Danni marveled at the occurrences of the past few days. They had been a roller coaster ride full of emotions, ranging from the deepest depths of self-inflicted depression to the elated joys of finding a kindred spirit. Something was different about her. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but she knew it to be true. For the first time in her life she had slept with no jumbled dreams, no pieces of a puzzle left lingering to haunt her first waking moments of the new day.

Sighing, she lazily rolled over in the large bed, basking in the afterglow of her mind’s delight. Once on her back, she nestled into the soft pillow as she let her right arm sweep the expanse of the bedding, feeling the rumpled sheets that had formed into small mounds and valleys, only to find the object of her desire seemingly just out of her reach. Opening a sleepy eyelid as she raised her head, the petite woman started to survey the bed.

"Danni," the voice was muffled. "Danni, I thought you wanted to ride in together today?" The sounds of footsteps were in the hall. "Hey, sleepy head, are you going to stay in bed all day?" The voice was much louder now as the silk robed form of the tall woman stood in the doorway. She busied herself with the towel that was wrapped around her wet hair on top of her head.

"Argggh! Now I know why I hate daylight. How come the nights never pass that fast when I work them?" The nurse shook her head trying to rid herself of the last remnants of sleep. Danni reached out, fingering the journal that lay on her nightstand.

"Dan, it’s getting late, I don’t think you have time for that this morning." The surgeon eyed the book that her friend was toying with.

"Oh, this? No, I’m just so used to writing in it every time that I wake up, it’s become a habit I guess." She let a smirk play across her face as she realized that for once, she had nothing to write in it. "Funny thing is, I don’t have any bits or pieces to put into it today. I figured that sooner or later the pieces of the puzzle would come together, that’s why I documented them."

"Hmmm, I always liked puzzles. Maybe you should let me look at it sometime." She offered hoping that she was not being too presumptuous. "Maybe you are just too close to the clues to see what they are all about?"

"I never thought of that. You might be on to something there." The blonde hair tossed from side to side as the young woman stretched first this way and then that way, trying to limber up her muscles before using them. "Okay, I’m up now." Her body betrayed her with a yawn. "Excuse me," she rolled her eyes shyly. "How long before we leave?"

Without hesitation she beamed, "0530 sharp! That gives you a little under 45 minutes to get ready." She began moving down the hallway, still toweling her hair dry. "The trail blazer leaves on time, I’ve got an O.R. time at 0700 with McMurray."

"Okay, I’m going…" she slid out of the warm bed and padded off to the bathroom. "And I’ll be waiting for you." Danni yelled out as she closed the door to her room.

****************

True to her word, Danni was leaning against the side of the Blazer when Garrett came out of the front door of the house. With her arms folded across her chest, she watched as the surgeon made her way to the vehicle. Flicking her remote key device to unlock the doors, she shook her head saying, "I can’t believe that you’re ready. You couldn’t have eaten."

Shrugging her shoulders, the nurse nonchalantly replied. "You are right. I opted to have breakfast in the cafeteria." The coy smile played across her face as she turned to open the passenger door.

The pair quietly took up their positions in the front seat of the SUV and belted themselves in for the journey to work. Casually Danni looked at the digital display on the dashboard; it was 0529 as Garrett turned the key, bringing the lumbering engine to life. After taking a cautious look up and down the quiet street, Garrett eased on the gas pedal and pulled away from the curb. The nurse smiled as the display of numbers now changed to 0530.

Danni marveled at the punctuality of her friend. Now, here was someone that she could count on, right down to the second.

The short drive to the hospital was quiet as each occupant of the vehicle thought about her day to come. The ride was at an end as Garrett pulled the oversized vehicle into the special section of the parking garage, startling the thought absorbed nurse when her eyes focused on a concrete pillar in front of the now parked vehicle.

"Are we there already?" The blonde head turned, looking at her surroundings.

"Ah…yeah, Danni, it’s not like the ride back from Sandy Lake yesterday." She thought about the long drive and how relaxed she felt from the weekend trip.

"Oh, yeah…right!" She climbed down from the seat and gathered up her knapsack and gloves. She closed the door and met the surgeon in the rear of the vehicle to start the walk over to the hospital entrance. "Gar," she spoke softly. "Are you going to talk to McMurray today?"

"Well, of course, I have a planned surgery with him. Why wouldn’t I be talking to him?" She looked puzzled.

The petite woman reached out to touch her friend’s coat sleeve saying, "I mean about your idea, you know, Diana Morgan." Her brows were furrowed as she looked up into the stoic face.

"Yeah, but I think that I’ll do that later today. I want to do a little research first. See what resources might be available to us." She nodded her head. "Are you still interested in helping?"

One look was all that it took to know the answer. The beaming smile and twinkling eyes said it all. The blonde suddenly bowed her head as if becoming shy and very reserved. "If you still want me too," she kept her voice barely above a whisper.

"I do! I want this to be a team effort, no more soaring out there on my own." There was a pause as the words settled on both their ears. Realizing what she had just verbalized to her friend surprised her a little, no, a whole lot. But it felt good and she was ready to take the next step into that warming smile of friendship. "I think that we can make a good team, you and I. What do you say?" She held her breath in anticipation of the young woman’s answer.

"Yeah, I think we’d make an excellent team. I wouldn’t want it any other way." The blonde looked up to her tall companion, her nose wrinkled in thought. "Maybe we should see what McMurray will say?"

"What could he say? He’s always pushing to get the spotlight for his Trauma Services. I think this will be a step in the right direction, at least from my standpoint." Garrett opened the door to the emergency area entrance, holding it for Danni to pass through ahead of her.

"I’ll just feel better when you know for sure. Call me when you do. Okay?"

The surgeon nodded and began to walk towards the elevators. "Hey, Danni!" She turned to speak to the nurse once more. "Page me when you’re done with work. I may spend some time doing some research after I’ve spoken with him, too."

"All right, I know how you get. You’ll lose track of all time and forget about going home." She started to turn, "Have a good day, Gar, and good luck."

The surgeon stood and watched as the nurse went down the hall towards the locker room. "How does she do that? She knows me so well. Humph, better than I know myself sometimes." She shook her head in amazement, and then stepping on the to next available elevator, continued on her way.

******************

The morning hours were dragging for the young nurse. With every ring of the telephone at the nurses’ station her anticipation rose. Every free minute she found herself beseeching any god that might be listening to have them smile down with favor on her friend’s good intentions. Danni knew how much this project meant to the surgeon, not only for her own healing process to continue but also for the help that it would give to others in the same situation like Diana Morgan. She had wished that she knew what kind of surgical case it was that Garrett was involved in, then she would have some idea of when her phone call might come. Deciding to put it out of her mind for a while, she quickly fell into a nice steady pace triaging the onslaught of patients waiting to be seen.

**************

The time seemed to be moving quickly. Before Garrett knew it, her scheduled surgical time with McMurray had come and gone. During the operation she had asked to see him later in the day to discuss something that was on her mind. Now, she waited patiently for the prearranged time to come. Studying the computer screen in front of her, she made several last minute notes to bolster support for her case. She didn’t want anything to be overlooked. This was something that she felt compelled to do. If not here then somewhere at another time, but she knew she would do it. She had suffered far too long and too much to sit back watching the same thing happen to others who were just like she was all those many years ago. The loss of family could be so devastating as to wipe out your essence of identity. The bond of family transcends all others. Without it you are left alone and afraid that no one is like you in the world. You lose your self-worth because there is no one like you to measure it up against. The trauma didn’t just stop with the loss of the family but continued on throughout your entire life. This is what she had to convey to McMurray. She had to make him realize that it was something that they could do to stop the trauma from continuing. She looked up at the clock on the wall. It was 1430. Time to present her case to the man down the hall who held all of the cards.

She gathered up her notes and shoved them into her pocket. Then making her way down the hall, she stopped in front of Dr. McMurray’s office. Arriving there, she ventured inside of the closed door where the older woman, who was the Department of Trauma Services’ Secretary, greeted Garrett. Her appointment time being confirmed, the Trauma Fellow was directed to knock on Dr. McMurray’s door, as he was expecting her.

She never was one for offering prayers to the gods above, but something deep within her made her stop and lift her eyes heavenward. "Okay," she sighed. ‘I need all the help I can get. I know that Danni would be asking for your help if she were here with me. So maybe you could pretend that it’s her asking for it and not me. Please, let him go along with this proposal.’

Garrett raised her hand and knocked on the door to his office. When she heard the command to enter, she took a deep breath and paused. It had been a long time since she had prayed, but suddenly she remembered the only formal thing about prayer from her youth. As a final measure of her sincerity to her belief in her cause, she glanced upward and whispered. "Oh, I almost forgot…Amen." With that done, she nodded politely to the secretary at her desk before she entered into the realm of authority, the Chief of Trauma Services office.

Garrett scanned the room, letting her memory stir with tidbits of information that she had learned about the numerous photographs that graced the room over her many meetings with her mentor. Each time she had come away with a new fact or two that would relate to the stories behind one of the photos. It was almost like part of her time in his office was dedicated to those pictures. They were reminders of his life, not hers, but they always seemed to hold her interest. It was almost like he was trying to convey some special knowledge to her each time he chose a photo to talk about.

Her attention now turned to the man who was seated in the high-backed chair that swiveled freely behind the desk opposite her. The smug look upon his face almost made her think that he had been expecting this session with her for a long time. It was only a little over four months since she had started her year of Fellowship here, but it seemed like she had spent her whole learning experience inside of this office. Some of her most valued learning experiences always seemed to involve this man and his unique outlook on life.

"Come on in, Dr. Trivoli, have a seat." The Ol’Cutter motioned to the chair in front of his desk. "I’ve been waiting to hear what you have to talk about."

Garrett crossed the room and sat down, her hand pushed into her pocket with the notes at her fingertips. She smiled at him and nodded in his direction, "Thanks, sir."

