Maggie lay still on the table as the CT scan lit up and moved up and down her upper body, focusing mainly on her skull. She closed her eyes and tried to think of pleasant things to take her mind off of it.

'Christmas is coming,' she thought. 'I love Christmas. I need to get a few more things.' Her mind wandered to the mall and the image of Steve instantly popped into her head as a smile erupted on her face.

"Hold still please," the male voice from the other room said over a speaker.

"Sorry, Duncan," she said sheepishly, concentrating back on the duty at hand, but kept her thoughts on Steve. 'I should get him something for Christmas,' she thought, wondering what would be the most appropriate gift for him. She thought about clothes and went from hats down to shoes, not deciding on any one piece of clothing, until underwear came to her. 'A tight pair of boxer briefs,' she thought, 'maybe he'd model them for me.' She let out a laugh over that and then quickly held still again. "Sorry," she said again to her colleague Duncan in the other room.

"It's ok, Maggie, we're all done," he responded. He came in the room and removed the protective pad that covered her chest. "You can sit up and return to your room, the doctor will be in shortly to see you. You know the routine," he smiled .

"Thanks, Duncan." As she gathered up her belongs he came up and put a hand on her shoulder. "I hope everything turns out well for you, Maggie. We're going to miss you around here."

She turned and gave him a hug for that. "Thank you. It will and I am going to miss you guys too."

"Oh please," he laughed. "You'll miss us on a beach in Hawaii."

"Yes," she grinned, "but I'll still miss you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She sat on the chair in the small exam room rather than sitting on the table. She had had her fill of doctor's offices over the past two years and hated being closed up in these tiny rooms; the waiting was the worst part.

She picked at a nail nervously and switched legs, crossing the one over the other and then stood up pacing.

"Come on," she whispered irritably, swearing that she'd been waiting for hours, when in actuality it had only been fifteen minutes, but it felt like eternity. She began to get a bad feeling about the long wait, praying that the tumor hadn't started growing again. She couldn't go through another dose of radiation, and more than that it would ruin all her plans for Hawaii.

"I'm going anyway," she mumbled. "I don't care."

The door opened just then as Doctor Pakdman came inside. She was of Indian decent but was born and raised in the Midwest, moving to New York to go to college where she eventually stayed, joining a practice with a group of other neurologists. Her long, thick dark hair was up in a bun and her pink stethoscope filled the side pocket of her white coat that had her first name, Jackie written in blue thread just below her right shoulder. "Hi Maggie," she greeted her with a smile. "How are you?"

"Fine," Maggie replied, trying to read her to see what kind of news she had for her. "I hope."

"Good news. I see no changes from your last appointment. But I would like to see you again before you leave for Hawaii, just for a follow up."

Maggie clasped her hands together happily, letting out a happy giggle over that news. "Yes! Yes!"

Dr. Pakdman put a hand on her shoulder. "I think I said those very words going over your scan. I had Dr. Litts take a second look just to be sure and he confirmed my findings. But please Maggie," she warned, hating to put a damper on the good news but it had to be said. "don't let this recent diagnose fool you into believing you are cured. You're not. The tumor may be dormant for now, but it's there and could begin to grow again, so when you get to Hawaii I want you to make an appointment with a neurologist as soon as possible. I've researched the facilities on Oahu," she pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket. "here is a list of the doctors there that specialize in your type of cancer."

Maggie reluctantly took the paper from her, "Thank you, but I just know it's not coming back. I feel so good lately."

The doctor nodded with an encouraging grin. "I'm glad, but I want to hear from someone in Hawaii about forwarding your file, understand?"

Maggie nodded, "I understand."

"Good," Dr. Pakdman smiled, "Then all that is left to say is, Aloha!"

"Aloha!" Maggie replied, standing up and not able to hide her excitement as she gave her a hug.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Good lord!" Clara exclaimed, picking up the towel in the kitchen and then tossing it aside searching for her car keys. She moved the toaster and a couple of other appliances as well. "Where are those car keys?" she yelled out as Steve appeared around the corner holding them in his hand.

"Here, Danny had them in his room," he said holding them out to her.

"Grrrr, that child," she replied. "Where is he?"

"He's still in bed. He got home kind of late."

"I'm so late!" she said in a panic as she gathered up a pile of papers, trying to impatiently shuffle them into a large manila folder, speaking in the same panicked mode. "I have an Assistance League meeting in forty five minutes and it's my turn to bring refreshments, plus I have to drop these papers off to Bridgette for the Christmas donations to the hospital. The deadline is today to get them in; if I miss it then we won't get our name in the annual benefit announcement and the women of the league will blame me, even though it was THEM that took so long!"

"Hey," Steve said calmly. "Let me help. I can run the papers out to Bridgette for you."

"You don't have a car," she reminded him.

"I'm getting one today so the timing is perfect."

She looked up at him like he was a godsend. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." He hadn't planned on getting one until the weekend, but decided now was just as good a time as any if he could help her out.

"Do you know where you're going?"

"You tell me where and I'll get them there on time, I promise."

"Oh Steven," she said relieved, "you just saved my life. They have to be there no later than one o'clock for Bridgette to get them turned in."

"Ok, no problem. Where am I taking them?"

"To the hospital. Do you know where Bridgette works?"

"Give me the name and I'll find it and her."

She wrote out the information, including Bridgette's cell phone number on a piece of paper and thanked him again several times before dashing out the door.

After she was safely gone he felt a panic to get the job done for her and on time as promised. He called a couple of rental car places and finally found one that would deliver the car to him in the next hour. It cost a little more but was worth it.

