Hey! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Especially to Boscolvr who always leaves an awesome detailed review, thanks for the great compliments! And for the correction : Alex Taylor was NOT on the show in the beginning, she arrived later. Thanks once again for all of you who reviewed, and for all of you who didn't…poo on you! Just kidding, remember a review from you could make a new chapter appear sooner! Lots of love to everyone! PS, does anyone know when/ what month Third Watch starts up again in? I want to begin my countdown! Lol.

Chapter 9

'Sympathy'

It was Maurice's third day being sick. He had avoided work and camped out with Katie who had been there for him 24/7. She only left briefly to pick up some medicine and some necessities from her place. Every time he coughed she was there rubbing his back soothingly, every time his throat hurt she was there with medicine and consoling words. He couldn't believe his luck in finding such a wonderful person. Of course he knew he was going to screw it up. In all the relationships he had ever been in, the ones that lasted longer than 1 night, Maurice had always done or said something to screw things up and drive the girl away. But now, he was determined more than ever to make it work. He loved this girl.

Katie was sitting in the living room flipping through a magazine while Maurice slept. She didn't really mind being bored while he slept. She would usually creep into his room and just watch him sleep for a few minutes. Just to make sure he was alright. They had been together for almost 2 months now. It wasn't officially the longest, but it was definitely the most meaningful of all of the relationships she had ever been in.

Maurice's head was spinning in his sleep. His dreams were haunted with images of his father beating his mother, Angela screaming, pleading with him not to hurt her. It wasn't long before he began to stir in his sleep crying out. "No, no….don't stop it, don't do it stop!" "Maurice!?" Katie whispered as she ran into the room upon hearing his cries, "whats the matter?" she said gently shaking him to consciousness. Maurice sat up suddenly breathing heavily. Katie wrapped her arms around him and he leaned into her embrace. His head in her arms looking up at her with a look of pure shock on his face as he stared into her eyes still breathing heavily. He leaned into her arms further leaning his head against her stomach and closing his eyes his breathing slowing down from its fast pace.

"Sweetie are you okay?" Katie inquired. "Yeah, yeah." He said reassuringly, not enjoying the feeling of total vulnerability that he was experiencing. "It was nothing, nothin' at all." "Alright if you're sure." She said cautiously aware that there was something he wasn't sharing. "Nothing." He said convincingly as he sat up from her comforting embrace and got out of bed. He wanted nothing more than to run back into her arms crying and explain his horrible dreams to her, to tell her everything. But he wasn't ready yet. 'I don't wanna scare her off yet.' He thought. He needed a few minutes to collect himself and sort out his thoughts. "Im gonna take a shower I'll be out in a few minutes." He said without even looking Katie in the eye, as he ducked out of the room and shut the bathroom door tightly.

Katie was feeling left out, and mildly concerned that Maurice seemed really disturbed by his nightmare. Sure she understood that everyone had their skeletons in the closet, but for some reason, she got the feeling that Maurice had a graveyard. 'I'll give him his space, if he's not ready to tell me, that's alright.' She said, trying to convince herself nothing was wrong. She didn't know much about Maurice's past, anything really. She intended to find out, eventually, 'just give him time'. She thought as she stared blankly at the bathroom door.

~ Hey that's chapter 9. I hope you all enjoyed it! Chapter 10 will be coming soon. Depending on reviews….Muwahahaha!! lol. I hope to hear from all of you. And to all Third Watch Junkies, like myself, our absence of Third Watch on NBC is cured! On A&E (channel 52 in my area) Third Watch runs Mon-Fri at 11:00 pm. Sat at 10 pm. They are the older ones 'vintage Third Watch' as I call them. But Jason Wiles still looks damn sexy! Enjoy! ;)