-----------------

Emily savored the hot shower as long as she could.  She had 
scented body wash, lots of steam...the only thing missing 
was Matt.  Thoughts of her partner made her remember his odd 
description of driving.  Was he serious?  

Worried, now that she was awake, turned the water off.  Had 
that been her cell phone ringing?   She listened, but heard 
nothing.  Deciding she was being overly jumpy, she began to 
dry herself.  She had gotten as far as scented body lotion 
when she heard the phone ring.  This time, the sound was 
unmistakeable. In her haste, Emily tripped over her own feet 
and nearly fell on her face, so the ringing stopped again by 
the time she got to the phone.  She stared at the small 
device in confusion.  She had missed four calls?

Then, realizing it had to be Matt, she relaxed.  What was he 
up to now?  A sweet shiver ran through her body as she 
remembered the night they'd shared.  She'd call him back, 
but first, she wanted to hear what he'd left on her voice 
mail.  Knowing Matt, it would be something deliciously 
dirty.

Her smile faded when she realized the fourth call was not 
from Matt, but from her boss.  Why would Cheryl be calling 
at this hour, unless--

Emily connected to her voice mail, anticipation slowly 
turning to fear.  The fear solidified into sheer terror when 
she heard Matt's message.

"Em...I need help, I--"  The scream that punctuated the 
message made her go numb all over.

"Matt!" she yelled into the phone, feeling stupid, but 
desperate to connect with him. Before she could berate 
herself for slipping toward hysteria, the next message 
began.

"Emily," Cheryl's voice came crisply over the line.  "Matt's 
been in an accident.  I told him to call an ambulance, but 
he was somewhere on the road from your place to his.  I'm 
going to have someone at the office track his--"

Emily didn't wait to hear the rest.  She threw on her 
clothes and headed for the door.  She knew the route Matt 
usually took, and just prayed he hadn't deviated from it.

"Auto pilot!" she seethed to herself as she drove.  "I 
should have made him stay.  I should have cuffed him to the 
bed."

Any further ruminations died when she saw Matt's wrecked 
Mustang just ahead.  Two police cars and one ambulance lit 
up the night with their flashing lights.  She could see a 
form that had to be her partner being wheeled toward the 
ambulance.

"Wait!" she shouted as she jumped from her vehicle.  "Wait a 
minute!"

-----------------

Voices flew around Matt like a whirlwind.

"Sir, can you tell us where you're hurt?"

"Head...sh-shoulder--"

"Left or right shoulder, Sir?"

"Left."  

"Does your head hurt just where you hit it, or all over?"

"Just--just where I hit."

"Anywhere else?"

"Legs."

"Upper legs?  Lower legs?"

"A-ankles, I think."

"Can you tell me your name?"

Questions fired at him from left and right, and Matt tried 
to answer them all as the paramedics slowly and gently 
extricated him from the car.  

"Jason, you got his vitals?"

"Stable."

"Get an I.V. started.  I'll call it in."

"Any possible signs of concussion?"

"Sir, do you know if you blacked out?"

"Yeah, for a little while," Matt managed, fighting his 
confusion.  He was slightly disoriented, and if not for the 
pain, he would have believed he was dreaming.

"Are you nauseated?"

"No."

"Pupillary reaction good."

Matt found himself strapped to a stretcher, which was raised 
suddenly toward the sky.  He clutched at the side, feeling 
dizzy and afraid that he'd fall, but one of the paramedics 
lay a comforting hand on his shoulder.  

"You're not going anywhere, don't worry.  We've got you 
strapped down good."

In the confusion, Matt thought he heard Emily's voice 
calling to him, and he tried to answer as they wheeled him 
toward the ambulance.

"Emily--"  His voice caught , and the sound was minimal, but 
she heard him.  In a moment she was beside him.  He reached 
for her with his right hand, the one that didn't ache.

"Matt, I'm here."  She squeezed his hand lightly.  "You're 
going to be all right."

"Ma'am, are you a relative?"

"I'm his--we work together."

"Emily, don't let them take me to the hospital!"

"What are you talking about?  Of course they're taking 
you--"

"If I go in, I'll never come out!  Don't let them take me--"

Emily was confused at Matt's agitation, but did her best to 
calm him.

"Matt, relax.  You're hurt, not that badly, but you need 
medical treatment.  I'll be right there with you.  I'm going 
to follow the ambulance, and I'll be there every step of the 
way."

"Don't let them put me on a respirator!  Don't let them--"

"Respirator!"  Emily glanced up at the nearest paramedic.  
"Is he going to need a respirator?"

"I'm not a doctor, Ma'am," the man told her, focused on 
getting Matt into the ambulance.  Her hand on his arm 
stopped him.

"Please, just tell me what you can."  

Emily's calm yet forceful tone made his face soften.

"The ER doc will have to take a look at him, Ma'am, but just 
between you and me, I don't think you need to worry about 
that."

"Shh!"  Emily leaned down close to his face, her hands on 
his cheeks and her eyes telling him it would all be okay.  
"Nothing is going to happen to you, Matt.  I promise. No 
respirator.  You're going to be fine."

His brow furrowed in pain and fear, and he protested once 
more, "Don't let them--"

Emily smoothed back his hair with her soft hands. "Trust 
me," she whispered.  "Just trust me."

He stared into her eyes for a few seconds before giving that 
little nod, the one that meant he would play it her way for 
the time being.  Emily sighed in relief.  

"I'll be right behind you," she called to Matt as the 
ambulance doors closed, shutting her out.

-----------------