He jumped in the shower and was waiting at the front window when Danny came staggering down the stairs.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Steve looked over seeing the remains of a drunken night on him. "Good morning. Rough night?"

He rubbed his forehead as if he were in pain. "Be glad you didn't come last night. It went on too long."

Steve smiled, "I'm getting a car today and dropping some stuff off for your mom. Then I'm going to play tourist. Do you want to come?"

Danny huffed, slapping his hand in the air. "No, thank you! You have fun. I'm going back to bed."

"Come on," Steve teased him, speaking in a romantic tone. "We can do the Empire State building and then have lunch in Central Park."

Danny chuckled over that as he began to climb back up the stairs. "I'll be there in spirit, buddy. You knock yourself out."

Steve saw two cars pull up to the curb, knowing one was his rental. He went out the door, yelling to Danny that he was leaving, not waiting for a response.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maggie pulled a pair of surgical gloves off her hands, using her foot to open an automated trash can lid and dropped them inside. She smiled at the older man in the bed whose arm and shoulder were tightly wrapped. "Are you feeling better Mr. Kowlaoski?"

He smiled lazily at her and nodded.

She knew by the sleepy look in his eyes that the pain medication had kicked in. "That's good. Someone will be in shortly to take you up to X-ray. Just relax." She came out of the room and let the glass door close behind her as she went behind the long nurse station desk and signed off on the patient in the computer.

"Maggie," one of her colleagues said, hanging up a phone. "Bridgette's on line two."

Maggie reached over and picked up the phone, tucking it between her shoulder and head so she could still use both hands and pushed line two. "Hey what's up?" she said to Bridgette.

"They paged me. My mom is dropping some donations off for the Pediatric center but I can't get down there to get them right now and Steve is out in the waiting room. Can you go out and get them from him?"

The sound of his name got her attention as she glanced up from her typing and grabbed the phone, looking out toward the two swinging doors that led to the waiting room. "Steve's here?! Right now?!" she asked shocked.

"Yes. Can you please go meet him for me? I can't get down there."

"I can't go out there?!" Maggie exclaimed. "I've been working for seven hours. I look horrible."

"No you don't. You never do, besides, if you aren't interested in a relationship why do you care how you look in front of him. Please, Maggie" she begged, "I have to go. I'm slammed up here today," she lied, taking a bite of her granola bar as she sat in the break room. "Please!"

"Ok, ok," she sighed heavily into the phone. "I'll go."

"Thank you," she said sincerely and hung up with a wide grin.

Maggie picked up a clipboard and tried to get a reflection of herself in the metal clip, seeing that her hair was still in place as well as her mascara, feeling somewhat satisfied by her appearance but her stomach was in knots over the unexpected meeting with him, not having spoken or seen him since the shopping trip two days before, not that he hadn't been on her mind almost constantly.

She took a minute before she went out, running to the bathroom to wash her hands, and get a much better view of her appearance. Once the initial shock of him being there had worn off she was actually glad she was going to get to see him.

Steve sat patiently in the large waiting room holding the manila envelope, moving his attention away from people watching to the double doors that he was assured Bridgette was going to come through. Every time it did open though he scanned the inside for maybe a quick glimpse of Maggie, knowing they worked together at the same hospital but not knowing if they worked the same schedule.

A man arguing with an admittance receptionist distracted his attention. He glanced over in that direction seeing him holding a sleeping infant on his shoulder but looked clearly agitated as he slammed his hand down on the counter. He heard the word security from the receptionist just before the man turned and stormed out through the ER doors.

Steve had been there a little more than ten minutes when that familiar face came through the doors.

She scanned the chairs and picked him out almost immediately returning the smile that was already greeting her as he got up.

"Hey Maggie," he said as he walked toward her.

"Hi Steve. Bridgette was really busy upstairs and asked me to come meet you. How are you?"

"I'm good." He couldn't help but be enamored of her in her blue scrubs. He chuckled to himself about a woman's cliché of a man in uniform; he felt the same admiration about her now. "I wasn't sure if you'd be working today. I was wondering if I'd see you."

She was pleased to hear that from him, it told her that he'd at least been thinking about her too.

"I came in this morning, but I'm almost done."

In another life he would have jumped at that piece of information, using it as a way of incorporating it into somehow taking advantage of them being there together and maybe leaving that way too, but it wasn't another life, it was one in which she was unattainable, hating it more than ever.

She glanced at the envelope in his hand. "Is that for Bridgette?" She hoped that maybe he would get the hint she put out there about being off work, but he didn't take the bait, disappointed over it, cursing that horrible code between two men that seemed ridiculous to her at the moment.

"Yes." He handed it out to her. "Can you make sure she gets it? Clara was pretty worried about it."

"I'll guard it with my life," she said sincerely but in a playful way, taking it from him.

He knew his time was cut short, wondering what a cup of coffee would hurt with her in a nearby café, not wanting the moment to vanish and watch her walk back through those doors. 'We're just friends,' he told himself as an excuse. "Hey Maggie," he began when a commotion behind him interrupted the entire ER waiting room.

"I'm next!" the same man with the infant on his shoulder shouted as he came back inside.

The receptionist stood up behind the desk, "Sir, I told you that we would get to you as soon as possible, but…"

He pulled his hand out of his suit jacket pocket and pointed a small revolver at her. "If you take one more person before me, I'm going to…" he paused waving his gun around. "I'll make you regret it! My son needs help! I want some help right now!" he shouted.

