I was going to wait until I got my first review before I posted this, but decided that you wouldn't really get a good idea of what was going on without it.

So, enjoy ...


Chapter 2

Dr. Cecilia Maria Evans had always been a loner. Ever since her parents divorced when she was seven she had looked after herself. She didn't need anyone and no one needed her. At least that was true until the night of the earthquake, the night she first heard the voice on the radio. She didn't remember much about what happened, only the calm voice that brought her through it. When she woke in the hospital she had been asking everyone where Rescue-man went. Of course, she didn't really remember that either, but once she was lucid the nurses told her about it, wondering who Rescue-man was. To be honest, almost a week after her accident, she was still wondering the same thing. She knew he was from International Rescue, and something about stars and the color blue, but the rest was a jumbled blur. There was also a vague memory of monkeys and fruit, but Cecily was pretty sure that was all her. Speaking of fruit, time to check on the plants.

"Hello, my pretties." She smiled, walking through her indoor garden.

She plucked a few strawberries, popping one in her mouth before she moved onto the more scientific side of the room. It took only a few minutes to make sure everything was functioning, but she took some extra time to check the growth of her hybrids. Not much change since the last time she checked … twelve hours ago.

"Now you're just stalling," Cecily muttered to herself, heading back for the main lab.

She carefully stepped over the rusted area and sat down at her computer, trying to ignore the radio sitting in the corner. In the hospital she had promised herself that she would thank Rescue-man for saving her, but in the last few days had chickened out every time she tried. First she told herself International Rescue didn't except thanks, then that it probably wouldn't be the same guy. It's not like they assign someone to just sit there and listen to the radio … do they? Then again, what did she even know about this guy? He was International Rescue, that's it. He probably helped hundreds, if not thousands, of people a week. What made her so special?

"Face it, Cecily," she sighed, "he's out of your league."

But the radio still sat there, as if telling her to take a chance.

"Stop looking at me like that." She hissed.

Man, first she talked to herself and now she talked to a radio. It was official, Cecily had been on this rig too long. But crazy or not, she wouldn't be able to give herself any peace until she had at least thanked the man. Taking a deep breath, she picked up her hand-held.

"Calling International Rescue. Come in International Rescue."

She bit her lip, wondering if she was doing the right thing. What if he was upset that she called when there was no emergency? What if he reported her? What if-

"This is International Rescue. Go ahead."

Her heart fluttered at the sound of his voice. It was him. It was really him.

"Hello Rescue-man."

There was a pause and she couldn't help but wonder if he had hung up on her. Did he even remember her?

"Hello, ma'am."

Letting out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, she smiled at the radio. He didn't sound angry, quite the opposite in fact. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but it sounded like … like he was smiling, like he remembered her. What was she saying? Of course he remembered her. After all, how many other people call him Rescue-man?

"Please, call me Cecily."

Stupid! She berated herself. You can't go all informal on a man from International Rescue. What was she thinking? Everyone knew they kept to themselves and-

"I'm John."

John, Cecily grinned to herself. His name was John. Common, but strong; plain, but extraordinary; John. The name fit … and she was an idiot. She should just do what she meant to do and let him get back to saving the world.

"Thank you, John."

"Any time, Cecily."

Okay, you said it, she told herself, now try and forget about him. She set down the radio and turned toward her computer.

"How are you feeling?"

Stopping dead in her tracks, Cecily turned back to the radio. Why would he … no, he was just being polite. That's all. Still, there was no harm in answering him.

"Fine now. It was just a bump really."

"I could tell."

"Oh man," she groaned, "I must have sounded like a total nut-case."

"No, it really wasn't that bad."

Holy- She still had the radio on! Good thing it was voice only, because Cecily could feel herself turning red. Maybe she should just switch it off and pretend it never happened. That would be an easy way out, but she had never really liked the easy way.

"Please tell me I did not mention monkeys."

"Well … there's nothing wrong with monkeys … but the mountain goat, that kinda threw me."

Despite her embarrassment, she couldn't help but laugh. He joined in, and the over the next hour they re-hashed the whole incident. After he touched on the highlights of their conversation, she explained how the first tremor had loosened the bolt that kept her shelf against the wall, allowing an aftershock to send it crashing down.

"I replaced the bolts, so I shouldn't have another problem."

"Actually, you are lucky that it was just a shelf," John said seriously. "Those oil rigs are abandoned for a reason."

"Yeah, 'cause they're out of oil," she teased. "I'll be okay John, I promise."

"Well, what if something happens? You only have a radio that can't even reach the coast guard."

"It can reach you. Maybe I should just check in now and then."

Did she really just say that? What was she thinking? She had already taken up over an hour of his time, and now she was asking permission to do it again? The guy had a nice voice, and was the sweetest guy she had ever … well … sort of met. And even though everything in her history said he was too good for her, she still hoped.

"I'd like that."

She smiled at the soft reply, trying to imagine a smile on a face she had never seen. At that moment she knew her life would never be the same.

/O\O/O\O/O\

"International Rescue, this is Death Trap. Come in."

"Death Trap, this is International Rescue. And how is your day going?"

"Can't complain. You?"

"Slow."

"Well, in your line of work, isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah, I guess so," John chuckled.

Cecily couldn't help but smile at the sound. She loved John's laugh. She loved talking to John. It didn't matter one bit that she didn't know who he was, where he was, or what he looked like. He was her friend, her only friend, and that was all that mattered. Which brought her to the reason why she called.

"So, I read about yesterday's rescue. Are all your men okay?"

"Yeah, they're fine."

She let out a sigh of relief. John had told her that he rarely attended the rescues himself, but having called during one a week before, Cecily knew how close the members of the organization were. The intensity in his voice had scared her as he quickly explained that he had lost touch with one of their pilots and couldn't talk. She logged off and spent the next twelve hours anxiously scanning news sites for any word on the rescue. Not that they would know anything about International Rescue's communications, but they might know if one of the rescuers got hurt. Finally she found a report about the underwater incident, but it had no mention of problems for John's men. When she called to check in with him, Cecily was relieved to find out it was just a technical problem and everyone made it home safe. But as happy as she was that they had not lost a man, one selfish part of her was glad that it was someone else who was in trouble and not her friend. She had been worried sick about a nameless, faceless stranger and couldn't even imagine how she would have reacted if it had been John.

"So, how are your hybrids coming along?"

"Oh, they're great," Cecily answered. "I should be able to try the newest berries in a couple of weeks."

"Wish I could be there to see that."

"Well, if I knew where you were I could send you a sample."

John fell silent and Cecily felt like kicking herself. Stupid! She knew that keeping secrets from her bothered him, so of course she had to bring it up. Idiot.

"But it's okay, I'm sure it won't be that amazing," she said as cheerfully as she could. "When I crossed blueberries with raspberries I got just what I was going for, blue raspberries. I'm sure my blue strawberries will be just as anticlimactic."

"Don't sell yourself short. You are a pioneer of plant genetics. Someday, your plants might solve world hunger."

"Which would be pretty amazing since I only made them to solve my hunger."

He laughed and she couldn't help but join in. Oh, how she loved to hear his laugh. Of course she could never tell him that. No matter how much she had grown to care for John over the last several weeks, all he would ever be was a voice on the radio. A faceless friend, but one she could always count on.


Well? What do you think of Cecily?

Please let me know what you think. (If no one reviews I tend to assume that people didn't like it.)

Meanwhile, I'll get back to writing and hope for the best.