#wow!!!!

Staring out the window, you wipe your face for the umpteenth time tonight when your phone buzzes next to you on the coffee table. Not even bothering to pick it up, you simply glance down and see that Parker texted you 'Omw". That brings a fresh batch of tears to your eyes, so you do your best to get them all out before she arrives and sees you this upset.

Fifteen minutes later, the woman is knocking at the door, and you slowly rise to your feet and drift towards the door, taking a deep breath before you open it to brace yourself for the conversation to come.

The first thing you notice upon seeing the doctor's face are the bags under her eyes. You can tell she hasn't been sleeping, observing how her typically glowing skin has dulled and the way her lips don't carry that same hint of a smile they normally do. She shuffles under your scrutinizing gaze, aware of how terrible she looks and knowing you feel like the cause of it. Clearing her throat, she snaps you from your stupor and asks, "Can I, um…Can I come in?"

Wordlessly stepping aside, you blink rapidly to clear your mind and remember what she came over here for.

Feeling the need to busy your hands, you twiddle with them for a second before looking into the kitchen for an answer. "You want anything to drink? There's, uh…I bought some tea, there's coffee, water, obviously—" Rambling on about beverage options in an apartment Parker also technically still lived in was the first thing you could think to do, and she cuts you off before you go on too long.

"I'm fine. Thank you." Parker gives you a soft smile, knowing how you try to distract yourself with meaningless tasks when you get overwhelmed.

Nodding your head in understanding, the two of you sit down on the couch, more space between your bodies than there's been in years, and the thought is sobering. Neither sure where to start, Parker speaks first and tells you that she's been officially reassigned to the day shift, thinking you'd be happy because one of the biggest causes of this fight was the lack of time you spent together. Instead, she receives a shake of your head and a quiet sigh as you gather your words.

"Is that what you want or what you think I want? I don't want to hold you back, and if being on the night shift is what you love doing, then you shouldn't give that up. For me or anyone."

That throws the other woman off completely and she has to pivot from what she originally planned on saying. "You…What?" She breathes your name lowly, hand itching to reach for yours. "You could never hold me back. You've been my biggest supporter since day one." Shaking her head to ensure her tone doesn't come out accusatory, she states, "I love working the night shift, yeah, but not at the cost of losing you. I can save people any time of day, but I wanna be around for this," she gestures between your bodies, "for us."

By now, your eyes have started watering and you have to look away so she won't see the tears fall. Your effort proves fruitless when you feel a hand cup your chin and turn you towards the body next to you, dark brown eyes searching yours. Finding whatever she was looking for, she pulls you in for a hug, feeling the way your shoulders shake as you release all of the emotions that have been building up for weeks while her own eyes well up.

Hours later, the two of you are sitting closer together, legs tangled and breaths even. Having discussed everything that was on your minds, you both agree to try again, deciding your relationship was worth saving and that neither of you were ready to let the other go.

"I missed you. So much. Every day, I would wake up looking at Shen's ceiling and just cry," Parker confesses.

"Oh come on, his place can't be that bad," you joke, feeling comfortable enough to lighten the mood.

Your girlfriend cracks a smile and a short laugh follows, gaze dragging over your face as her expression turns serious. "Is it okay if I kiss you?"

Breath catching in your throat, you nod ever so subtly, your heads tilting together until your lips brush in a gentle manner. The movement is slow at first, both leaving room in case someone wanted to withdraw. Over the next few minutes, it becomes more intense as all of the feelings over the past several weeks bubble to the surface and make you desperate for more.

Sliding her hands under your thighs, Parker wraps them around her waist before pushing off of the couch and rising to her feet. Hooking her arms under you for good measure, she centers her weight and begins making her way towards the bedroom, somewhere she hasn't stepped foot in what feels like ages.

The doctor walks to your side of the bed and sets you down, pulling her shirt off as you do the same to yours. Lips locking as you both maneuver your pants off, she climbs onto the mattress and lies on her side, mirroring your positioning. Your undergarments follow soon after, and Parker slips her hand under your knee to once again curl it around her waist, fingers digging into your skin with delicious pressure. Pulling away from the kiss to rest her forehead against yours, the brown skinned woman watches as your eyes slide open and your brows lightly furrow at the lack of contact.

"Baby, can I…can I touch you?" Her voice is strained, wrought with emotion, and it only takes you half a second to nod before you pull her back in, sucking on her bottom lip. As gingerly as ever, she drags her hand down your stomach to your thigh before cupping between your legs and letting her middle finger dip just inside your dampening folds. You let out a quiet sigh against her lips before Parker dips her head to kiss along your shoulder.

Sliding one finger fully inside you, she relishes the low moan you give her in return, feeling the way your hips slowly roll against her hand. She soon adds a second, loving the way you're fully grinding down onto her palm and pressing your clit against the shell of it. The pleasure of her touch is something you haven't felt in so long, and you tuck your head in the side of the other woman's neck in an attempt to keep yourself from floating away.

"I'm so sorry," Parker whispers, followed by a prayer of your name. "I'll never stay away that long again."

Nodding in acceptance, you feel the way she plunges her fingers deeper and your eyes squeeze tighter, exhaling sharply as she presses against that spongy spot that makes your body tingle. She begins quietly repeating, "I love you, I love you, I love you," against your skin, over and over as if this is her last opportunity to do so. Hands scratching down her back, the rhythm she's set is perfect, and lights begin floating behind your eyelids.

You then feel something wet hit your shoulder and pull back, looking down to see a small droplet beginning to slide down your arm. Turning towards your lover, you see the water sitting above her lower lash line and bring a hand up to wipe away the tears before they can continue to fall.

Bringing your lips together, you tell her everything you're feeling without words, pouring all of your love and affection into the gesture. She reciprocates tenfold, and you taste the saltiness of a teardrop that trailed down her cheek into your entwined mouths.

Crooking her fingers just right, you cum with a cry against her lips, your own tears finally falling and she kisses them away while gently working you through your orgasm. Once you fully come down, she pulls you into her chest and wraps the comforter around you both, listening to your breathing as it returns to normal.

You then grab her fingers and begin playing with them, inspecting hands that can both save lives and bring you to the precipice of heaven. The pair of you begin talking about anything and everything, catching each other up on your lives over the past couple months, and you finally begin to feel at peace.

"I know I really messed up this time, and I promise…I promise to be better. To tell you things when you ask and not just brush them off, especially when something is bothering me," Parker whispers. "I was so scared I lost you for good. You mean everything to me, and I never, ever want to put you in a situation like that again."

Your lips wobble at her confession, and you keep eye contact while she brushes over your knuckles before dipping down to meet your mouth, and you can't help but smile into the kiss.

Your love is home.