"You okay?" Jeremy’s breath came rapidly. He crawled over to where Aria lay.

"Yeah, help me up." Jeremy stood lowering his hand down to her. Aria leaned forward, grabbed his arm and hoisted herself up. She began to take a step, but her right leg buckled. "Oh shit!"

"Damned, you’re hurt," Jeremy eased her back down to the pavement. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?"

"I didn’t think it was that bad," Aria winced.

"I better go get some help." Jeremy stayed crouched next to her as he looked around for a phone booth.

"The limo’s parked down there," she pointed northward. "It’s about two blocks. There’s a cell phone in front. Speed dial oh-one gets the owner. Tell him to have somebody pick up Nick, ASAP, then have him meet us here."

"Shouldn’t I call the police or an ambulance or something?"

"When you’re done with the other stuff."

Jeremy nodded. "You sure you’ll be okay here alone?"

"I’ll be fine." He started walking away. "Mr. Timmons,"

"Yeah?"

"You’ll need these." She tossed him the keys.

Jeremy sat in the waiting room drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair. He checked his watch. Since they arrived, more and more people seemed to be coming to the Emergency Room. At one point he wondered if the chauffeur had been seen yet and wondered how much longer she would be. He switched his gaze to the reception area where a well-dressed man had just entered.

Jeremy surmised that the hulking figure would match the voice he had spoken with earlier. The man urgently leaned over the counter and spoke with the nurse. Jeremy was impressed by the employer’s evident worry for his employee. He stood as Hoagan Smythe approached him.

He shook Jeremy’s hand forcefully, yet briefly. "I’m sorry you were inconvenienced by this."

"Oh, no, not at all. She sort of saved my life."

"I still don’t quite understand what happened."

"The details are unimportant. It was probably just a bunch of kids out joy-riding." Jeremy motioned toward the seat next to the one he had been sitting in.

"Let me call for a car to take you home."

"No, thank you. I’d like to stay until I know she’ll be all right -- I mean if that’s okay with you."

Hoagie nodded as he took a seat. "I wonder how much longer it will be?"

Aria leaned back on her elbows as the orthopaedist on call examined her lower leg. She grimaced biting back obscenities as he probed her lower leg.

"I take it that’s painful." He looked sideways at her and smiled slightly.

"Jesus, that hurts. Do you have to keep poking around? Is it broken or what?"

"I’m not sure. A couple of X-rays should confirm it."

"Wonderful." Aria sighed heavily, wondering whether she could continue working with a broken leg.

"Consider yourself lucky. You could have been killed."

"That’s a lovely thought. Is your bedside manner always so uplifting?"

"Jeesh, you’re a tough one. You ever give anyone a break?"

Aria cocked her head to the side and frowned. "Seems like your the lucky winner tonight."

"I’ll leave you with that thought. See you after I get the films."

Aria took a deep breath as the doctor left. The pain returned threefold as her leg began to throb. Or maybe she had just ignored it while Dr. DeMarcus had tended to her injury. His warm eyes and charming smile were more than enough to distract her. But now that he was gone, other thoughts surfaced. The pain mingled with childhood memories. Aria found herself thinking about her sister, whom she hadn’t seen in years. The last time they were face-to-face Aria had been in the hospital recovering from a fall down the stairs. Since then it seemed like a whole lifetime had come and gone. She was a different person leading a different lifestyle now. Her thoughts of the past were interrupted by the orderly who was sent to take her down the hall. Aria squeezed her eyes shut with a shudder.

"You okay?" The orderly noticed her reaction. When she nodded he approached. "I’ll just wheel you down to X-ray, and I promise I won’t crash you into any doorways or walls."
"I’d appreciate that," Aria said feeling more herself. "She held on to the edges of the gurney as it was wheeled toward the ER desk and a set of double doors. Dr. DeMarcus was sitting at the desk writing. As she was wheeled through the doors, she looked to see if the good doctor was wearing a wedding band. Aria sighed heavily as she saw he wasn’t. He looked up and smiled at her as the silver doors closed.

Jeremy began to fidget when Aria’s boss walked over to the ER entrance to meet a man who had been just entered. The two men shook hands, then headed towards him.

"Mr. Timmons, this is my partner, Chris. Chris, this is Jeremy Timmons."

"Silent partner," Chris added shaking Jeremy’s hand eagerly. "Thanks for making sure Aria made it here. She’s a stubborn girl."

