Understanding
Part Four - Gossip Mill / Flashbacks
By Cimerene
cimerene@gci.net

Kerry jammed a bit of snow down John’s neck, laughing at him as she did so. John laughed and kissed her on the nose.  “Come on” he said. As he opened the door for her. “You’re the one who said we were going to be late this morning, and you started this!” He laughed as Kerry grinned back at him. They chatted laughingly past the admin desk, and on towards the lounge. Not once noticing the shocked looks of their colleagues. Randi looked at Carol, and said in her forthright manor.   “Never in a million years, would I have bet on Dr. Weaver and Dr. Carter.”

********Gossip Mill********
It took the gossip mill exactly 18 minutes and 23 seconds to pass the news around that John and Kerry were “an item”. 

John was cornered first. He was reviewing a chart outside the door of his first patient, when Deb came up to him. “John,” she said going bluntly to the point. “So, what’s up with you and Dr. Weaver?” John looked amused; he glanced down at his watch, took out a small notebook, and wrote down the time, glancing at Deb.

“Do you always ask people personal questions or are you lacking a patient right now.” he said wickedly. She looked slightly annoyed. “John, com’n give.” She said. John just laughed and looked her straight in the eyes and said. “So are you and Super Nurse dating?” Deb looked irritated “John, that’s not the question I asked you!”

John looked at her for a moment, “If you answer me, I’ll answer you” he said lightheartedly and continued down the hall towards his next patient. Friends he thought, shaking his handsome head can sometimes be so irritating sometimes.

He met Peter Benton right outside Trauma 3. Normally just the thought of this room gave him the creeps, but today it was almost like any other room. He still had a hard time entering it without shuddering. 

 He always pictured Lucy. Lucy lying on the floor. Lucy in pain. Lucy looking at him already dead. He remembered Kerry’s words from the night before. Concentrate on the good moments, and let the bad ones take care of itself.

Peter looked irritated. “Carter, you have a moment?”

John thought to himself, that’s Peter always direct. “Sure, Dr. Benton, what’s up?” 

 “I heard that the Romano was thinking of demoting Dr. Weaver back to an attending..” Peter replied.Which was the last thing John had expected to hear from him.

John looked seriously at Peter for a few moments, mostly to sort out his thoughts. “He’d be stupid to do so. But it wouldn’t surprise us much if he did.”  

“Well,” Peter said looking at him for a few moments, his characteristic half smile still in place. “I guess it is true then.” 

“The gossip mill only 18 minutes to let you know,” John said laughingly, “I think that’s a new record.”

Peter laughed at that. “Well”, he said clearly uncomfortable with the subject already. “As long as your happy.”

Carter laughed a lighthearted laugh that Peter hadn’t heard in ages. “Very,” he said and at that statement he started to wonder off to find his next patient. Very he thought to himself, was a total understatement.

“If Romano does cause you trouble” he faded off, trying to figure out what to say.

John turned and  looked at him for a few moments. “We’ll handle it, come what may. Now I have a question for you about the guy with the ruptured spleen in Trauma 2.”

Carol cornered Kerry just outside the supply room. “Hey,” she said coming right to the point. “You wanna tell me what’s going on between you and John?”

“Pardon?” she said in her best mind your own business voice.

“Come on” Carol replied “it’s obvious to everyone, so are you guys a couple now?” she said curiously.

Kerry watched her for a few seconds. “Why are you so curious about my sex life all of a sudden?”

Carol looked discomfited, “well.. I was just curious, I mean he is a bit .. Young for you don’t you think?” 

Kerry pretended to look innocent “Would it make you feel better Carol, if I told you I’m just using him for sex.” She watched Carol for a few more seconds, enjoying the site of her totally shocked. Then grabbing a suture kit she limped back through the foyer. She thought to herself (sometimes, Weaver, you are so bad!) 

Surprisingly to both John and to Kerry, the only person who didn’t seem interested in their sexual status, was Mark Greene.  The ironic thing to John was that during a trip past the admin desk he over heard Mark telling Carol. “They are not a couple.   Women, they think romance is everywhere.”  John didn’t actually hear him mention his name and Kerry’s but …

******* Several hours and a whole bunch of really sick patients later*********

John caught up with Kerry a little after their shift ended. Both looked tired, amused, and relieved to have the day over. Today had been so busy. Which was probably a good thing, John thought. Because every time he turned around he swore someone was standing there, giving him knowing glances. He sighed. 

Kerry grimaced as she hit an uneven spot in the pavement. Today had been interesting. Both good and bad better than she had expected. Her leg was bothering her more than usual tonight. She unconsciously rubbed it slightly, trying to bring down the level of pain. John noticed her rub her leg. She seemed to be more in pain than he had seen her in a while. 

John watched her for a second, “You ok?” his concern for her engraved on his face.

“I’m fine” she replied. Obviously minimizing the pain both for her and for the obvious fact that she didn’t want to worry him. John knew her better than to push. He watched her for a few seconds concern still showing in his handsome face.

