She could hear the new resident Malucci explaining to Jerry just how great his party last night had been, and what he'd done with his fireworks. She listened for half a minute - glad of the diversion - but soon tired of it. She would have thought that someone who dealt with trauma and burns on a regular basis would have more sense. She doubted his tales would get any of the nurses to date him anyway.
There was an ambulance pulling up and Kerry brusquely told Mark that she'd take it - Malucci needed an eye keeping on him anyway, and she doubted that Jerry's open-mouthed admiration was doing the new resident any good.
The ambulance disgorged a rule-out-MI which seemed to disappoint Malucci. He was one that would need firm control. Kerry set the young resident on the task - resolving to keep a firm eye on him - taking residents part way through their residency was always worrisome until you got them pegged. But she didn't think there was anything wrong with Malucci that a goodly amount of scut work wouldn't cure.
When she turned to the admit desk, and saw Doris and Zadro standing there, she wished she was back in the exam room with Malucci and the EKG. Hell, she needed the EKG - her heart seemed to be threatening to break through her ribs and bounce over the floor. They'd been there last night at the Pier; she'd seen them.
Cool and calm, she reminded herself. She and John hadn't been seen, and if they had been then there was nothing to be ashamed of - unless sex on a Ferris Wheel and coming off of it half-naked was something to be ashamed of.
Doris nodded at Kerry as she approached the desk. "Zadro and I were just telling everyone about the excitement at the Navy Pier last night."
Kerry gulped. Whatever her heart had been doing before it was doubling now. Where *was* Carter? Running away wouldn't help any though. She walked slowly toward the desk. "What excitement would that be?"
Doris grinned at Zadro, then looked back at Kerry. "There was supposed to be a fireworks show, but a storm blew in and they cancelled that. But the power went out, stranding a lot of people on the Ferris Wheel."
Zadro chuckled. "You would *not* believe some of the things that dropped from that ride while the power was off."
Chuny's eyebrows rose up. "Oh? Come on, guys, spill it all. What fell?"
John watched the numbered display of the elevator as it moved slowly toward the ER. He knew that Kerry would be worried about how much time it had taken for him to talk with Anspaugh and he was in a hurry to get back to her. And to work. John smiled as he remembered how fatherly Anspaugh had sounded as he gave him some advice on his relationship with Kerry. The Chief of Staff had believed him when he told him that Kerry had not coerced him into a relationship. Anspaugh had also agreed with him that it wasn't necessary for Romano to know about it.
The doors opened and as John stepped into the hallway he could hear laughter coming from the direction of the admit desk. He followed the sound and saw that Doris and Zadro were there along with Chuny, Jerry, Elizabeth and Kerry. Since he needed to let Kerry know how things had gone, John stepped up to the first empty spot he could find. He was just in time to hear Zadro telling the others about finding very incriminating things on the ground under the Ferris Wheel at the Navy Pier. Had they seen him and Kerry then?
John caught Kerry's quick and worried glance. He smiled and gave her a thumbs up sign to let her know that things had gone well with Anspaugh. Chuny didn't turn around to kid him about having sex in public, so obviously Doris and Zadro had not seen them the night before. That was good. Very good. What wasn't so good was seeing Romano bearing down on them, an irritated look on his face. Couldn't the man let people laugh for five minutes?
Kerry smiled on seeing the discreet thumbs up. If that had gone well then she - they - could cope with this. She could even cope with Romano. Kerry spoke up; it was time to take control of this situation. "Doesn't anyone have any work to do?"
"Ah, just what I was about to say, Dr Weaver. Pity it took my presence for it to be said - but then I suppose that's why I'm Chief of this ER and you're not. That's right - you were until you failed. Silly of me to
forget."
Kerry tightened her fists until the nails dug into her palms. "Back to work."
Elizabeth spoke up. "Actually Robert, I was finding it quite fascinating to hear that you Yanks celebrate Guy Fawkes Day. I'm sorry I missed it." She signed off a chart and put it in the stack.
John grinned as he waited to hear what Romano would have to say to *that* comment. He was sure it would be rude and completely inappropriate.
Jerry looked around in confusion. "What's Guy Fawkes?"
Romano spoke up, "You mean *who* was Guy Fawkes. And the answer is a man who tried to blow up the British parliament and failed. No one's ever succeeded so they celebrate the attempt instead of the success like here in the good old US of A. Lizzy, I trust you celebrated your escape to a land of freedom last night?"
