"Max," Embry asked as she stepped into his office, "Can I talk to you for a second?"

He nodded and gestured for her to take a seat, "Of course, you never have to ask for my time. What's on your mind?"

"First, how are you feeling?" she asked, "Any better?"

He laughed as he thought over the last few weeks, "Yeah, I feel a lot better. I'm sure there will still be ups and downs."

"I'm so glad," she replied, "I'm here because something is going on with Peter. He won't open up to me but I know he's bothered or upset. Has he mentioned anything?"

Max leaned back with a small nod, "He actually did come to me this morning about the Board and their desire to turn this into a profit center but I don't know why he wouldn't talk to you about it. Maybe there's more. I'm going to meet with the woman driving for the change. If I know more after, I can come find you."

She let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much. You really go above and beyond for people, you know that?"

"You're my best friend, Embry," he answered with a warm smile, "Speaking of friends, I need to go check on Helen. She's grown very attached to a detox baby."

Embry knew how badly Helen wanted a baby, "Oh no, should I talk to her today?"

"No, you worry about Peter and I'll handle Helen," he replied.

Embry laughed lightly, "Of course you will," she said adding a wink as she got up to leave his office.

Max met up with Peter in the cafeteria for a normal smoothie and a Max smoothie after his meeting.

"Peter, it's about more than making the hospital a profit center," Max began, "They want to vote you out."

Peter let out a sigh, "Of course that's what this is really about. If they get rid of me, they might not want you around anymore," he theorized.

Max looked down, "Actually, they like what I'm doing."

"Are you going to vote with them?' Peter asked, not really surprised Max was well received by the Board.

"I'm going to do what's best for the hospital," Max answered, "I have a plan to save your job."

Peter shook his head, "Am I going to like your idea? I never know what you're going to come up with."

"Not sure if you'll like it," Max paused and took a sip of his smoothie, "But it might work. Let's go for a fake heart attack."

Peter sat back in his seat, shock on his face, "A fake heart attack? Don't you think that'll make me look weak and confirm their belief that I'm not fit for the job anymore?"

"I think the sympathy vote is more powerful than that," Max replied, "We don't have to. It's just my thought. Go big or go home."

Peter nodded, "Ok, but if we do this fake heart attack I don't want Embry anywhere near the ED. There's no need to get he all worked up over nothing."

"You really love her, don't you?" Max asked, unable to hide his smile for his friend.

Peter's lips curled into a grin, "I do. She's the first person I've ever been with who made me wish I was younger so I could have more time with her. So, can you keep her away?"

"I'll tell the doctors in the ED not to page her for any consults," Max confirmed, "I'll see you on your stretcher."

Embry never got a chance to meet back up with Max during the day. They both missed each other multiple times. She finally sat down, for the first time since she'd gotten in that morning when her pager went off.

She let out a deep sigh before looking at the screen. It was the ED. She picked up her phone and dialed the number on the pager.

"New Amsterdam ER," the voice answered.

"This is Dr. Costa, I got a page," she replied.

There was brief pause before her answer came over the line, "We have suspected ovarian cysts on a patient in bay ten."

"I'll be right down," she hung up the phone and groaned as she stood up to walk down to the ED.

Embry stepped off the elevator and walked into the Emergency Room just in time to see Peter on a stretcher being wheeled through the room.

"Peter!" she yelled, completely dropping any worry about people finding out about them, "What happened?" she moved to his side and wrapped her hand around his.

Max walked up as the answer came, "He passed out outside of your office, Dr. Goodwin."

"Embry," Max soothed, "What are you doing down here?"

"I got a consult but someone else can take it," she replied, "I'm going in with him."

Max shook his head, "I've got him. There's no reason for you to be so concerned for the Dean. Go take care of your patient."

Peter wanted to say something to relieve her but he had to keep up the charade, "I need to be at the Board Meeting," he said, weakly.

Embry placed her hand gently on his chest where his tie was loose and his top buttons undone, "Are you sure?" she looked at Max.

He could see the concern all over her face, "Don't worry," Max reassured her, taking the stretcher and wheeling Peter into a room.

Embry took a deep breath to compose herself so she could evaluate her consult.

An hour later, Max found Embry, "Hey, I'm really sorry about what happened in the ED. It was fake to help him stay in his position as Dean."

"Seriously?" she replied, slapping his arm, "Why wouldn't you tell me ahead of time? I'm sure everyone has figured out he and I are more than colleagues," she said frustratedly.

Max shrugged, "That's not so bad. Do you wanna see him?"

She nodded, "Of course I do. I thought I might lose him today," she admitted, remembering how terrible she felt when she saw him on that gurney.

Max walked her to the room where Peter was sitting up in a bed with a robe over his gown and pajama pants.

Embry walked straight over to him and wrapped her arms around him, "You did all this to keep your job?"

"I didn't want you to be there," he shared, "One of the nurses didn't get the memo about paging an OB but you. It didn't work, though," he confessed, his tone dropping.

Max had walked out to let them be alone.

"I'm so sorry," she said as she sat beside him, his arm around her as she leaned into him, "We'll fight this, but not now. Tonight, I'm going to lay here with you because I thought I was going to lose you earlier and I'm not ready for that," she whispered, afraid to speak her fears too loudly.

"I'm here," he whispered back as he laid back with her in his arms, unsure of what the future would hold.