'You've got to be kidding me!' Steve thought irritably, 'I'm cursed! I swear to God this shit follows me.' He scanned the room as he began to size up the situation he couldn't believe had just fallen into his lap. The guy didn't look scary or threatening in the least, except for the gun. He had on a suit and tie that looked like he'd slept in, but nonetheless he was dressed for the office. His hand shook that held the gun that also told him that he was scared. He felt Maggie grab his right arm, looking over at her and seeing the fear on her face as well. It triggered his motives to get this thing settled quickly and safely.

"My son needs help! Now!" he screamed. The child stirred but never wavered from its position.

Steve raised his left hand up as form of surrender and used his right to move Maggie safely out of the way as he walked away from her and tried to remedy the situation that had everyone in the room on edge.

"Hey," he said calmly, getting the guys attention.

He turned, pointing the gun at him.

Steve put both hands up. "If your son needs help, we'll get you some, but waving that gun around isn't going to help the situation out, or help your kid."

The father took a step toward him. "I just want some help!"

"We'll get you some, just put the gun down."

"No! I get help first and then I'll put it down!"

Maggie stepped up, "I'll help you." She gripped onto Steve's arm again, frightened of what was going on, but even more so that the gun was pointed at him. "I'm a nurse. I can help you're son."

He looked from her to Steve and then around the waiting room as people froze and stared at the outburst, most cringing or covering their children with their bodies.

Steve didn't like Maggie's idea one bit but wasn't about to stop her and send the man into a bigger rage over being denied exactly what he was holding everyone hostage for. He would have liked someone to step up, as long as it was anyone but Maggie. "You have to put the gun down," he said to him, "if you want that help."

"No!" he said as beads of sweat began to drip down the sides of his face. "My son gets help and then I'll decide. You'll just take him from me," his voice stressed the concern he felt as well as the state of trouble he was in as his hand began to shake.

"It's ok," Maggie said, trying to sound anything but scared to death, motioning for him to follow her. "Come with me and we'll take a look at him."

For a split second Steve thought about taking the gun from him, he was only a step away now, but he quickly put that idea behind him afraid that if it went off the stray bullet might hit Maggie. "I'm coming too," he said to both of them.

"No!" the man shouted, "just me and her!"

Steve shook his head adamantly, "No way! You take her you take me."

He pointed the gun back at him frustrated over this argument trying to make that decision when two security men came through the front entrance doors.

"Put it down!" one shouted as they now pointed their weapons at the man with both Steve and Maggie in their line of fire as well.

The man turned with the baby still resting on his shoulder, his eyes wide with shock and fright.

"Hold on!" Steve shouted, keeping both hands up, moving in front of Maggie. "Hey," he said, his attention on the security guards. "My name is Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett, I'm a Police Officer with the state of Hawaii. Everything is cool, right?" he spoke calmly to the man whose eyes darted back and forth nervously between the security guys and him. "He just wants some help for his kid, that's all, and we're going to get him some help. He has a baby on his shoulder so we're all going to take it easy right now." He motioned for the man to follow him. "Come on, Maggie and I are going to take you where we can get your son some help."

Maggie came from around his back. "Yes, come with us, please," she begged, "you don't want to hurt anyone, especially you're son. Just come with us, please." She began walking backward toward the two swinging doors.

Steve kept his hands up and continued her plea, walking backward with her. "Come on, follow us this way."

The man held his ground, his eyes scurrying around the room, using his gun hand to prop his son up further on his shoulder as he began to slip down.

"Hey!" Steve said more sternly. "Look at me! You aren't helping your son by standing there with a gun in your hand! This situation is going to end very quickly and not in a good way for you or your son if you don't follow us right now!"

The commanding sound of Steve's voice startled him but it also forced him to make a decision, hearing him loud and clear as he began to follow them through the doors, not denying Steve access this time. "You two stay here," he said to the two security guards, "or else," he warned, but made no verbal or physical threats toward Steve and Maggie as he pointed the gun at a wall now as he followed them.

They both trailed Maggie through the doors single file and stopped on the other side. Steve kept his hands up, not wanting the father to think he was going to make any sudden moves now that he'd revealed his profession. "Where to Maggie?" he asked in a calm voice, letting her know he was still right behind her.

She made eye contact with two of her stunned colleagues as they hid partially behind the work desks, trying to stay out of sight, at the same time she could hear police sirens coming from outside. She stood looking around the room, trying to remember which exam room was occupied and which one wasn't, knowing that people might be hiding in some, knowing they had heard the commotion going on in the waiting room.

She felt like she was in a fog as she made her way over to a room. Her heart was pounding and her hands shook as she reached up and pulled the glass door open, relieved that it was actually an empty room, She was trying to get her head wrapped around of how she was going to care for this child all the while frightened beyond words when she felt Steve's hand brace her on the shoulder from behind and then gently glide down her arm as if assuring her everything was going to be fine.

"You stay out here," the man said, his yes darting around the ER for anyone that might try and jump out at him. "Just her and me.

"No," Steve replied firmly. "I'm coming in with you. I'll stand over here," he said, moving to the corner of the room against a wall. "I'm not leaving Maggie alone."

She followed Steve; grateful beyond words of his stubbornness upon staying with her. She stood next to him as the man closed the glass door and flung the privacy curtains closed. He faced the two of them, pointing the gun at Maggie. "You! Come look at my son."

Steve put a hand on her shoulder repeating the same gesture as before, trying to calm her. "It's ok Maggie. Go ahead."

She moved forward with her eyes focused on the gun in his hand and his finger on the trigger. "Can you put him down on the table?" she asked.

"You take him," he said moving his shoulder toward her that the sleeping baby was on, aiming the gun at Steve next. "Don't make any sudden moves."

Steve shook his head with his hands still up, "Nope. I'm just going to stand right here."