There was a silence as she collected her thoughts trying to decide just where to start with her proposal. "Sir, I’ve been thinking about the way we handle the families of the trauma patients. I’ve had the occasion to take care of a family where all the patients expired, except for a lone family member. I was wondering if there wasn’t something that we could offer or do to help the trauma stop with the loss of the relatives and not continue on to the survivor."

"What? You want to take them to surgery remove their heart or memories so that they won’t grieve or miss them?" His voice was gruff and taunting.

"Why, no sir! That would be ridiculous, absurd even." Her eyes were wide with shock at what he was saying. "I was thinking more in the line of counseling and support groups that would let them know that they’re not the only ones to have gone through such a horrific experience." She watched for any sign of consideration in his bulldogish face. Seeing none, the surgeon continued. "It could eventually take the place of the family that they would be lacking. Not in any real sense, but rather in the means of mental support, that they are not as alone as they think they are."

McMurray eyed her. He could see that for some reason this was of particular interest to the stoic woman whom he had taken under his wing. ‘Finally I see some emotions expressed on her face. Could it be…’

"Dr. McMurray, I’ve been researching the resources and think that with a little cooperation from some of the other Departments in the hospital, we could really do something good for these people." Her face was earnest and full of conviction to her cause.

His eyes darted up at her. His full attention was now on her face. "What did you say?" His voice snapped. "Did I just hear you use a pleural pronoun?" He leaned forward squinting hard at her. "Who put you up to something like this?"

"Why no one, sir." Her body took on a defensive position and she returned his stare. "I came up with the idea while Danni…er…I mean Nurse Bossard and I were discussing a situation that we were both very familiar with. We thought that it might be an extension of the trauma services that we now offer."

He rose abruptly from his seated position and pushed off of the desk. He strode out from around his desk and started looking at the wall full of photographs with his hands clasped behind his back. Several moments went by before he stood frozen to one picture. His hands slowly came around from behind his body and reached out to grab the photograph on the wall. His breath was slow and labored as he mulled over his thoughts, his fingers sweeping the expanse of the large, framed, group photo. With his attention still glued to the picture in front of him, McMurray began to speak. "Garrett, have I ever told you about my days in the Appalachian Foothills?"

"Why no sir, you haven’t." She turned to look at him. His arm was motioning for her to come over to where he was standing. She rose and moved closer to where he stood transfixed to the photograph.

"I went up to the Appalachian Foothills on a bet with a buddy of mine in surgery. My wife told me that things were different in the backwoods but I was a damn bullhead and took the bet, sure that I would win. Back in those days a fifty-dollar bet was nothing to walk away from, especially if you knew it was a cinch to win. Heck, that was my monthly payment on the loans from medical school," he reminisced. He glanced over at her. "So, what’s the going monthly rate now on that education?"

"I’m sorry sir, I wouldn’t know. I enlisted in the Navy for the three years and they took care of the debt."

"Hmm…Wish I’d thought of that. Three years…is that all?"

"Well, I’m on a list that if anything happened and they needed me back, I’d have to go."

"Oh, I see." He grunted. "How long are you at the government’s beck and call?"

She thought about what he was asking. "Only a few years. Is there a problem with that?"

"No, I knew you were smart. That’s one way to cover your debt." He turned back to the photograph. "See that guy there," he pointed to a slim boy with oversized clothing, his eyes gaunt and lifeless. "He was one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met. He doesn’t look it, but he would pick-up anything that I offered in a teaching session, trying to bring their level of personal hygiene out of the dark ages." He reached out to touch his image, then hesitated. "He never had the chance to go to school or learn the ways of the world as we know it. His daily chores were just to stay alive and have something to eat."

"Did you try to help him break out of the lifestyle?" She watched the older surgeon as he thought about the boy. His face was a mixture of regret and self-inflicted pain.

"I tried, but the week after I came home he died from a ruptured appendix. They don’t have doctors up there on any regular basis, at least not then." He paused and sniffed trying to collect his emotions before continuing. "I found out a month later when I went back to give him the books that I had gathered together for him to learn how to read. I was devastated at what had transpired while I was gone."

"I’m sorry to hear that. How were you to know what might happen?"

McMurray was back in control again, his voice crisp and clear. "My wife told me to never pass up an opportunity to help someone when it came along." He looked Garrett straight in the eye. "She’s right, you know. Women like her are always right. Better learn that now, Dr. Trivoli."

"Yes, sir. I think I am already." She thought back to the early morning hours that nightmarish Sunday, back at the cabin. Danni had been the one to suggest that she try to help Diana Morgan. ‘I’m learning to rely on her judgment more and more.’ "So does that mean you’ll consider our idea?"

The Ol’Cutter looked her over as she stood with her hand still pressed inside of her pocket. "I don’t see any formally written proposal. Do you want me to go to bat for you and your idea with nothing to show but a few words to speak to the committee? Don’t you think that would be a problem?"

She fingered the notes in her pocket. "Why no, I haven’t written a proposal."

"Then do it," he snapped. "I want every aspect of this idea worked out on paper. I’ll need all the facts, the who, the where, the how, everything." He smiled coyly. "That damn leech of an E.R. Chief, Ian McCormick is always hounding me to do a joint project with his department. Do you think that you could figure someone in from the E.R. too? Say, maybe that Nurse Bossard, or haven’t you allowed her back into your trauma rooms yet?"

Garrett could sense the teasing in his voice. She knew he watched those trauma room videotapes every morning. She had learned her lesson from him more than once about that night. The image of the blonde nurse crept into her mind from this morning when she voiced her wish to help in this project. "Yes, sir. She’s back. I was a fool that night and I told her so later. I…I think that she would be happy to work with me on this project." The surgeon smiled in her confidence of Danni’s interest.

McMurray thought for a moment then went with his gut reaction. "Okay, but Nurse Bossard and you are a team. I expect you both to work equally on this. Now get moving on that proposal. I want it on my desk no later than the Monday before Thanksgiving. That will give me a day to go over it before I present the idea to the Board of Directors for hospital approval." He turned and walked back to his desk.

"Thank you. I’ll get to work on it right away." Excitement was in her voice at the thought of her plans venturing forward.

"Trivoli!"

"Yes." Garrett stopped herself from snapping to attention.

"I’ll talk to McCormick tonight. You and Bossard use work time for this proposal. Take a day or two out of surgery if you have to. I expect it to be good. No loopholes mind you. I want everything to be spelled out, including who will be involved and how much money it’s going to take to run the program."

"Yes, sir!" She started to turn towards the door, eager to tell Danni the news. "Permission to be excused, sir," she voiced in a military manner.

"Permission granted, sailor," he chuckled at her ingrained Navy background coming forth as she saluted before she realized what she was doing. The older man returned the salute, shaking his head at her evident enthusiasm for the project.

Embarrassed, Garrett just shook her head at her own incredible military reaction and hurriedly took off out the door.

For the first time since she had arrived at the hospital, McMurray saw new life come to her eyes. They weren’t condescending, angry, or even annoyed, as they were when she had been summoned into his office her first day. His plan was working. She was learning to be a real person and not just some robotic surgeon that only tolerated other humans. She cared about this project. He could see it in her demeanor towards him and the enthusiasm that carried over in her voice and eyes when she spoke of the ideas. Whatever it was that had spurred her into caring, he was sure that Nurse Bossard had a hand in it.

He looked down to the picture on the desk of his loving wife, the woman that had made him see life for the first time. ‘Maybe she’s found a nurse that will help her along the way, just like I found you.’ "Not bad at teaching, am I?" He asked the picture of his wife. He felt good that his hard work was paying off. He liked that stoic woman more than he cared to admit. There was just something about her that made him think of himself and his own start as a young surgeon when he looked at her. The Ol’Cutter was sure that his wife would see it too. After all, she was the one who had helped him realize what potential his life held.

"Mrs. Weber," he called out for his secretary through the open door. Within seconds she appeared in the doorway. "Get me Dr. McCormick, the E.R. Chief, would you, please? I need to talk to him about an important development."

"Yes, Dr. McMurray. Right away." Then, she set out to make contact with the requested physician.

The Chief of Trauma Services settled in to his high-backed leather chair. He sat there with his elbows resting on the padded arms of the chair, the fingertips of one hand pressed and flexing against the other. "Well, my dear Dr. McCormick, let’s see how you react to this idea. You always want to get your nose into my projects and grab some of the glory. I wonder how you’ll view this proposal?"

***************

The raven-haired woman let her long legs carry her down the hallway towards her office. The look of determination mixed with happiness was an unusual one, especially for her, drawing stares from those who she traveled by. As she made her way further down the hall, she was oblivious to the hushed whispers that came filtering back from the passing groups of nurses and residents. They were not used to seeing anything but the stoic façade that she had worn daily since her arrival, the first day of her Fellowship. The surgeon was eager to get started on the proposal, but she needed to get to Danni. ‘I can’t wait to tell her.’ She imagined the face of the petite nurse. She thought about Danni’s normally radiant glow of enthusiasm.

‘I bet it will be intensified ten…no, twenty times with the news I am going to tell her.’ Garrett was finding it hard not to let her mouth spread into that seldom seen brilliant smile of hers and her mind thought back to her father and his teasing.

She thought about her father, pulling from deep in her memory to conjure up an image of him in her head. Then the image began transforming, soon being replaced by the radiant smiling one of Danni. It was funny that one smile from out of her past lifetime could equal another in her present life today. She chuckled to herself as she entered her office. ‘I never thought I’d be able to smile in response to someone like that again.’

The small room didn’t seem to bother her today as she sat at her desk waiting for the computer booting up in front of her. She glanced at her watch, taking note of the time. It was 1500 hours. She drummed her fingers as she tried to make her mind up as what to do. Finally, she had made her decision. Pushing off of her desk with her out-stretched fingers, she swiveled the rickety chair away from the desk and moved fluidly to her feet. A step or two of her long strides brought her to the door that she readily opened. As she prepared to advance through the doorway, she looked up to see the thin build of her colleague who appeared out of nowhere.

