For the next couple of weeks the girls were treated like royalty at home. They really did manage to rest and find some equilibrium and peace again in the familiar.
"Hey guys. Happy very belated birthday Kate" said Tegan as she slowly walked into Sara and Kate's house. She gave Kate a hug and a gift. Sara and Tegan's casts were removed the day before and they were both doing fine. Sara wore a removable leg brace for the time being and Tegan's arm was still in a sling. It still hurt but Sax and the orthopaedic surgeon assured them it would get better each day as long as they stuck to their physical therapy.
Sax walked into the house from the patio holding her partner Jude's hand. It was weird seeing her this way, casual and relaxed. Usually she just radiated energy. It was a warm winter's day and Sax was dressed in threadbare jeans and a light long sleeved t-shirt.
"Hi everyone. Looks as if somebody is feeling a lot better?" said Sax and took a sip of her beer.
"Sure am. How are these two?" said Tegan gesturing to Sara and Kate in the kitchen.
"Doing great, still a bit slow but they're getting there. You ready to have that shoulder fixed next week?" asked Sax.
"No… I can't imagine having to spend another night in hospital to tell you the truth. But at least I'll go into the new year with a fixed shoulder… hopefully" said Tegan suddenly feeling nauseous at the thought.
"Tee, it's not a big operation. It's painful, sure, but you don't have to worry"
"I'm not worried, I… I just want to get all this behind me" said Tegan.
"I'm sure you do. So this is the last step, then it's time to get well"
"Yup, so ready for that" Tegan smiled.
"You're walking quite well, how's the knee holding up?"
"Really good! Been working hard at physical therapy. Almost good as new. Arm's doing well too. Still a bit stiff and sore though. Check it out, the scar's healing nicely" said Tegan showing Sax her arm.
"Great stuff, it does look good, scarring will be minimal. Good thing we had a plastic surgeon sew this up. Glad to see you're feeling so much better Tegan. Keep up the good work. You've got a follow up visit with me next week am I right?"
"Monday yes, I'll be there with bells on"
"Nice. Can I get you a beer?"
"Yes please! Oh yeah, before I forget, do you guys want to come over to our house for Christmas? It'll just be family but your family after all this!"
"I would have loved to but I'm working a double on Christmas day so the people with kids can have the day off. Jude's going to her parents' for the holidays"
"Ah, that's disappointing. But you must be excited, all the family feuds, carving knife injuries, kids clocking each other over gifts. ER must be an interesting place on Christmas day" Tegan laughed.
"Well it's usually mayhem. But at least we get a free Christmas lunch in the cafeteria if we're not too busy tending to the Santas that got drunk or stuck in chimneys. Hopefully I'll get out of handing out gifts to the sick kids… makes me… sad" said Sax.
"I'll do it, come hand out the gifts if you want? I owe you one, or rather a few. I'm sure Sara and Kate would gladly help too"
"I want you guys getting a bit more rest alright, spend some time with your families. I'm sure we'll manage with a Santa. But thank you, it's very sweet of you."
"Ryan, don't stick that in your nose! Let's not give Auntie Sax work on her day off" said Tegan taking a crayon from Ryan.
"Oh I'd leave that one to Kate I'm afraid" Sax laughed.
"Let me know if you change your mind about Christmas. How about New Year's Eve?"
"You're probably going to be miserable from that shoulder op come New Year's Eve Tegan" said Sax.
"Hmmm, guess so. I'll keep you up to date though"
"Can I grab you that beer now?"
"Thanks" said Tegan and sat down at the table on the large patio. The kids were running around on the grass.
"Hey baby, you okay? You want to put your leg up?" asked Lindsey rubbing Tegan's shoulders.
"I'm fine, stop fussing" said Tegan sounding annoyed.
"Hey bud" said Kate slowly and carefully sitting down next to Tegan.
"Hey Katy… how are you feeling?" asked Tegan.
"Good. Still a bit stiff and sore but a hell of a lot better thanks. Good to have some normality back in our lives. How I've missed our little barbeques" Kate smiled.
"How are you doing with your parents gone? Amelia have you running around?" asked Tegan.
"They've only been gone a day and I'm tired. We're coping though. Kirsten's been helping out during the day. Amelia's usually quite chilled you know. How are you guys coping with the twins?"
"Well at least I have Lindsey, she's taking the brunt of it but it's been okay. They've been very good, almost as if they know to give us a break"
"Did you tell them Santa's not bringing them gifts if they're bad?"
