Chris turned into the parking lot of the immediate care center and pulled into a parking spot. Turning off the truck he removed the keys from the ignition with a growl. Carefully he pocketed his keys after climbing out.

"I better take you for a walk before I go in," Larabee muttered to Edgar distractedly. He reached over the seat and opened the kennel door to let Edgar out. Immediately the terrier bounced over the back of the seat to join Chris. Attaching a leash to the collar on the excited little bundle of energy, Larabee let the dog bounce out and onto the ground. Holding the leash firmly Chris automatically locked the door before he shut it.

Larabee let out a harsh curse as somehow he managed to close the door on the thumb of his right hand. Panting for breath against the pain Chris took stock of his situation. His thumb was now firmly trapped between the top corner of the door and the frame. Edgar stood looking up; seemingly worried if the wrinkles on his forehead were any indication. A small foot rested on top of Chris' boot sympathetically.

"Thanks, but it's not your fault, dog," Larabee hissed between clinched teeth.

Chris discovered he had even more problems. Attempting to reach the keys in the right front pocket of his jeans with his left hand proved to be a painful and almost impossible task made even more impossible by his tight jeans.

Edgar whined and began to dance around as Larabee's soft curses grew desperate while he fought to get the keys.

"Edgar, dammit stop," Chris hissed as the little terrier pulled against the leash looped over Larabee's trapped wrist. A sharp lunge and the little dog managed to pull his collar off over his head.

"Oh, Hell! Billy's gonna kill me," Chris gritted as the little dog darted off. He couldn't turn enough to keep track of the fast moving canine missile. He cursed softly and increased his struggles to reach the keys.

I wonder if I still have the clinic here in memory. Chris reached down to take his cell phone off the clip. At that moment his bruised body chose to protest its cold and trapped state and a monster Charlie horse struck his lower calf.

Dropping the phone, Larabee grabbed for the spasming muscles only to draw up short as the trapped thumb protested. I'm in hell. Lifting his injured leg to rest on the running board Chris managed to reach his aching calf. Sighing in relief he happened to look down and spot his cell phone lying on the ground. I promise to be more sympathetic about this kind of thing in the future. Larabee reached down desperately only to pull up short.

"Damn!"

'Thunk,' Chris thumped his head on the truck door.

"DAMN!" He barked in pain as the door closed tighter. Genius, your THUMB is trapped! It's why you're freezing your ass off right now.

"Larabee? Chris?" a soft Caribbean voice inquired.

"Andre?" Chris tried to look over his shoulder.

The doctor moved up beside Chris to study the situation. Andre Montgomery was bundled up to his eyeballs in a warm looking snowsuit. The island born doctor always sympathized with Ezra and Vin's complaints of the cold.

"Dat looks like it hurts my, mon," the doctor winced taking in the situation.

"Just a might," Larabee hissed sarcastically.

"Your keys is in de pocket, yes?" The doctor's voice held sympathy.

"Hate to bother you, Doc, but could you maybe . . . ," Chris asked.

"You don' be gettin' no ideas now. My Amee, she's mean, a big mean woman, heh," Montgomery laughed and reached deep into Larabee's pocket removing the keys. Quickly the doctor unlocked the door and opened it, freeing the trapped thumb.

"We best be takin' pictures of dis, mon," Montgomery gave the thumb a quick examination.

"Doc, did you see a little black and white dog?" Chris demanded, looking around the parking lot.

"It in de clinic. Sad little t'ing come ta da door an' scratch, askin' ta be let in. Mah Amee she let him in, dhen sent me out in da cold ta find him people since he was all 'lone. Good thing she did, hey?" Andre Montgomery smiled widely, his kind eyes lingered worriedly on the thumb. "Which one of de terrible tres is Nathan bringin' ta see me?" he asked.

"I'm on my own this time." Chris grunted in acknowledgment of how often Montgomery got to see the youngest three members of his team.

"You? Not dem boys of yours?" Andre stared in surprise.

"Yeah, I've managed to twist my knee and ankle," Chris sighed.

"Let's get you in out of de cold. How you get all wet, mon?" the doctor inquired as he gently supported Chris to the office door.

Chris sheepishly began to tell about his night so far.

"Chris, my friend you wait, my Amee she's gonna want ta hear dis one too," Andre interrupted with a grin when the story got to the locked truck doors.

"I'm still trying ta figure how dis island boy get stuck in de snow," the doctor grumbled under his breath as he caught his balance, managing not to drop Chris into the snow.

Chris scowled at Edgar, who he trotted up as soon as the doors opened. The little dog was now wearing a hand knitted baby sweater in a soft shade of blue.

"Traitor. Lassie came back with the rescue team," Chris growled. Edgar's tongue lolled out of his mouth as he gave a wide doggy grin.

"Where dem beautiful boys?" Amee hurried over with a wheelchair.

Montgomery's wife -who was also his nurse- was a tiny woman at four foot ten and maybe ninety-eight pounds; a beautiful woman with a coffee colored complexion and huge dark eyes. She blushed almost as easily as Vin Tanner. This was the big jealous woman Chris had been regularly warned about for the last ten years. Vin, Ezra and JD adored her and would meekly accept her lectures and hand knitted sweaters, while she fussed over them.

