Mourning Has Broken 

Part Three 

Rated PG 15 
By Annie 

Please see note and disclaimers in Part One before reading further! 




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The next day was a scheduled day off from work for both women, so the morning found the nurse and the doctor spawled comfortably in the living room of Charlotte's dwelling. Sullivan had still had the couch, and Beaumont had insisted on taking the floor for the night, not wanting her fiend to be alone. Laughing as they ate their breakfasts of cereal, fruit and large omlettes and drank their milk then their coffees, they discussed the previous night's fun. 

"You know," Sister Sullivan began, "I don't think I've had a night like that since I was a teenager." 

Beaumont grinned. 

"I must admit, Terri... last night I told you a lot of things that I've never felt comfortable with telling anyone else, ever. But it felt good to tell you, and it felt right." 

Charlotte raised her coffee mug and clinked it against Terri's, her eyes twinkling. 

"To the silliness of 'Truth Or Dare' games - may Ward 17 never know!" 

Overcome by a raucious guffaw, Sullivan managed to keep her coffee mug steady as she replied. 

"I'll drink to that!" 

Morning flew by quickly as the women enjoyed one another's company. In keeping with routine, Dr Beaumont changed into her exercisewear, and invited the NUM to go jogging with her. 

"I don't have the right clothes. I'd look kind of dorky running around in a nursing uniform or this nightgown..." 

Laughing, Charlotte agreed. 

"You're right. You would look goofy wearing that!" 

Still giggling, the doctor drained her cup of coffee, then continued to speak. 

"But you'd look really sexy!" 

Terri smiled, but chose not to answer, instead finishing her own coffee. Beaumont found it a challenge to read the NUM's facial expression and tried to decipher what she might be thinking, failing miserably. She decided that some things, like Terri Sullivan, weren't meant to be deciphered. 

"Oh, excuse me..." Charlotte sang out cheerfully as she pirouhetted past the nurse, narrowly avoiding a collision with the china cabinet that seemed to take up most of the wall of the living room that was directly behind Terri Sullivan at that moment. Shaking her head ruefully, Terri wondered how anyone managed to get past the bulky woodwork without getting hurt. 

A moment later, Charlotte returned to the living room with a sweatshirt and trackpants, both neatly folded. 

"Here, these should fit," Charlotte crowed, passing the garments to Sullivan. 

Terri eyed the material skeptically, leaving the clothes folded in her hands. 

"Look, I don't know..." 

Charlotte refused to allow the protest. 

"Oh, Terri... please? I hate exercising alone. I'd really like it if you went with me. It'll be fun, I promise!" 

Before Dr Beaumont had finished her plea with her hands clasped to her heart and a puppy dog look on her face, Sullivan was already nodding her head, and unfolding the clothes. 

"All right, all right!" Laughter from Terri's throat echoed through the building as she shook her head, smiling at the way Charlotte's face lit up with pure joy as she jumped up and down a few times, clapping her hands and giggling with glee like a little girl receiving a much-desired Christmas gift. 

Sometimes this woman is such a clown... 

Terri smiled, banishing the thought from her head as she discarded the nightgown from her body, folding it neatly and setting it carefully on the sofa where she had slept the night before. 

Charlotte stopped jumping, as her eyes and mind took in the vision next to the window and the couch. She had to force her mouth to close in politeness and her eyes to blink in awe, as the sunlight streamed through the lace draperies and shone on Terri Sullivan's beautiful, naked form. 

Stunning. 

Gorgeous. 

Breath-takingly sexy. 

Was there a better word to describe the Nursing Unit Manager at that moment? Charlotte couldn't think. The part of her brain that controlled thought processes had shut down completely, and Dr Beaumont only knew that Terri Sullivan sent her hormones into overdrive. 

A loud smashing noise sounded, and Charlotte Beaumont blacked out, following the coffee mug she had been holding to the floor.