"Rene!" Her voice sounded startled.

Looking at her with large eyes of surprise was Dr. Chabot. "Oh my dear…Garrett!" His feet started backing up to get out of her way. "Is there something wrong, some kind of emergency?" Concern filled his eyes.

"Sorry," she apologized as she reached out to stop his retreat. She paused only momentarily, then started edging her way down the hall towards the elevators. "No, nothing bad. In fact, you could say that it was something very right." That smile was spreading across her face again, with each word, as her mind thought about where she wanted to be right at that moment and with whom she wanted to be telling her news to.

Rene winked and called out. "Must be something pretty good to make you smile." ‘Maybe all of my prayers for this one have not been wasted, no?’ A sly smile came to Dr. Chabot’s face as he thoughtfully scratched his chin. ‘You don’t think…maybe.’ He watched her get into the elevator, noting the spring in her step and the anxiousness to get to her destination shown by her fidgety fingers tapping away at the button trying to hasten the slowly closing doors. ‘Perhaps she has opened her heart to someone.’ Rene smiled smugly satisfied that his attempts to get the stoic and reserved woman to embrace life had finally worked. He shrugged his shoulders and continued into his office. ‘Well, whoever or whatever it is…it sure is making her happy.’

**********************

The ride had only been a short one but still seemed too long. The trauma surgeon’s pace was quick but not rushed as she moved through the still opening doors of the elevator when it came to a stop. Her body language alone cleared a path in her intended direction as it always had. In the almost little over four months since her arrival, the staff had learn how best to stay out of her way. Today not being any exception to that rule. Only a few, slow moving visitors obscured her path, which she easily moved around, never altering the rhythm of her steps.

As her hands came in contact with the large Emergency Room doors, she remembered her first trip through them. Her eyes roved the hall on the other side, as they swung open, looking for the same three people in a Déjà vu effort of that first encounter. She sighed when she realized that the only occupants of the long hallway now, were an empty stretcher or two and an occasional I.V. pole that littered the way. Garrett turned her head in the direction of the nurse’s desk, her eyes moving constantly to find the familiar faces that she had come to rely on. Then she remembered. It was still the daylight shift. Two of the three faces that she was hoping to see would not be here. The only one that would be possible to find now was the petite blonde nurse, Danni.

Seeing the tall surgeon come into her E.R. with such enthusiasm in her step, Dr. Potter hurriedly ran through the list of patients, trying to find anyone that could possibly be a candidate for surgery. There was none. Jamie quickly checked the computer monitors for any indication of an impending trauma. Again, there was none. Resolving to find out why the surgeon was here, Dr. Potter leaned on the counter with her elbow and greeted the Trauma Fellow.

"Dr. Trivoli, anything that I can help you with or is this just a social call?"

Hearing the name of one of the women with whom he would love to get closer too, John peered up over the monitor screen that he was sitting at. The adventuresome nurse had to admit that with the smile on her face, Garrett Trivoli never looked more appealing to him. ‘Those blue eyes of hers are searching for someone…God if only it could be me.’ Then he heard her voice and his dream burst. Leaving him to deal with reality once again.

"Actually, Dr. Potter, I’m looking for one of your nurses, Danni to be exact." Garrett looked around. "Do you have any idea where I could find her?"

Jamie shrugged her shoulders, looking over to John for help. She knew that John had a habit of keeping tabs on the whereabouts of his potential conquests when they worked with him, just in case their need for him arose. "John, any idea where Danni might be?"

Resigning to the fact that he would probably never have either of his two most sought after women, the male nurse rolled his eyes and answered. "She’s in the back Conference Room working on some report or research of some kind." Garrett started moving in the direction of the Conference Room. "Hey, I wanted to help her but she said she didn’t need any help," he offered to the now disappearing back of the tall surgeon.

Garrett made her way down the long hallway, nodding acknowledgement to staff members that she encountered along the way. Her stride slowed as she came upon the bank of windows that lined the Conference Room. Inside she could see the lone, blond nurse mulling over the data on a computer screen. As she moved along the hall, closer to the door leading into the room itself, the surgeon could see the intense look on Danni’s face. She was now pointing to the screen and intent on the particular line that was being revealed to her. The tall surgeon stopped at the last window briefly, just to study the woman inside the room. She couldn’t help but be impressed by the dedication that this nurse showed to any task that she undertook. ‘Yes, she’ll make an excellent addition to this team.’ Garrett tried hard to fight back the full-face smile that was so desperately trying to be seen. She didn’t want to shock the poor woman. After all, she was known for her stoicism, not her glowing personality. Turning the doorknob with her outstretched hand, the surgeon toned down her excitement and the expression on her face.

The gentle sound of tapping came from the direction of the door as it drew the young blonde’s attention away from the monitor. Danni looked up in time to see the reserved face of her roommate as it peered into the room. "Hey, Dr. Trivoli, come on in." Her voice was smooth and welcoming.

Garrett looked around the room as if she was searching for something. "Is there a patient in there that I’m not seeing?"

Danni quickly looked around herself then shook her head. "No, why do you ask?" The curiosity of the woman was now peaked as she watched the tall surgeon enter the room advancing toward her.

"Oh, I don’t know…I thought you were only going to call me, Dr. Trivoli, when patients were around. I mean, Danni, we do live in the same house together. Besides, I thought that friends usually used first names when they talked to one another."

Danni smiled nodding her head in agreement. "You’re right. I guess I’m just used to that old Trauma Fellow who used to occupy that tall, dark form of yours." She chuckled at the thought. "That would never fly with her. I’ll see if I can’t remember that, Dr. Tri…Garrett, I mean." She winked at the surgeon and began laughing at the confusion showing on the face of the surgeon.

"That’s enough talking about me. Now, what were you so interested in on the computer screen when I disturbed you?" She made the motions of trying to see what was on the screen as a playful gesture to her friend’s interest in the information that was displayed. Garrett tried to change the subject, as she had always felt uncomfortable when any conversation revolved around her.

The nurse’s eyes flicked from the blue eyes of the surgeon to the monitor and back again. Cocking her head to the side, she wrinkled up her nose saying, "You’re not going to believe me when I tell you."

"Okay," Garrett nodded, "try me?" She let her leg drape over the end of the conference table as she halfway sat on it with her arms extended and her hands clasped on her scrub pants at the knee. The head tilt suggesting that she was daring Danni to continue.

"Okay, you asked for it." Danni warned her. "I was curious about the survival rate we have." She looked up at the puzzled face watching her, then quickly let her eyes return to the screen. Clearing her throat first, she continued. "It seems that when you pair up all of the Trauma Fellows with the different Trauma Nurses the different combinations all have varying percentages of survival rates."

"Oh!" Garrett’s eyebrow now edged upward with her interest, wondering just how well her percentages were. "So who is my best pairing…ah…I mean…what is the best survival rate team for the patients?" Her face flushed with embarrassment as she stumbled through her thoughts, not wanting to let on like she was personally interested.

"Well, that’s what I was just looking at when you came in. Give me a minute here and I’ll tell you."

The surgeon sat waiting, confident in herself that it surely would be her as the Trauma Fellow. She thought about Rene Chabot and knew that he would be close but the third Fellow in this year’s group was not even entering her mind as a source of competition. The question was which nurse was best with her. ‘By the gods, I hope its Danni.’ Garrett thought back over the last several months. Most of her nights on call she had found that the endlessly enthused blonde nurse in front of her seemed to pull the Trauma Nurse One position a lot. Her mind wondered if that was purely coincidence alone. She watched as the petite nurse slowly looked up to her,

Danni’s eyes grew wide in astonishment, the green seas of her soul, reflecting the churning thoughts in her mind as she stared at the screen. Blinking slowly several times, she raised her head to look at Garrett. "I don’t believe it," she muttered.

"What?" Concern edged through her voice. "What don’t you believe?" ‘Jeez, don’t tell me that Nathaniel Hostetler beat out both Rene and I? I don’t mind being second to Chabot but….’ The surgeon’s face grew very intense. "Let me see," she moved quickly around the corner of the table, standing behind the nurse. "Where?" Her eyes searched the screen frantically.

Danni lifted her hand and pointed to the line of deciphered information. She waited a moment then looked up at the face of the tall surgeon looming above her, as she quietly read the screen. ‘I can’t believe it. I knew that there was a good feeling, but never anything like that.’

Garrett’s mouth opened slightly as she let out a low whistle. It startled her to think that she had such an impact on the outcome of the patients. Her numbers were consistently higher with all of the nurses that were involved in trauma. One number stood out above the rest. Her gaze narrowed as she read over the line a second and then a third time.

"Can you believe that?" The nurse asked the tall woman who was still mesmerized by the numbers on the screen. "It’s got to be wrong. I bet someone forgot to add all of the data in to the equation."

"Hmmm…maybe it’s just reiterating the fact that we make a good team." She nodded in affirmation. "It does always feel kind of better when we work together, don’t you think?"

Danni thought for a moment. "Yeah, I’d have to say that you’re right. It does feel kind of natural, that way." The blonde pushed her chair back from the table. "So what do you think it means?"

The surgeon looked over to the blonde, studying her face for any misgivings. "I think we shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth." With that said, they both looked intently into each other’s eyes, trying to read the thoughts of the other. The clear blue crystals of truth shone forth like a beacon that had been lit for the first time. It had been more than half of her lifetime in coming, but now the openness to extend herself, allowed those chains that had bound her to loosen. Feeling slightly uncomfortable with the situation, Garrett chose to look back to the monitor screen. There was a moment of hushed stillness in the room as each woman came to grips with her own thoughts.

"I guess McMurray was right when he insisted that you and I work on the formal proposal for the support group." She used the information to tease at the nurse’s inquisitiveness.

"Support group?" Danni’s eyes riveted to the form of the surgeon as she stood looking over the information on the screen in a nonchalant manner.