Maggie took the baby off his shoulder and could tell the second she touched him that he had a fever. "How long has he been ill?"

The man looked sympathetically at his child as she laid him down on the table, "Since last night."

The baby woke up just then staring up at her but didn't cry. "How old is he?"

"Six months."

"Hi sweetie," Maggie smiled kindly as she spoke to the baby while she unwrapped his pajamas, "You don't feel good?" She looked at the gun again as the barrel aimed toward her, not sure he was even aware that he was holding it anymore as he focused on his child, that made her even more nervous since his finger was still on the trigger.

"You're making her nervous with that gun in your hand," Steve blurted out.

He quickly looked over at him, holding it steadier now but didn't reply.

"Look at her, she's scared, and you expect her to care for your son like that? Just put it down. I know you don't want to hurt anyone, and believe me, neither of us wants to get shot. I'm way over here," he twisted his raised hands back and forth, showing he was defenseless, "we're just here to help."

The father wiped the back of his hand across his sweaty lip contemplating that request.

"No ones going to try anything," Maggie said sincerely, "I just want to help your son."

He reluctantly nodded, letting his arm fall, pointing the gun at the floor now. "Ok, but don't try anything."

"We won't," Steve assured him. "What's your name?" he asked as Maggie prepared to take the babies temperature.

The father looked over at him but didn't reply.

"I'm Steve and this Maggie. What's your son's name?"

The father looked down at his boy, "Aaron," he replied in a small voice.

"What's your name?" Steve asked again.

"Aaron."

Steve smiled, "Oh, so Aaron and Aaron Jr.? That's cool."

The man nodded looking back at him as if nothing was out of the ordinary, "It was my wife's idea. I didn't want it that way but she liked it."

The tension was still there but Steve could see him beginning to relax, wanting to keep him talking and not focus on the bad situation he had got himself into. "Is your wife here?"

"No." The man stared at him as tears began to fill his eyes. "She died in a car accident two months ago." He looked back down at his son as Maggie put a thermometer in his ear. "I lost her," his voice stressing his sadness over that, "I can't lose him too," he cried, using his empty hand to wipe away the tears on his shirtsleeve.

"I get it," Steve said sympathetically. "I do. I understand now why you panicked and felt the need to take action. You're not a criminal, Aaron, you're just scared for your son."

Maggie glanced over at Steve as he focused on the father. She was amazed that he showed no sign of fear; on the contrary he looked as if he were just having a normal conversation with a stressed out friend.

Aaron put a hand on his son's forehead. "I can't lose him," he whimpered.

Steve took advantage of his vulnerability at that moment to get the gun away from him. "Aaron, listen to me. I know you didn't come here to hurt anyone and I know you don't want to hurt Maggie or myself, but I can tell you that there is probably a swarm of police officers out there right now with their guns drawn all aiming for you. I can help you. I can talk to them. I'll do whatever I can to help you get out of this, but I can't do that if you don't give me the gun." He held his hand out. "I promise Aaron Jr. will get the help he needs," he looked over at Maggie, "right Maggie?"

She nodded at him and then looked at the father, "Yes, of course. I promise we'll take care of him. Good care of him."

"See," Steve said, "but none of that's going to happen if you don't stand down, right now. So far you've just broken a few laws that maybe I can fix, but the longer you stay in here holding us hostage, the more the charges lean toward kidnapping. Aaron," he said knowingly, "that's a mandatory seventy five year sentence. I can't help you then."

He stared at Steve, hearing him as his breathing escalated and expression turned white with fear. "I don't want to hurt anyone. I just want my son cared for."

"I know," Steve agreed, "that's why I want to help you." He stretched his held out hand further, motioning for the gun.

Aaron looked at the open palm knowing what he wanted, his mind reeling over the trouble he'd got himself into. Everything he said was true, he didn't want to hurt anyone. "Do you promise to help him?"

Steve nodded, looking him directly in the eyes. "I promise I'll do my best to help you both."

Maggie watched intently as the man slowly raised his hand and set the gun down in Steve's and let it go. She was even more surprised that Steve didn't try and over power him now that he was defenseless, instead he flipped open the revolvers chamber and emptied the bullets into his hand, they were both surprised that only one came out.

Aaron stared at the one bullet. "Incase things went really bad," he said somberly, "that was for me."

"That will never, ever help your son," Steve said to him.

"You're son needs his father," Maggie replied. "Don't ever take that away from him. Don't leave him alone in this world."

Aaron nodded, feeling ashamed but more than anything else scared.

Steve smiled sympathetically over at her, knowing she was speaking from experience. He motioned to the baby, "How's he doing?"

She stared back at him, astounded over his performance in the last ten minutes. He'd not only managed to calm the situation in the waiting room and lead the man away from the other innocent people, but then he miraculously succeeded in talking the gunmen into giving up his weapon, all the while keeping both of them calm.

He recognized the posttraumatic stress on her, seeing it hundreds of times on victims. "How's the little guy doing Maggie?" he asked again.

"He…" she stammered, feeling overwhelmed all of a sudden, but relied on her career as a nurse and able to stay calm in a stressful situation to help her through. "He has a high fever. We need to get a doctor in to see him and have some tests done." She looked over at the father who was just coming in to the realization of what he had done. "I think he just has the flu, but we need a doctor to look at him."

"Aaron," Steve said calm yet firm, "we have to leave this room and let a doctor look at Aaron Jr., and you and I need to speak to the police."

There was no hesitation or argument this time as he nodded in agreement, knowing it was the best move for his son. He glanced up at Steve. "My best friend is a lawyer, do you think it would be ok if I called him?"

