"Second Chances"
(continued)

Mark Greene stood in front of the screen studying the x-rays he'd received carefully. His face showed concern and he shook his head slightly. Carol Hathaway came around the corner to see him and felt the concern in his face.

"Is it bad?" she asked him quietly.

"It could be a lot better" he admitted with a sigh.

"Exactly how bad is it?"

"The kidney is bleeding. My guess is this happened in the accident and we missed it."

"Is it serious?"

"It will be if we don't find a way to stop it! I'm going to start him on medication right away and hope it works."

"Will he be OK?"

"He should be, but I want to call in a specialist for him." Mark pauses and looked at Carol with a serious expression. "Not that it's any of my business, Carol, but is there something going on between you and Doug?"

"Not yet" Carol smiled slightly. "But, I'm working on it."

"Yeah?" Mark smiled. "Well, good luck, then."

"Thanks" she nodded.

"Well, come on. Let's go give him the bad news."

Mark pulled the x-rays off the screen and put them back in the folder. Then, he and Carol walked back into the ER to the room where Doug was resting and waiting for their news.

Doug Ross looked up quickly when Mark and Carol came back into his room. Being a doctor himself, he knew by the look on Mark's face that he was not carrying good news in the folder he had in his hands.

"Uh oh" Doug sat up further on the bad. "I know bad news when I see it" he pointed to the folder. "No sugar coating, Mark. Give it to me straight."

"It's not good" Mark shook his head. "Looks like there's bleeding from the right kidney and it appears it's been bleeding probably since the wreck."

"And we missed that?" Doug was confused.

"Looks like I did, yeah."

"Well, you weren't the only one who looked at the x-rays were you?" Doug smiled slightly at him. "Don't be so hard on yourself. I should have known something was wrong before anybody else did! The question is now, what do we do about it? Surgery?"

"I'd like to avoid surgery if that's possible..."

"So would I" Doug agreed with a nod of his head.

"Do you have a kidney specialist here in Chicago?"
"No, I haven't seen one yet..."

"Well, I think it's about time we referred you to one! Somebody here in the hospital OK?"

"That's fine. That way they'll be close to work and that'll be better for me."

"Yeah, your work is one good thing. No matter what we do, you'll still be able to work, even if you have to do it from a hospital bed!" Mark chuckled. "OK, I'll get somebody down here and we'll just have to see what he says and take it from there."

"OK, Mark" Doug nodded. "Thanks."

"I'll be back in a few minutes, Doug" Carol smiled at him as she followed Mark out of the room. "Who are you going to get?

"I thought I'd call in Trent Marcum...he's the best in this area."

"Yeah, I guess he's a good choice" Carol nodded.

"He's going to be OK, Carol" Mark smiled at her, picking up on the look of concern on her face.

"I know" she nodded. She didn't seem very convinced, though.

Trent Marcum was very experienced in neurology studies. He was now in his late 50's and had studied all over the world. He had worked in some of the finest Kidney hospitals anywhere but he had settled on County due to the ill health of his mother and he took referrals from all over the state and surrounding areas. When Mark Greene gave him the files on Doug Ross he was interested in seeing him, not just because of his kidney condition, but because he was interested in working with him in Pediatric Kidney studies as well. After studying the x-rays and all the blood work, he was able to make a determination that was precisely what Doug wanted to hear.

"We can avoid surgery..." He told Doug with a smile.

"Music to my ears" Doug grinned at him. "But?"

"You knew there was something else, huh?" Trent laughed.

"I'm a doctor...I can read eyes really well by now!" Doug assured him.

"You'll have to rest" Trent informed him softly. "By rest, I mean, off you feet and in bed except for necessary functions, such as the call of nature."

"I can't do that" Doug shook his head. "I've got a 9 month old baby to take care of."

"Then, you're going to have to draft some help!" Trent smiled at him. "Or stay in the hospital. Your choice."

"You drive a hard bargain, don't you?" Doug shook his head.

"Or you can go to surgery and let them patch it there" Trent told him truthfully.

"I want to avoid surgery at all costs" Doug sighed. "OK. I'll figure it out."

"I'll be around to see you before you leave. And when you're on your feet again, I'd like us to talk about a project I'd like you to consider."

"Sure. I'd like that, too."

"OK, then, I'll leave you to rest with that and good luck with your decision."
"Yeah, thanks a lot" Doug smirked.