The surgeon used her best poker face, playing with the nurse’s mind. When she felt she could contain her excitement no more, she slowly let her lopsided smile take hold. "Yeah," she nodded her head. "We have to have it in his hands the Monday before Thanksgiving. Then he’ll review it and present it at the Board of Directors meeting that Wednesday."

"He’s willing to back the idea? Did he have any suggestions? You know, if we include counseling, we could…" her mouth was going as fast as her mind could think.

The bombardment of questions was more than Garrett could comprehend. She just stood there amazed at the obvious excitement of the petite woman. ‘I don’t even think she realizes that she’s involved yet.’ Garrett shook her head and smiled politely. ‘I think we’ll need to use a tape recorder for the idea session. I’m never going to remember everything that she’s saying.’ The surgeon chuckled to herself as she made the effort to stop the rambling woman. "Slow down, Danni. One thought at a time, please."

"Oh…sorry, I guess I got carried away." She admitted to her friend. "I’m glad you’ll have the chance to do some good with your idea."

"My idea? If I remember correctly it was your idea." She looked the nurse straight in the eye, blue meeting green and holding it there. "McMurray is insisting that both of us…me and you are involved in this project from start to finish."

The nurse remained motionless, wondering if she had heard right. ‘Did she just say ‘both of us’? McMurray is insisting that I be involved too?’ "I…I don’t know what to say." The blonde woman blinked in astonishment.

"That’ll be a first. So when do you want to start putting it all together?"

"Garrett, you said that he wants it the Monday before Thanksgiving, right?"

"Yeah, and your problem with that is…?" The surgeon raised her eyebrow in question to the young nurse.

Danni hurriedly scrambled with the mouse to pull up a calendar on the computer screen. Seeing it, she froze then quickly came back to life, her voice full of fear. "That’s less than a week away!"

"I know. McMurray wants us to utilize work time to get it done. He’s going to talk to Dr. McCormick and get your time cleared with him." She looked around to make sure no one was watching or within earshot before she continued. "He said that Ian is always trying to squeeze his way into Trauma Service’s special projects and that he’ll probably jump at the chance to have you on the team."

"When do you think he’ll…"?

The intra-departmental intercom crackled to life interrupting Danni’s thought, causing her hand to reach for her trauma beeper. "Nurse Bossard, please report to the Manager’s office immediately."

Blue eyes flashed at green, locking them in for a brief second. "I’d say that McMurray already has. You better get going."

The nurse nodded her head and showed two entwined fingers, "Wish me luck." She stood up and proceeded down the hall to Nan’s office.

****************

The young nurse paused outside the closed door of her Manager’s office. She took in a deep breath trying to settle herself and her nerves. ‘I can’t believe that I’m this nervous. It’s not like this proposal is going to alter the rest of my life.’ Then she took one more breath and exhaled it slowly. ‘I mean, it will probably only last the next six months…till Garrett leaves.’ Danni didn’t want to think about that. She was finding the tall, stoic at times woman much more to her liking than she ever felt possible. ‘God, I’m going to miss her. Maybe we could still keep in touch with one another.’ When her body finally calmed enough to appear eager without being over enthused, she gently knocked on the door.

Danni didn’t have to wait long before the door was opened and the smartly dressed woman in her mid forties was showing her to a seat. Nan always gave off a professional image, even in her worst moments. She was a hard book cover to read in that prospective. The petite blonde walked through the doorway noticing that Dr. McCormick was also seated in the room. Stopping abruptly and motioning in the direction of the already occupied chair, Danni started apologizing. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you had someone here. I thought that the overhead said immediately. I’ll…I’ll come back later." Her legs edging her back into the hallway as she attempted to leave.

Ian McCormick jumped up from his chair, his face full of eagerness. Danni thought back to the last time she had seen that look in his eyes. Her mind shown a brief glimpse of the man in an outdoor seating, now she recognized it. ‘The softball game, right before the ambulance arrived.’

"Danni, we’re both here to talk to you." He motioned to Nan. "Now come on in and have a seat."

She moved into the room and shook Ian’s offered hand. She watched the appreciative look in his eyes. ‘Well, at least he’s not angry about something.’ She released his grip and stepped in front of the chair that her Manager was now motioning to.

Nan quickly moved to her seat behind her desk as the other two sat down. Folding her hands on her desk, she looked over to the Chief of the Emergency Department. Seeing his slight nod, Nan turned to address the young nurse directly. "Nurse Bossard," she smiled then restarted. "Danni," the Manager wanted to keep the impromptu meeting as informal and friendly as she could. "Dr. McCormick approached me about the possibility of adding you to a task force that is being formed jointly between the Department of Trauma Services and our own."

"Oh?" Danni fought hard not to laugh, thinking back to what Garrett had revealed to her about McCormick and how Dr. McMurray viewed him. "I didn’t know that there was any kind of task force being assembled." Her air of naivete being aided by her youthful appearance she pushed on for more information. "What will the task force be dealing with and why do you think that I would be interested in it?"

Ian took over now, as he attempted to explain how he had gone to the Chief of Trauma Services, Dr. McMurray, with the proposition and they had both agreed that it would be best for a task force to be put in place. Then he dropped the bombshell. He announced that a proposal would have to be drawn up and since it was so close to the quarterly Board Meeting, it would have to be done within the next few days. He offered some "I’m too busy to do it myself" excuse, then proceeded to tell her that it was his idea to use the best and the brightest from each department to be the work horses. He was coming to an end of his long explanation when he reached out and placed his hand on top of her’s as it resting on the arm of the chair. "That’s why we thought since the staff all felt that the two of you work so well together, that it would be no problem for either of you."

Danni looked at him, then at Nan. "Work well…with whom?" ‘I just love seeing what he’s going to offer as the excuse for picking Garrett and myself for this project.’ The petite nurse played with them as she eyed the balding man skeptically. She didn’t want to seem too eager. Besides, it was fun watching him sweat a little. The gods knew that he made the staff all sweat occasionally with his egomania about competing with other departments within the hospital.

"Well," he brought his handkerchief out of his pocket to wipe the isolated bead or two of perspiration not forming on his forehead, "with Dr. Trivoli, of course." He sounded shocked that she would not have already figured this out.

"You have to admit it, Danni, you two do have a natural feel for each other. It’s like you communicate on some level that none of us are aware of." Nan shocked herself at her own astute observation of the pair. "In all of my years, I’ve never seen someone be able to do that with all of the hostility that woman can give off. It’s been hell trying to keep nurses from refusing to work under her demands all around the hospital. The other managers are all receiving complaints about her from their staff." Nan shook her head. "Thank god, for some odd reason I’m not one of them. She’s viewed differently by the staff here in the E.R. Maybe it’s because we don’t see her for that long of a time." She paused to take a breath, and then continued. "You seem to be able to bring out a side of her that no one else could see. For that, I’m grateful."

The young nurse sat dumbfounded. She didn’t realize it was that noticeable to those around her. The "taming of the shrew" as some had termed her attempt at having a friendship with the perfectionist surgeon behind her back. She had ignored them and rightfully so. She could see the faint image of the real Garrett Trivoli, even as early as that first morning run in. It was something that she believed in, just like now. She believed in Garrett’s idea, knowing full well that she had a stake in it also. The eventual healing of the surgeon’s own traumatized soul. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the deeper male voice.

"I’d like to see this project get all the support that it needs. What do you say, Danni?" He winked and looked encouragingly at her. "You’re the best one to work with her on this." ‘I would have liked to! I have no idea why McMurray, that old jackass, wouldn’t have anyone else but you paired up with his prima donna.’

Danni had her mind made up before she had ever entered the office some thirty minutes earlier. Now, it was time to voice her belief in the project, and Garrett also. She turned her gaze now to Nan. "You do realize that if I take this assignment, I’ll have very little time to concentrate on it with my present scheduling?" Her face was serious and very business-like.

"Yes, that’s why we are taking you off of your assigned nursing duties for the rest of the week." Nan was confident that the small nurse would come to bat for them now just like she always had. "You’ll be reassigned to them starting next Monday evening. Is that all right with you?"

The nurse nodded and stood up to leave. "Well, if you’ll excuse me, I have some things to get done before I dig into that proposal."

Dr. McCormick stood and cupped her on her shoulder with his hand. "I knew that you would come through for us, Danni." ‘God, what I wouldn’t give for the chance to work closely with that tall, raven-haired beauty. I bet that by the time we had that proposal ironed out, I’d have one of my own going with her before the end of the weekend.’ His thoughts turned to images of a tall, leggy woman wrapping herself around his stout frame. "Ah…heaven," he muttered softly under his breath.

"What?" Danni asked as her eyes searched his face.

Coughing to clear his throat. "Haven’t you wasted enough time in this office already?" He hoped that his face was not reflecting his lewd thoughts to be with the Trauma Fellow, but he couldn’t put her out of his mind.

"You’re right, Dr. McCormick. I better get going." She nodded at her Manager across from her and turned, leaving the office. Once on the other side of the door, Danni’s face was one of sheer joy.

She made her way back to the Conference Room where she had been talking to Garrett when the ominous overhead announcement had summoned her. The room was empty. ‘I guess she couldn’t wait that long.’ She glanced down at her watch noticing that a significant amount of time had passed. ‘Well, at least the day is almost over.’

************

The news traveled fast once the changes where made to the week’s work schedule. The occasional rude and unthoughtful comments were being made by some of the staff as to why Danni had been so privileged, until none other than Nan filtered the true reason down through the ranks herself. Once they found out that the project was to be in close workings with the perfectionistic surgeon, all bidders quickly stopped their grumbling. The staff liked the strong-willed Trauma Fellow, but not that much to be saddled solely with her for the next six days.

Danni waited for the last hour of her shift to pass, busying herself with the paperwork that seldom got attention. The nurse had not noticed her friend standing a few feet away, when her thoughts were interrupted.

"So, I hear that you got a big job during the next week." Rosie was teasing her. "Must be nice, not having to leave home to work."

