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Ali suspected it was his appendix, and apparently Dr Cole the examination, he ordered X-rays Ali accompanied Commander Dillon while the X-rays were taken The coh she knew every touch, no ht him pain

One look at the fil by the a, his appendix could rupture any ery, which he planned to perfor as happening and why She hooked up the IV and taped the needle in place After checking the fluid bag, she glanced down and discovered hi her She smiled shyly, unaccustomed to such intent scrutiny

Frank closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath

Ali squeezed his hand "Don’t worry, we’ll have you back to your coood as new," she promised

He was silent until just before he was rolled into the surgical bay He gripped Ali’s hand unexpectedly and with surprising strength Half rising frourney, he said, "It’s bad Listen, if I don’tto live to tell about this, Coave his hand another squeeze and urged him back down Their eyes met and she did her best to let hiood care of hied in another deep breath "I don’t mean to sound fatalistic, but I don’t have any fao--no kids My brother died a few years back and I’ve never updated my will"

"I’m sorry about your brother," she told him softly

His hand clutched hers "Money to charity Decide for me Promise you’ll decide forany into surgery with you," she whispered "If God decides it’s your tih she was certain he was past hearing anything, she thought she detected a faint sressed, Ali wanted to chastise the co to seek medical attention He had risked his life because of--what? Pride? Ignoring the pain hadn’tto heal itself

The surgery was routine until they found that, exactly as she’d suspected, the appendix had burst Extra time and care was needed to ensure that the infection was completely eradicated before it could spread to the entire abdo a ruptured appendix wasn’t as life-threatening as in years past, but it was serious enough

After the surgery, Commander Dillon’s incision was closed and he was taken into Recovery Lieutenant Rowland was sent in to replace Ali, whose shift had ended

"I’ll stay with hi at the commander’s bedside, she took his blood pressure every twenty minutes until he woke from the anesthesia several hours later

He moved his head instinctively toward Ali, who sat by his side

She sument It see your soul, Commander"

"You sure about that?" he whispered weakly "I thought this painnow?"

"Like soive you so for the pain" She stood and reached for his chart to make a notation "Rest now Your body’s had quite a time of it" That was an understatens confirer

Ali sat with the commander for another hour and then reluctantly turned her patient over to Rowland

"Do you know the commander?" the lieutenant asked as she left the recovery area

"I met him our first day out"

Rowland seemed surprised that she’d stayed with hiot as little as four or five hours’ sleep a night, but hadn’t been able towas certain: this man had her attention Just as Adam had Shana’s…

Frank Dillon was lost in a dark, lonely world Every so often he heard a soft, feure out where he was Then he reery, the nurse--that soft voice was the nurse talking to him The one who haunted his dreams He prayed it was her and in the saht, and on the rare occasions when he found the strength to open his eyes, she was standing by his side

She sood Not of flowers or perfume, but a distinct womanly scent Clean and subtle and…just nice It lured hi else he’d ever experienced He wasn’t a man accustomed to the ways of women He’d lived his life in the Navy and for the Navy, and he’d learned the hard way that he wasn’t meant to be a Navy husband

He’d married at twenty-five and Laura had left hio His wife had walked out when she realized no a would persuade hin his commission She knew before they were married that he’d randfather had Nothing was e, not Laura, not one da She hadn’t been able to reconcile herself to that and he doubted any woman ever could Other commitments took second place to military life He’d accepted that, and dedicated hiretted his decision Until now--and noould willingly have sold his soul to keep this woman at his side He needed her, wanted her and he didn’t care what it cost hi women serve at sea Frank hadn’t been one of the Senior Medical Officer Alison Karas had taken up far hts than warranted He’d decided from their first, chance encounter to stay away fro his career for a shipboard roh to accomplish with five thousand sailors aboard the USS Woodrow Wilson It was just his luck that she was the one on duty Luck or fate? He wasn’t sure he’d like the answer