Chapter Text
Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh--I'm missing you
Tell me why the road turns; Oooh, oooh. Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh
I'm missing you--Tell me why the road turns
MISSING YOU-Diana Ross©
Both Ripleys feel badly that they are able to quarantine together while friends and colleagues (Herrera and Sully, Warren and Bailey)
are unable to. And even though they see one another nearly 24/7, there is something to be said for occasional separation. Lucas spends
long hours with his bestie Sullivan in their basement gym. Vic has also taken to sparring with her husband, and with Andy Herrera when
Chief'sSully isn't about (respecting the terms of the husband and wife's self imposed ( limited contact) 90 day separation.
One day while Herrera is over sparring (and really 'working' the heavy bag) Hughes jokes that she is highly skeptical of her and the Chief's
ability to honor the 3 month separation: "When have you EVER known me to be celibate for 90 HOURS!"
"Why do you think I'm tryin' to knock this heavy bag off of its mooring!" her Lieutanant snarls.
///
Face-timing with her husband remains the only way to not violate their self-imposed 90-day separation, which Andy regrets
agreeing to (more and more each day). "We're 62 days in, Amor. And you are clearly not about to relapse; you're working your
program and I don't know how long I can keep away from you-not as long as we work in the same house. I'm HERE-I would be here
even if you had been dismissed. We're OK, Robert-can't we just-just"--
"You know that I start to call you every day and suggest that we quarantine together, that 38 more days won't matter...but if I cheat on this,
won't it make it that much easier to short-cut the system the next time? No, baby; we're nearly there. Help me be strong, Andy. One day at
a time, right?"
"Right-RIGHT...sorrysorry...I just miss you so much and I love you and I'll be good, I promise. OK...on a serious note we should talk about
finances. Are we gonna be able to manage the mortgage, two car notes, and everything else on what I earn and your down-grade?"
"We're better than good, financially. I spent very little from Claire's insurance settlement and after 10 years as a Captain and one as Battalion
Chief-all as a single man-I saved the better part of my salary. We're better than alright."
"It's only...the hotel, which is nice-THANK YOU, but it's expensive-even with the department rate it's almost $1,900 a week, and your
attorney..."
Sullivan repeats, lovingly but firmly "We're better than alright."
"Bien. Maya wants me to move in just until our 90 days is over; I sense that it's more of a buffer between the anxiety she feels about
moving in with Carina DeLuca-the Italian OB from Grey's, you remember? Anyway, is that alright? Nothing's decided: Maya hasn't even
talked to Carina about it yet."
"Only for the next 38 days", her husband replies.
"YES-temporarily-and I'm just as anxious as you are?"
///
After venting with Ben Warren outside of the hospital about how many more expectant mothers she 'pronounces' than assists with birthing,
Carina can't stop thinking about what the former surgeon said as he re-boarded Aid 19:
“DON'T FOLLOW BAILEY'S AND MY 'LEAD'-you and Maya don’t have kids, or a heart condition, or OCD-we have valid reasons not to live
together during COVID-you and Maya don't: go get your girl, DeLuca” he adds.
She decides to stop thinkin' about it and do somethin' about it: she taps on Captain Girlfriend's office door, slipping inside after Maya calls
out "COME IN!....OoohhhNO...you can't be here, Babe! I mean...you have to GO-this isn't safe, Right?"
"I could not stand another moment away from you Amore", the beautiful Italian retorts. I miss you so much."
Her GF "masks up" while backing away. "I’m getting away from you before I start breaking all the rules, which I will if you're still here in ten
seconds!"
"I could not stand another moment away from you Amore", the beautiful Italian retorts. I miss you so much."
"YES! DO THAT-I have COVID tests; they are instant."
“GAWD!”, the blonde moans, “You can even make nasal swabbing sound sexy!” Then she blurts (without thinking) MOVE IN with me!”
With a huge smile, Dr. DeLuca replies “That’s why I came today, to ask YOU to move with ME!”
“Bella: quarantining is basically just moving in together, but I don’t want to just basically do anything with you. I want to do everything for
real. I know we have barely spent three days together since I broke your trust, but I’m hoping that me asking you to move in with me is a sign
that I’m all the way in”, Maya admits. Carina can tell that she is 100% sincere.
Carina starts toward her luscious girlfriend but Maya reminds her to close the blinds and lock the door, which he happily does...
///
He always asks the same question, just before he departs: 'If she's ok-if she needs anything?'
"We're fine", she says shyly, unable to hold that piercing gray gaze of his for long-whenever their eyes meet for more than a minute, a worm
of HEAT awakens in her belly-in in the CORE of her.
Eyes twinkling, Jack said "I mean YOU-how are YOU, Inara."
"I'm SAD, tired of the constant bad news...goin' stir crazy; MISSING YOU"...then she signs horny as hell..."
Completely caught off guard, Jack lowers his face mask just long enough to say quietly "I gotta get back, but...I'll come by in the morning after
shift?" He wanted to ensure that she can see his entire expression.
She mouths (and SIGNS) "Marsha visits her friend at the a physical rehab facility; I'm friends with the lady next door-I bet she'd take Marcus."
And she briefly takes-down her own mask so that Jack can see the frank, sexually suggestive expression on her lovely face.
///
Apparently Montgonmery's offer of friendship is meant to begin immediately, as forty minutes before Emmet's shift at Grey's is over Freckles
ambles in, explaining that he Miller are on a grocery run (and that the hospital is on the route). Either fortunately (or not so much) young
Dixon's department is empty except for two other people, allowing the two ex-lovers relative privacy (at least after Miller, who has been
acting surly toward EVERYONE recently grumbles that he needs a sugar infusion and stomps down the nearest hallway to find a vending machine).
"Do you have plans tomorrow morning before shift?", the older man asks casually (he hoped).
"Nah-gym, then the park for a run...I'm 10-7. What's up?"
"I could bring some of my Ma's Korean pastries by your spot: say 830?"
Emmett happily agrees, a jagged ball of want in his stomach.