Disclaimer: I do not own ER, anything affiliated with the NBC network,
etc. Regan and Katie are mine. :)
Long Lost, Chapter Seven
Susan sat in Katie's nursery one late summer night, and rocked her now three-week-old daughter. She gently stroked Katie's cheek and planted a soft kiss onto the baby's smooth skin.
"I love you, baby girl," she cooed. The phone rang downstairs in the kitchen and was quickly answered. A few moments later, Regan bounded up the stairs and entered Katie's nursery. "Who was it?" Susan asked.
"It was Coop!" Regan replied, her cheeks red and a wide smile across her face. "He finally asked me out!"
"He did?" Susan asked, slightly taken aback. Regan leaned against the closet door and sighed. "Isn't he a bit old for you?"
"Not really," Regan replied, a frown formed on her young twenty-year-old face. "He's only six years older than me. That's not much of an age difference."
"At your ages, it is," Susan said. "Twenty is completely different from twenty-six. You're only about to enter your junior year of college. Coop is finishing medical school."
"Susan, relax," Regan said. She walked over to where her mother and sister sat and kneeled in front of them. She picked up Katie's tiny hand and kissed it. "It's just one date. Nothing's going to happen. You trust me, right?"
Susan sighed. "You know that I do."
"Then just know that everything's going to be fine." Regan focused her gaze onto Katie. "She's getting so big! I can't believe she's three weeks old already."
"She's amazing, isn't she?" Susan beamed at Katie, then looked at Regan. "What are the big plans for your date?"
"We're going out for dinner tomorrow night, and then we might stop by that new coffee house on Midland," Regan answered. "Do you want to help me pick out something to wear?"
"Sure," Susan said, and tried to ignore the worried feeling in her stomach.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The following evening, Susan and Chuck relaxed in the living room. Katie had just been put to bed for the night and the new - and very tired - parents looked forward to spending time alone. Susan, however, continued to glance at the clock.
"Hey, cut that out," Chuck gently admonished.
"What?" Susan asked, surprised.
"Listen, warden, she's just out on a date," Chuck said with a smile. "Regan's twenty years old, honey. She's dated before."
"But not guys who are six years older than she is," Susan retorted. "Coop's a nice guy, but he's a *guy.* They only have one thing on their minds, and it's not talking about books!"
"Hey now," Chuck replied. "Is that what you think of me? That all I think about is sex?"
"No, sweetie, I'm sorry," Susan said, apologetic. "But guys Coop's age are only after one thing, aren't they?" Chuck sighed. "I know that you're different!"
"Don't lump me into the same category as guys who only want to get a girl into bed," Chuck said, a slight hint of sadness in his voice. "I love you. You're the best friend I've ever had, and I hope that you know how madly in love I am with you."
Susan laid her head on Chuck's shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I love you, too. And you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You made me a mommy." Susan looked up and into Chuck's eyes. "You're different than any other man I've ever met. I could never love anyone the way that I love you." Chuck pulled Susan onto his lap and they kissed passionately. The kisses grew more intense until they heard voices on the front porch.
"Bad timing," Chuck moaned.
Susan laughed. "Poor baby," she said, and kissed Chuck quickly. She glanced at the front door. "I wonder how long they'll be out there?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Regan and Coop stood on the front porch, holding hands.
"I had a great time tonight," Regan said, and smiled.
"I did, too," Coop said. "I hate to end our date so quickly, but I have an early shift tomorrow."
"It's okay," Regan reassured him. "I have to be at the swim club early too."
"How's that summer job of yours?" Coop asked.
"I love it," Regan answered. "I'll miss being a lifeguard there when the new school semester begins."
"I hope we can still spend time together when you're back in school," Coop said, then leaned in and kissed Regan.
Regan stepped back and blushed. "I'd like that," she said quietly. "So..."
"Yeah, I should get going. Tell your mom and Chuck I said hi. And give little Katie a kiss for me."
"I will," Regan said. "Thanks again for such a wonderful night."
"Thank you," Coop replied, and kissed Regan again. "Good-night."
"Good-night," Regan said as she watched Coop walk down the steps and drive off in his car. She opened the door and quietly walked into the house, not wanting to wake Katie. She spied Susan and Chuck in the living room and smiled. "I'm home."
"Someone had fun," Chuck commented, and Regan's grin grew larger.
"I had a *wonderful* time," she said. "It was one of the best nights of my life!" She glanced at Susan. "And Coop was a perfect gentleman."
"I'm glad to hear that," Susan said quietly. She watched Regan ascend the steps to her bedroom and after a moment, followed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Regan kicked off her shoes and sat on her bed. A knock sounded on her door.
"Come in, Susan," Regan said.
"How'd you know it was me?" Susan asked.
"Good guess," Regan answered. "Listen, it's late and I do need to get some sleep."
"I know, honey," Susan replied. She sat next to Regan on the bed. "But I want to have a talk with you."
"I've had *that* talk already," Regan said. "My mom taught me about the birds and the bees."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Susan said. "But my concern is more of how you'll handle a relationship."
"What do you mean by 'handle?'" Regan asked.
"That you'd know what to do if things got too serious too fast," Susan said.