Steve nodded as he smiled at him, "Yes. I think that would be a good idea. But first we have to get out of here. You just let me do the talking, ok Aaron, until your buddy can get here?"

He nodded feeling the fear of what was about to happen escalate through him as tears filled his eyes again. "I fucked up didn't I?"

"You didn't do the smartest thing, but you were also under a lot of duress about your son, and the fact that there was just one bullet in the gun will help."

Aaron looked at him hopeful, "I really didn't want to hurt anyone."

Steve slipped it in his pocket. "I know."

Aaron wiped his eyes again, "Thank you. I'm sorry if I scared you. I'm sorry."

"You can send us a Christmas card," Steve joked, "but right now let's get out of here."

"Ok," Aaron agreed, "should I go first?"

"No!" Steve said adamantly. "I'll go first, just let me do all the talking, ok?"

"Ok," he sniffed. He bent over the table and kissed his son on the forehead, "I'll see you soon buddy. I'm sorry I have to go."

"I'll take good care of him," Maggie replied. "Do you have relatives that could come for him?"

"Yes, my sister. Can I call my sister?"

"Maggie will take care of that," Steve replied, "you and I have other business right now. You ready? Keep your hands up Aaron, nice and high so they can see them."

He nodded, wiping his eyes again on his shirtsleeve as they both stood by the door.

Steve moved the curtain and opened the door just enough so he could speak to them. "I'm a police officer," he said loudly, showing both of his hands as he slowly came out. "The gunman has given himself up. We're coming out unarmed."

He came out first to a room filled with police officers, he couldn't help but be amused that no matter how far he traveled away from home he just couldn't get away from the job.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maggie sat in a chair with Bridgette next to her an hour later watching Steve as he continued to speak with two detectives. Aaron had been taken away immediately and had held steady letting Steve do all the talking. She watched him shake hands with the two men and they split up as he came over to where she was sitting. Bridgette got up and gave him the chair next to Maggie.

He sat down in a position where he could see her clearly, putting a hand on her knee. "You ok?"

"Yes," she replied, but couldn't hide what had happened to them, nor the fact that her attraction toward him had just tripled.

"They're all done with us. I don't think you should drive though. I'm going to take you home."

She nodded in agreement, feeling perfectly capable of driving but the idea sounded appealing to her.

Bridgette voiced up in agreement only because she was worried about her. "I think that's a good idea. I'll come over after I get off work."

"No," Maggie said to her, "I'll be fine. You won't get off until late. If I need anything I'll call you."

Bridgette didn't like it but agreed to it anyway. "Ok, I'll call when I get off just to be sure."

"Ok, thanks."

They all stood up as the two women hugged.

Bridgette reached over and gripped onto Steve's arm, "Thank you so much for keeping her safe."

He smiled and shrugged, "It was a walk in the park."

"Yeah right," Bridgette huffed.

Maggie huffed as well, rolling her eyes at him. "I can say this much, you sure know people and your job."

"You did great in there, Maggie," he replied, giving her the credit. "You never faltered once. I was able to keep my cool because you were."

She smiled over his admiration even though she knew without a doubt she was clam only because he was there. "What's going to happen to Aaron?"

"He'll be arraigned in the morning. I let them know about his wife and told them he gave up willingly and expressed his regrets over and over. They're not going to charge him with kidnapping, but he is going to have to undergo psychiatric treatment, and he'll face weapon charges and assault with a deadly weapon, but hopefully his buddy the lawyer can help him out there. They called his sister, she's upstairs with Aaron Jr. and Child Services."

"You look worn out," Bridgette said to Maggie. "Why don't you two head out and I'll call you later."

"Ok." Maggie hugged her once more and followed Steve out toward the exit.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

He followed her directions and pulled up in front of her building about fifteen minutes later and looked up through the windshield, "This is where you live?" he asked impressed by the modern looking skyscraper.

"Yep, on the seventeen floor." She glanced over at him. "It has a great view. Do you want to come up?"

He sat back in the seat and looked over at her contemplating that thought, he wanted too in the worse way using their earlier incident as an excuse as well as her demeanor on the way home. She still seemed a little shaken up by what had happened and he didn't want to leave her alone just yet, or so he told himself, deciding it would probably be best if he just walked her up, plus he really did want to see the view from her place.

"Sure. I'll come up for a few." He looked up and down the street. "Where do I park?"

"You can park in my empty spot," she suggested.

They took the elevator up from the garage with no stops all the way to the seventeenth floor. The doors opened to a nicely decorated hallway with a vase of fresh flowers on a mahogany table. There were four doors to the left and four to the right. He followed Maggie to the right as she stopped in front of the last door numbered 1704.

She unlocked it and looked over her shoulder at him. "Sorry if it's kind of messy, I ran out in a hurry this morning."

"No worries," Steve smiled back. "I'm a bachelor, you can imagine the way I leave my place sometimes."

Maggie chuckled over that not seeing him as the messy type. She opened the door and went in first flipping the switch on, lighting the hallway up in front of them that led down to the living area. From where he was standing Steve could already see the view from the wall to celling windows was going to be spectacular. He followed her down and was even more impressed by the great room that also had a large kitchen with black and grey granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. The furniture was also dark grey and black with white marbled floors. It looked ultra modern and sleek but he felt comfortable the minute he walked in. It wasn't overdone, nor was it messy as she had mentioned; besides the white down comforter laying on the sofa and a few dishes in the sink, it was spotless.

She tossed her keys on the counter and went for the comforter on the couch, gathering it up in her arms. "A little late night reading on the couch," she said as an excuse, going in the bedroom down another small hallway and tossing it on the bed.

