Summer 1988
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The two students worked for a solid three hours when their need for caffeine got the better of them. As they walked the corridor to the coffee machine, Kate attempted to spin the conversation from science to small talk. "So, what are your plans for the summer?"

"Anything, as long as it doesn't involve my mother.." sighed Megan, causing Kate to giggle. She had never met Joan Hunt but she had heard the stories, or better the lack thereof. It had been easy for Kate to relate to Megan's distanced relationship with her mother, since she wasn't exactly close with her parents either.

As the daughter of a general and a military nurse, her home had been wherever her father was stationed; both her parents were so preoccupied with their jobs that they didn't have much time for Kate and her brother. The blonde often wondered why her parents had children in the first place. Probably because they thought they had to, to be considered normal. Kate knew she wasn't going to fall for that. If her job was to come first – and she knew it was bound to be so – having children was out of the question. "Do you want to have children?"

"Maybe. But not this summer!" Megan grinned at Kate, wondering what was going on inside her friend's head that could explain the transition from holiday to future plans. Kate started blushing once she realized how incoherent she might sound to Megan. "I was thinking about my parents. How it would have been better if they didn't have any children.." She was met with an understanding nod, "It's the same thing with my mother. Although lately I think she's the one wondering whether having me was the sensible thing to do." Kate held up her plastic coffee cup and gestured Megan to imitate her action: "Here's to our beloved mothers!"

Returning to the lab, Megan picked up the light-hearted part of their conversation again: "No honestly, I'm thinking about spending the summer at my father's lake house. It's so beautiful out there!"Kate noticed how serene Megan looked all of a sudden, stirring up her interest to learn more about the lake house. "Your family has a lake house? I thought those only existed in romantic movies." Coming to a halt in front of the lab door, Megan teased: "You should come over some time, I'm sure it'll beat your expectations!"

Kate spent the rest of the night trying to retrieve her concentration. Was she flirting with me?! Yet somehow, they managed to finish their assignment by the time the first rays of light hesitantly shone through the lab windows. Expecting Dr. Heller to be in his office already, Kate and Megan decided to visit him straight from the lab to present their results.

They appeared to be the first students to arrive. The strong smell of coffee that seemed to emerge from Dr. Heller's office hinted however, that their professor was ever so present. "You knock!" Kate frowned back at her friend: "No, you knock!"Megan decided to play her final card: "I think you should knock.. since you're the one sleeping with him!"This earned the redhead an elbow shove from Kate, "Shht! He might hear you!" But at the same time, Megan's reference to their very first conversation sent an unknown warmth through her body, causing her to give in and knock on Dr. Heller's door. "Come in!"

Once inside, Kate couldn't help but notice how Megan's foot kept tapping impatiently on the soft carpet. She's nervous after all? Cute! Dr. Heller was studying their paper intently, with his best possible poker face on. Kate reached out for Megan's hand and squeezed it reassuringly, causing the redhead's foot to hold still, earning Kate a perceptive wink.

"Miss Murphy, Miss Hunt, you'll get your grade within two weeks but I can tell you now that I am very pleased with what I've been able to make out from your study so far."Dr. Heller looked at this students with approval. "Miss Murphy, good luck with the rest of your exams, although I am sure you don't need the encouragement" Kate smiled politely and looked at Megan who was staring expectantly at their professor.

"Miss Hunt, we'll be meeting again this Friday.." Kate watched as Megan's face fell, ".. to discuss your internship at my private clinic this August" The blonde let out an audible gasp, ready to hug her friend in congratulatory happiness, but instead she followed Megan's example and shook hands with their professor. "Have a nice day, Dr. Heller!"

Once the door closed behind their backs, Kate pulled Megan into a tight hug, planting a spontaneous kiss on her freckled cheek. "Megan! Congratulations! You've got the internship! This is what you wanted!" The redhead seemed taken aback still by the good news, but her green eyes were sparkling fiercely. She hugged her friend back, grabbing hold of her hand, squeezing it like Kate had done minutes earlier, "Would you like to join me for the summer? In the lake house?"

R&R!