At the hospital, it was confirmed that Melinda's left collarbone was broken, the joints in her left arm sprained, but not broken, and did in fact have a concussion along with a few other minor cuts, scrapes and bruises. She was released the next day, but stayed at the hospital in Payne's room. Jim came to visit them both between calls and shifts. Delia and Ned came by to visit Melinda on the first night.

Rick Payne was taken into emergency surgery as soon as he arrived at the hospital. They had to dig all the glass shards out of his head and reset the bones in his right arm with some pins. Payne also suffered a broken collarbone, on the right side, a severe concussion, a broken leg and a few cracked ribs. He was in and out of consciousness for days due to the severity of the concussion.

Melinda was sitting in Payne's room one afternoon napping when she felt a coldness on her shoulder that woke her up, she recognized what it was immediately. "Rick." Melinda managed through tears that were always on the edge, but finally fell.

"Mel. I can see it. I see Kate too." Payne whispered.

"No." Melinda was sobbing. She could hear the machines beginning to flat line, the nurses and doctors would be running her direction soon. She went over and sat on the bed, grabbing and squeezing Payne's hand.

Payne closed his eyes wishing he could feel the same pressure he did at the crash. Then he remembered what he was trying to tell Melinda on that day when he was out of his body. Now or never. He thought. This is the end after all.

"Melinda. I have to tell you something." Payne moved closer to her.

Melinda looked up at him still crying. "What is it?" Remembering herself that he tried to tell her something right before help arrived.

"I care for you very deeply. I have for a long time." Payne whispered in her ear. He wished he could touch her, hold her one last time. Kiss her for the first time.

"Then why were you leaving? Going to the Himalayas?" Melinda demanded in a heartbroken voice.

"Because I had to. We cannot be together, and my feelings for you have only grown."

The nurses and a doctor rushed in, grabbed paddles and yelled 'clear' making Rick jolt back to life. Melinda's heart was beating out of her chest. She couldn't believe he had just confessed that. She didn't know what to make of it, she had known that he had a thing for her, it was in the comments he'd make, the looks he'd give her. She wondered if he would remember any of this once he recovered.

Melinda sat with Payne watching him sleep. She was thinking about how she had almost lost a good friend and about what he said. She wondered what her feelings toward the man were, it was true she had grown fond of him over the years, but she loved her husband.

The next day, while Melinda and Jim ate lunch together in Payne's room, he finally regained full consciousness. Jim got up and checked Payne's vitals, which were all good. "Now I can have my wife back." Jim commented.

Payne gave Jim a confused look. Melinda interjected, "I have spent everyday with you since I was discharged myself." Payne caught her eyes and locked onto them. Jim noticed this, looking at both of them with concern before loudly clearing his throat to break the staring contest.

"Well, I have to get back to the station. See you later, Payne." Jim motioned for Melinda to follow him into the hallway. "See you at home later?" Melinda wasn't sure if it was a statement or question, but she answered. "Yeah, I will be home later."

"Okay." Jim replied with a sigh and a slight nod. He kissed his wife on the cheek and whispered, "I love you." Melinda repeated the terms of endearment to him with a smile on her face.

Melinda walked back into the room and sat back down in the chair by Payne's bed. "Do you remember anything about yesterday?" She asked curiously.

Payne thought for a moment. "I-I died."

"Yeah, you did. Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?" Melinda responded.

"I won't." Payne promised with a small smile. There was a long pause before Payne continued. "Melinda, I said something to you while I was on the other side. I didn't know they would bring me back, or else I wouldn't have said it. But I meant every word of it. I just couldn't leave without you knowing exactly how I feel about you. It almost killed me the day you died in that field. Knowing I wouldn't have been able to tell you the things I wanted to. I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship, or piss Jim off to no end."

Tears started to well in Melinda's eyes again. "He doesn't know what you said to me. And it won't ruin our friendship."

A nurse came into the room, asking to speak to Melinda in the hallway. "I have some exciting news for you Mrs. Gordon. You are going to be a mother." The short, African nurse said smiling at Melinda once they were outside the room. Payne watched through the window as Melinda's jaw dropped and she covered it with a hand. He wondered what the nurse had told her. Melinda sat down in a chair in shock of what the nurse told her and Payne could now only see the back of her head. The nurse left, and Payne's eyes followed her to the nurses station where he saw someone he wished he hadn't.

OOOOOO

A mother. I going to have a baby. Melinda tried to comprehend the words. Her doctor performed some tests on her at her last follow up a couple days ago, and these were the results. She was healing from the accident just fine, and she was pregnant. Melinda gathered herself and headed back into Payne's room.

"Look at the nurses station. Recognize anyone?" Payne instructed without looking away from the person in question.

"Yeah, he was at the crash site too. Saw him before they put me in the ambulance. I will be right back." Melinda watched the man as she walked up to him with anger and determination in her step.

"What the hell are you doing here? And what were you doing at the crash? Stay away from me and my family." Melinda demanded through gritted teeth.

"He isn't your family." The man said with a grin motioning toward Payne's room.

"Leave him alone. Leave us all alone. You are not to step a foot in that room. Got it?" Melinda hissed.

"Fine." He held up his hands in defeat.

Melinda walked up to a nurse, told her the man's name and informed her that he was not allowed anywhere near Rick Payne or his room, and please let the other staff know also.

Melinda returned to Payne's room, sighed and sat in the chair. "I told the nurses to make sure he stays away from you."

"What do you think he wants?" Payne asked looking at a distraught Melinda.

"I dunno. But it's never good when he is around." Melinda returned the glance to Payne.

Changing the subject, Payne asked what the nurse told her. "Am I going to die? Again?"

Melinda smiled slightly and shook her head. "No. You will be just fine. Me, however, not so much."

"What's wrong?"

Melinda sighed again. "I'm pregnant."

"So, who's the father?" Payne joked.

Melinda rolled her eyes and shook her head. Ignoring his question she confessed, "I'm not ready to be a mother."

"Hey, you will be a great mother, lady." Payne reassured her and reached out his good arm to her.

She got up, sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over into him for a one armed hug. "Go home, and tell Jim. You know he will be ecstatic. Then, maybe you will be too."

Melinda sat up and nodded, then leaned back down to give him a friendly goodbye kiss on the cheek.

Melinda was waiting for the elevator when someone walked up behind her. "Getting sweet on the Professor are you?" She turned to face the man as he continued, "I don't think your husband would like that very much. What's his name again? Jim?" The man smirked. Melinda took a step back. "Yeah, it's Jim, and he is a paramedic or firefighter or something, right?" The man continued. "Maybe I will pay him a little visit."

"I told you to leave us alone. I will go to the police if I have to." Melinda warned.

"Yeah, right." The man answered before walking away.