Ten minutes had passed and still no answer had come from Doctor Cole. Another nurse had said this was highly unusual as the doctor would respond almost immediately to a call wherever he was and whatever he was doing. As a precaution she called security, something wasn't right. Ellen offered to look for the doctor and suggested that a rather annoyed Robbie go back to his daughter. Robbie conceded and turned away.

Taking up some patient folders to deliver back to the beds they'd been taken from as she searched Ellen walked away from the nurses' station in the opposite direction that Robbie had taken. After going in and out of several rooms she came to a junction in the ward and took the right hand fork to deliver the remainder of the folders. As she rounded the corner she didn't see someone rounding the corner at the same time to go the opposite way. Not seeing the person until it was too late she careered into him and him into her. Her folders went flying and she fell to the floor.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry I didn't see you," the person apologised helping her up.

Ellen brushed herself down and looked at her assailant, "I didn't see you either so it's no problem. Look at this mess though, there's paper everywhere."

"Let me help you, it's the least I can do. I'm Sportacus by the way."

"I'm Ellen and I better clean this up myself. Confidential patient information, my eyes only I'm afraid."

"I can still help; I won't read anything I promise."

Shrugging slightly Ellen got down on her knees and proceeded to pick up sheet after sheet of paper. As she moved she bundled them up ready to put back in the appropriate folders. Soon there was only one piece left and she reached out for it but ended up touching Sportacus' hand instead. A jolt of electricity ran up her arm and she sheepishly took her hand from his. Avoiding eye contact with him she picked up the piece of paper and took the folders from him.

Also affected by the touch of hands that he and Ellen had shared Sportacus started to stand up but ended up banging his head on Ellen's when she tried to stand up at the same time.

"You like to mess things up don't you?" Ellen scorned rubbing her head.

Sportacus stood up and offered her a hand up too, "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me. I've had a lot on my mind lately. My niece is here and she's sick."

"Oh? What's her name? I might know her."

"Her name's Robyn, Robyn Rotten."

Ellen nodded when she recognised the name, "I know her. I can take you to her room if you like. To sort out all of these folders I'll need to go to the nurses' station, Robyn's room is a little way beyond that."

"Thanks. That's very nice of you."

"No problem. Follow me."

Letting Ellen walk a little way ahead before he started walking Sportacus followed her. He didn't know if it was the nurse's uniform she was wearing or her kindness but he felt all tingly inside. Something about her allured him, she wasn't overly attractive but that didn't matter. Letting his eyes slip downwards for a few seconds a smile touched his lips when he noticed that she had a rather nice bottom.

Shaking the raunchy thoughts that were starting to form in his head he forced his eyes to rest on the back of her head. He was a hero not a pervert. Unlike his father and Ché he saw no room for that sort of thing in the life he had chosen. He had dedicated his life to saving other people's lives and that was the way things had to stay. There was no room for personal dalliances of the romantic sort.

'On the other hand…' he thought to himself when his eyes slipped below her waist line again.

Ellen suddenly stopped walking and he narrowly avoided crashing into her again. Luckily his eyes managed to raise themselves to her head seconds before she turned around to look at him. He smiled at her and realised that they were at the nurses' station. When she nodded in the direction he had to go he started to walk away but came back.

Rubbing the back of his head Sportacus licked his lips and smiled sheepishly, "I was wondering if I could perhaps take you out to dinner some time to…to make up for running into you."

"I'd like that, when were you thinking of?"

"Erm, when are you free?"

"Tomorrow Evening. Why don't we say you meet me here at six and we can find somewhere to eat?"

"Sure. Six it is then and I'm paying."

Ellen smiled, "Just what I would have expected. I better get on with this; if I don't see you later I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. I'll get going now."

Ellen waved before turning back to her work. She smiled as she remembered the conversation she'd had and Sportacus looking at her bottom hadn't gone without her notice. The only thing that could ruin her evening was Dominic but she was sure he could give her one night's grace.

Thinking of Dominic she remembered that he was in the staff room and she hurried to finish her work. It was only a matter of time before security came this way to find Doctor Cole and the staff room would be the first place they'd look. Unless Dominic had found the right key he wouldn't be able to get out. If they found him in the room there would be trouble and all of their plans would be worth nothing. She wasn't sure if she could carry them out on her own.

Getting another nurse to put the folders back for her she went to the staffroom. Using the key she had locked the door with she unlocked it before knocking twice and slowly opening it. Slipping into the room she closed the door behind her and turning round surveyed the destruction wrought on the room.

Chairs were strewn everywhere, plates lay broken on the floor by the sink in the kitchenette, food was all over the place and a trail of blood led from where she was standing to a heap of chairs in one corner of the room. Composing herself she followed the trail and saw a man lying face down, beside him sat Dominic.

Dominic looked up when he noticed Ellen standing in front of him, "Don't worry, he's alive. I might have gotten a little carried away."

"You can say that again. Will he recover?"

"Of course he'll recover. This looks worse than it is, trust me. Where did you put the envelope?"

"My locker. We need to get you out of here first; I'll come back for it later."

Dominic nodded and tried to stand. For the first time Ellen noticed that he was holding his hand to his stomach and she realised that the trail of blood had been his blood not Doctor Cole's. Looking around she saw a kitchen knife lying close by the doctor which had blood on.

Realising what this could mean she looked back at Dominic. "When you said you got a little carried away you meant it didn't you."

"I didn't expect him to put up a fight. I'll be fine; if I get home I can stitch myself up. Give me a hand up and I'll get going."

Doing as she'd been told Ellen helped him up and steadied him when he started to waver. Letting him out of the staff room door would be too risky so she fought her way through a sea of chairs to the fire exit. Using the other key she'd been given she disabled the alarm and unlocked it. Going back to Dominic she helped him out. When he was half way down the steps she shut and locked the door. Looking back at the room she shook her head before going over to the emergency button and pressed it.

She hoped that whatever explanation for this she gave them they'd believe. If they didn't she and Dominic would be foiled.