MS, or rather, Officer MS, stared out the passenger side window of the squad car. This was her first real day on the job, and she only hoped it went well. Sitting in the driver's seat was William Bitford, an experienced Highway Patrol officer of six years, was her partner and was supposed to coach her on the basics. They had run through the normal stuff, and if they found someone that needed pulling over, he would instruct her on that. MS had some rudimentary knowledge of a traffic stop, but as his old instructor always said, no traffic stop is the same as the last.

She could hear the garbled transmissions on the police radio. She looked ahead through the windshield in time to see a car swerving on the road. Eventually, he began moving into other people's lanes, then back into his own, creating a major hazard for other motorists. MS saw Officer Bitford reach up and flick the switch that activated the sirens. Within moments, they had the car pulled over. Bitford undid his seatbelt.

"All right, rookie, I'm gonna get out and question this guy on why he was all over the road. You get out and watch my back in case he tries anything. Just watch me for now, and I'll go over what I did later. You got it?" MS nodded and also undid her seatbelt before they both stepped out of the car. Bitford walked up to the driver's side window, and MS went over, hanging out near the right rear bumper.

The driver rolled the window down and he could hear the senior officer asking the regular questions. May I see your license, registration and proof of insurance, please? He ran through his head, just to practice. Officer Bitford took the documents back to the car so that he could take a better look at them. MS kept an eye on the car and behind her to make sure no other motorist endangered them. She then heard the door on the suspect car open and the driver stepped out, brandishing a Colt .38. MS took out his own service weapon, took the safety off, cocked it and aimed it at him.

"Drop your weapon and get down on the ground!" The man stared at her and aimed his own gun at MS.

MS was sweating bullets, but she tried to sound authoritative. Oficer Bitford had his own weapon drawn and was also trying to talk him down. "Drop your weapon!" But the man didn't drop his weapon. Instead, he fired two shots, one at MS, and one at Officer Bitford.

Bitford had ducked down behind the car door and avoided being hit. MS was not so lucky. The shot entred and exited through her waist, but it hurt so bad that she went down onto the asphalt. Her breathing became rushed as she started to hyperventilate. She had never been shot before, and her fear grew before she lost consciousness.

Bitford fired two shots at the perp that missed before he jumped in the car and took off. Bitford saw his partner down and grabbed the walkie-talkie in his car.

"All units I have an officer down, repeat, I have an officer down! Send an ambulance immediately!" He then rushed over to see if his partner was all right. After checking her vital signs, which were rapid, but good, he looked behind him and waited for the ambulance.

Officer Bitford had followed the ambulance to the hospital and went inside. The bullet had gone clean through, but unfortunately, it had hit a vein and MS was losing blood fast. She had been wheeled into the Operation theater and a female doctor whose nametag said Joseph Bain, along with a group of surgeons, had been able to mend the grazed vein and hopefully save her life. The seasoned officer leaned against the doorframe and looked at his young partner as she lay in the hospital bed. Wires were running up her nose and attached to her wrists.

"I'm sorry I didn't look out for you better, kid. I should have shot that bastard when I had the chance. He's gotten away for now, but he can't stay hidden forever. We'll find him, and I hope you're there with me when we do." He took a deep breath and turned to Dr. Bain.

"Thanks for taking good care of her, Dr. Bain. I've seen wounds like this before, and 99% of the time, they live and are able to recover successfully. Let's hope Officer MS won't be one of the 1% who doesn't. Good day, ma'am." He tipped his hat and left the hospital before heading back to his car and driving away. Something like this should not have happened on his first day.

When MS woke up, she wasn't surprised by where she was. She was in a hospital, and her head was spinning. She closed her eyes to let it pass, then reopened them. Checking the clock on the wall, she discovered that it was noon. Apparently, she had spent the night in the hospital, which was fine since it was customary for a gunshot wound patient. She felt a little embarrassed that she had been shot her first day, but it rolled off soon as her head started to spin again. She felt nauseous and looked around for a bedpan to throw up in. Not seeing one, she decided to swallow the bile and close her eyes tight. After the lesser of two evils had passed, she yelled for the 'Nurse' , hoping they had some kind of painkiller for her aching hip.

Joseph heard a patient yelling 'Nurse' and realized it was the woman who was shot. Joseph stood up, took pain killers in the tiny cup and a slightly larger cup of ice cold water in his other hand. He walked to the woman and smiled.

