"I need everyone in the conference room right now. We have a serious crisis and I need to go over what we will be doing." Rebecca watched her team go into action. They grabbed the pens and note pads and headed to the conference room.

"Everyone into the conference room now." Chris yelled out. He was in crisis mode and soon the others would be too.

"What's up Chris?" Buck asked. He knew something was wrong, because Chris was in crisis mode.

"I'm not going to say this six times Buck. Once everyone is in the conference room, then I will go over the situation." He knew they would be working with the Spice gang again. Ms. Peaches and her dogs would be needed for this job.

Rebecca sat at the head of the conference table. She had a grim look on her face and everyone there knew something serious was wrong. The women glanced around at each other. Puzzled, worried looks covered most of their faces. "All right ladies. We have a serious situation. We will be working with Team 7 on this one and Peaches, your bomb and people sniffing dogs will be needed." Rebecca took a deep breath and continued. "A building has been bombed and we are going there to search for survivors. There may still be unexploded bombs so we have to be careful. We will be searching for those bombs as we search for survivors."

"Rebecca? How bad is it? I mean are there going to be a lot of fatalities?" Enid was worried. It would be a difficult task for them if they had to deal with a lot of dead bodies.

"The bomb went off pretty early in the day. They don't think the building was very full yet, but there will be fatalities." Rebecca looked at each of her gals that were there. Several of her Spices were on other assignments or vacation.

"What are assignments?" Enid asked.

"Enid. I am putting you and Erica with Ezra. You will be searching the building for survivors. That is pretty much what all of us will be doing."

"What about me Rebecca?" Peaches knew her dogs would be needed for this.

"You will be with Maria and Chris searching. Hopefully you will make good progress with the help of Max and Xena. I want you concentrating on looking for more bombs. Everyone get your gear together and lets go." Rebecca stood and moved to the door. She knew this was going to be a tough job. It was never easy to deal with fatalities, but it was their job and they knew what that job entailed.

"That's it boys. We have a grim task ahead of us and the Spice gang will be working with us. I want one of you with each of the Spices. Ezra, Rebecca said she was going to put you with Erica and Enid. I will be working with Maria and Peaches since she will have her dogs." Chris looked at the men around him. It was obvious they all knew the grim task that lay before them. He just hoped there weren't too many fatalities. "Lets get moving boys, we are meeting the Spice gang at the building in twenty minutes."

Ezra rose from his seat and moved to the door. Normally he had no trouble hiding his emotions. Now however was a different story. The thought of all those people. He found himself very glad that he would be with Enid. Not just because he loved her and wanted to be near her, but because he knew she would be a source of comfort.

Both teams got their gear together and headed out in several agency vehicles. They tried to prepare themselves for what they would see when they got to the building. The debris and bodies. It was not going to be a good day and everyone wanted it over quickly. That was not going to happen, however.

As the teams came up to the building from the East it appeared undamaged. Once they went around to the West side they could see that one whole corner of the building was a pile of rubble. Most of the upper floors and east side were still intact. This was not going to be easy. The remainder of the building could come down any time and if there were unexploded bombs and one went off, many of the agents could be injured or killed. The two teams met in front of the building and began to organize for the search.

"Agent Larabee. Nice to be working with you again, too bad it's under such dreadful circumstances." Rebecca remained calm and professional. The fact that some members of her team were seriously involved with members of his team was irrelevant right now.

"Indeed Agent Hamm. Is your team ready to go?" He spotted Peaches by one of the vehicles with her dogs. He prayed she didn't get hurt. He was really falling for the beautiful agent and they had been seeing each other for a while now.

"Yes. Erica and Enid are going with Ezra, Peaches and Maria are going with you, I am going with Vin, Renee is going with JD and Aislynn is going with Buck." She motioned for the teams to begin the search.

"I figured that Nathan and Josiah should remain outside to help take care of any injured we find." Chris replied. There were police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances everywhere. However with Nathan and Josiah outside, they could perform triage and have the more seriously injured transported first.

There were already some injured people roaming around. They seemed to be in a state of shock. News crews were all over the place too. Chris and Rebecca watched as their teams donned their blue ATF jackets and began to move towards the building. "Be careful in there Chris." Rebecca said. Then she and Vin were off to start searching as well.

"You too Rebecca. That goes for you too Vin." The pair nodded to Chris and disappeared inside the half destroyed building. Chris moved to a different part of the building and joined Peaches and Maria. They were waiting for him with Peaches two dogs. Chris smiled at Peaches and hoped this would end quickly so they could be together that night. After this kind of job, a little love and comfort would be needed.

Enid, Erica, and Ezra all entered the building from the South side. There was a lot of debris and they found several bodies right away. "This is Honey Spice to Nathan. We have two fatalities just inside the South entrance." The sorrow in Enid's voice was apparent and Ezra came up and put his arm around her. She looked into his emerald eyes and smiled. "I'm okay Ezra." She kissed his cheek and they caught up with Erica. She had gone a little farther ahead into the building.

Erica had been upset by the bodies and didn't want Enid and Ezra to see. So she moved ahead of them so they wouldn't see the tears and fear in her eyes. She prayed they didn't find any more bodies, but that was unlikely. What she was really afraid of was that there would be more bombs and one would go off. They would not be able to get out of the building in time. "You guys coming?"

"We're right behind you Erica. Are you all right?" Enid could tell by her voice that she was upset. Who wouldn't be under these circumstances?

"I'm fine. Lets just get this over with please?" She hated this kind of thing. Knowing there were dead people in there and it was her job to find them. She felt Ezra's hand on her shoulder and turned to look at him. She saw concern and understanding in his green eyes. "I'm fine Ezra."

"If your sure then lets continue." He squeezed her shoulder and let go. He moved away from the two ladies and began looking again. He hoped that he could find the bodies so they wouldn't have to deal with it. Not that it was that much easier for him, but he was much more used to it than they were

They had been searching the building for over an hour and so far had found a total of six bodies. The problem now was that they had just found an unexploded bomb under a desk. "This is Ezra. We just found an unexploded bomb. Get everyone out of the building." Ezra spoke quickly into his walkie talkie. Then he bent down to examine the bomb. It was quite sophisticated.

"Ezra, we need to get out of here. Let the bomb squad deal with it. Please baby?" Enid wanted to go. She didn't want that bomb going off while they were still inside.

"Indeed. Lets get moving." Ezra ushered the ladies out, bringing up the rear. They got about twenty feet from the bomb when it went off. "Everyone find cover." He yelled. He tried to grab the two ladies and cover them, but the blast pushed them away from him and he went down. Then there was nothing but darkness.

Everyone came running out of the building when they heard Ezra's warning. They took cover behind the various vehicles and the bomb squad started to move in. That's when the explosion went off and everyone covered their ears. The minute the dust settled. Both Chris and Rebecca began a radio check for those inside. Both of them had received positive responses so far, but that was about to change. "Honey Spice, check in. Honey Spice, do you read me?" Rebecca was getting scared. Enid was not responding. "Cuddly Spice, do you read me?" No answer from Erica either. She looked to Chris and saw the fear in his eyes too. Ezra was not responding either. They had not made it out.

"Rebecca, did you get a response from Enid or Erica?" Chris asked urgently.

"No, Ezra?" Her eyes went to the building, or what was left of it.

"No. Damn, they didn't make it out." Chris lifted his radio and began to speak. "All right everyone. We have three agents trapped inside. Lets find them and hope they are alive." He moved towards Peaches. Her dogs would be more important now than ever. "Peaches I need you to get in there with Max and Xena. Enid, Erica, and Ezra are trapped in there." He put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a knowing look.

"I'm on it Chris. Don't worry my love, I will find them." She felt safe calling him that. There was no one in immediate earshot.

"I know you will. I will be out here. I don't want anyone going in there that doesn't need to. There could still be more bombs and I want the bomb squad to sweep the place first. I should have done that to begin with, but I thought it was safe." Chris would never forgive himself if they died. Ezra was bad enough, but if those two sweet, beautiful ladies died because of him, he wouldn't be able to deal with it.

"Don't worry Chris. I am sure they are alive and it's not your fault." Peaches wanted to hug him and hold him, but that was not possible. She gathered the leashes for her dogs and headed towards the South entrance of the building. She had to find them. Enid and Erica were good friends.

Enid moaned and tried to move. All she could manage was to move her right arm. There was a large metal beam laying across her body. Luckily the full weight of it was not on her, but there was enough to have crushed some ribs and fractured her pelvis. She was laying face up and there was a gash on her forehead from a piece of debris that had hit her. She opened her eyes and could only see darkness. She could barely make out a lit flashlight a few inches from her hand. She tried to reach for it, but it was just out of reach. With great effort she stretched more and got her fingers around it. She wanted to see if she could find Ezra or Erica. They had to be nearby. "Ezra? Erica?" Her voice was low and the effort of reaching the flashlight had caused her a lot of pain.

Erica regained consciousness and opened her eyes to a world of darkness and debris. She was on her side and part of a wall was on top of her. She knew she had a broken hip and arm. She thought she saw the beam of a flashlight, but wasn't sure. Where were Ezra and Enid? 'God, don't let them be dead.' She put her hand to her temple and it came away bloody. She was in so much pain and she wanted to go back into unconsciousness. She had to find the others though. They might need her help, even though she didn't know what she could possibly do in her condition. Slowly she did drift back into unconsciousness.

Enid moved the flashlight around until she saw the top of Ezra's head. He was laying face down and not moving. She could see a pool of blood around his head and she became afraid. "Oh God, don't let him be dead." She whispered. "Ezra? Baby can you hear me?" His head was just barely within reach of her hand and she reached out to stroke his hair. She wished she knew if he was alive. She tried harder to move, but it caused too much pain and she fell back into unconsciousness.

Ezra moaned once. Then was silent. The metal beam that was on Enid was also on him. It had struck him on the head and he was now pinned under it. There was also a steel rod sticking into his thigh. His right shoulder was broken and he was in great pain. He was more than happy to remain unconscious. He was worried about Erica and Enid. He couldn't bare to think that his beloved Enid could be dead. He also could do nothing about it.

While the three agents lay unconscious under the debris of the building, there was a flurry of activity outside. Peaches had just gone in the South entrance. Kathi was right behind her. Rebecca had sent Kathi in with Peaches in case she found another bomb. If so hopefully Kathi could defuse it. They were going on the assumption that the bombs were set to go off every hour. The second bomb had gone off one hour after the first. Rebecca really hoped that there were no more bombs, but she knew that was wishful thinking.

