info from other sources."
Kerry blinked a couple of times, "She didn't tell me about what you were up to either." Kerry reached across the table and put her hand on top of Kim's. "I'm glad that you're happy."
Kim turned her hand, giving Kerry's a squeeze then letting go. "Ditto. So… Henry."
Kerry laughed, "And Ingrid."
Kim smiled, "Uh… I'm at a loss. The Bears sorta suck."
"Henry is a big hockey fan, so, at the moment the Weaver family is firmly in the Chicago Blackhawks mode right now. Maybe if the Bears made the playoffs, or… more likely made the Super Bowl we'd watch, but other than that."
"Are they winning?"
Kerry nodded, "First in their division."
Kim took a drink, "I've never understood hockey."
"Sandy got me into it, and through me, and mostly through his Uncle Carlos, Henry loves it. Watching and.." Kerry sighed, "To my consternation, playing it. That's one of the reasons that Abby called yesterday, to taunt me about how the Bruins were going to win it all despite their loss to the Blackhawks last Thursday."
Kim raised an eyebrow, "Are the Bruins going to win it all?"
Kerry made a pfftt sound, "Are you kidding me? They're horrible this year, although…" she paused, "Chara is supposed to save them in the second half. We'll see."
Kim chuckled, and stopped when Kerry shot her a look, "You really have changed quite a bit Ker."
Kerry shrugged, "I haven't."
It was Kim's turn to reach across the table, putting her hand on Kerry's. "Did you know that exactly fourteen years ago today was our very first kiss."
Kerry winced, "You mean where you told me that you didn't want to be friends with me."
"I wanted more, and you…" Kim narrowed her eyes, "I was trying to snap you back to men Ker."
Kerry smirked, "That worked so well."
Kim glanced to one side, "You were my last…"
"Last?"
"Straight girl." Kim shook her head, "Steph must have thought I was insane. I must have grilled her about if she was out, how out she was…"
Kerry studied Kim's face, "Yes, well… it was Sandy who outed me."
Kim's eyes went back to Kerry, "What? And yet you… you had Henry with her, and… Ker, that's horrible."
Kerry tilted her head to one side, "Do you think that I would have come out on my own? So, in the middle of my ER she kissed me." Kerry smiled to herself, "Damn good kiss." Kim still looked horrifyed. "Hey, I survived it. I told you that we had bumps and such in our relationship."
"So, how out are you."
Kerry laughed at that. "Funny."
Kim brought Kerry's hand to her lips and kissed it, "I'm being serious."
Kerry stared at Kim for a moment, then answered, "Entirely." She changed the subject, "Oh, did you know that Rachel Greene… excuse me, Dr. Rachel Greene is a second year ER Resident in my ER?"
"Really?"
Kerry nodded, "Doing very well too. My guess is that she could easily be the Chief Resident in two years."
"Oh?" Kim smiled, "You have a plan for her already? Have you told her of this plan?"
Kerry stuck a tongue out at Kim, "I have actually. She's on board." Both women looked up as their food arrived. "Oh, that smells heavenly." After the waitress had left Kerry looked over at Kim, "I'm glad I did this Kim."
Kim smiled, "Me too."
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"That was good."
A burp came from Kerry's mouth and her hand flew to cover it too late. Kim cracked up and kept laughing and laughing as they walked towards the 'L'. "I'm so sorry. But, if you couldn't tell, I agree."
They both climbed the stairs and then waited. Kerry shivered a little and Kim wrapped her arms around the slightly shorter woman. "Definitely December."
"I don't know, it's raining and not snowing, so…"
Kerry could feel Kim chuckle, "Small favors I guess."
Kerry shook her head, "Didn't you grow up with snow?"
"Yeah, but, more recently… California." She sighed wistfully and Kerry laughed.
Kerry was about to speak again when Kim's phone rang. She frowned, "It's an extension in the ER— the admit desk." Kerry gave Kim a questioning look but didn't speak as Kim answered, "Legaspi." She said nothing for quite a while as her skin got paler and paler.
Finally she nodded, "I'll be there. Thanks for calling." She hung up and sighed. They stood there like that for a moment, then Kim turned to Kerry. "I have to go to County."
"A patient?"
Kim ran a hand through her hair, "No. My father. He— someone found him wandering, confused. I— I have to go get him and figure… figure something out."
Kerry nodded and took out her phone, "Let's go then."
Kim shook her head, "No— go home Ker. Oh, but, could Ingrid sleep over?"
"She will. And Carlos will look after them. I'm coming with you."
Kim opened her mouth then looked over and closed it, nodding to Kerry and putting an arm around her again, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." She put her phone to her ear, "Carlos— I need a favor… or more specifically your nephew needs one."
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"Are You sure you can come tonight? No, no, I owe you. Thank you. We'll be here." Kerry hung up and looked up. Kim stared at her. "What?"
"We…" Kim shook her head, "I need air." She exited the ER.
And after a beat Kerry followed her, "Kim— Kim, what's wrong?"
Kim shook her head, her breath coming out in short bursts of moisture. "I'm sorry—"
"Why?" Kerry put a hand on Kim's back, "Please tell me what's wrong. Your father?"
Kim straightened up and leaned down, capturing Kerry's lips with her own. Unlike the fourteen years previous though, Kerry responded to the kiss, putting her hands on Kim's hips and pulling the blonde closer. When they parted Kerry rested her forehead against Kim's, "Please tell me what's wrong Kim."
Kim closed her eyes, but didn't move. "I didn't mean to… to…"
"Kiss me?"
Kim opened her eyes and despite how close they were, gazed into Kerry's. "Fall back into… this… with you."
"Oh—"
Kerry started to pull away, but Kim didn't let her. "I didn't mean it in a bad way Ker." She moved back a little and brushed a lock of hair over Kerry's ear. "It's like the last fourteen years haven't happened. You're still beautiful, and when you walk into a room, I can't help myself, I'm drawn to you."
"But, Kim, the last fourteen years have happened."
Kim nodded and let Kerry go, taking a full step back. "I know. I should go check on my father, then meet the people from the nursing home you convinced to come here at…" Kim frowned, "Oh dark thirty… and then figure out how to get home."
Kerry shook her head, "You're coming home with me."
A little bit of Kim's good nature peeked through her stress and tiredness. "Oh, am I?"
Kerry raised an eyebrow, "Funny. It's closer and your daughter is already there. Oh, and you're sleeping on the couch." Kerry paused, "And then, in the morning, maybe we can talk more on… us."
Kim frowned, "Kerry, I wasn't saying… You don't have to…"
Kerry shushed Kim, "Have you ever seen me do something that I don't want to do?"
"Well, there was…" Kerry put a hand over Kim's mouth, "Mmmphhhff…"
Kerry shook her head, "Let's go inside to wait for Dio and Graham." She paused, "You know… where it's warm."
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Fin ~ December 14th, 2014