Carly opened her eyes still in the same position on the hospital bed she had been in when she fell asleep. She rested comfortably on his shoulder with her arm across his chest. His held her securely in place around her back. She didn't move, not wanting to wake him and potentially lose this perfect spot she was in. She wanted to savor it for as long as she could, never remember waking up and feeling so alive and so alert so quickly. She attributed it all to him.

She watched his chest rise and fall as he slept and listened to his heartbeat, steady and calm. She imagined what it would be like to wake up everyday in this position, with this type of peace and awareness. It was wonderful and she wanted it.

She thought about Allan and not one ounce of her felt guilty or ashamed of where she was. She had absolutely nothing left for him. Even if she and Steve hadn't made the decision the night before she still would have left him. It was over between them, it was time for a new beginning, and she couldn't imagine sharing it with anyone else other than the person lying next to her.

She felt him move and lifted her head, sitting up on her elbow. His head was resting on the pillow, his eyes still closed. She looked at him and could still see the boy she had first fallen in love with, even through the twenty-four hour stubble on his face. He was even more attractive now then he was back then, which she found amazing, that didn't happen to most men, but he was blessed. She remembered the fun they would have together and got a jolt of excitement over rekindling that type of friendship with him, and more. She stared at his lips; so perfect, feeling a different jolt of excitement over the anticipation of a kiss from him. He was a good kisser before and she could only imagine how much he must have improved with experience. She almost moaned just over the thought of it.

She laid her head back down and closed her eyes, not willing to give him up for anything. She would even move to Hawaii if he asked. She really had nothing in San Diego anymore and she knew it would be more difficult for him to leave his job than it would be for her. It made sense to her, but would it to him? He had been a bachelor for so long, would he even want her there all the time? Would he even ask? Everything had happened so quickly that she wondered if he would want that separation for a while, before they jumped into a full-time relationship. It didn't matter to her, she had waited this long for him; she could wait a little longer.

Steve woke up as the nurse came in. She smiled at the two of them. "Good Morning."

Carly sat up slightly embarrassed as if they had been caught doing something. "I'm sorry about this. We just…"

She put her hand up, "Don't apologize. It's no surprise. I was in last night twice to check on you." She smiled at Steve. "If only all husbands were so attentive."

He when to correct her but didn't, liking the sound of it. "Everything sounds ok in her lungs then," he asked instead.

"Yes, everything sounds good. You can go home as soon as you sign some papers." She walked over to the door, "I'll be back in a couple of minutes."

"Ok, thank you." Carly sat up, looking at him. Once again he managed to give her that feeling that she was something special. "I feel really good."

He grinned at her, rubbing her back, "Did you sleep ok?"

She smiled shyly, "Yes, I slept great."

"Me too," he agreed, stretching his arms over his head and yawning into his bicep. "Ahh, coffee."

"That sounds good." She scooted off the side of the bed and stood up. She suddenly felt woozy as he reached out for her.

"Hey! Be careful. You had rough day yesterday. Just because you have the green light to go home doesn't mean you're fully recovered." He climbed off the bed still holding her arm. "Lay back down."

She sat down on the bed as he laid her back. "Just relax for a while longer. I'm going on a mission to find coffee." He picked up his clothes from yesterday and pulled out some money from the front pocket. He smiled holding it up to her, "It's still wet, but it still spends the same."

She put her hands up to her mouth and yawned, "Hurry brave hunter, go find coffee."

He slipped his shoes on that had dried just enough and walked over to the bed, "You like cream right?"

"Yes, please."

"Ok, I'll be back a couple of minutes." He leaned over and kissed her on the lips as if it was something he had done every day of his life. "Don't get up until I get back." He walked toward the door. "If I find you passed out on the floor, no coffee for you," he teased.

She didn't reply. She was still reeling over the kiss and how naturally it felt for him to just do it.

Steve walked out and stood in the hall thinking back over what had just happened. He was just as surprised as she was. He didn't even remember thinking about it; it just came on so naturally. He shrugged it off and went about his mission.

