Title: The Visit
Summary: A sequel to The Call. Takes place right after.

Disclaimer: Oh yes, I don't own any of these characters, though I did come up with a better name than Stinky... ;)

Kerry stood at the door for a second before she opened it. "Kim..."

Kim stepped through the doorway with a frown, "You look like hell. Your mo..."

Kerry took Kim's coat from her and interrupted the blonde at the same time, "I don't look like hell because of Helen..." Kerry chuckled in a sort of punch drunk way at this. "Hell because of Helen...no, she's just the cherry..."

They both entered the living room. "Looks different..."

Kerry simply sat on the couch and pulled a journal towards her. Kim took a small jaunt around the room. She picked up a photo on the mantle, "You and..."

"Sandy and Henry..."

Kim looked over at Kerry who hadn't looked up from the upside down journal she was pretending to read, "After your father?"

Kerry nodded.

She put the photo down and walked over to Kerry's wall 'o CDs, "And did she..." Kim paused as she picked up a Brian McComas and frowned at it for a moment, "Your hip? Did she know?"

Kerry shook her head and looked up, "She didn't know..." She stood and made her way over to grab the CD out of Kim's hand. "This was a bad idea..."

Before either of them could say another word there was a crash from the bedroom area. Kim looked up, surprised, but Kerry shook her head. "I'll be right back..."

Kerry moved towards the back of the house, and Kim surveyed the living room some more. One picture stuck out. She stood in front of it and practically jumped out of her skin when Kerry spoke from right behind her. "Sandy was a Blackhawk fan..." Kim turned to find Kerry almost in her personal space. Kerry blinked and went back to the couch. Kim didn't move a muscle. After what felt like years of silence Kerry spoke again, "The Cubs still have Nomar... they got Jeromy Burnitz..."

Kim shook her head, "But they lost Sosa..."

"The Bears were horrendous..."

An unexpected smile came to Kim's face, "I went to every painful game. Quarterback shuffle and all..."

Kerry put down her journal and stared at Kim, "What?" she frowned, "Why?"

Kim took a deep breath and shook her head, "I...never mind..."

Kerry's frown deepened, "Kim..."

Kim shrugged and sat down in the love seat, which was very conveniently the seat the farthest away from the couch. "I had hope... I know you wouldn't believe me, but I am a hopeful person on
the whole..."

Kerry went positively white and Kim could almost see Kerry's neurons making the connections. Kim looked back at the photo of Sandy and Kerry in grossly oversized Blackhawk jerseys. Kerry in #28, and Sandy in #41. "You look happy."

Kerry smiled, barely, "I was...for half a second I actually was."

"You like hockey?"

Kerry rolled her eyes, "Not on your life. If I wanted that much violence all I'd have to do is take a shift down in the ER..."

Kim frowned, and stared into space, as if the air would help her find her answers, "Then why go?"

"The same reason I went with you to the Bears game..."

Kim practically stared two holes through Kerry's forehead, "I thought you liked football?"

Instead of an answer, a yawn first came out of Kerry's mouth, "Sorry...Kim, I don't know Walter Payton from Gary Payton..."

Kerry flinched as Kim jumped up from the love seat and waved a finger at Kerry, "Don't go anywhere near Walter Payton. #34 is off limits."

The sound bubbled up from the depths of Kerry, she tried to stop the laughter, but just couldn't. After a minute or two she took deep cleansing breaths so she could speak. Kim didn't seem amused, "I'm sorry, it's just that was such a non-sequitur, this whole freaky conversation is..."

Kim sat down again, "...bizarre?"

Kerry nodded.

"I should go."

This got another nod from Kerry. "Yeah."

Fin ~ February 15th, 2005