"I don't think they're visiting tonight, Nursezilla," Chris teased, using Vin's nickname for her.

"So what has you done, beautiful?" Amee waited until Chris was seated before carefully examining the hand.

"When are you going to leave this looser and run off with me, Amee?" Chris nodded to the now unbundled Andre walking up.

"You takin' lessons from dat no 'count Buck now?" Amee scowled playfully.

"I really need you, lady," Larabee pleaded.

"You wantin' a nurse what wit' dem boys of yours is all," Amee sniffed. "I couldn't handle de stress." She smiled.

"She my woman Larabee." Andre smiled widely lifting his wife up for a hug.

"Don' you get da big head. I only keepin' you cause Josiah's da only man-sized one in de bunch," Amee sniffed swatting Andre's chest to be put down. "And even da black boys is pale up here. Look at dat Nathan, he need him some sun."

Chris couldn't help but smile at the picture the two of them made. The tiny Amee and the huge Andre. Larabee's eyes softened as he remembered when the priest had said "You may now kiss the bride." Sarah's delighted laugh as the 6' 10" Andre picked up his tiny bride to bestow that kiss.

"Christopher?" Amee asked softly noting how still Larabee had become.

"Remembering your wedding," Chris' voice was husky.

"Sarah made a beautiful Matron of Honor," Amee smiled then laughed. "Dere you was raisin' da dickens 'bout one more of dem damn dress fittin's. Her standing dere in da dressin' room covered in lace and pins throwin' dem shoes at yah. Yellin' 'bout how she wasn't gettin' fat, she's havin' de baby. Lord I kin still see de look on your face," Amee reached down and hugged Chris. "Lord I miss her," Amee sighed.

"I'm proud of you Chris Larabee for laying down dat bottle," Amee swatted Chris' shoulder and wiped her eyes as she straightened.

7777777

Soon they had Chris stripped out of his wet clothes and dressed in some handy scrubs in a baby blue with yellow duckies on them.

"Who wears something like this?" Chris huffed in disgust.

"De children like dem," Andre said, standing with his back to his wife he rolled his eyes.

"What wrong wit' dem? I made dem my ownself." Amee stood with her hands on her hips.

"Not a thing." Chris blinked innocently.

"Didn't t'ink so," Amee snapped. "Andre Louis Sebastian Montgomery don' you be rolling dem eyes," she scolded.

"How she do that?" Montgomery hissed under his breath.

The Montgomerys laughed softly as Larabee told the story of his evening thus far while they x-rayed and bandaged the man and nurtured him with hot cocoa.

The clatter of Edgar's toenails on tile was heard as the terrier followed them through the clinic. Studiously the staff ignored the little dog's presence. No one wanted to banish him to the cold truck.

"Well you was lucky, my mon, de knee and ankle is sprained some. If you keep de weight off of dem, you be fine in a week. Gonna wrap dem in ace bandages and send yah home on crutches. De thumb he's bruised up, but not broke. Gonna hurt like de devil. Keep ice on dem for twenty-four hours. Prop dem above your heart level . . . why am I botherin'? You know da drill. I'm gonna put a splint on it so's maybe you won't hit it too often. I don' even t'ink you'll loose de nail," Andre said flashing his white teeth.

Andre went out and pulled the truck around to the door for Chris.

"Now here's you a 'scription for pain pills n' an anti inflammatory. Get dem filled dis time you hearin' me?" Andre scowled when he got back inside.

"Yes, Mother," Chris sighed.

"Don' you 'muthuh' me, you on your own dis time. I'll sic my Amee on you," Andre sniffed.

"I'll get them filled," Chris huffed.

"And use dem?" Amee walked over with Edgar at her heels.

"And use them," Chris agreed.

"Good. Put dis on. It'll keep you warm," Amee said tossing Chris a bag.

"Aw, Amee, you didn't have to do this," Chris pulled out the hand knitted sweater. The silky yarn seemed to beg to be touched.

"It green, Christopher. Green it go with de black," Amee huffed. "Sarah said you was hot dressed in de green. She was right," Amee teased gently.

Larabee sighed. "Sarah always picked my clothes out. It was just easier to wear black after she was gone. I'm color blind."

"You get dat Ezra ta help you den. It time ta add some colors," Amee hugged him. "You still wear green under pants?" Amee grinned wickedly.

"Amee!!!" Andre huffed.

"Sarah and I shopped tagether, Andre. She's de one what found dem tiger striped underwear I liked so much, heh." Amee's eyes danced.

"Chris you need anyt'ing?" Andre changed the subject . . .quickly.

"Nope, I'm good to go," Chris laughed.

The good natured pair settled Larabee in his truck and Edgar back in the carrier.

"You still don' want for us to call somebody ta drive you home?" Amee chewed her lip.

"No, sweet lady, I'm picking up the prescriptions and heading straight home," Chris answered before pulling away.

"Good Luck," the pair called as the truck left the parking lot.

"Andre, I love you," Amee hugged her husband.

"Knew you was a smart woman," Andre breathed before gently kissing her. "Promise I stay away from dem. I like me wit'out stitches."