The rain drizzled as Steve leaned over Carly, pulling the seatbelt across and fastening her in as the doctor gave his last bit of advice.

"If you feel pain in your lungs, or a consistent cough, come back for some x-rays. Make sure you get some rest," he spoke to Carly first and then to Steve, "nothing too strenuous for a couple of days. She could feel some dizzy spells. If she does actually pass out, bring her back in."

"Alright. I'll keep an eye on her. Thanks again for everything." He shook his hand again.

Steve climbed in the other side of Jack's SUV and looked over at her. "Do you feel ok right now?"

"Yes, I don't feel any of those things he mentioned."

He liked the sound of that, "Good. Are you hungry?"

"Yes," she sighed, "I'm actually starving."

"Me too. There's a place I saw not too far from here. Do you want to go eat?" It was true he was hungry, but he really wanted to get a feel for how she felt before going back to the house. Yesterday had been an emotional time for her and he just needed to know if she still felt the same.

"Sure."

The rain began to come down harder as they pulled in to the parking lot of the small diner. They ran to the entrance that was covered by an awning seeing a sign on the door.

'Closed due to Grandchild being born.'

They both looked at each other and laughed.

"I guess in a small town you can close whenever you want." She moved closer against the wall by the door as the rain picked up. "Wow, that was a quick turn around."

"I'll go get the car." He went to go when she grabbed his arm.

"No! It's raining too hard, you'll get soaked. Just give it a minute."

He looked up under the cover as it came down even harder. He could barely see the car that was only about fifty feet away. "Damn, the gates opened up." He leaned back against the wall opposite her.

They stood silent for a minute before he finally spoke up to what was really on his mind.

His expression went from relaxed to a little uneasy, "I think we should talk before we go back."

She looked over at him, knowing exactly what he meant. He wanted to clarify the night before. "Ok."

He toyed with the keys still in his hand, "Do you feel differently now that's its morning?"

She wasn't sure if he was asking her if she had changed her mind or if he was hinting around that he had changed his. She couldn't blame him if he had. She had so much baggage that she would be bringing into this relationship, and it was all named Allan. Even so, she felt her insides begin to tremble at just the thought of losing him again. "No and yes."

He looked over at her for clarification, feeling the same turmoil going on inside of him.

"No, I don't regret one thing I said to you last night, and yes, I woke up this morning knowing that no matter what happens with you and I that it's over with Allan." She bent her head, staring at her feet, "I won't go home with him."

It was exactly what he was hoping to hear. He thought about his next question, considering the impact on himself first and how it would change his life, but he felt no anxiety and no fear, maybe with someone else he might have, but not with her. It was total clarity and an acute awareness of where he wanted his life to go from this moment on. "I was thinking," he paused, suddenly overcome by a wave of nerves as if he was a kid asking the Prom Queen out for a date, not quite sure what the answer was going to be but knowing whatever it was, both could be life changing. He could never remember putting himself so far out there on a limb before for anyone. He looked over at her, wanting to see her initial reaction. "What if you came home with me, back to Hawaii. Would that be something you would consider?"

She felt her body flush over his question but it was the way in which he delivered it that really felt good. It wasn't just a line or an impulse decision. He wanted it as much as she did. All he had to do was look at her and she could feel herself being lured in. He was like a magnet and it was impossible to fight the attraction. She let go any hesitation or doubt, willing to give up everything in her life just to follow him wherever he took her, knowing it would be worth it. "Yes," she didn't have to think about what it meant, because it was the question she'd been hoping for. "I think I would like that very much."

Her reaction was even better than he had expected. He pushed off the wall and stood in front of her, looking into his future as it stared back at him. She was so beautiful and he knew in his heart and his head that he was making the right decision, but he also wasn't naïve to the fact that he'd lived alone for most of his life and he had habits that she wouldn't be accustom too. They were basically jumping in feet first without touching the water first. "There are some things you should know about me first. You might change your mind."

She almost laughed, because at this moment there wasn't anything that he could have told her that would have discouraged her, beyond having someone else in his life there. "Are you married with children?" she grinned.

