Kerry stood in her entrance way and stared into her living room. It was chaos. A chaos that made her ER look orderly. Her birth mother was lecturing her son in a loud voice, her ex-husband was nearly red yelling at Randi. Abby and Randi were giving as good as they got. Luka was actually holding Randi back, barely keeping her from attacking Todd. Maggie had a slightly more gentle restraining arm around her daughter as well. Even Carlos was in on the action as he was faced off against of all people, "Kim?"

Kerry still hadn't moved from the entrance way, even still had on her coat. She mumbled to herself, "First rule of an accident site, don't create more casualties. Including yourself." She waited for peple to cool down, but no one seemed to be even near that point.

Then her son burst into tears and Kerry couldn't observe anymore. She strode into the room and as she predicted half of the room was happy to see her, the other wasn't. Then there was Henry and Kim. Henry dashed over to his mother and Kerry picked him up with only a little groan. "You're almost too big for this Henry. Hey, it's okay, it's okay."

And then there was Kim. Kerry couldn't tell what Kim was thinking by the look on her face. She just stood perfectly still, her arms crossed protectively over her chest.

Kerry whispered to her son, "Where are Joe and Jules?"

Henry sniffled, "My room."

Kerry pushed Henry's bangs from his eyes. "You need a haircut. Will you go keep 'em company? Okay? I'll be right in."

Henry nodded, "May I take them desert Mama? I know, no cookies in bed, but..."

"It's okay. Just put them on a plate, okay?"

Henry nodded and Kerry let him down. She turned to face her living room full of people once again and in an unearthly calm voice spoke, "What the hell is wrong with you people?"

"Your boy thinks he's Jewish."

Kerry pinched the bridge of her nose, it was as good a place to start as any. "No, he wants to learn about Judaism, in the future, maybe he'll chose it over Christianity, maybe not, maybe Buddhism, or.. I don't know what. He also went to the midnight Christmas service with the Legaspis last night. And never, ever, raise your voice to my son EVER again." She turned to Abby, Randi and Luka. "And you?"

Abby shrugged off her mother's arms, "Kim was barely in the door before this... this... Todd... hit on her. Not to mention on me and Randi..." She laid her hand over her chest, "I'm the only one who gets to treat my mother that badly."

Kerry glanced over at Carlos and Kim, "And you two?"

Carlos shook his head and when Kerry looked at Kim the blonde woman simply stared back at the redhead.

Kerry looked around, "Okay. Party's over. You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here. This is my home, and there has been enough fighting for... forever in here. Leave, or I'll make you leave."

It was Todd who spoke, "You're serious?"

Kerry turned on her heel and made her way to Henry's bedroom. She knocked on the door and heard a 'come in'. She did. "Hey guys. Joe. I think you're about to head home." He stood and looked over at the empty plate where the cookies had been. "Ah, and don't forget to tell your Mom to take some cookies with her."

Henry spoke up helpfully, "But not too many Joe."

Kerry hid a smile and just a bit of tension left her face. The two boys hugged and then Joe stopped by Kerry. "Thank you Doctor Weaver, it was really yummy before all the yelling and stuff."

"You're welcome Joe. Have a Merry rest of Christmas okay?"

Joe nodded and left the mother and two kids alone. Kerry closed the door behind him. "Are you okay Henry?"

Henry shrugged, "Doctor Ramos was sayin' bad things about you and then Abby and Randi yelled back. And I told your Mama Helen that I was gonna learn about being Jewish 'cause I might wanna be one, and she went all fluster-y." Henry trailed off.

"And Carlos?"

Henry bit the inside of his lip, "You Mama, yelling at Kim because she... she broke your heart. But Mama, broken hearts mean you're gonna die, are you..."

Kerry sat on Henry's bed and pulled him close. "I'm as healthy as ever buddy. What Carlos meant was that Kim made me sad."

Henry nodded, "Kim didn't say anything Mama, the whole time... it... it hurt my tummy to be in there."

Kerry sighed and ran her hand in circles on his back, "Are you okay Henry?"

Henry nodded, "Jules was gonna cry 'cause of all the screaming and yelling and so I said that Joe should take her to my room and they should play."