"Rosie!" Danni sat shaking her head. "I wish it was going to be that easy. Everyone around here thinks that beside the fact that I have to work with Dr. Trivoli, it’s going to be a cinch job."

"Well, isn’t it? How hard can writing a project proposal be?"

The blonde nurse didn’t know what to say to that. ‘If you only knew why this proposal is so important, you would understand. I’d love to be able to tell you but I’m not sure Garrett wants the world to know, at least not yet.’ "I guess it could be worse. No, you’re right, with the two of us working on it, it shouldn’t be that difficult." She chose the easy way out, knowing that Rosie would never understand her allegiance with the Trauma Fellow. "Say, what are you doing in so early, anyway?"

"Early?" Rosie looked puzzled. "Danni, I hate to tell you this, but it’s just about time for you to head on home. Your shift’s just about done."

"Jeez, I must have lost track of all time." Her head turned from side to side as she scanned the visible parts of the E.R. "You haven’t seen Dr. Trivoli anywhere, have you?"

"Nope, all’s quiet on the trauma front." Rosie laughed. "Why? Did you misplace her?"

Danni made a silly face at the sassy nurse. "No, we drove in together. I’d better page her or she’ll forget all about going home." ‘Better yet, I think I’ll pick up some food in the cafeteria and maybe we can start to work on that proposal now.’ The nurse got up and headed toward the elevators. "I’ll see you later, Rosie."

"Hey, I thought you were going to page Garrett?"

"I’m not ready to go home just yet. Besides, I have a better idea." Danni waved and resumed her forward motion, only to be stopped by Karen as she came through the E.R.’s main doors. "Hey, Mom!"

"Hey, yourself." Karen sidestepped as the blonde made her way through the doorway. The older nurse turned and watched as Danni headed over to the first available elevator and got on. ‘Must be on a mission.’ She laughed and turned to face the auburn-haired nurse at the desk. "What’s up with the little one?" Karen motioned her head at Danni’s last sighting.

"She’s been reassigned for a week to work with Garrett on a special project, some kind of proposal for a joint venture between us and Trauma Services. Lucky, huh?"

Mom thought for a moment before even trying to answer Rosie’s question. ‘By the look on her face, that special project has more to do with Garrett than anyone else.’ "Yeah, well, I guess that all depends on how easy that project is to tackle. Somehow with Garrett involved…I wouldn’t exactly say lucky to be with her for a week." Mom ambled over to the Charge Nurse desk and sat down. "All right, now get to work." She looked sternly at Rosie, then began to laugh. It was going to be another night shift as usual but without two of her "daughters" at her side.

****************

The soft knock followed by a slightly louder one gradually stirred the surgeon from her thoughts as she poured over the computer screen. "Come on in." She called out, not losing her place on the data filled screen. Upon hearing the door swing open she started talking, then only when she finished the line of data did she look up. "Rene, you don’t have to knock. It’s as much your office…" Seeing that it was Danni and not her colleague, she chuckled apologetically. "Sorry, you’re not Rene. Hi! Guess I forgot about going home, huh?"

The nurse shook her head and smiled. Holding up the tray of food, she offered. "I figured that you would be up to your elbows in research any way, so I picked us up some dinner." Setting the tray down on the desk, she looked over the jotted notes on the pad in front of the tall surgeon. "You found more lone survivors?" Danni’s eyes flashed up and caught the surgeon’s blue orbs.

"Yeah, and I’ve only gone back two years so far." Garrett sniffed at the air, a faintly familiar aroma drifted on the air. "You got any tea on that tray? I could sure go for some."

"Spiced apple or Mandarin Orange? I think maybe that orange might be just what you need to refresh you, Doc." Danni handed over the cup of tea. "I thought that we could finish up on some of the research tonight. I mean, since you are already wading through it all day, we could finish it off then move on to planning out the proposal tomorrow."

"Thanks." Garrett sipped at the warming liquid. "I’m almost done here, any ways. It shouldn’t take us too much longer."

"So, how many have you found so far?"

"Only three more, but if you think of all of the Trauma Centers in the state, that number could easily grow." The look on the woman’s face was one of pensiveness as she wondered why no one else had ever thought to look at the numbers. ‘I guess they only look at the accident victims themselves and not the families.’

Picking up on her friend’s sadness, the nurse tried to turn it into a positive thought. "Things happen for a reason. I think that you were meant to address this. You’re one of them and who else would have even thought about it?"

"I’m afraid that I’m not the one that thought of it…you were. For that, I’m grateful."

"Garrett, I truly believe that each of us are put on this earth with a direct mission in mind from some higher being. Sometimes it takes somebody else to make us aware of that plan and they help us achieve our goals. That’s all." Her voice became soft as her eyes cast down in a reflective manner. "I guess that I’m that person for you."

The surgeon thought about it for several minutes. The quiet office felt comfortable, as words were no longer a necessity between the two women. She had spent all of her adult life subconsciously looking for that feeling of home that had been ripped away from her as a teen. Now, here in this tiny office, in a town on the opposite side of the country, she was feeling very much at home with the nurse that was sharing her life with her, one thought at a time. ‘I’m going to have to give this more thought. Yes, after the proposal is written, I’ll think this whole thing over. She just may be right.’

Time passed quickly as both the nurse and the trauma surgeon worked diligently over the information they had gathered that first day. The labor of love was not lost on either of them as they put together the pieces of a project that would help those it was designed for, the lone survivors of traumatic injury. Garrett pouring her knowledge of what it was like to be the lone survivor and Danni absorbed in finding ways to help ease the wounds of a lifetime of desiring to belong.

As one day turned into the next, the two women found that not only were they working on the project together but also each was coming away from it with more insight into themselves and each other. Each new day brought with it a renewed sense of homecoming as the two worked side by side, the aloof and demanding surgeon finding it easier now to talk and share her life with the nurse. If ever a project had been designed for anyone specifically, it was this one for Danni and Garrett both.

Along the way, the small nurse began to understand her own repressed need for belonging that had been so evident, now that she looked back on her life. She found her circumstances much different from that of the surgeon’s, but still, she felt that she had never fit into her family’s mold. Although still alive and around her, they had never given her that sense of home. Never quite putting her finger on it, that was something she was in search of.

The time and effort that they had put forth to develop their brainchild into a successful program of recovery and support seemed to be working on them before it was even officially started. Now, with the task almost completed, each stood back and evaluated their own lives and their own needs to be whole.

They soon found themselves at the crossroads of completion, each one eager to finish the task but yet hesitant to see it end. The time that they had spent together seemed effortless, as each was reluctant to go back to their normal daily grind.

Danni sat reading over the information on the computer screen as they put the finishing touches on the proposal that was due in McMurray’s hands by the morning. Garrett’s tall body was unceremoniously draped over the armed chair as she watched in anticipation. Working at Danni’s house had given them the needed privacy to concentrate solely on the proposal without any unwanted interruptions. It had helped in her final closure and plea for the support program had taken much out of her in its writing. Her face was gaunt and her mood one of near defeat as she stared off into space. She had never opened up her soul like this before and she wasn’t quite sure that she would ever want to again. She thought of the wisp of a woman that had helped her reach this point, knowing that she would have never made it without her calm and comforting ways. "Hmm…?" Her mind drawn out of its thoughts by the sound of a voice directed towards her.

"I said," Danni began again as she looked over to Garrett. "I think it reads pretty clear and concise. I don’t think that we can improve it any more than we already have."

"You don’t think that it sounds like the ranting of a mad woman, do you?" She tried to joke at herself, but the look in her eyes told of her concern at how it would be perceived.

"No, I don’t. You should be proud of this, Gar. I am." The nurse’s positive attitude, ever present as always. "You know something?"

"Hmm…what?" She drew herself into a more humanly seated form.

"I’m going to miss this last week once we hand this over to your boss in the morning."

"My boss? Danni, you’re still on this team and he’s our boss right now." That drew an arched eyebrow from the tall surgeon as she dared her friend to repudiate it.

"Okay, our boss." She rolled her eyes and then bit at her lip pensively. "Well, do you want the honors of hitting the print key? After all, it is all your work." ‘I don’t really want this to be over. I’ve never felt so good about anything as I have this.’

"No, it was your idea, you get the honor." The surgeon forced a smile, nodding in assent. "Tomorrow, we’ll both take it to McMurray." She tried to reason with herself the benefits that the project could have for those who needed it, but all she really felt was remorse that the time spent putting it together was over. ‘Together,’ the word seemed to echo in her head as she reviewed the last six days. ‘I’ve never felt so together as I did during this last week. Well…up until now.’

Danni nodded as she hit the print key causing the inkjet to come to life. ‘At least it won’t be over for another day. I’ll just have to hope that this project becomes a reality.’ Her thoughts drifted to every known god that she could remember as she offered a prayer in the proposal’s behalf.

Within a minute or two the sound of the printer stopped, both women sat motionless as their eyes stared at the completed work lying there in its bin. Neither one wanting to make the first move to retrieve it.

*****************

Crisp white sheets of paper lay neatly arranged in the official looking folder with the insignia of the hospital on the front cover. The small hands held it tightly in her grasp as she sat waiting for her team member to arrive. The waiting area of the small outer office of Dr. McMurray was friendly, but carried an air of dignity about it. Danni’s eyes roamed across the paneled walls, taking in all of the photographs and distinguished looking certificates that adorned them. Her eyes flicked from one photo to another, studying them intently as she tried to pass the time.

She looked down at her watch only to see that her new interest in being early had taken on a different edge this morning. ‘Perhaps it’s the anticipation that made me get here so soon. I can’t wait to hear what Dr. McMurray is going think of our proposal.’ She lifted her eyes up to the heavens. ‘God, I hope he likes it. I’d hate for Garrett to have gone through all this and nothing to come of it.’ She looked down to her hands, taking note of the slight tremor in them stemming from her nervousness. Her thoughts drifted to the tall surgeon as she imagined her trying to do surgery right now. ‘Jeez, I hope she’s not this nervous.’ She repositioned her hands, holding on to the proposal a little tighter to steady them.

