Chapter II.

It was 6 a.m. and the rain was still pouring outside. John slowly opened his eyes. His head was hurting. ''Where the hell am I?'' He was lying on a blue couch in some living room he didn't recognize…wearing only a towel around his middle.

The room was nice and comfy, but he still couldn't remember where he was. All he could remember was Vera, yelling at him – because he hadn't said a word when he had stepped into their bedroom and found another one of her lovers in HIS bed. He had just turned around and left, this time for good.

He had bought a bottle of whisky and a pack of cigarettes and had picked the highest building he could see. He was going to jump…he had to.

His dried clothes were folded on a coffee table in front of him. John sat up, reaching for his black boxers, when the sound of broken glass hit his ears. ''Shit'' was the only word that followed. He stood up, moved slowly to the closed doors, and opened them. And there she was, kneeling over broken glass. She was wearing a pink robe made of silk, her hair was up in a cute ponytail, she was barefoot...and there was blood on her feet.

''Are you OK?'' John asked and stepped into the kitchen. She looked up and smiled. ''Yeah, I'll survive.'' John froze. Her smile was gorgeous...she was gorgeous. After 3 seconds of silence between them, he finally said, ''Here, let me help you.''

''You don't have to,'' she said, still smiling. He was even better looking than she had previously thought. That hair, all messed up from sleeping on the couch...he had a fine body, too, his chest was covered with black hair...oh yes, he was very, very good looking. And his legs…

''Now, are you sure that you're OK?'' he asked again. Was she checking him out? No, she couldn't be. She was breathtaking - blonde, petite, with ocean-blue eyes, a perfect body - and, well, he was just…John.

''I think I cut my foot,'' she answered, not really sure what to say. The towel around his middle was really getting to her, maybe because she hadn't seen a real man for so long. Sure, she had spent the last two years on an army base with hundreds of male soldiers, but they had been only boys looking to prove themselves, not men.

''Can I take a look?'' John asked her.

''No, I'm good, thanks." She tried to move, but the second she put pressure on her left foot she could feel the piece of glass cutting deeper into her flesh. She reacted to the pain way too fast, on pure instinct, and lost her balance, falling directly into his open arms.

John caught her, swung her into his arms, and carried her into the living room. She didn't complain one bit. Her arms went around his neck and-oh, my god-he smelled so good. Was she going mad or something?

He set her down on the couch. '' So, what do we have here?'' He sat on the coffee table across from her and started to examine her leg. ''Do you have a first aid kit?'' he asked, looking at her. She was smiling, almost laughing. ''What?'' he smiled back.

''Are you aware that you are only wearing a towel?'' She started giggling like a schoolgirl. She couldn't see a thing, but why not tease him if she could?

John crossed his legs and blushed. He took his clothes from the table and gave her a look. ''Second door on the left, and you can find the first aid kit in the closet next to the sink.''

Anna was still sitting on the couch with her leg up on the coffee table, when John returned from the bathroom. He was wearing a white t-shirt under completely unbuttoned checked shirt, blue jeans, and no shoes-just white socks. Once again he sat across from her, opening the first aid kit.

'' Let's have a look, shall we?'' He took her leg in his hands and she flinched, but not because of the pain. His hands were large, but gentle, and their touch felt so good. ''Did I hurt you?'' He looked at her, worried. ''No,'' she blushed and hoped he didn't notice, but he did.

''I'm just going to pull the glass out of your foot, OK?'

He worked in silence. It was too quiet for Anna's liking, so she asked him, ''So, are you some kind of a doctor?'' He raised his head and chuckled and, just when she thought he couldn't get any more handsome, a lock of his hair fell on to his forehead. ''I was, but a long time ago. I'm not a doctor any longer.''

''Why ever not?'' He was older than she was, but not that old. "You are way too young for retirement,'' she teased.

He smiled, still working on her leg. John Bates was a man of few words; he didn't speak if it wasn't necessary. But something about her, the way she looked at him, made him feel that he could tell her everything about himself.

''To make a long story short, I was an army doctor, working in the field in Iraq. But two years ago everything changed…'' Her face fell, she knew that army life was tough, but the life of an army doctor was even harder. They saw the worst side of war but, then again, does war even have a good side? Trying to save young lives in the worst kind of conditions, with no water, no light, no medicine, and not even the necessary tools, they had to work quickly and in silence. There was no time to think about the situation-they tried to save each soldier or to fix him/her the best they could. They were the heroes among heroes.

''...some terrorists attacked our base. It happened fast, too fast. A lot of good men died that day.'' His voice cracked a little and Anna understood him, she had seen death in that desert, too. ''I hurt my knee and after that I couldn't really do my job.'' She was looking at him and the expression on his face told her that there was more to his story, but she didn't say anything.

''All done now. If I was your doctor…'' I can only wish, she thought. ''…I would order you to stay off your feet for a few days. But you don't have to listen to me. Nobody does.'' The last sentence left his mouth a little harshly and he gave her an apologetic smile.

''I'm Anna, by the way, Anna Smith,'' she offered him a hand and he gladly took it. Her hand was small, but it fit perfectly into his big paw. ''I'm John...John Bates.''

''So, Doctor Bates…'' she smiled at him, her hand still in his.

''Just Mister these days, but you can call me John, Miss Smith.'' The more he looked at her, the more he liked her.

''Once a doctor, always a doctor,'' she said quickly, too quickly. He grinned at her.

''Would you care to explain your little adventure from yesterday?'' He finally let go of her hand, and she had to admit to herself that she was a little sorry.

''Not really…I mean, I don't really remember much. I can remember the roof and the reason why I was there, but nothing else…I mean, I can't even remember you.'' And she was unforgettable, so he must have really been drunk.

She smiled and winked at him. '' Well, let me tell you, it was interesting…''


yeeey me :D thanks again to annambates for being awesome to me :)*

+ you can find on tumblr