Trent laughed and walked away. Doug lay on his bed with his arms folded, grumbling about where would he find a roommate in a town where he didn't know anybody!

Carol was working at the front desk when she noticed Mark Greene down the way from her with a newspaper. He was crossing out things and grumbling to himself.

"Something wrong, Mark?" Carol smiled slightly.

"Just looking for a place to live!" Mark sighed.

"I thought you had an apartment" Carol looked over at him.

"I do...but I can't afford it anymore! Jen and I sighed the paper to make the divorce final and now with child support payments, I need to find a cheaper place."

"Maybe you should just get a roommate?"

"That would be the ultimate idea. The only thing wrong with that is it's hard to find somebody you can trust anymore."

"Well, you're right about that." Carol nodded with agreement. She thought for a minute before adding her next thought to the conversation. "What did Dr. Marcum say about Doug?"

"He can avoid surgery if he stays off his feet for a couple of weeks."

"I don't imagine that will be very easy with a 9 month old baby to care for" Carol sighed. "Poor Doug. He's really going to need some help."

"Or a roommate" Kerry Weaver spoke quietly from the work along side Mark. Mark looked over at her with a pondering look and she smiled. "You could keep looking for another place, save money, and help Doug out all at the same time" Kerry offered to him.

"You know, you just might have something there!" Mark smiled at her. "He needs help and I need a place to stay!" He reached over and patted her on the shoulder. "Good thinking, Kerry!" then he stepped away quickly to head for Doug's room.

"One of us has to think" Kerry shook her head and Carol chuckled.

Mark went quietly into Doug's room as he could see his patient was resting when he opened the door. Not wanting to disturb him, Mark simply went to look at the numbers on the machines around him.

"I'm awake" Doug's voice was soft and had a hint of a chuckle in it.

"I didn't want to wake you" Mark smiled. "I talked to Dr. Trent."

"So, you got my death sentence, huh?"

"It's not a death sentence and it's only for a couple of weeks."

"Have you ever tried to take care of a 9 month old baby while you're on bed rest?" Doug smirked at him. "Brain surgery is probably easier and I'm not even a surgeon!"

"OK, suppose I had an idea that might help?"

"I'm all ears."

"You might not go for it..." Mark cautioned him.

"Anything that keeps me from having to stay in this hospital for 2 weeks, I'll go for" Doug assured him.

"OK, I need a new place to stay right away and I was thinking I could stay with you and help you out until you're back on your feet while I look for another place at the same time!"

"Why look for another place at all? Why don't you just stay with me for a while?"

"I wouldn't want to be in your way" Mark shook his head.

"You wouldn't be in my way. I got two bedrooms and I only use one of them. I'd enjoy the company. Besides, sometimes when I'm hooked up at night, it's really hard to take care of Cass. I'd appreciate an extra pair of hands sometimes. You're welcome to stay as long as you like. And if you get in my way, I'll tell you" Doug grinned at him. Mark smiled and nodded his head.

"I'll take it" he told him. "But, that only covers half the day...some days I'll work, some nights I'll work. We'll need somebody to cover the time I'm not there."

"I think I can get somebody" Doug folded his arms and smiled. "Don't worry about it." He looked out the door to see Carol talking on the phone out at the front desk and Mark followed his eyes to see what he was looking at.

"Something going on with you two?" Mark wanted to know.

"Not yet" Doug repeated Carol's words from earlier. "But I'm thinking about it."

"Carol's a great girl" Mark told him softly. "She's just real careful about her relationships. She gets hurt too easily."

"I'm real careful about my relationships, too. So, it should be a real careful relationship" Doug smiled at him.

"Well, I wish you good luck with it" Mark nodded.

"Thanks" was all Doug answered with. "So, when are you moving in?"
"Is tonight too soon?" Mark chuckled. "I'll get your release papers ready and when I get off duty I'll take you home and settle you in. Then, I'll just move my stuff a day at a time until I get it all moved. Will that be OK?"

"Sounds fine" Doug nodded.

"Good. Meantime, you just rest, OK?"

"It's a deal.

Once Mark was gone, Doug decided it was 'now or never' so he pushed the button on his bed to get Carol's attention. He watched her as she came into his room, all smiles, and he couldn't help but smile back at her.

"Can I help you, sir?" she teased him lightly as she stopped beside his bed.