Greylyn, Sihn, and Debby were running around trying to help Nathan and Josiah with the wounded. There were quite a few, but there were more dead. Sihn had been worried about Vin when he went into the building. At least now Chris and Rebecca were keeping everyone out except Peaches, Kathi, and the bomb squad. Sihn glanced at Greylyn, who glanced at Nathan. They could see he was worried about the fact that Kathi had been sent in the building. They had watched as the two became close and there was more than friendship between them.

Renee and JD stood arm in arm in front of the building. Neither of them could believe that their friends were trapped inside. Maybe even dead. No one knew if they were alive. All they could do was hope and pray. "JD, they will make it won't they? They wouldn't die on us would they?" Renee wanted to cry, but knew she needed to be strong.

"I sure hope so sweetie, but that was a pretty powerful bomb and there is a lot of debris to search through. Try to stay positive." He kissed her cheek and turned to see if he could help Nathan with the injured. Renee followed behind.

Enid slowly regained consciousness. She wished she hadn't. The pain from her broken pelvis was excruciating and she had a feeling she was bleeding internally too. She looked over in Ezra's direction. Her finger hit the button for the flashlight and turned it on. Nothing had changed about Ezra's position. He remained motionless and it terrified her. "Ezra? Come on baby wake up. I need to know your alive." She stroked his hair again and prayed for some response. Enid closed her eyes and breathed through the pain she was in. "Erica?" She didn't know if Erica was alive either.

Ezra felt something moving against the top of his head. He slowly opened his eyes and the memories of what had happened flooded back. He heard the soft voice of Enid calling to him. She sounded like she was in great pain, but at least she was alive. He tried to speak but nothing would come out. He managed to move his arm above his head and his hand found Enid's. He took it and squeezed it gently. "Enid." He whispered in the darkness.

"Ezra? Thank God. I thought you were dead." Enid squeezed his hand in return.

"I thought you were too Darlin. Are you hurt badly?" His southern drawl was more pronounced with the pain in his voice.

"Yes. I hurt so bad Ezra. I think my pelvis is broken. What about you?" She began to cry. They would not get out of this alive.

"My shoulder is broken and there is something stabbing into my thigh." He felt weak and knew he was losing blood.

"Ezra? What are we going to do? We're going to die before they can find us." She squeezed his hand tighter. The contact with him was the only thing keeping her calm.

"We will make it Darlin. You just have to hang on. I love you Enid." He felt tears in his eyes too. At least they would die together.

"Oh Ezra, I love you too. More than I ever thought I could love anyone." She closed her eyes and fell back into unconsciousness.

"Enid? Darlin?" He knew she was unconscious again. He prayed they were found quickly.

"Peach Spice to Gambler Spice. We have another bomb. Tangerine Spice is looking at it now. She thinks she can defuse it, but she says it's very sophisticated." Peaches watched as Kathi went to work on the bomb. She hoped to hear back from Rebecca as soon as possible.

"Peach Spice, this is Rebecca. I'm sending the bomb squad to your location. They have swept the rest of the building and it's clean. The bomb you have is the last one." She took a breath. "If you feel safe in there, continue your search. Otherwise get out." She hoped they would decide to get out, but knew Peaches would not stop looking for the others.

"Understood Rebecca. I am going to keep looking while Kathi works on the bomb." Peaches began to move away from Kathi with the dogs. She prayed that Xena would pick up the scent of her friends. They had to be alive.

"Any sign of them at all yet?" Rebecca was getting more concerned for the missing agents with every moment that passed. If they were alive and injured, the longer it took to find them, the less chance of them living.

"No. I will let you know if I find anything." Peaches moved deeper into the rubble of the building.

The others had all been listening to the conversation. They were glad all the bombs had been found, but they were very worried about their friends inside. Chris was pacing back and forth. He wished Peaches had come out until it was safe. He knew she was determined to find Enid, Erica, and Ezra and he wanted to find them too. However he didn't want anything to happen to Peaches. He had definitely fallen hard for her and he couldn't go through losing her. Not after losing his wife and son. He couldn't do it again.

Erica had come around again. She fought through the pain to try and pull herself out from under the debris. She was having some success, but it was taking time. She had to stop and rest as the pain became too much. She had to find Ezra and Enid. Had to find out if they were alive. A short time ago she had seen the flashlight beam again. She didn't know if it was Ezra and Enid, or searchers. She had tried to call out to them, but her throat was too dry and full of dust. She desperately wanted something to drink. Something stronger than water.

Ezra used his left arm to reach out towards Enid. He had to be sure she was still alive. From what she said about her injuries, she could be in serious trouble if they didn't get help soon. His fingers found her hair and worked their way towards her head. He could feel the stickiness of blood in her hair. It broke his heart to think she was that badly injured. His fingers finally found her face as he stretched farther. The pain was bad, but he had to find her pulse. His fingers finally found her soft neck and he found her pulse. It was weak, but it was there. "Thank God."

Erica heard Ezra's whispered "Thank God." She was crawling through the debris in the direction of the flashlight. At least she knew he was still alive, but what about Enid? She hadn't heard a sound from her. She moved slowly. Sliding along the ground on her good side. Her broken hip still hurt like hell, but she would just have to bear it. "Ezra?" She croaked out though her parched throat.

"Erica? Thank God your alive." Ezra was having trouble staying conscious. The effort of trying to reach Enid and check her pulse had drained what little strength he had.

"Yes. Are you injured badly?" She hoped not. She wanted to keep talking to him as she crawled. It would make it easier to find him.

"I'm not in the best of shape, no." Ezra picked up the flashlight and shone it in the direction that Erica was coming from. He stopped moving it when the beam landed on her face. There was blood and dust all over her and it was obvious she was in pain.

"What about Enid? Is she alive?" Erica squinted as the beam of light hit her eyes. She was grateful that Ezra moved it away quickly.

"She is alive, but she's in bad shape. We need to get help soon." Ezra knew the concern in his voice was strong. He couldn't help it. He was afraid that Enid would not make it.

"We have to find a way to attract attention. But how?" Erica tried to think of a way to get the attention of the rescue workers. She didn't know what though.

It took time, but Kathi managed to defuse the bomb. The bomb squad was removing it from the building and would take it to a remote location to detonate it. Now that all the bombs were gone, the search could really get going and hopefully they would find Enid, Erica, and Ezra quickly.

Chris and Rebecca ordered everyone into the building to search. They knew time was of the essence if they hoped to find them alive. Chris was worried about Ezra. He was worried about all of them. The Spices and Team 7 were like a big family. Everyone loved each other. Some more so than others, including himself.

"I want everyone taking it easy in there. The debris could be dangerous and there is probably loose stuff that could fall." Chris warned the agents. The last thing he needed was for someone else to be injured.

"I want everyone checking in every 20 minutes." Rebecca added.

The search began in earnest now. It was getting dark though and that would make it harder. It had been a long day and no one could believe that it was getting dark already. Renee was teamed up with JD, Sihn with Vin, Chris with Peaches and so on. They moved as quickly through the debris of the building as they could without missing anything. Some of the debris was piled high and if Ezra, Enid, and Erica were underneath any of it, it would take a lot of work to get them out. Peaches let Xena run off her leash in the hopes of her finding them sooner.

Erica finally reached Ezra's location. She was sweating from the effort and panting from the pain. She tried to examine Ezra to see the extent of his injuries. She could tell he had a pretty bad head wound and there was a steel rod in his thigh. She could tell by the way he moved that his shoulder was injured. She thought if they could just get the beam off of him, he could get out from under it.

"Erica, can you get to Enid? I want to know how bad she's hurt." Ezra looked at Enid. The flashlight beam caught her face and he could see she was pale and unconscious.

"I will see what I can do Ezra. Has she been awake at all?" Erica began to crawl towards Enid. She didn't like the way Enid looked and she hoped her friend didn't die.

"Yes. She was awake a couple of times, but I could tell she was in great pain." Ezra watched Erica crawl. It was obvious she was in pain too and he was worried about her, but he needed to know Enid's condition.

"That's good. What did she say her injuries were?" Erica grimaced in pain as her broken arm bumped into a piece of debris.

"She said some ribs were broken as well as her pelvis. She thought she might have some internal bleeding. I saw that she has a head injury too." He watched anxiously as Erica finally reached Enid and began to examine her. Ezra saw Erica's brow crease with worry. "What is it?"

"She's in pretty bad shape. If we can get you out from under that beam, I don't think we should lift it off her until the paramedics are here." She looked at Ezra and saw the confusion. "I think the beam is applying pressure and preventing her from bleeding heavily."

"God. We have to try and get help. Come back over here and lets see if we can get this beam off of me long enough for me to slide out." Ezra knew it would be hard, especially with both of them injured. He also knew if they didn't do something soon, Enid might die.

"Okay, but how are we going to do that? It's a very heavy beam." Erica didn't think she could do it. She was in enough pain as it was and lifting a beam seemed impossible.

"You'll have to find something to use as a lever. That will make it easier." Ezra watched Erica move around. He was very proud of her. She was doing what needed to be done, despite the pain she was in.

"Good idea Ezra. I'll see what I can find." Erica found a large metal pole and moved it over by Ezra. Then she needed to rest for a few minutes.

"Are you all right?" Ezra watched her trying to catch her breath.

"Yes. It just hurts a lot."

"I know Erica. You're doing a wonderful job." Ezra closed his eyes. He felt weak and tired too.

Erica wedged the pole under the beam and places a piece of cement under the pole. She then used all the strength she had, which wasn't a lot, and pushed down on the pole. It took some effort on her part, but the beam started to rise off of Ezra. She groaned with the effort and pain it caused. She was determined to help Ezra get out from under the beam.

"That's it Darlin. Your doing it, just a bit more." Ezra was trying to encourage her. His accent was thick as the pain of trying to move grew stronger. He felt the weight of the beam leave him and he moved as quickly as he could out from under the beam. He couldn't move his leg though. It was still impaled on the steel rod.

"Are you out Ezra?" Erica was sweating from the effort to hold the beam up and the moment Ezra indicated he was out, she dropped it. The pole she had been using clattered to the floor as she let go of it. She heard Enid cry out and realized that she should have lowered the beam slowly, since it was on top of Enid too. "Oh God. Enid? I forgot the beam was on her too." Erica wanted to cry. She would never forgive herself if she injured Enid even more than she already was.

