The raucous and confusion in the ER were growing by the second as more and more injured were brought in. The doors burst open for what seemed to be the millionth time that night, admitting a moaning figure on a stretcher pushed by two paramedics that were spouting vitals a mile a minute. The doctors gathered around the newcomer, visually assessing any flesh wounds while listening with half an ear to the paramedics. Reaching an available bed, they counted to three and moved the injured woman. The doctor in charge immediately went to work, assessing the damage, palpating the abdomen, listening to the lungs and ordering a set of tests all at the same time. He was very efficient in his work as a diagnosis slowly materialized in his mind. Bending closer to the patient, he used his penlight to determine the functioning of her pupils, as he asked her for her name. "Can you tell me your name, please?"

The woman groaned in pain; her pupils were abnormally dilated, and her breathing was shallow and rapid. Her insides hurt tremendously, which was the only indication that she was still very much alive. All she could remember was the flashing headlights of the semi right before it hit her head on. She remembered she had managed to swerve her car before impact and she imagined that was the reason she was still alive. Everything was hazy as she tried to close her eyes and blink them open into clarity. Nothing seemed to work, the pain was overpowering. She heard the doctor's question, but barely had the strength to answer. "Shane?" She whispered hoarsely.

The doctor smiled reassuringly as he continued to check her body in order to validate his diagnosis. "Good. Shane, where does it hurt?" He started pressing her stomach lightly, jerking his hands away for a second when she groaned in pain. "Alright. I'm sending you to the OR for surgery, you have some internal damage that needs to be taken care of. Do you have anyone we should call?" He asked before writing up the orders.

"No.." She managed to whisper before blissful unconsciousness took over.

Finally there was silence. A shard of fear pierced her heart when the thought of death crossed her mind. Shane tried to move and then the pain hit. With a strangled groan, she expressed her pain and unhappiness. A moment later she was simply happy to be alive. Pain meant she was still alive and that must be better. But not by much, she surmised. Blinking tired eyes open, she saw that she was alone in a hospital room. She glanced around, almost blinded by the stark white color of the walls. The ambiance was even more depressing than the way she felt. She wondered what had happened.

Before she could fall back asleep, someone knocked on her door and stepped in. All Shane could really make out was a small woman with blonde hair that was dressed in green scrubs. The rest was blurry in her drug-induced state.

"Hello," said the cheery doctor. "How are you feeling?"

A sarcastic reply was just about to make its way out of Shane's mouth when she managed to stop it. She wasn't sure what had stopped her, but the morphine sure helped calm her down some. "Fine.." She mumbled in a long drawl.

The doctor smiled, wrote something in her chart and left the room.

Shane would have shaken her head if she knew just how to do it. Her head felt miles away and it took less than a minute for her to fall back asleep. Rest was important in her weakened state and was quite mandatory for the healing process.

The next day passed uneventfully, with Shane coming in and out of consciousness. Finally, on the third day, Shane managed to shake some of the bleariness out of her mind, having had enough time to get the morphine out of her system. She was still very weak, tired and miserable, but things were looking up. For the first time since she was brought to the ward, she could see her doctor's face clearly, and what a sight for sore eyes that was. She was indeed petite and had bright blonde hair that combined perfectly with her soulful blue/green eyes. Her face was like an angel's; so radiant and pure. At that point, Shane was sure she had lost a few marbles during the operation, but she couldn't help herself; she simply couldn't stop looking at the beautiful doctor.

When the doctor came into the room, she was delighted to see her patient coherent and trying to sit up. "Hey, hey, take it easy. Let me help."

'You can help me anytime,' Shane thought to herself. "Thanks," was all that actually came out of her mouth.

Rearranged in a more comfortable position, Shane had to admit that she indeed felt a little better. The pain was still there, but it turned into a dull reminder of a very bad experience.

"How are you feeling today, Ms. Olson?"

Shane smiled, "I'm better, thanks. But please, call me Shane, Dr?.?"

"I'm Dr. Elizabeth Hawkins, but everyone just calls me Liz." The doctor's smile was radiant and catching, as Shane found herself irresistibly smitten. Liz pulled up a chair to the bed and opened the chart she held in her hands. "Let's talk about what you went through, and before I forget, there are a couple of police officers that would like to talk to you about the accident. I told them they should wait at least until you're no longer drugged, and they said they would be back sometime today."

