RJ Nolan - In A Heartbeat

well." Jess smiled raising one eyebrow at her wife's surprised expression

obviously Kim didn't think she'd noticed.

"I'm JUST another patient, I'm sure she treats all of us the same." Sam replied

disappointedly.

Sam's head pop up looking between the two women as they both started to

chuckle. "What?"

"Honey I've seen a lot of patients and believe me I don't react to any of them like

Riley reacts to you. I'd be willing to bet she doesn't touch her other patients like

she does you. You think she goes around holding all her patients hands or

having dinner with them?" Kim said trying to reassure Sam.

Sam thought back to the times she'd interacted with Riley. The woman did touch

her a lot. Maybe.... No, it was just her wishful thinking.

"It doesn't matter. She's straight." Sam stated. This time she glared at both

women when they laughed. "It's not funny!"

Kim looked at Jess gesturing for her to take this one. "No way that woman's

straight. My gaydar pinged the first time we met. She's hot and gay." She

glanced over at Kim noting her frown. "What? I'm married not dead," she

defended.

"Well I suggest you get your gaydar fixed." Sam suggested snidely. "Cause in case you've forgotten her ex-BOYFRIEND shot me!"

Kim and Jess's jaws dropped open in shock. Jess finally found her voice.

"What!" she yelled.

Now it was Sam's turn to be shocked. "I thought you knew."

"Hell NO we didn't know! All they told us was you'd been shot and that Dr.

Connolly had been in the room. Figured it was someone drug seeking. I want to

talk to Connolly right now." Jess started to get up from where she was sitting on

Sam's bed.

"You just leave her out of this!" Sam shouted then winced as she tried to grab

Jess's arm.

Kim had been shocked by the revelation as well but quickly regained her

equilibrium. She could see Jess building up to blow. She put a restraining hand

on her arm and her other hand on Sam's. "Everyone just settle down." She tried

to calm both women lightly stroking their arms. "How about you start at the

beginning Sam and tell us the whole story."

Jess settled back in place though Kim could feel the tension radiating off her.

She only hoped Riley Connolly had left for the night.

Sam proceeded to tell them the whole story starting with the dispatch to the

hospital and ending with her being shot twice. Jess calmed down as the story

unfolded. She'd thought the doctor had intentionally hidden the fact that her ex

had shot Sam. Now she realized Riley had assumed as Sam had that the other

officers had told them. Jess sighed as the tension left her body at the end of the

story.

She reached out squeezing Sam's uninjured shoulder. "I'm sorry you got hurt

Kiddo. You did a good thing protecting her." She told Sam. Sam smiled back

reassured. Remembering the comments that started all this Jess suddenly

grinned.

"That's why you think she's straight?"

Sam blinked at the sudden shift in conversation but nodded in answer to Jess's

question.

"I think you're missing the point here Sam, the operative word is Ex-boyfriend."

Sam frowned at her sister's persistence. "No the operative word here is

Boyfriend!" Sam insisted.

Kim looked over at her wife. She had that little half smirk on her face. This is

going to be interesting .

"Really? Do you by chance remember Steve Phillips?" Jess asked her sister

wiggling her eyebrows at her and grinning.

Sam merely glared at Jess. Kim looked at both women silently questioning.

It was clear Sam wasn't going to answer. "He's a guy Sam dated and SLEPT

with in high school." Jess explained to Kim. This was news to Kim for some

reason she'd assumed Sam had always known she was gay. Kim silently chided

herself, and you call yourself a psychiatrist.

Jess wasn't done. "Oh wait, what about Charlie... What was his last name? Yeah

now I remember Falk, Charlie Falk. She dated and SLEPT with him in college.

Gee, I guess that makes you straight Sis, two ex-boyfriends." Jess told her

snickering. Sam lowered her head and scowled refusing to make eye contact

with either woman.

Jess opened her mouth to say something else but Kim poked her in the ribs.

Jess pouted trying to act hurt. Kim's stern expression said it all. Jess

straightened up and reached out to lift her sister's chin and meet her eyes.

"All kidding aside Sis, just because she dated a guy doesn't make her straight

any more than it does you. Don't make assumptions. If you feel something for

her, you should give her a chance." She glanced over at her wife. "If she's the

one its worth whatever you have to do." Kim smiled lovingly at her wife leaning

over Sam to kiss Jess gently on the lips.

"None of that you two, I know you. Next thing you'll be in taking each other's

clothes off." Sam teased trying to lighten the mood. Jess arched her eyebrows at

her wife and reached over to undo one button of Kim's polo shirt. Kim slapped

her hand away. "Behave." She warned.

The door to Sam's room opened interrupting. A nurse entered. "Sorry it took so

long to get your pain med." She offered Sam the pills in a little cup. "You need to get up and walk tonight. I'll be back in about a half an hour and we'll give it a try.

She breezed out of the room.

It was clear Sam was starting to fade on them. Kim could see the lines around

her eyes tightening indicating she was in pain.

"Hey Sweetie, why don't you take a little nap and we'll see you in the morning,"

Kim encouraged. Sam yawned in answer.

Both women kissed her goodbye. Sam was already drifting off to sleep by the

time they made it to the door.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley arrived on the surgical floor the following afternoon. She's been in surgery

all morning and had just finished up with the last of her surgical and post-op

notes. Several of her patients were ready for discharge and she needed to do

the final notes on them as well. She sat finishing her charts at the work area

adjacent to the nurse's desk. Something made her turn and look down the hall.

Coming slowly down the hall using a walker was Sam McKenna, Jess and Kim

by her side. Riley marveled again at the striking resemblance the two sisters

shared. If she didn't know any better, she would swear they were twins. Sam's

head came up and she made eye contact with Riley; the two women stared at

each other oblivious to their surroundings. Jess and Kim both stopped when

Sam did looking around to see what had so suddenly attracted her attention.

Jess smiled over at Kim and inclined her head to where Riley sat working. Riley

was up and out of her chair heading for Sam without conscious thought. Sam

smiled widely as Riley approached. She tried to straighten up as close to her full

height as possible. The two women stood there smiling at each other neither

speaking. Jess shook her head in amusement conveniently forgetting how she'd

acted when she and Kim first met.

"Hi Riley." Jess greeted.

Riley mentally shook herself realizing she'd been staring at Sam. It wasn't hard

to do she was a beautiful woman.

"Hi," Riley greeted all three women. Damn, I forgot how tall Jess was and Sam sure isn't any shorter. Riley thought as she craned her to neck to make eye

contact with Sam.

Sam smiled to herself. She'd known the little doctor was short but hadn't realized

how short. It was the first time they'd stood together. Riley's head came to the

middle of her chest. Oh yeah, her mouth is at just the right height, Sam's baser