Elizabeth smiled wickedly and licked her lips. "Oh, indeed I did, Robert, indeed I did. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a thoracotomy in thirty minutes." Elizabeth walked away.
Doris grinned. "Well, she wasn't the only one who did."
John grinned, then shook his head, thinking it was the better part of valor to stay out of the conversation. He caught Kerry's eye, then inclined his head toward the lounge, intending to head there for a cup of coffee. If he were lucky then Kerry would follow him. And without Romano anywhere nearby.
Chuny laughed, "I know that if I were trapped in the Ferris Wheel that I'd take advantage of the situation. Were you able to figure out who the things belonged to?"
Doris looked at Zadro, then shook her head. "Nope. Shame though as there were some other interesting pieces of clothing. Like a shirt, and . . ."
Zadro interrupted Doris' dramatic pause. "Underwear."
Kerry didn't know where to look. She fixed her gaze on the desk in front of her while, for a moment, the world erupted into catcalls.
Doris looked annoyedly at her partner while the hoots died down. "The word is lingerie." She turned back to the group, regretfully, "But no one stepped forward to claim the clothes." Doris straightened her back. "You ready to go, partner?"
Zadro nodded. "Yep. We'll see you guys later. Bye."
Kerry smiled in relief. It seemed they were safe, for now anyway. She turned her attention to Romano. "What do you want Robert? John, the lounge in 5 minutes."
John nodded, then decided to find something to make him look busy for the next five minutes. He turned to the board to see what was available.
"I need the end of quarter admission figures, broken down by complaint, cost of treatment and cost recovered. In fact I need it last week. Get onto it."
"I'll see to it Robert."
John kept his back to the admit desk, but that didn't prevent him from knowing when Romano left. It was amazing how the relief of tension could be so palpable. Without a word to anyone, John walked to the lounge to wait for Kerry.
After a minute of paper shuffling at the desk, Kerry followed Carter into the lounge. She opened the door, and looked in cautiously - it was empty but for the man filling her coffee mug. "How did it go?"
John handed the mug to Kerry. "Very well. Anspaugh feels that since he's been made aware of the situation that it's not necessary to inform Romano about our relationship. Especially since Romano is only the ER Chief on a temporary basis. Have you told Mark yet?"
Kerry shook her head. "No. I want...." She'd wanted to be sure that Anspaugh really had no objections before she told anyone else. "It can wait a day - there are no evaluations due for another three months."
John nodded. "Okay." He was about to say something else when the door opened and Doris and Zadro walked into the lounge, their hands behind their backs.
"Hope we're not interrupting, but we had been hoping to catch the two of you alone," Doris said with a smile.
Kerry looked at John doubtfully, then at the grinning paramedics. "Alone? Why?"
"We got you some presents. Carter seemed to be the one who really needed it, but we got you one too." Zadro could barely speak for grinning.
"Matching." Doris added.
John could feel his face grow hot as Doris and Zadro pulled their arms back around to the front so they could hand them the bundles they were holding. John took his from a smirking Zadro and he shook it out to see that it was a t-shirt with a nice picture of the Ferris Wheel on the front, advertising 'I rode the Wheel at Navy Pier'. "Thanks," he mumbled.
"Aw, it was nothing. We didn't want you to risk catching cold the next time the power goes out down there," Zadro said. "Enjoy the shirts."
Doris and Zadro made a quick exit and John turned to Kerry. "Guess they saw us," he said.
Kerry shrugged, looking at the dark blue cotton and the fireworks exploding behind the wheel. It felt cool and comfortable to her hands. "Guess, they did. Do you think they'll tell?"
John shook his head. "No. If so then they would have said something out at the desk." He grinned. "I'm looking forward to seeing you model your shirt for me tonight."
Kerry looked down, a bit bashfully, then up. "You too." His face was temptingly close above her. "Come here."
John took a step closer, then reached out and pulled Kerry's body next to his. "You mean like this?"
Kerry nodded, his body was warm against hers through all the layers of lab coats and work clothing. "Uh huh. And now bend your head forward."
John moved his head until his lips were just about to touch hers. "Like this?"
Kerry smiled. "A little closer."
As John moved to follow her wishes, the lounge door burst open, and Dave Malucci burst in. He took one look and turned around bouncing out again and yelling. "Guess who's gettin' it on in the lounge."
John chuckled. "Guess you'll have to turn his evals over to Mark, too." Then he let his lips touch Kerry's and he didn't care who knew. And Kerry put her arms around Carter, and let the kiss deepen, not caring who knew either.