"Erica, it's all right. Now that I am out of that dreadful situation we can assist her." Ezra removed his belt and hooked it around his upper thigh. He would have to use it as a tourniquet. Once he pulled that rod out of his leg he would start bleeding more heavily and he needed to reduce that as much as possible.

"Let me help you with that." Erica turned her attention to helping Ezra get his leg off the steel rod. She knew it was going to hurt like hell when it was pulled out. She took a handkerchief out of her pocket and got it ready to wrap around the wound. "Okay Ezra. I know this is going to hurt, so try to hang on." She grabbed the rod and pulled. She heard Ezra scream and his breathing became rapid as he rode out the waves of pain. She quickly pulled the belt tight around his leg and wrapped the handkerchief around the wound. It was bleeding pretty heavily now and she hoped he didn't lose too much blood.

"Thank you Darlin. That did hurt, but it's a relief to have that despicable thing out of my leg." He smiled at her and reached out to caress her cheek. She had done such a wonderful job and she was in as much pain as he was.

Peaches thought she heard a man scream. She wasn't sure what direction it came from though as the sounds in the wrecked building seemed to echo. "Okay Xena, you have to find whoever that was." She saw Xena's ears perk up at the sound of the scream and now she began to move towards the East side of the building. "This is Peaches. I thought I just heard a man scream. Xena seems to have heard which way it came from. We are headed towards the East side of the building."

"Okay Peaches. We will all move in that direction and hope we can find something quickly." Rebecca knew it would become much more difficult to search once it was dark out and that would be very soon.

"Everyone head towards the East side of the building. Peaches heard a scream come from that direction." Chris wanted to find the missing agents quickly. He knew in his gut that time was running out for them.

Ezra moved too quickly in an attempt to reach Enid. A wave of dizziness and nausea washed over him and he had to turn away from Erica to throw up. His head was pounding and he felt very weak. He knew he was losing blood, but there had been no choice but to remove himself from that steel rod. He had to help Enid and get them all out of there. He knew Enid was dying and if they didn't get her out of there soon, it would be too late.

"Ezra? Are you all right?" Erica was worried about him. She was worried about all of them. The fact that Ezra was sick to his stomach told her that he had a concussion. Somehow she thought it was a bad one and that Ezra was just hiding the pain as he always did.

"I will be. Lets get to Enid and see what we can do for her." Ezra wiped the vomit from his chin and slowly moved towards Enid. He was so worried about her. He loved her with all his heart and soul. He didn't think he could go on without her. They had been very happy with the way their relationship had been. It was just like a marriage without it actually being one. Lately he had been very much considering asking her to marry him. He never wanted to be without her and it just seemed right. The reason he hadn't asked her was that he was afraid it would mess things up. What was the saying? 'If it's not broken, don't fix it.'

Erica and Ezra crawled towards Enid. She had been completely still and silent. The only sound had been her cry when Erica let the beam go. Ezra shined the flashlight on her face and his heart skipped a beat. She was so pale and the blood on the side of her face was a sharp contrast to the pale skin underneath. 'Please God don't let her be dead.' Ezra prayed silently. He reached out and caressed her face. His heart broke at her appearance and he wanted to just hold her and make her well. "Enid? Darlin can you hear me?"

"Ezra...." Was the barely audible whisper that came from Enid's dry lips.

"Yes Darlin. Just hang on my love. We will get you out of this." He gently kissed her lips and his hand stroked her soft, golden hair. His green eyes met her blue and he could see the pain and fear in them. "I'm here with you Darlin."

"I love you Ezr........" Enid could not stay conscious any longer. The pain and bleeding took all her strength.

"Enid? Darlin?" Ezra put his arm around her and held her the best he could. Tears ran down his cheeks and he could not prevent them.

"Ezra. She's still alive. She just lost consciousness again." Erica felt for Ezra. She understood the pain he felt. Enid meant a lot to her too. She knew something needed to be done.

Erica picked up the pole she had used earlier with her good arm. She began banging it on the beam in an effort to attract attention to their location. If they couldn't find them now, then they weren't as good as everyone said. "Please let this work." She whispered.

"My Darlin Erica that was a brilliant idea." Ezra watched her beating on the beam. He felt himself growing weaker and was now laying down next to Enid. He hadn't removed his arm from around her, however.

"I had to do something Ezra. This seemed like the best thing." She beat on it for a bit longer, then stopped to rest. She would begin again in a few minutes. She knew she would need to continue beating on the beam for as long as possible. The sounds in that building echoed and she knew the others would have trouble pinpointing the location. She would do what she had to.

Renee and JD were the first to hear the sound of metal against metal. Someone was pounding and they knew it must be one of their missing friends. Now all they had to do was find where it was coming from. The sound echoed something awful. The pounding stopped and they became worried about them. "JD, where did it sound like it was coming from?"

"It sounded like it came from over there to me." JD pointed towards the Southeast corner of the building.

"Me too. Rebecca, this is Renee. JD and I heard a pounding sound coming from the Southeast corner of the building." She wanted everyone to know what they heard.

"Okay Renee. Vin and Sihn heard it too and that's the direction they thought it came from too. Everyone narrow the search to that area." Rebecca moved towards the Southeast corner. After a few moments she ran into the rest of them. They began searching. Fanning out and moving slowly. Rebecca hoped whoever had been pounding would start again, or could start again.

Peaches and Chris were moving closer to the end of the building when they heard the tapping again. Peaches wouldn't call it pounding anymore. Whoever it was didn't have much strength left. "Chris, we have to find them quickly."

"I know my love. We will find them. That tapping sounds very close now." Chris took Peaches hand as they moved forward. Suddenly Xena started barking right in front of them. There was a large pile of debris in front of them and Ezra, Enid, and Erica must be under it.

"Quiet Xena." Peaches needed to hear if there was any sounds. "Enid? Erica? Ezra? Can any of you hear me?" She shouted. She never wanted to hear one of their voices more than she did now.

"Peaches?" Erica's voice was muffled by all the debris and she hoped they could hear her.

"Chris. Did you hear that?" Peaches knelt down and looked through an opening in the debris. Her eyes met Erica's pain and fear filled eyes. "Their here. Down there. I saw Erica."

"Let's get the equipment in here and start digging." Chris called Rebecca and told her that they had found Erica at least.

"Erica? Are the others with you?" Peaches asked.

"Yes, We all have injuries. Ezra has lost a lot of blood and lost consciousness a moment ago. Enid is in serious condition and may not have much time." Erica felt such overpowering relief that she was having trouble staying conscious herself.

"Hang on Erica. We will get you out of there." Peaches watched as Erica lost consciousness. "Rebecca, we have to have the paramedics ready. None of them are in very good shape and according to Erica, Enid is in critical condition."

"All right Peaches. I will have the paramedics in there right away." Rebecca quickly exited the building to retrieve the paramedics. It sounded like Enid was barely alive. She didn't know what she would do if Enid died.

It took an hour of digging to make a big enough hole for someone to get through. Nathan and Debby were the first to go in. Nathan needed to check their conditions and see how seriously the three of them were injured. Nathan checked Erica first since she was the closest to the opening. He found a head wound, which meant concussion. He also found a broken left arm and hip. She was unconscious, but her vitals were stable. "Okay Chris, you can send down a stretcher for Erica, she's got a broken left arm and hip, so be careful with her." Nathan then moved to where Ezra and Enid lay.

Debby had already moved to where Ezra and Enid were and began checking them for injuries. Ezra had a bad head wound and she could tell his right shoulder was broken. There was severe bruising on his back and a deep wound in his right thigh. She found the tourniquet and could tell it had helped stave off some of the bleeding, but he had still lost a lot of blood. As Nathan came over to them, Debby moved her attention to Enid. Nathan was double checking Ezra's injuries and she began to check Enid. She was very pale and in shock. Enid had a gash on her forehead, but that was the only visible injury. Debby looked closely at the beam laying across Enid's body and knew that it had caused damage inside her that could not be seen. She had an idea that the beam was actually keeping pressure on so she didn't bleed heavily internally. "Nathan, Enid's in bad shape. Her pulse is weak and I think that beam is keeping pressure on so she isn't bleeding heavily internally."

"Okay Debby. Go back to the opening and tell them to have an IV with ringers and several pints of blood for Ezra. Have them send down another stretcher for him. Then tell them to also send down a pair of shock trousers for Enid. We will have to get those on her before we can move the beam, or she will die."

"Okay Nathan, anything else?" She knew Enid could die if they didn't get her out of there soon.

"Have them get an IV ready for Enid too. She is the priority here. As soon as we have her out of here, she needs to go straight to the hospital. A helicopter would be best." He hoped they could get a Flight for Life helicopter there for Enid.

"I'll tell them to get a helicopter here right away." Debby moved back towards the opening. Chris and Vin had gotten Erica out and she was now being tended to up above by the paramedics.

"Nathan says to have IV's ready for both Ezra and Enid. He said that Ezra will need several pints of blood and that you should send another stretcher down for him." She called up to Rebecca, who was looking down into the hole with worry.

"Okay Debby. Anything else?" Rebecca was worried. Ezra and Enid didn't sound like they were in to good of shape.

"Yes. Nathan wants a pair of shock trousers sent down for Enid and have them get a Flight for Life helicopter here for her." Debby just looked Rebecca in the eye and it was all that was needed to let her know the severity of the situation.

"We'll have them right down." Rebecca moved away from the hole to tell the paramedics what was needed. Shock trousers, she knew that was bad. She helped them get the necessary supplies sent down and watched as Josiah lowered his way into the hole. It was going to take the strong man to get the beam lifted off of Enid.

Ezra stirred as he was lifted onto the stretcher. He moaned in pain, but the single word from his lips was "Enid?" The concern and fear in that single word was obvious and everyone around him knew how worried he was about her. His eyes opened and glanced around. His eyes met Nathan's and closed again.

"Hang in there Ezra. Enid's goin to make it." Nathan hoped Enid was going to make it. She was in bad shape, but he would do what he had to. Debby was currently getting the shock trousers on Enid and inflated to the right amount of pressure. "Okay. Chris you can take Ezra out of here now. Make sure everything is ready for when we get Enid out. We need to get her to the hospital as fast as possible."