John caught Kerry’s eye. He looked mischievously at her for a few seconds, “Well? Your place or mine”.

Kerry laughed good-natured.  “Hmm” she said pretending to look confused for a few moments.

John just laughed to himself, thinking how pretty her eyes were, and how he wanted to run his fingers through her hair. He proceeded to sigh dramatically.

Finally Kerry replied smiling into his handsome face. “Well, I do have some paperwork I should get done tonight”. 

John openly laughed at her suggestion. “I’ll buy you dinner”.

Kerry, sighed dramatically, “Ok, I guess we’ll have to stop by your place first so you can pick up your things. Then we can order chinese.” She watched his face intently, shyly wondering what he was going to say to her offer.

John watched her for a few moments, his face full of intense emotions. “Are you sure?” he asked her seriously.

She touched his face gently, “John, I would have never asked you if I wasn’t!”

He watched her for a much longer moment, before saying, “We’d better get some boxes then hadn’t we?” 

*********several hours later**********
“I was thinking,” Kerry began.

“Do you want to” John said at the same time.

Kerry laughed, “You first.”

“Nope, you first.” Kerry lightly rubbed her leg, John watched her for a few moments.

“Hurts?”
She shrugged his question off with “a little”

He watched her silently for a few moments. “I was thinking, how bout we skip unpacking, and just relax in the hot tub for a while.”

Kerry smiled. “Follow me”

“This feels so good.” John said, “when did you have it put in.”
 
“Well remember a few months back when I had the flu? I felt so miserable I decided that the only thing that would make me feel better was a hot tub, decadent yes, but boy does this feel good.” Kerry smiled, a slow happy relaxed smile.

She watched him through heavy eyelids, “You know it took almost 30 minutes for Carol to corner me in the supply room today to ask about us, they are getting slow.” She grinned evily. 

 “Not necessarily, I timed Deb at 18 minutes.”  John replied.
Curiously he asked “so what did Carol say?” 
He moved closer to her on the small bench, and drew her into his arms.

“Hmm, you feel so good.” Kerry told him, inhaling his fresh male scent.

“Well are you going to tell me.” John answered half of his mind on what she was talking about, and the other half trying not to be sidetracked my her perfume. John looked at her for a moment, laughed and kissed her on the cheek.
“Well???” he demanded.

Kerry pretended to look innocent. “I told her I just was using you for sex. I thought that her mouth couldn’t possibly drop any closer to the floor when I said that.” She grinned.

John laughed, and looked at Kerry “Well are you?”

Kerry looked at him mischievously, “Absolutely.” She grinned at John’s blush. Bout time someone other than me is blushing for a change she thought.

John smiled, both at the thought of Carol discomfited, and by the thought of how happy his Kerry looked. She had never looked so beautiful to him, he was still amazed that someone so vibrant and full of life would want him. 

“Your quiet tonight” Kerry told him, settling comfortably in his arms. This feels so right she told herself. 

“What’s your favorite color?” John asked suddenly, again catching her off guard with his thought process. 

“My what?” Kerry laughed?

“Common I want to know more about you,” John replied, laughingly.

“Silly,” she said teasingly “Ok, hmm my favorite color? That’s a good one, Blue, you know like the color of the sea after a storm”

“What’s your favorite board game?” he asked her, storing away all the information she wanted to give him.

“That’s easy” she replied “Risk, cause I take so many of them.”

“Whats your favorite song?” He asked snuggling closer to her. 

“Hmm” Kerry replied, feeling so contented. “Let me think a minute… song or CD?”

“Both”, John laughed.

Kerry was quiet trying to think of something other than the feel of his strong arms around her. “Anything by Grace Jones.” 

John laughed again, “Cheater, you have to pick something.”

Kerry laughed, “Ok, favorite song, Back in Black by ACDC.”

John smiled, “I know that one, its good”. He was quiet for a few moments. Then said “What do you hate most?”

Kerry laughed and replied “Romano.” This got the response she wanted. John laughed for several moments. 

Still chuckling he asked her “What is the thing you regret the most out of life?”  

Kerry suddenly got quiet for a long while, not sure she wanted to tell him. She had gotten used to the fact but that didn’t mean she wanted to talk about it. 

“Kerry?” John asked starting to get concerned at her quietness.

“I can’t have kids.” Kerry bluntly stated. With that fact, Kerry got even quieter, waiting for his response. John just watched her silently for a few moments.  

I wanted to have kids, she thought sadly. I wanted to sit up with them at 3 am. I wanted to go through chicken pox, and the measles and worry over colds she thought to herself. I wanted to hug them and show them the love I was not able to receive from my own parents.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

John just watched her for a few minutes. “I was just thinking how absolutely adorable you are sometimes.” He smiled when he watched a slow blush work it’s way up her face.

Kerry said nothing, she just placed her arms around his neck and kissed him.  Her kiss said all she was not able to put into words.

End of Part Four

If you have comments or suggestions, email me at cimerene@gci.net