Fall River, Massachusetts—Charlton Memorial Hospital, nurses lounge

Elizabeth Thornton giggled at her best friend Faith as she talked about a patient's antics to avoid swallowing pills.

"Seriously, Elizabeth. I'm going to grind up the pills and put them in his food. He'll never know!"

"You let me know how that works out."

Elizabeth finished her salad and got up to throw away the trash.

"Date with Nathan tonight?" Faith asked.

"Yeah." She knew the tone in her voice didn't convey any sort of excitement. In all honesty, she'd rather cancel.

"Just tell him that you want to break up," Faith urged, knowing the situation.

"I don't want to hurt him. He's been there for me through everything with losing Jack and my parent's divorce…how can I just say that I don't want to be with him anymore?"

"Just like that. You guys are more like friends than partners."

"Yeah." She couldn't deny that. She also couldn't deny that he was one of her best friends but that was where it ended. He was a handsome man and he wore a police uniform for a living so that didn't hurt, but she didn't feel the butterflies.

Maybe it was crazy to want to feel something magical in a life mate, but she wanted that again. The spark that instantly connected her to someone.

She knew that the longer she stayed "dating" Nathan, the less time she'd have to find her spark.

"I don't want to lose him. But…I miss being with someone that makes me feel…Something. Anything."

"Maybe just talk to him. Be honest. You might be surprised how he reacts."

….

Fall River PD

Nathan got into his squad car to wait for his partner. She was rarely late so in about two minutes she'd join him.

"Right on time," he said as she slid into the passenger seat. "Thanks, Miller," he said as he took the cup of coffee she had for him.

She smiled at him and put her seat belt on. "You're welcome."

He ignored the urge to watch her, take in her beauty. After all he was driving. But…those freckles, those full lips…

"Grant! Watch the road!" Fiona said, steering them back over the white line. "What is up with you?"

"Nothing." Except he was head over heels for his partner and not the woman he was "dating."

"Grant, are you coming tonight?"

"Tonight?" He thought and thought but couldn't remember what she was referring to.

"Poker game. My house."

"Oh. No, I can't."

"Hot date?"

"I have plans, yes. With Beth."

"Ah. The woman you've been dating for what…four years?"

Had it been that long?

"Yeah." Elizabeth meant a lot to Nathan. They had grown up together and both married other people. Elizabeth married Jack just out of college and Nathan had married his high school girlfriend Renee and then they divorced. Now he had shared custody of ten year old Vincent.

When Jack died, Nathan stepped up and helped Elizabeth through it and eventually they started seeing each other.

"Grant, you need to tell her that you don't love her, don't you think?"

"Yes, but I don't want to hurt her."

The crackling of the radio interrupted their conversation. "11-81…East Congdon…nearby units respond…over."

Nathan flipped on his lights and siren while Fiona told dispatch they were on their way.

They'd talk more later.

….

That evening, Nathan drove to Elizabeth's small home on the edge of Fall River. After talking to Fiona about the situation, he was no less confused than before. He knocked on Elizabeth's door and waited, his hands in his pockets.

Elizabeth opened the door and smiled. "Hey, come in. I'm almost ready."

He walked in and she walked away toward where her room was. He knew where it was, even though he'd never stayed there.

She walked back out and he was sitting on her couch. "Nate?"

"Yeah."

"You look like something's wrong. Rough day?"

"It was fine."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He wanted to but he didn't know how to start. "We do need to talk but…lets go see the movie and talk after. Maybe we can get coffee."

"Sure." She grabbed her purse and they walked together out to his truck. "Wait. Nate, we do need to talk. I'm thinking we need to skip the move and just stay here."

He looked at her and then nodded. "Sure."

They walked back in and ordered Chinese food for dinner and sat down, neither of them talking.

"I don't know how…I don't know where to start," she admitted.

"We're friends, right?" he asked.

"Maybe that's the problem."

"What do you mean? You don't want to be my friend?"

She stood up and walked over to the window, slipping her hands in her back pockets. She did that when she was thinking.

"I'll never regret our friendship, Nate."

"Then what's happening?"

"You were there for me after I lost Jack."

"Of course I was." He stood and walked over to her.

"I'll always be grateful to you." She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tight. "We can't date anymore, Nate."

He held her just as tight and felt a huge relief rushing through him. "Were we really dating?"

"No. For me, I was always with my best friend and…don't take this the wrong way but with you I don't feel any…"

"Spark?"

"Yeah. Spark."

"I don't feel any spark with you either," he admitted. He stepped back and kissed her forehead. He had no urge to kiss her lips, like an actual boyfriend would have. "I need to tell you something too."

"You like Fiona?" she asked, letting out a small laugh.

"You knew?"

"Yeah. I had a feeling. Nate, you talk about her a lot and you have been partners for over a year and your eyes light up when you mention her."

"I'm so sorry, Beth."