"Okay Nathan. We will be ready." Chris picked up his end of the stretcher that held Ezra. He looked down at him and his heart felt heavy. Ezra didn't look good at all. He and Vin carefully got Ezra up through the hole and now all they could do was wait for them to get Enid free.

Nathan moved over to Enid and double checked the shock trousers. It wasn't that he didn't trust Debby to do it right, he just wanted to be completely sure. If they weren't right then Enid could die when the beam was lifted from her. "Okay Josiah. We can lift the beam now. Debby are you ready to pull her out?"

"Yes Nathan, I am ready." Debby was worried. Enid's pulse was weak and she was obviously in shock. They had managed to get an IV on her, but she was still worried.

"Be gentle, when you pull her out." Nathan nodded to Debby and moved next to Josiah.

"On 3. 1.....2......3" Josiah and Nathan lifted the beam. Their muscles straining with the weight. The beam lifted a couple of inches and Debby pulled Enid out from under. Josiah and Nathan quickly lowered the beam and moved to where Enid lay.

"How's she doing Debby?"

"Nothing seems to have changed. I guess we got the trousers right." Debby was stroking Enid's hair. She was very worried about her friend.

"Let's get her out of there then." Nathan and Josiah gently placed Enid on the stretcher. Debby held the IV and they moved to the hole. There Chris, Vin, and Peaches were waiting to help her out. Rebecca was waiting at the helicopter. It had arrived a few moments ago. Once out of the hole, Chris and Vin moved quickly to the helicopter with the stretcher carrying Enid. The ambulance with Ezra in it had left a moment ago and Erica's was already at the hospital.

"I want the search for to continue. There could still be people in here. I doubt alive, but we have to recover any bodies there might be. I am headed to the hospital." Rebecca got in her car and Chris, Peaches, Vin, Sihn, and Debby all got in with her. They had to go to the hospital. Had to know if the others would make it.

Renee and JD watched them go. Renee turned and grabbed on to JD. She needed to feel his arms around her right now. "JD, they have to make it."

"Shhh. They will baby, they will." JD took Renee's face in his hands and gave her a deep kiss. He too hoped they made it. Ezra and Enid were good friends of his and Erica was becoming a good friend. "Feel better?"

"Yes JD. Thank you." She smiled at JD. She felt his fingers brushing the tears from her cheeks. "Shall we get back to work?"

"Yes." JD took Renee's hand and they moved back into the building to continue the painstaking search.

On the ride to the hospital, Ezra drifted in and out of consciousness. He tried to move the oxygen mask off his mouth so he could ask about Enid. The paramedic would move his hand back to his side and tell him to lay still. Ezra desperately wanted to know how Enid was. He finally drifted into unconsciousness as they reached the hospital. Unaware that the paramedic had given him something to put him out. It wasn't good for him to be moving about, so the paramedic had sedated him. They pulled him out of the ambulance on the stretcher and moved him into the ER.

By the time Ezra reached the hospital, Enid was already there. The helicopter had arrived there about five minutes before. Enid was taken straight to surgery where she was given blood before they began to operate. Her condition was serious and they needed to act fast. She was bleeding internally and they needed to repair her broken pelvis. Dr. Robinson got his instruments ready and organized on the tray. He looked at his patient laying on the table in front of him. She was a lovely young lady and he hoped he could save her. "Nurse. I want at least four pints of A positive blood standing by. Once we go in she will lose a lot of blood until we get the damage repaired. Have the blood bank standing by with more in case the damage is worse than we think."

"Yes doctor. Everything is ready when you are. The anesthesia has taken affect and she is deeply under." The nurse moved to a phone and called down to the blood bank. There were four pints of blood on the way up and more waiting.

"All right nurse. Let's begin." The doctor made his first incision. The blood was everywhere and he used suction to quickly remove it so he could see what he was doing. There were several punctures of veins and some bruising to her liver and kidneys. He fixed the punctures as quickly as he could. By the time he finished with that, all four pints of blood were used and he had sent for three more. Now that the bleeding had been stopped he could work on fixing her broken pelvis. It would require screws and a plate to hold it in place. Once it was healed some of that could be removed. He was glad to see there was no damage to her uterus and ovaries. She was too young to be unable to have children. He did notice that she was already missing one ovary.

The surgery took many hours and the doctor was very tired when he was finished. Enid's vitals were still very weak and she was being put in the ICU. It was still questionable as to whether she would survive. The fact that she survived the surgery was a good sign. There had been a few times when her pulse had become erratic during the surgery and Dr. Robinson thought they might lose her, but she had settled back down. Now all they could do was wait and see.

Ezra was now resting in a private room. While Enid had been in surgery the ER doctor had stitched up Ezra's leg and set his shoulder. Putting it in a sling. They had taken a CAT scan to see if there was any damage to his brain from the head injury. There was some swelling, but nothing that looked to be life threatening. They had given him several pints of blood and hooked a pain killer up to his IV. So he was sleeping now.

Erica was in a similar state. A doctor had performed brief surgery to place some pins in her hip and put her arm in a cast. A CAT scan had also been performed on her and she just had a concussion. She also had a pain killer and was sleeping deeply. All the members of the Spice Gang and Team 7 were in various states of sleep in the waiting area. Dr. Robinson had filled them in on Enid's condition and they were not going to leave until they knew she would be okay. The task of searching for bodies had ended before Enid's surgery was complete. Several more bodies had been found, but everyone was glad it was over. Now all they had to do was wait and see if their friends would be okay.

Vin was holding Sihn in his arms and kissing her gently. It was obvious to him that she was very worried about Enid. Hell, they all were. Enid was a special lady and very good at her job. Vin also knew that Ezra would be devastated if he lost her. He had never seen Ezra so in love before and felt it was only a matter of time before he and Enid made things more permanent. That was if Enid survived this. She had been through so much over the last few years and Vin knew she was a tough lady. He just hoped she was tough enough to win this battle. "Sihn. Are you all right?"

"Yes Vin. Being in your arms helps so much, I do love you." She kissed him deeply.

"I love you too Sihn." He kissed her back. He had to admit that he never had such strong feelings for a woman as he did Sihn. She was a special lady in her own right.

Enid was in a deep state of unconsciousness. She felt nothing and knew nothing of what went on around her. Her mind on the other hand was active. She was thinking of Ezra and praying that he was okay. He had seemed to be in bad shape the last time she saw him. Enid remembered the feel of his silky hair under her fingers. She wanted to be with him, wanted to feel his arms around her as they made love.

Ezra was having similar thoughts. He was not unconscious, just asleep and his dreams were of Enid and the many, many times they made love. He wanted that to continue and prayed she would live. If she did he thought he would finally ask the question and hopefully start working on having a baby together. He knew it would be harder with Enid only having one ovary. He also didn't know what kind of difficulties this latest incident would have. Could she carry a child after having a broken pelvis? It was something he would have to ask the doctor. He hoped so. Even if it meant bed rest during her pregnancy, he would do everything he could for her. He never wanted to marry and have babies with Enid more than he did right now. "I love you Enid." He whispered in his sleep.

Erica was also asleep. Her dreams were not quite as pleasant. She kept reliving that night and the pain and fear it had caused her. All she wanted was to forget, but that would not happen. She also found herself very worried about Ezra and Enid, especially Enid. She had been in such serious condition and right now she didn't even know if her friend was alive. Enid was one of the best friends she had and so was Ezra. She prayed they would both be okay. She couldn't imagine her life without the two of them in it.

Peaches was snuggled in Chris' arms. She was dozing but she still felt the strong, reassuring arms of her lover around her. She had never thought she could fall so totally in love, but she had with Chris. Their relationship had been intense so far, they fell hard and fast. The love making began on their first date and did not slow down. She was very glad for his presence right now. She was so worried about Enid and Erica. She knew Erica would be okay after she healed, but Enid's condition was unstable and she could still die. That frightened her. She held Chris tighter and looked up at his handsome face. "I love you Chris."

"I love you my little fuzzy peach." Chris leaned down and kissed her deeply. He had only called her his little fuzzy peach in private so far, but did not think anyone heard him now. He was wrong. Buck had heard.

If the situation had not been so grave, Buck might have teased Chris about what he just heard him call Peaches. He would definitely file it away for future torture though.

Ezra opened his eyes to a familiar scene. A hospital room. He was in some pain, but could tell that he was on pain medication. He wanted to know if Enid was going to be okay. Wanted to know if she was even alive. 'God please don't let my Darlin Enid be dead.' Ezra had finally decided it was time to make their relationship much more permanent. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her and could not live without her. He wanted to tell her that he wanted to have a baby with her. He'd come far too close to losing her too many times. It was time he made the commitment. He wasn't afraid to, not with Enid. He had worried that she would resist getting married. It would change their relationship and he himself had worried what that would mean.

Enid was still in a deep state of unconsciousness. She had lost a lot of blood and suffered pretty severe internal injuries. It would be some time before she came to and there was still the question if she would live. Her pulse was still weak and if not for the pain medication, she would be in tremendous pain. Her thoughts were still of Ezra and if he had been taken care of. She knew she was in the hospital, so Ezra and Erica must be too. She prayed that the two of them were all right.

Erica was also awake now. She had some minor aches, but the pain medication seemed to be doing it's job. Her thoughts were also of Enid and Ezra. She also thought about her fellow Spice gang. Was the ordeal at the building over? Were they all safe? These were questions she didn't have the answer to right now. She looked up as the door to her room opened. She saw Rebecca walk in and she had a lot of concern on her face. "Rebecca, is everyone okay?"

"Everyone is alive right now yes. Whether they are okay or not is yet to be determined." Rebecca moved next to Erica's bed. She sat down in a chair and looked at her agent. She looked very tired and weak. "Are you okay Erica?"

"I've been better, but I am okay. How are Enid and Ezra?" She was so worried about them.

"Ezra is doing all right. He's resting in a room a few doors down." Rebecca was almost afraid to say anything about Enid.

"And Enid?" She was scared now.

"She's in ICU. Her condition is being monitored closely, but they still don't know if she'll pull through." Okay, she said it. Now hopefully Erica wouldn't become too worried.

"She will make it Rebecca. She would never leave Ezra alone." She knew that for a fact.

"I hope so Erica. I really do. I'll let you get some rest." Rebecca rose to leave Erica so she could get some rest. She didn't want to keep any of her agents from getting the rest they needed.

"Rebecca? You will tell me if anything happens with Ezra or Enid." Erica closed her eyes as she felt the fatigue wash over her.

