Title Changes
Parts 3
Category Kerry/Kim, Coming OutSummary
Kerry comes out of her closet, with the help of two good friends and not even near the way she thought.
Rating PG
Spoilers alternative universe
Author's Notes
My first English one. Thanks to sunny for beta reading and correcting.
KERRY
The little girl looked scared at the instruments Kerry was holding in her hands.
"Does it hurt?" she asked, nearly crying.
"No, it won't." Kerry said reassuringly "I'm just worried that you could be hurt."
"Like daddy?" the girl sobbed.
"Yes, like your daddy."
"And mummy?"
Kerry took the girl's hand and hugged her.
"Shh, come here darling." she said and stroke the small back.
"Other doctors are trying to make them fine again."
They sat in silence until someone entered.
"Dr. Weaver. Psych's here." Chuny said and left.
"I have to go now, darling. Someone else will look after you now. She's very nice, you know."
The girl nodded, but said nothing.
Kerry grabbed the chart and her crutch, and then walked towards the door, never taking her eyes off Kim, who was standing outside the suture room.
"That'll be a hard thing. She wouldn't even tell us her name and we couldn't find it anywhere." Kerry said, leaving the room.
"The parents are dead?" Kim asked, after Kerry had closed the door to the suture room, scribbling on the board she always carried around when she was on duty.
"Not yet." Kerry answered with a sight, "But close to."
She closed her eyes and leaned against Kim.
"It's hard…I know." Kim whispered, scanning the area for possible audience before she kissed Kerry.
"You should talk to her now, Kim. She's scared. … and lonely." Kerry said, backing away.
"Next of kin?"
"Not that we know."
"Oh my…ok then let's see what she's telling me." Kim sighed.
Kerry looked around and stole a kiss from Kim again, her hand lingering on the cheek a moment longer than necessary. She smiled lightly.
"I guess we're both not in the mood for small talk tonight. Do you mind if I cancel dinner with Christy and Jen?" Kim asked.
Kerry shook her head no, then waved a short goodbye and turned towards the doctor's lounge.
She sat down on the leather couch, taking a sip from the mug she was holding between her hands, staring blankly at the carpet, not noticing that someone entered.
Then this someone started talking to her, but Kerry didn't listen, until a black skinned hand waved angrily in front of her face
"Kerry? Did you even listen to what I said?" Peter Benton asked loudly, looking at a pink shaded Kerry.
"I'm sorry Peter, it's just a bad night. What did you say?"
Kerry took another sip from her cold coffee, grimacing at its taste.
"The family?" Peter asked knowingly.
"Yeah. Are they still in the OR?"
" 's far as I know…yes."
"Any chances?"
"Father 5, mother maybe 10 percent."
Peter sighed and massaged his neck with one hand.
"Who's talking to the child now? Legaspi?" he asked after a moment of silence.
"Yeah, Kim's talking to her. She's wonderful with kids. That's something I love her for" Kerry answered, staring into the air, before realising what she had said the moment before.
She closed her eyes, waiting for Peter to say something.
Peter started three times, staring into his empty mug, but no word came out of his mouth.
After nearly two minutes, Kerry stood up and walked towards him.
"Well…uhm…you know…" she said
"Kerry, it's ok."
"Really?"
"Of course it is. You have the right to be happy, no matter how or with whom!"
For a long moment they just looked at each other. Time stood still.
Then Kerry nodded.
"Thank you Peter."
Peter smiled.
"Well, don't thank me to early. You should know…well…that the whole hospital knows…. about you and Legaspi … I mean."
"Oh"
"Yeah"
"Well…"
Kerry scratched her head and sat down again, while Peter put his mug into the sink and turned to leave
"Don't hide Kerry," he said with his back to her "life is to short for that."
With that he was gone, and Kerry was standing alone in the lounge, thinking about Peter's words.
The door opened again and a nurse called her to an emergency.
