-2-

-Two Days Later-

Saul sighed as he sat in his car and stared at the car in front of him. Glancing in his rear view mirror, he saw a barrage of cars behind him. Shaking his head, he wondered what possessed him to take the 405 around rush hour, and then it dawned on him.

Nora.

Nora had been the one who begged him to drive into Los Angeles for a special brand of truffles not available in Pasadena. Deciding it was best not to begrudge the request at such a difficult time, Saul obliged instantly. The sound of a honking horn behind him shook him out of his reverie and he quickly put his foot on the gas, giving it more than he intended, causing his car to bump into the bumper of the car in front of him.

"Dammit!"

Sighing, he put his emergency blinkers on, knowing that traffic won't be moving any time soon. Getting out of the car, the man approached the car in front of him and noticed the window coming down. "I am so sor-" the man stopped abruptly at the sight of the person in the car. "Wow," he said softly.

The young woman behind the wheel blushed a little and quickly tried to get back in the moment, "You didn't get hurt, did you?"

Saul couldn't help but laugh, "I rear-ended you and you are asking me if I'm hurt?" Shaking his head, he heard angry horns honking once more. "Tell you what, let's pull over onto the shoulder and exchange information, okay?"

The woman nodded as she slowly eased off the interstate and onto the shoulder. Following her, Saul shut his car off and got out and inspected the damage to the woman's car. "I am so sorry," he apologized again when she got out. "Look, I'll pay for everything, really."

The woman nodded as she took her day planner out and a pen, "Tell you what, I don't think that we should get the police involved, I mean, they have more important things to do like catch murderers, right?"

Saul laughed softly and nodded, "True, but are you sure?"

She nodded, "I am. Why don't we just swap insurance information, names and numbers."

The man nodded, "Sounds good." Heading back to his car, he opened the drivers side door and grabbed his insurance card from the glove box. Once he got out, he handed the woman his card, "Saul Holden, by the way."

The woman flashed him a smile, "Fiona Quinn," she offered as she handed him her card.

Looking at the card, Saul looked back at her, "Doctor?"

Fiona nodded with a smile, "Cardiologist. I was actually on my way into work. I work at LA General."

Just as he was about to ask her another question, his cell phone buzzed and rang at the same time, "Would you excuse me a moment?" Fishing the phone out of his pocket, he answered it, "Hello?" Sighing quietly, he listened, "Nora, I'm fine, really. I just had a little fender bender on the 405, everything's fine. No, no," he said quickly, "nobody's hurt. I'm exchanging information with her now and then I'm going to get the truffles and head back." He nodded gently, "Yes, I'll be careful." Hanging up the phone, he gave Fiona a small smile, "Sorry about that."

The doctor nodded and smiled, "Your wife sounded concerned."

"Oh she's not my wife," he corrected quickly, "that's my sister. She's... a mess. We all are." Saul sighed deeply, wondering why he was delving into his private life with a virtual stranger, "My nephew was just killed in Iraq. We are waiting on the Army to get the body back."

The color drained out of Fiona's face. Quickly covering herself, she nodded, "I'm sorry," she said and handed him back his insurance card, in addition to a piece of paper. "I jotted down your information and here's mine. I also put my name, home and cell phone number as well. You'd probably have a better chance reaching me on my cell though, as I am always on the run."

Saul nodded as he took the information, "I'll remember that. Again," he said, gesturing to the cars, "I am sorry."

The doctor shrugged a shoulder as she tucked a lock of flame kissed hair behind her ear, "Mistakes happen. My condolences to your family. I'm sorry," she laughed softly, "but I'm really late. I have to be in surgery in an hour."

"Of course," Saul said, "good luck, Dr. Quinn."

She smiled softly, "You as well, Mr. Holden, I'll be in touch." Her green eyes lingered on him for a moment and then she got back into her Mercedes and carefully eased back onto the freeway.

"I come bearing gifts!" Saul announced as he walked through the door in the kitchen .

"As well as a dented up bumper. Way to go, Crash." Sarah remarked dryly with a grin on her face.

"Who told you?" Holden demanded.

"Oh good," Nora said as she walked into the kitchen, "you got them."

"Nora," Saul sighed as he handed over the box of chocolates, "I had hoped that you didn't blurt it out to the entire family about the accident."

"Relax," Nora said as she kissed her brother's cheek, "Sarah was here when I made the call. How's the car?"

"It's fixable," he said as he poured himself a glass of wine, "as is Doctor Quinn's."

"Doctor Quinn?" Sarah said with a grin, "As in 'Medicine Woman'?"

"She's a doctor and her last name is Quinn, Sarah. I would expect that kind of remark from Just..." he stopped quickly and looked at his sister.

"Go on," Nora urged quietly, "finish what you were saying."

Saul sighed as he set his wine glass down on the counter, "I'm sorry, sister."

The matriarch shook her head with a soft smile, "We aren't going to just halt our lives, Saul. Yes, Justin is dead. When William died, I said I'd never recover, yet I have." She took in a deep breath, "I will recover from this as well. Please don't censor yourself, Saully, not with me."

"I admire your strength," he praised softly.

"Don't," Nora said softly, "just because I'm not a weepy mess in front of the family doesn't mean I'm not in private." She paused and looked at the box of truffles in her hands, "I'm going to see if the kids want any of these." Without saying another word, she turned and headed into the living room.

Saul watched her back retreat through the door. Not taking his eyes off the door, he spoke to Sarah, "Was she okay when I was gone?"

"That all depends," she said quietly, sliding off a barstool and waking over to her uncle. "Do you count 'okay' as being breaking down in tears when she was folding clothes and she came to a pair of Justin's socks?"

Holden sighed softly and wrapped an arm around his niece, "As King Solomon said, 'this too shall pass'." He kissed her temple.

Sarah nodded softly. Desperate to soften up the moment, she added, "So, Saul... did this Doctor Quinn help the Indians too?"

"Hush," he said as he headed into the living room, leaving Sarah alone with her giggles.