WELCOME BACK TO COMMUNITY GENERAL HOSPITAL

PART 1

This is a three-part story. I hope you enjoy it!

Amanda completed her autopsy at one of the Community General Hospital labs and she was just writing it up when the door opened slightly. She didn't hear it at all but carried on writing all the necessary details she needed to do before Mark came back and wanted to know how the woman died. She knew he would be disappointed that the woman's death was in fact accidental and not attempted murder at all. Even Steve had said the possibility of it being murder was not completely true at all. Amanda had to laugh slightly at Mark's enthusiasm at the possibility that this could be a murder. The figure that came through the door slowly advanced on her, carefully tiptoeing across the shiny floor towards Amanda's table to peer over her shoulder.

Amanda raised her eyebrows with amusement. "Hello, Jesse."

"Darn!" the young Doctor retorted as Amanda turned round in her chair to look at him. "How did you know."

"Well, the only people that come in this lab are you, Steve and Mark and since Mark always knocks and Steve is at the police station, the only other possibility is you." Jesse looked downcast and was about to say something when Amanda put her hand up. "And, Jesse, before you ask, I am not going to give you the final result of the autopsy."

Jesse's eyes widened. "Why not?"

"Because Mark told me to come to him first straight afterwards and not you," Amanda replied, unable to keep the smug look off her face as she sighed the report, closed it and gathered up a few of her things to go and see Mark. Jesse followed close behind.

Jesse almost looked hurt. "I am just so not appreciated around here!"

Amanda turned round and patted her young colleague on the cheek lightly. "Of course you are, Jesse. But the fact remains that you are still the baby among us and the older and wiser make the decisions."

Jesse narrowed her eyes. "I am not a 'baby.'

Amanda rolled her eyes. "I rest my case." She turned round and walked off with Jesse still following close behind with a mock hurt expression on his face. They bumped into Mark in the lobby just inside the entrance of the hospital. He was with his son, Steve, obviously talking about the woman that had died, Joan Cowell. Amanda could tell immediately that trying to convince Mark that the woman was not murdered was going to be rather hard. If his Steve couldn't do it then they had a problem. "Mark, I just came back from the lab after doing the report. Steve's right, you know. Joan certainly wasn't murdered. It was just an accidental death with acid. She had soap in her eyes, she couldn't see."

"Besides, there was no tampering with the bottle," Steve continued, giving his father a look.

Mark looked round hopelessly. "I swear you have all ganged up on me," he said, shaking his head.

Steve smiled and patted his father on the arm. "Sorry, dad, but there's definitely no murder here this time." Mark nodded dejectedly.

One of the passing nurses handed Jesse a file on one of the patients. He opened it and skimmed through it, taking a pencil out of his coat pocket and began writing. The rest of them were laughing at Mark's eagerness to start solving another case. Even Jesse was slightly disappointed at not being able to. None of them noticed the doors of the hospital opening and someone coming in. he was dressed normally but his features were still the same. Seeing the group, he smiled and walked over to them whilst they were still and one was still writing. "What is this, don't I get a greeting from some old friends?" a familiar Brooklyn accent asked.

They all turned round. "Jack!" Amanda cried full of amazement. She reached over and hugged him and Jack returned it happily. Amanda's face was full of joy and Jack was still smiling, winking at Steve and Mark.

"You know, this could have been the most meaningful loving thing I've ever got out of you Amanda," Jack said, his voice filled with mock passion. Amanda slapped him playfully on the arm. He held her back at arm's length. "Man, you still look beautiful," he told her and she beamed. Jack looked over at the others. "Mark! Steve!"

"Jack," Steve acknowledged and shook his hand, giving him a friendly hug in the process. He did the same to Mark. "What brings you back to LA? I thought you were somewhere in Colorado."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, been there, done that. What is this, can't a guy see his old friends again." He shrugged apologetically. "I know it's kinda been a while and we kinda lost contact but it was harder back there than it was here. I decided to make it up to you by coming to see you again." He marveled at how they all looked after so long. "Man, you all look so different…yet the same." He smiled again and the others laughed with him.

Jesse had been watching the spectacle from the other side of the reception desk. He had stopped writing when he saw the old friend greet his hospital colleagues as well. Jesse could tell that had obviously got along. He didn't know what he felt—happiness? Jealousy? Maybe a little left out. But he shook his head and carried on writing, hoping to get to his patient quickly before anyone had noticed he was gone. His own politeness meant he didn't feel as though he should intrude. Jesse had heard a lot about Jack Stewart, the intern before him. He was their friend—not his.

"But there's something else as well," Jack said, unable to keep the smile of his face and putting his hands into his brown leather jacket. "I passed from Colorado. I'm a fully qualified Doctor of surgery and medicine now." Amanda hugged him with delight again. Steve smiled even more and clapped Jack on the back.

Mark moved forward to shake Jacks' hand. "Congratulations, Jack, that's terrific," he said, the happiness totally evident in the Doctor's voice. "I couldn't be more pleased for you, this is great news."

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I thought you'd be pleased. I owe a lot of it to you, Mark."

Mark gave him a mock serious stare. "Now you're pushing it." The rest of them laughed again.

"No, I mean it," Jack replied earnestly. "I would never have been able to get through that if there had not been some of the things you taught me, such as in crime. Hey, you still doing that? Do you still do it to the point that you forget your interns?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Could you believe it," he commented and Jack laughed.