"Yes, of course Erica." So far no one had claimed responsibility to for the bombs and they had nothing to go on. Rebecca just hoped everyone survived this.

"Thanks Rebecca." Then Erica was asleep again.

"Your welcome Erica." Rebecca left the room. Once back to the waiting room, she made all her agents go home and get some sleep. It had been a very long night.

Chris and Rebecca decided to send their teams home. There was nothing they could do at the hospital and they all needed some sleep. As Buck passed Chris he whispered in his ear. "Goodnight fuzzy peach." Then Buck ran out the door. Barely being missed by Chris' swinging arm. Damn, someone had heard him call Peaches that. Chris knew that he would never hear the end of it from Buck. He knew Ezra was going to be okay, a little time in the hospital and some rest. Emotionally he didn't know how Ezra was though. Chris knew that Ezra would be very worried about Enid, at least until she was out of the woods.

"Chris? Are you okay?" Peaches had been watching Chris and could tell he was deep in thought.

"Yes Peaches, I am fine. I was just thinking about Ezra and the worry he must be experiencing." Chris moved over and put his arm around her. He was falling in love with her like he hadn't fallen in love in a long time. Not since Sarah. He kissed her cheek and whispered. "Your place?"

"Sure, it's a lot closer." Peaches had fallen madly in love with Chris from almost the moment she met him. They both needed sleep, but she knew they would be making love before that happened.

"Let's go then." Chris turned to see Renee and JD, as well as Sihn and Vin still in the waiting area. "Go home people." He watched as they nodded. He and Peaches were then out the door and on the way to her place.

"Sihn, can I take you home Darlin?" Vin was sometimes amazed at how perfect he and Sihn seemed for each other. He felt his love for her growing every day.

"Will you stay?" Sihn wanted Vin to stay. It had been a difficult day and she didn't want to be alone. It had been a while since they made love too. Something about these kinds of events made you really thankful for what you had and tonight she wanted Vin.

"Yes baby, I will stay." He'd be more than happy to. He had come close to losing three friends today and he needed Sihn right now.

"Ready to go JD?" Renee asked. She knew they would be going to her place too. His apartment that he shared with Buck was a mess. It seemed they all needed to be with the ones they loved that night. It had been such a painful and terrifying day and they all needed some loving.

"Yeah JD. I really need you tonight." Renee kissed JD deeply and then stood up. They walked out of the hospital arm in arm. She looked back at the now empty waiting room and felt a pang of guilt that they were leaving. She realized there was nothing more to do, so she put it out of her mind and would just enjoy the night with JD.

During the night Ezra tried to get out of bed. He wanted, no needed to see Enid. His attempt was futile as every muscle in his body protested. His leg and shoulder were aching and his head was pounding. After several attempts to get up, he decided he would have to wait until morning. Then one of his friends could help him get up and go see her. His mind drifted to thoughts of how and when he would ask Enid to marry him. He wanted that more than ever now. He loved her with all his heart and soul. He had never thought that he would love anyone so powerfully. That was until Enid walked into his life. He never forgot the day she walked into that conference room. It was the first case that Team 7 and the Spices had worked together. She had actually sat next to him and even her scent sent a chill up his spine.

Their relationship had grown pretty fast and become very intense. When she lost their baby during that terrible stabbing, he had felt his heart break. Now he wanted another chance to have a baby and a lifetime with her. It was all rather shocking and unnerving. He had not thought he was the marrying type and had never seen himself getting married. It was amazing how one moment in time could change all of that. Now it was all he could think about.

Kathi and Nathan were enjoying a quiet dinner at an intimate restaurant when Kathi's cell phone rang. It made her jump, because she wasn't expecting any calls that night. She hoped nothing bad had happened to Enid, Erica, or Ezra. They had left the hospital early, needing something to eat. "This is Kathi."

"Kathi, this is Rebecca. I was just calling to let you know not to come back to the hospital tonight. Everyone has gone home to get some rest, so enjoy your evening." Rebecca didn't want Kathi and Nathan wasting time going to the hospital only to find no one there.

"Thanks Rebecca. How is everyone?" She knew that much probably hadn't changed, but she had to ask.

"Ezra and Erica are stable. Enid is still in ICU and unconscious."

"Okay, I will see you in the morning Rebecca." She ended the call and looked at Nathan across the table. Squeezing his hand that was holding hers. "She just said they sent everyone home, so we don't have to go back to the hospital."

"That's good, everyone is okay then?" Nathan smiled. He would take her back to his place where they could be together that night.

"Ezra and Erica are stable, but Enid's still in ICU." Kathi was very worried about Enid. She also knew that Enid was a fighter. She wouldn't give up easily.

"Good, shall we go back to my place?"

"Sounds wonderful." She waited while Nathan paid the check and then they left the restaurant together.

Back at the hospital. Erica was having trouble getting comfortable. Her hip was aching and if she didn't lay in just the right position, it hurt even more. She hated being injured like that. It kept her down and unable to do anything. She was grateful to be alive and not too seriously injured. Enid was not so fortunate and she spent her sleepless hours thinking about her and hoping she would make it through this. Erica didn't have a lot of friends in her life, but Enid was one of the best she ever had. She couldn't lose her now. Ezra had become a good friend too. He was a kind man and such a gentleman. She was glad that he would be okay too. She didn't think either of them could live without the other. Ezra had come very close to losing Enid several times now and it had to be terrifying to him.

Enid moaned and opened her eyes. She felt so very weak and sore. She couldn't move a muscle. It hurt too much. She couldn't keep her eyes open and it only took a moment before she was out again. She had noticed two things, it was dark and she was alone. She imagined everyone had gone home for the night. It had been a rough day and she knew they all needed sleep. Still it was a strange and lonely feeling to wake up and find yourself completely alone. Ezra would have been there, she knew that. If he wasn't injured himself. She hoped he was okay. It was becoming quite clear to her that she could not bear to lose him. She needed Ezra in her life and wanted to spend the rest of it loving him. No man had ever made her feel so loved and wanted. She knew Ezra loved her completely and it gave her such a warm feeling that filled her heart and soul. It was that feeling that had kept her alive.

Buck quietly slipped into Ezra's room. He'd been worried about him all night. He wasn't quite prepared for what he found once he was in Ezra's room. Ezra was sitting up and looking at him with those intense green eyes of his. "Hey Pard, how ya feelin?"

"Buck, I need your help." Ezra was trying to get up from the bed.

"Take it easy Ezra. What's the matter?" Buck was worried. Ezra never got this irritated. He moved to the bed and steadied Ezra with his hand on his arm.

"I need to see Enid and you have to help me." Ezra hated being helpless. With his arm in a sling and his leg all bandaged up, he couldn't get around. "Help me into a wheelchair."

"Sit still Ezra. Let me go find one. Geez I've never seen you like this." Buck went out of the room and grabbed a wheelchair sitting in the hall. He had never seen Ezra so upset. Buck knew that Ezra loved Enid with all his heart, but he still hadn't seen him so frantic. He went back in the room with the wheelchair, rolling it over to the bed. "Okay Ezra now let me help you. I don't want you hurting yourself more."

"Thank you Mr. Wilmington." Ezra leaned on Buck as he helped him out of the bed. Pulling his IV off the stand and putting it on the hook on the back of the wheelchair. "Where is she?"

"In the ICU. She's alive Ezra and she's a fighter. You know that." Buck knew he probably shouldn't be doing this. Ezra needed his rest, but he also knew Ezra wouldn't rest until he saw Enid.

"I know she's a fighter, but I just need to see her for myself. Can you understand that Buck?"

"Yeah Pard. I can understand that." Buck wheeled Ezra out of the room and down the hall. The ICU was at the end of the hall through a pair of swinging doors. They moved along in silence. Buck understood how Ezra felt. He'd never loved a woman the way Ezra loved Enid, but he had loved before and knew how it felt. He pushed Ezra through the doors and towards the curtained off section that Enid was in. "Okay Pard. I'll leave you alone for a few minutes."

"Thank you Buck." Ezra reached out and took Enid's hand. She looked so pale and fragile. He just wanted to take her in his arms and protect her forever. He rolled the wheelchair closer to the bed and held her hand tighter. "Enid Darlin? Can you hear me?" He wanted nothing more than for her to open her eyes.

Enid was aware of the hand holding hers. She recognized Ezra's voice and the worry that it carried, but she was too weak to open her eyes. She tried hard but they just wouldn't open. So she tried to speak instead. "Ezra?" She managed to get it out, but it was weak and faint.

"Enid?" Ezra heard her whisper his name. "Come on Darlin. Open those baby blues for me." He held her hand tighter and watched her beautiful face for any reaction.

"Can't." She was too weak and drifted into a deep sleep.

"Enid?" Nothing, no response. He knew she was in a deeper sleep again. At least he had seen her and knew that she was going to be all right. "I love you Darlin." He felt Buck's hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Buck and tried to hide the tears in his eyes.

"She's gonna be okay Ezra." Buck's heart broke to see Ezra so upset. He never got emotional except when it came to Enid. "Let's get you back to your room. I have a feeling you didn't get any sleep last night."

"Very well. Thank you for helping me Buck." Ezra was very tired. He had hardly slept at all that night. He was too worried about Enid and wanted to see her.

"Think nothin of it Pard." It was obvious Ezra was exhausted and Buck was glad he could help his friend. He got Ezra back to his room and helped him into the bed. He hung Ezra's IV back up over the bed and pulled the covers up under his chin. Ezra was asleep almost instantly. "You rest now Ezra." Buck took the wheelchair back out to the hall and left it where he found it. Then he headed to the office. There was work to be done if they were going to find out who planted those bombs.

At the Spices office Aislynn and Melissa were carefully going through the evidence they had gathered. Bomb fragments and other physical evidence had been gathered and now they were trying to piece together that evidence. Hoping to narrow down the possibilities of who could have planted the bombs and why. Kathi was identifying the bomb fragments and giving that information to Renee and Antoinette. Renee and Antoinette then fed the information into the computer and catalogued it.

Rebecca was in her office trying to read the files in front of her. They contained information on every group that had used any kind of bomb in the past. It was a long list and she couldn't concentrate. She was worried about Enid. Erica had her concerned too, but Erica was stable and conscious. Enid was not and she was still in serious condition. The outer office was quiet. Her agents were all working on their reports from the events of the previous day. She knew they were having trouble concentrating too.

