A Walk in the Woods

Kim flipped off her hair dryer and stared into the mirror. "I'm past it. I can be a friend. I'm talking to a mirror. Psychiatrist, commit thyself."

She shook her head and walked back into her bedroom, shedding her pink robe as she went. Sandy had left early, had a shift, or maybe just didn't want to do the whole uncomfortable morning routine. Kim found it mildly interesting. She'd never gone out with a cop or firefighter before, it was refreshing to realize that someone else understood the concept of unfortunate shifts or being on call.

Her next thought crept into her consciousness like a tickle up the back of her neck at "The Hunger". She wondered if Kerry understood the life of random shifts and being on call. She was a doctor, had done med school, intern year, residency, but she was also the Chief of the ER.

She shook her head as she buttoned a blue shirt. It was a different one from weeks ago, from the day after the Doc Magoos debacle. Maybe there was something in her wearing so many blue shirts. "Nah."

oOOOOo

Kerry was wrung out. She just sooo loved administrative meetings, and now, as she stepped off the elevator, there was Kim and a woman, and she didn't want to feel jealous. Damnit, she shouldn't care that they were laughing. She wasn't gay. Kim was moving on, why couldn't she.

"Another stewardess." Kim looked up as the blonde woman with her smiled. "Hey. Kerry." Kim was going to be the best damn friend she could be, whether it ripped her heart to shreds or not. "Kerry, this is Christy, Christy, Kerry Weaver. She pretty much runs this hospital."

"Hi." That one word spoken by Christy held everything that Kerry needed to know. Kim had talked to Christy, and now the perky, medium height, straight haired blonde was judging her.

"Hello." Kerry tried not to look uncomfortable and failed miserably.

Kim pushed on, seemingly oblivious to either woman, "Christy and I were having coffee."

"...and I insisted that she bring me down here."

Kerry wanted to escape. The two blondes were finishing each others sentences.

David saved the day, "Uh, Chief, can I get you to sign off on this LOL, head CT's clear."

The elevator arrived with a ding and it was like a ring from heaven as Christy and Kim entered it. Of course David had to ruin his heroic timing, "That uh, Legaspi's girlfriend, I heard she's gay."

Kerry counted in her head, trying to time the perfectly correct moment to look up. Too fast and she'd look guilty answering, too slow, and the same thing. "I don't know."

She handed David back his chart. He gave Kerry a pat on the shoulder, "What I wouldn't pay to drop in on that little party, huh?"

He left and the next battle in her war of the day wasn't far behind. "You turned me in?"

oOOOOo

"He's making remarkable progress and is no danger to anyone except perhaps easily threatened minor demi-gods."

Kim stood perfectly still, debating whether to intervene or clear the area. "He may be endangering patients. I'm not unsympathetic to his circumstance, but I have larger responsibilities."

Kim snuck around the corner, making sure to keep quiet. Elizabeth wasn't though, and what she said next was horrendous. "It's despicable. You should be ashamed of yourself." She got in Kerry's face. "I hope you end up with a possibly fatal illness one day Kerry so I can do absolutely nothing to help you."

She stormed off.

Kim spoke from behind Kerry and partially around the corner. "Are you okay?"

Kerry turned, bringing a hand through her hair, her brain trying to switch gears from getting yelled at by Elizabeth to dealing with Kim, her almost, whatever they were almost. "No. No... but, I'm the Queen bitch. It's what's expected. Everyone else gets to be fun, happy, cool. I get to be the parent. 'Cept with parents, at least the kids love them." Kerry fell silent, but after only a second or two shook her head, "I'm sorry. What can I do for you Kim?"

Kim seemed to want to say more, but instead handed Kerry a chart. "Mister Tobias. I can't admit him."

Kerry pinched the bridge of her nose, "That's fine. Sorry to have bothered you."

"Kerry..."

Kerry knocked her knuckles against the chart, "Thank you."

Kim paused, and then stepped backwards, leaving Kerry alone as she could be in her bustling ER.

oOOOOo

Randi watched Kerry walk out of the ER and shook her head. "Something is wrong with that woman."

Kim glanced over at Randi, "Hmmm?"

"You're her friend Doctor Legaspi, she's seriously bumming."

"Bumming?"

Randi shook her head and poked Kim in the chest. "You think that I'm just an idiot clerk, fine, but Kerry Weaver is not okay. I've, we've, been working here together for six years. She's not right in either the head or heart."

