Christina was sitting on a bar stool head phones on and eating cereal when I wondered in through the door. She pressed pause and threw and large manila envelope at me..."this came for you this afternoon." she mumbled as she got up off the stool and sauntered off into her bedroom closing the door with a resounding thunk.

I slowly turned the package over in my hand--there was no stamp or anything, just my name scrawled across it. It wasn't heavy exactly, but it was definatly more than just paper. An odd feeling flickered through me; part of me was excited to open the envelope and take the journey of discovering what lay inside, but a large part of me was scared that it was some sort of joke that would make me angry...so I threw it on the couch and walked into the kitchen to find something to munch on...but the longer I didn't look at the pouch, the more uneasy I became...so I grabbed my beer and resolutly slit open the large manela envelope. Out slipped a CD, and a note...

Callie--

I know you never get to spend much time with Erica because you two are so busy ignoring eachother or working really hard to keep your jobs...so here's the deal...this is a scavanger hunt...kind of...take the CD, grab your jacket and get in your car...don't put the CD in untill your partner in crime for the evening is with you. Oh--and for me, let loose and have a little fun, okay!

Christina

As I arrived at the hospitial Erica was standing near the exit, and all the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding left my body in a rush. She smiled as my SUV pulled up to where she stood.

"Mark left me a note that said to wait for you right here at 7:30...where were you? It's almost 8." she said getting into my vehicle; she looked a little disheveled and I began to chuckle..."What is so funny?" Erica demanded. Which only made me laugh harder...

"I think we've been had...I'm supposed to put this CD in the player now that I've picked up my 'partner in crime' for the evening." I used air quotes and everything.

Christina's voice came on..."Well okay, it took you two long enough to realize what everyone already knew...I'm suposed to say something sappy and hallmarkian, but that is so not my style...so I'll just play the song I chose for you two and relax okay...seriously you two...I swear...the recording cut off and Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis came on. Erica just looked at me.

"What?"...I replyed..."I swear I had nothing to do with this..."

"Okay fine...were here in the SUV, listening to the song...is this supposed to be all magical, is there some psyco babble in the background or something..."

"Relax...I'm sure the next step will come when were ready."

At that moment there was a knock on Erica's window...I rolled it down to reveal Baily and Tuck all ready to go home. She handed Erica a manela evelope much like the one I had opened in the apartment.

"What is this?" she inquired.

Baily rolled her eyes, and said "open it and find out."

Erica openes envelopes like she opens chests very carefully and with a sharp object...into her lap fell a CD and another note...

To Erica and Callie:

Good for you two; It's about time someone in the hospital gets something they want...relax; we're just trying to show you guys we all care. So stick in the CD and have some fun, cut loose, and do not tell me about any of what happens tonight...I can't consentrate at work with all the stuff I hear already...

Bailey

p.s. when you're done listening to this rockin' song go to where it all began...

We stuck in the CD at once, and then began to laugh...Dave Matthews was playing. Bailey had chosen Crash into Me; which is kind of how Erica and I ended up in this thing to begin with. We are both so stuborn and good at our jobs but bad at anything outside of them...we just kind of crashed together, and we haven't really been able to pull apart since...

"So where are we supposed to go...I mean we can't stay in the car all night in front of the hospital." I said.

Erica turned in here seat to look me full in the face..."I wonder," She paused with a thoughtfull look on her face..."do you remember our 'I don't make friends easily' discussion?"

I nodded...and reached across the spanse of the front seat to grab her hand because she was fidgeting with the clue. Her breath caught in her throat and I wondered, and not for the first time if this was going to work...maybe Erica and I were meant to just be friends...but how would I know if I didn't try...

"I think we should go to the scrub room..."

"Okay; but I think we should actually park the SUV first, we wouldn't want to be towed while were scavanging..."

As we exited the SUV in the parking lot Erica grabed my hand interlacing our fingers, and placed a kiss on my knuckles...she looked nervous, like she didn't really know what she was doing...I smiled shyly at her, and said..."to the scrub room."