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Chapter Text

CHAPTER I. 

January
Lauren looks at herself in the full-length mirror, feeling comfortable in the long, black dress, which she has chosen for that evening's fundraiser, and the high-heeled shoes are comfortable enough for the moment and she hopes they will be for at least a couple more hours. She is about to put on her earrings when she hears her cell phone ringtone echo through the room. 
She puts off putting on her earrings and walks the necessary steps to the living room where she has her cell phone charging. She notices Vanessa's name before answering -Hello? -she greets her and asks at the same time.

-Are you ready? 

-Yes

-Good. Mom sent a limo to my apartment, I'm already picking you up. -She says before hanging up.

She finds her mother's gesture of sending a limo a complete extravagance, despite that, it's nothing unusual. Going to a party for a fundraiser doesn't seem like an appealing idea to her, especially after being released from rehab only four days ago, however, she promised Vanessa that she would accompany her after she agreed to go on her mother's behalf.

...

She tries to remain patient when the vehicle is stuck for nearly twenty minutes in traffic. Her sister notices her exasperation and tries to chat with her about something trivial, which she finds an impressive and nice gesture on her part. For Lauren having conversations like that and spending time with her sister brings to mind the bitter memory of abandoning her, but at the same time, new and warm feelings come over her, because despite everything she did wrong in the past, Vanessa is there with her now, and in a way that's what's worth it, the present. 

As the driver parks the vehicle, Lauren notices the place in greater detail. -You didn't tell me the event was at the New Amsterdam," she says in a slightly annoyed, but generally nonchalant tone.

-Does it change things at all? 

-I guess not.

-It's still a fundraiser.

The driver opens the door on Lauren's side and Lauren is about to get out when Vanessa stops her by placing her hand on her wrist. Lauren stops and looks at the exact spot where her sister is holding her, she mentally prepares herself to hear Vanessa's words of warning about not drinking a drop of alcohol, but Vanessa surprises her.

-Thank you for joining me," Vanessa says.

Lauren can hear from her sister's tone of voice that she means it with sincerity and appreciation.

-You're welcome. You know I love spending time with you.

-Yes, but you don't love spending time at events like this.

Lauren just shrugs before exiting the vehicle. The cheesy, family moment has extended beyond what she considers comfortable and proper. Besides, it's not necessarily that she hates those kinds of events, she specifically hates the memory those events bring back.

In the elevator the elder Bloom wants to ask about who knows about her attendance, but doesn't dare, instead, to keep the atmosphere comfortable and fun she tells her a joke that someone who was with her in rehab told her.

Vanessa is about to ask a slightly more personal question when they get to the floor where the event is taking place, so she dismisses it. She walks over holding Lauren by the arm and they are greeted by Iggy who immediately introduces them to the newly hired doctors from New Amsterdam. 

-You're going to love Leyla, she's still doing her shift, but she promised she'd come," Iggy says to Lauren as Vanessa entertains herself by talking to Helen and Max. 

That's the great thing about the gala, most of the New Amsterdam directors are present and they are friends with most of them. 

 -Max hired Leyla as director of the Pediatric ward a month or so ago. -Iggy continues. 

Iggy doesn't touch the rehab issue and she is grateful for that, and in general she is grateful to everyone, because at the time they extended their help to her and visited her frequently. 

Martin walks over to where Lauren and Iggy are and apologizes to Lauren for having to take Iggy away as the children were falling asleep. 

...

Lauren is unable to decipher what emotions and feelings are beginning to flood her as she watches a woman with dark skin and wavy black hair enter through the main entrance of the event, she just knows that she wants to meet her and needs to have at least one drink to take courage. It's an impulse, she recognizes, but it blocks the logical train of thought. 

She looks around and makes sure that all the people aware of her addiction problems are otherwise occupied before taking a glass of Champagne from one of the waiters and drinking it in one go. She sets the empty glass down and strides confidently over to where the woman who caught her eye is chatting with Max. 

-Hi," says Lauren, putting on her best smile.

