Part 3: THE CONFRONTATION
by EM Fan

As Kim left her office, a new sense of reassurance came across her as radiant as her smile. She was on her way to the ER and did not even need to contemplate her next word, her next move, or her next thought. The elevator opened and Abby was there.

Abby: Hi, Dr. Legaspi.

Kim: Oh, hi, Abby.

Abby: Everything okay after Romano's ridiculous behavior in the ER?

Kim: Thanks for asking. Actually, now everything's fine!

The door opened and they walked out together.

Abby: I hope you're staying. In fact if there are any problems whatsoever, you can rely on me for anything. After the wonderful work you did for my mother...well, I apologize for that day when I stormed out of your office.

Kim: That's okay. You were angry with her at the time, but I'm very happy with the overall outcome and with your patience and understanding of her. So have you heard from her yet?

Abby: Actually I just spoke with her yesterday, and she sounds the best she's ever sounded in my life. She's seeing a therapist weekly, has a great place to live with a friend, and she really sounds content.

Kim: Well, that's wonderful to hear. Just keep me updated, okay?

Abby: Definitely.

Kim: Hey, Abby...have you seen Dr. Weaver by any chance?

(Abby gives Kim a puzzled look)

Kim: I need to complete a couple of charts with her.

Abby: Oh, well actually she was here a little while ago before I went up the the OR. I know that her shift isn't over for a few hours, so she couldn't have gone far.

Kim: Great! Thanks, Abby.

Abby walks away and Kim is standing near the reception desk of the ER. Luka and Malucci are there. Luka looks up and studies Dr. Legaspi's face.

Luka: Dr. Legaspi, may I help you with anything?

Kim: Actually, I was hoping to run into Dr. Weaver. We have a couple of charts to go over and...

Luka: I think you'll find her at her favorite place across the street. When she left, I noticed that she seemed a little disoriented.

Kim: Thanks, Luka. (she runs out the door and proceeds across the street)

Malucci: Wow! I wonder what all that was about. Hey, maybe Dr. Legaspi has the hots for Dr. Weaver, huh? (smirks) I mean, she's always down here looking for her. Am I right?

Luka: (rolls his eyes) Oh, brother! Don't you ever have any work to do, Dave?

Next, we see Kim entering Kerry's favorite hangout. She walks in and immediately spots Kerry at a booth sitting all alone with a drink. Kim approaches Kerry's table but Kerry does not notice.

Kim: (smiles) Hi.

Kerry: (looks up into her eyes) Hi.

There is an awkward pause of silence.

Kim: May I join you?

Kerry: (obviously slightly effected by the drink) Well, I really wanted to be alone but I guess I can't hide very well (sarcastically).

Kim: (sits down) I guess I deserve that.

Kerry: (takes a sip of her drink) So, what do you want, Kim?

Kim: I wanted to see you and I wanted to let you know that Dr. Romano decided to overturn his decision.

Kerry: Oh, that's nice.

Kim: Well, I heard that you had something to do with it.

Kerry: Really? And who told you that?

Kim: Dr. Romano, of course. Come on, Kerry. There's nothing to be upset about. We won.

Kerry: (sarcastically) We?! Well, I appreciate the sentiment, Kim.

Kim: (getting a little pissed off) Look, Kerry, I'm very sorry if I hurt you. I never meant to do that, so please don't be bitter toward me.

Kerry: It's a little difficult for me not to be bitter. I poured my heart out to you in a letter, I fought for you with everything I had in me, and then in my anger, I let it slip out to Dr. Romano that I'm a lesbian. Dr. Romano, out of all people!! I NEVER in my life labeled myself a lesbian and there I was yelling it aloud with every ounce of energy in me!!

Kim: And I'm eternally grateful, Kerry! (reaches out and grabs Kerry's hand) That was the bravest thing that anyone has ever done for me!!

Kerry: (pulls her hand away from Kim's) Well, it just slipped out before I knew what I was saying.

Kim: And that's good, Kerry. It was a Freudian slip. You were trapped inside and now you have freed yourself.

Kerry: Please don't psychoanalyze me. I'm not one of your patients.

Kim: I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you have liberated yourself. I know it's scary to come out, Kerry. I know you don't understand this, but I was there once too, and it was the hardest thing that I ever had to do. Believe me, things get better from here.

Kerry: Do they?

Kim: They really do. You'll see in time that you did the best thing that you could have done for yourself.

Kerry: The irony of it is that I didn't say it for me. I said everything that I said for you!

Kim: I know that now, Kerry, and I'm so sorry for not understanding your feelings earlier. I know that you have been going through an extremely difficult time trying to figure everything out, and I just want to say how much it means to me that you have come back and stood up for me the way you did. It means more to me than you'll ever know. There's so much that I want to say to you about all of this, but I just can't fully express all of my feelings into words.

Kerry: (stands up and starts putting her coat on) Kim, if you'll excuse me, I need to be getting back to the ER. I appreciate all that you said here tonight but I just don't know what to do. All this time you kept pushing me farther and farther away, but I kept coming back for more regardless. I've thought of you so much in the last several weeks that I've let everything else in my life go. If you expect me to just neglect all that has happened, including the fact that you decided to move on and pursue a new relationship, then...

Kim: Lori is not a new relationship.

Kerry: What did you just say?

Kim: In fact, she was never a relationship at all. Kerry, that's my sister, Lori. The one I told you about.

Kerry: (embarrassed) When I asked you how long you two have been seeing each other, then why did you respond with, "Not long."?

Kim: You wanted to believe that I actually would go ahead and move on that quickly, so I just played along and let you believe it. I thought that since none of my other attempts to push you away were working, then that would definitely do it.

Kerry: So then you lied to me. But why, Kim? Why would you want to hurt me so much? Kim: (Moves in close to Kerry) I never wanted to hurt you at all. I was only thinking about my own feelings and the fact that you remained in the closet. I felt that you could never be true to yourself about your feelings and that you would never fully be true to a relationship with me. I'm so sorry, Kerry for everything. The way I've acted has been inexcusable. (she embraces Kerry)

Kerry: (tears start rolling down her face as she starts to embrace Kim back) I'm sorry too. All I wanted was to love you. I still love you.

Kim: And I love you, too. I never stopped loving you.

The two held each other just a little bit longer. They then left the building and walked across the street hand in hand.