Amanda gave both the men and disapproving glance and shook her head. "Mark is brilliant at it all. He does all the crime and he's good to his interns too. I'm sure Jesse would say so." She looked around and motioned for Jesse to come forward. Jesse, who had still been writing, looked up at them in surprise and then came forward. "Jesse, this is Jack Stewart, an old friend before you came here. Jack, this is Jesse Travis, Mark's current intern."

"Nice to meet you," Jesse said.

Jack smiled. "Likewise," he answered, his dark eyes shining mischievously. "So, you're the guy who took my place." Jesse nodded. Jack patted Jesse's shoulder. "Don't worry, you're being influenced by the best Doctor I know. No one in Colorado even beats him." Mark rolled his eyes. "Tell me, Jesse, does Mark still drag you into the same old crime fighting gang?"

Jesse never got the chance to answer—Mark interrupted. "I don't drag Jesse into everything. He does it willingly." Jesse felt even more out of place now. He clutched the clipboard tightly in his hand that his knuckles went white. He thought the pencil in his hand would snap. Jesse just didn't feel right surrounded by his friends when the center of attention was someone he didn't know. They obviously all got along fine but for Jesse it was different. Jesse just smiled shyly and looked down at the ground, praying it would end soon.

"Well," Mark said slowly. "I think this calls for a celebration on your new found Doctor-ship, don't you think? You can't come here and not expect to have a party." Jack just looked down, smiling, shaking his head.

"I think that's a good idea," Amanda replied, nodding. She took hold of Jack's and he smiled with satisfaction. He winked at Steve who fell into a quiet laughter. "And I know just the place to go." Amanda nodded as a matter-of-factly.

Steve sighed. "You don't expect me to work at Barbecue Bob's tonight!"

Amanda shrugged. "Leave it to the chef's then." At Jack's confused frown, she explained. "Steve, Mark and Jesse own this barbecue joint not far away from here." Jack looked in appreciation from Steve to the quiet and patient Jesse. "I think we can say the partnership has been somewhat—successful. I'm sure if it's a good idea as long as he can persuade Steve?" They all looked at him, waiting for an answer. He shrugged and said, why not.

"Jess, you're coming right?" Steve asked.

Jesse looked as though he was about to drop his clipboard and pencil. All eyes now turned onto him. "Me? Um…well, I don't think so."

"Why not?"

Jesse started to back away a bit. He smiled even more uncertainly. "Well, he's your friend. I would just feel as though I was getting in the way…seeing as I don't know him that well, it just—well, wouldn't feel right. I think I'll just leave you to get on with it."

Mark shook his head with the others. "Nonsense."

Jesse held up his hands, looking for a hasty exit. He would give anything to get out here right now. "No, honestly, I mean it. You guys go out and have fun. Besides, I have a date with Haley anyway." He looked at Jack. "Nice meeting you." He turned round quickly and walked off round the corridor. The others watched him and Steve, Mark and Amanda traded slightly guilty looks. They suddenly realized their mistake and noticed they had not noticed it in time before they had made Jesse run off.

Jack frowned then smiled. He jerked his thumb in the direction of Jesse. "He always like that?"

* * * * *

Jack put down his last spare rib and leaned back. "Steve, if I knew you could make such tasty stuff, I would never had complained in the car." He smiled round at the rest of them. "Colorado, I lived on the hospital food they had there, which wasn't that bad compared to CG, but Steve, this tops everything including the five star in Colorado."

Amanda raised her eyebrows. "Who told you Steve made it?" she asked, with a slight teasing edge in her voice. Steve narrowed his eyes playfully at her. "No, honestly, Steve, that was good." They were well into their third hour at Barbecue Bob's and eaten more than they could manage. Jack was very much impressed with the place when he first entered. As the night drew closer, more and more people arrived. Every so often, Steve would disappear to make sure thing were all right. Without the help of Jesse, it was a bit harder to keep things in control. But he managed to free enough time to go and join in the celebrations they were all having.

The unexpected visit of Jack Stewart had definitely surprised them. There seemed to be a slightly lighter mood on all them as they looked forward, throughout today, to tonight. There was just something about Jack which lightened everything. The day seemed better. Jack was different. He definitely had more knowledge and maturity around him but there was still that streetwise, carefree feeling around him. Maybe it was because Mark and Amanda could spend more time with him and take their mind of work, which made one of these days more pleasant.

"Yer, thumbs up, Steve," Jack said. He stretched. "It's a shame your friend, Jesse Travis, couldn't be here."

Mark laughed. "Yes. It is a shame. Jesse's a really good intern—" and smiled at Jack's incredulous face with eyebrows raised—"still as good as you are, of course. Hard working and definitely eager. I think he just felt slightly unnerved at your suddenly appearance."

Jack laughed. "Who wasn't! I would have been too. It's not every a old friend of a friend comes through the mist."

Amanda smiled and put her knife and fork down. She was sitting next to Jack in one of the booths and opposite Mark. "Where is Jesse, anyway?" she asked, half a frown on her face.

"Said he had a date."

Amanda frowned even more, then shrugged, the concern wiped off her face. She carried on eating. "Strange, he was still at the hospital when we left." Mark's concern, though, did not diminish as easily as Amanda's. He was slightly worried about Jesse. He had noticed that he was unusually quiet when Jack arrived and his hasty exit from the reunion group. He did understand that they had not included Jesse as much, due to the excitement and that made Mark feel even worse. The thing was, he had barely seen Jesse all day after that. He began working non-stop. He didn't even see him stopping for a break at lunchtime or when his shift ended.

