(A/N) A quick thank you and message to every person who reviewed and/or added this story to your update list.

Bells of Tomorrow: I was beyond happy to see your review! Not only were you the first to do so, but before I had even started this story I had already had the fortune to read your works (which I love by the way). Having a FF author who's work I already like encourage my own, well that just made my day. thank you lots :)

Anyminutenow: Well, here it is! Not quite as quickly as you may have wanted, but well worth the wait, yes? (hopefully?)

Grace Grapefruit: I completely understand. I have a very severe love/hate relationship with cliffhangers.... yet when you're the author, how can you resist? I'm afraid you'll have to expect as many as I can make possible, but I assure you, I will do my best to make it worth the wait!

Andromeda-Rayne: I can never turn down someones pleading. I really can't. So here is the next chapter, just for you :D

One last thank you to Arilya, Ino Aole, and Localstranger for adding me to your alerts, I appreciate it.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

JD was having an extremely hard time believing that the man in front of him was supposed to be friends with Dr. Kelso. There was just no way, no how. Sure, they were the same age. Sure, they were both doctors. They were even nearly the same height, the same weight. They seemed to both have a mutual affinity with muffins. But even so, Dr. Paul Boucher was everything Bob Kelso was not.

He was never without a gentlemanly poise, a serene smile. Calm wintry eyes, a sympathetic attitude... he was everything JD had been hoping to find at Sacred Heart all those years ago when he was an intern, and he was the perfect candidate for the mentor he had wanted. He was understanding, he was always calm, and even though he'd only been at Sacred Heart for the better part of one day, he had found a place in the hearts of all of it's staff members. He seemed perfect... But there was one tiny problem. A small one really. Compared to Kelso's demonic intentions, Elliot's nueroticism, Dr. Cox's perpetual ranting... It was almost nothing. Really, Boucher was nice. He was kind.

But the man was also a stalker.

At first, JD had tried to shrug the sensation. But throughout his whole day day at the hospital, he had not been able to shake the feeling... Someone had been watching him.

And soon enough, JD had known damn well who it was.

Because honestly, Boucher could give the Janitor a run for his money. No matter where JD went, or who he was with, his presence seemed to be lingering around every corner. It was uncanny, it was unnerving him! A senile old man stalking a young doctor, could there be any other better set-up for a horror film? If only Boucher were a vampire. In Dr. Acula-

"Glenda? Glenda! Earth to Newbie!" Dr. Cox's voice cut through his fantasy world abruptly.

"Dr. Cox?"

"Yes Coraline, it is I, and if I don't see you're ass in gear in the next five seconds, I'm going to assume that you-"

"Sorry, I was just thinking-"

"Stop right there newbie! For I must say, that is in and of itself a truly amazing thing, But-"

"Dr. Cox, I just-"

"No, Gloria. You don't 'just' anything. 'Just' get moving." And in a whirl of white lab coat, he was gone.

JD ground his teeth at the older doctors back as it rapidly disappeared into the distance. Why, on top of everything else, did he have to put of with this? Dr. Cox just had the worse timing in the world! Where had he been when-

"Excuse me, If I could just have a moment of your time, young man?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

JD had thought that he was the only one sensing ulterior motives from Dr. Boucher.

But not only had Dr. Cox caught on, he had also noticed Boucher's tendency to follow the younger doctor whenever possible. And Percival Cox was nothing if not possessive.

"Keep this guy away from newbie, ya hear?" Demanded the curly haired doctor.

"I can't," said Kelso bluntly.

"But isn't the guy your friend?" Perry half snarled in annoyance. He never liked asking Kelso for favors, and he liked it even less when he had to ask in vain. Not to mention that the chief of medicine in question wasn't even looking at him, but was instead glancing quick looks at his own office door. And damn, was Satan himself actually looking nervous?

"I said the man was my college! Not my friend. There's no way in hell I would ever be friend's with that man. He's.... Well, quite frankly, he's creepy Perry."

"Damn right he is, and that's exactly why you are going to keep him away from naive doctors like newbie. You're the goddamn chief of medicine, as you keep reminding us, why the hell can't you do anything?"

"I said that the man was creepy Perry, but that's not all he is." Kelso sat heavily in his leather swivel chair, behind his oak desk.

"Perry," Bob leaned forward, and planted his palms on the desk, "Paul Boucher is a very powerful man. And the thing with very powerful men, Perry, is that there will never be enough power for them. I don't know the real reason why that man has decided to show himself here when I haven't seen him in years, but I do know that he is up to something. And when the instigator is a man like Boucher, you know that it's something big." He spoke quietly, and with such a sense of urgency that Dr. Cox could not even bring himself to remark on it.

