Joan was driving the car towards the hospital and glanced towards Lacey who sat in the passenger seat. The young girl was showing clear signs of being worried and rather agitated, "She'll be okay Lacey", the older woman said softly as she reached out a hand to give the child's hand a gentle squeeze.
"I know", she mumbled with her elbow leaning on the side of the car and her hand preventing her from speaking properly with its position beneath her chin. "I… I just … I'm worried grandma", she revealed before biting her lip nervously.
The older woman nodded as she pulled up to the hospital and began to park in the carpark, she herself was also nervous because she was unsure as to what state the blonde woman would be in when they got in there.
Lacey was climbing out of the car as soon as the vehicle came to a stop and she ran towards the entrance to the hospital. Her grandmother put her arm up in preparation to protest the girl's rush but realised that there wasn't any point.
As Joan entered the hospital she just got the end of what Lacey was saying.
"I'm her daughter and I demand to know where she is!", she said with anger clear in the tone of her voice.
The nurse nodded and swiftly moved the mouse and clicked a few times on the keyboard, "She is currently in room 352", she said and as she looked up she realised that the girl was gone.
Lacey was running along the hallway to try and find room 352, closely followed by Joan Hunt. The room was struggling to keep the girl in sight whilst wearing her designer heels and skirt suit.
Megan was in room 352 whilst sat on the edge of the blonde's bed, holding onto her hand gently with one hand and the other hand was running through the sleeping woman's blonde locks. The woman had been bandaged up with various sized dressings on her wounds. Her tights had been removed carefully by the redhead who refused to allow the nurses to do it and her clothing had also been changed by the Medical Examiner whilst the blonde drifted in and out of consciousness. Megan had done as the paramedic predicted and refused to allow medical staff to touch the other woman any more necessary because she was in a protective mode. The protective mode was to be expected with what they had been through in the past day and a half. Megan had gone through emotional trauma whilst Kate's was both physical and emotional.
The dark haired child rounded the corner to the room and gasped in shock as the woman lay with a bandage on her head, neck, and hands with the rest of her body hidden by a soft blanket. "Kate", she said softly as she moved closer to get a better look at the woman. She reached out and touched her cheek softly before dabbing away her own tears.
"She's okay Lace", Megan said softly, "Come here". She held out her arms and the young girl moved to stand in between her mother's legs, wrapping her arms around her. She let the tears come, "I was so worried", the young girl revealed.
Joan stepped into the room and went to embrace both of them after checking on how Kate was. "How is she doing?", the older woman asked her daughter.
Megan glanced over at the blonde in the bed and again took hold of her hand, "She's going to be okay", she said softly although knowing it would be more of the psychological effects of the events that would take longer to heal rather than the physical injuries.
Mrs Hunt smiled and nodded before turning to Lacey, "So…", she said softly, "Care to tell me why you lied to the nurse?". When she asked it, her eyebrow was raised and she had a slight smirk on her face.
Lacey bit her lip and her mother looked very curious before the young girl spoke, "She wouldn't tell me anything and I needed to know the room number". She glanced over at the sleeping blonde and bit her lip as she paused in her explanation.
Megan raised her eyebrow as she watched her daughter who stood in front of her, "What did you tell her Lace?".
"I… may have told the nurse that Kate was my mother", she said softly as she glanced between Megan and Kate.
Megan simply laughed softly whilst shaking her head, "That's my girl", she said proudly, the young girl was very much like her mother and had done it to get what she needed in order to be by Kate's side.
Gradually the smile spread on Lacey's face as she realised that she wasn't in trouble and she hugged her mother again before pulling back. Joan had taken a seat in the chair beside the bed. "Anyways", the young girl said softly, "You both love each other so she'll probably be my mother at some point". She said it as easily as if she were commenting on the weather or her what they were going to have for tea.
Megan pulled her lower lip into her mouth before smiling sadly with a shake of her head, "You're wrong Lace… I", she said with a sigh.
"No I'm not Mom", Lacey said firmly, "I know you love each other, I can see it… everyone can see it". Megan looked at her mother but Joan nodded as she agreed with the girl. "You should tell her".
"But she… she doesn't…", Megan mumbled.