There didn't seem a minute in the day when Jesse was not doing something. He tended to every patient and ever ER victim. He even hurried off when Mark wanted to talk to him with Amanda and Steve. Mark had discussed this with Steve and Steve had brushed it off, saying Jesse would get over it. Mark hoped so, because if Jesse continued working like that, it was no good for him.

When they finally finished at Barbecue Bob's, near closing time, they went to their cars. Jack said he had a hotel room on the other side of town, as he called over to the other side of the parking lot. As he went up to his car, he noticed with horror that his tires were slashed. He shouted out in frustration at who did this. Just as Amanda was about to come over to see what was wrong, he noticed a sign stuck to the windscreen secured by one of the wipers. He ripped it off and read WATCH YOUR BACK STEWART CAUSE I'M WATCHING YOU. Quickly, he pocketed the note before Amanda could see it. "Oh, man," she said, when she noticed the tires. "How about I take you home in my car?" she asked.

Jack smiled immediately. "Thought you'd never ask."

"Hey, you know what I mean," Amanda said, but still grinning.

Mark nodded. "You lot go off. I still have some papers to collect at the hospital. I'll see you tomorrow, Jack, at the hospital, bright and early."

"Ah, familiar words."

With that, the four of them separated out. Mark said he'd be home later to Steve and went back to the hospital. He had totally forgotten, in the midst of all the excitement to bring the papers with him and he knew they had to be completed by tomorrow lunchtime. He drove to the hospital, parked the car quickly and went inside. He walked past quickly and took a short cut through one of the lounges, which led to his office on the other side of the hospital. He stopped at one of the scenes before him and then raised his eyebrows. What he saw was Jesse Travis sitting in front of a desk. Papers covered the whole of it and the only thing on was a desk lamp. Beside him was a cup of coffee. Jesse was bent low, almost slouching, but obviously awake.

"Jesse?" Mark asked. Jesse jumped and turned round to face Mark. When he saw who it was, he sighed with relief. "You know, reading like that is bad for your eyesight."

Jesse gathered everything up. "Yeah, yeah, I know," he said distractedly as he collected. "I was just…um…finishing off a few things for tomorrow. Reading things through before I got back home."

"Uh-huh," Mark said, standing beside him but not quite believing him. He put a hand on the young doctor's shoulder. "Jesse, are you all right?"

Jesse looked at him with his eyebrows raised and blindly put the papers back into the file. He smiled but it didn't quite reach him. "Come on, Mark, of course I'm all right. What have I to be not all right about?" He drank the remains of the coffee quickly and turned off the desk lamp. "See you tomorrow, Mark." Mark waved a gesture and watched him walk out of the room. Sighing and shaking his head, wondering if Jesse was working over time, he collected his own files, switched off the light and wandered down to his car.

Jesse's car had already gone. Hoping his friend would get a good night's sleep and feel better tomorrow, he started his engine and drove back home.

* * * * *

Seven o'clock in the morning. Jack Stewart looked up at changed Community General Hospital. He sighed, suddenly wondering why he did leave. At the time, opening up his own clinic in Colorado had seemed like the best idea in the world. He got his license, his degree and qualifications. But he had never quite thought about what he was leaving behind. He left behind some of the best friends he had in the world. He left behind the best teachings he had and the atmosphere of the hospital. If there was one thing he missed the most, it was solving all those cases he did with Mark, Steve and Amanda. He smiled sadly at the memory of it and wondered why he did leave. His life hadn't been half as exciting when he did.

As he was about to walk in, he spotted a familiar figure walking in the opposite direction, looking over a few files to make sure he had everything. "Hey, Jesse Travis right?"

Jesse looked up. "Yeah." He couldn't think of anything to say.

Jack looked up again at the building. "Changed this building now. Probably for the better. Looks nice."

Jesse couldn't help but smiling. "Wasn't nice when it was bombed."

Jack turned to look at him in shock. "Bombed?"

Jesse grinned and put the files under his shoulder. "Why else do you think the hospital changed? You think they got fed up of the old look?" Jesse's smile instantly erased as though he wasn't supposed to smile.

Jack laughed though and clapped Jesse on the shoulder. "You're all right," he said and wandered inside. Jesse took a deep breath and sighed and he went inside the hospital to do his own work He saw Mark and Amanda walk up to meet Jack again and he turned the other way to avoid them quickly. He looked round and sighed with relief this time when he saw Mark hadn't noticed him. He dumped his things in the doctor's lounge where they would hopefully remain untouched. He got to work on his patients hoping that it would allow him to take his mind off Jack. He liked the guy. He was a totally laid back and friendly guy and he could see why he got along with Mark and the rest of the group. There was just something about Jack which made him lose his confidence. He thought that maybe if avoided them then they would forget and carry on like that until Jack left…if he left. Jesse wasn't looking for sympathy or attention. And he knew it. He was still thinking about it whilst he was checking the charts on one of his patients, Mrs. Ross. She seemed to notice something.

"Something wrong?" she asked him, her eyebrows raised. From the outside, Mrs. Ross looked like a perfectly normal middle aged lady. Even though terminally ill, she looked in good health at the moment. She was not nosy but Jesse always seemed to have the feeling that she knew everything not by gossip but by just judging someone's character. She was usually right but this time, Jesse tried to prove she wasn't.

"No, I'm fine," he said, slightly more dejectedly than planned.

