As she sat up in bed, her back leaning against the headboard, Sally realized that she loved listening to Pete snoring. When they reunited after years of letting their jobs get in the way of their romance, she wasn't sure that she would ever be able to sleep in the same room with him. She liked it quiet at night, but now, she felt a little unnerved by the silence when he wasn't shaking the bed in rhythm to his snoring.

Pete had fallen asleep after they finished snuggling, so they really hadn't talked yet. It was that fact that was keeping Sally awake; her mind going over the possibilities of him going back to work. Until yesterday morning, she could handle the hope and fears that came with the thought of him going back to work. It was still only a possibility; deep down, she hoped that Dr. Franks wouldn't clear him for light duty.

Sally slipped below the covers, leaning her head on Pete's shoulder. She had to admit that he had regained the strength in that arm; she felt it every time he held her. It was only when Pete shifted in response that Sally realized that she had been tracing the scars on his body. "How many more will he get God? I don't want to lose him, not now, not ever."

"I'm not going anywhere," Still half asleep Pete mumbled. "Were you talking to God? About me? A lapsed Catholic?"

"You weren't supposed to hear that." She hadn't stopped tracing his scars with her finger. Pete wiggled in response, "don't' tickle me while you pray and I won't hear it." He followed it with the smile that still made Sally melt.

He tightened his arm around her. "I stood on the edge that first night. I saw what was waiting for me both going towards the light and coming back. It was tempting to let go of life and experience what lies beyond, but I made my choice. I came back for you."

"Really?", she looked at him through teary eyes.

"Yep. How many guys can say that and mean it? I'm here for as long as you want me."

"But how can you promise me that when you are going to go back on patrol with Jim if the doctor okays it?" Her eyes were a mixture of hope and fear and it tore at his soul. Wiping the new set of tears with a piece of the top sheet, he answered her.

"Whatever happens, I won't be going back on patrol with Jim. He's a full-fledged training officer with five years' experience on the job. It would make no sense to put us back in a unit together."

"Is that why you did it?" Sally could see that was a hard admission to make but she wanted to know if he knew it all along.

"Forcing Jim to become a training officer? Yes. I was hoping that he would acknowledge the end of our partnership before now."

Sally gave him a kiss on his cheek. "You made it impossible for Jim to ride with you, even though what you want more than anything is for the two of you to be patrolling the city in adam-12."

"It's the right thing to do for him, career wise." Admitting it didn't make it any easier.

"I love you." Sally nestled closer to him, forgetting all about the scars.

O~O~O

"Breaking and entering is a crime…" Pete broke off his comment seeing that it was Jim and not his landlady opening his door.

"Do you always greet visitors that way or am I getting special treatment?" Jim closed the door, made a beeline to the coffee pot, and poured himself a cup.

"I thought you were Mrs. O'Brian." Pete kicked out a chair for his friend while pointing out the fresh donuts on the counter.

"That sweet old lady is still giving you trouble?" Jim sat at the table, a mug of coffee and two donuts in hand.

"Sweet old lady to you. 'Godzilla' to Sally." Pete got up to refill his mug. "If you are going to eat my food, you could at least fill my mug up with hot coffee.

"As strong as you make it, the coffee could walk here on its own." Jim dumped some sugar into his mug.

"Did you come here to criticize my coffee, which Sally made this morning, or is there a purpose for your visit.

"Wells." For the last few years, Pete involuntarily cringed whenever he heard the name.

"I don't go back to work for two days." He smirked. "I'm supposed to be studying."

"I have to see them both tonight and I can't take it anymore. If I hear 'Wells did this and Wells says this' again I'm going to murder one of them."

"Kill Wells, there's more paperwork involved if you kill your rookie." Pete laughed. It felt so good to not have to deal with Ed yet.

"Oh, congrats on getting your five year hashmark."

"Thanks, but don't change the subject. Larry keeps repeating Ed's claim that he deserved the Medal of Valor for getting shot" The younger man took a deep breath and blew it out; a sign of frustration Pete recognized.

"Let me put on a shirt and shoes. We can go downstairs and get the jackets."

Pete let Jim do the heavy work of getting the box off the top shelf of the storage room and opening the box. Once the box was open, Jim pulled out a hermetically sealed plastic bag with their jackets in it.

"Did you have them washed?"

"Of course not, they will make a better impression on the rookie with all the smells intact." Pete grinned. "I had a buddy who works in shipping for Shepard's Department Store seal it up for me." He paused, considering if he should offer to help. "If you think that Kasak will get more out of the lesson if we're both there, you can come over when you take seven."

"Thanks", Jim was examining the jackets through the plastic, although neither he nor Pete had gotten hurt while rescuing him, they both had Ed's blood on them.

"We can tell him the truth about Ed. Heck, we could tell him a few stories about what other officers have done to get the medal."

"I'll be by tonight if Larry starts up the hero-worship of Ed again." The two friends took the stairs up from the basement, pausing on the landing. Jim smiled "Thanks Partner."

"Anytime Partner". It felt good to say it. The truth is that the good teams never really stop being partners long after they aren't working together anymore.

Pete had reached the landing outside his apartment when Jim yelled back at him.

"What did you do to Penny Lang?"