She felt terrible by the time she reached her apartment after work that night. Once her shift ended she had stopped for something to eat on the way home at a restaurant close to the hospital. "Im probably just exhausted," she thought to herself as she unlocked the door. After the day she had she wouldn't be surprised, it had been one of her longer shifts and she hadn't been able to stop for something to eat for lunch. So before dinner all she had eaten was a meagre breakfast and some coffee. It was no wonder she had been practically starved by the time she reached the restaurant and she had eaten quite a bit.

She had just sprawled out on the couch and flicked on the tv, deciding to just take it easy for the rest of the night when there was a knock at the door. With a sigh she slid off the couch and went to see who it was. She opened the door to see Jerry standing before her."Hey, forgot about our date, Connor?" He said with a small smile as he stepped past her into her apartment.

"I'm so sorry, it's been a really long day and mmmm..." She winced placing a hand over her stomach which was churning like the ocean on a windy day.

"Are you ok?" He asked reaching out to touch her shoulder. She let out a deep breath and sat down on the couch desperately trying to calm her stomach.

"Mel?" he asked again when she didn't respond. He sat down next to her and realized she looked a little pale.

"Oh no..." She said racing from the room with a hand clasped over her mouth. He followed her into the bathroom and held back her hair back for her.

She was startled when she felt him behind her, he held her hair while she emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. 'Oh man, I don't want him to see me like this,' she thought to herself.

"I...don't want...you to see me like this." she managed to get out before another spasm racked her stomach. He began to rub small circles on her back with his other hand.

"Mel I'm a doctor, I've seen much worse. And your not getting rid of me that easily." When she finally felt a little better she leaned back a bit, hoping it was over. He had grabbed a wash rag from the sink and ran the cool water and then placed it on the back of her neck, "Feel any better?" He asked crouching beside her and gently rubbing her back.

"A little." She said flushing the toilet and moving to the sink to wash her face.

"Come on." He said reaching for her hand as he led her back out the living room. "Lay down." He told her as he grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch and covered her with it.

"You don't have to stay you know."

"I know I don't have to, I want to. Someone needs to take care of you for once."

"Thank you, I really appreciate it." He watched as her eyelids drooped and she quickly fell asleep. She must have been exhausted because he knew for a fact that she worked way too hard sometimes. He sat down on the chair beside the couch and just watched her sleep, she looked so peaceful. Nowhere near the bossy, confident, professional woman he saw everyday at work. She was beautiful, a fact that he had noticed since the first time he saw her in the ER but now he could watch her without her knowing.

She winced and rolled over in her sleep and then quickly sat up. She felt like she might be sick again. "Hey you ok?"

"I swear I'm never eating at that place again," she said before dashing off to the bathroom. He got up to follow her and then decided against it since she hadn't really wanted him there last time, so instead he went and got her a glass of water. If she did indeed have food poisoning she would need to keep her fluids up.

"Here drink this," he said when she came back. "Where did you eat anyways?" He asked as she sipped the water.

"That restaurant across from Beth. H."

"I'll remember never to eat there," he said jokingly.

"You stayed." She said leaning her head against the back of the couch."

"Of course I did. You didn't think I would leave, did you?"

She shrugged not sure what to say, "We haven't really known each other that long."

"Come here." He said as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close and she lay her head against his chest. Soon they were both fast asleep.

The next morning Jerry was the first to wake up and when he opened his eyes he realized that he wasn't at home in his own bed. Mel had somehow managed to snuggle even closer to him in her sleep. Her head was buried in his chest and her hand had a death grip on his shirt. He couldn't help but smile, what could he say he loved being able to wake up like this.

He managed to slide out from under her without waking her and decided to make them some breakfast. He wasn't sure if she would feel well enough to eat but she needed to try to eat something.

He had just finished making omelettes and toast in case she wasn't able to eat anything substantial when he looked over to see her waking up. She stretched her arms over her head and then sat up and looked around.

"Morning sleepyhead."

She smiled as he brought the tray over to the couch and placed it on the table on front of her. "I made breakfast."

"Maybe I should just have toast, don't wanna chance it after last night." She said smiling up at him. "Thank you though, for breakfast and for taking such good care of me."

"No need to thank me. Like I said I just like being able to spend time with you, even if it is spent trying to make you feel better."

"I'm sorry about our date though, I know this isn't really what you had in mind."

"Nah it was a great date."

"Well I promise the next one will be much better," she said grabbing his hand and pulling him down onto the couch beside her where she placed a kiss on his cheek. He turned and tried to kiss her but she quickly turned her head, "I didn't brush my teeth yet." He laughed as she glanced at him and took a bite of her toast.

"I can wait."