Mrs. Ross gave him a dubious glance. In the past six months she had been in hospital and doctored by Jesse Travis, they had begun to know a lot about each other. "Nonsense. There is something wrong with you and you will not admit it. If you carry on going round with that frown but faraway look in yours eyes then people are bound to ask."

Jesse sighed and shut his clipboard. "You're too good. Have you ever…well, felt kind of rejected by people because of someone else?"

Mrs. Ross smiled. "Well, I've had over forty years to think about it but probably along the line, yes. Everyone does. It goes away."

Jesse looked up. "I hope it does." He walked out of the room and bumped into Pete Taylor. It had been at least a month since Jesse's attack. He had been grateful to Pete Taylor and had thanked him almost a thousand times for saving his life. He felt as though he owed Pete but Pete, being too modest, just made him promise never to do anything like that again. Pete looked as though he was in a rush. Breathlessly, he asked Jesse to go and get some papers for him about his resident. Jesse did so and Pete ran off, leaving Jesse at the reception again where he had things to do.

He walked behind the reception desk where Norman was standing, smiling. "Norman," he said, "you didn't move a couple of green sheets of paper with a bunch of scribbles on them, did you?"

"What scribbles?" Norman asked.

Jesse frowned. "My scribbles."

Norman smiled at another group of people leaving the hospital. "If I moved anything it would have been into the bin. Honestly, you would have thought this hospital was a bit more organized without having bits of paper strewn all over the desk." Rolling his eyes, Jesse sucked under the desk to retrieve some papers, which Norman claimed he threw into the bin. After a minute of thorough searching, he came up with a few crumpled pieces of paper but not all of what he wanted. Above him, he could hear Norman saying, "Goodbye Mr. Jenkins, hope you had a nice day," or "welcome to Community General Hospital."

Jesse tugged on his pant leg. "Hey, did you throw them all out?"

"I'm sure, Dr Travis, that they are somewhere there so please—Oh my! Dr Stewart, is that really you?" Jesse groaned inwardly at the mention of that name. Norman sounded as though he was over the moon about it and rounded the desk. "Boy, this is great to see you again! You don't know how pleased I am."

Jack laughed. "Yeah, it's great to see you too, Norman. Hey, you look practically the same since the last time I saw you."

Jesse could almost imagine Norman's hurt expression. "Can't you see? I lost a few pounds after that training exercise I went on."

Mark laughed. "Oh which you only stayed for one out of the four weeks."

"That's not funny, Mark." Jesse found himself smiling as well. "Anyway, Jack, Stewart, you didn't come here because of financial problems, did you?" Norman suddenly sounded worried at the thought.

Jack laughed. "Don't worry about your account, Norman, I haven't come to take anything out of it. I've just come to see you all. I left my clinic for a few days to come and see you lot again. I was thinking that after a few years it was a bit unfair that I hadn't come down to see any of you." Norman let out an audible sigh of relief, which no one took too seriously.

Jesse, having enough of listening to it all, jumped up and dusted himself down quickly. Mark looked at him strangely. "Jesse, what are you doing on the floor?" He could feel them looking at him.

"Just…clearing out the trash." Quickly he picked up his pieces of paper and spread them out over the edge of reception to straighten them. He tried to not let any of the events bother him. But something made him stay there and listen. He thought that at any moment he was going to explode with anger or something like that. Just the presence of Jack Stewart made him mad. It was just as they were about to go that Jesse remembered something. "Um…Mark, Pete wanted me to say that he was going to need you at half past three to…"

Mark held up his hand. "I gotta take Jack to the new rooms. He's going to be so thrilled about this. I'm sure Pete could wait slightly longer." With that, he walked off with Jack, happily chatting. Norman didn't seem to notice anything but remained with a smile on his face. Jesse turned away and shook his head. "Fine, I'll tell that after the man has died." He walked off.

Jack Stewart looked behind him to see Jesse Travis walk away. "Hey, what if that was something important he was tryin' to tell you?"

"Oh, I'm sure it could wait. Besides, you're our guest at the hospital."

Jack looked behind him again. "Yeah, but Jesse was trying to tell you…"

Mark stopped dead and put a palm to his forehead. "Oh, I've done it again." He turned round. "Jess..." he started to say but the young intern was nowhere in sight now. He disappeared round the corner.

"Done what again, dad?" Mark and Jack turned back round to see Amanda and Steve walking towards them. Amanda deposited her bloodied gloves in a nearby specialist contained and caught up with Steve. She looked inquiringly at Steve's question.

Mark put his hands in his pockets and looked guilty. "I've left Jesse out again," he sighed. "He came to inform me about something and I completely blew him off." He felt like kicking the wall beside him.

"Don't worry, Mark, I'm sure he'll come around," Amanda said. "I'll go talk to him."

Jack shook his head. "Nah, don't bother. Let me talk to him." The rest of them watched as Jack made his way to where they last saw Jesse. They could understand why Jesse was feeling slightly left out. Jesse didn't know Jack as well as they did and the surprise of him turning up after all these years made them want to make the best of it while he was still here. They just hadn't realized how that would make Jesse feel.

Jack followed the corridors, hoping to find Jesse in one of the ER rooms, or maybe the doctor's lounge, even the sleeping room that he was very familiar with. The whole layout of the hospital hadn't changed but he still didn't know where to look. After asking a few people, he finally found out from another doctor. "Oh, you mean Jesse Travis? Yeah, he was here a few minutes ago. Went out the back door that led to the car park." Thanking him, Jack ran towards the back door and almost tripped at the figure. On the steps leading down to the car park was a figure dressed in a white gown and light blue trousers, staring silently into space. Jack stopped and looked at the young intern. For the next few seconds, he didn't move apart from take a few breaths. "Hey, Jesse."

