As the morning sun came up, Laurie arrived at the hospital entrance and started into the lobby, only to hear her name called. "Laurie, Laurie Simon?"

Turning, she saw a tall, stocky man coming toward her. "Laurie, it's Roman Baker, do you remember me?"

Gazing up at him, she smiled, "Yes, Roman, I do. You were in the class after me. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you. How is Rick?" Laurie remembered they had run into him at their last reunion, his parents had run the local candy store and now he was the owner.

"Well, he's a little banged up right now, he and A.J. were hit by a van, but they'll be all right."

"That's terrible. At least they're okay." He fell into step with her, then took her arm as they entered the visitors' area.

"Are you visiting someone, Roman?" she asked, realizing how early it was.

"Yes, Anita Cooper, she's been admitted to the care unit here. I got a call from her last night, seems she's gone off the deep end again."

Laurie stared at him in shock. "Roman, Anita's here?"

"Yes, why?" he frowned.

"Because the police are looking for her; she's been harassing A.J. and his family. But you said again…" Laurie stopped, thinking this was something Rick should hear.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I didn't know she was after A.J., but, her family was killed in a car crash last year, and ever since then, well, she hasn't done too well." His voice was sad, and Laurie started to feel sorry for him, coming all this way for Anita.

"Roman, you're a good man. I still remember when we were in school, you bringing peppermints to kids who were sick." She put a hand on his arm.

Just then the elevator dinged, and he escorted her in.

"Thank you, Laurie, it's nice to hear someone have something good to say about you. If I may, I'd like to stop by to see A.J. and Rick later, what floor are they on?"

"Three. I don't know the room number yet, but you can ask at the nurses' station." As the doors opened, Laurie stepped out, then turned to see Roman smile at her. "I will, I'm glad to have run into you again."

As the doors closed, she quickly ran to the waiting area and used the pay phone to call Ron Johnson.

Rick was glancing at his watch impatiently when a soft "Rick?" sounded near the door.

"Sweetheart? Behind the curtain." He replied, then beamed when Laurie stepped around the curtain then came to his side.

Instantly he gathered her in his arms. "Laurie."

"Darling, you scared me. Oh, love." Her voice broke, then he pulled her up on his bed and kissed her.

After a few minutes, he released her, then saw a worried look in her eyes. "Darlin', what is it?"

"I think I know who was behind the van that hit you; I just called Ron, Anita is supposedly in the care unit upstairs." She gulped, her face troubled.

"What?" Rick was dumbfounded, then heard his wife's tale of having run into Roman Baker and his tale of woe about Anita.

"I believed him about Anita until he said her family was killed in a car crash last year. Her father and mother died years ago, right after her brother as a matter of fact. When I talked to Ron, he got ahold of the Care Center administrator and they checked to see if she was there. She was until a few minutes ago, then she walked out. I think Roman picked her up." Laurie explained. "Then," she hesitated, until Rick touched her cheek, "what, Angel?"

"Roman took my arm as we got into the elevator, so I had the nurse put some powder on my blouse so I could lift his prints from my sleeve." She pointed to a set of white marks on her new blouse. "When they find the van, they can see if they match any left by the driver." Laurie held up a small bag with a smudged piece of tape in it.

Rick gazed at his wife proudly. "How did I marry such a smart woman." She put her face next to his as she murmured, "you taught me everything I know, darling. I just listened and put two and two together."

"Well, how about putting," he kissed her, "something else together."

"Please, Rick, Linda and I are trying to sleep." Came A.J.'s voice from behind the curtain, and Laurie muffled her giggle as Linda sleepily added, "Go to sleep, sis, breakfast isn't until 8."

"Good idea." Rick teased, then helped his wife off with her shoes. Covering her with his blankets, he pillowed her head on his chest, then the two of them drifted off to sleep.

Rick woke first to the shocked gasp, "Mr. Simon!" Opening his eyes, he saw the puffed up face of the head nurse, Ms Rachel ("Rachett to you, Rick!" A.J. had said, rolling his eyes the last time he was here.)

"Uh, hi, Nurse. It's okay, this is Mrs. Simon. Laurie." He stroked her cheek, then she woke up.

"Mr. Simon, I realize Dr. Allen lets you run things when he's here, but he's not…" the nurse started to bluster, only for Laurie to interrupt her.

"Nurse, I am his wife, so there's no need to be rude. As soon as Allen comes in to check my husband and his brother out, we're leaving."

Rick saw the fire in her eyes, and as much as he enjoyed seeing her go off on nasty minds like "Rachett", he put a calming arm around her.

"It's all right, sweetheart. Finish waking up then I'll meet you in the family room."

The nurse opened her mouth as if to protest, then thought better of it and left the room in a huff.

From behind his curtain, a grumpy A.J. could be heard telling Linda, "if she had come over here…"

"Morning, A.J." Rick grinned, then Linda parted the curtains, hair tousled.

"Hey, Rick, morning, sis. I loved hearing you talk back to that woman, she's a real… A.J.!"

Laurie giggled as Linda disappeared and the sound of romance filtered back.

"Hmm, not a bad idea." Rick snickered, then "helped" Laurie finish waking up.

As they finished eating breakfast, Linda remembered that she needed to call Cecilia.

"Ricky's got a birthday party to go to today, A.J.. I'll call Mom then meet you in the family room, okay?"

"Sure, honey, Allen wanted to talk to you anyway." A.J. had a puzzled look, then Laurie told Rick, "I'll wait with Linda, darling. I'm going to stop and call Ron first."

"All right. Sweetheart. We'll be in soon." Rick pulled her down for one more kiss.

Laurie had a sudden chill come over her, so she wrapped her arms around him. "Darlin'?" Rick felt her shiver, then she reluctantly released him.

"Don't mind me, just cold, must be the air conditioning." She smiled, then followed her sister-in-law out of the room.

As the women left, Rick saw A.J. frown. "What's wrong, A.J.? Is it your leg?"

"No, just had a funny feeling about Anita supposedly being here, then gone." He said thoughtfully.

Rick leaned back, his own disquiet about his wife bothering him. "I know, I don't like that Roman Baker just happens to show up and offer so much info to Laurie."

The brothers were silent for a minute, then a familiar figure came in the room. "What the heck happened to you two?"

"Rudy!" Rick was pleased to see their friend. "When did you get into town?"

"About an hour ago. Steve and Jaime and Crystal went on to the cabin with Oscar." Rudy gave first him then A.J. a hug.

"Am I glad to see you." A.J. grinned.

"Well, Laurie was anxious about you guys, and Oscar was worried she wouldn't rest until you were home, so we wrapped up our business and came home early." Rudy explained.

Abruptly Rick "heard" a cry of "Rick", then a feeling of panic from his wife.

Laurie had been on hold with Ron Johnson, only to hear her name called from the family room down the hall. Putting the phone down, Laurie went to the door, only to find the lights out.

"Linda?" she called her sister-in-law's name as she entered, only to hear a muffled "Laurie!" then someone grab her from behind and hold a cloth over her nose and mouth.

"A.J., something's wrong, which way's the family room from here?" Rick pushed himself off the bed then tried to bend over for his shoes.

"Hey, hey, let me do that." Rudy stopped him, then got him his shoes and helped him up. A.J. grabbed for his crutches and the three men left the room.

A siren was going off as they came down the corridor, then Rick paled as he saw the darkened waiting room with the door shut. Putting his hand on the knob, he found it was locked, then looked through the window to see someone lying on the floor.

"Rudy, the door's locked,. one of them's in there!"