Sihn sat at her desk drumming her pen on the top. She stared at her computer screen, but didn't see what was there. Her mind kept drifting to yesterdays events. She'd never been involved in a situation like that and it had shaken her. She had managed to keep in control until she and Vin had gotten back to her place last night. Almost the moment they were in the door she had collapsed in Vin's arms and cried. Vin had held her and stroked her hair. She appreciated the fact that he didn't try to get her to stop crying. He let her cry and get it all out. They had sat on the couch in each others arms for a while, kissing and sharing a bottle of wine. Then they had gone to her bedroom and made love. Falling asleep in each others arms. She finally registered her computer screen and went back to typing her report.

Enid's eyes slowly opened. She felt so groggy and couldn't move. As her vision began to focus she realized that someone was with her. At first she thought it was Ezra, but as her vision became clear. "Chris?"

"Yeah. How ya feelin sweetie?" Enid was not one of his agents, but one of his agents was in love with her and as such they had become fairly close. He knew how much Ezra loved Enid and he had a special place in his heart for her too. She was a special lady and a real fighter.

"Tired. Ohhh, I hurt." The pain in her lower body was intense. She knew that she had to be on pain medication, but it wasn't enough.

"Lay still. You had a broken pelvis and they had to operate to stop the internal bleeding. I will get the doctor." Chris hated to see her grimace in pain. He knew she must be in a lot of pain and he would find the doctor so he could give her more medication.

"Wait. Ezra....he was here. Please tell him....I love him." Enid watched Chris as he nodded to her. She could feel herself slipping back into unconsciousness.

"I will sweetheart. I will." Chris left the ICU to find the doctor. The doctor needed to know that Enid was awake and that she was in a lot of pain. Then he would find Ezra. First he wanted to know why he had gotten out of bed and who had helped him. Then he would give him Enid's message.

Ezra was asleep in his room. Chris didn't want to wake him, knowing he needed all the rest he could get. Ezra was dreaming of something that had happened a few months ago. He and Enid had taken a long weekend and gone to the mountains. It was one of the most wonderful weekends he'd ever had. The two of them had spent much of the time making love. When they weren't, they went for long walks and sat in front of the fire. Enid had given him a beautiful blue topaz pinkie ring during that trip and he never took it off. He knew he didn't have it on now, he wasn't allowed to wear jewelry in the hospital. He would have it on again the minute he could.

Erica was sleeping restlessly. Her hip hurt and she was worried about her friends. She hadn't heard anything about Enid's condition since last night and she wanted to know how she was doing. She opened her eyes to find Chris in her room. He had decided to check on all of them. "Chris?" She was confused. Why was he in here? She didn't know him all that well.

"Yeah. I thought I would just check on you and see how you were doing." He liked Erica, she was a sweet and beautiful lady. He loved Peaches a great deal, but Erica was a good woman.

"I'm okay. A little pain but not bad. Do you know how Enid is?"

"I was just there. She was awake for a few moments and in a lot of pain. She drifted out again when I was leaving." He knew Enid would be okay. They would all be okay in time.

"Thank you Chris. I appreciate you coming in and checking in on me." Erica was somewhat taken aback by Chris's visit. She really liked him, but hadn't thought he really even noticed her.

"Your welcome. Now get some rest." Chris smiled and left Erica to get some rest.

The next few days passed slowly. The work on finding who planted to bombs was not going well and both the Spice Gang and Team 7 were getting frustrated. Both teams spent from sun up to sun down going through the evidence and paperwork. So far they had nothing. The bombs had been very sophisticated, but did not match anything that had been used before. Either an old group was using something new, or there was a new player in town that they didn't know about. Either way they were worried about further bombings.

Chris had assigned his team, with the help of the Denver PD, to go around checking out any suspicious activities. It was tedious work and so far had not resulted in any information or arrests. Every member of Team 7 had been to the hospital each day. They took turns and visited not only Ezra, but Erica and Enid. Ezra was doing much better and his strength was returning to him. He would not be able to use his arm for a while and he would have to walk with crutches until his thigh was healed. He was not doing too well in spirit though. He was worried about Enid and it made him somber and quiet. Chris worried about Ezra. If Enid had any complications or setback, he didn't know what Ezra would do.

The Spice Gang had been working hard on the bomb fragments. So far they were unique. Kathi was quite impressed with the technology and sophistication of them. It had taken a genius to build them and quite a bit of money. So whoever was involved was well financed. That fact had given Maria an idea. She had decided to check and see if there had been any recent thefts of large amounts of money. So far she hadn't found anything, but she'd only covered about half the country. There were a lot of large deposits of money, gold, and gems all over the country and she had to check all of them. Rebecca had decided that this weekend she was going to take her team to a spa. They needed to relax and have a little pampering. They were all so frustrated and stressed out over this case. Not to mention worried about Enid and Erica.

Erica was doing well. She still had pain in her hip and arm, but not as severe. She would be out of commission for some time before her hip was healed. The doctor had advised that Erica could be back at work in six weeks, but would be required to do desk duty for another month after that. She would also have to go through physical therapy to strengthen her hip and arm. She was in fairly good spirits and happy to be alive. She was also relieved to know that Enid would live. How long it took her to recover was another question. There was also the question if she would recover enough to go back to her job, Erica hoped so, work would not be the same without Enid there.

Enid was conscious more often now. She was always groggy and disconnected when she was awake. The pain medication she was on was strong. It had taken a few attempts to get the level of medication just right. She had experienced a great deal of pain during that time. Her body seemed to ache all over and her pelvis had hurt so bad that she cried. Ezra tried to be with her as much as he could, but he couldn't get around too easy so he wasn't always there. He had been there when she woke up in excruciating pain. The tears flowing freely and Ezra had done his best to comfort her until the doctor could come. That was the day before yesterday and today she was much more comfortable. The doctor had finally found the right level of medication. Right now she was sleeping and Ezra was seated in the chair next to her bed. He wanted her to become alert enough that he could talk to her and make sure she knew he was there. So far though she had been too groggy and out of it to be able to really speak. He had so much he wanted to talk to her about, but he wanted her to be completely alert when he did. He held her hand tight and dozed off himself.

The next day they got a break. Chris and Vin had found a supplier that had provided some of the components for the bombs. He gave them an address for where the men he'd sold them to lived. Chris and Vin headed for the location and called Josiah, Nathan, and JD to meet them there. Buck was at the hospital right now. Chris and Vin arrived at the address and waited for the others to arrive.

Josiah, Nathan, and JD arrived a few minutes later in an agency vehicle and met with Chris and Vin. It was decided that Chris and Vin would go in the front and the others would take the rear. They weren't sure how many people were inside or what kind of weapons they would have. Everyone put on their headsets and moved into position.

At the Spices office, Rebecca had put on a headset as well. Chris had called her to let her know what was happening. This way she could monitor what was going on and possibly provide backup if necessary. She listened as Team 7 talked to each other and moved into position. She was a nervous wreck. What if something went wrong? What if it was a trap? Or the house was rigged to explode? All these scenario's went through her analytic mind.

"All right. Everyone move in." Chris spoke through the headset. He and Vin kicked the front door in. Chris could hear the others coming in through the rear. They had taken the occupants completely by surprise. "Everyone freeze. Federal Agents." Chris hollered out.

The six men in the house were stunned. They thought they had gotten away with the bombing scott free. They were wrong. They quickly put their hands on their heads and stayed still while they were cuffed.

Josiah, Nathan, and JD got the men cuffed while Chris and Vin checked the house for evidence. Travis had given them the go ahead to raid the place and what they found was enough to put the bombers away for a good long time. It seemed that they had a grudge against a certain company. That company had an office in the bombed building. It was a national company and had offices all over the country, including another one in the Denver area. Chris turned the prisoners over to the Denver PD and gave them the evidence. The team headed back to the office to start the paperwork. Chris would call Buck at the hospital and let him know they had caught the bombers. He knew that Ezra, Erica, and Enid would want to know that the people that had nearly killed them had been caught.

Buck was in Ezra's room when his cell phone rang. The two friends had been talking about the case. Buck pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Wilmington."

"Buck, this is Chris. We caught the bombers and they are in custody. I thought Ezra and the others would want to know."

"Yeah. Thanks Chris I will tell them." Buck was thrilled that the bad guys had been caught and would pay for almost killing Ezra and the two beautiful ladies.

"Okay Buck. I've got work to do. I'll talk to you later."

Buck ended the call and smiled at Ezra. He knew Ezra would be happy. He also knew that the ladies would be happy too. "That was Chris. They caught the bombers and they are in custody."

"Wonderful. I am glad those miscreants have been caught." Ezra was more thrilled than his exterior expression revealed. He wanted to kill the people that had almost taken his beloved Enid away from him. No punishment they got would be good enough in his mind.

"I need to go tell the others. I will be back." Buck stood and turned to move to the door.

"Buck? I want to tell Enid. Please?" Ezra wanted to be the one to tell Enid that the awful people that had done that were caught.

"Sure Ezra. I will go and tell Erica and come back. I can help you get to Enid's room." Buck went out of Ezra's room and headed for Erica's room. He knew she would be glad to hear the news.

Ezra was not about to wait for Buck to come back. He carefully got out of bed and put his robe on. He grabbed the crutch he had been getting used to using. Ezra then made his way out of his room and down the hall to Enid's room. She was no longer in ICU. He pushed the door to her room open and made his way in.

Enid opened her eyes as she heard someone entering her room. She was a little more alert now, but the pain medication kept her somewhat out of it. She had no trouble recognizing Ezra though. She loved him so much and she would never mistake who he was. "Ezra?"

"Yes Darlin. How are you feeling today?" Ezra made his way to Enid's bed and managed to sit on the edge. His leg and shoulder hurt, but he didn't care right now. He was with Enid and right now he cherished every moment of that.

"A little more coherent." Enid tried to smile at Ezra. It amazed her that no matter the situation, he always looked so incredibly handsome.

"Wonderful. I have some good news for you Darlin." He took her hand and held it. His other hand gently caressing her face.

"What's that?" It still took Enid a moment to register things through her medicated state.

"The bastards that blew up the building have been caught. They are in custody and will be punished for their crimes." He could see the emotions in Enid's beautiful blue eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and hold her.

"That's wonderful Ezra. I am so glad to hear that." She squeezed Ezra's hand. Right now she wanted nothing more than to be in his arms and kissing him.