The man continued, "There's something going on with the board, and with other higher ups too. Why he chose Sacred Heart as the place to put his plans in motion, I have only a few theories, and I can tell you it's nothing good." He shook his head gravely.

Dr Cox spoke slowly in return, but with incredulity. "What the hell are you saying Bob, this man wants your position? A position on the board?"

Kelso grew even more edgy.

"That's not the way Boucher works, if he wanted the board, or my spot as chief of medicine, he'd sent someone else to do it. God knows he has a enough loyal peons to take the place of every staff member in this building. Perry, there's something more the man wants. And all I know, it that someone here has it."

"And who the hell would that be?"

"All I'm saying is that you might want to keep on eye on Jordan, or any other friend you might have in the higher ups. He came here with the purpose to achieve, and Perry, the man is ruthless."

"But what the hell would he want with Jordan?"

"Maybe nothing Perry, but I do know that what he's doing involves the board, and as a member, Jordan may find herself in a dangerous position."

"But Jordan?"

"Boucher doesn't like people who defy him, and we all know what your ex-wife is like Perry."

"Well, what about the rest of the board?"

"I'd stay away from Williams, if I were you. He's in Boucher's pocket for sure. As the rest for them... I have no love lost for any member of the board. Let's just hope that Boucher concludes his business quickly and gets the hell out. Let him get what he wants, and hope that nobody else gets caught in any crossfire. Perry... It may not be like you, but keep your head down."

Perry had no idea how quite to phrase the explosion just waiting to spew from his lips. But fortunately (for Beelzebub anyway), the opportunity was snatched from him.

The air was still and cold in Kelso's office, but it was not nearly as frozen solid as Bob Kelso at that moment.

You might have even heard a pin drop, were it not for the knocking at Kelso's door.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Just who did Boucher think he was kidding?

How would he not know where Kelso's office was? How could he not ask anyone else for directions? How had the man manage to find JD at the one moment in his day when he was not surrounded by ailing patients or harried staff?

And in the middle of a near empty hallway, no less!

Was there not any other person in the hospital Boucher could have asked directions from?

"Yes, it's just over that way you see..." JD hurried to point the man in the right direction, and then prayed that he would be left alone. But as his whole day had been proving to him, some divine entity hated JD very much.

"Ah well... You see, I'm fairly certain I've gone in that direction once before, it might be better if you would... guide me there yourself, perhaps?" There was no tactful way of denying his inquiry, so JD had reluctantly agreed to bring him there. Yet it seemed that were some small mercies to be bestowed on him still, for the other man had said nothing at all during the short and hurried walk to Kelso's office. He thanked each and every one of his lucky stars to have been spared the complete awkwardness that would have ensued. He could only imagine was that conversation would have been like.

"Ah yes... Dr. Boucher. I have only a small request in return for this favor. Stop stalking me?"

JD could say with complete and utter honesty, that for the first time in his life, he was actually glad to see Kelso's door. God he could almost kiss it.

And in a second, he realized it was a very good thing that he hadn't. Accidentally kissing one's acerbic mentor as they exited said door, well now, that would have been a death wish. JD could only imagine how that would have gone down. Oh no, scratch that! He did not, did NOT want to imagine-

-His mentor's lips nearing his own. They were of course larger than his, everything about the man was. But were they as soft? JD was never without his strawberry chapstick , so that would never be a problem for him. Oh no, no chapped lips for this young man! But everything about Perry was rough around the edges. His sarcastic nature, unchecked, could be absolutely brutal. But JD had always believed in the existence of Perry's softer side, in the tender heart beating beneath the cynical exterior. No, he knew, he just knew, that that first kiss would be as tender, as carefully done, as everything else truly important to the man was. Those large and rough hands were more gentle than anyone else's when he was handling a patient, more deft and sure, and confident, oh yes! He had spent years studying the doctor, worshiping the man, and finally, it was all about to pay off with this moment, with this-

"Newbie."

It seemed even at this point, Perry would not stop with calling JD names. But it was more an affectionate nickname, really...

"Newbie!"

"NEWBIE!"

JD snapped to.

"-hell do you think you're doing?"

JD looked at the man. Perry- Dr. Cox! looked back. JD stared. Dr. Cox began to look truly, and he meant truly, angry. JD stared some more.

Then he ran.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Not unlike his last couple days, when JD left for home, he left with conflicting feelings. He was glad to leave the pressure of watching over his patients, and in turn being watched by overbearing boss's (not to mention Sacred Hearts newest fixture, Dr. Boucher) but returning home meant returning to his personal problems. Work kept him busy, work kept his mind off other things, work at least didn't make him want to tear his hair out in frustration or burst in tears from pure emotional overflow (at least not on a good day. which today was not). But he couldn't work forever, and his brother would never be able to survive with out him. And quite frankly, after what had happened hours before with Dr. Cox, he was quite happy to have arrived at home in one piece. Though that probably could only be accredited to the fact that JD hadn't seen Dr. Cox at all for the rest of the day.

