Chapter Text
Sarah had always hated the cold. Funny, how her first thoughts on landing and getting a cab weren’t even about herself. Slipping her cover off of her head and settling into the cab, the blonde woman adjusted her military bun before leaning back into the seat. Staring out the window as a light dusting of snow, Naomi was glad that she had elected to get her coat out of her luggage when she landed at O’Hare. The double breasted greatcoat fit well with the style of her dress blues, shoulder boards identifying her as a Lieutenant proudly displayed on her shoulders.
Unable to keep the grin off of her face, Naomi Reese-Collins was looking forward to seeing her wife.
Stepping out of the cab and slinging her sea bag over her left shoulder, Naomi stared up at the impressive sight that was the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. Hospitals were always large, something the navy officer had come to note during her several stays in hospitals over her lifetime.
Having called in a favour from a friend, Naomi knew that her wife was assisting in the Emergency Department today rather than her usual time in the Psychiatry Department. So, she elected to walk into the pedestrian entrance to the Emergency Room. Stepping into the building, she took her cover off and held it in the crook of her arm.
She was surveying the room, looking for a familiar face. She spotted him as he called her name from his lips. “Collins!” Naomi’s smile appeared as she took in the sight of her old friend.
“Good to see you alive and well, Choi.” Stepping forwards to offer the man a hug, she gave him a tight embrace. Holding it for a few seconds, the duo detached with smiles on their faces. They had both met on the Carl Vinson , Ethan a doctor and Naomi a surface warfare officer. “I could say the same for you, Collins. It’s been too long!”
Shaking her head and laughing at the man, she couldn’t help but think back to the several encounters they had on the Vinson , most of them being Naomi getting in over her head, and the doctor helping her out. She had been an Ensign on her first sea posting back then. How the times had changed.
The smile fell off of Ethan’s face as he appraised her, morphing into a knowing grin. “I can get you into the ED, and I made sure she’s here. But I can’t control Maggie, our charge nurse. She
will
get angry when you two inevitably cause a scene in the middle of a hallway. So do me a favour and leave my name out of all of this.”
Rolling her eyes at the man, she just nodded. “Of course of course. It was all an anonymous source. Confidential informant and all.” She placed her free hand over her heart as she spoke, an overly serious look on the Lieutenant’s face.
A moment later they were both laughing. “Alright alright, fine. Come on back, don’t get me in trouble.”
A reply came with a scoff from Naomi. “As if I’d ever get you in trouble on purpose, Choi… Well, I would, depending on how funny it would be.”
Naomi only got an eye roll in response before the duo headed back into the ED proper, a smile on Naomi’s face.
Entering the Emergency Department, she was met with the fierce glare of a woman in nurse’s scrubs behind a football shaped desk in the centre of the room. Giving her a sheepish grin, Naomi could only assume this was the famed charge nurse in charge of the Emergency Room.
Nodding at the woman, she kept herself out of the way and looked for that familiar head of auburn curls. Eventually she spotted her target, the woman laughing softly as she exited a treatment room. Tapping away at the pad in her hand, Sarah didn’t even notice the presence of Naomi in the room, busy charting something or another about her various patients.
Maggie seemed to see what Naomi was looking at, and started to walk towards the uniformed navy officer. But Naomi was already off. Stepping behind Sarah, the grin was impossible to keep off of her face. “I think I might need a doctor, could you possibly give me a hand, Doctor Reese?”
Naomi could see the exact moment that her wife registered who was speaking, the familiar voice causing her to pivot and throw herself at Naomi. Grabbing her wife to her chest, the woman took one step backwards as the smaller woman crashed into her.
Blinking back tears, she easily shrugged her bag to the floor, letting her cover fall with it. Naomi’s hands were occupied with holding Sarah close. Snaking up, Naomi settled a palm against her wife’s cheek and leaned in to press a chaste but emotion-filled kiss to the woman’s lips.
Pulling away, neither could help the smiles across their faces. That was until someone cleared their throat behind them. Smiling, Naomi turned to be face to face with Maggie Lockwood. Sarah Reese gave the nurse a laugh and spoke. “Sorry?”