Shane nodded but kept silent. The whole issue wasn't easy on her, and she felt chills running up and down her spine. Every time the word accident came to mind, she couldn't stop the image of those flaring headlights moving rapidly in her direction. Taking a deep breath, she braced herself for the news.

"I know this is hard on you, so we'll take it slow. You were in a pretty bad accident, but the damage wasn't as extensive as might have been expected. Would you rather I give you the worst first?" She asked tentatively. The doctor hated this part but she hated having to report bad news to the family even worse.

"Give me the worst you've got." Shane said in a slightly joking tone.

The doctor smiled. "Well, you had a ruptured spleen which we had to remove, but it's very possible to live a good and long life without one. You'll simply be more prone to infection and infectious diseases. Also, from the impact, you suffered from abdominal trauma that caused internal bleeding and had to be stopped in surgery. Both procedures went well and we foresee a full recovery. You had three broken ribs which luckily didn't perforate the lungs and which were set back in place and bandaged. Otherwise, you had multiple lacerations and bruises that will leave you aching for quite a while. But generally speaking, you were lucky and if everything goes according to plan you'll be on your way out of here by the end of next week."

After the doctor's long speech, it was Shane who took a deep, calming breath. It was a lot to take in, but the prognosis seemed encouraging. When she thought about it, the pain wasn't even that bad; as long as she stayed still, that is. It was a good thing she hadn't grown too attached to that spleen of hers or she might have missed it, she thought to herself. If only she could lay her hands on that other driver?Leaving the thought unfinished, she glanced at the still sitting doctor. She truly was a beauty, and she unwittingly made Shane smile.

Liz looked up from her chart and caught Shane's infectious smile. "What?"

Shane shook her head slowly, "Nothing, just admiring the view. If I'm to be at the hospital, at least I'll have something to take the pain off." A charming little smirk appeared at the corner of her lips. Vacation time was over. Now that the morphine left her system, she had to get back into the game. Shane was known as quite a player among the ladies. She enjoyed playing the game, but she was absolutely addicted to the rush of winning the game. The doctor seemed like the perfect candidate to test her powers of persuasion, wondering if her charm remained in tact.

The doctor looked at her quizzically for a moment then shook her head in wonder. She snorted slightly, got up from the chair and left the room silently.

Shane blinked dumbly for a few moments then snapped her mouth shut. She had never been treated that way before. She had been cursed before, and even slapped before, but never given such an unenthusiastic, impossibly arrogant response. Shane was practically shaking with indignation. She would just have to work that much harder, she deduced. Looking at her arm which was connected to an IV line, she wondered if antagonizing the doctor would cause problems. She was really looking forward to a real meal and now she had to wonder if she'd ever get the chance to consume one again. Sighing, she decided sleep would be the best remedy for all that ailed her.

Later that afternoon the cops came as promised and asked her a few questions about the accident. She learned that a few more were involved in the accident because after the initial impact with her car, the semi rolled onto its side, causing a few more crashes along the way. She was the worse of all cases, however, and that made her a bit more relieved. She also learned that the semi's driver had been drinking and most probably lost control of the wheel when he slammed into her. She knew that she would curse his name for a long time to come and though forgiving would be hard in coming, she would probably reach some kind of reconciliation as long as she knew he would be off the streets for good. At least this incident didn't end too badly for anyone. After the cops left, Shane felt more tired than she had felt after surgery. Her body was bruised but it would heal whereas her soul might take a while. Drifting into a fitful sleep, she awoke a couple of hours later with the image of an angel standing next to her bed.

"Hi." She mumbled contently. Though her sleep had been filled with dreams and visions, it provided her with the rest she needed.

The doctor, who had been quite cheerful and conversational, simply nodded while she wrote something in her chart.

Moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue, Shane asked, motioning to the IV in her arm, "Can you take this out and give me some real food soon?"

The doctor lowered the chart and checked her vitals. "Yes, I'll take out the IV line and you can drink and eat whatever you wish. A nurse will be by soon with your meds." With that she turned to leave, but was stopped mid-step.

"Hey Doc. Did I say something to offend you?"

