Chapter 9

They had sex. The most amazing get-back-together sex. Reexploring each others bodies, getting to know the familiarities they had forgotten. Everything was perfect; every movement was made with the greatest care and with the greatest ease. Kim had to admit Kerry had improved since the last time, but she had never been bad to begin with. They held each other close after it was over, their breathing still heavy, their bodies hot and tired. Kim smiled, kissing the crown of Kerry's head, her lips were heavy and wet and still tasted like Kerry. Kerry looked up and their lips met for a brief moment. They were too worn out to really kiss. Kim held Kerry to her, running her fingers through her fine, straight hair, now bedraggled. "I have a morning shift." Kerry yawned, turning on to her side in Kim's arms. Kim spooned her, kissing her neck.

"So do I."

Susan made a bed for Ella on the floor, since both had forgotten to bring a playpen or something for her to sleep in. She tucked Ella in, making sure she was comfortable, before getting up and going in to the living room where Elizabeth sat in silence. Susan sat down beside her, and after a stint of silence, she awkwardly placed her arm around Elizabeth. Elizabeth responded to this touch by leaning her head on Susan's shoulder and Susan, who had unconsciously been biting her lip, opened her mouth and took a deep breath, relieved that Elizabeth had been okay with that small gesture of comfort.

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth's voice was weak.

"No, it's okay." Susan took a hold of Elizabeth's hand. "We'll get through this."

Elizabeth nodded, watching as their hands intertwined. Frankly she didn't mind. She didn't mind the fact that they were close, or that Susan was holding her hand, or the fact she had her arm around Elizabeth. It felt good to be held. She felt like she wasn't alone in this for the first time. Susan was there and Elizabeth knew Susan was fighting to be the strong one because she also was as broken up inside as Elizabeth was, she just wasn't showing it. Elizabeth hoped Susan wasn't just doing this because Mark had been one of her good friends. Elizabeth truly hoped that she was doing this because she really did care. Somehow she figured that that was the reason, Susan really did care.

"Are you hungry?" Susan asked, holding Elizabeth close to her, enjoying the feeling of her at her side.

"A little. I haven't eaten since breakfast." Elizabeth replied.

"Well I was just throwing together some leftovers when you called. Do you want me to go fix you something?" Susan asked, not really wanting to get up from this strangely comfortable spot, but wanting to tend to Elizabeth.

"No, don't put yourself out on my account." Elizabeth shook her head. "Leftovers are fine." She laughed.

And Susan nodded. Feeling the need to show her affection towards Elizabeth, wanting her to know that she was more than just there for her, she turned and kissed Elizabeth's forehead before standing up. Their fingers still laced together, Susan turned and looked at Elizabeth, a faint smile appearing on both's faces. Slowly their fingers came undone and Susan went in to the kitchen.

It was cold, as it was still wintertime. Elizabeth pulled a blanket from Susan's couch and wrapped it around herself, feeling comfortable enough in Susan's house to do such a thing without asking. Normally she would have been hesitant, but she knew Susan wouldn't have cared if she had asked her either way. Plus, Susan had told Elizabeth to do whatever she wanted, and take whatever she needed. The blanket was warm and carried Susan's scent. Elizabeth imagined all the lonely nights Susan had had with that very blanket, curled up in it, watching television, or talking on the phone. There was something strangely comforting yet erotic about it.

The beeping of the microwave alerted Elizabeth that the food was ready. She heard Susan slip her shoes off and set two plates on to the table. She wondered if Susan really wanted to have this company. She wondered if Susan regretted inviting her, but when she stood up and saw Susan's face lit up and almost glowing, she knew she didn't regret it. Elizabeth felt she was no longer being a burden, but was instead a friend.

Susan smiled at her and nodded her head for Elizabeth to come in to the kitchen. Elizabeth, with the blanket still wrapped around her, went in to the kitchen and sat across from Susan. What lay in front of her was a weeks worth of take out that was re-heated. She smiled, remembering her life as a 'spinster'. It had been so easy then, just thinking of herself and no one else. Susan was different though; she cared about others and thought about them too.

They began eating in silence, but neither could stand it.

"I hope you're enjoying this lovely feast." Susan laughed.

"Oh, trust me, I am." Elizabeth nodded, in all seriousness. "Thank you so much Susan."

"I already told you, it's not a problem." Susan shook her head. "I enjoy having you here; in fact I was going to invite you over for dinner sometime."

"Too bad it had to happen under these circumstances." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow briefly.

"No, this is more fun anyway. It'll be like college all over again. Minus the classes and exams of course." Susan laughed, thinking about how fun it would be to have roomed with Elizabeth.

"I guess you're right." Elizabeth shrugged, a smile spreading across her face. "What is this?" She asked, pointing to a blob of something on the corner of her plate. Susan leaned forward and examined it.

"I have no idea, but it was probably really good at one point in time. You don't have to eat it." Susan frowned.

"I already did. It's delicious." Elizabeth shoved some in her mouth and Susan began laughing, causing Elizabeth to laugh.

"Shh, we might wake Ella." Susan warned through giggles.

Elizabeth nodded and the laughing subsided. A light and airy conversation consumed the rest of the meal. Afterwards Elizabeth excused herself to go get in to her pajamas again and returned. Susan was in the kitchen, cleaning off the plates and placing them in to the dishwasher. She had rolled up her sleeves and unbuttoned a few more buttons on her shirt. Elizabeth found this image rather attractive. But what was she doing? Falling for Susan like this, was she five or something? She needed to grow up. She had a husband, a baby…but that all didn't seem to matter right at that moment.