He stood in the entrance to the small hallway that led to the bedroom with a bathroom across the way, glancing inside the bedroom as she tossed the comforter on the bed. The room looked as neat and pristine as the rest of the house. He moved to the other side, getting a view of the bathroom and was surprised to see an old-fashioned white claw tub that took up most of the room.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Maggie said as she saw him looking. "It cost me a fortune to get it in. The building made me tile the bathroom floor and put in a drain below it just incase it overflowed, but every time I get in, the same words pass my lips. 'Best money I ever spent.'

Steve smiled, "Looks like a stress relief."

Maggie moaned pleasantly. "You have no idea." She went past him to the fridge. "I could use a beer. How about you?"

"Bring it," he agreed wholeheartedly. He walked over to the windows, looking out over the city as the sun was just setting. The lights began to illuminate the New York skyline and it was everything he would have pictured it to be. "This place is amazing, Maggie."

She came and stood next to him, handing him a Heineken beer. "Thank you. I love it here."

"Thanks," he said off the beer. "How long have you lived here?"

She shrugged, "About four years."

He motioned to the view. "I bet you never get tired of this."

"Nope, it's kind of like your blue ocean, sometimes I can just sit here and look out for hours."

He smiled over that, tapping his beer against hers. "Serenity."

"Serenity," she replied back, taking a drink.

They stood in silence for a moment just taking in the view when he finally spoke up. "Do you want to talk about today?"

She looked at his reflection in the window, "Should we?"

"I just want to make sure you're alright. It's not everyday that you have a gun pointed at you."

She thought about that and tried to recall how that did feel. "I have to admit in the beginning I was pretty scared, but…" she turned and leaned against the window. "I also have to say that although it was scary I felt pretty safe with you being there, especially when you moved in front of me." She picked at the label of her beer, avoiding eye contact with him, feeling a little shy, "Was that a natural reaction?" she asked, wondering it if it was training that made him do it or just plain her. It was about the bravest thing she'd ever encountered, not realizing the impact of it until they were driving home and she had a chance to really recall the events more clearly.

"If you're asking me if would do that for anyone then the answer is no, if you're asking me if I was afraid for you and did that to protect you then yes, it was a natural reaction."

She wasn't expecting that answer, it spoke so many things to her; she was still processing them when he hit her with another one.

"You scared me even more when you volunteered to look at his son. It was incredibly brave of you to stand up like that but," he shook his head stubbornly, giving her a stern look, "it didn't sit well with me."

She glanced up at him, seeing the look but also knowing he wasn't angry with her. "Is that why you were so insistent on coming with us?"

"I wasn't going to leave you alone," his voice turned just as firm as it was then, "there was no way I was going to leave you alone with him. I even considered taking him down in the waiting room, but with you even in the proximity of the line of fire changed my mind pretty quickly."

She was stunned that every move he seemed to make through the whole ordeal was strictly over his concern for her. She couldn't get over that every encounter she seemed to have with him since their first meeting was somehow profound in one way or another. She wasn't looking for a relationship but every time she turned around fate seemed to be pushing this one toward her in a way that she couldn't escape from.

'Damn it Maggie,' he thought to himself, 'don't look at me that way.' He could feel the chemistry between them heating up again. He looked away from her beauty that was enticing him too much, pulling him in a direction that he knew was forbidden. He looked back out the window seeing a group of colored lights sparkling in an area about a block away, needing to break away from this moment that was becoming too close for comfort. "What is that place over there?" he pointed to the lights.

She had to practically force herself to look away from him. Never in her life had she been so drawn to another person. She glanced over in the direction he was pointing at, seeing the familiar lights that had been altered for the holiday season. "That's a free concert in the park," she replied softly, feeling his uneasiness in another awkward situation she had led him into.

The cool beer in his hand felt good because her apartment seemed to have just heated up to about a hundred and ten degrees, feeling the need to get out of there and seeing their exit in the view below. Being around other people would be a great distraction, never once considering the idea of just leaving her all together and going home. "Do you want to go down there?"

He surprised her again and at the same time thrilled her, thinking for sure he was going to leave. "Ok. Let me go change really quick." The idea of spending more quality time with him put a little skip in her walk as she rushed to her room to change her clothes before he changed his mind.

He pulled his phone out of his back pocket after feeling it vibrate over and over, knowing it was going to be Danny, and sure enough he saw the two missed calls and numerous texts asking where he was and for information about the hospital incident.

His eyes scanned her apartment and he knew he shouldn't be there, but even more so he shouldn't be going down to the park to listen to music with her either, both were wrong and he should have made an escape at that second, but instead he made one with Danny, replying to his text.

Hey, can't talk, just got out of interrogation, can you believe that shit, can't get away from the job. Everything's cool, was worth my while though, the female officers here are very friendly, one even volunteered to have a drink with me. I dropped Maggie off. You should call her to make sure she's ok?

He stared at his phone, seeing the lies and deceit all over it. His stomach felt in knots as his thumb hovered over the send button; his conscience telling him to delete it and get the hell out of there, which he was about to obey, until she came back in the room.

"I'm ready," Maggie said as she came out wearing a pair of light jeans and a dark blue and white sweater. Her hair was piled on top of her head in a well-organized mass and she'd applied a light layer of makeup, which only enhanced her delicate features. She looked beautiful as she stood there holding a blanket for their outing. He was completely enthralled.

She couldn't get a read on him as he stood there staring at her and not answering. She got a bad feeling with the phone in his hand that maybe he was leaving, feeling her heart sink to her stomach. "Do you not want to go now?" she asked, looking to his phone.