Liz turned around and glared, "Yes, actually you did. I don't appreciate being ogled or treated like a piece of furniture. I'm your attending physician and I think that requires a certain amount of respect. It seems that because I am too nice to some people, they take it the wrong way and treat me in whatever degrading way they see fit."

Shane smirked, "Are you quite done? Well let me tell you something, miss high-and-mighty medical doctor. If I was degrading, I apologize, it was not my intent. I was simply trying to complement you, an attempt that fell short because someone is so preoccupied with themselves and their self importance that they can't see a complement where it is given. So, I apologize if you thought I was being disrespectful, but I still stand behind my comment." Shane couldn't keep the last bit in, she had to push it just a little further with the cute little doctor, who proved she could certainly be irritating.

The doctor literally huffed as she left the room.

Shane leaned back and smiled smugly, interlacing her fingers behind her head. "She's gonna be fun." She chuckled.

Shane was on her way to a speedy recovery when a slight complication took a turn for the worse. Without any apparent reason, an internal hemorrhaging began in her abdominal region, near the operated area. The doctors tried several methods to stop the internal bleeding until they reached the decision that it could only be stopped in a second operation. The second operation was a bit less difficult but brought the entire process of healing back to square one. Shane, who had been ready to leave the hospital, was close to tears when they brought her back to her room. The pain in her body was harsh, but the pain in her soul seemed irreparable. The nurses and doctors left her mostly to her own devices for a while, giving her the space they knew she would probably be needing. Calming her nerves down, Shane braced herself for a longer stay in the hospital by deciding to make the best of it. The cute doctor hadn't seen nothing yet.

When Liz came in during her rounds, she was alone as usual. The chart firmly placed in her arms, she quickly examined Shane and determined that everything looked okay.

"Hey Doc, can I ask you a question?" Their interaction had been limited since after the last time she had spoken her mind, the doctor did everything in her power to stay as far away from Shane's room as possible. And after her second surgery, Shane needed a day to again recover from the anesthesia.

Liz was getting tired of bypassing the brunette's room. She hated to admit it but the tall, striking woman had a kind of roguish charm that was a tiny bit irresistible. She would never ever admit to that, she knew, but she was a bit more lenient with herself. She knew there would be trouble now that the woman was no longer drugged. "What is it, Ms. Olson?"

Shane smiled crookedly, "I told you Doc, you can call me Shane. And my question is, do you have a boyfriend, girlfriend, something in between?" She wiggled her eyebrows playfully.

Liz had to bite her lips to keep from smiling at the silly look on Shane's face. "What is it to you exactly, Ms. Olson?"

"Shane, please. And it's a very important thing a patient must know." Shane responded very seriously.

"Oh? How is that?"

"Well, you see, a patient feels tremendously better when he or she knows that their sweet doctor that had been taking care of them the entire day has a nice home with a loving partner to go back to." She fluttered her eyelashes playfully.

Liz took on a serious face, "If I weren't your attending doctor, I would tell you exactly what you are full off." Clearing her throat, she made her way out of the room before she would burst into giggles. She was actually starting to enjoy their silly game.

Shane couldn't help the deep chuckle that escaped her throat when she heard the doctor's serious yet playful words.

The following day, Shane was already out of bed and sitting on a straight-backed armchair she found in the room.

"Well, don't we look better today." Said Liz when she entered the room.

"And you look just as delectable as always." Shane couldn't help herself. It was pure reflex.

Before the doctor could turn around and leave, Shane was out of the chair, grabbing Liz's forearm softly. "Oww?you don't even begin to realize how much that hurt."

"What do you think you're doing, huh? Do you want to open your stitches? Get back in that chair. Slowly!"

Shane smiled in embarrassment, "Yes ma'am."

When she was tucked safely in her chair, Liz bent down to examine the incision. Shane had to literally bite down on her lips to keep from commenting.

"You're lucky you didn't snap anything open."

"Yeah, sorry about that. But I couldn't just let you leave before I asked you something."

Liz scratched her forehead. "What is it now?"

"Well, since you didn't answer my question from yesterday, I feel obligated to ask you another."

"And what would that be?" Liz sighed dramatically.

"Will you go out with me?" Shane smiled charmingly.

Liz chuckled, shaking her head. "You're incorrigible, you know that?"

"Oh, you have seen nothing yet." Shane said proudly, buffing her nails on her pajama top.