"You rest now Darlin. I will come back later." Ezra leaned forward to kiss her. His lips touching hers for the first time in days. It caused him to let the kiss linger. Reveling in the feel of her soft, warm lips. In the taste of her.

"I love you Ezra. More than life itself." Enid could not prevent the tear from falling.

"I love you too Darlin. More than you could ever know." Ezra brushed the tear away and watched as her eyes closed. He knew she was still very weak and disoriented. He made his way back to his room and found Buck waiting. "Mr. Wilmington."

"Ezra. You are the most stubborn son-of-a-bitch I have ever know." Buck had a huge grin on his face as he helped Ezra back into bed. It only took a few moments for Ezra to drift off to sleep, but not before Ezra could reply to his comment.

"Thank you Mr. Wilmington. I take that as a compliment." Then Ezra was asleep again.

Rebecca had gathered all of her agents that were presently in the office, around. She wanted to tell them that Team 7 had caught the bombers and they were now being held for questioning and then trial. "Ladies, I have some great news. Team 7 has caught the bombers and they are now in custody"

"That's great." Renee replied

"What a relief." Peaches commented

"Thank God." Kathi added.

"Wonderful." Sihn said.

"Now we just have to finish up the paperwork and tomorrow we are off to the Spa. I think some of Team 7 will be joining us there. They need a little relaxation too." Rebecca had made a point of selecting a Spa that catered to men and women, just in case Team 7 wanted to join them. She did not forget that several people would be noticeably missing. She planned to purchase a care package for both Enid and Erica. It would include some bath oil, lotion, mud mask, and other various items that would help them feel better. She was also going to pick up some shave gear for Ezra.

"I am so looking forward to this." Renee was so ready to relax and spend some quality time with JD. She knew he would be coming along and looked forward to spending some time alone with him in the hot tub.

"So am I." Sihn smiled. It had been a long time since she had a weekend of pampering and couldn't wait. Vin had revealed a secret to her and she had fought hard not to laugh. It seemed that Vin couldn't wait to get up there and take a nice mud bath. She had commented that that sounded like her wild and woolly man. They'd made love again after that.

Everyone went about finishing their reports. They all hoped to go home early so they could start packing for the weekend. Rebecca was smiling for the rest of the day. It made her so happy to see her agent all happy and relieved of stress. She was looking forward to the weekend as well. This past week had been a nightmare and she had almost lost three people that meant a lot to her. This weekend would be a chance for all of the agents from both teams to spend some quality time together.

At the hospital Ezra had wakened again and was playing solitaire. He had wanted to go be with Enid again, but she was being taken down for some tests and x-rays. The doctor wanted to be sure that her pelvis was healing properly. His mind wasn't focused on what he was doing. He could practically play solitaire in his sleep. No, his mind was on Enid. Just as it almost always was these days. He'd never been so into anyone before in his life. He thought of her almost every hour of the day. He had to find the right moment to ask her his question. He was nervous about it and didn't know why. He didn't have any doubt that she'd say yes. He also needed to find just the right ring. It had to be special, because it was for a special lady. It needed to express just how much he loved and adored her. She was not just his lover, she was his best friend.

"Ezra?" Erica had asked a nurse to help her into a wheelchair so she could go see Enid and Ezra.

"Ms. Erica. It is good to see you. How are you feeling Darlin?" He was indeed glad to see her. She had probably saved his life and Enid's as well. She had suffered great pain to get him out from under that beam and he was very grateful to her.

"I'm not too bad. My hip and arm hurt some, but not bad. How are you?" She was happy to see Ezra looking good. He always looked good, but he looked much better than the last time she saw him. "I wanted to see Enid, but she wasn't in her room. Is everything okay?"

"Yes. Don't worry Erica. They just took her for some tests and x-rays." He reached over and took her hand as she moved next to the bed in the wheelchair. "Listen Erica. I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I know it caused you a lot of pain to help me and I am very grateful."

"Ezra please. I didn't do anything. Your my friend and I wanted to help you." Erica was ready to cry. The sincerity and warmth in Ezra's words were so sweet. She had been looking down at her hands in her lap. When she felt Ezra's hand on her face she looked up. She'd looked into those amazing green eyes many times and they still stunned her with their intensity.

"You are far too modest my dear. If not for you Enid and I might both be dead." Ezra brushed the tears from her cheek and leaned forward to give her a gentle kiss on the lips.

Erica was a bit stunned by Ezra's actions, but she knew it was in friendship and nothing more. She of all people knew how intense his love for Enid was. He was just trying to soothe and thank her. "Thank you Ezra. Enid is the luckiest woman in the world."

"Your welcome Erica. It is I who am lucky. My life would not be the same without Enid in it. I was so lonely and miserable until she came along." Ezra smiled at Erica and continued to hold her hand. The two of them talked for another hour. Ezra told her about his plans to ask Enid to marry him and she thought it was a wonderful idea. Her exact words were "Well Ezra. It's about time." Then Erica went back to her room. It still didn't take a lot for her to get tired.

The first day at the Spa was a relaxing one. The case was closed, the criminals and evidence were in the hands of the court, and everyone was alive. A small group of Spices had spent the day together. Going to get facials and massages together, then enjoying the sauna. A select number of Spices and all the members of Team 7 were absent. They were spending time alone together. Enjoying quality time with the ones they loved. Making love, eating breakfast in bed, soaking in the hot tub. It was a wonderful day and everyone was relaxed and happy. The whole group was meeting at a nearby restaurant for dinner. It was time they were all together to celebrate solving the case and that their friends had survived.

Rebecca stood to make a toast before dinner arrived. They had several bottles of champagne at the table and everyone was talking and laughing. "I would like to make a toast." Rebecca waited for every to stop talking and make sure their glasses were full. "Here's to Enid, Ezra, and Erica. Thank God they are still with us and we miss their presence here."

A chorus of "Cheers" went up and everyone drank their champagne.

"I would also like to make a toast." Chris stood up and picked up his glass. "Here's to the Spice Gang and Team 7's continued association. We do work well together." He took a drink and the chorus of "Cheers" went up again. He sat back down and gave Peaches a deep kiss. There was no point in hiding their relationship anymore. Everyone knew the two were serious about each other.

Buck smiled at the two lovers. He still had his plans to torture Chris over calling Peaches his *Fuzzy Peach*. He was just waiting for the perfect opportunity. Right now his attention was fully on Greylyn. They had spent all morning making love and then moved to the hot tub on their balcony and shared lunch. It had been a great morning and he was now enjoying dinner. He had to admit that it wasn't the same without Ezra there. His quick wit was always good for some laughs.

Kathi leaned over and gave Nathan a kiss and next to them, Aislynn was giving Josiah a kiss. Renee and JD were locked in a deep kiss that curled her toes. They were all so happy to be there together and knew that everything would be okay.

While everyone else was at the Spa, Ezra, Erica, and Enid all began to improve. Ezra would be released to go home on that Sunday and Erica would be released by the end of the week. Enid was another story, it would still be some time before she was allowed to go home. As it was Ezra and Erica had been ordered to stay with someone that could help them if they needed it. They were not to go home alone. Ezra was busy that Saturday. He was calling the different jewelry stores in town trying to find one that would create just the ring he wanted to give Enid as an engagement ring. He had it in his mind what he wanted it to look like and now he just had to find someone to do it.

Enid was completely unaware of Ezra's plans. Her mind was focused on other things. She worked on keeping her mind busy so she wouldn't feel the pain. It was easier when Ezra was with her. She could concentrate on him and the fact that she was so very grateful he was alive. This past experience had made her realized just how completely she loved him. She could not imagine her life without him and she had also decided that she wanted to have a baby with him. It was time they thought about that and she wanted to give him a son more than anything. Someone who could carry on his name. She just hoped she could have a baby. After all she'd been through the last few years she just didn't know. Her thoughts were on that situation a lot right now. Would Ezra still want her if she couldn't have one? That scared her more than anything. She knew he loved her, but she still worried about that.

Erica was feeling much stronger. She had visited Enid several times. She had not revealed Ezra's secret to her, because she wanted Enid to be surprised. Enid had confessed her concerns to Erica and she had tried to reassure Enid that Ezra would never leave her. Especially not just because she might not be able to have a baby. She knew it hadn't eased Enid's concerns, but she did try. She had revealed those concerns to Ezra and he promised that he would talk to Enid about that. He had no intention of leaving her over that. If she couldn't have a baby then they would adopt one. Sure it wasn't the same as creating a life with their love, but it was still a good option.

On Sunday most of the Spice Gang and Team 7 went back home. Vin, Sihn, JD, and Renee all decided to stay one more night. It was the most quality time they had together in a long time and both couples wanted that a little longer. Neither couple left their rooms until it was time to leave. Vin gave Sihn a long, deep kiss before they went their separate ways, as did JD and Renee. They knew they'd see each other soon, but it wasn't soon enough for them.

Chris had gone from the Spa to the hospital. He knew Ezra would hate it, but he would be staying with Chris until he was well enough to go home to his own place. He knew Ezra would need some company too. He'd gotten so used to Enid always being there that he knew the man would be lonely without her. He was happy to see that Ezra was ready to go when he got there. The release papers were all taken care of and Ezra was packed. He knew Ezra hated hospitals and couldn't wait to get out, but he also knew that Enid was still there. "You ready to go Ezra?"

"In a few moments Mr. Larabee. I take it I am staying with you?" Ezra hated being baby-sat, but it was doctors orders and he knew Chris wouldn't let him break those orders. He had one thing left to do and he would be ready to go. He needed to see Enid first. "I need to say goodbye to Enid and then we can go."

"Okay Ezra. I will wait here." Chris watched Ezra. He was doing pretty well with the crutch. It was obvious that he was still in pain though.

Ezra made his way down the hall to Enid's room. As he walked in it appeared that she was asleep. He hated to disturb her, but he couldn't leave without saying goodbye. As he approached the bed he began to realize that something was wrong. She was very pale and seemed to be in a great deal of pain. "Enid? Darlin, can you hear me?" He reached for the call button and pushed it frantically.

Enid heard Ezra call her name, but the pain was too great and she felt so weak. She didn't understand why she felt that way. She had been feeling so much better earlier and now she felt like she had when she was first injured. She felt Ezra take her hand as his other hand stroked her hair and pushed her bangs back off her forehead. She wanted to open her eyes, but couldn't. The pain was making it hard to breath and she was scared. She did manage to squeeze Ezra's hand.