He loved her playfulness; it's what had attracted him to her in the first place. "No, but I can be stubborn. Some people find that annoying." He thought of Danny, who considered him the poster boy for stubbornness. But somehow he knew Carly could sway him better than Danny could. "But in my defense, I have a weakness for you."

She smiled at his honesty, "I won't take advantage of that, I promise." She put a hand on his chest, confessing her own worst habit, "Sometimes I get really quiet when I really should be voicing how I feel, but in my defense, I don't think I'll be afraid to talk to you."

He moved closer until they had very little personal space between them, "I'll watch for that. Sometimes I work really late hours, and it can't be helped, but I promise I'll call if I do."

She reached up, slipping her hand behind his neck, "I promise I'll understand, because I know how much it means to you."

He kissed her once for that comment, putting an arm around her waist and bracing the other one on the wall, pulling her close, "Sometimes I leave my dirty dishes around the house."

She smiled, enjoying the fact that neither wanted any surprises, "I fall asleep in front of the TV."

"I drink milk out of the carton."

"I eat ice cream out of the container with a spoon."

He smiled, brushing his lips against hers, "So do I."

It was the most enjoyable seduction she'd ever experienced and also the most erotic. She couldn't remember ever wanting anything so bad in her life at that moment than his lips and his hands on her. "I'll make you so happy you'll want to rush home to me every day."

That did it for him. He leaned her against the wall and kissed her.

The rain poured down just two feet from them but neither one could see past the other person.

She knew he was going to be a good kisser but his matured technique was beyond anything she had ever experienced. He was patient and really seemed to enjoy it just as much as she did, all the way up to the point when he broke away, still coveting her lips with his, as if he too were unable to break away completely. Her hands held him in that position as he pinned her against the wall.

He'd never felt so completely helpless and vulnerable to another person; it terrified him that she might change her mind. "Don't leave me behind again, Carly." He held her so tightly he was afraid he might hurt her, but at the same time, he couldn't let go.

She let her hands slide down from around his neck, cupping his face as he rested his forehead against hers. "I'm exactly where I've always wanted to be. Why would I ever give that up?" she pulled his face up so she could see him. "I love you. I've loved you since the first time you kissed me on my porch. You're never going to get rid of me," she smiled and then kissed him, letting him know she meant ever word she said.

He was completely blown away by what was happening to him. He knew he was in love with her after that first night they sat on the deck together, but what he was experiencing at the moment was a profound need for another person that he never had before. He never needed anyone, but he understood now why she stayed with him all those years and why he was feeling this need for her now, he fell in love with her too that night standing on her porch, and just like her, he was never going to give it up.

Carly and Steve came in the house and noticed right away Allan's bags sitting by the door all packed. Craig came around the corner and straight up to Carly putting his arms around her, hugging her longer than usual. "Thank God you're alright." He finally released her, kissing her cheek and bending his head, quickly distinguishing the tears that formed. He looked over at Steve, "You were unbelievable man. I'm taking CPR lessons as soon as I get home. I don't ever want to feel that helpless again."

Steve smiled out of the corner of his mouth, "Good! It's something no one ever thinks they need, until they do."

Craig looked at the bags and then at Carly, "He's on his way back. The police called a couple of minutes ago and said he made bail and knew he would probably be coming back for his stuff and his car. They wanted to make sure that was OK, and there wouldn't be any problems. I told them he could pick up his luggage but then I wanted him out. Jack and I packed him up last night." He put his hands on her shoulders, "What do you want to do?"

"All I need is about two minutes with him and then I don't want to see him again."

"Ok." He rubbed his hands over her arms. "It's pretty wet out or I'd go on the deck, but I'll be in the office. The others ran to the store to get some groceries." He looked up at Steve and motioned for him to come with him.

"I'll be there in a minute," he responded.

Craig took that as a departure request and walked towards the office door.

Steve put a hand on her waist, "I don't want you to go upstairs with him. Stay down here where I can get to you. I don't trust him."

She nodded in agreement, knowing that was probably a wise decision. She didn't think Allan would try to hurt her, but then again after the day before she wasn't sure what he was capable of, especially once she told him she was leaving him. "Ok. I want to be alone with him though."