Danni smiled pleasantly at the secretary when their eyes met as she began to look around the room once more. Then she offered an attempt at making small talk, trying to hide her nervousness. "Nice waiting room," the nurse motioned to the walls filled with framed pieces.

The older woman nodded and spoke softly, "Yes, Dr. McMurray is as particular about what gets hung out here as he is about the ones in his own office. He thinks that they all tell a story about the Trauma Services Department."

"Oh! I’ll have to take a better look then."

The secretary smiled politely and resumed her work at the computer keyboard in front of her.

Danni gazed from photograph to photograph, paying much more attention to them now. In each of them she was able to pick out the familiar face of the Head of the Department, Dr. McMurray. She studied them again, this time noting the different stages of the man’s career displayed across the room. It was as though his chronological time line was in view for all to see, starting at the left side of the doorway from the hall and progressing to its right side.

Then an odd thing struck the nurse’s thoughts. She glanced quickly around the room again. ‘Yep, I was right! There is another face that is in almost every picture.’ She concentrated on the woman always off to the side and behind the ever present surgeon. "Hmmm…I wonder who she is?" Her voice was barely audible as she brought her right hand up to her chin, striking a thoughtful pose.

The older woman looked up from her computer screen, "Excuse me?" The question was directed at Danni.

"Sorry, I guess I was just wondering out loud," the nurse apologized. "The woman in the pictures, I don’t recognize her. Who is she?"

"Why that’s Mrs. McMurray. The doctor thinks of her as his good luck piece." She shook her head in disbelief. "He attributes her with his success and always insists that she be a part of the picture."

"Hmmm…I guess that makes her feel like she’s a part of his work then."

"You might be right. The doctor is always saying that behind every good physician is a nurse guiding them." The secretary smiled as she got up from her desk with a bundle of papers in her hand. "He shouldn’t be too much longer in surgery. I’ll be back in a few minutes." Then she left through the doorway into the hall.

The petite nurse got up, taking the opportunity to get a closer look at the photographs without being observed. She had just about made it full circle around the room studying each picture more intently then before, only this time looking for the story that each of the photos was revealing. She glanced at her watch when she heard someone enter the room. It was 10 A.M. and a smile slowly stretched across her face. She knew that it would be her team member and friend, Garrett. She could sense her presence. ‘Her punctuality is phenomenal. How does she do that?’ Danni caught a glimpse of the tall surgeon as she turned her attention towards the door.

"Hey! You’re here already." The surgeon sounded a little surprised at seeing Danni waiting for both her and McMurray to arrive.

"I guess you’re rubbing off on me," she chuckled. Then motioning to the inner office she continued, "He’s not in yet."

"I know…" she adjusted her collar and straightened her lab coat, "he’s still in surgery, just finishing up."

"Did everything go all right with your patient in surgery? You look a little…" Danni searched for the right word to use before settling on one, "edgy."

The eyebrow of the raven-haired woman slowly rose to new heights as she contemplated the idea of her patient being in jeopardy. "Why would you think…? I’m just anxious to get this presentation done and hear what the Ol’ Cutter thinks about it."

The nurse moved closer to the surgeon and rested her hand on the taller woman’s shoulder in a comforting manner. "He’ll like it, Gar. I know he will. When he sees all the work and thought that you’ve put into it…"

"We." The surgeon corrected her. "That we’ve put into it." She let her eyes meet and linger on the petite nurse’s in a silent exchange of thoughts.

For the first time in a long while, she realized the importance of working together as a committed team and the feeling that it brought with it. ‘Déjà vu!’ The surgeon thought. It wasn’t new to her, just long forgotten.

Her thoughts raced back to a time when the world was all fresh and new. There were so many times that she felt like this, when the combined effort of some plan that she and her brother put into action had turned into one of accomplishment. Often it had come as a surprise to her parents. When all was said and done, her brother would always reached up, cupping her shoulder in victory, while communicating as only close siblings do with a meeting of the eyes.

Dr. McMurray stood silently in the doorway, watching the unfolding scene knowing that the bonding of one human to another was of more importance then any meeting could ever be. It was something that his wife had taught him and he was grateful for it. The world always seemed to put more importance to things concerning money or prosperity instead of matters of the heart. Her words now echoing in his head. ‘Without the heart, one has no need of a soul.’ He was pleased that he was now witnessing the true awakening of a heart that had been lost in an abyss of everyday life. Yes, his plan was working.

Danni was the first to notice the man standing in the doorway. Her face blushed with embarrassment of being watched. She retracted her hand from its comfortable position while her eyes changed their point of focus. "He’s here," she whispered to Garrett as she felt a renewed sensation of butterflies in her stomach.

The tall surgeon swallowed hard, the gulping sound almost filling the room. Her palms began to sweat as a sudden need to empty her bladder over took her body. ‘Nerves! I thought I had you under control a long time ago.’ She cursed her body for its reactions, willing herself to regain her composure. Then with a faint smile she nodded in his direction saying, "Dr. McMurray, we have that proposal ready for you."

"Good! Did you two just work it out this morning or did you spend all week on it like I suggested?" He took off striding into his office. "Well, you don’t expect me to listen to it out there in the waiting room, do you?"

"No! No, Sir." The voices of the team members piped in, one over top of the other. The nurse stood mesmerized at the view of the Chief of Trauma Services’ office as the door opened wide. Garrett nudged her gently from behind in an effort to advance into his office but the blonde was frozen in place. Bending over, she whispered into her ear. "The view gets better once you get inside." Then pushed her again with a little more force this time. "Go on."

Danni suddenly realized her fear and looked back for support from the tall surgeon behind her. Blinking several times to help her mind to register what she needed her body to do, the nurse slowly began to move forward toward the open office door, her hand wrapped tightly around the bound proposal. The gentle touches of the large hand on her back helped to ease the fear of rejection that was racing through her body with each step. Before she knew it, she was standing in front of the large desk, with McMurray seated at it. ‘Please, God. Please!’ She offered up one last quick plea on their behalf as she handed the proposal over to him. Then stepping blindly backward bumped into the woman behind her. "Sorry, I…"

"So this is the other half of your team, Dr. Trivoli?" His voice sounded slightly bemused at the nervousness that he was evoking in the small blonde. He began to look over the bound proposal, opening its cover to go deeper.

"Yes, Sir. Let me introduce Nurse Danni Bossard to you, Danni this is Dr. McM…"

"Damn it, Trivoli. She knows who I am. I’m the Chief of a Department," his voice was coarse and gruff. He shot her a glance, then let his eyes fall back upon the nurse, watching for her reaction. "Nice package you have here." He nodded to the nurse as he motioned to the document before him. "Looks like you spent quite a bit of time putting it together."

"Yes, we worked all week on it. The time that we put into the research alone was the better part of that week." Danni’s voice took on a bit of a defensive tone to it, showing her resentment of his words that were directed to her friend. "Sir, I’d like to just say that, Dr. Trivoli was only trying to do the polite and proper etiquette when she…"

He lifted his eyes from the page he was reading. "You’re right. I should have let her finish, but then I wouldn’t know if you two were really a cohesive unit or not. Now, would I?" McMurray half laughed and half-grunted. "I like what I see. I can tell by this report," he held it up, "that you’re working together, at least on paper. It’s evident that Trivoli didn’t write this. It doesn’t sound like surgical dictation." He glanced at the wide-eyed look on the surgeon’s face in front of him.

"Why, sir, is there something that you don’t like about the way I document my operative records?" Garrett narrowed her gaze at him, trying to read the body language that he was displaying.

He sat back in the comfortable looking chair. "No, doctor, there isn’t. It’s just that this document will need to reach out and grab at the heart of that cold, calculating bunch who sit on the Board of Directors here. To do that, we’ll need something with more feeling and emotion in it than any surgical report." He returned to his reading as he skimmed swiftly through the rest of the proposal.

The two women stood side by side now as they waited for him to finish. Each one praying in their own manner for the proposal to meet with his approval. With every change of his facial expression, Danni could feel her heart either rise or fall in anticipation of his words, while Garrett seemed unscathed by it all. The tall surgeon had pulled out one of her stoic masks from the dark recesses of her heart and used it to cover her emotions as she waited for his reaction.

Turning the last page of the document to show the back cover of the packet, the Ol’ Cutter sat there, his face somewhat expressionless as he thought about the proposal that he had just finished reading. ‘Do I tell them that they’ve done well, that I’m proud of their effort?’ He mulled over the possible effects that it could have on them. ‘No, I think that they need to learn that for themselves...and from each other.’ He closed the cover of the proposal, holding it in his hands in a playful motion. "Well, what are you waiting around in here for? The Board won’t meet until Wednesday, I’ll present it to them then." His lips pressed together tightly for a moment and then as an afterthought he threw out. "It should be enough to do the trick." He waved the proposal at them and then threw it off to the side of his desk. "Don’t you two have work to be doing?"

Garrett’s eyebrow raised in question to their dismissal, her body standing straighter now if that were at all possible. The nurse could sense the impending reaction as she reached out, tugging at the surgeon’s sleeve.

"Why I ought to…" the tall woman leaned forward, to which Danni’s tugging became more exaggerated.

"We ought to go back to work now, Dr. Trivoli. Thank you for your time, Dr. McMurray." She pulled her friend with her as she made her way backwards toward the door. "It was nice meeting you and getting to see your office." She quickly looked around it and smiled wryly. "Very nice. I’ll have to see it a little more closely next time." She pushed the raven-haired woman through the now open door and once outside of it, reached back to draw it shut. "Thanks, again. You have a good day, okay?"

She breathed a sigh of relief when the door finally met its frame and she could hear the clicking sound of the lock as it fell into place. She looked up to see the face of her friend. At first her expression was one of being startled then it gradually changed for the better, showing that trademark lopsided grin of hers. "What?" Danni looked at her for an answer.

