A few days passed, it was time for Frank to leave for Washington, he didn't want to but he had to follow orders until his retirement was official. He packed his bags, Denise was weaker but seemed okay otherwise. Still the fear at his leaving made her cry, her tears broke his heart.

"You're going to come back right?" she asked. She'd had a lot of struggles that week and was afraid; she always seemed to be afraid.

"I'll be back next week sweetheart."

She nodded and held his neck, "Take me with you?"

"I wish I could, baby," he sighed.

"I'll be good, I won't bother you, please. I'm ready already in case."

"I can't honey"

She nodded, "I'll have a nice supper when you get back."

He nodded and kissed her one last time before leaving.

A few hours later Frank's 'angels' descended on the house.

Denise got annoyed after an hour "Okay, girls I know your trying to help but I can still do this stuff by myelf."

"I know," Claudia Joy replied. "But Frank's blood pressure probably can't take you trying, he's so worried so let's just hang out and play cards."

She nodded "But leave my house work and stuff up to me"she said

"Deal," Roxy replied. "Press his boxer shorts? Really? Does he want starch in them too?" He'd left a list.

"I'll do that," Denise laughed. "He's weird."

"But he does like that?" Roxy laughed. "Okay...have you two ever had sex anyplace but in bed?"

Denise's face turned bright red "I am not answering that."

"I bet that's a no," Pamela replied as Roland put his finges in his ears and hummed. "He's too rigid to even have sex."

Denise laughed "That's just what you think"

"So tell," Pamela pressed.

"No. That's too personal for me"

"She just can't come up with a good enough story to defend the old stick in the mud," Roxy laughed.

"His office after his last deployment," she said

"Oh yeah..." Claudia Joy laughed. "Us too. According to Michael Frank is pretty vocal in the field."

"Not going there," she laughed.

Their phone rang just then, "Northeast Georgetown Hospital," Roland said handing it to Denise.

"Hello," she answered quickly.

"Denise Sherwood?" the caller said. "Frank Sherwood's wife?"

"Yes."

"We need you to verify your husband isn't allergic to penicillin, he's here, he's not in danger, he just needs a shot but he can't remember if he is or isn't."

"No he isn't," she said immediately. "Can I talk to him?"

"Sure," she replied and put Frank on the line. "Hey baby, I told them not to worry you. I'm fine."

"What happened?"she asked near tears.

"Remember that old back injury from when we were 23 and 24?"

"Yeah."

"Kicked out again," he replied. "Need a muscle relaxer and an antibiotic then I'm getting discharged."

"I'm coming to DC to be where you are."

"Denise, no you're not," he replied. "You're not; you are staying home with your doctor."

"No, I'm coming to DC," she said and started crying.

"No, Denise," frank said. "Please stay home so I don't worry. Please baby."

"Frank I'm going to get sick worrying over you!"

It took him some doing but he convinced her to stay at home with her friends or so he thought. As soon as she was alone, she took her things and headed for her husband.

She was halfway there when everything looked wrong. She'd done this trip a hundred times and now she had no idea which turn or which stop...nothing was familiar to her at all.

She started to panic and tried to call Frank, she had no cell phone service.

She got out and tried to walk, her bad leg shook and her good one was numb at the hip but not below it.

That only got her more lost and she panicked, she started getting really upset.

Finally her phone clicked in service and she dialed Frank's phone sobbing.

"Hello."

"Frank?" she sobbed. "You have to help me, please help me."

"Dee, honey what's wrong?" he asked. "What is it?"

"I don't know where I am?" she asked. "I don't...know, I was coming to you because you're hurt and I can't get there. I don't have any idea...where I am."

"Okay, honey look around. What kind of signs or landmarks do you see?"

"Nothing, just trees," she told him. "Just trees and I can't walk much further, I tried and my good leg feels like it's floating...there's nothing but trees and signs with the mile numbers."

"Okay, go back to your car. Can you do that?"

"I don't know, my legs are shaking."

"Okay," he sighed, he was worried now. He had no idea where she was.

"Please help me Frank," she sobbed. "I'm sorry, somebody help me."

"Okay, I'm going to come look for you, just stay where you are."

"I'm scared Frank, I'm sorry, please help me, I'll go home, just please it's dark and it's cold..."

"I know baby, I know. I'm coming just stay on the phone with me."

"My leg is back I'm going to walk back to my car, the numbers are 95/4.

Then it clicked "I'll be right there I know where you are."

She waited and waited and waited then finally Frank pulled up with two other soldiers in a black SUV. He was running to her in spite of being in pain.

She started sobbing again and ran into his arms, her entire body was shaking, she was terrified.

