Chapter 35

Anna walked into the lounge and grabbed her stuff from her locker there. She then went down and managed to get the car started. She turned on the radio and drove back to Carter's. She saw Doug's jeep parked out front. She leaned down and pulled apart the wires turning off the car. She might as well go in and face the music. She opened up the front door. "I'm back." She called out.

Doug had gotten back to the mansion well before Anna. He had wanted to stay and wait up for her but he decided to change out of his clothes. the farthest he had gotten was taking off his shirt and shoes. he laid on the bed face down in his worn out jeans. he was sure if she came in he would hear her but he fell asleep and was clueless.

She glanced around the living room and didn't see him. So she headed upstairs. He was asleep on the bed half undressed. She debated on whether or not she should go anywhere near him. She walked over and kissed the top of his head as she pulled a blanket over him, "good night Doug."

Doug opened his eyes just time to see her walking out the door. "Hey" he said softly, forcing the sleep out of his eyes. "Get back here."

She stopped dead in her tracks and walked back over to the bed. She sat down on the edge of the bed and waited for the fall out.

Doug looked at her expression. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not going to yell at you." he took her hand and held it in his. "it's just, you shouldn't have done that...but you're ok and I'm glad." Doug rolled over on his back and pulled the covers all the way around him. "i owe you an apology anyway for leaving you. it sucks waking up alone...i bet you thought i left you huh?"

"No I didn't think that you had left." She said. "You're a doctor, we get up and leave in the middle of the night, it's part of our jobs as doctors, emergency physicians don't exactly work nine to five. But you're right I shouldn't have done that, and I owe you an apology. You stuck your neck out for me and I blew it off. You're probably tired, so I'll let you get some sleep."

Doug grinned. He knew he had done his job and made her feel bad. "Well it's not exactly an 'I'm sorry Doug' but I'll take it." he said grabbing her hand. "come here."

She scooted up onto the bed next to him, "I'm sorry Doug. I'm really sorry." Anna said softly to him, "I promise I won't do it again."

Doug reached up and gave her a kiss. "Ahh...i can't stay mad at you too long after i found out how compatible we were a few hours ago." he said giving her a wink. "Besides vie done much worse things...so where are we at here? sleep, breakfast, and auto class...what do you want to do?"

"I was going to grab a shower, I am sure I smell like baby puke." She said, "the entire reason I became a pediatrician." She said laughing, "nothing like changing scrubs four times in 30 minutes."

"Hey I'm with ya on that one...the changing scrubs not the shower." Doug watched her walk over to the bathroom. "hey Anna." he sad standing up. "you know how you asked me if i was ok?" he said coming over to her and taking her hand. "i wanted to change my answer... i am now."

She smiled at him, "you don't know how much I needed to hear that." She said softly as she leaned against him.

He gave his usual chuckle and dropped his head between the two of them. He sighed and kissed her forehead. "I'm going to get something to eat." he said backing up. "hey, don't get your hair wet, doctor's orders." he said with a wink.

She smiled at him as she let go of him and turned toward the bathroom, from the door she looked at him, "yeah no getting my hair wet. If you wouldn't mind making me a sandwich I'd love ya for it. I haven't had anything but some popcorn and two Twinkies."

Doug nodded. "Hey, I'm here for you." he closed the door behind him and walked downstairs to the kitchen. he made a couple of sandwiches and grabbed a beer. after turning the heat up in the house he went and sat on the couch and turned on ESPN to catch the highlights of the bull's game. He thought it was odd that the whole time he had been in the mansion with Anna neither Carter or Abby had come by but he didn't care much. the last thing he wanted was a speech from carter about his personal choices...but he did miss his daughters, and carol.

Anna slipped into the shower. She let the hot water run down her body. She couldn't help but wince when she hit the bruise on her arm. As she looked at it. She let the tears fall. At least in the shower no one could see or hear her crying. She was happy with Doug, but what Max had done to her hurt. She was determined not to let him know that. They had come some far and she was not going to let her problems set them back any further. She leaned forward to turn off the water as the spray from the shower hit her head. "Oh god damn it!" She yelled as she hit the wall of the shower with her fist. She grabbed a towel and cursed all the way across the hall to her bedroom. She now had a wet matted mess sitting on her head. She knew that she looked like a mutt from the pound. She pulled her jeans and a sweatshirt out of her bag. As she threw them on the bed and sat down next to them.

Doug struggled to keep his eyes open. He felt like every time he had to wait on Anna he fell asleep. he put his feet on the coffee table and stretched his back .ill just rest my eyes." he told himself as he let his head relax. as soon as his chin touched his chest he was out.

She threw her clothes on and recomposed herself. She looked in the mirror, "god this outta scare him." She pulled at the matted mess of gauze attached to her head. "that hurt." She said to herself, "I look like a bloody freak of nature." She headed down the stairs. She glanced into the living room. Doug was sleeping on the couch. She walked over and picked up the sandwich that was sitting on the plate. Food looked good; she pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and covered him up. Maybe it was better he didn't see her looking like she did right now. She kicked back and watched ESPN. Wow the bulls had gotten beaten bad by the sixers, but the highlights weren't that bad. She finished the sandwich. She knew that she should be tired, but her body had adjust well to the lack of sleep, after watching a couple of the half hour sports shows she thought about waking him up, but instead she found herself just looking at him. When she looked at him, she wasn't Carol and she knew it. He had to miss his children, he didn't have to say anything she knew how much he loved his girls. Did she have the right to break that up? She stood up and walked behind the couch, "night baby." She said to him as she headed off towards the kitchen with the plate.

Doug woke up at the sound of a buzzer on the TV. He looked around and didn't see Anna. 'Maybe she hadn't come down' he thought until he noticed the sandwiches were gone. He grinned looking at his watch. He had been asleep for several hours ad he knew that she had been sitting there with him. As he tried to get up he rubbed his stiff neck. "Ahh. I have to stop sleeping on the couch." he said out loud. He pulled the blanket off of him and shivered. He thought he had turned up the heat in the house, but with his shirt off it was still cold. He remained seated and looked around. He wondered where Anna had gone. He figured if she wanted to find him she would.