Prologue

One and half years earlier

Don walked into the classroom and looked around the room with assessing eyes. Two women, over fifty, were sitting together in front of the window. One lone male, middle age, sat at the back of the classroom, while a group of six females were clustered together at the front. The two windows where unopened and appeared to be painted shut. The only other entry or exit consisted of a small door to the side of the projection screen.

Shifting as he contemplated what might be through the doorway he became aware of the silence that now surrounded him. He turned his head to find the group of young females had stopped their conversation and where staring at him in admiration. Giving them a small smile he made a beeline for the back of the room.

"Knew I should have brought my gun in." He muttered, ducking his head to avoid their gazes. The man beside him snorted with laughter.

"I don't think bullets would stop them."

"Good afternoon everyone." A matronly looking woman called out as she walked into the room. After eyeing the various occupants she smiled. "I'm glad to see that everyone is here. I'm Mrs. Everly. Unfortunately my assistants are still gathering the supplies they'll need. While they're getting ready please fill free to help yourself to the refreshments." She said indicating the cart that had been wheeled in behind her.

Don relaxed marginally as he smelled the fresh brewed coffee. Pouring a cup he took a cautious sip before reaching for the artificial sweetener.

"Ouch, Melie you need to watch where you're going."

"How can I when I've got a body stuffed in my face." Came the laughing reply.

Don turned around to see two girls struggling to pull an oversized duffle bag through the door. Placing his coffee on his desk he hurried to offer his assistance. "Let me help you with that."

"That's okay. That's as far as he's going anyway." The first girl announced as she tossed the bag on the floor.

"He?" Don asked, confusion written on his face.

"Well he's missing a few vital pieces but we still refer to him as Bob." Melie said as she gave a kick to the bag. Looking up she laughed at the look on his face. "Relax; it's just a CPR dummy."

Mrs. Everly interrupted them before he could respond to her teasing. "Okay class. Welcome to the 2004 Trauma Core course. Today you will learn the skills you will need to effectively assess and treat a trauma victim." She paused for dramatic effect. "I suggest you take plenty of notes. There will be a written evaluation, based on the material that we cover during the morning lecture. The afternoon will be spent on the practical part of the exam."

She stared at the group spread out through out the room before indicating the girls next to here. "This is Melie Sawyer. She's going to begin the program by discussing with you how to assess a trauma victim."

"Hello." She said stepping up to the podium. "You'll know my name but I don't know yours." She started, the hint of a southern accent coming out. "Why don't we go around the room and I want each of you to introduce yourself and tell me a little about why you're here."

Don set back and watched as she interacted with each occupant of the room. He took the time to study her, admiring the easy way she made each person feel comfortable in the spotlight. He grinned when he realized she was going around the room in a circular pattern that would finish with him last.

"Don Eppes." He supplied when it was his turn. He smirked at her. "I'm in law enforcement." He looked pointedly at the black bag on the floor.

She struggled not to laugh. "Well Mr. Law Enforcement, can you tell me the first thing you do upon reaching a trauma victim?" She challenged.

"Visualize the patient." Don recited lazily.

"Very impressive." She turned to her coworkers. "Someone actually did the required reading." She turned back to the room, giving him a teasing look before becoming serious. "There are four words that are going to be imprinted on your mind before I'm done with you and they just might save someone's life. LOOK, LISTEN, FEEL, and REASSESS."

The light coming in the window glinted off the long swing of her hair, distracting don from his note taking. Leaning forward he studied the way she used her hands to describe her words, the exuberant motions causing her hair to fall into to her face. Frustrated she paused long enough to grab a clip off the desk and pull the honey colored stards back back, leaving her lively brown eyes unframed. Enchanted Don lost the tread of the lecture, content to sit there and watch her with a smile playing on his lips.

Several hours later he was pulled from his trance as Mrs. Everly pulled out the exam booklets. "Good luck." Melie advised as she handed him an answer sheet and a pencil. She smirked at him before leaving the room.