Susan turned and looked at Elizabeth as she came in to the kitchen, her pajamas consisting of her stomach revealing tight T-shirt and the same printed pajama pants she had been wearing earlier. Susan wished she had Elizabeth's figure. It was so much more attractive than her own. Was she attracted to Elizabeth?

"I'd better go change." Susan interrupted these strange thoughts both were having.

"Right." Elizabeth nodded, as Susan walked past her, that scent following after her. "Wait." Elizabeth called out. Susan stopped and turned to face Elizabeth. "Where am I going to sleep?"

Susan hadn't thought about sleeping arrangements. For some reason she had assumed Elizabeth would sleep in her bed with her but now that seemed a little odd. "Um, I was thinking…well…uh…"

"Can I…"Elizabeth seemed to feel the same way.

"With…" Susan pointed to herself and Elizabeth nodded. "Of course. That's what I was thinking…the couch is really uncomfortable anyway." Susan laughed. Elizabeth smiled and stood awkwardly in the threshold of the kitchen. "Well are you coming." Susan asked, still standing there staring at Elizabeth.

"What? Oh, yes." Elizabeth nodded and followed Susan in to her bedroom. Susan closed the door behind them and began unbuttoning the rest of her shirt, which was really only two or three buttons. She pulled it off and hung the shirt into her closet, only to pull it back out and examine it.

"Shit." She cursed. "There's blood on it."

"That's what you get for being a doctor." Elizabeth laughed, feeling slightly uncomfortable watching Susan as she undressed in front of her.

"Very funny." Susan smiled, tossing the shirt into her dirty clothes pile which looked like it was growing. "I hardly have time to get anything washed!" Susan explained, not wanting Elizabeth to think she was messy.

"Me either. Try having a baby." Elizabeth laughed and then sat on the bed, gathering the blanket, which she had placed on the bed while changing earlier, around herself.

"Must be crazy." Susan kept her back to Elizabeth while pulling off her bra and pulling a shirt on. She unbuttoned and unzipped her pants and then went to her dresser to find some pajama bottoms. She knew anything she put on would look silly compared to Elizabeth who looked amazing in almost anything.

But Elizabeth couldn't have cared less what Susan was wearing. She kept her eyes trained on her, watching her every movement. She longed to help Susan undress…no these thoughts had to stop. She must be mixing her emotions up. It was Mark she longed for and Susan was the one standing in front of her. Yes, that's what it was.

Once Susan was finished dressing, she went in to the bathroom to brush her teeth and then came back out, sitting on her messy bed. Elizabeth got up and allowed Susan to rearrange the sheets. When the bed was intact, Susan pulled down the covers and slipped in, Elizabeth following suit.

"I have to work in the morning; Kerry just loves to schedule me then." Susan sounded exhausted.

"Me too." Elizabeth wiggled around until she found a comfortable position. Susan watched her and then turned on her side so that she was facing Elizabeth. Elizabeth longed for Susan's touch. The way it had felt when they were sitting on the couch together, that's how she wanted to fall asleep. Susan seemed to sense this, but was unsure of how to approach it. She began to reach out, but then recoiled, but then with Elizabeth's approving look, she let her arm rest over Elizabeth's stomach.

The night progressed on awkwardly, neither really sleeping, but both silent, moving around quite a bit. At one point Elizabeth's hand grazed over Susan's breast and Susan's eyes opened. She looked over at Elizabeth, whose eyes were closed, and frowned. Was she really asleep?

"Liz?" Susan whispered, her voice soft and raspy. Liz was Susan's nickname for Elizabeth, she had taken to calling her that, since Robert seemed to have taken Lizzie and Lizzie had too many memories behind it. Susan moved closer to Elizabeth, staring down at her.

Elizabeth's eyes flashed open and they found themselves face to face. "Sorry." Elizabeth looked away.

"No, it's okay." Susan nodded.

Elizabeth nodded, looking at Susan and then away, and then back at her. Susan kept her eyes fixed on Elizabeth, darting from her eyes to her lips. She wondered how Elizabeth would react if she kissed her. Frankly she didn't think she would care. Susan gently wrapped her arms around Elizabeth, holding her close to herself. Elizabeth reached up and returned the hug, clinging to the comfort of Susan's body, pulling it to her. Their breast meshed together, their faces right next to each others. Susan felt the tears falling from Elizabeth's eyes against her cheek and turned, gently kissing the tears as they fell, a salty taste invading her lips and mouth. And soon they were mouth to mouth, kissing desperately, yet lovingly. Their kisses continued without pause or a need for pause.

Once both became too tired to carry on the kissing, they just held one another until both fell into a sleep like state. It wasn't really sleep because both seemed aware of each other the entire night. Before they both wanted it to, Susan's alarm started going off.

Susan detached one of her arms from around Elizabeth and hit the off button, wrapping her arm gently back around Elizabeth and kissing her to wake her up. Elizabeth awoke smiling. She leaned up and kissed Susan. "We should get up."

"You're right." Susan said unenthusiastically. "You can take the shower first and I'll go get Ella ready." Susan offered after they kissed and reluctantly detached from one another.

"Okay." Elizabeth was glad Susan was there to help.

Both stumbled sleepily out of the warm bed, which both longed to get back in to, and went there separate ways. Once everyone was ready they sat down and ate breakfast like one big happy family and then went to go catch the El to the hospital for another wonderful day in the ER.

TBC...I know I know! We all want more Kerry/Kim action...just wait a minute. I'll try. And the surprise twist I was thinking of might not happen. I'm not really sure. It would be kind of weird...so maybe this will be a predictable story. Oh well. Review! I love reviews and reviewers! Tell me what you think!