"I kind of got that impression. And it was no problem at all. I feel really bad that this happened. If she hadn’t pushed me out of the way, she’d be okay."

"And from what I understand, you’d be splattered all over the street."

Jeremy shuddered.

"What did the police say about this? Did you get the make and model or plate number, anything to go on?" Chris was deeply concerned.

Jeremy wasn’t sure if that concern was for his sake or Aria’s. "Like I told Mr. Smythe, it was probably just some kids out drinking and joy-riding.

"But you told the police that the car had been there earlier," Hoagie grilled him.

"Well, yeah. The first time they came by they saw us walking and talking and must have thought we were easy targets. They could have only went around a few blocks before they were back."

"You keep saying ‘they’. How many were in the vehicle?"

"Two, I think."

"And the police thing it was someone out drinking and driving?"

"What else could it be," Jeremy asked naively.

Hoagie and Chris looked at each other shaking their heads. "I think we should sit down," Hoagie was the last to take a seat. "Do you have enemies, Mr. Timmons?"

"No, why would I?" Jeremy was flabbergasted by the question.

"A man of your celebrity may have problems with someone and not even realize it.," Chris explained.

"Have you received any threats, strange phone calls, anything out of the ordinary lately?"

"No, nothing unusual." Jeremy’s mind began to analyze the past twenty-four hours. The only thing that stood out in his mind was the dispute between him and Nick in the limo.

"Is there a possibility there might be an ardent fan or a jealous boyfriend of a fan that could be stalking you?"

"Oh God, don’t say that!" Jeremy’s heart began to race.

"I wouldn’t panic just yet," Chris offered, "but I would keep my eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary, just in case."

"Christ, now you’ve got me scared."

"We’re not trying to frighten you, just make you aware." Hoagie tugged his wallet out of his back pocket, flipped it open and pulled out a business card. he handed it to Jeremy. "All of our drivers are also certified bodyguards. Take this just in case you might find yourself in need of one."

Jeremy fingered the card, then placed it in his breast pocket.

Chris nodded to Hoagie. "I’ve got to get going. There’s no need for both of us to be here." He looked at his watch. "Oooh, it’s really late. It was nice meeting you Mr. Timmons."

Hoagie smiled awkwardly as Chris left hurriedly. "He’s got a very early meeting this morning. Bit absentminded when it comes to time."

# # #

"So," Aria questioned Dr. DeMarcus forcefully as he came back in the room.

He snapped her x-rays up on the light board. "I don’t know if you can see this here," he switched from pointing with his finger to a pen he had in his smock pocket. There seems to be some swelling of the soft tissues here, and here. It’s hard to tell, but there’s a small, easily missable hairline fracture, right here."

Aria looked away from the oversized negative of her lower right leg. "I don’t see it," she announced as if not seeing it meant it wasn’t there.

"I figured you wouldn’t, but I thought you might be interested it seeing it anyways."

"Now what."

"Well," he shrugged. "A couple of weeks off your feet, and you’ll be as good as new."

"Weeks! You mean days, right?"

"I’m afraid not. Even though the bone’s not displaced, we’ll still need to immobilize the leg to protect it while it unites and becomes stable."

"Couldn’t you just give me some crutches or something?"

"I’d love to, but it’s not that easy. With this type of fracture you literally become a walking time bomb. Anything could cause it to become displaced, and that would be very unpleasant."

"Isn’t there any other way?"

The doctor saw a dark brooding cloud haze over his patient’s eyes. "You’ll survive through this, you already have once before." He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Aria began to say something, then stopped. There was no use trying to deny a past injury when it was already evident to the doctor. Hopefully it would stay something in her past, forgotten and locked away.

Dr. DeMarcus left the room as a different orderly prepared her for another ride down the hall. This time she was headed for the cast room.

Her stomach clenched in knots as she was forced to lay on yet another cold table, her lower half exposed to anybody who happened to be walking by. It took all of her strength just to push back memories of a similar time -- no she wouldn’t think about it, she couldn’t.

"You ready?" Dr. DeMarcus appeared before her. He had donned an apron and latex gloves as if he were preparing to clean an oven. Next to him, an assistant stood with a cart with the necessary materials to construct a cast that would keep her off guard for a short while -- an obstacle that would remind her every day of what she had been running away from for six years.

His hands swept the stockinette up over her knee towards her hip. She shivered as he smoothed out the fabric at her inner thigh.

Dr. DeMarcus sensed her anxiety. "You okay?"

Aria bit her lower lip to keep away the memories. She nodded affirmatively.