Kerry put a hand on the top of Henry's head and smiled, "What would I do without you Henry Guillermo?"

Henry thought for a moment, then smiled, "Be really bored Mama, and really sad."

Kerry chuckled, "Rhetorical question kiddo."

Henry giggled, "I know Mama."

Kerry waved tickling fingers at him, "Oh, a smart-y pants huh?" She stood and picked him up. She swung him around once. Of course, that meant that Juliana wanted to do it too, and Kerry obliged.

When she put her little girl down Henry spoke, "If Kim's still here, can I open... may I open her present to me?"

Kerry nodded as she opened the bedroom door, "Let's go find out."

They surprised Kim, who was standing in the entrance way with her coat halfway on. "Oh, I'm sorry, I was too slow. I..."

Henry got a hold of one of her hands, "You have to stay Kim."

"Henry."

Kerry cleared up the situation. "He wants to open his present in front of you."

"Oh."

"Come on in, and take off your coat. It takes my little obsessive tape remover man a bit of time to open presents."

They all adjourned to the living room. Juliana and Henry on the floor and Kim and Kerry on opposite ends of the couch. They watched as Henry started to carefully, without ripping, remove the paper. Kim glanced over at Kerry and back to the safer Henry. "I'm sorry by the way. I appeared, and suddenly it was chaos."

Kerry shook her head, "When you step into my life, chaos does seem to follow more often than not."

"What happened? Why'd you leave your own Christmas dinner?"

Kerry sighed, still watching her son, "A former patient's husband died. Brain dead. I saved her and delivered her child, eight or nine years ago, and..." Kerry shook her head, "Anyway..."

"I'm sorry."

Henry had gotten to the present and studied it, "It's a truck." It was a pickup style truck made entirely out of wood, just under twelves inches long, and a little less than half that tall.

Kim nodded and sat forward a bit. "It is. My Dad made it for me when I was about your age. And it is a truck, but it's more than a truck too. There's a way to get it open without breaking it. Now, I've been trying since I got it, but I haven't able to yet."

Henry looked down at the truck with a new appreciation, "I can try?"

Kim smiled, "I bet you'll figure it out in no time bud. That's why I gave it to you."

Henry put down the truck, stood, and engulfed Kim in a hug like he had the night before. "Thank you."

She hugged him back, "You're very welcome Henry. Now..."

Henry cut Kim off as he stepped back, "You wanna talk to Mama alone." He picked up his truck and took Juliana's hand. "I'm gonna figure out the truck. C'mon Jules, you can help me."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the living room. Kerry finally broke it, "Sorry about last night. All the questions, he has a tendency to grill people and try and figure out the why of everything."

"It's fine. I tried to get him not to worry."

Kerry leaned her head back and closed her eyes, "That's like telling a light not to shine. That's how Sandy was with things too. She'd get a hold of something and wouldn't let it go until it was solved or finished. It's why she was a good firefighter." Kerry sighed, "It's why she died."

Kim paused for a moment, then asked something Kerry wasn't expecting, "How about Courtney? What did you love about her?"

Kerry smiled, though her eyes were still closed, "The way she could just let things go without a second thought." Kerry sighed, "Isn't that screwed up, I loved 'em for two totally opposite reasons."

"Uh, I believe that's why it's called love, not logic. You said that I throw your life into chaos, but I'm different in another way too you know..."

Kerry opened her eyes and turned on the couch to face Kim, "What?"

"Mlungisi, Sandy, Courtney, Todd. What do they have in common?"

Kerry narrowed her eyes at Kim. "I have dated more than just four people Kim. You're saying I have a type, I do not have a type."

Kim inclined her head, "Okay, but did you love them? Let's take Ellis, tell me with a straight face that you loved him like you did Todd."

Kerry didn't speak, just stared at Kim, "The difference with Ellis West was that you didn't love him."

Kerry finally found her voice, "Oh, you know that?"

"Hey," Kim held her hands up. "Hey, I'm a head doc, I'm paid to know that stuff."

Kerry cheek jumped, "Okay head doc, then if I have this unshakable type, this pattern of who I love, why do I love you Miss Blonde and Aryan?"

