Once again, for this chapter, the characters and settings belong to Days of our lives, the writing is mine and the ideas come from 1984winstons (who also beta read) so thannnnnks!

He went to work early, the next day. He wanted to compose himself. He put a photo of Marlena holding him as a little boy on the desk and his favorite photo of Africa, of the friends he had made there cooking and talking. He was missing the simple manners he had gotten used to. People in Salem were welcoming but they had not forgotten the accusations, none of them. They tiptoed around them, giving him the benefit of the doubt, but treating him differently. It was so strange. He had seen people die in front of his eyes, yet he had problems with just that. He shook his head, manned up and opened his computer. There was a new email, asking him to come directly to the hospital. He gulped. The assignment was about a doctor. God was challenging him, asking him to go back to this place that held his grown man's little heart, maybe a few feet from where his mother lied, waiting for a verdict that seemed never to come.

Of course, if he searched his feelings, the root of all these insecurities popping up was the fact that in less than an hour, he would be alongside her. In the same building as Daniel, to top it all. He examined his heart, lectured himself and prepared with care, heading for the hospital early. He didn't see the point in buying a car and the walk was welcome.

He walked directly to his mother's room. In a twisted way, it helped. She looked rested and peaceful, just very very thin. He prayed for her every night, asking that she would be spared, that she wouldn't suffer. He kissed her forehead and promised to come back later in the day.

As he went to the nurse desk, he had a vision. A very young-looking Nicole was standing there, looking at him with love in her eyes. She was wearing one of these dresses she was modeling for, looking gorgeous but also full of life and hope. He took a few steps and stopped, feeling like a young innocent man again, with his future ahead of him with this woman that he loved and who loved him back, all these years ago. For a brief moment, he was free, he was happy.

Then reality came back. Nicole was there but was looking down at her cell. Her head snapped back up, with a little bit of the sweet memories still playing, he thought he could still read some feelings in her eyes. He shook himself and chose as neutral an approach as he could:

- Hello Nicole." She pursed her lips. Then she held out her hand. It would have been funny if it wasn't so heartbreaking. He shook it, feeling the desire travel through his body, insensible to anything his brain had settled with. She would always create that reaction in him, he just had to deal with it. She had moved on, looking slightly annoyed and briskly turning away from him.

- OK, we've got a lot to do. I'll need a photo of Rori and plenty shots of the hospital while I interview her...

- Who's Rori?

She stopped and looked at him, then sighed.

- I guess you don't know the story. Doctor Rori Hill is being accused of malpractice. She gave a prescription to a patient who suffered from a heart condition without taking that into account and he died yesterday. What's even worse, he was a witness in an embezzlement case so now the charges may not stick.

He nodded and followed her, preferring not to ask how she knew the woman personally. If she worked with Daniel, it made sense. She was so suited for this world, of prestigious accomplishment and social approval. She needed that. That was the one thing, besides feelings, faithfulness and dreams, that he could never offer her.

The doctor was lovely, or she would have been, if she hadn't looked so stressed and down. Eric's heart went to her. He had no idea if she was innocent or just human in her mistake, but he felt the pull to offer comfort. It wasn't his place any more, so he just offered a smile. Nicole was talking with intensity and professional detachment but he could feel she wanted to defend her. It was one of these moment she ceased to be a perfect-looking doll and became a passionate human instead, forgetting her stance and poise, focused on the other person's need. He wished he could take a picture now, but she would not allow it, he knew.

He walked out and met the nurse who had taken care of the patient. Her name-tag read Julia and she seemed to recognize him. He braced himself for awkwardness but he was wrong

- Oh, you're Doctor Evan's son. She talks about you all the time. I change wards a lot, but she's one of my favorite patients. You have the same kind eyes." He smiled gratefully, stupidly relieved to have at least one interaction with someone who only saw him as his mother's son. She was quite reserved about the case and Eric didn't insist. She sat at the desk and he took a few picture for the article. Then he wandered about, looking for inspiration.

Nicole called him again, this time to speak to the chief of medicine, his aunt, Kayla. She grinned at him and hugged him, then collected herself and answered Nicole's question. She seemed sure of the doctor's guilt, even though she was sorry it happened. He sympathized with her work ethics. It was difficult to pick a side here. Lives were at stakes but who could be perfect 24/7? The hospital was a demanding job. He heard Nicole develop this very idea while he was thinking it and smiled.

She finally released him and he said he would send the photos in the evening after editing them. She nodded and left quickly. He joined his mother for another chat before going to the renting agency and his new apartment. Then he would look at his photos, having to edit and delete some, which would mean looking at Nicole's face again and again. It was going to be a long day, but not all of it had been bad. He was going to manage working with her.