"Hey, are you feeling any better?" Joseph asked her, handing her the cup with the four white pills in it, then handing her the cup of water, with a friendly smile on his face.

MS took the painkillers and swallowed them with the water before placing both cups beside her bed. The nausea subsided and her eyes were able to focus.  Apparently, a pretty doctor had answered to her calling. His friendly smile made her feel better, and she smiled back.

"I'm feeling much better. I'm also hoping I can leave the hospital today and get back to work. Have to serve and protect after all." Her eyes then lost focus and she had to lay back.

"On second thought, it may be a bit longer." She chuckled and closed her eyes to let them rest. It surprised her a bit that a licensed M.D. would answer like a common nurse. It certainly warranted a question, but right now, she was too exhausted to ask it.

Joseph laughed softly.

"You won't be able to leave for at least two weeks." He said and threw the cups away. He took out a blood pressure device and took hold of her arm, he then took her blood pressure. After it was done, he wrote the info down onto a clipboard. After that, he took out a needle and said,  "Alright, I'm going to have to take your blood sample." 

He then took out a capful of alcohol and poured it onto a white cottonball, and then swabbed it on a spot on her upper arm and then puncered the needle into her arm and drew some blood, then he put it into a little cup and smiled.

"Alright, if you need anything, just ring the bell instead of yelling and someone will be in here to help you." Joseph said as he applied cotton on where he took his blood. He then walked out and sent the sample through the lab and put the clipboard in his file.

Joseph than packed all his stuff up and went home, feeling exhausted and tired.

MS was incredulous as the doctor walked out of the room. Two weeks?! How was she going to do her job with two weeks out of it? Surely the bullet wound couldn't be that bad. She sighed and laid her head on the pillow. She didn't know if she was going to be able to take a full two weeks in the hospital. The doctor was nice, though, so that would make things easier. Rolling over, she closed her eyes and began to rest, wishing instead that she was on duty alongside Officer Bitford.

Joseph groaned in pure pleasure as he threw himself down on his soft, feathery bed. He didn't bother changing out of his work clothes, but just fell asleep.

Several hours later, he sat up, gasping for air. Another nightmare. He sighed softly and glanced at the time than groaned once more, almost three in the afternoon, he had an hour to get ready and get back to work. Joseph stood up and took off all his clothes as he laid out a pair of blue jeans and a white tank-top, along with his white jacket that he was required to wear all the time, he than took a shower,  put on all his clothes, and gathered all his stuff up, he was than driving back to the hospital.

Fifteen minutes later, he was out of his car and walking to the desk where sh put everything away.

"How is Officer MS doing?" Joseph asked Carrie.

"Oh, she has been sleeping all day, wouldn't eat anything, maybe you could try." Carrie said.

Joseph nodded and walked into MS's room after knocking on the door twice. She was sitting up in bed, her lunch in front of her.

"You know, the food isn't all that bad here." Joseph said with a smiled as he walked over to her.

MS turned as Dr. Bain entered the room.

"Maybe so, but I'm not really hungry anyway." She puts the tray of food on a table next to her and laid back. The whole hospital stint was really starting to depress her. She felt like a louse, sitting in a hospital bed while the other cops did something to help clean up the streets. She'd even take a desk job right now if it meant doing something other than laying down on the bed. She placed her arms at her side and let out a sigh. She then turned to him.

"So, what do you need, doc? Need to give a shot or anything?" She then turned her gaze back up to the ceiling and waited.

Joseph let out a gust of air as he shook his head.

"No, you are a stubborn one, aren't you?" Joseph asked and smiled as he sat down, pushing the food back to her.

"We'll have to put you on a food tube, then you will have no choice but to eat it." he said, laughing softly as he took off the dark brown lid covering the food. "Now, eat." He said and stood up, walking out of the room and to Carrie.

MS sighed as the food was placed back in her hand. She looked at it, out the door, then back at it.

"I'm not the only one who's stubborn, doc," she said as she picked up a spoon and began to eat. It really wasn't half bad, but she still felt depressed. What kind of cop gets shot his first actual day on the job? How embarrassing. It would be different if she hadn't seen it coming, but she'd had her gun out and everything and still got shot. It was pathetic, and she knew she'd never live it down. The veterans would probably always remember her as the rookie who got shot her first day, and her whole career would be marred by that. Some way to start a career she'd worked very hard to start. Slamming the food down on the plate, she turned over and threw the blanket over her. She just wanted to fade away into sleep and forget that he was in a hospital.