Kim gave her full attention to Randi, her clipboards practically glued to her chest. "What do you think is wrong?"

Randi made a face, "I don't know. I just... maybe kids or something, since she's getting older. A few years ago she was trying to find her birth parents. I'm not a Psychologist, but, something's wrong. That I can tell. You have to do something."

Kim performed a perfect psychiatrist pause, "Why me?"

"Hey, if Jeanie was around, I'd tell her, but she's not. I think. Anyway, I'm not tellin' any of the busy bodies around here, and you and she seem to be okay. You don't treat her like dirt. Please Doctor Legaspi."

Kim nodded slowly. "Of course. Yes, yeah, I'll see if I can figure out what's wrong."

Randi took a deep breath in, "Thank you. Uh... didn't you say you had to go."

"Ooh, damn, dinner with Kate and Christy. Thanks."

Randi tipped an invisible hat, "All part of the service." The clerk watched Kim hoof it out of the ER and shook her head. "Hell woman, you're supposed to be a professional. So easy..."

Abby popped up by Randi's side. "What was so easy?"

"Getting Kim and Kerry back together."

Abby nodded, "Good. So, need any help?"

Randi smirked, "Nah, I'm good."

oOOOOo

"No... she wished... on you... my word."

Kerry took a sip of wine and shrugged. She sat at a table with Toni and Emily. Toni was a striking woman. She had long, bright almost blindingly red hair that hung to just past her shoulders. She was about five seven, though taller in heels. And her breasts. When Kerry had met her the week before, the doctor's eyes had lingered on Toni's assets for just a little too long and it had sent Emily into another bout of uncontrollable laughing.

Toni had just ignored Emily's hysterics, shook her head, shook Kerry's hand, and in the most proper English accent Kerry had ever heard spoke, "Now I see why she fancies me." Kerry had turned even brighter red than Toni's hair.

Toni was a Detective Inspector with the Metropolitan Police Service and had quite a lot of stories. She and Kerry seemed to get on very well and for the first time since they'd gotten to Chicago the week before, Emily seemed to relax and just be present in the moment.

It was their last night and since Kerry had gotten off at six she'd offered to take them to dinner.

They'd been talking about Elizabeth's little scene. Both women had been aghast.

Emily spoke, "Why do you let them do that to you?"

"Let them?" Kerry shook her head. "I don't let them Em. It's a... complicated situation. Mark had been there already, I came in and rocked the boat, and..."

Emily interrupted her friend, "You're not the most likable bitch in the world."

Kerry pushed at Emily's shoulder and Emily pushed back. Toni just shook her head.

By the window laughter echoed through the entire restaurant. All three women looked over and Kerry sighed. Emily pulled her chair closer to Kerry. "What me to give ya a big smooch, make her jealous?"

"And someone else jealous perhaps... LiLi..."

"You promised."

Kerry smirked, "What are we, thirteen? And thank you, but it's okay. I have no..." Their food arrived. "Ah, here we go."

"Now, don't forget, you promised to watch the videos we made. It's only two seasons, but when the third one comes out, whew..."

Kerry dove into her dinner, though she paused to answer Toni. "Because I have oh so much time just waiting to be filled."

Emily snapped her fingers, "A mental health day."

"I..."

"I'll give you a note Kerry."

Kerry gave Emily another push. "Just for that, you don't get to try this amazingly great chicken."

Emily gave a faux sigh. Toni changed the subject. "So, what in blazes is happening to your political system Kerry. The Supreme Court deciding an election..."

oOOOOo

"They look gay."

Kim hurfed, "They're not."

Kate watched Kim and Christy in silence. She'd never understood why Kim had dated Christy in college. It had been all three of their senior year's, and Kate was even more puzzled when Kim had stayed friends with Christy.

"I don't know what you see in her. Short, sorta squirrelly, and what's with her voice?"

Kim glanced back to Kerry's table where all three women were laughing. "We're done talking about Kerry. How about you two, any prospects?"

Kate hurfed, "Well, I had the amazing beautiful Sandy Lopez's number, the queen bee here..." Kate narrowed her eyes good naturedly at Kim. "Waved her gorgeous self and poof... nada..."

Kim colored a bit and shrugged, "What can I say... I'm irresistible."

Both Kate and Christy rolled their eyes.