"Dan?" The door to JD's apartment slammed shut with a hallow thud that rang overly loud in the emptiness of his living room.

"Dan! Dan, are you in the bathtub again?" But he wasn't there, and he wasn't in the guest room either. To his surprise, JD found his brother passed out on his queen sized bed, or at least he had thought Dan had been passed out.

"Heeey lil' bro, how're ya doin'?"

"Better than you Dan. " JD's brother was a mess. His was obviously drunk, like he had been for the last two days. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair and clothes were in a state of complete disarray, and he was really starting to smell. When was the last time he had taken a shower?

"Come on Dan, up and at 'em." JD hauled his brother by his arms and began half dragging and half shoving his brother out his bedroom door.

"Wha'? Why I gotta go anywhere? The bed is good... Wanna stay in bed."

"Dan, you need to take a shower." Dan slumped in JD's arms at the very idea, letting his head loll on JD's shoulder. He then exhaled heavily, straight in JD's face. "Dear god! Dan, you are definitely brushing your teeth too."

"Dun wanna..."

"I don't care, just get in there and stand under the water for a few minutes at least!" JD pushed Dan into the bathroom and let go of his arms. Dan, utterly lifeless, fell to the tiled floor and made no movement to get up. JD scowled at him and pulled at his lax arm.

"Dan, really! Is this necessary? Can't you just get into the shower by yourself?"

"Hey... JD. Can I take a bath?"

"No! The last thing you're to be doing is taking a bath. I don't need you to drown on me on top of everything else. Just- Just stand there for a minute, okay? Then you can be done."

"Dun wanna."

"Dan, all you need to do is stand up and-" As he had been talking JD had reached to his brothers arm, to once again haul him to his feet, but this time he had noticed something.

Dan was trembling, and he was overly warm to the touch.

"Hey Dan, are you okay?"

"Just peachy, Johnny! Ya know, not like mom's dead, not like there haven't been weird people showin' up at home, just showin' up outta the blue... It's weird, innit Johnny?"

"Dan?"

"People.. Jus' showin' up without reason, and then comin' back, comin' back to tell me mom's dead. Don' get it... It's weird..."

"Dan, look at me. Look at me!" He maneuvered his brother into a sitting position, coaxing Dan into turning his face towards JD's. He felt his brother's clammy skin, and observed the dilation of his pupil. Yes, something was definitely up.

"Am I gonna get that bath now, Johnny?"

"No Dan, we're just gonna get you back in bed, okay? I think it would be good if you just lay down for a while. Come on Dan, back on your feet..." Once again, JD had to drag his brother from a room, this time to bring him to the guest room of his apartment. And Dan was being strangely compliant about it. Typically, when JD's brother said he would or wouldn't do something, you'd have a better chance of moving oceans than changing his mind. Dan's compliance was freaking JD out more than anything else at the moment, but at the very least it made him easier to put back into bed.

When Dan was finally settled, and mercifully asleep, JD put the occurrence out of mind. It wasn't very surprising that his brother would come down with something. A strictly beer diet combined with lack of sleep could easily do that to a man. Dan had been rambling nonsense.... Besides, JD had other pressing things to worry about.

He had a morgue to call... It was about time he finalized the plans for his mother's burial.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So, does anyone happen to know JD's mom's name? I'm not sure that it was ever mentioned in the show. If you know, do leave it in a review. (But of course, you should be reviewing anyway)

And if there are any errors, tell me so.

So, wow. This chapter took quite a bit out of me, but when it started coming, it just wouldn't stop! Why else would I be finishing this at 1:30am?? Seriously, I had this done days ago, but it felt so wrong. And boy am I glad I put off updating it, after cutting a lot out, adding snippets of what I had before, and writing completely new scenes, I am thoroughly satisfied. Looking at this, I can truly admit how much I hated what I had before.

And so at last, the second chapter is complete! This is a major achievement for me, for I have suffered from chronic procrastination for quite some time now. Would you like to be apart of the cure? Review right now... and be apart of the valuable effort to end procrastination. Every review counts...

Next Chapter: In The Wake Of... Suspicion.

Cheers,

~Hadyn

*edit*

Jeez, I just realized a big mistake I made with a certain snippet of the chapter that ended up floating around in the middle of the chapter and got left there after my editing. It is gone now! And if you don't know what I am talking about, than good. You did not see my mistake.