"Of course. I'll be with Craig, but if it gets out of control or you feel any kind of fear Carly," he gave her a stern look, "you get away from him and you come to me or you call for me, ok?"

"I will," she promised.

He knew things could happen in the blink of eye and felt uncomfortable leaving her, but she needed privacy with him. He pulled her against his body playfully with his arm. "Remember the ending scene of last of the Mohicans?"

She chuckled remembering the discussion behind the waterfall of that movie, "Didn't they cut his head off?"

Steve raised an eyebrow, "I was going to mention how she fought back, but you sound like you have it all under control."

She laid her head on his shoulder, hugging him back, "I'm a little nervous."

He leaned back so he could see her face, "Hey, you don't have to do this now. Craig and I can just send him on his way."

She shook her head, "No, I want to get it over with and I want to move on."

He lifted her chin up and kissed her. "Ok, if you need me…" he pointed toward the office as he released her, "I'll be right in there."

She felt better knowing that and sat down on the bottom of the stairs and started to go over in her head what she was going to say when she heard Allan's phone buzz. She saw it sitting in flap of one of the bags and took it out. There were several unread texts on the screen, all coming from the same number. It was the same one she remembered as the other day. She flipped the bar to the side and began to read them one by one.

'R u meeting me.'

'Call me back.'

'Where r u!'

'hello!'

'last request Allan!'

Carly sat down on the bottom step of the stairs and called the number.

Steve went in the office and closed the door behind him. Craig was sitting behind a mahogany desk so he took a seat on the leather coach by the wall.

"So she's really ok?" he asked him.

"Yes. I just need to keep an eye on her for any fainting spells or if she starts to develop a cough. It could lead to a lung infection."

"I wonder what she's going to do now?" he looked over at him, "Did you two talk about that at all?"

Steve leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. "Yes." He wasn't quite sure the reaction he was going to get from him. "She's coming home with me." He glanced over at him after he said it.

Craig made a face as if he was contemplating that answer but not too surprised by it. He crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair, "For how long?"

Steve shrugged, "For as long as she can put up with me." He grinned at him, "which could maybe be two days at the most."

Craig huffed, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

He sat back, "Yes. We both do. I now it seems like we're jumping into this, but we're really not, well maybe…" he went to correct himself when Craig put a hand up stopping him.

"You know what," he felt his question was intrusive, "you don't have to justify it to me, or anyone else. I know what you feel for her, we all do." He laughed at him; "it's been obvious since she showed up. I hope it works out for you two. I really do. Besides Jack and Jules, I've never seen two people who mesh quite the way you and Carly do."

"Thanks Craig, I appreciate that." He looked outside as the rain began to pick up again, when they both heard the front door close.

Carly pulled the phone away from her ear and stood up as he came in, holding it by her side.

Allan stopped when he saw his luggage packed. He went to make a move toward her when she held her hand up. "Stay there."

"Carly," he looked tired and disheveled still wearing the clothes that had dried on his back, but she knew he was just hung over. "Are you alright?"

"I want a divorce Allan." She stared straight at him, not feeling the nerves she had earlier, just seeing him confirmed her decision even more.

"I'm sorry about what happened. Let's not get crazy and make any rash decisions. You've been through a lot and you're emotional right now."

Carly started to laugh at his ridiculous attempt to save himself. She was amazed at how he refused to take the blame for this as well. "I'm not being emotional Allan. I'm finally thinking clearly for the first time in a long time and I'm not coming home."

His attitude changed from apologetic to impatient. "It was an accident Carly. I said I was sorry. I'll stop drinking."

"What about your extracurricular affair?" She refused to back down, even when his expression turned angry.

"I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Yes you do. Her name is Lisa and she's a flight attendant, but I'm guessing there are more either now or in the past." She could tell just by the look on his face that he knew he was caught.

"She means nothing to me Carly." He lied, "It was one time and now she keeps calling me over and over and wants some kind of relationship. I want nothing to do with her. I swear Carly. I love you. I just want to work this out."

