Dr. Liu pulled back the privacy curtain allowing the late morning sun in from the large windows in the ward. Before waking his patient he ripped the printout from the health monitor and reviewed it.

"Mr. Carrick?" The doctor called out without a response. He woke Jimmy by moving his injured right foot.

"Damn it!" Jimmy scowled but lowered his anger when he looked up to the transplant specialist. "Oh hey, Doctor."

Dr. Liu pulled the sheet back exposing the numerous sutures to the soul of his donor patient. "I read the report they sent to my office." The doctor shook his head. "This is your way of staying out of trouble?"

Jimmy simply shrugged. "I can not dodge everything the world throws at me."

The doctor read a partial list."Smoke inhalation. Glass shards. You were on oxygen?"

"There should be a second report." Jimmy reluctantly added.

Dr. Liu flipped the page. "A high speed auto accident?"

Jimmy's defense didn't go over well. "I wasn't driving."

The doctor pulled his glasses off. "A concussion? You were unconscious? There is no way..."

"Do not finish that sentence, Doctor." Jimmy sat up in his bed. "Jordan is getting my kidney tomorrow morning."

"I get to determine that, Mr. Carrick."

"I am good to go."

"Too risky."

"For who?" Jimmy asked a legitimate question. "For you or for me?"

"This discussion is over."

"You didn't even run any of your own tests." Jimmy spoke firmly. "It is too risky for you. Isn't it?"

The doctor fell silent.

"You don't want to be seen as a failure." Jimmy fought for the operation and pressed Dr. Liu. "Jordan doesn't have the time to wait for me to be a hundred percent and you know it!"

"You could die under the knife." The doctor countered. "A stroke, heart attack, any number of things could happen."

"I will sign the release form right now." Jimmy offered. "Jordan gets one of my kidneys in the morning."

Dr. Liu replaced his glasses. "Okay. I will have you moved to the seventh floor today. I want to monitor you personally."

Jimmy nodded.

Dr. Liu turned to see Windy waiting at the edge of Jimmy's area, her eyes brimming with tears. "Miss South." He turned back to his patient before leaving. "I will see you later today."

The happiness and enthusiasm Windy had just moments before completely evaporated. "Jimmy?"

"Win, I have one job to do and that is save Jordan."

"I want you around after the operation."

"I will be, Win! The doctor is just worried about his reputation." Jimmy tried to pull her close.

Windy balked at being close to him, instead chosing the visitor's chair. "Oh, really? There's no guarantee,  Jimmy!"

"Win?"

"I know you would do anything for Jordan but what about..." Windy stopped there.

"But what, Win?"

"I have to go." Windy stood. "I'll see you."

"When?" Jimmy watched her walk away. "Win?" She disappeared around the corner. "What the hell?"

Windy ran for the stairs. She passed Dana in the hallway.

"Windy?!" Dana followed her into the stairwell. "Windy!"

"I have to go, Dana."

"No, wait, Windy!" Dana couldn't stop her athletic friend. She made her way back to the ICU. "Jimmy, you're a jackass!"

Alice called out to Dana. "Mrs. Kerron!"

Dana waved to the head nurse before entering the ICU. She walked directly to Jimmy's corner, closed the privacy curtain before ripping into her ex-boyfriend. "Jimmy Carrick, I only thought you were the biggest ass in the city but today it's a fact!"

"What the hell are you going on about?" Jimmy sat up with his feet hanging off the bed.

"What did you say to Windy?" Dana punched his shoulder.

"Damn it, Dani!" Jimmy rubbed his shoulder.

"What did you say to her?" Dana doubled down.

"Nothing!" Jimmy thought. "I don't know!"

"Then why is she running out of the hospital and away from you?" Dana raised her voice alerting Alice.

The head nurse rushed back into the ward and to the corner. "That's it! Mrs. Kerron, out!" Alice pointed emphatically to the exit. "Mr. Carrick sit right there!"

"Oh crap!" Jimmy grabbed his hair. "What the hell is happening?"

Alice returned with a wheelchair. "Dr. Liu wants you on the seventh floor? I'm gonna deliver you personally!" She turned the health monitor off and unhooked the sensors from his body.

"I apologize, Alice."

"You bring more drama to my ward than the bachelorette to Sunday night television." Alice stopped momentarily to address Jimmy. "I do my best to help people recover! I can not do that with you here."

"Alice, you're right." Jimmy stood on his left foot and pivoted onto the wheelchair. "I'm a horse's ass!"

"I believe Mrs. Kerron suggested a jackass." Alice corrected Jimmy.

"If anyone would know, it would be Dani." Jimmy began to wheel himself out.

"Hold on there, Mr. Carrick." Alice grabbed the handles. "I am personally delivering you to Dr. Liu myself!"

As Alice wheeled Jimmy out of the ward Joey Fortune raised his head and mumbled. "Carrick?" The moment was short lived as his strength had not fully returned.

Seventh Floor

Alice delivered Jimmy to Dr. Liu's head nurse, Christina. "These are his charts from the ICU." Alice gave a fake smile. "Good luck, Chris!"

Christina watched Alice rush back to the elevator trying to avoid any explanation to her delivering Jimmy early. She wouldn't even look back.

"What is that all about?" Christina looked at Jimmy from the nurse's station.

"Drama." Jimmy suggested.

"I'd say. You weren't expected until after dinner." The head nurse for Dr. Liu's transplant team scratched her head. "Weird."