"I would have said something stupid in there if it wasn’t for you. Probably would have ruined our chances of ever getting that proposal through to the Board, too."

"Well, let’s just hope that hasn’t already happened." The two looked at each other and started to head out of the waiting room. Once in the hall Danni started to giggle, trying to hide it behind her hand.

"What’s so funny?" Garrett stopped, placing her hands on her hips for emphasis.

"I was just thinking." She reached up and cupped the surgeon’s shoulder. "We make a pretty good team. You had to push me into his office, while I had to pull you out of it." Her eyes flickered with the laughter in her voice. "You can’t get any closer to team work than that, now can you?"

The surgeon thought for a moment then answered. "No, I guess you can’t." She nodded in agreement, "Thanks."

******************

As fast as the days that they worked together on the proposal had passed by, the days waiting to hear of its approval dragged ever so slowly by. The hospital staff was all caught up in a state of anticipation for the upcoming holiday on Thursday. Even Danni seemed to be excited about it as she prepared her offering for the Thanksgiving feast to come. She had labored with love over the Pumpkin Roll Desert she was preparing for the next day, trying as she might to forget about the Board Meeting that was going on. There was nothing more she could do to get the proposal passed than she had already done. It was all up to the fates now.

She thought about her family and how lucky they were to be able to spend time together. Her siblings would be there and of course, her parents. She had tried to talk her roommate into going with her but sensed her desire not to dampen anyone else’s holiday. Her excuse being that she was working so that Rene could be with his new family. ‘If only I could get her to realize that she’s part of a family too.’ The nurse set about making that idea become a reality. After a few quick phone calls, she was smiling again. Her plan was being put into motion.

******************

It was going to be another one of those family holidays that Dr. Trivoli shied away from, always volunteering to work for someone else so that they could enjoy it. The truth of the matter was that she had no one to enjoy it with, let alone be thankful. Her only feeling of belonging was her work and there is where she chose to be as she had for all of her adult life.

‘Why should this year be any different?’ she mused sitting in front of the window overlooking the helipad. She couldn’t even get excited about work, there wasn’t any. Sure, there were still patients on the floors and in the units to take care of, but nothing that would get her mind off the outcome of the Board Meeting the night before. The Ol’ Cutter hadn’t gotten in touch with her yet about the Board’s decision. She had to assume that their proposal had been rejected.

The weather had turned colder now and the small flakes of snow coming down seemed to glisten in the late afternoon sun, the wind swirling them around and around on their way toward the ground. She stared out into nothing, yet her eyes looked at everything that came into view.

There, in the distance was a small figure trudging across the parking area, its form bundled tightly with heavy clothing and its arms laden with boxes and bags. The swirling snow sticking to it as it moved closer. The surgeon’s mind drifted briefly to that small snow globe of her youth as the images outside stirred her memory to life. She tried to place it but there was no larger figure coming into view.

She watched as each step brought it nearer to the hospital and her. When the figure had reached the illuminated helipad, Garrett sensed that she was familiar with the form. Straining her eyes against the falling snow she tried to make out who the person was. ‘I swear that looks like Danni.’ She blinked and looked again, seeing a tassel of blonde hair coming out from underneath the knit cap and for a brief second their eyes met. ‘It is Danni!’

Garrett was up in a flash, making her way to the trauma bay doors leading to the helipad. Without any concern for the cold and snow, the surgeon went outside, meeting her friend halfway. Relieving her of some of the packages, the surgeon was puzzled by her presence. "Why are you here? You’re supposed to be at a family dinner."

Danni pulled at the scarf that was covering her mouth, "I decided to be with my real family. The ones that accept me for who I am, not just because I share their blood." She smiled and nodded toward the door. "Besides, who else was going to bring dinner."

The surgeon shivered as the wind swept the clinging snow into her thin scrub attire, the white lab coat acting like a magnet for the snow. "Jeez, it’s colder out here then I thought. Let’s get inside."

The several minutes that it had taken for them to get to the door was more than enough to cover the two women with snow, causing them to look very much like two snow people, one small snow-covered figure with a larger one right beside it matching step for step. Mom stood at the door, watching as they came nearer. ‘If I didn’t know better, I’d say that might make a nice snow globe scene.’ She mused, ‘Wonder if I should mention it to them?’ When they were a few steps away, Karen triggered the automatic door to open.

The two snow-covered forms stepped inside trying to shed the remnants of the snow squall from their bodies. Karen watched with awe her two pseudo-daughters, as they slowly warmed up not only to the temperature inside but to each other with their quiet bantering.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" The older nurse was blessing herself. "What are you trying to do, give our Trauma Fellow a death of a cold?" She shook her head with her hands perched on top of her hips, her right foot tapping to some unknown melody. "You’d think you two were some little street urchins the way you get into trouble." Her voice was now strained as she tried to keep from laughing. "Hey, Rosie!" She called out. "Look what the wind just blew into our midst."

"Yeah, I see that." Rosie had just turned the corner, coming down from the trauma hallway. "Its about time, I’m starved. One of those boxes better have a turkey in it."

"Come on, let’s get dinner set up." Danni shook her clothing one last time before she started down the hall. "If we’re lucky, it should still be warm enough to eat." She looked behind her at the surprised surgeon.

"You had this planned, didn’t you?" Garrett let Rosie slide some of the bags from out of her arms, then stepped lively to follow behind the spirited blonde.

"Yep! From nuts to desert." Danni led the way into the already prepared secluded exam room. "We’re a family here. Whether you like it or not, you’re now part of it."

"But…but…" Garrett stammered.

"No buts about it, Doc. I’ve…er…we’ve adopted you, just like everyone else in our little family here."

Karen looked at the surgeon challengingly. "You better learn to accept it. We’re even worse come the real family holidays. Don’t even think about trying to get out of those celebrations." She winked at the surgeon just to prove that her bark was worse than her bite.

"All right, but you could have at least let me contribute something to this meal." Garrett was slowly resigning herself to the idea of this adoptive family.

"Oh, but you are contributing, Doc. Who do you think is going to carve up this wonderful bird?" Mom stepped back from the table with a large carving knife in her hand, presenting it to the surgeon. "Since you’re the newest member of our family here," she looked at the motley crew of the E.R. staff, "it’s your honor to offer up a prayer in our behalf and then use those surgical skills of yours and carve away."

A look of panic flashed across the surgeon’s face. Sure, she would have no problem slicing up the turkey, but she wasn’t accustomed to praying. How was she going to do it now, in front of everyone assembled there? She could feel the spittle in her mouth turning to paste. ‘Why me? Why not…’ She looked up into Danni’s gaze like a deer that was caught in headlights.

"Mom, I wouldn’t mind doing the prayer for Garrett." Danni’s voice was strong. "I’m sure that I’ve had more practice than the good doctor here."

"Next holiday, Garrett." Mom warned her, shaking her finger. "You’re not getting off the hook that easy." Then she turned to the petite nurse. "Okay, Danni, let’s get this going before everybody else’s dinner is over."

Danni looked around the assembled group of doctors, nurses, aides, technologists, housekeepers, and security personnel. One thing drew her attention as all the different shades of skin hues had come together on this holiday to give medical coverage to the rest of the world as they celebrated at home with their families. ‘Medicine truly is a diversified field! No one country or ethnic group or gender is in control of it.’

The petite nurse bowed her head and the group followed suit, anxious to move on to the food. After collecting her thoughts for a moment, Danni began her prayer of thanksgiving for all of those gathered.

"Lord, look down upon us, your servants. Whether we are here to learn or to teach, it is in your name that we serve the sick and injured. In this time of global communication, we are thankful that you have chosen us to learn from one another, to act in friendship and fellowship. Both technology and our strong will to reach out to each other have breached the barriers that have kept us distant from one another in the past, isolated in a world of our own. For this, we are truly thankful."

Garrett let the words sink in, knowing that they were especially meant for her. She raised her eyes to view the tiny blonde that was making landmark changes in her life.

She didn’t hear the rest of the prayer, as her mind took off on it’s own tangent. The past suddenly became

intermingled with the present. Scenes came back to her of her brother Lucas, but were suddenly superimposed

with those of Danni in his place. Her mind raced with thoughts of the snow globe and what her parents had

told her.

Her parents had given the globe to her. It was their way of explaining the bond that was to fill her life. The two snowmen inside of the globe stood side by side, one slightly larger than the other. They had told her about an unseen bond between the two figures. Her mother knelt down behind her to wrap her arms around the young girl. Pointing to the snowstorm of activity inside the globe, she commented that the two snowmen were held together in their strength for each other and that nothing could separate the bond they shared, not even the cold, harsh winds of the snowstorm. At times it was hard to see the figures, but then, the snow would die down and there the two were, standing side by side, as if nothing had ever happened. The small child wondered which snowman she was. The girl looked up to her mother for confirmation of the choice. She was hugged gently as her mother whispered, "You are the older and bigger one, my love."

Then she thought of how Danni had looked when she viewed her through the window not less than half an hour ago.

The weather had turned colder now and the small flakes of snow coming down seemed to glisten in the late afternoon sun, the wind swirling them around and around on their way toward the ground. There, in the distance was a small figure trudging across the parking area, its form bundled tightly with heavy clothing and its arms laden with boxes and bags. The swirling snow sticking to it as it moved closer. The surgeon’s mind drifted briefly to that small snow globe of her youth as the images outside stirred her memory to life. She remembered looking down at the both of them thinking how they resembled the snowmen of her globe by the time they entered the trauma bay doors. She, of course, was the large one.

‘No, It’s just my body trying to warm up from being outside. I’m just trying to think too hard, making some sense of things.’ She shook her head and looked once more at the demure nurse deep in her thoughts. Before she realized it, another scene stole into her thoughts.

The silences of the moment allowed a fleeting glimpse of a tasseled-haired boy come to Garrett’s mind. His youthful features covered with a smattering of sweat and dirt as he laughed, holding up his prize catch, a rainbow trout.