"I used the tube feeding threat." Joseph said and Carrie laughed softly.

"Nice one." She said and Joseph nodded, tending to her other patients.

MS had been sleeping for a little while, but found that she couldn't stay down for too long. She heard a knock on her door and turned to see Dr. Bain. She then saw him holding two bags. It was a little surprising, but she couldn't say it was unpleasant.

"Hey, how are you doing?" he asked, and then pulled out two sandwiches from a bag and two medium sized drinks from the other.

"Surprise." Joseph said.

He removed the hospital food off the food tray and took out what he got her.

"I hope you like them." he said. He smiled and stuck the straw in his drink.

"Since we're not allowed to give our patients food and beverages, I just got you some tea." Joseph said jokingly, sitting next to MS and beginning on his food.

MS took the sandwich handed to her and nodded.

"Yeah, I love sandwiches. Thank you." A smile crossed her face for the first time in days as she pulled a napkin out of the bag. She then unwrapped a sandwich and bit into it. It tasted heavenly, and she realized how much she missed the outside world. Still, it wasn't all bad with the good doctor around. After taking another bite, she set it down and sipped his tea before looking at the doctor.

"So, do you treat all your patients this way, Dr. Bain? If so, I can see why they like you." She leaned back and looked at him with a pleasant look on her face as she awaited his answer.

Joseph turned back over to MS and shook her head. "No, I just felt sorry for you. Your partner explained everything to me, and I'm really sorry that... that you was shot on your first day." Joseph said, staring down. he then cleared his throat and packed away his food. "No matter, you'll be out of here in two days, anyway." he said and threw his trash away, then stared back at her.

"If you need anything, just ring the bell." he said as she walked out.

MS nodded and watched him walk out of the room. That conversation was a bit deep, though not deep enough for her not to notice the tiny slip-up in grammar. He felt sorry for her, so everything about her treatment made sense. However, she sensed something a bit deeper than that, and wondered what it was. Shaking her head, she cleared that from her mind.

MS was focusing on what she would do after she got out. She knew she'd have to check in with the precinct Captain, who would probably assign her a temporary desk job. After her wound healed up, she was going to go back out in the streets, much wiser now that she had been shot. 

Meanwhile, Joseph began packing up all his stuff to head home. He glanced up when hearing a crashing sound. Everyone else had already left, and he was waiting on the night doctor to come for his shift, but he would have came in a little more gracefully, right?

Joseph walked to the crashing sound and switched on the light to the main lobby. The glass sliding window was broke, its splinters of glass scattered everywhere. Joseph's heart began to beat fiercely in his chest. He started to turn around to run to the phone, but someone grabbed him from behind and covered his mouth, keeping him from screaming.

"Don't move, or I'll kill you." the deep voice said. Joseph felt something press hard into his back. He knew right then what it was. A gun.

MS was settling in to get comfortable, but her head kept resting against something hard. Reaching under the pillow, she found the hospital bell for staff. She suddenly heard the sound of a large bit of glass shattering. Knowing that it could possibly be a break-in, his cop instincts took over. 

Wheeling the IV machine to the closet right of her bed, MS opened it and looked inside. Her police uniform was inside, the blood from her gunshot wound dry. Finding her two-way radio, badge, handcuffs and service weapon, she took them out and shut the closet door. Turning on her radio, she kept it down to avoid alerting the perp. She tried to contact the station but there was no reply, and she knew she had to investigate. Attaching her radio, handcuffs and badge to her hospital gown, she checked her weapon.

Removing the clip, she found her gun was still fully laoded. Putting it back in, she checked the sight and found it perfect. Turning off the safety and pulling back the hammer, she grasped her IV machine and began to wheel it with her out of the room. Looking down the hall to the left, she spotted broken glass that had once been part of a sliding glass door. There was indeed a break in, and MS doubted if the perp had gotten off the first floor. Traveling down the hall, she peeked around the corner and saw the perp in the lobby. He had taken Dr. Bain hostage, which was bad. The perp's back was to her, however, which was good. If she could nail the shot perfectly, this perp was going down.