"I'm not going to do anything," Regan protested. "I'm not having sex with anyone, Susan."
"Not yet," Susan replied. "But things happen, and I don't want you to be placed in an uncomfortable position."
"Coop wouldn't pressure me," Regan said, and rose from the bed. She removed her watch and necklace and placed them on the dresser. "You have to give me some credit. I am smart. I wouldn't date him if I thought he only wanted sex."
"I'm glad to hear that," Susan said. She arose from the bed and looked directly at Regan. "Just be careful."
"I can't believe you think Coop's just out for sex!" Regan said, her voice angry. "Why are you judging him like that?"
"I didn't say that he was!" Susan replied. "I just want you to be careful."
"Like you were, right? When you got pregnant at seventeen and then wimped out and gave me up for adoption?!" Regan shot back. A look of shock, then hurt, crossed Susan's face. Regan, still angry, realized the impact that her comment had had on Susan. She immediately felt guilty as she saw tears form in Susan's eyes.
"I can't believe that you just threw that in my face," Susan said sadly, as tears spilled down her cheeks. She turned and exited Regan's room. Regan felt tears stinging her own eyes and sat on her bed. She crawled into a ball and cried.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Susan, still in shock from Regan's stinging comment, entered her own bedroom and shut out the light. She crawled onto her bed and sobbed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Regan walked into the living room in the middle of the night. She had cried herself to sleep a few hours earlier and had awoken, feeling guilty. As the moonlight streamed in through the window, she noticed Susan sitting quietly on the sofa. Susan looked up at her daughter. Both noticed the other's tear-streaked face.
"Hey," Susan said gently.
Regan sat next to her mother, wrapped her arms around her, and sniffed. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean it."
"I know," Susan said, as she comforted Regan.
"I'm scared," Regan admitted. "I've never had a serious boyfriend before. I don't know how I'm supposed to act, or what I'm supposed to do." She looked up at Susan. "I want to wait until I'm married for sex. I signed a promise card on my seventeenth birthday."
"You did?" Susan asked, surprised.
Regan nodded. "Yeah. But what if I tell Coop that, and he doesn't want to date me anymore? Then what? I'll be alone."
Susan stroked her daughter's hair. "If he's like that, then you're better off without him."
"I know," Regan said, and sniffed again. "I just don't want to be alone."
"You'll never be," Susan assured her. "I'm here. I love you more than anything else in this world."
Regan looked at Susan again. "I'm really sorry."
"I know," Susan said, and hugged Regan. She kissed her head and held her daughter and comforted her.
The End
The next chapter: Regan meets her father, James.
Long Lost, Chapter Seven
Susan sat in Katie's nursery one late summer night, and rocked her now three-week-old daughter. She gently stroked Katie's cheek and planted a soft kiss onto the baby's smooth skin.
"I love you, baby girl," she cooed. The phone rang downstairs in the kitchen and was quickly answered. A few moments later, Regan bounded up the stairs and entered Katie's nursery. "Who was it?" Susan asked.
"It was Coop!" Regan replied, her cheeks red and a wide smile across her face. "He finally asked me out!"
"He did?" Susan asked, slightly taken aback. Regan leaned against the closet door and sighed. "Isn't he a bit old for you?"
"Not really," Regan replied, a frown formed on her young twenty-year-old face. "He's only six years older than me. That's not much of an age difference."
"At your ages, it is," Susan said. "Twenty is completely different from twenty-six. You're only about to enter your junior year of college. Coop is finishing medical school."
"Susan, relax," Regan said. She walked over to where her mother and sister sat and kneeled in front of them. She picked up Katie's tiny hand and kissed it. "It's just one date. Nothing's going to happen. You trust me, right?"
Susan sighed. "You know that I do."
"Then just know that everything's going to be fine." Regan focused her gaze onto Katie. "She's getting so big! I can't believe she's three weeks old already."
"She's amazing, isn't she?" Susan beamed at Katie, then looked at Regan. "What are the big plans for your date?"
"We're going out for dinner tomorrow night, and then we might stop by that new coffee house on Midland," Regan answered. "Do you want to help me pick out something to wear?"
"Sure," Susan said, and tried to ignore the worried feeling in her stomach.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The following evening, Susan and Chuck relaxed in the living room. Katie had just been put to bed for the night and the new - and very tired - parents looked forward to spending time alone. Susan, however, continued to glance at the clock.
"Hey, cut that out," Chuck gently admonished.
"What?" Susan asked, surprised.
"Listen, warden, she's just out on a date," Chuck said with a smile. "Regan's twenty years old, honey. She's dated before."
"But not guys who are six years older than she is," Susan retorted. "Coop's a nice guy, but he's a *guy.* They only have one thing on their minds, and it's not talking about books!"
"Hey now," Chuck replied. "Is that what you think of me? That all I think about is sex?"
"No, sweetie, I'm sorry," Susan said, apologetic. "But guys Coop's age are only after one thing, aren't they?" Chuck sighed. "I know that you're different!"
"Don't lump me into the same category as guys who only want to get a girl into bed," Chuck said, a slight hint of sadness in his voice. "I love you. You're the best friend I've ever had, and I hope that you know how madly in love I am with you."