"I have a big favor to ask you" he told her with a smile.

"OK" she nodded.

"They'll let me go home as long as I stay in bed. Mark's going to move in and take care of part of the time...I was wondering what your schedule looks like?"

"Doesn't matter" she smiled. "I'll change it so I can be with you whatever shift Mark works."

"There's some baby work required in that, too, you know."

"I know. And I don't mind. I'd love to help."

"No strings...no commitments" he warned her.

"Absolutely!" she agreed with him.

"OK, you got the job" he smiled.

"I'll go work on the schedule now" she told him.

He watched her go back out the door with a smile spreading on his face. This could be the start of a good thing, he thought, if he just wasn't too afraid to try.

Carol was humming to herself as she worked at her desk with the schedule. Lydia stood watching her with a confused look on her face.

"What happened?" she asked. "Did David get hit by a bus or something?"

"Better than that" Carol smiled as she looked up at her friend.

Nothing else was said and Carol went off to have the schedule approved by Mark so she could post it. Lydia watched her go with a wondering expression on her face.

"What could be better than that?" she asked herself quietly.

The apartment was dimly lit as Doug lay quietly on the sofa. Mark was making his last trip to his old apartment to get clothes but he had laid out the ground rules for Doug. He could get out of bed to go to the bathroom and back. He could get out of bed to go to the sofa and lie down to watch TV and back. That was it. But, Mark wasn't there, so, Doug got up to go over to the VCR. He turned on the TV and put a tape in the VCR machine and went back to the couch with the remote. He settled himself back under the cover and pushed the "ON" button for the VCR. There was a second or two of blank space and then the picture came to life. The sound that filtered out over the room was a song...a song Doug hadn't heard in a long time...

"Whisper to me softly...three words upon my skin. No one's near and listening so please don't say good bye...just hold me close and love me...give me heart a smile...ummmmm....feels so right..."

He looked at the screen and blinked back the tears in his eyes. In front of him he saw Caitlyn, as alive as day, dancing close in his arms. She was wearing a long formal white dress with flowers in her hair. There was paper wedding bells and flowers all around them. He was wearing his hospital scrubs and they had been married in one of the ER trauma rooms.

"We're hospital people"

Caitlyn had told him.

"We met at the hospital and fell in love there...

it's only fitting that we should be married there."

Doug knew she was Catholic, and that marriage was a sacrament and very important to her. He had wanted them to be married in a church for her sake but she refused.

"You? In a tuxedo!?"

Caitlyn had laughed at him.

"You don't even wear a tie to work anymore!

No, you wear your scrubs so I'll know I'm marrying

the right man!"

She had a Priest come to the hospital to make it 'official' and her parents came. The staff served as witnesses and threw confetti at them instead of rice. And he danced with her at the reception in the cafeteria.

"Your body feels so gentle" the song continued and he heard Mark come in the door. "And my passion rises high. Your loving me's so easy...your wish is my command. So hold me close and love me...tell me it won't end....ummmmm...feels so right."

He felt Mark leaning on the sofa behind him, but, he never turned his attention off the TV screen.

"Is that your wife?" Mark's voice was soft and quiet.

"Uh huh" Doug nodded shortly.

"She's very pretty" Mark told him.

"Yes, she was" Doug agreed. His voice was mechanical, detached, and listless.

"What was this?" Mark came around and sat on the other end of the couch with him. Doug curled his feet to give him room.

"This was our wedding."

"You were married at the hospital?" Mark chuckled.

"I didn't want us to be. But, Kate insisted" Doug felt the lump in his throat start to swell. "God, I miss her" he told Mark softly.

Mark was unsure of what to say to comfort his friend and he struggled for words. But, before he could anything, wrong or right, they were both distracted by the sound of Cassidy crying from her crib.

"I'll get her!" Mark jumped up as Doug hit the STOP button on the remote to stop the tape.

Mark went into the bedroom where Doug kept Cassidy's crib close to his own bed and found the little girl standing up, clinging to the top bar of the crib, crying loudly. As soon as he came through the door, she immediately reached her arms out for him to take her. He picked her up and checked her diaper but that didn't seem to be the problem so he carried her out to Doug on the sofa.

"She's clean and dry...you think she's hungry?"

"No" Doug shook her head, holding his daughter against this chest and patting her bottom gently in comfort. "She's getting a new tooth. I've got some freeze pops in the freezer...get one and give it to her."

