She glanced at him as she walked quickly to the elevator, Alex slowly following her trail, and she noted his appearance. He looked so different from when she'd seen him nearly twelve hours before. Now he had stubble appearing on his chin, and his eyes were dark with the darkened circles around his eyes.

He was tired. He was probably even more tired than she was. He certainly was bestowed upon a responsibility that required him to technically be on call at all times. He was, after all, the chief of the ER staff.

But on her way back down, Alex having disappeared outside to play basketball nearly an hour ago, she didn't just offer him a passing glance. She stared right at him, pursed her lips, and choked on her own breath. Turning her head and looking away from him, she self consciously dragged her hands down the wrinkles in her clothes in an attempt to redirect her attention.

He continued signing all of his charts over, his sleep tugged eyes drifting back to Sam, and he turned on his heel to head to the lounge. He was going home, and he was going to do his best to pretend that he didn't care about the outcome of the discussion that Kerry had with Sam. Although, he would have to find out, as Chief of Staff, he had to know who was working for him.

He walked into the lounge, ignoring the small multitude of people clearing out of the room, and he headed to his locker. Twisting the lock, he shed himself of his white lab coat and hung it haphazardly on the hook. He gathered his things and did more than prepare himself to leave, he also prepared himself to turn and see her there alone on the table.

And when he turned, he took in a deep breath at the sight of her staring into her cup of black coffee.

"Everything all right?" He didn't know how he mustered the courage to ask her considering that he was still nearly a wreck after speaking to her hours before. He pulled his jacket up his shoulders before leaning against the chair. His hands grasped around the top of the chair to keep his balance.

"Huh?" She looked up at him, almost immediately shaking her head. She looked into her coffee again and took a long sip from the steam filled liquid. "I just have a half shift today so I can get Alex home. I didn't really make any alternative plans."

"Okay," he nodded. He squeezed the chair before he patted it, his knee gently knocking against the solid wood of the chair. "Call me if you need anything. You know, help with a trauma."

She nodded as he turned from her, and walked towards the door. His shoe squeaked along the ground as he picked up his pace, closing his eyes momentarily to fight off the rapid urge to turn and give her all of himself. He stopped at the door, his hand firmly set on the handle, and he turned to her.

He took in deep breaths, looking at her with narrowed and hesitant eyes.

"I've been thinking a lot about what you said, about going to Miami, and maybe it isn't the right thing," he paused, advancing closing to her. He reached out to touch her, but instead, he started tracing circles on the table. "I mean, there's more left for you here in Chicago."

"Luka…"

"No, Sam," he sighed deeply, waving his hand in his face to keep her from saying anything until he was finished saying what he wanted, needed rather, to say. She looked up at him, his eyes looking deep into hers, and his long bangs quietly found its way into his eyes. "Just let me…We need you here. We could really use your help, and I'd hate to see you leave. I mean, I'm sure that everyone else would hate to see you leave, but me – especially."

"Luka," she smiled at him amused. She was amused with his words, with his actions, and even the fact that he cared enough to go through all of the trouble of getting Kerry involved. She stood up as he took a step back and leaned against the chair again. "I've gotten a better offer and I'm not going to Miami."

"I don't mean to pry," he smiled, his chin dropping down to his chest as he laughed in all of his honesty, and he locked his eyes on a spot in the center of the table. He bit his bottom lip before he cleared his throat and stood upright. "I need to know, just to be sure who's on my staff and who isn't, are you going to be staying here in Chicago?"

"Kerry fired Eve last night, which is why she called me in, and she couldn't afford to lose me and her so close together. So, she offered me Eve's position," Sam gave him a smile, and quickly looked away as she once again found herself standing so close to him. She took in a deep breath, looking for the strength to turn away from him. If she was staying there, it meant she could still keep a watchful eye on him. "Looks like I'm not going anywhere."

"Well," he gulped down the lob forming in his throat as he turned his body towards her, his hand immediately going to his hip. He found himself standing centimeters away, his bangs barely in his vision as he looked down at her. His lips were slightly parted and his tongue darted out across them, and he gulped down another lump forming in his throat. "That's good to hear."

"Look, Luka," she breathed out softly, her breath trailing across his lips as she reached up and brushed the hair out of his eyes, "don't get me wrong; I would have missed you terribly."

Her fingers threaded through his hair as she brushed it back and out of his eyes, and his eyes focused deep into hers. He reached out and gently touched her elbow, drawing her a bit closer to him as the touch made her catch herself by reaching out with her freehand and touching his stomach with her fingertips. He breathed out, his own breath trailing across her lips scornfully to them both.

"I would have missed you, too," he almost leaned forward and touched his forehead to hers, but he somehow forced himself from the thought, "so much."

He lifted his hand and placed it on her cheek, brushing his thumb across her cheekbone. They both breathed out at the same time, the heat between them colliding, and he could almost feel her on his lips. They were too close to deny any motion between them.

"Sam…" he swallowed hard.

He could think of many things that he wanted to say to her.

I love you. I'm glad you're staying. I want to be with you.

He didn't think anymore, he just closed his eyes and leaned forward. His lips met hers, and his hands slid down her body to wrap around her waist. He tucked his thumbs into the waistband of her pants, hoping that it wasn't a step further than even she was willing to go.

His lips entangled with hers as she seemed to gently drag her soft fingertips across his rugged jaw line, drawing out a quiet noise from the back of his throat. It was at that moment that he realized he didn't want to let her go in fear that he wouldn't get to hold her again. His thumbs tickled the skin above her waist.

She, reluctantly and hesitantly, pulled her lips from his, remembering in the back of her head that she was supposed to start her shift.

"So," she said quietly as they removed themselves from each other, and she slowly wiped at her face. She glanced around the room awkwardly, and she realized how awkward things between them would and was becoming. "Alex is going to be glad to found out that we don't have to move."

"Yeah…I'd really hate to see him go. He really means a lot to me," Luka spoke quietly, hesitantly, and as though he couldn't think of anything else to say. He reached out and touched her cheek again, letting his thumb brush across her cheekbone for just a moment before he moved passed her. "I'm serious. If there are any problems, I want you to call me."

She watched him walk away, and she was almost angry at herself for just letting him leave. She sighed deep within her, the words that he said to her having linger in her head. I would have missed you too, so much.

It was almost time when she started to make sense to everyone, almost when she started to make sense to herself.