She stared at him wondering how she had let herself become manipulated by him for so long. She felt like such a fool.

"Carly," he said passively, "just go pack and let's go home."

She lifted the phone in her hand up to her ear, "I would run as fast as I could if I were you," she said into it and then handed it out to him. "It's for you."

He didn't move for several seconds and then snatched it from her hand. She almost yelled out to Steve just from the hatred in his eyes as he glared at her.

"Yes," he said into the phone, his stare never wavering from her.

All Carly heard was a loud voice on the other end scream out, "Fuck you Allan!"

He let the phone drop to his side. "You aren't going to get shit in this divorce. Do you hear me," he growled, "Don't even bother coming home."

"I didn't plan on it," she countered, keeping her cool, "and don't think for a second Allan that I'll back down because I won't. I just want what's mine."

"Don't threaten me Carly!" he took a step toward her but she stood her ground.

"Don't try to intimidate me Allan."

He looked around the room and up the stairs, "Where is everyone?"

"You should get your things and go."

"Where's Steve," his voice was low as he moved closer to her. "Huh? You spoke to my fuck buddy, where's yours?"

"I'm not going to play along with you Allan."

"That's why you aren't coming home, isn't it? You're going with that asshole."

"Go to hell Allan!" she went go by him and he stood in her way.

"You know what's going to happen? He's going fuck you for a while and then dump you're ass. And you're too fucking stupid to see it coming. When he's done with you, don't come crawling back to me. Your dead sister would be a better lay."

Carly pushed him back and slapped him as hard as she could across the face. He reached out, grabbing her by the throat, pushing her back on the stairs as she screamed out for Steve. She fell backward trying to pull his hands away when the next things she knew he was being pulled off of her and she heard Jules scream.

Jack grabbed him around his neck from behind and yanked him backwards off of her. He flung him into the wall and hit him once in the gut and then again in the face. Allan doubled over and covered his face as Jack hit him again, breaking one of Allan's fingers as he tried to protect himself. He stood back, fists clenched ready if he came at him.

Steve came running in with Craig behind him. "Carly!"

She pushed herself up from the stairs, "I'm ok."

He took her by the arms, looking at her face for any sign of battery, "Are you sure you're alright? What happened?"

"I'm fine." She looked at Jack who was fired up and ready to take on the next guy. "He grabbed me and Jack came in."

"Grabbed you where?" he said concerned.

She touched her throat, "Here, but I'm fine."

Steve moved her hair and looked at the red marks on her neck. His furry equaled Jack's as he turned and leaned over, picking a stunned Allan up off the floor by his throat. He slammed his body against the wall. "Let's go outside and have a chat." He lifted him up by the back of his neck so he could barely walk, and as he went by Jack he gave him a slight head toss, or as Jack took it, a silent thank you for helping Carly.

He walked Allan out to his car and spoke to him while still holding him by the neck. "Carly means a great deal me Allan. I know that you don't know me, or maybe you think that you do, but one thing you should you know is that I'm very," he took a deep breath and let it out slow, wanting to break his neck, "very protective of the people who are close to me." He bent him over the hood of the car so his face was smashed into it. The rain came down on the both of them. "I know about the pregnancy and it's probably a good thing that I don't know what else you've done to her, but I'm warning you," he pulled him back up so they were face to face, "If you ever put your hands on her again. I will hurt you, Allan. I'll hurt you really, really bad." He let go of his neck as Allan reached up, putting his hand over the spot.

They both turned as Jack and Craig came out each one holding one of his suitcases and just flung it toward the car.

He coughed and wiped the blood off his mouth from Jack's punch. He looked up at him but didn't make eye contact. "I just want to get my stuff and get out of here."

"Keys are in the car." He slapped him on the back a little to hard, "you have a safe trip now."

He walked back up by the door under the cover and turned around, crossing his arms watching him pick up his luggage and throw it in the car. What he wanted to do was bury him somewhere, he had a really bad feeling that they hadn't heard the last of Allan. He was just glad Carly was coming home with him to Hawaii; at least he knew she would be safe as long as she was with him. That he could guarantee.