-Hey Lauren," says Max, "this is Dr. Leyla Shinwari. Leyla, this is Dr. Lauren Bloom, she works at Mount Sinai. 

-Nice to meet you," Leyla says, extending her hand.

-It's my pleasure," says Lauren reciprocating the handshake.

Max watches the two women exchange glances and smiles and leaves with the excuse of talking to one of the bigwigs willing to donate money.

-Iggy tells me you've been the head of Pediatrics for the last month or so," Lauren says to break the silence after Max leaves.

-Yes," Leyla says, giving her a smile that Lauren interprets as shy. -I had been working at Presbyterian until I got a job offer from Max. I was a student of the former director when I was doing my internship and apparently he recommended me. And here I am.

Lauren can't help but be increasingly drawn to this woman with deep black eyes and a smile that lights up everything.

Vanessa watches from afar her older sister's interaction with a woman who has apparently cast a spell on her and intends to approach to find out more about this girl, who she can already tell has stolen her sister's heart, but she stops herself and prefers to ask Helen first everything she knows about her.

Chapter Text

CHAPTER II.

The night is young and both have the impression of knowing each other for a lifetime, it is a feeling that mixes comfort, security and camaraderie, something inexplicable, that both had lost count of how long they had not experienced that, if they had ever felt anything even close.

Throughout the night they converse with other doctors and people interested in donating, such actions if they had been experienced as individuals would have seemed dull and unbearable, but together, a certain humor arises from little things that only they both seem to understand.

 
Thus, in this way, the night is more bearable, but also shorter.

 
Time seems to fly by without them noticing and the next thing they know, the event is over. 

Vanessa joins them on the sidewalk as they wait for a cab for Leyla, earlier Lauren had introduced them when they both took a seat next to her at one of the tables, they had instantly hit it off.

Vanessa can see the sparkle in Lauren's eyes as she looks at Leyla, her look completely enthusiastic and bold, she is sincerely happy for her sister, but at the same time, concern for her mental and emotional health lingers.

Soon, a cab pulls up and Lauren opens the door for Leyla and rushes over to kiss her goodbye on the cheek, a brave move on her part, accompanied by a: -I hope to see you again soon, write me when you get home safe and sound.

-What? -asks Lauren, smiling in response to her sister's dumbfounded look.

-Nothing," replies Vanessa, throwing her hands up in the air and smiling broadly. ¬-It just seems like they've known each other their whole lives when they've just been introduced today.

Lauren blushes deeply and playfully shoves her sister as she looks away pretending to look for a free cab.

After a minute or two, they manage to find an available one. Before getting in, Vanessa stops her sister: -Just don't go so fast, okay? 

Lauren listens to her message, the tenderness and affection with which she says it, and nods knowing what she means.  

Chapter Text

CHAPTER III.
It's one of those rare days in January when the sky is clear and the sun shines beautifully on the sidewalks and building facades, giving everything a bit of life and the illusion of hope.

-I know what you're doing," Vanessa says, smiling as she walks behind Lauren, her voice rising above the wind as she adjusts her coat. She's pretty sure most New Yorkers hate winter, yet it's her second favorite season, of course, as long as the exposure to the cold is tolerable weather and the energy doesn't fail, which it rarely does.

 
Lauren smiles as she blushes at being discovered. Despite this, she pretends to ignore what her sister is talking about, "So, what do you think I'm doing? -she asks, looking over her shoulder in Vanessa's direction.

-Pretending we're picking Helen up when you really want to visit your girlfriend, it's obvious.

-First of all: yes we are going to see Helen; secondly: Leyla is not my girlfriend.

Vanessa laughs out loud, catching the curious gaze of some passersby. -I never mentioned Leyla.

-Sympathetic," Lauren says, pushing their bodies shoulder-to-shoulder.

-Seriously, when are you going to ask her out on a real date?

Lauren's face promptly turns serious and Vanessa can see her bite her lip before answering. 

-I don't know, I don't want to ruin things," Lauren shrugs and bites her thumb. 