"OK" Mark got in the freezer and took out the frozen treat in a plastic wrapper and offered it to the still squalling baby. She began to gnaw on it while Doug brushed tears off her face.

"Is that better, Baby?" he kissed her cheek gently. She flung her arms around him, batting him in the face with the cold freeze pop, and whimpering softly. Doug looked up at Mark with a grimacing look. "She's really been having a rough time. I think it could be a long night."

"Then, we should trade bedrooms, because I want you to rest! I'll take care of the little princess." Mark reached to take the baby out of Doug's arms.

"My dialysis stuff is all set up in there. You'll need to take her crib into the other bedroom." Doug told him as he rose to his feet.

"I can do that. You get to bed and rest. I'll take care of the baby."

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, I'm sure! I had a baby once too, you know!"
"Yeah, but you said you didn't take care of her...your wife did!"

"Well, it'll give me a chance to see what I missed."

"OK" Doug nodded. Mark was sure he saw a hint of a smile in his eyes. "Then, I'm going to bed."

"Yes! You go to bed...hook yourself up...and get some rest. I'll take care of Cassidy!"

Doug went on to bed, chuckling lightly to himself. Mark rolled the crib out and down the hall to his bedroom. Doug made sure his door was closed and then put a pillow over his head to help deaden the sound of his daughter crying.

Even with the door closed he could hear Mark walking, and talking to the baby. Back and forth he head Mark go, the sounds of crying loud and soft, depending on how close to the door he was walking.

"Mark!" Doug finally called to him as he heard him pass by the door.

"Why are you still awake?" Mark opened the door. He looked a little harried. Doug laughed to himself thinking that if Mark had hair he'd look even worse.

"Are you kidding? Who could sleep! Take her to the rocker and sit with her...she'll shut up."

"How do you do this every night?"

"Now you know why I need help!" Doug smiled at him.

"Yeah" Mark nodded. "No kidding."

Mark closed Doug's door and took the baby to the rocker in the main room. He sat with her cuddled on his shoulder and began to rock her slowly, humming a lullaby to her. She looked at him for a while, wondering who this funny man in the glasses was, but, eventually, she fell against him, fast asleep.

"Finally" Mark sighed, leaning his head back against the chair just as his alarm clock when off in the other room. "Oh, man! What a fun day this is going to be!"

Mark took Cassidy and laid her in her crib, got showered, and headed for work. Before leaving, he opened the door to Doug's room to see him sleeping soundly so he quietly closed it back and headed for the train. As soon as Mark showed up at the hospital, Carol checked out and high fived him in the hallway as they passed each other...one shift coming and one shift going.

Carol went quietly into Doug's apartment. First, she checked on Cassidy and found her sleeping soundly with her little fist up beside her mouth. Carol walked over to her crib and touched her back gently, pulling the covers up around her and tucking them under the mattress to hold her in. She went back out and closed the door behind her. Then she went to check on Doug. He was also sleeping soundly and she went in to check on him as well. The machine beside him read END OF THERAPY and Doug was lying on his stomach with one arm flung up over his head. Carol pushed the button to see the CLOSE ALL CLAMPS code. She carefully snapped shut all 4 of the open clamps on the tubes and then closed his exchange unit as well. Then she pushed the button again for the code DISCONNECT YOURSELF. She took a unit cap from the pouch beside the machine and slowly unscrewed the exchange unit from the machine tube and placed the betadine soaked cap over the opening of the exchange unit, being careful not to breathe on it while it was open. Then, she recorded the initial drain and UF numbers from the machine for him and turned it off, letting him continue to sleep. She carefully pulled the covers around his shoulders ad tucked them just slightly, somehow resisting the urge to touch him. Then, she went out of his room and closed his door behind her.

She walked through his apartment and set to straightening things up, but there was little to do. Things were pretty much in order already. She did notice the VCR was turned on so she went over to turn it off. The indicator told her there was a tape in the machine, so, she pushed the EJECT button to pop it out. She looked for an empty case while she held the cassette in her hands and then she noticed the label on it..."Wedding". She couldn't resist sliding the tape back into the machine and pushing PLAY. Then, she sat down on the couch to watch just a minute or so of it.