Jesse jumped almost three feet in the air and spun round to face him. "Jack…I…you scared the hell out of me." He turned back round and ran a hand through his blonde hair. "How long have you been standing there?"

Jack shrugged. "Long enough."

"Long enough to what?"

Jack sat down beside him. "Long enough to know that me coming here ain't been too good for you." Jesse turned his head sideways to frown at him. Jack laughed. "And don't bother saying that I don't, 'cause I know when it does. I've been a doctor long enough. You're a bit hyped up because I'm the old friend that has come back and now you're friends are totally rejecting you."

Jesse looked away. "Nah. It's not that."

Jack gave him a dubious glance. "Oh really? Then you tell me?"

Jesse couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Jack. To Jesse it was almost embarrassing. Did he really look that obvious that they sent Jack out to talk to him? But Jack had a very good way of talking; he admired him for that much. Jesse was now in a tricky situation. "Okay, I'm slightly 'rejected' but that's besides the point and I doubt you'll want to hear it anyway." He laugher bitterly. "In fact, thinking about it now, I feel almost stupid."

"Hey, anyone would act like that," Jack insisted. "Well, if it was me and anyone coming between Amanda." He laughed and Jesse smiled slightly. "But anyway, this is me, coming back after so many years and I'm sorry I've taken up so much of their time when in fact, I'm a total stranger. I didn't even expect to be welcome so much, you know? I thought they would have chucked me out after so much time with no contact." Jack sighed. "I can't stay here anyway. It's too long ago and all in the past. So Amanda is still yours."

Jesse laughed. "You think…" He shook his head. "No, it's not about me and Amanda. It's about me and Mark and Steve." Jack raised an eyebrow at him and Jesse gave him a disapproving look. "It's not what you think." Jesse let out a small moan. "I don't know whether I should tell you."

"Hey, my lips are sealed man. Just 'cause I know them so well, don't mean I'm ready to spill everything."

Jesse suddenly felt so rotten about acting so childishly. He ran a hands through is hair again, a sure sign of agitation. Jack was acting so nice to him and not making him feel guilty in any way but it was just that attitude that did it. He felt as though he'd known Jack for ages and that he could talk to him about anything. Could he really trust Jack with what he wanted to say? Amanda knew.

He sighed yet again and put his hands on his knees. "Okay, but don't get too comfortable it's not a happy-beginning or happily-ever-after story."

"Are they ever!" Jack exclaimed.

Jesse thought back. "I didn't exactly have the best home life. My parents divorced when I was still young and I lived with my mom in Minnesota. Only recently I found my dad was a CIA agent and left to protect us but that still didn't help what happened. There's always been a small rift between me and my father and even between me and my mother. That's one of the reasons I became a doctor—to impress them. When that didn't work, I just moved out here to do my internship." Jesse stopped. He didn't want to look at Jack so he stared at the side of a flashy convertible car. "And when I did come here and started working with Mark, I met Amanda and I also met Steve and…"

"And you became jealous?" Jack asked, finishing off the sentence.

Jesse laughed. "Hell, was I jealous? I was a deep green with envy. Yeah. They had the kind of father/son relationship that I'd never had. I don't remember experiencing it once in my life. Both my parents have been down here but it's just not the same. It's not like what Mark and Steve had and it's what I always wanted." Jesse shook his head. "It's no like it's going to happen. I've been excepted into their circle as far as I can go. Strange thing is, Mark is more of a father than my real dad ever was. If I had a choice, I probably would go for Mark."

Jack nodded. "So this is a psychological thing."

Jesse turned to face him. "You're not going to report me so I can get time off to see a psychiatrist over this personal problem, are you?"

Jack held up his hands. "I only have power in Colorado."

Jesse smiled. "Thanks." He started to get up but Jack pulled him down.

"Hey, your life with your family may not have been perfect but they're still your family. You can pick your friends; you can't pick your parents. But if in there is the closest you can get to is a family then that's good for you. Mark's really great guy—all three of them are. You're lucky to be part of that and you shouldn't take it for granted."

Jesse couldn't help feeling better. "I don't."

"Good. And…yeah, I'm sorry for making you feel that way." Jack held out his hand and Jesse took it gladly, feeling that everything between him and Jack was now patched up and better. He could go on without having to turn around and walk away from it all. Maybe telling Jack was a good idea after all.

"Thanks, Jack."

"Hey, no sweat!" Jack turned round and walked back inside leaving Jesse back out on the stairs again. Jesse stared into the empty parking lot outside for a few minutes for getting up. He felt a lot better. But before he could totally get up, someone came up behind him and put a hand over his mouth. The next thing he felt was a blade press against his throat.

"Now then, I really hope he told you where those papers were, because I've come too far to be disappointed."

Jesse paused, wondering what was going on and what the man was talking about. One thing for sure, it wasn't a game and Jack wasn't playing it.

* * * * *

Mark went over to Jack when he returned. The dark haired man was smiling at them as he walked over and there didn't seem to be a worry on his face. Steve and Amanda had waited more patiently for him to come back than Mark, who was still feeling guilty about what he had done to his young intern. "How is he? He didn't run away or something like that did he?"