"Stress." Jimmy skirted his responsibility in this matter.

"We haven't got a bed ready for you yet, Mr. Carrick."

"Maybe I can spend some time with my daughter before the operation." Jimmy looked at Christina for approval. "I'm in no hurry for a bed."

"I guess that would be okay." The nurse pointed to the general direction. "You know the room."

"Thanks." Jimmy wheeled himself into  Jordan's room. "Hey Kiddo, are you awake?"

"You know how annoying it is being called, Kiddo?" Jordan shuddered in pain.

"Hey hey hey, are you okay?" Jimmy wheeled closer.

"Ah, could use a kidney. Other than that, things are golden." Her sarcasm ran thick.

"I'm the newest seventh floor resident." Jimmy stopped his chair so he could be face to face with his daughter. "I am required to give a kidney."

"Funny, Dad!"

"For real! They are getting my bed ready now." Jimmy reached out to his weak daughter. "Hey, has anyone sang for you today?"

"Yeah, right." She rolled her eyes. "You see anyone here?"

"So, any requests?"

"You are crazy!"

"Let's just talk then." Jimmy looked at Jordan. "Ask me anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, of course!"

"Tell me about Windy?" Jordan moved her head. "You love her?"

"Ohhhh, okay." Jimmy leaned back to stretch a little.

"It's not a workout...just talk."

"She is tall. She has this mass of hair." Jimmy held his hands up to his head.

"Come on, Dad!" Jordan spoke softly. "Tell me how you met her."

"Okay. Did you know I'm addicted to lattes?" Jimmy tried the Talk to Your Daughter for Dummies version. "It's true!"

"Dad!"

"I'm setting the scene. Chill. There's this coffeehouse in Vancouver I used to go to study, write papers, or just people watch. Better?"

"Yeah but let's get to Windy."

"Got it. You see Windy loved the same coffeehouse and we both liked sitting at the huge window looking out at the Avenue. One night we were packing up and I happened to put one of her nerdy books in my backpack."

Jordan weakly face palmed herself.

"It was purely innocent! But Windy didn't see it that way and called me a thief." Jimmy laughed. "I can't say for sure but I think I did it on purpose."

"Men!" Jordan huffed.

"Well, we need to find unique ways to meet women."

"Ever try the word, hello?"

"Ah, noooo!" Jimmy childishly answered his daughter. "She is too hip for a simple hello."

"Windy is sooooo cool!"

"She really is the coolest. The most dependable."

"Beautiful." Jordan added.

"Absolutely gorgeous." Jimmy agreed.

"So where is Windy?" Jordan raised her head.

"I think I made her run. Just like I made your mom run from me." Jimmy shrugged. "I don't try to do these things. They just happen."

Jordan curled her index finger to get Jimmy to come closer. He leaned into his daughter. "You don't want to lose her, Dad."

"No, I don't." Jimmy watched his daughter close her eyes. "You're a real charmer, Jimmy." He kissed Jordan's fingers before he wheeled out of her room and back to the nurse's station.

"Mr. Carrick, where is Miss South?" Christina looked beyond Jimmy.

"Good question."

"Is she still with Jordan?" She added.

"What are you talking about? She left the hospital an hour ago." Jimmy looked at the nurse like she were crazy.

Christina returned the are you crazy look to Jimmy. "No, she stopped by to check on you. I sent her to Jordan's room."

Jimmy shook his head. "I didn't see her. Are you sure it was her?"

Christina nodded.

"I'll be right back." Jimmy rolled his way to the elevator. "Win?"

"Hey." Windy stood by the elevator.

"Hey, Gorgeous." Jimmy gave her one of his wry smiles. "Want to sit for a bit, maybe talk?"

"Yeah. I'd like that, Jimmy." Windy flashed a quick smile.

"You look tired, Win." Jimmy started. "I'm sorry you lost everything in the fire."

Windy shrugged and looked to the floor. "I didn't lose everything." Looking up she added. "I got you out. Nothing is more important to me than you."

Ah crap, that's it! That's why you ran! "You have always been there for me Win." He slowly shook his head. "You are irreplaceable and I couldn't love someone more than I love you in this moment."

Windy wrapped her long fingers around the back of Jimmy's head and pressed her lips to his for a long lingering kiss. When she released Jimmy he could see her tears.

"Come, sit." Jimmy offered his lap to Windy she accepted and sat.

"Jimmy." She leaned her head into his. "I have been a fool."

"Win, I cornered the market on being a fool."

"No, Jimmy." Windy placed a finger over his mouth. "I have regretted tossing your ring into the ocean every single day. I made it seem we were not meant to be together but I was just afraid of losing you."

Jimmy kissed the palm of her hand.

She continued. "I never want to be without you ever again. I love you, Jimmy." Windy paused before adding one more thing. "Marry me!"

He pulled her hand from his mouth. "Win?"

"Jimmy, I am asking you to marry me." Windy try to stand but he held on too tightly. "I will get down on one knee if I have to!"

"Yes!" Jimmy kissed the palm of her hand again. "I will marry you!"

"Yes?!" Windy embraced her man.

"Yes, Win!"

The two sat quietly until the elevator doors opened. Dr. Liu smiled. "When you have a moment Mr. Carrick. See me in my office. Miss South."

"Well Miss South, or should I say, the future Mrs. Carrick?"

"I am keeping my name, but you are welcome to take it. After all, I asked you to marry me!" Windy kissed Jimmy to avoid a petty argument.