Kim put a hand to her heart, "I'll have you know that I have a bit of Crow and Mohawk on my father's side, a smidgen, maybe a little less than a smidgen, Grandma Victoria has the tree to prove it."

Kerry shook her head dismissively, "The family you're born to is always overrated."

They both fell silent for a moment. Kim spoke softly, "Maybe that's why I'm scared."

"Because you don't think you're my type? I broke it off romantically with both Mlungisi and Todd. Broke up with Sanna at one point too."

"What if..."

Kerry cut Kim off as she moved down the couch until they were nearly touching, "What if all this talk of type, and gender, and everything is all crap. If it was true that we only get one person in every life, one chance for perfect happiness then how do you explain me? I loved Mlungisi just as much as Courtney. When I look at you," Kerry put a hand on Kim's cheek, "I love you just as much as I did Sandy." Kerry stared into Kim's eyes as long as she could, then looked away, letting her hand drop as well. "It's my fault too. I'm always Sandy this, Courtney that." She looked at Kim again, "It must have seemed to you as though you always came in second."

"I know that she.. both of them will always be part of you, of your life Kerry. So, I disagree, this time, it was definitely me. I thoroughly fucked up. And I'm sorry." Kim took Kerry's hand in her own, "My mother thinks me asking you to marry me will help the situation."

"Oh?"

"And Reverend Stephen said that I should let you trust me if you do trust me."

"So what's the verdict?"

Kim turned her head and kissed the palm of Kerry's hand, "It was stupid to have sex with you in your office." Kerry opened her mouth to respond, but Kim wasn't done. "I could apologize again and again for sleeping with Christy. And I am sorry, so, so sorry. I could make excuses, that I thought you were dead and that I was seriously drunk. I could tell you that I won't ever look at another woman or think about one, or I could shout from the rooftops just how much I love you Kerry Weaver. But none of what I could tell you with words would be anything other than just words. I do love you, and Henry, and Juliana, and everyday for the rest of my life I'd like to be able to show you that. If that means a ring and ceremony, or just pieces of paper and promises between us, either way, I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Okay."

Kim blinked and was stunned silent for almost a minute, "Wait, what?"

"I broke up with you without hysterics, so we're getting back together that way too. Life's too short. I've been hurt before, if you hurt me again, I'll live, but as I watched Vicky let go of Sean I realized that I'd rather love you in the now than worry about what tomorrow will bring."

"Oh."

Kerry laughed, "I believe this is where you're supposed to kiss me." Kerry continued her thought in a mumble, "Among other things."

"What? Ohh.." Kerry didn't wait for Kim to come out of her stupor, but leaned forward and caught Kim's lips before they could speak another word. She lowered herself until she was on top of Kim and the two women seemed to be trying to become one. That is until Kim heard little footsteps. She jerked up and Kerry gave a yelp as she wound up on the floor on her butt.

Henry appeared with Juliana not far behind, "Mama, you're on the floor."

Kerry shot Kim a look, and Kim knew enough to look sheepish, "I am on the floor."

"It's time for The Grinch Mama."

Kerry got to a sitting position, "You're right. You want to get it off the shelf?"

Henry nodded and went to the collection of CDs and DVDs, plucking 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas', the original version, from its place on the shelf as Kerry got off the floor and back onto the couch. Juliana had already taken up residence on Kim's lap and Kerry sat right next to the blonde.

Henry put the disc in, retrieved the remote and came back to the couch. He frowned at the two adults. "Can I be in the middle please?"

Kim smirked and Kerry shot her another look, "Of course Henry."

Henry climbed up, "Are you staying Kim?"

Kim nodded, then looked over at Kerry, "Is that okay? I've never seen The Grinch." Mother and son stared at her as if she'd grown antlers. In that look they looked more like mother and son than Kim had ever seen before. "What? I haven't."

Kerry put an arm around Henry as the young boy studied the remote for a minute, then hit play. "Then I guess you'll learn something tonight."

Kim watched as the warnings were shown, "Is this the one with the Jim guy, the comic?"

Kerry groaned, "Just shush and watch Kim. One with the comic." She shook her head, "So young, and so much to learn." The opening rolled

Fin ~ January 8th, 2010