AN: I'm gonna try to write thrid person, and in past tense. I usually write first person present tense. I'll check it myself but if I make mistakes and write in the wrong tense I apologize. So enjoy my new story. I will write the other story...but I got this idea so I had to write it. :D

Chapter 1: Changes

Chaos. That was the only word to describe the day Vanessa Winters was working in the ER and her brother-in-law came in on a stretcher. Gun Shot. She knew her sister would be devistated-as would her nephew. Her nephew. He'd take the news the hardest. Vanessa only got a breif look at to wound. It was bad, the shoulder isn't a good place to get shot, it didn't help that it was his left shoulder-pretty close to his heart.

"Dr. Winters," one of the nurses called. "You're needed in surgery-now."

She ran into the prep room, and put her white gloves on, and her mask. Right now, she knew she had to focus, she couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. Not here, not now. Rick, Lori, and Carl were all counting on her at this moment. She worked quickly, and did everything she could. But, Rick still ended up in a coma. As soon as he was out of surgery, Lori came running in with Carl. Shane-Rick's best friend was standing in the waiting room-only two people were ever allowed an ICU room at one time.

"How is he, Doc?" Shane asked Vanessa.

"Not as good as I would've hoped. He's in a coma," she replied, bowing her head in shame, because she blamed herself for Rick's current state.

"It's not your fault, ''Nessa. You did all you could."

"If I was a better-"

"Don't blame yourself for this. If I didn't get distracted, he wouldn't have been shot in the first place."

"You don't blame yourself either."

Shane wrapped his arms around Vanessa, hoping that it would calm both their nerves. Vanessa was Lori's sister, younger by four years. She'd been a freshman in high school while Shane and Rick were seniors. Lori never went to King County High School. When Vanessa and Lori's parents got a divorce, Vanessa moved with her dad to King County, and Lori stayed with their mom in Atlanta. Without Vanessa, Lori wouldn't have ever met Rick. Vanessa and Shane had a class together, long story short Shane had a party, invited Vanessa, and Vanessa brought Lori where she met Rick. Lori became pregnant with Carl a short time after meeting Rick and Lori were forced by both of their parents. But, they've come to love each other over the years.

Someone cleared their throat behind Shane and Vanessa. They both released each other, and turned to face Lori.

"I'm going home to make some phone calls," she said. Truth was, she couldn't bear to look at her husband now. She felt guilty. Earlier that morning she'd been awful to him. Said that she wondered if he even cared about her or Carl at all. "Shane, Carl wants to stay here...can you watch him?"

"Sure," Shane replied.

"I get off in a bit, anything you want help with?" Vanessa asked.

"No that's all right. But, thank you 'Nessa, for everything."

Lori hugged her younger sister, before she walked out the hospital doors. Shane and Vanessa walked back to Rick's room. Carl was sitting by his father's bed as he cried his eyes out.

"Aunt 'Nessa!" he ran to his aunt, and hugged her with all of his might. "Can't you help him? You're a doctor..."

That brought tears to Vanessa's eyes.

"Hunny, I wish I could do more," she bent down to Carl's level. Shane couldn't help himself, even given the current situation he glanced at 'Nessa's ass. He had always thought she was very attractive. Even back in high school. But, since she was four years younger than him, he never acted upon it, and focused on girls around his age. "Perv," Vanessa said after she stood up. She always had a way of knowing where people's eyes traveled, especially if they were on her body.

"What?" Shane asked, feigning innocence.

"You know what," she looked at him with those blue eyes.

"No I don't."

"There's a child in the room, Officer Walsh." she said with her playful smile. As soon as Rick and Shane graduated from the police academy, 'Nessa started calling Shane "Officer Walsh", at first she was just trying to annoy him, but after she graduated med school she was Doc or Dr. Winters.

"Sorry Dr. Winters," he tipped his police hat at her.

"Uncle Shane, do you love Aunt 'Nessa?" Carl asked innocently.

"Well, um..." Shane uncomfortably ran his hand through his hair.

"Carl, of course Uncle Shane loves me. He's just a too much of a chicken to realize it," 'Nessa said playfully.

"You're right," Shane admitted. "I love your Aunt 'Nessa."

'Nessa stays at the hospital until visiting hours are over with Shane and Rick. She didn't want Shane to be at the hospital alone. Lori had taken Carl home hours ago. Shane was being a gentleman and walking 'Nessa to her car. She, unlike most has driven the same car for ten years-since her sixteenth birthday. They walked through the dimly lit parking garage, with every step they would take, there would be an echo. Once they reached 'Nessa's green, old style, bug, Shane opened the door for her.

"Thank you, Officer Walsh," she grinned.

"Don't mention it Doc," he replied. "Thanks, for stayin' here with me today."

"No problem."

She got in her car, and Shane began to walk back to his cruiser. He turned his head when he heard the sound of the failing engine.

"Need a ride home?" he asked, at her already rolled down window.

"It'll start...just give me a minute," again, she tried the car but nothing.

"Look, you're off tomorrow right? I'll bring you back up here and we'll figure something out. How's that sound?"

"Okay, okay. Let me get my purse," she reached over the seat and grabbed her purse before rolling up the window and grabbing her keys.

"It'll be all right, don't worry," Shane said, trying to calm her down. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked. She leaned into his chest, before she wrapped and arm around his waist.

After they arrived at his police cruiser Shane drove to 'Nessa's house just outside of town. He pulled into the driveway, outside the two story yellow town house.

"Thanks Shane," she said, leaning over to kiss his cheek. But, instead, he turned and captured her lips with his. His hand cupped her chin, not wanting her to pull away. Her hand tangled in his dark hair. She pulled away before anything else could happen. "Good night," she hurried out of the car to her front door. But quickly came back to the car.

"Forget something?" Shane asked, once she had opened the passenger side door.

"My keys."

He held them out of reach over by him.

"Kiss me first."

She brought her lips to his for a moment before taking her keys and going to the door. He ginned from the car. His phone buzzed from his pocket. He reached down and answered it.

"Hello," he said.

"Y'know, Officer Walsh you shouldn't take advantage of your police status by stalking women from outside their houses," 'Nessa said. He grinned.

"I'd rather be watching this particular young woman from inside her house."

"You're such a pervert. Go home," through the phone, Shane could tell 'Nessa was smiling. "Plus, I'd prefer to be wined and dined before I let a man see me in my house."

"Friday night. I'll take you out to dinner."

"Shane..." she was at a total loss of words. She'd had a crush on Shane ever since she moved to King County. "Okay sure."

"Seven o'clock, I'll pick you up. Since your pile will probably still-"

"Don't hate on my car. We've been through a lot together."

"Sorry, sorry."

"I'll see you in the morning," she said.

"Yep. I'll be here 'round ten."

"Does somebody need his beauty sleep?" she joked.

"You wouldn't wanna see me without it."