Jack put his arm around Mark's shoulders. "You worry too much, you know that. He went back to looking after his patients and when he finished, we just straightened things out. Nothing to it. He shouldn't be feeling so down any more so everything's better now: he's gone back to his patients and I think you owe me a look around this hospital?"

Mark nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I think I do."

Several hours later Jack had been shown round the whole hospital with the help of Mark and Amanda. Steve had to leave half way through because of his work but promised to meet up with Jack later after work. Even though Mark sometimes had to do his work as well, Jack was allowed a small amount of time to work, going against Norman's orders of 'it isn't a good idea.' Norman never found out and with Jack as a fully qualified doctor. At the end of it all, Mark asked Jack as a rhetorical question for being so good at his profession, why he ever left Community General in the first place. Jack, not wanting to give the feeling of a guilt trip, made up a joking excuse and left it at that.

But as the whole day grew on, Jack realized how much he had missed it in Community General. Sure, the hospital was different and people who used to work there when he did were gone. Delores was done. Several other pretty nurses' that he remembered had left as well. Maybe for the exact same reasons he did? He didn't know. Thinking back now and how he had done for a long time, he wondered why he'd left. Even though it had changed, things were the same. Mark was still here; Steve was still here; Amanda was still here. Amanda even had a child of her own now, CJ, who he had heard lots about. Heard about how Jesse had delivered him, heard about his antics and was even invited to meet him…and to Jack there was always this feeling that he left behind too much when he moved to Colorado.

As the afternoon drew to a close, Mark whistled as he took his gown off and dumped it into his locker. Jack was with Amanda and he met them by the entrance of the hospital. "Phew, a pile up with a truck can bring a whole lot of bodies," she commented. "Luckily, there were mainly dead chickens and not so many dead people."

Jack shook his head. "How can she say that so lightly?" he asked Mark and he shrugged and shook his head. Wondering what was taking Steve so long, Mark decided they go out the back way of the hospital, thinking that maybe there were too many cars outside for Steve to park. "Is it just me or did the amount of people in this hospital double or something."

"Just you," both Amanda and Mark replied. Jack grinned.

Mark opened the door and scanned the half-empty parking lot. It was just about beginning to get dark but light enough to see. What he saw was a shadow kneeling down on the ground. There seemed to be something else there which he couldn't quite see. Looking carefully, Mark could make out Steve's car.

"Steve?" he shouted into the quietness of the parking lot.

The figure looked up. "Dad that you? I was just about to call you if you didn't show up! I think you should come here." The urgency in Steve's voice for the remaining three rather worried. Quickly, they broke into a jog and came to a rest beside Steve's side, kneeling down. "I don't know what happened. I just found him lying here."

What they saw was Jesse. He was leaning against Steve's car, one hand to his temple where there was a big gash and where a small trickle of blood falling. He tried to wipe it away but winced. He didn't seem to notice that there was anyone with him and his eyes had a kind of incoherent look in him. "Oh no," Amanda said. She took Jesse's chin and lifted his head up to make him look at her. She watched as Jesse traced her finger slowly. "Well, he's got a concussion," she announced.

Mark leaned forward. "Jesse, what happened?" he asked.

Jesse moaned and shook his head. "Was ambushed…I think. After Jack went this guy came up…knife…took me to a car…" He cut wincing as the pain in the back of his head returned.

"Okay, I think we better get him inside," Mark said as they helped Jesse get to his feet and get him inside to ER. They helped him inside and got him into one of the rooms with Norman seeing. Steve followed, eagerly wanting to know what happened. Mark tenderly treated Jesse's wound; the one on his temple and the one on the back of his head. There was one cut on his forehead which wasn't too deep and had stopped bleeding obviously some time ago. By the time he had finished, the strong smell of alcohol and other substances had revived Jesse but he still couldn't walk without keeping his balance.

"Okay, Jess, how long were you out there?" Steve asked his arms folded over his chest as though he was scolding a child.

"Why are you shouting at me?" Jesse asking, swinging his legs round to sit on the bed. He shrugged. "I don't know…few minutes, half an hour, an hour! I don't know, I wasn't keeping track of time." It came out a little more spitefully than he intended it too. He rubbed the back of his head again. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Don't be," Jack said, waving a hand. "I'd be as grouchy."

Jesse suddenly looked up at him as though he recognized something. "Who's Stoke?" he suddenly asked, his eyes narrowing towards the other Doctor. "I was put into a van, beaten up by a guy called Stoke because he claimed I had some papers, that you are meant to have about incrimination. I knew absolutely nothing about them and got battered in the face because of it." He glared at Jack who was leaning against the wall, his hands inside the pockets of his jeans. Jesse winced again.

"I don't think you should do too much shouting," Amanda warned him.

"You come into my place then," Jesse retorted.

All eyes now focused on Jack. He was staring at the ground with a concentrated look in his eyes. It was like he was puzzling over something in his mind. He let in a breath and then let it out again. When he looked up, the first thing he saw was Jesse's penetrating gaze followed by the rest of his friends who was urging him to go on. "All right, I'll tell you."

"I came back here for another reason. I need help. And I need help badly. I thought I could get through this on my own but it seems that I can't." He pushed his hair back and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry I've totally wasted your time. I did want to come back and see you, really I did, that was the part of the idea of coming back here again. But there is a more dangerous side behind it…seems like I just dragged Jesse here into it." Jesse didn't answer. "I'm sorry."

Mark walked up to him. "Whatever reason you came here for, we're glad you did. It doesn't matter why you came but tell us your problem."