He could hear and clearly see the disappointment all over her of his possible departure. Her unhappiness wasn't something that he wanted to be the culprit of. On the contrary, he wanted nothing more than to return the beautiful smile to her face that she held when she first came out.

"Yes, I still want to go," he replied, glancing down at his phone. He pushed send and swallowed down the guilt until he looked back up at her and felt his heart leap over the smile that glowed from her over his reply. It was worth a thousand lies.

They came out of the building that required a security passcode to enter and down the steps to the sidewalk. Maggie tucked the blanket under her arm and slipped on a pair of dark blue gloves, motioning to the right. "We can cross the street over here and walk over down 3rd St."

"You're the navigator," Steve replied, tucking his hands inside his pockets. He hoped she'd left her phone at home, not wanting to be interrupted with a call from Danny.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Danny pulled up Maggie's number and called her. It rang four times before going to voice mail.

"Hey, it's Danny. I heard what happened today at the hospital. I just wanted to make sure you were ok. Steve said he dropped you off but didn't say much else. Call me if you need anything. I can come over if you want too. Let me know. I'll talk to you later."

He texted her approximately the same message, hoping she was ok. He had talked to Bridgette earlier who said that Maggie was a little shaken up but seemed ok, explaining to him what she had been told of the incident. They were both relived that Steve was there and were also a little in awe that he had been in the right place at the right time.

"Did you get a hold of Maggie?" Clara asked him as she sat at the counter in the kitchen.

"No. She's not answering her phone. I'm thinking about going over there."

"What did Steve say?" Eddie asked.

"Not much. He texted me back and said he had dropped her off earlier and had just got out of interrogation and was going to have a drink with some officer he met."

Eddie chuckled over that. "Well then I don't think there is much to be concerned about. It doesn't seem as if Steve is all too concerned about her. She must be ok."

"But," Clara added, "it might be a nice gesture on your part for you to drive over and see her."

"That's true. She might be impressed over that," Eddie said.

Danny glanced down at his phone as it buzzed. "Oh wait, she just texted me back." He read it out loud to his parents. 'Thanks for the call Danny. I'm in the bathtub relaxing. I feel ok. I appreciate your concern but I think I'm just going to go to bed after this. It's been a hell of day. Thank you though.'

He sighed heavily, "Oh well, saved me from a long drive over there."

"Maybe you could go over tomorrow?" Eddie suggested.

"I can't. Steve and I are meeting up with some of my guys from the old precinct."

"Flowers might be nice," Clara said.

"Send flowers?" Danny asked not sure he liked that idea. It was a little too intimate for where they were at right now.

"Yes!" She rolled her eyes, glancing over at her husband. "Romance must skip a generation."

"I'm romantic!" Danny argued. "But I'm not sure flowers would be sending her the right message. I'll call her again in the morning to check on her. I think that would be more romantic. What would I say on the card anyway? 'Glad you didn't get shot! Love, Danny?'" he chuckled at his mom as he walked out of the room.

"How about, 'I'm thinking of you?'" she yelled out.

"I got this, Mom," he replied back, going up the stairs. He went in his room and sat on the bed, re-reading her text. If she really had feelings for him he thought somberly she would have returned his call instead of texting him. He felt that horrible pain in his gut that she was never going to be anything but a friend to him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maggie and Steve crossed the intersection in the crosswalk making their way to the park. As they came up on the sidewalk neither was prepared for the ice that had re-froze from the melted snow after sunset.

They both hit it simultaneously. Maggie shrieked and grabbed ahold of his arm as he slid forward trying to balance himself and her at the same time.

"Oh shit!" he shouted, but couldn't help but laugh over their slippery ordeal as he steadied the both of them, holding in a statue like position as she joined in the laughter.

"Oh my god!" She held perfectly still, holding his right arm with both hands as the blanket slipped out between them onto the ground.

"Step on the blanket," he said to her.

She did just that as he stepped out and away from the patch of frozen snow. He held his hand out to her, "Come on," he smiled, "its not slippery here."

She took his hand and pushed off the blanket as he pulled her toward him, catching her with his free arm around the waist. Both her arms went around his neck as he held her. They both laughed again over their close mishap.

She looked at him as they stood on the street corner in a hugging position with the traffic passing by. "Thank you for not falling and taking me with you."

Steve couldn't help himself and innocently kissed her on the cheek. "I have to say one thing for sure, it's never a dull moment with you, Maggie."

"You ain't seen nothing yet," she teased him, giving him a hug before she let go.

They both glanced at the blanket on the ground on the patch of ice.

"Should we leave it?" she joked, holding his arm as he bent over and grabbed it.

"Got it," he said victoriously.

"You're a good man to have around," Maggie declared as they began walking toward the concert hearing Jingle Bells being sung by a choir in the distance.

He stuck his elbow out to her. "Here, hold this just incase I start to fall again."

She laughed, wrapping her hand through it, gripping his upper bicep. "We'll keep each other stable."

As they made their way into the park he couldn't help but enjoy the feel of her clinging to him. 'I love winter in New York,' he thought happily.

Maggie smiled from ear to ear. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed herself this much.

The park was crowded but it was worth standing in the cold as they listened to the choir sing Christmas songs that everyone knew. They found a spot under a leafless tree on an incline high enough where they could see the musicians. It began to snow just slightly but it didn't put a damper on the event, it only enhanced the experience of the holiday season.

She stood close to him for warmth, but he could see her cheeks beginning to turn red and took it upon himself to wrap her up in the blanket that they had intended to sit on if they had found a spot amongst the six rows of cement benches in front of the stage.

