Disclaimer - I am pretty good about do something I really don't think I should have to do every single time.

Thanks to Sam1 for her beta work - you are the best...

Chapter Four - Life has risks

Virgil and Sarah emerged from a cab outside of her Boston condo. Between Sarah's exam for her injuries when Virgil pushed her out of the way of the speeding car and the grilling the Boston police had given him about "some old girlfriend stalking Firefighter Woodbury", it had taken them most of the night. In between the repeated unanswerable questions – Virgil hadn't exactly had a roaring love life since they family had founded International Rescue (not that he could give that explanation) – he had called his father. Jeff had expressed his concerns and encouraged Virgil to come back in the morning "after you get some rest. We don't need you crashing into a mountain somewhere because you fell asleep."

At the front door, Virgil took the key from Sarah's hand, swinging open the door as he looked around. "You should be safe. The police said they would be checking on a regular basis. I should go get a hotel room and get some sleep."

Smiling up at him, Sarah responded, "What reputable hotel will let you check in with no luggage? Besides, you won't have to worry about me if you stay here."

"If I stay here, I can't guarantee I can be a gentleman."

"Who asked you to?" Her kiss told Virgil all he needed to know.

As the couple entered the condo, they failed to notice the car sitting down the block, its driver clenching the wheel in white-knuckled fury. They would have been horrified to see the collection of newspaper clippings on the passenger's seat, any pictures of Sarah marked with an X.

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Alan Tracy awoke the next morning in the place he had considered his second home for years. As much as he had fought being here in the first place, Alan was still surprised at how much he looked forward to coming back to Wharton's. It was what John had told him once about school – "What you put into it is what you will get out." After that horrific Spring Break when the Hood invaded their island home and threatened the family, Alan had decided to change his outlook. "No shortcuts," his dad always said. Sometimes, he mused, the long way was far more enjoyable.

Before he started his day, Alan decided to make a quick call home, just to make sure Virgil had gotten back OK. When his father's face came on the vid-phone, Alan smiled at the concern that had filled his father's visage. "Alan, is everything alright? Are you feeling OK? Any dizzy spells…"

"Dad!" Alan laughed. "I'm fine. I just wanted to make sure Virgil got back to the island OK."

"Actually, Virgil is coming back today. You knew that he was going to Boston to see Sarah before returning to the island?" Alan nodded, Virgil had said he wanted to see his old "friend' and maybe take her to dinner. "Well, they went out to dinner only for Sarah to become the victim of a hit and run driver. Virgil pulled her out of the way, but she hit her head on the sidewalk and had to go to the ER. They were there until late, so I suggested Virgil stay in Boston for the night in order to get some rest. He called and said he was staying at Sarah's condo to keep an eye on her. I expect he is heading for the airport now in order to come back. I will have him call you when he arrives."

Alan chatted with his father for a few minutes more, before signing off to go to his first class of the day. He smiled as he walked across the campus for the first time in months, waving at various friends and classmates. Thinking of his brother Virgil and Sarah, his smile briefly turned to a smirk. Oh, yeah, sure. Either his father was naïve or they really thought he was. It was beginning to look like he would be getting another sister-in-law before long. Sweet!

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Sarah Woodbury felt as if the smile would never leave her face as she walked into the station house.

"Woody!"

As she heard her name shouted across the vehicle bay, Sarah realized never could come way too soon.

Turning towards the kitchen, Sarah saw her entire shift lined up near the door. "Oh great," she thought. "Let the inquisition begin."

Captain Goya walked up to Sarah and poked her in the arm. "You, young lady, are supposed to be resting. Or was spending the night in the ER a Tracys' idea of showing you a good time?"

Jorge Hernandez gave a wide grin. "Or did that come later?"

Two other members of the shift helped pick Jorge up off the floor where he had fallen after Tommy's well placed elbow jab. But the dirty looks they gave him assured Jorge that the only reason they were helping him up was because Tommy had nailed him first. The entire shift viewed Sarah as a little sister, and little sisters were not suppose to be part of locker room chatter. Seeing the raised eyebrow Woody was throwing his way, Jorge knew even if anything had happened, the paramedic was not going to say.

"Cap, I needed to come in and finish some paperwork. Besides, I was getting bored by myself. Dr. Brackett just said not to push myself. And sitting at the kitchen table, doing some paperwork, maybe having dinner – it is Sully's turn to cook and I thought someone mentioned New England Boiled Dinner? – goes with what Dr. Brackett said, right?"

By the time Sarah had finished, her shift was grinning at her indulgently. Sully had also won his bet that the paramedic would show up for dinner. Mama Sullivan's corned beef recipe was the young woman's favorite and a guaranteed draw. The only member of the shift without a family, they had long ago extended theirs to include her. Mothers and wives were always sending special treats in for Woody – not to mention trying to match her up with single male relatives. But she had shown nothing but a polite interest in any of the men paraded before her. It was why the men of Station 18 C shift were torn. Virgil Tracy was the first man they had ever seen Sarah Woodbury show any romantic tendencies towards. But was a wealthy, handsome playboy the one to win Woody's heart – or the one to break it?

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Virgil Tracy sighed as his island home came into view. He was glad to be home, truly, but he could also not forget what he had left behind. Virgil suspected he was falling for Sarah Woodbury. But he wanted to make sure. To a Tracy, marriage was forever. And there was still the little matter of International Rescue. Kate and Emily had taken it well, discovering that their future husbands were part of the secret operation that had saved so many since it's inception. Would Sarah be as understanding? Virgil felt that he had to tread carefully at this point. It was not just his future at risk here; it was the well-being of his entire family. And to a Tracy, family came before everything, even personal happiness.

a/n - Virgil is like the other boys when it comes to the right girl. See the target, acquire the target, mission accomplished. yeah, he is already thinking of marriage, but as the old saying goes (and I think I already warned you of this...) The path to true love never run smooth. Things are about to get interesting...