Jesse scooted over to give room for Jack to sit down. "Well, I've been doing my hospital/clinic for over four years now and around two years ago, I employed this pathologist, Nigel Stoke. He was very good and every job he did was too perfection. No one really questioned his judgement on anything. Like you Amanda, he worked with the police. A few months back, they had to re-examine the body after new evidence was brought up. Another guy did it because Stoke was ill at home. What they found was that half the organs were missing. The organs of several other bodies were missing. I couldn't believe it but I thought that maybe Stoke was doing something illegal. So, I did a little prying around, like you taught me how to do, Mark."

Mark smiled even though he couldn't help it. "And what did you find?"

"I found several files that showed transactions of money for organs successfully being done. Stoke had been selling the body parts of almost every autopsy he'd done from two months since he started working. I was disgusted—it's a sick thing for someone to do but I didn't tell anyone. I took the files as proof to the police but before I could get to show, Stoke realized I took them and started planning a few hits. I ran away here and he obviously followed me."

"So that's why he was asking about files," Jesse said out loud.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, they're back at my house at the moment. Hey, I'm sorry I put you through that, Jesse. He probably saw us talking together and figured you must have been a good friend of mine so he decided to pick on you in finding out where the files are." Jesse nodded appreciating the apology.

"Outside?" Mark asked crossing his arms. "I thought he was tending a…"

"So I lied!" Jack said, smiling.

"We still talked," Jesse informed, coming to the rescue. "Heart to heart."

Steve looked at the group. "Well, if this is the case then we'd be glad to help you, you know that, Jack." Jack nodded. "First thing, though, is to make sure that this Stoke guy doesn't get to you. He may target you so I suppose you should come and stay at our house," he said, looking at his dad who nodded. "Just to make sure nothing happens and we can work from there." Jack nodded slowly and then looked at Jesse's forlorn face, that he had not been invited.

"Guys, maybe that's not necessary," Jack protested. "I mean, he doesn't know where I live."

Steve rolled his eyes. "I'm a cop, remember."

"I know, but…"

"No, buts, Jack. You asked for help and we're trying to give you the best." Mark looked at Jack and knew he was laying the guilty trip. Casting and look at the lowered head of Jesse, he nodded silently.

Jesse pushed himself off the bed. "I'm…err…gonna go home." He started to walk out of the door. Once again, he felt slightly uncomfortable and after his outburst, knowing Jack meant no harm. He was tired, his head hurt and after a rather long shift, what he would gladly do would be to fall into bed and not have to think about anything else.

Steve's arm shot out catching Jesse in the chest before he could reach the door. "With your knock on the head do you think it is sensible to drive?"

Jesse narrowed his eyes at Steve, which startled Steve slightly. The young doctor almost looked angry with him. He shoved Steve's arm away. "I can manage, don't worry. Besides, you car might already be full anyway." Touching the side of his head carefully, he began to walk away, taking his white jacket off in the process.

Jack shook his head. "Lack of sleep. Happens to all us doctors, ain't it right?" The others shot him looks but dissolved in laughter. Jack smirked and from outside, Jesse kicked the nearby wall in frustration as the laugh echoed behind him.

* * * * *

"Welcome to another beautiful morning over California folks. I'm Jeff Hudderson, your host and I'm here to wake you up in these long mornings. So not matter how warm you bed is, these songs will get you up and at 'em for the next few hours. Here's a new track by a band that…"

It wasn't so much the tracks that woke Jack up the next morning; it was the sound of Jeff Hudderson himself. "That guy still presents the radio?" He mumbled as he fumbled to turn the radio off. Why did Steve have this on in the morning? He shut if off and closed his, savoring the feeling of the warm bed in what was not a fine morning. His tousled black hair was only visible above the covers.

The sudden bright light woke him out of his daze. Everything was dark because the curtains were closed. "Hmmmmmm," Jack groaned and a happy laugh sounded through the room.

"Nice under there?" Steve amused voice asked. Jack only nodded. Steve smiled cheekily and walking to the end of the bed, he pulled the covers off suddenly. Jack jumped, startled by the sudden cold. He glared at Steve and then climbed out of bed. "Come on, dad wants to go over a few things with us about this Stoke guy. It's dad's day off so it wouldn't matter that much."

"Good thing your dad works so hard in order to get those days off," Jack muttered as he headed towards the bathroom. "How come I never got any."

"You flirted with all the nurses."

"Doesn't Jesse."

Steve smiled. "Jesse had a full time girlfriend—she was a nurse."

Jack laughed as he closed the door and washed quickly. Then he came downstairs to breakfast. Mark Sloan was already enjoying his day off by making the pancakes and the orange juice and milk was already out of the table. "What is this, a treat?" Jack asked as he sat down.

"Maybe," Mark commented. "I tend to make it on my day off but there seems to be more of a reason now that there's desk."

Jack picked up his knife and fork. "Don't flatter me, I may ask for him. It's a good thing both Sloan's can cook even though one was once awful." He cast a cheeky grin at Steve. "Food back at our Colorado Hospital is bordering on foul and retch-able."

"Well, you won't throw up here," Steve said and then eyed the buttered pancakes. "Maybe a little bit fat." Jack laughed as they all sat down to eat again. They talked for a little while about normal things. Then Mark brought up the subject about Nigel Stoke again. Steve nodded and looked at Jack as he just finished his breakfast. "How much do you really know about this guy?"

