AN: So I've had a couple of REALLY busy weeks so I can't guarantee that there will be new chapters next week. I hope to have time to write a lot, soon. But thank you for reading this, and enjoying it.
"Hey Perry," I said walking over to the nurses station.
"Laura," she said glancing over a stack of papers.
"I just wanted to give you a heads up that Carmilla is going to be signing out tomorrow night for the evening."
"Oh," she said marking something with her pen.
"Yeah," I said slowly. "She's going to spend the night at home, and since it's on my way, I'll take her there after work and bring her back Friday Morning."
Perry paused and put down her pen. She looked around and saw a couple of nurses at the station as well. "Come with me," she stood up and I followed her into an empty room. "What is going on between you and Ms. Karnstein?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, my hands were behind my back, and I was playing with them nervously.
"It's obvious that you two are close. But how close are you?" She paused. "Laura, are you seeing her?"
"What would happen if I was?"
"Well, I'm not sure. I don't think I've ever seen it happen. I'm not in a position to reprimand you if you two are intimate, and that is not my intention either. I just want to know the truth."
"If I was, you would tell someone. Right?"
"I would look into it. Our main concern is our patients safety."
"I know."
"I just want to know the truth, so that I can protect you. You have done really well this summer; the patients love you, and LaFontaine has said that it seems like you are learning a lot from sitting in on those sessions."
"I am."
"What is the truth? I will talk to other people that can tell me what we are looking at. I won't mention your name. I will try my best to find out what will happen to you."
"Find out what will happen and then I will tell you," I said and turned to leave the room.
"Laura," I stopped and looked back at Perry. "I hope it's worth it." I nodded and walked out of the room and back to the kitchen. I figured it would probably be for the best to put some distance between myself and Carmilla until I heard back from Perry.
….
Danny and Kirsch were supposed to be making the breakfast trays. But when I walked into the kitchen they were busy tossing an apple between them. "Hey Hollister," Danny said glancing at me after throwing the apple back to Kirsch.
"Hey," I said quietly.
"You okay?" Kirsch asked throwing the apple again.
"Yeah," I tried to think of an excuse but luckily Kirsch dropped the apple, taking their attention away from me.
I began to scoop the eggs onto plates as Danny walked over to me. "You okay?" She asked quietly. I shrugged. "Well Perry wants to see you when you get a chance."
"She does?" I asked nervously.
Danny nodded. "Does she know?"
"I haven't confirmed or denied anything yet. She said she would find out what would happen to me if I confirm it. She said that she just wants to protect me and protect Carmilla."
"Well it is her job to protect Carmilla." I shrugged. "You are not eating that." Danny said.
I turned to see Kirsch taking another bite from the apple that they had been throwing. "I washed it."
"Things like that is exactly why I don't like guys."
I laughed a little and finished scooping the eggs out. "What are you doing Kirsch?" I asked glancing at him.
"It's clean. And it only has a couple of small bruises."
"No I meant: are you doing anything for breakfast?"
"Are you asking me out Hollis?"
"No, I was wondering if you could deliver the breakfasts for me?"
"Oh. Sure."
"Thanks," I said and put the spoon back in the empty pan.
"What are you doing?" Danny asked as I started to leave.
"Don't worry about it." I said and then walked to the nurse's station. Perry was sitting at one of the computers. "Danny said you wanted to talk to me."
"Yes, lets go into the other room." She picked up a stack of papers and we walked back into the empty room that we had been in the previous day. "I talked to some people, and I read the rule book."
"And?"
"Well no one I had asked had seen or heard of a patient and someone working here being together. It is not in the rulebook so it is technically not against any rules. So you cannot be fired for it. As a general consensus it seemed to be frowned upon by the people I mentioned it to."
"But not against rules?" I double checked.
"The worst thing is if the patient or their family makes a complaint. Then you can be held responsible. Laura, have you been intimate with Ms. Karnstein?"
"Yes," I finally answered and nodded.
"Anything that has happened between you was consensual?"
"Yes."
"And at any point did you use your position as power, or force?"
"No."
"Does anyone else know?"
"Danny knows."
"My guess is you are going to keep it quiet?"
"Preferably."
"We have some options of what you can do." I nodded and sat down at the table as Perry began to go into detail about what I could do.
We finished talking and I glanced at my watch and saw that I still had fifteen minutes before I needed to be at the tennis courts. I walked to Carmilla's room, knocked on the door and then counted to fifteen.
"Oh, you're done ignoring me?" Carmilla snarked as I walked into her room.
"It's complicated."
"Clearly."
"But it's over now."
"What ever it was."
"Perry asked me if we were together. I talked to her and I didn't confirm or deny anything until I knew for sure what would happen. I thought it would be better if I kept some distance while that all happened. I didn't want you to have to deal with all of that."
"So what's going on?"
"Well, we decided that it wasn't worth making it a big deal as I only have a little over two weeks left of this internship."
"And everything's okay?"
"As long as you don't plan on suing me or the hospital, Perry said I can't get fired for it."
"How did Perry figure it out?"
"Well I did mention that you were signing out over night again tonight."
"I am?"
"Well I figured it would just be easier if you came home after dinner, then I wouldn't have to drive all the way back here."
"Okay," she said slowly.
"My dad doesn't care. And he's actually going bowling with his friends after dinner so he'll be gone for a couple of hours. I hope you don't mind."
"I get to spend the night with you. How could I mind?" She stuck her fingers in the belt loops of my jeans and pulled me into her. I smiled as our lips met. It wasn't long before she was pulling me into her more, as she sat down on her bed.
I broke the kiss so that I could get on to the bed fully. Carmilla rolled us over so that she was on top as we continued to kiss.
"Oh shit, sorry."
Carmilla practically leapt off me like a cat. I turned to see Kirsch standing there. "Heard of knocking?" She snarled a little.
"I did knock. You probably didn't hear it over the TV. But I knocked and counted and everything."
"It's okay." I said, putting my hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her down. She nodded a little, and her shoulders relaxed a little. I stood up and walked closer to Kirsch. "I'm not breaking any rules."
"So you two," he stuttered a little, motioning between us.
"Yes. Yes, we are a thing."
"And it's not against any rules?"
"It's not. Danny and Perry both know. But I'd like it if you didn't tell anyone. I'm only here a couple more weeks."
"Okay."
"What are you doing here anyways?"
"I figured you'd want me to collect the trays back too."
"Oh, thanks."
Kirsch picked up the tray from the table. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
"Thanks Kirsch," I smiled at him a little. He gave me a half smile back and then walked out of the room. I turned to see Carmilla who was still looking tense. "It's okay."
"We need to be much more careful."
"Carm, Perry said I can't get fired or anything."
"No, but it may have them question whether or not they should rehire you. Out of all the people here, you're definitely the best one."
"I am?"
"Well you're the one I hated the least. And then I guess you made a good impression on me."
"Oh you guess?" Carmilla smiled at me. "Well tonight, we won't have to worry about any of that."
"I just have to meet your dad, which is even scarier."
"He'll love you." Carmilla nodded, still a little nervously. I did my best to give her a reassuring smile.