"Okay, this was so stupid Denise," he whispered. "This was so stupid, I love you so much."

"I love you too, I'm sorry," she sobbed.

"How's your leg?" he asked. "Can you stand on your own?"

"Yeah it's sore but I can stand on it."

"Good, that's real good, let's step to the car. You have to drive, baby. I can't."

She nodded "Just tell me where I'm going, I don't know...I have no idea and I'm scared"

"Okay but I'm on drugs," he replied. "I'm dangerous behind the wheel."

She nodded and they got into the car and he told her where to go.

They pulled into a pretty hotel, "We'll stay here together and I'll have Claudia Joy get you in the morning."

"Why can't I stay?"

"You're not well enough baby, and I can't be here all the time right now. As soon as I get back and I'm mustered out I can but not right now."

She sighed and got really quiet, that was never ever a good sign.

"Dee what's wrong honey?"

"Nothing," she replied but her tone said different, she got out of the car.

"Where's your cane?" he asked. "Where's your cane honey?"

"I didn't bring it."

"You need it to walk don't you?" he asked. "Can you without it!" he was getting excited. "Let me see."

She started walking, she was shaky but she did it.

"I'm so proud of you baby...we're celebrating upstairs! Come one angel." She softened to him and cuddled.

They snuggled in the elevator and on the way to the room, he opened the door and they both got the shock of their lives, Jordana Davis was standing in the middle of the room.

She dropped a robe revealing nothing but her body, then turned around, "Welcome home, Soldier."

Denise looked like she'd just been slapped "So this is why you didn't want me up here!"

"Denise I have no idea what she's, Major, correct yourself!" Frank ordered. "Now!"

"I know damn well what she's doing and so do you!"Denise snapped as Jordana stood there smiling "I'm out of here."

"Denise, honey!" Frank tired to rush after her but his back spasmed and he fell. Jordana was more than happy to help him up and Denise's sped off toward home, this time not caring if she made it or not

Hysterical, she called her son.

"Sherwood," he answered, even deployed if his Mom called him he'd answer if he could.

"Jeremy, it's Mom," Denise sobbed. "I need you to come home. I need you to help me," she sobbed. "Daddy's with her."

"With who mommy?"he asked

"Dad and that woman," she sobbed. "And it hurts and I need help..."

"Where are you?"he asked.

"In the car going home..." And that was it. He heard the screech, he heard the crash, and he heard the silence.

"Mom!" he screamed but got no answer.

He kept screaming and finally he heard her, "Frank..."

"No mom its me, it's Jeremy. Mom what happened? Did you wreck?'

She moaned again and nothing.

"Mom I'm going to call Dad, don't go to sleep," he said and hung up and dialed Frank.

"I can't believe you did this!" he snapped. "My wife is sick and my wife!"

"Frank, you don't need her. We could be together, it's what I want, it's what you want too..I heard she was going to die off anyway."

"What? No she's not; she's not going to die!" That was his fear. "She's not going to..." And in spite of himself there it was, the fear and the pain, he dissolved into tears.

Jordana sighed and held him close and tight.

His phone rang and she reached down, "Major Sherwood's phone."

"I'm looking for my father give him the phone!"Jeremy ordered

"He can't come to the phone right now," she said rubbing his back gently.

"Listen, my mother is hurt and it's your fault, now give him the phone or so help me God...!"

"Frank, it's your son, he says Denise is hurt."

Frank grabbed the phone "What happened?"

"I don't know, she was on the phone sobbing about you and the whore! Then she spun out and that was it. She said your name and nothing, she's hurt bad, I know it!"

"Okay I'm going to her I'll call 911 on the way," he said already leaving.

"No, you're not, you getting me transfered back and you aren't going near my mother!"

"No I'm not, she's my wife. I'll handle it! You keep your mind on your job!"

"My mother is hurting and you did it!"

"She flipped out because Jordana was here but I swear on our marriage and her life I had no idea"

"Fine, get me home. My mother calls me sobbing for help, get me home Dad or I'll go AWOL!"

"I'll do what I can, I have to go."

Frank got to the accident before the ambulance. Denise was in bad shape.

She was weakly calling for him, she was nearly unconscious.

"I'm here baby," he repleid. "I'm here and helps coming precious. I'm so sorry and I love you so much."

All she kept saying was Frank and hurt over and over.

"I'm not hurt baby," he soothed. "I'm not hurt you are. But we're fixing you."

"You, hurt me," she said then he saw blood on her lips.

"I know" he replied. "I know." He dabbed her lips. "Denise, can you breathe?"

She shook her head, she was gasping as the ambulance arrived.

"Okay, look at me. I didn't do anything with her, you believe me?"

She nodded then her eyes closed.