Jack shrugged. "He was a good worker. What more could you ask for? He could do all the pathology work done in less than half an hour and come up with a diagnosis that saved a hell of a lot of trouble. I kind of got a long with him as well even though I didn't see him much. He seemed to get along with everyone. Then some other guy did an autopsy on already diagnosed guy…Richmond Elgar, his name was, and found most of his organs missing. Looking at other bodies the same thing had happened. The police started to get involved and Stoke disappeared with an apparent cold. He hadn't had one since he started work. The police started working too slowly so I did my own delving, like I learnt from you, Mark, and found some files."

"And they show all the selling of the organs," Steve said.

Jack ran into the bedroom and brought the file back. "Here's the list. He'd been doing it for ages right under my nose. No one else noticed either."

"Was this a one man job or was he working for someone?" Steve asked.

"I think he was keeping all the profits," Jack answered. "The money doesn't seem to be going anywhere else. He's collected over $300, 000 with these transactions."

Mark whistled. "That's a hell of a lot."

Jack nodded. "I took the file and then some odd things started happening. It was simple at first. Smashed windows and slashes tires. Then I found traces of drugs in my food and blades underneath my door handle. That's when I got worried. The police weren't doing anything and I knew it was Stoke after me since I never told the police about the files. I ran and I ran here quickly…" He smiled cheekily. "I think I made the right choice."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Let's hope we can keep you alive long enough." He looked through the file again. "There should be enough evidence there to put him away for quite a few years no matter what law the state here or Colorado has. Your testimony and maybe some others back at the hospital will prove useful. First we have to catch him though. He could be running around anywhere in LA looking for you. What does he look like."

"I got a picture of him." Jack showed them a picture of a small balding man in his late forties. He had a pair of thin wired glasses on and his eyes seemed rather small a beetle-like. "Despite his horrible looking face, he was actually quite a nice guy."

"I'll take your word for it," Steve replied slightly unconvinced. "Well, he's out there somewhere. And somehow we've got to find him. Any smart ideas?" he asked, looking round the group.

The phone suddenly rang and Mark went over to get it. "Mark Sloan…Oh, Jesse, hi, what's wrong, you sound up tight…" Steve and Jack were instantly silent and listened in on the conversation. "All right, what does he look like?" Once again, Steve got curious and stood up. He watched his father's face as it turned into realization and then shock. "O-okay, Jesse, you stay right where you are. Don't go outside and don't open the door, got it?" With the agreement, Mark hung up and looked at his son. "I think Stoke is stalking Jesse because he thinks he's your friend, Jack. He's outside Jesse's apartment in his car. Jesse got a good description of him."

Steve grabbed his jacket as Jack stood up. "Come on, let's go." They hurried to Steve's car and he reversed out, reaching Jesse's apartment in a matter of minutes. There was a car parked outside, a gray one like Jesse said, but there was no one inside it. "Jack, you stay close to me and no heroics, okay?" Jack simply nodded and watched as they entered the apartment where Jesse lived. There seemed to be no one there and no sound came from inside. Steve opened the door. There was no sign of forced entry.

"Jesse!" Steve shouted, wary that someone was wrong. He got his gun out and pointed it into the room. Still, no one replied. "Jess!" Steve cried louder making both Mark and Jack jump.

"What?" someone asked. Jumping out of their skins, they turned round and found Jesse behind them in the doorway. "You don't need to shout."

Steve pulled Jesse in. "I thought I told you to stay inside!" he scolded.

"He was coming up the stairs! I wasn't going to stay here and let him kick the door down with me inside so I made a break for it. I ran out of the back way and down the fire exit stairs." He looked past them. "I don't think he managed to get me, though. I don't know where he is now. I don't think he even went into my apartment."

Steve sighed in frustration. "Then where is he!"

A sudden sound came from within Jesse's apartment. They all turned round towards the back door. From around the corner a figure came round and he stopped dead when he saw them. Jack took a step forward. "Stoke, I'm going to kill you!" he shouted. Stoke didn't appear to hear though. He started running again towards the back door and back down the fire exit. Telling his father to take Jesse and Jack away and make sure Stoke doesn't get to his car, he ran after the man himself down the flight of stairs.

Stoke already had a good head start, Steve could see. He raced down the stairs, though, two at a time in order to catch up with him. By the time he reached the bottom of the metal staircase that ran down the side of the building, though, Stoke was already half way down the street. Steve let out a low hiss and prepared himself for a long run. He had his gun ready. For a forty-year-old man, Stoke was good on his feet. Steve gave himself a burst of energy and followed in a desperate to catch up with the fraudster.

"Man, this is exercise," he said to himself. He knew he was gaining on Stoke. The man was slowing down and running out of energy. He hoped this would be over soon so that Jack wouldn't have to worry and he could spend some time doing what he should be—spending it with his old friends.

Just as Steve was going to raise his gun up and tell him to halt, Stoke turned round. They were only 20 yards apart from each other, which was hardly anything. Stoke held a gun in his hand. It was so small he could barely see it but he could recognize it from this distance. Years as a cop taught him this. He froze and was about to dive out of the way when a shot broke out from Stoke's gun. Steve fired almost instantly.

It echoed throughout the street. A few birds fluttered up from the trees and flew away. There was the sound of running feat into another alley way and a few minutes later, there was many pairs of feat, all coming out of their houses, their cars and gardens to see the fallen figure lying on the ground in a pool of blood.

"Someone call 911!" a man shouted loudly. But the fallen man didn't hear any more as he lapsed into unconsciousness.