Without answering, Liz turned to leave the room.

"Wait! You didn't answer my question?" Shane pouted.

Liz licked her lips and smiled, "No Shane. The answer is no."

"Aww, come on." But Liz was already out of the room. "Hey, she called me Shane." Her smiled grew bigger and bigger until her face felt like it would burst.

Shane's attempts at wearying Liz down seemed to be working since even though her answer was a definite 'no' each and every time, they had grown closer and Liz even seemed to visit more often.

When she asked her out for the thousandth time, Liz shook her head in wonder, "When are you going to stop asking me that?"

Shane smiled roguishly, "When you say yes."

Liz chuckled and moved on, taking a pile of charts in her hands before going on her rounds. Liz couldn't help but be flattered by the relentless pursuit but ethically, she knew she had to stay away, knew there couldn't be a crossing of any boundaries.

A couple more days passed quite uneventfully, with the doctor and patient getting closer. Though Shane continued pursuing the doctor, outrageously flirting with her, Liz stood her ground, refusing to budge. At times, just to cool Shane's overenthusiastic reaction to her, her face would turn blank and a coldness she barely recognized as her own emerged to the surface. Shane seemed to have the ability to bring out the best and worst in her.

Shane was slowly getting better, already able to walk around the ward freely without getting too tired, with her body seemingly heading in the right direction. She was sitting in one of the scattered chairs in the ward's lobby, watching TV, when a fellow "inmate" joined her at the small table. The guy was a bit older than her and a bit worse for wear, but he seemed nice enough. Looking in Shane's direction, he was clearly seeking an opportunity to spark a conversation. Shane smiled politely and made eye contact. "Hi." She said amiably.

The guy smiled and offered his hand in greeting. "Hi, I'm Jake."

"Hey Jake, I'm Shane. So, what are you in for?" She asked jokingly.

Jake smiled, chuckling lightly. "Ruptured spleen."

"Oh yeah? They took mine out." Shane offered with a crooked smile.

"Well then, I guess you win." They both chuckled at the absurdity of their conversation.

After the icebreaker, conversation flowed as they shared their stories. Both patients seemed to be delighted at the company seeing that there wasn't much to do around the hospital. Less than an hour later, a woman and two children walked into the ward. Jake averted his gaze and the largest smile Shane had ever seen suddenly appeared on his face. Getting out of his chair, he got up to greet the visitors, who were just as happy. "Hey Shane, this is my family. Dorothy, this is Shane, a fellow inmate." He smiled as he made the introductions. He then introduced his two small children, smiling with fatherly pride when Shane commented on their cuteness. "Do you mind if I leave for a bit?" He asked tentatively.

Shane smiled confidently, "Sure, of course, of course. You go. Visit with your family. I'll be here." She motioned toward the chair she had been sitting on.

Jake nodded in relief. "Thanks. Talk to you later." And then he was gone.

Shane's smile slowly faded from her lips as she gazed at the parting family. The muscles in her jaw jumped with tension when Jake pulled his wife in for a warm hug. For the life of her, she couldn't explain the dull ache in her chest. The thought that something might be wrong briefly flashed through her mind, but then the ache slowly faded, leaving the emptiness of before. Sighing almost imperceptibly, she shifted her gaze back to the TV.

Liz was just returning from her rounds when she noticed Shane sitting alone in front of the television. Cocking her head to the side she watched with interest. Shane never ceased to amaze her, or throw her for a loop. She truly seemed dejected?or was it sadness? Shaking her head, she decided to allow her feet to pull her in the direction that her heart wanted to go. Unceremoniously, she plopped down on the chair recently vacated by Jake. "Hi."

Shane pushed her chair in Liz's direction and smiled with genuine affection. Her eyes were sparkling with the feeling, yet again managing to surprise the previously unimpressionable doctor. "Hi."

"So, what are you doing here all alone? Don't you have someone to hit on?" Liz asked teasingly, playfully slapping her thigh.

Shane's smile turned into a predatory grin. "Nah. You weren't around."

Liz couldn't stop the slight blush that colored her fair cheeks. "Do you do that on purpose, or is it that I'm just an easy target?"

"I do that on purpose and yes, you're a pretty easy target." Shane chuckled when her thigh was slapped a little harder. "Ow, hey?You're a doctor, you're not supposed to be hurting your patients."