Garrett’s mind recalled the joy of fishing in her younger sibling, then twisted and turned until the tasseled-haired boy turned into a petite blonde.

Speechless, the blonde hair moved freely on top of the nodding head, while a dazzling smile swept across her face. Her voice was unsteady at first, taken back by the emotion of the moment. "Sure thing! I’ll get the rods and gear."

Her thoughts were wild with abandon now, drawing more to her attention.

There were so many times that she felt like this, when the combined effort of some plan that she and her brother put into action had turned into one of accomplishment. Often it had come as a surprise to her parents. When all was said and done, her brother would always reach up, cupping her shoulder in victory, while communicating as only close siblings do, with a meeting of the eyes.

Then the surgeon’s mind flashed to earlier this week, bringing the petite blonde back into the picture.

"I was just thinking." She reached up and cupped the surgeon’s shoulder. "We make a pretty good team. You had to push me into his office, while I had to pull you out of it." Her eyes flickered with the laughter in her voice. "You can’t get any closer to team work than that, now can you?"

Her mind was changing its stance. Reasoning was giving way to wanting it to be so. She had loved her brother and missed that bond of fellowship. She thought about how easy it was to talk to him, to tell him of her dreams and what was eating at her soul. ‘If only I could have him back. I’d never let go of that fellowship again.’

The image of the dimly lit cabin came floating back into her mind. The warmth of the tea and the fire as she spilled her soul out for Danni to see. Now that she thought about it, she wasn’t sure that it wasn’t Danni’s presence that had warmed her, not the other sources. That night had been like a breath of fresh air to her soul. One that it had needed and waited on for a long time, like the birth of a long awaited child.

Garrett’s mind flashed to the night Rene’s babies was born.

"Hmm…interesting thought, Danni. Interesting in a lot of ways." Garrett wondered who would be the one to take over the place that was vacated in her life. She’d have to give this concept more thought when she had the time.

Her eyes flashed brightly with the final realization, ‘Could it be? Could this blonde nurse be the one to replace my brother in my life?’ Her gaze falling upon Danni’s as she ended her prayer. The life that shown forth in that moment was phenomenal, her blue eyes twinkling in delight. ‘Have you been trying to show this to me the entire time?’ She thought of her brother and knew it to be true. "I love you," she whispered under her breath knowing that the one it was meant for would hear.

Danni raised her head with the final word of her prayer, "Amen." Her gaze falling upon the vision of a dark-haired woman, holding a large sharp object in front of her. There was something about her eyes that made the nurse take a closer look. She could see that the fiery blue crystals had come to life. ‘They’re twinkling like they are full of life. I’ve never seen her so alive before. I wonder if it was something that I said.’ The nurse tried to think what it could have been, but the same nagging image kept coming into her head. ‘Jeez, why would that darn journal of mine pop into my thoughts now of all times?’

Then her thoughts took in the periphery of her vision and she saw the glistening edge of the carving knife, recalling her first time in trauma with Garrett to mind.

Looking across her patient, Danni could see the dark-haired surgeon standing with the Trocar clenched in both hands. Danni’s mind thought back to her dream, startling the young nurse. Her eyes opened wider as she looked at the surgeon poised, ready to send the long blunt tipped rod into the patient’s side. The surgeon began the insertion of the chest tube, her face taut with concentration; the confident blue eyes focused on the job at hand. All of a sudden there was a feeling of Déjà vu, as a chill ran down the young nurse’s spine. It was an all too familiar scene but something was missing. Everything seemed so mechanical and devoid of emotion that it reminded Danni of a cyberspace movie. Her mind recalling her dream almost instantly, flashing it across her brain.

Then her mind wondered if she had some part in the now glowing figure before her. ‘Could I have made that much of a difference in her life. God knows, she has in mine.’

Then as if from out of nowhere, while everyone else was responding with their own form of "Amen" to hers, she thought that she heard the gentle whisper of ‘I love you’ come floating on the air, causing her heart to skip a beat. It brought with it a warm feeling that she grabbed onto and cherished. ‘ I’m not sure where that came from,’ her eyes immediately riveting up to the raven-haired surgeon who was addressing the heavens, her mouth pursed in a vowel-like ending. Her eyes darted quickly around the room, settling once again on the surgeon across from her. ‘But it’s just made this one of the best Thanksgivings ever.’ She felt her face grow warm with the soft blush that was creeping up her neck and face as she realized the depth of her love for the members of her menagerie.

"All right, Doc, it’s your turn in the spotlight now. You better get on with that carving. There’s lots of hungry people here." Mom was nudging the surgeon, being careful of the knife.

"Huh? Oh, yeah!" Garrett let her mind come back to the present and all of the people around her. The surgeon started carving the golden brown bird as she thought about her life in Pittsburgh. She had only been here just short of five months, but the feeling of fellowship and love that surrounded her had given new meaning to her life. For the first time in a long while, she finally felt that she had come home. Garrett turned slightly, holding out the first slice of turkey and there to take it on the offered plate was the woman she attributed her new life to, Danni.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Gar, thank you." The nurse smiled at her friend.

"No, I have to thank you, Danni. You’ve really given me something to be thankful for." The lopsided smile showing now for all to see. There was a silent moment as blue eyes met green and the exchange of sentiments was conveyed. Then pulling herself back to the reality of time, she motioned toward the steaming turkey. "Now let me get this bird carved up before they grab this knife and turn it on me." She eyed the hungry line behind the nurse.

The blonde reached up and cupped the surgeon’s shoulder, "Okay, my friend, I’ll be here."

"I know, that’s what I’m counting on." Garrett drew in a deep breath as Danni left her side. ‘Thanks to you, too!’ Her eyes lifted momentarily to heaven, thinking of her brother and then, quickly resumed her role in the family that she was now a part of. She looked to the next person in line for turkey, "Okay, John, will that be a piece of breast or leg for you? Or perhaps a little piece of tail?" Her face was coy with the implied innuendo.

The group chuckled at her questions to the ever-obsessed-with-sex nurse as he hesitated to answer. The laughter was pleasant and the taunting was quick to follow just like any family get-together. Yes, this indeed was her new family.

***********

The E.R. was quiet and most of the staff had found rooms and cubbyholes to their liking. Danni and Garrett had found themselves huddled in a corner of the Conference Room with Rosie and Karen, listening and sharing stories of past holiday gatherings as they finished their dessert. With their bellies full and the good mood of friends and family around them, they each secretly hoped that the world would forget about the part that they had to play in it.

Garrett listened to those around her, letting the warmth of their stories soak in. She wished that she had a story to share with them out of her past, but knew that next year would be another story. As the surgeon reached to put her used paper plate in the wastebasket, she caught sight of a snow-covered figure walking towards the Conference Room. "Jeez, tell me we have a walk-in," she muttered under her breath.

Danni looked out the opened door. "Must have come in the trauma doors."

The group began to rise in response to the approaching figure, each knowing their part in the well-rehearsed scenario. They watched as the figure stopped outside of the door and began brushing the snow off of its coat. It didn’t appear to be injured or sick, but one could not always tell from a distance. The figure reached up, removing its hat and scarf to reveal none other than the Chief of Trauma Services himself, Dr. McMurray.

"Chief, what are you doing out on a day like this?" Garrett sounded a little startled that something might have slipped by her watchful eye.

The group was a little relieved to see a familiar face, but they all knew that something had to be up to have this man here on a holiday.

"Oh, nothing really. I just didn’t want you to find out about the Board Meeting last night from someone else."

Danni eyed her friend, both showing disappointment in the eyes. "Oh!" They responded in an unrehearsed unison.

"You two always this cheerful or is it just the holiday?" He was being sarcastic. "I could always go back home and let you wait until Monday." He made a motion towards the door.

"No, Sir. You can tell us now." Garrett shrugged her shoulders as she felt the clasp of the small hand on her elbow. "We’re ready to hear what they decided." Danni nodded in agreement as she tightened her grip on Garrett.

"Well, it took some doing. I had to just about beat it into that knucklehead accountant who sits on that Board that services are needed even if they don’t bring money into the coffers, but the Board finally approved it. In fact, they want it up and running by the first of the new year. Think your team can do that, Trivoli?"

"They approved it?" Garrett’s mouth was now agape. "But I thought when I didn’t hear from you last night…"

Danni began to shake the surgeon’s arm, her face filled with emotion. "They approved it!" She began tugging at the arm of the surgeon.

The Ol’ Cutter smirked and flashed a smile at her. "Hell, I wanted to. It’s the wife who wouldn’t let me. She figured that if you knew, you wouldn’t be able to sleep. Can’t have a tired Trauma Fellow on for a holiday now, can we?" He winked. "So, think you can bring it into being before January first?"

"Yes, yes, sir!" The answer came in complete unison.

"Good! That’s what I told them. I’ll see you two first thing Monday morning and fill you in on all of the details." He listened to the enthusiastic good wishes of their friends as he turned to leave. "Oh, Nurse Bossard, Dr. Trivoli," he turned his head to them, "I’d get some rest if I were you. They have a lot more planned for your team after they took a look at that proposal of yours." He began walking out of the room only to throw out a seasonal greeting as he left. "Happy Thanksgiving."

A hush fell over the group as the petite blonde and the tall surgeon turned to face each other, muttering out loud to themselves, "They have a lot more planned for us?" Danni wrinkled her nose as she watched the lone raised eyebrow reaching high on Garrett’s forehead, each woman trying to think of the vast possibilities of things that the Board could have in mind for them.

The silence of the moment was shattered by the sound of the trauma pager going off. "Trauma Team Page, Trauma Team Page. Inbound via ambulance male approximately 47 years of age. Multiple penetrating wounds and an impaled object in the abdomen believed to have been made by a carving fork. ETA 5 minutes. This is a Level One Trauma Team Page."

The E.R. was awakening once again in the knowledge that life goes on.