Susan laid her head on Chuck's shoulder and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I love you, too. And you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You made me a mommy." Susan looked up and into Chuck's eyes. "You're different than any other man I've ever met. I could never love anyone the way that I love you." Chuck pulled Susan onto his lap and they kissed passionately. The kisses grew more intense until they heard voices on the front porch.
"Bad timing," Chuck moaned.
Susan laughed. "Poor baby," she said, and kissed Chuck quickly. She glanced at the front door. "I wonder how long they'll be out there?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Regan and Coop stood on the front porch, holding hands.
"I had a great time tonight," Regan said, and smiled.
"I did, too," Coop said. "I hate to end our date so quickly, but I have an early shift tomorrow."
"It's okay," Regan reassured him. "I have to be at the swim club early too."
"How's that summer job of yours?" Coop asked.
"I love it," Regan answered. "I'll miss being a lifeguard there when the new school semester begins."
"I hope we can still spend time together when you're back in school," Coop said, then leaned in and kissed Regan.
Regan stepped back and blushed. "I'd like that," she said quietly. "So..."
"Yeah, I should get going. Tell your mom and Chuck I said hi. And give little Katie a kiss for me."
"I will," Regan said. "Thanks again for such a wonderful night."
"Thank you," Coop replied, and kissed Regan again. "Good-night."
"Good-night," Regan said as she watched Coop walk down the steps and drive off in his car. She opened the door and quietly walked into the house, not wanting to wake Katie. She spied Susan and Chuck in the living room and smiled. "I'm home."
"Someone had fun," Chuck commented, and Regan's grin grew larger.
"I had a *wonderful* time," she said. "It was one of the best nights of my life!" She glanced at Susan. "And Coop was a perfect gentleman."
"I'm glad to hear that," Susan said quietly. She watched Regan ascend the steps to her bedroom and after a moment, followed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Regan kicked off her shoes and sat on her bed. A knock sounded on her door.
"Come in, Susan," Regan said.
"How'd you know it was me?" Susan asked.
"Good guess," Regan answered. "Listen, it's late and I do need to get some sleep."
"I know, honey," Susan replied. She sat next to Regan on the bed. "But I want to have a talk with you."
"I've had *that* talk already," Regan said. "My mom taught me about the birds and the bees."
"Well, I'm glad to hear that," Susan said. "But my concern is more of how you'll handle a relationship."
"What do you mean by 'handle?'" Regan asked.
"That you'd know what to do if things got too serious too fast," Susan said.
"I'm not going to do anything," Regan protested. "I'm not having sex with anyone, Susan."
"Not yet," Susan replied. "But things happen, and I don't want you to be placed in an uncomfortable position."
"Coop wouldn't pressure me," Regan said, and rose from the bed. She removed her watch and necklace and placed them on the dresser. "You have to give me some credit. I am smart. I wouldn't date him if I thought he only wanted sex."
"I'm glad to hear that," Susan said. She arose from the bed and looked directly at Regan. "Just be careful."
"I can't believe you think Coop's just out for sex!" Regan said, her voice angry. "Why are you judging him like that?"
"I didn't say that he was!" Susan replied. "I just want you to be careful."
"Like you were, right? When you got pregnant at seventeen and then wimped out and gave me up for adoption?!" Regan shot back. A look of shock, then hurt, crossed Susan's face. Regan, still angry, realized the impact that her comment had had on Susan. She immediately felt guilty as she saw tears form in Susan's eyes.
"I can't believe that you just threw that in my face," Susan said sadly, as tears spilled down her cheeks. She turned and exited Regan's room. Regan felt tears stinging her own eyes and sat on her bed. She crawled into a ball and cried.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Susan, still in shock from Regan's stinging comment, entered her own bedroom and shut out the light. She crawled onto her bed and sobbed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Regan walked into the living room in the middle of the night. She had cried herself to sleep a few hours earlier and had awoken, feeling guilty. As the moonlight streamed in through the window, she noticed Susan sitting quietly on the sofa. Susan looked up at her daughter. Both noticed the other's tear-streaked face.
"Hey," Susan said gently.
Regan sat next to her mother, wrapped her arms around her, and sniffed. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean it."
"I know," Susan said, as she comforted Regan.
"I'm scared," Regan admitted. "I've never had a serious boyfriend before. I don't know how I'm supposed to act, or what I'm supposed to do." She looked up at Susan. "I want to wait until I'm married for sex. I signed a promise card on my seventeenth birthday."
"You did?" Susan asked, surprised.
Regan nodded. "Yeah. But what if I tell Coop that, and he doesn't want to date me anymore? Then what? I'll be alone."
Susan stroked her daughter's hair. "If he's like that, then you're better off without him."
"I know," Regan said, and sniffed again. "I just don't want to be alone."
"You'll never be," Susan assured her. "I'm here. I love you more than anything else in this world."
Regan looked at Susan again. "I'm really sorry."
"I know," Susan said, and hugged Regan. She kissed her head and held her daughter and comforted her.
The End
The next chapter: Regan meets her father, James.
