"Reed refuses to listen. I've tried repeatedly to get him to consider the possibility that I won't be able to return to duty." Sally could hear the frustration in Pete's voice; the futility of it all. She'd spoken to Jean about Jim's inability to imagine any result other than Pete being beside him in Adam-12, but he didn't listen to her either.

"We all hope that you will be able to remain on the force….in some capacity, why can't Jim?"

"It's a matter of faith to him." Sally shivered in his arms. Whether from being cold or still upset, he wasn't sure. Either way, Pete pulled back the covers on the spare bed before sitting her down and wrapping her in the blanket.

Sally pulled him closer, sharing the blanket with him. "His faith in you is so strong that he thinks you can do anything?"

"It is", Pete chuckled, "but in this case, it's his faith in God, not me. How do I fight that?"

"Let's lay down. I'm cold." Sally continued as they laid down under the covers "I still don't understand. You're alive when you shouldn't be. Isn't that God's doing?"

"It's not enough." There are a lot of things that Pete doesn't remember from his time in the hospital, especially early on, but he hadn't forgotten Jim's declaration. "He is sure that I will make a full recovery because, considering what I did, anything less wouldn't be fair. In his words, 'God isn't that cruel'."

It was clear to both of them that they weren't going to find an answer to the problem before morning. Nor would they get any sleep. Instead, they snuggled under the covers and took what comfort they could from each other.

O~O~O

Sally was halfway through pouring Pete his second cup of coffee when they heard Jim's familiar rap on the door. "He's early…"

Pete chuckled, "You say that like it's a surprise to you." Sally, after telling Jim to come in, whispered in her fiancée's ear.

'The only surprise is that he wasn't sleeping on the doormat when you brought the paper in." With a smile and a wave to Jim, she headed back to bed.

O~O~O

Despite Pete's insistence that he could drive himself to the hospital for his physical, neither Sally nor Jim agreed with him. That fact bothered him. Not that he didn't understand Sally's reasoning, he did. It was Jim's insistence that made him wonder. Did he not trust Pete to drive himself or was his partner coming along in case he needed back-up to argue for his return to duty? He downed the rest of his coffee, left his apartment, and actually made it into Jim's car before Pete noticed Reed trying to examine him without being noticed.

"Don't give me *that* look and don't even think about asking me *that* question, Partner. Just drive." Spoken in his training officer tone of voice, Jim wisely started the car.

As the engine roared to life, Jim was sure he heard "Mother Hens…" mumbled from the passenger side of the car.

Jim kept peeking at his partner, assessing his mood. "Do you mind if I ask you about something other than how you feel?" Pete raised his left hand in a "go ahead" gesture.

"Ed Wells is back on our watch."

"That's not a question, Partner." Pete had known that Wells' assignment to communications was temporary and that Ed had requested the return to patrol.

"When I swallowed his ideas on how to do the job, how did you keep from knocking my head against the wall when I was questioning your…our methods?"

"Don't think I didn't consider it, but the brass frowns on training officers physically knocking sense into their rookie." Pete winced as he tried to get more comfortable in Jim's corvette. "I tried to tell you, but Ed tells a good story. I knew it would come down to you needing to see him for what he is on your own. Luckily, he screwed up and proved me right."

"He's telling war stories in the locker room again…."

"I take it that Larry is listening?"

"Yes and saying the same things to me that I said to you, only this time I was the one being unfairly criticized. It may be five years late, but I apologize for my behavior."

"Accepted. Are you asking for my advice on convincing Larry?" Pete continued when Jim nodded. "Don't try to tell him; show him. Our jackets from the day Wells got shot are in a box in the basement of my building."

O~O~O

Pete hated hospitals. In fact, there were few things he hated more than a hospital; interns and residents poking, prodding him and asking stupid questions topped the list. Threatening glares and sarcastic answers allowed him the "patience" to put up with the exams. Which left him with one more hurdle to overcome.

Pete stood as Dr. Franks entered the room. He didn't think that he had grimaced as he rose, but hoped that Dr. Franks didn't notice a grimace, if he actually did grimace.

"Have a seat Pete, I'll be right with you". Dr. Franks laid a very large file on his desk, took a seat and proceeded to read it as Pete waited.

"Well, I've the staff's answer to my questions, now I want to hear yours." The doctor closed Pete's file as he met the policeman's eyes. "How are you doing?"

"That answer", Pete replied with a mischievous grin, "depends on the day and whose opinion you are seeking."

"I'll pass on the second part of that statement. Tell me about the first part…". For some reason Dr Franks felt the need to be more specific, adding "from your personal perspective, please."

"Are you impugning my honor, sir." It worked; Pete got the laugh he was going for before sighing. "I meant what I said. I have good days and bad, but mostly good ones."

"And your pain? I'm not blind, I can see how gingerly you move…and the occasional wince that you can't hide."

"I'm still experiencing some pain, but that's expected. I'm only asking for restricted duty."

Pete paused, leaning forward as if to share a secret with the doctor "You do realize that if you were an intern, I'd have conned you into returning me to full duty by now? Right?".

"Which is exactly why I'm making the decision and not my staff. You're infamous around here. Is there anyone you can't either charm or intimidate into doing what you want?"

"Besides you? A Captain or two and Sally".

"Then there is this." He set the Return to Duty form on the desk in front of Pete. "I know Sally would say that you are rushing things, while your friend in the waiting room thinks you should already be riding around in a squad car." He repeatedly tapped the form with his index finger. "Are you pushing it Officer Malloy?"

"Slightly, maybe a little bit more, but I wouldn't do that if I thought I might be setting myself up for more than a paper cut." Pete sighed, hoping that Dr. Franks would understand his reasoning. "The exam for sergeant is next week. I need to be on duty, even if it's restricted, in order to take the test."

Dr. Franks leaned back in his chair, held his hands, with the fingers touching in front of him as he contemplated the cop's fate. Pete idly wondered how many nuns had given his younger self that same look just before reaching for the paddle.

"This matters because…" The doctor began the question; leaving Pete to fill in the rest.

"Because the only jobs available for someone on permanent restricted duty, that I could see myself doing, require that third stripe."

Dr. Franks signed the form.