"Do you," a Priest was asking the woman dressed in white, "Caitlyn Renee Maria LaVorious, take this man, Douglas Ray Ross, to be your lawful, wedded husband? To have and the hold, from this day forward, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, forsaking of all other and keeping only unto him for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do" The woman was looking directly into Doug's eyes and she was smiling at him. And he looked handsome even in blue hospital scrubs.

"And do you, " the Priest turned now to Doug, "Douglas Ray Ross, take this woman, Caitlyn Renee Maria LaVorious, to be your lawful, wedded wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, in sickness and in health, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, forsaking of all others and keeping only unto her for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do" Doug looked into the eyes of soon to be wife and smiled.

"Doug, place this ring on Caitlyn's left ring finger and repeat after me 'With this ring, I thee wed'..."

"With this ring" Doug slipped the ring on Caitlyn's finger and smiled at her. "I thee wed"

"Caitlyn, place this ring on Doug's left ring finger and repeat after me, 'With this ring, I thee wed'..."

"With this ring" Caitlyn's voice was soft and quiet, "I thee wed" she looked up into the eyes of her new husband and smiled.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." The Priest smiled as he closed his bible. "Well, go on, Doug! Kiss your bride!"

The first kiss Doug gave to Mrs. Doug Ross was sweet and tender and it made Carol's toes curl to watch it. Then, everyone threw confetti amid laughter, hugs, and congratulations.

"Pretty hokey wedding, wasn't it?" Carol heard Doug's voice behind her and she turned around, startled.

"I didn't mean to pry!" she told him quickly, but, he just smiled.

"It's OK. I was watching it myself last night" he came over to the sofa and sat down beside her.

"You need to have your feet up" she tapped his legs gently and he swung them up off the floor.

"There's a birthday party on that tape after the wedding" Doug told her. "You should watch it. You really get to see Kate a-la natural in that one!"

"Do watch them a lot?" Carol asked. Doug shook his head.

"Last night was the first time I've watched them since she died. I'm going to save them and give them to Cass when she's old enough."

"I think that would be very nice" she smiled at him. "She was very beautiful" she added softly.

"Inside and out" he nodded. "The only flaw in her life was that she loved me."

"Why was that a flaw?" Carol laughed at him.

"I was never sure I was worthy of her. She was a wonderful lady. And somehow she had the ability to see past all my faults to get down inside my soul and see the man I really was and love me."

"Why do you think you're not worthy of love?" Carol gave him a serious look and tone. "I know I feel very attracted to you."

"You didn't know me back then " he smiled. "I had a chip on my shoulder as big as Manhattan. I was angry, and defiant...I would butt heads with anybody just for the sake of an argument sometimes. I was a crusader for children and I didn't let anybody get in my way no matter what the cost. I've changed a little. Marriage changed me. Cassidy changed me" he grinned sadly. "Kate changed me."

"Love changed you" Carol offered to him softly. "And that's what love is all about."

"Maybe" he nodded. "But when she died I had to wonder if I'd ever know that kind of love again."

"Of course you will" Carol smiled at him.

"I don't know, Carol...they say there's someone for everyone...they never say there's two of them." he sighed. "You can watch that tape anytime you want, OK?" he smiled weakly. "I don't mind."

"I didn't mean to invade your privacy" Carol felt just awful about having played the tape now.

"It's OK" he assured her. "I don't mind. Really."

"Well, enough of this" Carol jumped up off the sofa. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"Sure" he nodded.

Carol moved quickly into the kitchen to begin fixing breakfast for both of them when she heard Cassidy crying from her crib.

"I'll get her!" she told Doug. "You stay put!"

"Yes, ma'am" he nodded with a slight smile.

Carol went down the hall and opened the door to find the little girl standing up, clinging to the top bar of her crib, and stamping her feet eagerly while reaching her arms out to Carol.

"Hi, sweetheart!" Carol smiled. "Are you ready for breakfast?"

Carol picked the baby up and carried her to the changing table to give her a fresh diaper. Then, she carried her in her sleeper to the kitchen and put her in her high chair.

"Doug, I think you can join us at the table" she told him as she set breakfast down for both of them.

"I thought I was supposed to stay in bed" he teased her.

"You're supposed to rest. I don't think sitting at the table long enough to eat breakfast is going to hurt you."

Doug rose slowly to his feet and walked carefully into the kitchenette to sit at the table. Cassidy banged her hands on the tray of her high chair and babbled happily.