Madison waited for her friend on the other side of the door. She eyed her friend in amusement.

"What?" Melie asked defensively as she moved down the hall.

"Don't what me Melie Sawyer. You can't tell me you didn't notice that man feasting on you with his eyes all morning." She demanded.

"Oh I noticed. Trust me I noticed." She answered fanning herself with the papers in her hand. She punched at the button to the elevator with her other hand. "He's married. Or maybe he's gay." She announced.

"Oh I seriously doubt he's gay." Madison laughed. "What makes you think he's married?"

Melie frowned. "It's just too good to be true. A guy as hot as he is looking at me like that? He's married."

"You're right about the hot part. Did you see his butt in those jeans? Damn girl was he fine."

"He had a great smile." Melie admitted. She turned to her friend. "You have to make sure he's in your group this afternoon."

Madison grinned as she shook her head. "Sorry chick but we have a system. You get the good students and I get the bad ones. That gives me a reason to yell at them and you know how I like to yell." She laughed. "I just know I'm going to get the Barbies from the front row."

"I suppose he could still fail the test." Melie said sighing.

"Keep dreaming." Madison advised her friend as she led her into the cafeteria.

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"Okay people." Mrs. Everly called to the students as they returned from their lunch break. "Your test papers are on your desks. Beside your grade you will notice a letter. Those of you with the letter A will be in Melie's group in the next room. Those with the letter B will follow Madison down the hall."

Don smiled as he looked down and spotted the letter A on his paper. He was relieved that he would be able to work with her on a closer level.

Melie waited until her four students had assembled in the next door room before beginning. "Okay, this is the hands on part of the exam. You will be required to assess and treat a trauma victim as if you were there when it occurred."

"Are you going to be the patient?" Don asked with raised eyebrows.

Melie stifled a laugh. "No, we have some volunteers that have been made up to look like real patients." She said dryly. "There will be no hands on so make sure you tell me everything you're doing." She continued. "Martha, why don't you lie down on the table as our practice patient? Jean, you're up first. Let's walk through this and see what we need to work on."

She picked up a card and read the information off. "68 year old woman involved in a MVA. Pt is awake but disoriented. Breathing swallow. Pt has a laceration above right eye, bleeding uncontrolled. Second laceration to lower lip. Injuries include broken wrist. Blood pressure is 96 over 40. Pulse 120. Respirations 12."

Three hours later Melie looked up as her last student walked through the door of the exam room. "Are you ready?"

"You say that like you doubt my knowledge of the course." Don teased.

She pretended to think about it. "I still am having a hard time believing that you scored a hundred percent on the written exam when you didn't take notes during class."

He shrugged. "I'm smart like that."

"So, what made a law enforcement type like you want to take a class like this?" She asked prolonging the time she spent with him.

"I'm involved in dangerous situations everyday. If something happens to one of my team I want to be able to do what I can. Every little bit helps."

"But these classes aren't required for you are they? You're the first police type I've seen in here." She asked ignoring the groan from the body between them.

Don shook his head. "No but if you ask me they should be mandatory." He studied her. "What about you? How'd you get all this knowledge?"

"I'm a nurse. I see this kind of stuff everyday." She shrugged as if it were a simple thing.

"One of the Trauma nurses?" Don asked intrigued. He was thinking maybe she was older than she looked.

"I wish." She laughed. "I'm still pretty new and you have to have so many requirements before you can get to that level. This is just one of them."

"Guess I'm lucky you're such a great teacher." He smiled causing her to blush.

"Well I wish she would get back to teaching." The corpse spoke up startling them. "This table is hard as a rock."

Melie laughed before asking Don to assess the patient.

"Congratulations." She said once he was finished. "That was very well done." She praised as she handed him his certificate.

"Listen I've got the evening free. I was wondering if you would like to get something to eat with me tonight." He asked, eyeing her in that amusing way of his.

She stared at him suspiciously. "You're not married are you?" She asked surprising a laugh out of him.

"No."

"In that case I would like to spend more time with you."