Six hours, nine major trauma cases and a whole bunch of minors later, Kerry stood in the lounge again changing her lab coat for her brown leather jacket and went home.
The EL – ride home was silent. At four in the morning the EL is nearly empty and Kerry had a whole wagon for herself.
She felt asleep. Thinking of Kim, as usual sleeping on the couch in front of the TV.
"Kerry! Hi! Nice to see you again." Someone called at the next stop. Kerry looked up and into the face of a young woman. An emergency doctor from Mercy Hospital and a good friend.
"Is this your usual way home?" she asked curious and sat down opposite Kerry while the train went on.
"Alex! Hi. No." Kerry said smiling "Well … not since I moved two weeks ago. So I guess we'll meet more often from now on."
"That's nice." Alex said and smiled at her friend. "You moved?"
"Yeah. … well, I met someone a year ago and we moved in together." Kerry answered cautiously.
Alex first grinned, then smiled broadly and hugged Kerry.
"That's great Kerr. That's so great. Who is he? Do I know him?"
Kerry's heart pounded hard against her chest and she gasped for air. The world seemed to glide away and her voice came from another planet then she answered.
"She." Kerry said hoarsely.
"Pardon?"
"She. It's not a man. A woman."
Alex stared at Kerry, mouth open unable to say something. A moment later she shook her head, and turned away.
"Alex, I … I should have told you earlier, I know … but "
Alex turned forward Kerry again, trying very hard not to grin.
"No need to explain Kerry." She said, bursting out in laughter. Earning a slap on the arm from her friend and a hiccup.
"What's so funny?"
"It's hic nothing hic important. Just hic that all the time we know each other hic. . I can't belihiceve you didn't tell me."
"Well it was a hard time for me."
Alex, still hiccuping, shook her head again.
"I can't believe you just told me you're gay. And all those years I never told you that I'm gay, too." She said, then stopped and grinned again at Kerry.
"What?"
"I'm gay, Kerry. Just like you. And I never told you because I never knew how you would react."
"We're friends for ten years and you never told me you're gay?" Kerry asked. Alex just nodded, looking like a puppy.
The train pulled up at Alex' stop and she stood up, saying goodbye to her friend.
"Wait a moment." Kerry said, just before Alex left the train.
"What about dinner tomorrow?" she asked.
Alex nodded "Seven at your house! I'll call you later for the address, ok." She managed to say before the doors closed.
Kerry waved and smiled goodbye.
And for the first time in 12 hours she was really happy.
The house was dark, except for the living room, from where changing colours told Kerry that the TV was on.
Of course Kim slept on the couch. As always.
Kerry smiled and touched the tousled blonde hair, carefully placing a kiss on Kim's cheek, who woke with a start.
"My goodness. Kerry. You scared me!" Kim nearly screamed. "Already home. Thought you would need more time for all that work."
"Yeah. I left the rest for Carter and Kovac." Kerry answered and sat down on the couch, kissing Kim for a long time.
"You ok?"
"Yeah. Met a friend in the EL. Alex. Hope you don't mind me inviting her for dinner tomorrow evening?"
"A friend of yours?" Kim said surprised "Invitation for dinner? Here? At our house?"
"Yeah. You know, me and Alex have been friends for ten years, but we both never knew that the other one was gay."
"Alex is gay?"
"She is."
"She?"
Kim just looked at Kerry.
"I'm surprised." Was the only sentence she could manage to say. She rose from the couch, leading Kerry to the steps and into their bedroom, where they undressed and slipped under the sheets. Kim, spooning Kerry from behind was nearly sleeping, then Kerry was speaking again.
"You know, I ever wondered if she would go out with me on a date when we first met, but I pushed those feelings away, because I couldn't stand to be different again."
The unspoken "until" hung between them, but Kim just hold her breathe and said nothing.
"You found me, Kim! And woke me up! I love you for that." Kerry said sleepily and placed soft kisses on Kim's hand in hers.
"I know. I love you to hon." She answered from behind.
