“Kim?”

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here?” Kim noted not annoyance, but gratitude in Kerry’s voice.

“I thought you might need a friend.”

Kerry just stared at her through her sunglasses for a few seconds as a mixture of emotions washed over her.

“Abby called you.”

“She was worried. Don’t be mad at her.” Kim stood up and met Kerry at the bottom of the steps.

“I’m not. I’m glad she did it.” Kerry took Kim’s hand between her own and pulled it to her lips for a brief kiss. “I went by your place, but you weren’t there.”

“I was looking for you. Where’s Henry?”

Kerry kissed Kim’s hand again.

“With the Lopez’s. I’m going to go pick him up. Want to come with me?”

Kim was taken aback as she realized that Kerry had a hint of smile on her face.

“Ker, are you okay?” Kim tried unsuccessfully to see Kerry’s eyes well enough through the sunglasses to gage if her lover had been drinking.

Kerry pulled Kim closer, reached up, and planted a brief kiss on her lips.

“I’m blessed, Kim. I have an amazing son who means the world to me, and I have you. I’ve been given a second chance with you and I’m not going to fuck it up this time.”

“Kerry … you just kissed me on the street in front of your building.”

“Do you have a problem with that?” Kerry looked likes she was daring Kim to say something.

“It just seems so unlike you. It’s not even dark yet. People might see,” Kim replied, smirking a little at the last part.

Kerry’s expression turned serious.

“Kim, I just found out that someone I cared about was killed in a senseless war. His wife, who is also a member of my staff, is devastated. I spent the past few hours trying to console her, but couldn’t stop myself from crying.” Kerry stopped, trying to stop the tears that seemed to suddenly return. “I told her about how I had met Michael the same night that I met Sandy. And now they’re both gone, Kim.”

Kerry put a hand on Kim’s neck and pulled her head closer so that their foreheads met.

“But you’re here and I’m going to treasure every moment we have together,” And with that she gave Kim another kiss, this one longer and deeper. When they parted, Kerry kept Kim’s face close enough that the blond could feel Kerry’s breath on her. “So I’ll ask you again Kim, do you have a problem with that?”

“Not at all.”