Chapter 26

Author's Note: Big shout outs here to my girls 2NYwLove and When I Make It Shine for their wonderful support, encouragement, and most of all, keeping me sane and focused during finals week. If it weren't for you two and M. Louise E, I probably would have given up on not only this story, but Chicago Fire as well. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You guys rock!

After her shower, Taylor made her way into the bedroom to get dressed. As she slipped on her hoodie, she realized that Joe was in her kitchen making her breakfast. She shook her head gently because it still felt like it was going to explode. When, exactly, had he moved in? She didn't remember him bringing over boxes of stuff, but he did bring over some clothes and his toothbrush.

She sat down on the bed and slipped on her socks. Joe always laughed at the fuzzy ones, but they kept her feet warm.

"Tay? Coffee's ready," Joe called from the kitchen.

"Be right there," she called as she stood up.

He was being so damn good to her today, and she certainly didn't deserve it. What she did deserve was a big lecture about being stupid and getting drunk. The good thing was, her car was parked in her parking garage, and she had walked to Molly's the night before, so there was no risk of getting a DWI. Joe had been sent to retrieve her, and he was sober. Plus, they walked back to her place. The last thing she needed was a ding on her nursing license. Illinois Board of Nursing didn't take too kindly to nurses with convictions for DWI.

"Feel better?" Joe asked as she entered the kitchen.

"Not really."

Joe set a cup of coffee and two pieces of dry toast in front of her. "I can make tea if you'd like?" he offered.

"Coffee's fine. Don't bother yourself."

He sat down next to her. "Promise you won't get mad at me?"

'I won't get mad at you. What did you do?"

He looked so much like a little boy with those big brown puppy dog eyes that she could forgive him the world.

"I answered your phone."

"Okayyyyy," she said, still not knowing where this conversation was going.

"Somebody named Pagano called-"

"Oh, shit!" she muttered.

"He said he worked with you," Joe explained.

"He does. He's the office's Roving Reporter. Sticking his nose in where it doesn't belong. I get so sick and tired of his nebbing."

"Nebbing?" he asked. "Never heard that before."

"It's a Pittsburgh word. April, our secretary is from Pittsburgh. There are variations. When you're being nosy, you're being nebby, or nebbing in. She never said it exactly, but I think its short for neb nose." She sighed. "Pagano wants to date me. He has since Day One. He's never asked, but I made it perfectly clear that we were coworkers and nothing more. He reminds me of Eddie Haskell. You know, the nerd that nobody likes. And he lives with his mother. There's something very Norman Batesish about him."

Joe nodded. "He sounds like a real nerd."

"He is. But he's brilliant. He's the critical care nurse I would want taking care of me on a flight."

Joe nodded. "Anyway, he said that you're scheduled for a debriefing session tomorrow at 9:00."

"Wonderful," she said sarcastically.

"It might be a good thing, Tay. You could get it all out."

She dunked her toast into her coffee. She looked around and wished for a doughnut. "The shrink will show up, ask how you are, and say he's there if you need him. It's probably the same BS you guys have at CFD. I just tell them what they want to hear because they really don't want to have to actually work on this. It's their pro bono crap, and believe me, if they aren't getting paid, they sure as hell don't want to waste any more time than they have to."

"Well, anyway, you have to go. And you have to be there at 9."

"Oh. Joy."

Joe took her hand. "Tay, you're one of the strongest people I know. But it's okay to not be strong sometimes."

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I just keep thinking what if she was our little girl? Her parents must be devastated."

"I'm sure they are," he agreed. "But we're gonna have boys."

She smiled. "Just because you had brothers doesn't mean that you can't have daughters."

"Perish the thought. I am not going to allow one stitch of anything pink in my house."

"For real?" she asked, thinking about her several pairs of pink scrubs.

"For real. A man's home is his castle. And Castle Cruz does not allow pink."

"We'll see about that, King Cruz."