"There is nothing to be sorry about. Being honest, we weren't dating, Nathan. We were just being best friends and enjoying hanging out."

He wished he felt more. It only made sense to grow from a deep friendship to more but….

"I know that when you and Fiona start dating that our friendship will change…"

"No, it won't."

"Yes, it will, and it should. I just want you to know how much you do mean to me."

This time he did lean down and brush his lips against hers. "I do love you, Beth. I'm just in love with someone else."

"I know." She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek just as the doorbell rang. "Let's eat some Chinese and watch a movie. For old times' sake."

"Okay."

…..

As Nathan left Elizabeth's house later, he fought the urge to text her. It almost felt too soon to be excited that they had broken up. That he could finally ask Fiona to dinner and not worry that someone he knew would see them and think the worst.

He'd wait. He made himself wait until he got back to his apartment anyway.

Then as he walked in, he called her.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"Why are you whispering?" he asked, chuckling.

"Jaden is sleeping," she said, talking about her five-year-old son. She shared custody with her ex-husband Michael, and this was her weekend.

"Oh sorry."

"Grant?"

"I did it, Miller."

"Did what?"

"I…we…Elizabeth and I…we broke up."

"Oh. Are you alright?"

"Yes, she felt the same way so it was mutual."

"Well, that's good then."

"It is." He sat down on his couch and sighed. "Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"

"Like a date?"

"Yes. A real date. Get all dressed up and I'm taking you to dinner and dessert."

"I suppose I can find a sitter for Jay."

"Do you mind? I mean, we can wait until he's with your ex."

"Nope. I think we've waited long enough, Grant."

"Yes we have."

…..

Elizabeth texted Faith as soon as he left. "Well, we broke up."

"And…."

"He loves Fiona. It wasn't fair to anyone to stay together." Faith called her.

"Okay so I have something to ask you. I need you to wait to answer until I fully explain."

"No."

"Elizabeth…."

"I don't want to date anyone, Faith. I'm so out of practice."

"I thought the whole idea was to find someone to give you that spark. How are you going to do that if you don't date?"

"You have a point."

'Thank you. Now, Carson says there's a new doctor on 5th floor."

"Oncology?"

"Yes. She said he's single. A widower."

"What if he doesn't want to date anyone? If he lost his wife…"

"And he has a little girl and its been three years. He mentioned to Carson that since he's new to town, he hasn't met many people yet."

"Is he cute?"

"Hey, babe?" Faith yelled. "Is the new doc cute?"

Elizabeth giggled. "He's not going to know."

"Smokin," Carson yelled back, teasing.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. She loved her friends. "I'll think about it, Faith."

"In the meantime, I'll tell Carson to tell him all about you and we will set up a double date."

"Faith…"

"This is what you want, Elizabeth. You need to get out there again."

"I know. I was going to thank you."

"Oh. You're welcome, hon."

…..

Lucas tucked Aria into bed again. She was plagued with bad dreams lately and a lot of times ended up in his bed. They'd just moved to Fall River a month before and she was having a hard time adjusting to their new schedule and new town without Nana Helen.

"I love you, honey. Sleep well, okay?"

"Daddy? Will you stay with me? I'm scared."

Aria was seven and at times, he swore she was a teenage trapped in a tiny body but right now, she was acting her age and he didn't want to say no.

"Yes, baby." He sat on her bed and pulled her close. "Close your eyes, okay?"

"Daddy? When will Nana come visit?"

"I'm not sure. Soon. Maybe we can call her tomorrow."

"Okay."

Helen Bouchard, Lucas' mom was back in San Diego, clear on the other side of the country. It wasn't like she could just get in her car and come over. She did say she'd come before school started for Aria so that she could take her shopping for school things. Something Clara always had done as her mom. Since Clara passed from an accident, Helen had stepped in to do it and it was special to Aria.

Lucas heard the soft snore of his baby girl and smiled, kissing her soft brown hair that matched her mom's. "Love you," he whispered as he got up and headed to the kitchen to make her lunch for the babysitter the next day.

His phone buzzed from its spot on the counter. "Hey Carson," he answered, putting it on speaker.

"Hey. So, my wife Faith and her friend Elizabeth and I are going to dinner tomorrow night and wondered if you would like to come."

"Why do I feel like this is a set up? Blind dates stink, doc," Lucas said with a chuckle.

"They can but you know what, Elizabeth is amazing and if something doesn't click with you guys, you'd have a new friend at the very least."

"Okay. I'll take your word on it and I could always use a friend."

Carson was his friend but a friend who was a woman would be nice too.

"Great. So, I'll text you with the address of the restaurant."

"Okay and I'll find a babysitter for Aria."

Well, he knew that he had gotten to the point in his life, at almost 40 years old, that having a partner to share life with and help raise his daughter was almost a necessity. At seven, Aria's life was rather drama free but in about five years, it would be very different. Hopefully this Elizabeth person liked children and was as wonderful as Carson promised.