Perry passed the entire night at Della's bedside, holding her hand, and keeping his index finger on her sluggish pulse. At regular intervals, the nurse came in to check on the patient, and several times mentioned softly to him that she believed Della's heart rate was slowly rising. At 3am, he was told that her pulse was forty beats per minute, a significant improvement from the prior evening. Only then did he allow himself to doze off in the chair for a few hours.

A little past seven, he was awoken by the sound of footsteps.

A new, pretty, blond nurse had tiptoed into the room and was taking Della's pulse.

"How is she doing?" Perry asked quietly, taking a quick look at his secretary's beautiful face. Even by the dim light, he noticed that there seemed to be more color in her cheeks than previously.

"Her pulse is forty-five beats per minute, even better than what the night nurse told me in report."

"Yes, it was forty about four hours ago," Perry confirmed after glancing at his watch, a hopeful note clearly apparent in his tone.

"I am obviously not the doctor, but I will dare to say that this is a good sign that your wife is improving, sir."

Perry Mason started at this comment.

"I…she is not my wife," he quickly corrected. "We are just good friends, and work together."

"My apologies for my presumption," the nurse timidly said, glancing from the gentleman to her unconscious patient with repressed curiosity. "If you are not Mr. Street, then how should I address you, sir?"

"My name is Perry Mason," the lawyer replied. "And yours is?"

"Janice, sir. I am the nurse who will be taking care of Ms. Street today."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Janice. Dr. Hawley mentioned yesterday that Ms. Street would have to undergo some tests. Do you know when that will be?"

"They are expecting her in the Cardiac Testing Center within thirty minutes, sir. Due to the sheer number of tests Dr. Hawley ordered, I would expect her to be down there for most of the day."

"I see. Thank you."

"I'll just go and check on my other patient, and then come back to get her ready, Mr. Mason."

"Very good," the defense attorney said.

Janice slipped out of the room as quietly as she could, but despite her efforts, Perry heard the rustling of bedclothes. Instantly, he looked hopefully at Della. Indeed, her eyes were open, and she was surveying her surroundings with bewilderment.

"Good morning," he said, very, very softly, trying to not startle her.

"Good morning, Perry," she returned in a shaky voice. "Where are we?"

Perry's heart silently sang a hymn of thanksgiving. After all, only a few hours before he had feared that he would never have another conversation with Della! Now, he savored every syllable he heard her utter.

"In the hospital. You fainted in the courtroom yesterday," he answered.

His secretary burrowed her face in her hands.

"Oh Perry, I am so, so sorry," she murmured in a tone of deep embarrassment.

"You're sorry?" Her employer rejoined in disbelief. "Whatever have you to be sorry for? You could not help fainting."

"For making such a scene. I should have excused myself when I didn't feel well, rather than trying to ignore it and causing so much trouble."

The lawyer suddenly leaned forward and studied her face intently at this piece of unexpected information.

"You felt the spell coming on, then? How long had you not been feeling well for?"

Della's answer stunned him.

"About two weeks. But it got worse yesterday afternoon."

"Two weeks!" he cried out. "Why did you not tell me?" Guilt choked him. How could he not have noticed?!

"You were busy with the case, and you needed someone to help you…"

"Della, you can't be of any use to me or our clients if you are sick…I truly wish that you would have told me."

"So do I," Dr. Hawley said, walking into the room. "Maybe we could have avoided quite an unpleasant adventure yesterday, if you had taken Perry into your confidence sooner. Good morning, Ms. Street."

"Dr. Hawley," she acknowledged with a wane smile.

"You look better this morning. While you were indisposed, Perry hired me as your physician. I hope that you do not mind?"

"Not at all, doctor." In truth, Della would rather have Dr. William Hawley than anyone else – as Perry's doctor and friend, he was a familiar face to her, and she knew that his qualifications could not be superseded. She also knew that he was an extremely busy man who lectured at two local medical schools in addition to tending to many Los Angeles celebrities, and she would not have dared to try to seek an appointment with him of her own accord. Her heart melted when she thought of the strings that Perry must have pulled to get her the best possible care.

"You might feel differently after all I put you through today," the doctor said with a laugh as he bent down to listen to her heart with his stethoscope. Rather pleased at what he heard, he straightened up and asked, "Has Perry told you everything?"

"She just knows that she fainted," the defense attorney quickly said. How he wished that he could spare Della the knowledge of how close to death she had come! But the truth was the truth, and he was not one for concealing it. And, anyhow, she was intelligent enough to know that a case of swooning from dehydration or some other innocuous cause would not merit the extensive workup that Dr. Hawley had in mind for her. That, alone, would arouse her suspicion. "I haven't had the time to expound further."

Gently and tactfully, the physician explained his findings regarding her slow heart rate, the danger that it had put her in, and the importance of finding its cause. Perry worriedly watched Della's reaction as she was told the news, but, as always, she took it with the calm, collected demeanor that he so admired. She told Dr. Hawley that she trusted him to do what was best for her, and that she was ready for whatever tests and treatments he had in mind.

Janice came back into the room, and she and Dr. Hawley unhooked Della from the IV pole, unlocked the brakes on her hospital bed and prepared to wheel her to the Cardiac Testing Center.

"I will see you later, Counselor," Della said to Perry in parting, with a small smile.

"It will be a while before she is back in her room, Perry. You have plenty of time to go to your office and get some work done," Dr. Hawley said to his friend.

Perry nodded, hardly registering what had been said to him as his eyes followed Della out the door.

"Just take good care of her, Bill," he answered in a low voice, suddenly terrified of what diagnosis they might have when they were through with the examinations.

Hang in there with me...I know you are all curious about the mob's next move...I'm planning to get there, I promise! I just want to work some romance in first :D

Please review!