"Darlin, hold on I have called for a nurse." His mind was racing with the possibilities of what could be wrong. He thought Enid was doing well and on the way to recovery. 'God don't let her die please?' He needed to tell her how much he loved her and wanted to marry her. He had found the jeweler to make the ring for her and it was going to take a week to make. He hoped he still had her to give it to. "Hold on."

Chris had heard the commotion in the hall and came running out to see several nurses and a doctor rush into Enid's room. "Oh no." He was worried now. What could be wrong? He knew Ezra would be upset and moved towards Enid's room to be there for him. He grabbed Ezra's good arm as the nurse ushered him out of the room. "Ezra, what's going on?"

"Chris.........she can't die." His voice was barely a whisper and it broke Chris's heart to see Ezra so upset and worried. He knew the feeling though and would do what he could. "Ezra, can you tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't know, she......she was in great pain and very pale." He knew something was wrong, but he didn't know what. He watched as they wheeled Enid out of the room and towards the elevators. The doctor headed in their direction.

"Mr. Standish. It appears that something has caused some internal bleeding. We are taking her to surgery to repair the damage. I will keep you informed." The doctor turned and hurried down the hall.

"Chris....." He was distraught. Why did this have to happen to her. He would gladly trade places with her right now, if it would just make her well again.

"I know Ezra. Come and sit down." Chris guided Ezra to the waiting room. He pulled out his cell phone to call Rebecca. He knew she and her team would want to know what happened. They sat waiting for what seemed like an eternity. About an hour after they took Enid away Rebecca, Maria, Greylyn, Kathi, Peaches, and Aislynn showed up to join them. Erica was already there, Chris had gone and gotten her from her room. Finally the doctor came into the waiting room and glanced at all the people waiting there.

"Ladies and gentlemen. I had to operate on Enid again. One of the pins in her pelvis had come loose and put a small hole in a vein. That caused internal bleeding and the pain she was having. I have removed the pin and several others. Her pelvis is healing properly and the hole has been repaired. She is asleep now, but she should be just fine."

"Thank you doctor. When can I see her?" Ezra wanted to be with her right now, but he knew that he would probably have to wait a while.

"In an hour or so. She's in recovery right now and once we know her vitals are stable, she will be returned to her room. I will come and get you then." He nodded his head and left the room.

"See Ezra. She's going to be fine. Try not to worry." Chris put his hand on Ezra's shoulder. He could see the worry in his green eyes.

"I will try Chris, but I will feel better when I see her for myself." He glanced at Chris and could see the worry on his face.

An hour later the doctor came and got Ezra. Enid was back in her room and he could now see her. Most of the others had gone home for the night and the only people left were Chris and Buck. They were going to take Ezra home when he was finished visiting Enid. They had decided to go to Ezra's house while he recovered. Chris's house was too far away and Buck's place was a disaster area. They had both watched as Ezra walked down the hall to Enid's room. The doctor walked with him so he could tell Ezra what Enid's condition was. "Enid is deep asleep and resting comfortably. Everything seems fine and there were no additional problems. I don't think this latest incident will set her recovery back any."

"Thank you doctor. Is she in much pain?" Ezra hated to see Enid in pain. It broke his heart to see her like this. So helpless and weak, in so much pain.

"Not at present. We gave her some pain medication. She will probably sleep through the night. I'll leave you with her now, but don't stay too long."

"I won't doctor. Thank you." Ezra moved to Enid's bed. When he heard the door close behind the doctor, he sat down on the edge of the bed. He looked down at his sleeping angel and thought again how much he loved her and could not be without her. He reached out and caressed her cheek with his fingers. Her skin was so soft and smooth. He loved to touch her and wanted nothing more at that moment, than to just hold her in his arms. "Please get well soon Darlin. There is so much I want to tell you, so much I want to show you." He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips.

Chris and Buck had been sitting in the waiting room for over an hour and Ezra still hadn't come out of Enid's room. Chris knew they were going to have to go in there and drag him out. "Well Buck. Guess we're going to have to drag him out of there."

"Yeah Pard. Can't blame him for not wanting to leave." Buck knew if it was the woman he loved they wouldn't get him to leave for anything.

"No, but we need to get him home so he can get some rest." Chris did not want Ezra's condition to worsen because he didn't take care of himself. The man didn't seem capable of taking care of himself when he was sick or injured. "Come on." Chris stood and Buck reluctantly got up with him. They made their way to Enid's room and quietly opened the door. Ezra was sitting in the chair next to the bed and he was holding Enid's hand. She appeared to be deep asleep and Chris wondered if she even knew he was there. Of course she knew, the two of them had a special bond.

"Come on Ezra. Time to go home and get some sleep." Chris moved to the chair and looked down at Ezra. He could see the worry in his green eyes as he looked back up at Chris.

"I have no intention of leaving Mr. Larabee. Not until she wakes." Ezra looked back at Enid. He wanted to ignore Chris and Buck. He was not leaving until Enid opened her beautiful blue eyes.

"Sorry pard. You have to go and you know it." Buck gently took Ezra's arm and helped him from the chair. He handed Ezra the crutch and smiled at him. "She'll still be here in the morning Ezra."

"I know Buck, but I hate to leave her alone." Ezra hated the thought of her waking up alone. Having no one there that loved and cared about her.

"She will be fine Ezra. She knows you have to get some rest." Chris opened the door to Enid's room and Ezra made his way out.

"Very well Mr. Larabee. I assure you that if I wasn't so tired, I would fight you on this." Ezra half smiled at Chris as he passed him.

"I know Ezra. Now lets get going. We're staying at your place."

"Both of you? I don't need a nursemaid, much less two." Ezra moved down the hall towards the elevators.

"Stubborn son-of-a-bitch." Chris whispered. He heard Buck laugh next to him.

"That's the truth." Buck knew it was true, but he also knew it was one of the reason's they loved the urbane southerner so much.

They got Ezra home and to bed. They had thought it would be a fight to get him to go, but he had gone willingly. Ezra was asleep the minute his head hit the pillow and would sleep through the night. He did dream of Enid, but they were good dreams. Dreams of how their lives would be in the future. Spending the rest of their lives together. Chris and Buck watched TV for a while and had a few beers. Then they crashed on the couch and recliner. It was a restful and quiet night for all of them.

Enid slowly began to come awake. As her eyes adjusted she could see that it was early morning. The light coming in the window was faint as the sun began it's slow accent into the sky. She felt pain, but it wasn't severe. She didn't know what had happened to her that night. All she could remember was the intense pain and weakness. As she turned her head she realized that someone was in the room with her. "Vin?"

"Yeah, how ya feelin little lady?" Vin had come to check on Enid for Sihn, Renee, JD, and himself. They had still been at the Spa and as soon as they heard Enid had to go back into surgery, they came back to Denver to check on her.

"Not great, but not too bad. What are you doing here at this time of day?" She wondered why Vin was there. She wasn't sorry he was there, she liked him well enough, but she did wonder.

"Renee, JD, Sihn and I had spent an extra day at the Spa and we came back when we heard you had to have more surgery. I came in to check on you for all of us." He could see that Enid was still tired and weak.

"That's so sweet of you. Please tell the others that I appreciate their concern, it means a lot to me." She closed her eyes. She was still very tired.

"I will Enid." Vin quietly left to let the others know that Enid was okay. They all headed home to get some rest themselves.

With each day that passed Enid became stronger and her pelvis and ribs were healing well. She and Erica had spent hours each day talking and keeping each other company. That was when Ezra wasn't there. He was there a lot and it seemed as if their love grew stronger, if that was possible. When Erica was released she went and stayed with Maria. She would need help getting around until her hip was healed. Enid couldn't wait until she could go home, but it would be a few more weeks and lots of physical therapy before she went home.

"Hello Darlin." Ezra walked into Enid's room. He no longer needed the crutch, but did use a cane and his arm was no longer in a sling.

"Hello Ezra. Your looking very handsome today." She knew he always looked handsome, but there seemed to be something different today. Maybe the smile on his face that made his eyes sparkle.

"And your looking quite beautiful." He leaned over and kissed her deeply.

When she could speak again, Enid said. "Rebecca was here earlier and she helped me use some of the things she brought me from the Spa, including washing my hair." Enid smiled. It had been a long time since she had seen Ezra smiling the way he was and she wondered if he was up to something.

"I love you hair, it's so soft and silky." He ran his hand through her hair and kissed her again. He was starting to feel nervous. It was time to ask her the question and he was nervous. What if she didn't want to marry him? What if she liked their relationship the way it was? He doubted that, but it still gnawed at the back of his mind.

"I love you Ezra. Don't ever forget that." She kissed him this time and melted into his strong arms.

"I could never forget that Darlin and that's why I am here." Okay. He could do this, it was just a simple question and he felt certain he knew her answer. He had picked up the ring for her that morning. It had turned out perfect. A heart shaped diamond with a single ruby resting where the curves of the heart came together. The diamond represented his love for her and the ruby represented his passion for her.

"What do you mean?" He was acting strange today and she began to wonder if something was wrong.

"Enid, you are the love of my life. You are my life and my heart and soul would be empty without you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the velvet box. "I never want you out of my life and I want you to marry me." He opened the box and placed the ring on her finger.

Enid was stunned. She never thought Ezra would ever ask her to marry him. She thought he was happy the way things were. She could not prevent the tears that streamed down her face. Ezra had just made her the happiest woman in the world and the ring he gave her was exquisite. "Oh Ezra.....Yes I will marry you. I want that more than anything. I want to be your wife and have your babies. I love you more than life itself and I want to grow old with you."

Her tears continued to fall as Ezra held her tight in his arms and kissed her deeply. He let every ounce of love he had for her flow through the kiss. He wished more than anything that he could make love to her right now.

Enid endured the weeks of physical therapy. It was painful and exhausting, but having Ezra there made it easier. Knowing that she would soon be his wife also made it much easier. When she was finally able to go home, Ezra had taken her to dinner first. It was one of the most romantic evenings she ever had. When they got home Ezra got a fire going in the fireplace and Enid noticed that there were roses all over the house. Ezra was being incredibly romantic these days and she loved it. They spent the evening in front of the fire. They held each other tight, it felt so good to be in each others arms again. They kissed for long periods of time and Enid became lost in him.

In another month Enid was healed enough that they could start making love again and begin to work on having a baby. They would get married on Valentine's Day and have a wonderful two week honeymoon in Hawaii.

The End!