Chapter 3 (s18e10 – part 1)
Note: We had no Kaimelia scenes in episode 10 which isn't acceptable so I made some up. I've stretched the events of episode 10 into 2 days instead of just one to accommodate this story. This is part 1 of that. Hope you'll enjoy it.
On the way to the hospital, Kai picked up some pastries and coffee in the bakery across their hotel. First thing they planned to do that day was checking on David and keep him company while they ate their breakfast, possibly running by him some ideas of moving the project forward if he was feeling up to it.
Later, they made their way to the lab, hoping to get ahead with some work for the next stage of the project.
They have not seen Amelia the whole morning, but they were meant to meet for lunch, so they tried to burry themselves in work until then. Noon approaching, their phone chimed with a text from Amelia.
"Got hold up with a patient. You should go eat when you get hungry. Don't wait up. I'm not sure how long I'll be."
"Okay no worries." Was Kai's reply even though they were a little bummed, but they understood.
They did a bit more work when finally decided to go find some food and made their way to the cafeteria. The second they finished their lunch, there was another text from Amelia.
"All done. Will take my break now. Can I find you?"
"Still in the cafeteria." Kai responded, deciding that the original plan of lunch in the cafeteria can still move forward just with the exception of them not eating anymore.
"Hey." Amelia walked towards them with a wide smile.
"Hello, Dr. Shepherd." Kai said, the words formal but the tone underlined with kindness and affection.
For a second, Amelia looked into Kai's eyes in such a way that if felt like she could see straight into Kai's soul, which caused goosebumps to run down their spine. Then her gaze fell to the empty tray left behind Kai's lunch.
"Let me just grab some food and I'll be right with you." She said before walking away from the table.
After she returned with her lunch, they chatted about Amelia's day so far, and the article she mentioned to Kai yesterday which they managed to look into earlier. The conversation was light and easy, and they both felt comfortable. The time when Amelia needed to return to work came around way too fast.
During the next couple of hours, the things in the hospital were quite busy for Amelia, but it calmed down just before her shift was almost over, so she decided to head upstairs to see how Hamilton was doing, hoping she might find Kai there too.
However, they weren't with him, but he mentioned them wanting to go back to the lab. So that's where she headed next. But not before stopping to grab two cups of coffee.
She saw Kai through the glass slit in the door, standing by the tall desk, typing something vigorously on their laptop, then looking into the microscope next to it.
"Hey, you." She said walking into the lab.
"Hi." They replied smiling as they looked up at her.
"I thought there might be a mad scientist in need of this." Amelia put the coffee cup down pushing it towards Kai.
"Oh, thank you. This mad scientist really is." They said with a laugh and took a sip.
"What are you working on?" She asked sitting down at the stool across Kai with the desk separating them.
"I'm doublechecking the values of David's stem cell samples. And comparing it with the stem cell trial database. Trying to determine all the adjustments of the values we will have to make in accordance to move forward with a randomized patient group, compared to having everything designed around a single patient."
Amelia nodded, understanding the importance of this step.
"Any progress?" she asked.
"Slow and steady."
"That's the way we like it." She laughed and picked up her coffee cup, gesturing a small cheers towards Kai who cheered her right back.
"I've been to see Hamilton just now. I'm glad he's back to his insufferable self, bossing our nurses around like he owns this place too."
Kai laughed. "Yeah, I bet he's doing that. I was there earlier, running some ideas by him and he was pretty much bored out of his mind."
"I can't blame him. I know how it feels to be stuck in bed unable to do the only thing that you are good at and that gives you purpose." Amelia said without thinking about it first.
"You do?" Kai looked at her curiously.
"Yeah, uh… to cut long story short," she said not really wanting to get into all the details right now, "I had a brain tumor."
"Oh."
"Yeah, I know, life's biggest irony." She said with a dark cackle. "Luckily, it was benign. However, growing undetected for around 10 years. Most likely affecting my judgment. But at least it became a great excuse to blame all my past poor life choices on." Amelia laughed bittersweetly.
Kai was surprised, not wanting to ask pressing questions but hoping they'll get to learn the whole story and the untold things Amelia was hinting on some day.
Amelia was grateful that Kai didn't push for details and to change the subject, she checked her watch. It was almost 4 pm. "My shift is just about done now. I'll go get Scout from the daycare soon."
Kai watched her to hop down from the stool and walk around the desk towards them, closer than it would have been acceptable between colleagues. But they were far beyond just colleagues at this point, weren't they?
"I'm sorry I can't hang out with you this evening." She said resting her hand on Kai's forearm.
Yes, they definitely were beyond that, Kai thought as their eyes followed her hand and after lingering there for a second turned back towards Amelia's face.
"Me too." they said letting their lower lip catch between their teeth. "But I'll survive." they added, their eyes sparkling with suppressed laugh.