"You use what you can you know" Tegan shrugged and laughed.
"So… how are you coping with the pain now?" asked Tegan.
"I'm using some non-addictive stuff now. I got off the hard stuff just fine because I was using it only as prescribed and I stopped as soon as it was tolerable. Hurts like a mother fucker though, not having it. Been trying some meditation to ease the pain. You?" said Kate.
"Fine, same here. Sax had me on some other meds as early as possible. Lindsey… spilled the beans you know" said Tegan.
"We'll let each other know if we're about to fall won't we" said Kate seriously.
"You bet your life we will. I'm not going down that road again. It's terrible" said Tegan and patted Kate's thigh.
"I'm really proud of you Tee" Kate smiled.
"When do you think Cameron will get here?" asked Lindsey sitting down next to Tegan.
"Hope she'll find the place okay" said Tegan.
With that the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" said Sax when she saw Kate and Sara finally sitting down.
She wiped some barbeque sauce on her apron and opened the front door.
"Oh… hi, Dr Sinclair" said Cameron looking taken aback.
"Cameron… hi, how are you? Come in" said Sax.
"Didn't expect to see you here" said Cam and swallowed hard.
"Well… despite being their doctor I'm also their friend" Sax laughed.
"Oh, cool" said Cam still planted in the same spot.
"How are you doing?" asked Sax softly.
Cam let out a shaky laugh.
"Um… alright I guess. Pacemaker is doing great, hasn't fired in like 10 days. Apparently my heart's still fucked though" Cam shrugged.
"I'm glad you came Cameron" Sax smiled.
"Call me Cam, everyone does"
"Well call me Sax. Real name's Saxon but only my partner or my boss uses that when they're mad at me. Let me help you with that" said Sax taking a bag with beers out of Cam's hand.
"I thought it would probably be good for me to get out of the house"
"Cam, you made it" said Lindsey walking up to the two woman talking at the front door.
"Hi, thanks for inviting me" said Cam smiling. She looked pale and thinner than Lindsey could remember. Her eyes had dark rings under them.
"Come on in. Everyone's outside" said Lindsey. Cam greeted everyone warmly and sat down away from the rest on the far side of the outside table.
Cam was usually easy to get along with, everybody liked her. But these last few months, it was hard to warm up to people and open up, however, she immediately felt at home on the patio. She sat in silence for a while just observing the interaction around her. The kids were running around on the lawn. Sax and Jude were getting the barbeque ready, laughing and teasing each other. Kate was on a lounger with her feet up. Sara was pouring wine. Tegan was playfully sitting on Lindsey's lap.
"Well, I just want to propose a toast" said Lindsey.
"Well a few toasts. Firstly, to our brave little kids out there. They were so patient and loving and wonderful. Secondly to the brilliant and dedicated Dr Sinclair" everybody cheered.
"Oh stop it" Sax mumbled and blushed. "Then to the amazing, the brave and strong Tegan, Sara and Kate. Wow, you guys impressed the shit out of us. I'm so happy you're okay…. I don't know what we would have ever done without you. We love you so much" people cheered again.
"And then to our new friend, the hero that found them out there. Cameron, welcome and thank you so much" said Lindsey sincerely.
People cheered and Cameron looked down blushing. She felt emotion threaten to overspill when she thought about probably never doing what she loved again. "Just doing my job" she mumbled suddenly looking spooked. She put her beer up and took a sip, then excused herself immediately and went to the bathroom.
"She okay?" asked Tegan.
"I don't know, I guess" said Lindsey.
"She just looked, upset suddenly" said Tegan.
"I'll go check on her" said Sax.
A minute later Sax knocked on the bathroom door softly.
"Cam? You okay?" she said softly.
"I'm okay" said Cam on the other side of the door when she stood clutching the washbasin, knuckles white.
"Cam can I come in?" asked Sax.
"I'm fine Sax" said Cam, her voice shaking.
"I'm coming in" said Sax.
"I said I'm fine" said Cam looking pale.
"I'm sorry about that. It must be hard… thinking about your job right now" said Sax closing the bathroom door behind her.
"I do still have a job you know" said Cam.
"I know, but sitting behind a desk isn't what you want to do is it"
"Well… not much of a choice right now" said Cam straightening her back. She suddenly felt dizzy and stumbled back to sit on the closed toilet seat.
"You okay?" asked Sax looking concerned. She put her hand on Cam's back.
"Yeah" Cam lied, she knew what was coming next. She felt her heart flutter and a tiny shock passed through her. She gasped slightly.