He continued the same route with the cotton padding.

Aria whimpered as he approached her thigh.

He looked directly into her eyes. She seemed so childlike and innocent. A completely different person from the tough woman brought in by ambulance a short while ago.

By the time he finished immobilizing her lower leg, Aria’s fears began to subside. She wasn’t that little girl anymore. This mishap had nothing to do with her past. Her father would not be around; nor would Tracey.

"There, all done," Dr. DeMarcus completed the last wrap of plaster gauze around the top of Aria’s thigh. "For a minute there I thought you weren’t going to make it."

"It was quite a different process than I remembered it," she said meekly.

"How long ago was that?" He set her leg in a cast stand to dry before beginning to clean himself up.

"Seems like a lifetime ago."

"Hmm. Let’s hope this will be the last time. Think you can stay out of trouble?"

"I’ve been trying."

"A nurse will be in shortly to set you up with some crutches and give you a few tips about cast care."

"Well, thanks, I guess," Aria offered as the doctor headed toward the door.

"My pleasure," he winked, then disappeared around a corner.

Aria lay back on the table and closed her eyes. She was very aware of the heavy cast on her leg. It made her feel helpless. She hated that. For some time she had been self-sufficient, trusting no one, expecting nothing. She wasn’t so sure she’d be able to maintain that status now.

As promised, a nurse came in toting a pair of wooden underarm crutches. She placed them against the gurney and began dressing Aria. "You’re probably about five-five."

"Sounds about right," Aria watched as she adjusted their length.

"Step with the crutches, and swing through with the good leg." The nurse demonstrated the moves with ease.

Aria practiced a few steps tentatively. Initially she felt awkward, off balance and squeamish.

"You’re doing good. Keep it up!"

"I don’t have any other choice," Aria snorted.

"Do you have to climb a lot of stairs in your home?"

"A few."

The nurse demonstrated stair climbing and was giving Aria her crutches back when Dr. DeMarcus popped his head in. "I forgot to give you this." He scribbled a number on a prescription pad and handed it to Aria. "Call tomorrow morning to make an appointment, I book up fast."

"I’ll bet," Aria grabbed the paper.

"And what’s that supposed to mean?"

Is he flirting with me she wondered. Why not play along? "You probably have women breaking bones just to get some time alone with you." She blushed.

"Miss Kenner, that’s highly preposterous. I charge an arm or a leg, sometimes both."

Aria rolled her eyes. "That was really bad!"

"Hey, I’m an orthopaedist, not a comedian."

"We’re okay as long as nobody breaks their funnybone."

"Now that was really bad."

"I can’t believe I said that," Aria mumbled while blushing a deep crimson.

Dr. DeMarcus cleared his throat nervously. Neither one spoke for a second or two. For Aria it felt like minutes had passed while the doctor stared into her eyes. She realized she was staring back. Each wondered what the other was thinking.

"Well," he sighed, "I guess I’ll see you in a few weeks."

"I wouldn’t miss it for the world."

Jeremy was the first to see Aria being wheeled toward the waiting room. He rushed to her side before he realized he was doing it.

"You still here?"

"Would I leave you in your moment of distress?"

"Some moment of distress," she quipped.

"I’m really sorry about what happened. How am I going to make it up to you?"

"Stay out of the path of speeding vehicles?" Aria flashed him her sincerest grin. "Really, I’m fine, just a little banged up."

"Let’s get you home," Hoagie interrupted.

"Yeah, I could use some sleep. It’s been a long night."

"Here, let me help you." Jeremy offered his arm.

Aria tried leaning on him once again, this time only until the crutches were in place.

Outside the night air had grown considerably cooler. White clouds of vapor formed with their breath. Jeremy stood with Aria while Hoagie went for his car.

"I really feel bad. I wish I could do something for you."

"Nah, don’t worry about it. I’m glad it was me that got hurt and not you."

"That’s a terrible way to feel!"

"No, really. I’m a chauffeur. I drive. It’s no big deal. But you, you’re an artist. If something happened to you, you’re career could be over. You have more at stake."

"You value my life over yours?" Jeremy was amazed as he helped Aria into the back seat of Hoagie’s BMW. "No life is greater than another’s."

"It is when you have a gift...you are truly gifted." Aria caressed Jeremy’s face.

He had no reply being totally astonished with her selflessness.

"Good night, Mr. Timmons."

As if on autopilot, Jeremy closed her door and watched as the car pulled away.