221B Baker Street - Princeton, NJ – February 1997

They had never intended to work together. They'd never had to consider it, really. Greg was relatively content in Princeton-Plainsboro's nephrology department and she was happy practicing constitutional law for the ACLU in Trenton. She had been happy, at least.

"It's stressful, Greg, and the hours are ridiculous," she told him when she first began to feel like she needed a change of pace.

"You did know you were going to have to be an attorney when you decided to go to law school, right?" he countered. Stacy knew he wasn't being a jerk. He just couldn't handle change and had a hard time understanding people who could.

"Yes, and I don't want to stop being an attorney. I do, on the other hand, want to stop practicing constitutional law for the biggest civil rights organization in the state," she said evenly.

"Where do you want to practice?"

She took a stabilizing breath. This could go one of two ways. "Princeton-Plainsboro. The legal department is looking for a new general counselor."

Greg responded after a few moments of silence, "You don't think that would be a conflict of interest?" He asked. His eyebrows were arched questioningly, "I'm the legal department's number one customer. They've given me a gold card and everything. Some sort of VIP membership, I guess. It's quite exclusive."

"They have more than one lawyer," she assured him. "And I don't think our personal relationship would affect my ability to defend you. I'd put out all the stops if it came down to you losing your license, actually, because I don't think I could handle you if you didn't have your patients to keep you busy." Greg smirked. "I want this job and I think I would be good at it. I just want to know if you would be okay if we worked in the same hospital?"

"It's fine with me."

Her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course," he said with an encouraging nod. "We can carpool and everything. Maybe even coordinate our outfits." Stacy rolled her eyes. "Just do yourself a favor and don't mention my name during the interview."

"You don't think they'd be relieved to have someone up in legal who can actually deal with you?" She was only half-joking.

"I think they'd question your sanity." Greg didn't seem to be joking, either.