Amelia rolled her eyes with amusement. "You better." She said before getting on her toes and pressing a quick kiss just on the corner of Kai's mouth before retreating, grabbing her coffee and leaving Kai to their work.
Kai was trying to focus on the samples in front of them, but their thoughts kept wandering to a certain very good looking and incredibly talented neurosurgeon. Amelia Shepherd was really getting under their skin. With a sigh they decided to wrap up the work and go to see David instead, since they were not being productive at all.
He was pleased to see them and pretty much started trying to talk a hole into their head as soon as they opened the door, which Kai found slightly amusing. He was getting really bored by now.
The two were chatting about work for a while when all of a sudden David said,
"You know, she does seem really nice."
Kai looked at him in confusion.
"Dr. Shepherd, I mean." He clarified.
Kai blinked. They thought the two of them kept their professionalism at work, especially around David. Were they so obvious that he could notice? Did he think the two of them are not dedicating their full attention to the work?
"Uh, it's…" They started speaking, suddenly very nervous about the whole situation,
but he cut them off again.
"Look, all I'm saying is that… if this project brings something else besides a possible Parkinson's cure, I'll be very happy for you." He smiled, adding "Heavens know you deserve a good thing for once."
Firstly, Kai got relieved he wasn't mad or thought they are getting too distracted, then they realized what exactly he had said. He knew them quite well at this point, also knew some of their history Kai wasn't too proud of and did he just call Amelia a good thing? They weren't about to discuss their possible love life with him right now, and probably ever, but it felt nice knowing that they had David's support even when it came to this. It felt really damn nice.
Just as Kai left David's room heading out of the hospital for the evening their phone chimed twice. It was a text from Amelia accompanied with a selfie of her with her son.
"Playing with his cousin Elis… They agreed that he is a mad scientist-princess. I'm afraid you might have a new competitor in your department."
The little boy in the picture with Amelia is wearing a tiny lab coat that probably came from a doctor's dress up costume, thick rimmed glasses that indeed made his eyes look a little crazy and a princess crown. Kai laughs to themselves.
"You mean the department of mad scientists or the department of science princesses?"
"Both."
"Adorable."
"Scout or I?"
Kai laughs at that.
"Both." They type in return.
Kai was hoping for another reply but there are no more messages incoming. They figured Amelia got probably busy with dinner time and bedtime for Scout and they were glad she texted in the first place.
Amelia and Scout had a slow morning, she took him in her bed for some cuddles after he woke up which felt wonderful. She missed him a lot in the past couple months of traveling back and forth to Minnesota. When they finally made it downstairs and she put some breakfast in front of him, her mind started wandering to Kai.
She was painfully aware that the two of them didn't make any plans for today. She considered that maybe they were already sick of her which made an unidentifiable organ in her gut clench with dread. But she tried to shake that feeling of. Kai was flying back to Minnesota later today which meant she didn't know when they will see each other again.
She was holding her phone, trying to convince herself she could just text them without needing a reasonable excuse first. When suddenly, a notification came through and it almost made Amelia jump out of her skin.
It was a text from Kai.
"Good morning."
That was all it said. And somehow the simplicity of the message settled Amelia's nerves immensely. Of course they could just text without an excuse. Either one of them could. Either one of them could even call. Amelia thought as she quickly made sure her son, who was now shoving raspberries into his tiny mouth, would be fine for a while longer and she tapped the call button next to Kai's name.
When Kai saw the incoming call from Amelia almost immediately after they had sent the text they were surprised in the best possible way.
"Hey." They picked up, hoping she didn't choose to call because she had some sort of bad news.
"Good morning to you too." Amelia said cheerfully and the initial worry Kai felt was gone in a heartbeat.
"How did you sleep?" They asked.
"Well enough. And I've got some morning cuddles from my son, so it's been pretty wonderful start to the day. How about you?"
"Not as exciting since I'm already at the lab. And it's not the one I'm married to, so no cuddles for me." They joke.
"Oh, poor you." Amelia exclaimed in an over-dramatic tone. "But I'm sure it's saving you some cuddles for when you return tonight."
"I don't know, it might be mad at me since I'm pretty much cheating on it."
Amelia chuckles, she enjoys this silly side of Kai. "What time is your flight?"
"Four thirty." Kai answers.
"I was wondering… I have couple things to do this morning, but how about I drop Scout off at the hospital daycare and pick you up around noon? We could go get lunch and hang out and then I'll take you to the airport before I start my night shift." Amelia suggested and something in Kai melted a bit seeing how she successfully kept coming up with ideas to include them in her already busy days.
"I'd like that." They say simply.
"Yeah? Okay. I... uh…" she paused as Scout somehow managed to drop his sippy cup on the floor and squealed. "Here you go buddy." she said in a lowered voice hoping Kai wouldn't hear. But they did anyway.
"Sorry, I have to go now," Amelia talked back to the phone, "but I'll see you later."
"See you later, Amelia." They said using her first name that made her smile linger a while after she hung up.