Holding her IV machine horizontally, she stepped out quietly and aimed her gun. Lining up the shot, she took a breath and fired. Blood hit the floor as the shot nailed the perp right in the shoulder blade of his gun arm, making it useless. The gun clattered to the floor and the perp fell, yelling in surprise and pain. MS rushed over and unhooked her cuffs. Pinning him to the ground, she hooked the cuffs on him and began reading him his Miranda rights. "You are under arrest on the charges of breaking and entering, assault with a deadly weapon and hostage taking." After she was finished reading the rights she asked "Do you understand these rights?" The perp was able to nod. "Good." MS pushed him against the wall and turned the safety on before stashing her gun in the waist of her hospital pants.

Reaching for her radio, MS pressed the buttons. "All units, I have apprehended the suspect. I need back-up to have him put on ice. Anyone copy?" She let go of the button and then a voice cued in. "MS, is that you? This is Officer Bitford. I'm happy to hear that you are OK. I will be there in five." MS nodded. "Copy that." She put away her radio and turned to her doctor. "You all right, Dr. Bain?" She asked with a bit of a smile.

Joseph screamed slightly at hearing a gun go off, but knew it had hit the robber instead of it being her, because he had released her and fell to the ground, yelling in absolute pain. 

Joseph stared at MS as she finished handcuffing the robber. "Wow, you're healing quickly, maybe we should let you out sooner than we expected to." Joseph said, then nodded at her question. "Yeah, I'm fine, thanks, by the way." he said and sighed. "I better clean this mess up and call in for a new glass door." Joseph said, frowning.

MS nodded at hearing that he was all right and pulled the perp away from the wall. Grasping his handcuffed hands with her right hand and her IV machine with the left, she began walking to the front door. Officer Bitford's patrol car pulled into the parking lot, and he exited his car and entered the hospital to meet MS.

"Hey, MS. You may release the suspect into my custody." MS pushed the perp towards Bitford, who turned him around and turned at MS. "I'll see you back at the station in a couple days, kid." He looked back and smiled before exiting the hospital. MS smiled back, then began to feel tired.

Her IV bag was almost depleted, and she knew she would need it changed soon. Grasping it, she began to make her way back to her room. She really could not wait to get out and do her job, but in this state, she was not going to be able to do much.

Joseph followed her. "I'll change the IV bag right quick." he said, and he did just that. "Is there anything you need or want?"Joseph asked as he adjusted her blankets, changing them out for newer and cleaner ones. "Anything to eat, or drink?" he added, smiling a little, his eyes sparkling with kindness.

MS felt pampered as he changed her sheets and IV bag. She guessed it was no surprise for him to be generous to her after she saved his life, and it felt good to be appreciated. Laying down in the bed, she smiled back. "Well, would it be asking too much for you to bring me a Pepsi-Cola. I could really use one right now." His smile framed the rest of his features perfectly, making him both beautiful and the very picture of the loving doctor. It was very soothing to her, and she felt better about her stay in the hospital.

Joseph smiled as he nodded. "Of course." He said and left the room, heading to the kitchen. Joseph opened the door and took out a Pepsi-Cola. On the way out, he grabbed a straw and headed back to MS's room.

He walked in and offered the drink, sticking the straw in. "Um, I just want to say thanks once again for helping me out earlier. I already called the repair company, they should be here sometime tomorrow afternoon to fix the glass doors." Joseph told MS kindly.

MS took the Pepsi-Cola can from his hand and drank a bit of it through the bendy straw. MS smiled at him. "Well, it is my job to serve and protect the public, and you most definitely needed help. I really hope the door is fixed soon." She took another sip before setting it on the cart next to her. She looked at him and smiled a bit. "I suppose you should get back to work. There may be patients who may need your help ." MS leaned her head back and closed his eyes, sinking into sleep rapidly. Joseph smiled and nodded.

“I hope so too, but we can handle it.” he said and nodded. “Okay, rest well.” Joseph said as he dimmed the lights and walked out, closing the door just slightly. 

He sighed as he packed up to go home. Another doctor was on duty, so he was released. On his way home, all he could think about was her comfortable bed, and MS. Why was he thinking about her? She was JUST a patient, then why was she feeling this way?

Joseph continued thinking this as he made his way into his apartment and straight to bed, not bothering to change or anything. As soon as he hit his feathery pillow, he was out.