"Yes well, there are a lot of things I'm not supposed to be doing.." Liz mumbled quietly.

Shane narrowed her eyes. "I'm wearing you down, aren't I?"

Liz bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud. "You are so full of it, you know that?"

"I'd like to be full of something alright." It was just too easy to ignore.

"Oh God, Shane?" Liz simply shook her head, getting ready to leave.

"Now that's something I'd like to hear in a different intonation?"

"Ugh, you're impossible." Liz got up and left, but she was unable to wipe the smile off her face.

Shane spent some more time in front of the TV, watching the news only half interested. People watching was one of her favorite activities and sitting idly in the hospital allowed her much time to indulge in that pleasure. People came and went into the ward; patients, their families, visitors or personnel. But no one ever came for her. She knew the thought was ridiculous since she had no one who could visit, but a sense of unrequited longing refused to leave her heart. Stilling herself against the oncoming pain, she drew a deep breath, putting the mask back in place. There was a chink in her armor and she couldn't possibly let anyone know.

But someone did know, or at least, had found out. After Liz left Shane to her devices, she went to the nurses' station. Grabbing onto the first nurse in sight, she pulled her aside and asked quietly, "Pam, can you check something for me?"

All of the nurses liked the young doctor and were ready to do her bidding, as long as they didn't have anything else important to do. "Sure doctor. What do you need?"

"I need you to check Shane Olson's file for any family or contacts. Did the hospital notify anyone about her condition and whereabouts?"

"Sure thing. Give me one second." Pam went to the file cabinet and pulled out Shane's file. Quickly browsing through it, she found the necessary information. "Nope, there's no one listed."

Liz chewed her lip in thought. "I see. Alright, thanks Pam."

Walking back to her office, Liz contemplated the situation. Shane was apparently alone, and for whatever reason, Liz felt compelled to keep the woman company. She felt a strange sort of attraction when it came to the tall brunette. Admittedly, Shane was extremely attractive and charming, but she was a patient and therefore, out of the question. But there was something else, something more about her that drove Liz insane. Her insides were roiling with so many questions that ethical debates were practically oozing out of her ears. She had to do something and soon, or she would truly go mad. The question was, what?

A knock on her office door startled her out of her musings. "Yes?"

A fellow resident, Doctor Michael Jermaine confidently walked in. There weren't many people that Liz despised, but Michael topped that short list. As he walked in and sat down in front of her, she could feel her skin begin to crawl. Brushing her hands rapidly along her forearms, she asked, "Is there something you need, Michael?"

A lascivious grin appeared on the handsome face, "Yeah, but you already knew that, didn't you?"

Liz smiled coldly, "I have no idea what you're talking about. So, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do."

Michael's grin slowly changed into a snarl, "It seems that for that patient of yours you always have plenty of time, but when it comes to me having to speak to you, you're swamped with work. How do you explain that, doctor?"

"Well, as you said, she is my patient. And you, are simply bothering me." She didn't have the patience to deal with Michael at the moment and couldn't wait to see him out the door.

Liz could see his teeth grinding as he slowly stood up, towering over her desk. "How dare you?" Before he could finish the sentence, there was a short, rapid knock on the door and then it creaked open. Shane's head pushed through the crack and looked suspiciously around. "Hey Doc, sorry to bother you, but I'm not feeling very well?" She left the sentence hanging.

"If you don't mind, we're kind of in the middle of something here. Go back to your room and call the nurse if you need something," Michael said rudely.

Liz slapped her hand on the wooden table, making both Shane and Michael jump in surprise. "How dare you? That is my patient and you have no right to talk to her like that. If someone is going to leave, it is you," she said vehemently.

Michael stared at her wide-eyed. She had never had the guts to speak to him quite like that. Practically seething, he lowered his tone, "This isn't over by a long shot." Straightening, he turned on his heels and left the room, glaring at Shane on the way out. Shane simply smirked and stepped aside. When Michael was gone, Shane pulled the door open and walked in.

Liz immediately stood up and walked over to her. "What is it? Where does it hurt?" She asked in concern.

Shane's smile faded slowly, leaving a small reminder of its brilliance at the corner of her lips. "Here," she said, placing her hand over her heart.