"I felt that" said Sax with her hand on Cam's arm.
"I'm okay… it just, little shock. It just paced me" said Cam wiping sweat from her upper lip.
"I want you to come lie down" said Sax looking worried.
"I'm fine Doc… really. Just give me a minute to get over the adrenaline rush. Just a bit… dizzy" said Cam putting her face in her hands.
"Put your head down and take deep breaths" said Sax calmly as she was feeling Cam's pulse in her neck.
"They changed my meds and the settings on the IDC. It's better now" said Cam with her head down.
"Yeah, I'm sure it is. Just breathe" said Sax softly and took Cam's wrist in her hand to keep checking her pulse.
A few minutes later Cam straightened. "I feel better thanks, I'm fine"
"Okay, you sure?"
"I'm sure, let's get back to the party, they must be wondering what happened to us"
"Alright, let me know if you don't feel well"
"I will. Dr Sinclair… please don't say anything"
"I won't… and it's Sax remember" she said with a kind smile.
-0-
"Hey, everything okay?" asked Lindsey as Cam walked back outside.
"Yes thanks, no problem" Cam smiled.
"Okay… you sure?"
"Yes! Sax and I just got caught up talking about something… work related"
"Alright… can I get you another beer?"
"I'm good for now thanks" said Cam.
Lindsey shook her head and went into the house.
"So Cam, how's work" asked Tegan trying to make small talk.
"Good… busy" Cam lied. Truth was she was bored to tears on desk duty.
"What was that all about? She okay?" asked Jude where she was standing next to Sax at the barbeque.
"She's fine now" said Sax.
"What was wrong?"
"It was a… medical issue babe"
"What kind of medical issue?"
"You know I can't talk about it"
"Alright… you sure that's all it was?"
"Yeah… I think so" said Sax looking distracted.
"Do you know her?"
"I um… I don't know her per se… I met her in Denver briefly"
"Oh okay, she's hot"
"Babe… I'm right here" Sax laughed.
"Nobody's hotter than you sexy Saxy" Jude laughed and kissed Sax playfully while squeezing her bum. "You look hot with that apron, all sweaty… hungry" said Jude hanging on her lover.
"Keep going and I'm going to have to take right now and there's people… and children around" Sax laughed and kissed Jude briefly.
Jude laughed but kissed her back.
"So where are you living?" asked Tegan.
"I'm down in Echo Park like every second queer in LA" Cam laughed.
"Ha… you must be beating them down at your door" said Tegan taking a swig from her beer.
"Not exactly. Been single for a few years now"
"Really? Why?"
"Oh I don't know… haven't found the right one I guess" Cam lied.
"Want us to set you up on a date? I've got quite the reputation as a matchmaker you know" Tegan winked.
"I'm alright thanks" said Cam, no humour in her voice.
"How's your arm and hand?" asked Cam trying to fill the silence.
"Good, I have shoulder surgery coming up but once that's sorted I'll be fine. Fingers are moving well. I have a bit of pins and needles and shooting pains every now and then but they tell me that's normal. Nerve busy regenerating and all" said Tegan.
"That's great news" said Cam. She still felt a bit shaky after the heart rhythm correcting shock she received. She picked up her beer, her hand was trembling.
"Cam? You're shaking" said Lindsey gently standing behind her.
"I'm fine thanks" Cam lied.
"Oh… okay" Lindsey frowned.
Sax called out that lunch was ready and Cam was relieved to have an excuse to end the conversation.
-0-
"Thank you so much for a lovely day" said Cam getting ready to go home.
"Don't go Cam, party's just starting" said Tegan.
"Yeah, we just need to pull the kids through the bath and get them to bed" said Sara.
"Actually, I think you guys have had enough for one day. You should get some rest" said Sax packing up too.
"Come on! Party pooper. We've been resting for months" said Kate.
"Don't try me Morgan" Sax smiled.
"Alright alright, I do feel a bit tired" said Kate.
"Yeah me too, guess we'll gather our brood and get them into the bath at our house. Probably better if we don't have to take them out in the cold again" said Tegan stroking her daughter in her lap's hair.
"We had a really great time guys, it was nice just… hanging out" said Lindsey.
"Sar, we need to talk about business. Tomorrow perhaps?" said Tegan.
"Yeah… sure. I'll call you" said Sara not really feeling in the mood to even contemplate going back to work.
A/N: Hi everyone. Last chapter's sex scene stunned you into silence? Pop me some feedback if you get a chance please.