"Good morning, little angel" Doug reached over and kissed his daughter's cheek. "How's Daddy's little girl today?" he chuckled. "Besides hungry!"

"What do you feed her?" Carol wanted to know.

"Give her some cereal...she likes that real well. And give her some formula to go with it."

"OK" Carol nodded. "I fixed you eggs because I know you need the protein and I gave you oatmeal with milk."

"That's fine" he nodded. "Thank you. I'm not used to somebody cooking for me!"

"Well, you can get used to it for a while" she smiled as she joined him across the table. "I'll be going to the market today, so, if there's anything you can think of you'd like to have, let me know and I'll get it for you."

"OK" he nodded. "I'll give you some money."

"Did I ask you for any money?"

"Well, no, but, you're shopping for me, so..."

"When I want money from you, I'll ask for it" she told him sharply. "OK?"

"OK" he smiled with a nod.

"How are you feeling today anyway?"

"Pain's better" he shrugged. "I'm OK. I don't know how I'm going to take this 'staying in bed' thing, though. Thank God I have a laptop here and can work, at least."

"Just be sure you take your medicine."

"Yes, 'Nurse' Hathaway!" he smiled at her.

Sometime after breakfast, he was bedded down on the couch with the computer and the TV remote when Carol came through, carrying the baby in her arms.

"We're going to the store! Anything you want?"

"You're taking her with you?"

"Sure! Why not?"

"Better stay in the middle of the aisle with her unless you want to pay for a lot of things you don't want!" he chuckled.

"I think I can handle it" she told him. "Anything you want?"

"Yeah" he handed her a small list. "Just a few things."

"OK" she looked over the list. "I'll take care of it."

Once she was gone, Doug put the computer aside and picked up the phone. He dialed a number and smiled as he heard the familiar voice on the other end.

"Talk to me, Douglas!"

"Hey, Rick! How's it going out there?"

"Hey, Buddy! How are you doing?"

"I've hit a little set back...complication of the wreck that we didn't catch in the beginning, but, I'm gonna be fine."

"Listen, I'm glad you called...I was gonna call you later this week! I'm coming to Chicago for a convention in two weeks...will you be well by then?"

"Tentatively, yes."

"Good! Then, I can count on you to accompany me to it?"

"Sure. I'll be looking forward to it!"

"Great! How's my little Goddaughter?"

"She's great. She's growing like a weed. You won't even know her when you see her."

"Well, you get yourself rested up, Buddy, so we can shoot some hoops while I'm there."

"Oh, I'll be ready for that! For sure! See you in a few, Rickster."

"Later, Douglas!"

Once he hung up the phone, Doug turned his attention to the TV and turned the VCR on. He forwarded the tape to birthday scene and let it play, watching it intently, but with misty eyes.

His brother, Chris, was softly strumming the guitar while sitting on the chair arm and singing softly to Doug's pregnant wife.

"People smile and tell me I'm the lucky one...and we've just begun...I think I'm gonna have a son...he will be like him and me as free as a dove...conceived in love....the sun is gonna shine above...and even though we ain't got money...I'm so in love with you honey....and in the morning when I rise...I wipe a tear of joy from my eyes and tell you every thing's gonna be all right..."

The song was 'Danny's Song' which Doug knew Kenny Loggins had written for his own brother, Danny, to celebrate the birth of his brother's son and it was a song Kate loved. Doug was touched that Chris would play it and sing it for her.

Chris....that was somebody he needed to give a new phone number to. The only number he had for Chris was a garage number in Italy. And he hated to call there. But, he did dial the number and left a message, leaving a new phone number for Chris.