Liz's eyes softened as well, the panic exchanged with longing. She couldn't help herself; it was as though her hand moved of its own accord. It rose into mid air and then lay gently on top of Shane's. "I'm sorry, Shane?I wish I?" her words caught in her throat when the softest lips captured her own. She was surprised by the kiss and yet, it felt like the most familiar thing in the world. The kiss was long and deep. Soulful. It felt like their hearts melted out of their own bodies and combined into one scorching entity; their chests burned so. When the kiss finally ended and they separated, both were breathless.

"Shane, I can't?this is so wrong on so many levels."

"This can't be more right." That was all it took. Liz had no more fighting power. She allowed herself to be pulled into a warm embrace. The hug was like a breath of fresh air; giving nourishment to a starved organism. Shane stepped back, pulling Liz along with her and propping herself against the door. Feeling the door behind her, she found the lock and clicked it shut. Their kiss began to stir fire in both their loins as their lips and tongues mapped the other's mouth. Shane slowly moved away from the kiss, trailing her lips down along the column of her throat. Liz arched her neck, giving Shane complete access. She was lost and there was no way back except through Shane's embrace. She moaned when Shane lifted her scrub shirt over her head and moved her hands to caress the silky skin underneath.

Making quick work of their clothes, Shane had both Liz and herself naked from the waist up in no time. Feasting her eyes on the beautiful porcelain skin, she couldn't help but run her fingers reverently from her belly button to her collar bone. "You are so stunning," she said and lowered her lips back to the creamy neck. Liz moaned when Shane pulled on her skin, marking her as her own. Trailing hot kisses along her collar bone, Shane licked lower and lower until she had the beautiful breasts in close sight. Taking her time, she slowly made love to one and then to the other. Kissing and nibbling on the sensitive skin, she finally pulled the nipple between her teeth, reveling in the sweet moan Liz released.

Unable to stand any longer, Shane pulled Liz with her to the leather sofa against the wall. It was a good thing Liz inhabited the chief of staff's office. It was just roomy enough for such afternoon delights. Lowering Liz onto the sofa, Shane quickly climbed on top.

Raising herself to her knees, Shane straddled Liz and began working on her lower half. Pulling the scrubs' string loose, she helped Liz out of her pants, leaving her in a pair of white, cotton panties. Liz's excitement was clearly visible and Shane couldn't wait to get a closer look. Not wasting anymore time, she lowered her lips to the inviting belly, licking and kissing all around the belly button. Occasionally, she would push her tongue inside just to see Liz squirm with delight. Liz thrust her fingers into Shane's dark tresses, pulling her head up for another, more intense kiss. While their tongues battled for dominance, Shane's thigh slithered in between Liz's spread legs and pushed hard against her damp crotch. Liz gasped, thrusting her hips against the maddening pressure.

Shane pulled away from the kiss, gazing deeply into Liz's half closed lids while thrusting rhythmically with her thigh. "You're so beautiful. I want to see you cum for me. Keep your eyes open. I want to see into your soul when you reach that point of no return." Liz was getting close, she could feel the explosion approaching, but she didn't want to experience such pleasure alone. With the last bit of reason left in her brain, she pushed her hand between their bodies and into Shane's pants. Finding her source of heat, she quickly thrust two fingers inside. The shock made Shane's leg jerk, pushing harder against Liz's thoroughly drenched core. Not willing to be bested, she used her free hand to push Liz's panties down and with no further warning, mimicked Liz's actions, impaling the undulating body with two of her long fingers. The only sound in the room was the slapping of their wet bodies as they rode the wave to salvation. Their bodies arched against each other, reaching the highest precipice and then free falling into the dark, calming abyss.

Both were panting when it was finally over, but the connection still remained. Something deep had transpired and it was more than anything physical could ever be. They were content and it felt right, no matter how much the outside world screamed against their union. Shane pulled slightly back so she could gaze into Liz's sleepy eyes. "So what now?"

Liz blinked a few times, trying to keep her eyes open. "Do you have a place to stay?"

"Not really," answered Shane.

"Well, you do now."

They shared a sweet smile. Shane laid a soft kiss on the still damp shoulder and pressed her ear to Liz's heart, allowing the soft cadence to lull her to sleep. They were happy. It was right.

The End