"Tim! What the hell happened?!" Art stormed through the fluorescent-lit hospital hall, eyes widened in anger. Tim sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, not sure how to explain how a typical fed chase went this way.

"I went to follow up with the girlfriend, and David Reid was there," Tim recalled recognizing the fugitive's face when he walked in, seeing him press a gun to the woman's head. "She had a baby, Art. Obviously just a few weeks old, wasn't being taken care of at all."

"So you shot him?"

"He moved his gun's direction to the baby, and I didn't hesitate," Tim quickly answered, his teeth almost gritting. "She's being seen right now, so is the mother."

Art laid a hand on Tim's shoulder and nodded. "You did the right thing."

"I know," Tim replied, brushing a hand through is dark-blonde hair. He took a seat in one of the cold, faded green chairs. Art offered to get them both coffee. He mumbled a 'yeah' and his boss went towards the elevator. Tim drummed his fingers against his left knee, waiting for updates. He kept picturing David's cold body on the ground, the girlfriend screaming and crawling towards him, and the infant, tired and crying.

"You're going to be just fine," Tara whispered as she laid her hand on the baby's stomach as she slept. She checked the IV for the third time, making sure the proper nutrients were being given.

Tara had just transferred to Saint Joseph in Lexington the week before, and this was her first emergency case. The details baffled her, a fugitive and his girlfriend were mistreating their child, who arrived severely malnourished. Tara assumed if another day, maybe two, passed, she would have been dead.

"Dr. Harris, can you stay in the room? I'm going to talk to the marshal who brought her in," Tara asked her fellow surgeon, who obliged without question.

Tara removed her latex gloves, washed her hands, and headed towards the hall. She immediately noticed the Marshal, slouching in a visitor chair. He wore faded jeans with a dark navy Henley under a black jacket. Tara thought he was quite handsome, but shoved that natural reaction to the back of her mind and focused on the patient.

He quickly stood when noticing the brunette doctor. Tara felt much sympathy for him, seeing the great concern in the Marshal's face. She thought it might not have only been about the baby she cared for today.

"She's very exhausted, severely malnourished, but she will be fine. I can't say the same for if you found her a day later. You saved her life, Deputy—"

"Tim Gutterson. Thank you, doc." He sighed in relief, smiling. Tara couldn't help but grin herself, seeing the light in his face.

"Tara Knowles," She extended her right arm, and they shook hands.

"Anything about the mother?"

Tara shook her head, aggravated by the thought. "She's been screaming and crying for the past hour, hasn't even acknowledged her child's condition. She keeps asking where David is. Who's David?"

"He was her boyfriend. He pointed a gun at that little girl. I shot him," Tim said as he broke away from eye contact with the young doctor.

"Good," Tara quickly responded.

Tim quickly met her eyes again. Tara assumed he was checking to see if she really meant that, and she sure as hell did.

"Is this the good doctor?" Tim's boss walked up to them and stood beside him, handing him a hot styrofoam cup. "I'm Chief Deputy Art Mullen, ma'am. And this is Deputy Marshal Tim—"

"Already acquainted, Art." Tim said, still looking at the doctor. She wore mint green scrubs, and her dark hair was up in a clip. She looked young, and very pretty, to be a doctor or a surgeon. Hell, whatever the difference is here.

"I'm Dr. Tara Knowles," she said while shaking Art's hand. "She will be in the hospital for a few weeks, at least. I'll personally be taking care of her, if you need to follow up for any reason."

"Thank you, Dr. Knowles. We appreciate that,"

Art's cell phone then rang from his pocket. He saw the caller ID and sighed, mumbling to Tim that it was the office. "Be prepared for a shitload of paperwork," he said before excusing himself.

"I'm want to stay for a few more hours, doc, if that's okay. I just want to make sure she's going to be fine," Tim said.

"Of course, that's very kind of you," The doctor replied.

Tim again sat in the uncomfortable chair, and much to his surprise, she sat right beside him. He couldn't say it bothered him, but he was actually pleased. Again, she was very pretty, and the intensity in her green eyes when finding out he shot the fugitive was something he couldn't get out of his head.

"This must be a normal day for you," she said, leaning back in her chair.

"Sometimes. This was a pretty wild one, though," Tim replied, leaning back to her level. "Being a Deputy Marshal in Kentucky can have its moments." He thought of the shot he took a few weeks back, when a man held a gun towards a pregnant woman's belly. Tim didn't hesitate, and didn't miss.

"I just transferred here from Chicago. I'm still learning the ropes."

"What brought you to greener pastures?" Tim asked with a smirk.

"It was this or California. Seemed like the better choice," Tim could see the thought made her uncomfortable as she quickly changed topic. "I can see this child being okay means a lot to you."

"I've dealt with a lot of dying children," Tim said, flashing back to somewhere he never wanted to revisit.

"As a Marshal?"

"As a sniper," Tim cleared his throat, "Served in Afghanistan and Iraq."

"I can't imagine," Tara said, leaning forward.

"Yeah, well, look what you do. I can't imagine that either," Tim said.

"Snipers have steady hands, I would hope. You could probably manage," Tara replied with a grin. Tim shrugged and smiled, appreciating her quick wit.

"Well, I better get back to work," Tara sighed and stood up.

"Doc, here. If anything changes with her after today," Tim held out a card from his jacket pocket, "You can call anytime."

"Thanks, Marshal." Tara took the card and placed it in one of her pockets, "Her name is Abigail, just in case you were wondering."

Tim nodded and leaned back in his chair. Tara walked towards the floor's main desk, but noticed a nurse near her drop several files. She bent down to help her, and Tim noticed something on her lower back as the doctor's top rose up. He felt rude staring, but wanted to figure out what the tattoo was. Just when he could decipher the shape, Tara stood back up and quickly pulled her top back down. Tim wasn't only enchanted by the beautiful doctor, but now also curious.

A crow?