"I agree with our daughter, you should tell me...", Kate Murphy mumbled from behind Megan, putting emphasis on the 'our' with a hint of amusement. "Although I was previously unaware that I had a daughter so apparently a lot has happened since he…". She didn't finish her sentence but her blue eyes watched the woman who was sat on her bed.
Lacey smiled softly, "You heard me then?", she questioned with a bite of her lip and a slight blush.
The blonde woman nodded and reached her hand out to take a hold of Lacey's, "Very quick thinking", she commented, "It was a brilliant idea". Kate let go of the girl's hand to sit up properly and Megan hastily stood to adjust the bed to help position the woman in a comfortable manner. Kate smiled brightly, "Thank you", she said softly to the woman who had helped her whilst the other two people in the room smiled at the scene unfolding before them.
"Do you need any pain medication?", Megan asked gently with concern laced within her voice after the blonde had flinched slightly whilst moving.
Kate shook her head and patted the bed beside her in order for the redhead to return to her position on the side of the bed. She then patted the part of the bed right next to her at the top of the bed whilst looking at Lacey and she then put her arm out to her. The young girl sat carefully on the bed, only for the blonde to tug her close so that the girl's head was on her shoulder and arm was around Lacey.
Lacey gradually settled into the woman's arms with a smile, "I'm glad you're okay", she said as she looked up at Kate who was watching her with a smile.
Megan watched her daughter interact with her boss and couldn't help the smile that spread on her face.
Doctor Murphy thread her hand into through the young girl's hair, "You were right", she said softly with her eyes focused purely on Megan, "I do love your mother". Megan smiled with tears threatening to fall, "Very much so", Kate said softly.
Doctor Hunt smiled brightly at the other woman, "I love you too Kate", she replied with a voice that crackled with emotion.
Lacey smirked, "I knew it", she said simply.
"Well you are a very bright young girl...", she said softly as she glanced down at the girl in her arms, it felt so natural to have the child there and she slid over slightly more to tug her closer. The young girl curled up against Kate's side rather happy to and she took comfort in the action of the blonde. "...just like your mother", the Medical Examiner finished with a smile towards Megan before gently squeezing her hand.
Joan smiled lovingly as she watched the scene between them, maybe Lacey's lie wasn't really a lie after all but instead a form of a prediction or a hypothesis. "I'll go and grab us some lunch", the woman said as she stood up, wanting to give them time alone together, "How about you come and choose what you'd like to eat Lacey?". Her question was posed in order to give the two women a chance to be alone together.
Lacey frowned, hesitant to leave Kate's side in case she vanished as soon as she lost physical contact so she shook her head to refuse the offer.
"She can stay Mrs Hunt", Kate said softly as she held the young girl close as she had felt grip her hospital gown slightly and knew that the girl was listening to her heartbeat as her head had shifted to her chest. It was clear the the blonde liked having the girl with her and they looked natural together.
Megan smiled brightly at the two of them and looked over at her mother, "She's okay Mom", she said politely.
Joan nodded, "I'll grab something to eat for us all", she said softly before leaving the room.
The Chief Medical Examiner smirked as she heard the young girl in her arms speak, "Mom… Are you going to kiss Kate or leave her waiting even longer?". The young girl looked rather amused.
Kate looked up at Megan, "I was wondering the same thing Lacey", she said with amusement in her voice as she watched the other woman.
The Medical Examiner moved closer, cupped her cheek gently and smiled lovingly before her lips met the blonde's in a gentle kiss. The kiss was brief but soft and full of promise.
Kate's hand moved from the girl's waist to go up to cover Lacey's eyes before her other hand went to Megan's neck and pulled her in for a deeper and much longer kiss before the need for air became a necessity. When both women pulled apart they had huge smiles on their faces and their eyes were sparkling with happiness and love. Megan laughed softly when she realised where the blonde's hand had gone in order to shield Lacey's eyes.
Lacey had begun to giggle with amusement at her eyes being covered by the blonde, "You know I'm not a baby right? I have seen people kiss before".
Kate smiled and uncovered the girl's eyes, "I know", she said amused although had shielded her eyes because it wasn't 'people' kissing, it was the girl's mother and the first proper kiss. She had always been protective over the girl but now even more so.