Chris Kilpatrick was a successful race car driver throughout most of Europe. He had been doing a little more stateside racing, but, still preferred the courses in Europe to anything else. Doug thought maybe the cute little Italian tennis pro was also part of the reason for that decision. Nicknamed "Killer" for his brutal driving ability, sponsors had been known to fight over the rights to have him drive for them. But, Chris had stayed with Brian Hoskins...the man who first believed in him and gave him his start at only at 22. Now 28, Chris was a celebrity where ever he went. He and Doug had stumbled upon each other strictly by accident. Chris had been injured in a car crash in NY during a promotional tour and brought into the Sinai ER. Doug was on duty and treated the racer. When he took personal information from Brian for Chris' file, Brian listed Chris' father as "Ray Ross". Doug checked this information out with Ray and Ray admitted it was true. He had engaged in a relationship with Chris' mother soon after he and Sarah had divorced. He had never married her and he didn't even know about a child. But, if there was a child, Ray had no doubts that it was his. In a private conversation, Doug had related all of this information to Chris, who was just as shocked as Doug was to learn everything. But, the two men decided to make the best of things, since neither had grown up with a sibling, and they kept in touch. Chris had inherited his mother's musical talent and at one time had toyed with the idea of becoming a rock star. But, his love for speed and adventure finally won out when he tried cross track motorcycle racing and he turned his attention to NASCAR. But the NASCAR circuit proved too tame and too hard to break into and he ventured on to formula racing, where he had been very happy for about 5 years. He was now considered one of the top ten drivers in the world. Doug kept in touch with him and enjoyed the time they had together whenever their worlds collided. One of Doug's fondest memories was Chris singing at their wedding. He had written the song himself and played it on the guitar in the trauma room at the hospital and it had been wonderful....surely one of the best wedding gifts they got.

Feeling tired, Doug got up off the couch and went back to his bed to lie down. No sooner did his head hit the pillow until his eyes grew very heavy. He closed them for what he thought would just be a minute to rest them...

Carol came back from the market balancing a baby and the groceries very carefully into the apartment. She set the groceries on the table and put Cassidy in her high chair with a bottle of juice while she put the things away. Then, she put the juice away and took Cassidy with her as she went back through the apartment. She looked in on Doug and found him asleep. It wasn't until she saw how peaceful he looked that she realized how tired she was her own self. She took Cassidy in and laid her down on the bed beside Doug. Then, she laid down on the other side with the baby between them and closed her eyes...

Doug could feel something soft pushing against his face. He opened his eyes to see his young daughter patting her tiny hands against his face and he smiled at her.

"Hello, little munchkin" he reached out and pulled her close to him so he could kiss her cheek. "And just what are you doing in here?"

"Aah gah!" Cassidy babbled at him and clapped her hands together.

"Oh, is that so?" Doug laughed.

Then, he noticed Carol napping on the bed across from him. He smiled at the sight of her, eyes closed, hair tossed loosely about her pillow. She looked peaceful and calm. And maybe a tad angelic to him. He couldn't resist reaching out to touch her hair. It was something he had been wanting to do since the first day he saw her. He reached over and gently caressed a handful of her silky tresses, moving a little closer to her as he did. He held her hair to his face, rubbing it against his cheek, and smelling it's sweet scent. He was so caught up in his fantasy come true that he didn't notice Carol awakening to stare in disbelief at what he was doing.

"What are you doing?" she asked him quietly, startling him, and forcing an embarrassed chuckle to spring from his throat.

"Something I've been wanting to do since the minute I laid eyes on you" he admitted quietly. Carol smiled shyly at him.

"I was beginning to wonder if this attraction was one sided."

"No" he shook his head and smiled. "I'm just scared of getting close to someone again."

"I can understand that" she nodded. "The idea of being close to someone doesn't exactly stack up well with me, either."

"Then, what exactly do we think we're doing?" he laughed.

"I was thinking the same thing myself" she grinned at him, noticing he had moved even closer to her until the were almost nose to nose on the bed.

"If I kiss you right now, will I get my face slapped?" he smiled shyly at her.

"Are you in a habit of kissing women who slap your face for it?" she smiled sweetly back at him.

"It's happened a few times" he shrugged.

"Well" she reached out and touched his face with her fingertips. "You'll just have to take your chances, won't you?"

He inched himself closer to her, anticipating the taste of her lips against his almost eagerly. He almost smiled when she closed her eyes, waiting for him to kiss her. He leaned his face to hers carefully, opening his mouth just slightly, his anticipation and excitement rising more every second.

"Da Da!"

He heard the voice behind him and it stopped him cold. Carol opened her eyes and looked at his flabbergasted expression and she smiled.

"Did she say what I think she said?" he asked her, trying to curtail his excitement.

"I'm pretty sure she did" Carol smiled.

Doug whirled around to see his baby daughter, laughing a scattered tooth smile and reaching her arms out to her.

"Da Da!" she repeated.

"Omigod!" Doug reached out and snatched the baby up, pulling her into his arms and hugging her gleefully. "She knows who I am!"