Chapter 89:

Doug finished his hot dog and took a look at Anna. He could feel the wind start to blow. "Hey you must be cold" he said taking off his jacket. He set it around her shoulders and scooted over closer to her. Doug set his glasses on the top of his head and looked at her again. God was she beautiful. He noticed a little pit of cheese on the side of her mouth and slowly brought up his hand to brush it off. He gave her a small wink and a grin. It seemed like a good time to tell her what was on his mind. "You know I was thinking..." he shifted to look down at the ground."That maybe I was wrong last night. I would be really proud to be the father of your baby...if you wanted it. Cause if they got only half of what you've got...I know I couldn't stand not to be around them." Doug looked back up at her with a weak grin. He hoped she would have something to say. It was hard putting himself out on the line but he had.

Anna leaned back on her elbows... she wasn't sure what to say to that, "Doug I'd like that, I really would." She paused for a minute looking at him, "I want our child to have your last name if you'll let him."

Doug leaned back so he was even with Anna. He exhaled and thought about it for a second before turning his face to look at her. He just nodded. "Yeah I would like that."

She found her heart beating faster as she looked at him, so close to her. Her head told her not too, but her heart was screaming at her for not doing it. She leaned over and kissed him as she felt her cheeks flushing.

Doug closed his eyes and clenched his mouth shut. This is what he wanted but...not like this. He couldn't do this again. Slowly he pulled away from her. "We're just friends right?" he asked with a pained expression. He straightened his head to look up at the sky. He felt awful for that but he just couldn't get his heart broken again. 'Come on Doug get over it!' his head was yelling at him. "You know what? I don't..." the words got caught in his mouth. He was going to say 'I don't want to be just friends' but something stopped him. "...know what's taking our AAA guys so long." he finished after an awkward break. How stupid was he? He knew he probably pissed her off now. He wished he could just be open and tell her what was going on. She would understand that...he knew she was probably confused as hell. He brought his hands up behind his head and looked at the stars.

"Yeah, uhm friends," She said feeling like a complete and total idiot. She lowered her head down and slid off the car. She had read everything wrong. God he probably didn't want to be anywhere near her now. She swallowed hard as she looked down the street, "I think that's them now."

Doug slid off the car as they pulled up. It didn't take them any time at all to fix the tire. Doug just smiled at them as they left. He made his way to the passenger side and got in the warm car. He was cold without his jacket, but it was worth it to know Anna was warm. He sat and waited for her to say something...'maybe I should be the one' he thought. "I'm sorry about a second ago." he said low.

She started the car and handed him back his jacket. "Don't be its okay. I...uh...I probably shouldn't have done that. I was reading things that weren't there." She said pulling out into traffic. Navigating her way towards County. She really needed that compazine after that hot dog.

Doug rubbed his face. After a second he banged his head against the head rest. 'Idiot' he said to himself. "I uhhh... I would kind of like it if you went to the basketball game with me next week though. I mean...Allison doesn't even know who John Mellencamp is much less the bulls chances of beating the 76ers so I don't think that ones going to work out." he joked. "Besides its much more fun to buy you nasty hot dogs. Any other girl doesn't eat anything and I end up gaining some pounds for eating their food." he said smiling. He wanted to make Anna forget about feeling uncomfortable. "Come on...loosen up! You should know I do all kind of weird things...I wont even think twice about it." Doug had to lie to make her feel better, he knew he would.

"Okay, okay." She finally said, "I'll go, I will go to the basketball game with you. I'm not upset with you. And you don't have to buy me nasty hot dogs." She relaxed a little with him, "besides it's half your fault that I eat weird food now you know." She pulled off of Michigan Avenue and headed for the parking lot of County. "Oh man I think I really need compazine big time now...do not let me eat that again please."

Doug grinned. "Come on...we're almost there. You don't want to mess up your new car." he looked over at her and noticed she was partially serious. She looked like she was going to loose it. "Do you need to pull over? I can drive if you want."

"Ohhhh not now not now." She said pulling over, "drive Doug drive." She said climbing out of the driver's seat and moving around the car.

Doug opened the door and stopped her from getting in. He kneeled down on the ground with her on the side of the road. "Hey...it's better to be sick outside of the car." he wasn't trying to be funny or joke. He rubbed her back sympathetically in case she needed to be sick right there...which it sure seemed like.

She felt it coming and felt better after. "Sorry."

Doug stood up and kissed the top of her head. "Hey that's what I'm here for right?" he walked around the side of the car and got in to drive. Although he felt a little uncomfortable about it he started the car anyway. They went that far from county. In a few minutes Doug pulled into the side of the street by the ambulance bay. "Why don't you come in and grab your meds. I just have to drop off these papers and sign some things real quick. Then I'll take you home and catch the el." Doug didn't really want to go home by himself but he needed to give Anna a little space...and himself, to figure the rest of his worries out.

She looked at him as she opened the door the car door, "yeah," she said as she climbed out and headed for the ER. When she hit the doors, "looks like they are getting buried tonight." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I should probably help. Guess it's true about full moon Saturday nights."

Doug looked around. She was right but he really didn't want to stay there all that long on his day off. "Hey, just don't take anything major. I want to be out of here in 20 minutes ok super doc?" he smiled at her as he walked to admit to gather his stuff. It did seem like they were in over their heads. By the time he grabbed his folders he had residents asking him for help. After saying 'no' four times he sighed as he realized that wasn't going to work. Doug snapped up a chart that a med student was carrying and headed into exam two. "This better be difficult if you're bothering me." he said sarcastically to the student. Somewhere in between Doug lost his sight on Anna. 'She'll find me when she's ready to go' he thought