He took it from her hands and held it open as she snuggled into it, wrapping it over her shoulders. "Warmer?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, but the majority of the warmth came from his hands that massaged up and down her arms. She knew he must be cold too, moving back against his chest to warm him.

"Warmer?" she asked him.

A smile escaped his lips as he wrapped his arms around her, "Yes," he said softly in her ear.

He could smell her perfume coming from the nape of her neck as she leaned her head back on his shoulder as they listened to a duet of 'Let It Snow.' The crowd joined in being inspired by the snow that began to fall heavier during the song. Everyone seemed to be having a wonderful time.

The song ended to cheers and whistles from below as the woman singer departed back to her spot amongst the choir and the man remained as the band began playing the crowd favorite, 'The Christmas Song.' They joined in again for the first few infamous lines "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose," and then hushed as the man took over, doing justice to the tune that had everyone enthralled.

An older couple that was in front of Steve and Maggie began to dance with one another. He held his wife closely, looking into her eyes as they moved slowly to the music. It was obvious to everyone that the song had meaning, which only made the moment more romantic to them and everyone around them.

"I always pictured my parents doing something like that," he whispered to Maggie.

She understood, wishing it too for herself. They were kindred spirits in their upbringing, having that common bond that they swore no one else had ever felt, or would ever understand, but they understood each other clearly. The atmosphere around them with the music playing, the snow falling and the older couple so engrossed with one another got the better of her. She turned around and faced him, putting her hands on his shoulders while she still held the blanket. "Maybe we can imitate our parents," she said, asking him for a dance.

He didn't hesitate, feeling that holiday spirit the same as she. He looked her straight in the eyes as he wrapped both arms around her waist, moving in closer to her. The blanket draped around both of them as her arms went around his neck, following his lead.

The band broke out into a solo version of the song as she rested her head on his shoulder while they slowly moved to the music, both smiling and enjoying the moment immensely.

The chill in the air eluded him. He felt nothing except the warmth of her body up against his, slipping his hands under her coat so he could really hold her, appreciating this time with her for as long as he could. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck keeping the blanket secure as the snow continued to fall all around them. It was as if they were in their own little cocoon.

She could feel his five o'clock shadow tickle her cheek as he nestled close to her while his hands moved up and down her back as they slowly glided to the music. She felt weightless in his arms not able to feel the ground beneath her feet any longer.

It was becoming more than she had anticipated, fearing she was leading him on again to a place that he denied them both and where she wasn't sure she could escape from. She leaned back so she could say something clever to him and break up the momentum of where this was headed, but the second she looked at him all reasonable arguments had vanished from her thoughts. Never in her life had someone looked at her the way he was now.

He wasn't thinking about his best friend, or loyalty, or even betrayal, all he could focus on was the woman that was staring back at him and how she had miraculously drifted in to his life guiding him to a closure in his where it was needed, and at the same time opening a new venture that had eluded him for thirty five years.

He had done all he could to deny what he was feeling for her, but the denial had gone on long enough and he gave in to what she had known all along, hoping and praying she still did. He leaned in to her lips and then hesitated, seeing if she would allow it, after all, he'd already foolishly refused her advances twice before.

She understood his hesitation this time, finding it romantically charming as she finished what he had started, reaching up with her lips and tenderly kissing him with no hesitation. It was simply meant to be, glad that he had finally come into the light.

It was just as she had imagined it would be, hoping it wouldn't end too quickly. She got her wish as his hold tightened and the kiss escalated to the next level from tender to passionate.

A small moan escaped from her throat over his technique, which only encouraged him, and weakened her all the more. The blanket fell to the ground but neither one noticed, too caught up in each other. The intensity between them was keeping them warm.

He was trapped, there was going to be no escape from her now. He had no exit plan and no intentions of making one. What he was experiencing at that second was worth fighting for.

They slowly broke from it, trying to catch their breath but neither one backing away.

Her gloved hands cupped the back of his neck, looking up at him wondering if her eyes held the same dazed, yet pleasurable expression as his. God knows she was feeling it.

Neither one said a word. There was nothing to say. It was out there in full force now and both of them knew it, there was no going back and there was no stopping it, it was impossible. They both felt it, but each also held a bitter thought tucked away deep inside for the time being of the people that might be hurt from it.

Steve's adversary was Danny and Maggie's was Steve, and herself.

They refused in their own way to let those thoughts creep into the moment, ruining it, not yet. They partook of another kiss, feeling the high from it and letting nature do the dirty work of clearing their conscience.

The crowd cheered and clapped loudly, distracting them as they broke apart, looking at each other first and then down to the stage as the choir took their final bow and the crowd began to disburse.

Steve bent over and picked up the blanket, wrapping it back over Maggie's shoulders as he pulled her in for a hug, not ready for this night to end just yet. "Are you hungry?" he asked her.

She leaned back having the same furlong thoughts of not wanting to separate, "Yes. Do you want to go somewhere and get something to eat?"

He nodded, mesmerized by her beautiful face that was now flushed from their kissing. It was like looking at the ocean from high above on that cliff, he could have stood there and stared at it all day long.

She blushed over his attention but didn't shyly turn away like she normally would have, enjoying her view as well. He was the handsomest man she'd ever met, let alone kissed. Her whole body felt alive for the first time in a year, feeling nourished by this new relationship that she had told herself she didn't need or deserve, but every encounter she'd had with him since that day at the grocery store was like a gift, slowly pulling her away from the pain of the past year and moving her forward into one where she could actually see a future, not dwelling on the tumor that lie dormant in her head for now, truly believing she'd finally come across the miracle drug that had been alluding her all this time.

She didn't have to go to Hawaii to find her peace; it came to her.