Susan had fallen asleep, her head in her arms across some trashy magazine. Mark sat down beside her with a tired sigh. Major traumas had a habit of showing up at the most opportune moments, like five minutes before the end of a shift when an old friend is waiting for you in the cafeteria. Four hours later Mark figured another ten minutes wouldn't hurt and took a shower before he changed to go meet her.

He sat up straight and reached his hand out to touch hers, hoping to wake her without startling her. It worked. She rubbed her face, sitting up, "Hey."

Mark smiled, "Sorry."

"Oh, I'm fine, these tables are more comfortable than I remember. So what was it?" she fiddled with her hair, hoping she hadn't committed too many crimes against fashion while she slept.

"Ambulance versus a school bus."

"Ouch."

Mark nodded, "So, you wanna get out of here?"

She nodded and stood up. "When did your shift start?"

He looked at his watch and moaned.

Susan just laughed. "If you're too tired we don't have to do this now. I'm back for good so no hurry."

Mark smiled, "No, I'm fine, I just didn't realise the time. Where are you staying?"

"Oh, just two blocks away."

"Does the hotel have a restaurant?"

Susan nodded. "And a very good steak fillet."

Mark's eyes widened, "Oh, man, that sounds perfect."

The stepped out into the night and fell into a comfortable silence. There was so much to be said but for now it was enough just to be together after so long apart.

"So…" Mark wasn't sure how to broach the subject but decided he had to because Susan wouldn't, "how long have you been in remission?"

She smiled and lifted her wine glass to her lips, taking her time, "a couple of months."

He was clearly waiting for more and she figured she should get it out now, get it over with.

With a deep breath she began, "I started getting chronic headaches about a year ago and um… well I took painkillers, as you do, and just kept going, but it got pretty obvious to colleagues and stuff." This wasn't easy. Another deep breath. "My boss, well he was a real good guy you know, and genuinely concerned but I wouldn't be convinced to get properly checked out until one day, I was at the wrong end of a double shift and I tripped up and managed to knock myself out. So Greg insisted on doing a full examination and they found a growth in insert medical terminology for part of the brain that I cannot be bothered looking up"

Mark was leaning across the table toward her, looking truly shell shocked.

She smiled at him, "Relax, I'm okay."

He didn't look convinced.

"Really," she took his hand.

"So chemo worked?" he held her hand firmly.

Susan nodded. "As far as they can tell I'm in the clear and free to return to work and all that jazz."

"Oh. So did you not want to go back to your job in Phoenix cause they all knew about the cancer or something?"

Susan took a deep breath. "Um, well, not really. They were pretty good about it and Greg was really understanding without treating me like I was so fragile I'd break."

"Oh." Mark chose not to speak and risk sounding jealous.

"I think I just – I mean I had some good friends but, um… I guess I just realised that I might not live forever and there were a few things that I didn't want to miss – if I did get sick again…" she couldn't find the courage to meet his eyes, not knowing if he'd understood, not knowing if she was ready for him to get it.

"Well I'm glad you're back – though I wish it didn't take this to bring you home." He obviously didn't get it. But he squeezed her hand and blinked hard, trying to hold onto her eyes and keep his emotions in check.

"I missed you." She took a deep breath.

"You should have called."

Susan just looked sad.

"Though I guess I made that difficult – the way I said goodbye."

She was surprised he'd brought that up, meeting his eyes suddenly, then shaking her head when she saw the vulnerability she found there.

"No, that's not why I didn't call."

"It's why I didn't call." Mark admitted, surprising himself at how far they'd got in the short time they'd seen eachother.

"I thought it might be. And I guess it was for me at first but… I really missed you. I guess I didn't know how just talking would satisfy that," she was getting a bit choked up but she had to be honest with him. He'd thrown himself on the line for her those years ago and it was her turn. She needed to set the record straight. "You know, back then, I really…" deep breath, "I really loved you." She didn't want to stop there but her mind went blank.

"Oh." He sounded surprised.

"Yeah." She smiled. Time to change the subject. "Seems like a lifetime ago doesn't it? So when do I get to meet Ella?"