But it had happened.

In spite.

Of Abby’s relationship with Luka Kovac. Of John Carter’s ambiguously declared feelings for her. Of Kim’s unfinished business of her own. She knew good and bloody well Kim’s heart belonged to a petite and intense-eyed trauma doctor named Kerry Weaver, but it hadn’t stopped either one of them. In the freefall of the discovery of their night together, folks at County had started taking sides; and the force that had brought Kim and Abby together initially had only solidified in the face of their refusal to be shamed by the dictates of propriety. The best either one of them could do right now was to hold close to one another and hope to ride out the worst of the storm. She trusted they would see what they had left, if anything, in the aftermath of it all.

"So what about you?" Abby prodded gently.

"What about me what?"

"What was playing when you lost yours?"

Kim arched a wry brow in her direction, then gazed at the ceiling as if searching her memory. "I’m not sure there was music playing."

"Sure there was. There’s always something playing, just so you can look back twenty years later and cringe at the memory."

She laughed, "You’re probably right. But I can’t remember what the song was. Probably something instrumental, Debussy most likely– I went through this intense classical music phase around that time."

"What was she like?"

Kim cocked her head, a lazy smile painting her lips. "What makes you so certain my first lover was a woman?"

Abby stared at her lover in surprise, then shrugged. "I… I’m not sure. I guess that being gay seems like such a part of you. Maybe it’s a lack of imagination on my part, but I can’t see you any other way."

"Hmm… Well, I have been out for so long sometimes it does seem like I came from the womb that way," Kim agreed laconically.

"So… your first wasn’t a woman?"

"Oh, it was. A music teacher entirely too old for my tender years. Which means she was about the same age I am now."

"You were her student?"