Vanessa nods, understanding her sister's fears, the feeling of ruining things just because you're broken and don't know how to handle normal.

Vanessa enters the lobby of the New Amsterdam without noticing until seconds later that Lauren has paused in the doorway inhaling deeply in the winter air. 

When Lauren enters, Vanessa is waiting for her by the elevators, she has removed her scarf and is carrying it hanging from her purse. -Score one for me," Lauren thinks, smiling internally. She can understand people's taste in purses and bags, she herself has a couple that she loves, but for day-to-day use she'll always consider a backpack more comfortable.

-I'm staying here," Lauren says, stopping the elevator on the Pediatrics floor, "Tell Helen I'll be up in a minute.

Vanessa rolls her eyes and gives her a smirk. The last thing she sees before the elevator door closes is her sister's smile, a mixture of smugness and pure happiness.

Pediatrics is very different from any emergency room, there are stuffed animals and smiles in every corner and children's pain tries to be immediately soothed, treated, of course there are also distressing cases, but then parents from other rooms show up trying to help as much as possible.

Lauren hates Pediatrics, she is aware that it doesn't make the slightest sense to envy sick children for having present and loving parents, but she does it, and she can almost hate herself for doing it. She takes a deep breath and looks for Casey with her eyes before observing him in a little boy's room filling out some forms with the boy's parents. Lauren approaches the room and stands in the doorway in complete silence for a couple of minutes, looking over her shoulder anxious to meet Leyla, but at the same time nervous in case she does.

-Hey," Casey says, smiling from ear to ear as he leaves the room and closes the door behind him.

-Hey, how are you? Are we still on for Saturday?

-I'm great, Pediatrics is a thousand times less depressing than the ER. 

-And I was going to ask you to work for me," says Lauren, holding her hands to her chest in mock pain. 

-Although working with you is wonderful, I wouldn't step foot in the ER again on a volunteer basis. -Casey replies, giving her a sincere smile and tilting her head slightly as she raises her eyebrow. -Regarding Saturday: plans are still on for the picnic and the invitation for you and Vanessa to join. You know: 10 am.

Dr. Bloom nods as she rocks her body back on her heels, unable to articulate the question she wishes to ask her friend.
Casey watches her in amusement and rolls his eyes before answering the unspoken question. -Leyla's going too, in case that helps make up your mind.

-What? -Not me. I never asked about her.

-You didn't, but Vanessa did. And, you know, after seeing you darting glances around Pediatrics looking for someone specific and Leyla's smile when she told me she met you at the fundraiser," she says with a bright smile as she shrugs, "it's not hard to make sense.

 
-Ha, ha. Very nice. You and Vanessa should join forces since you're so intent on seeing things where there are none.

 
-Lauren," Casey says, taking her gently by the shoulders and looking her straight in the eyes, "I've known you for years and Vanessa her whole life, it's obvious that we know when you like someone.

That statement manages to make Lauren blush, but to her good fortune Casey has to attend to a patient at the same time her cell phone rings with Vanessa's name on the screen.

-See you Saturday, don't miss it. -Casey says by way of goodbye.

-So, did you say hello to your girlfriend? -asks Vanessa, looking amused at her sister who is already looking completely red and walks over to where she and Helen are standing.

Lauren ignores her and greets Helen with a kiss on the cheek and a hug. She is enlarged by Helen's hugs, they are warm, strong and make her feel safe.

-So, this girlfriend of yours isn't going to be Leyla, is she?

Vanessa nods in amusement behind her sister's back, pronouncing a distinct yes with her lips.

-Are you going to start too? -Lauren asks, starting to get annoyed, especially with herself because she is unable to talk to Leyla without feeling like a schoolgirl and therefore unable to find the courage to ask her out. -She's not my girlfriend.

-Yeah, but why don't you dare ask her out when they clearly like each other," says Helen.

-What do you know that I don't? -Lauren asks once Helen has gotten her attention.

 
-I'll just say she was subtly asking about you.