had feelings for her, she'd felt it the night they'd kissed and Riley had sought

comfort in her arms. Riley herself had admitted it the night she'd removed her

sutures. Sam sighed in frustration turning to stare out the window.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley was at the nurse's desk completing Sam's discharge orders. She knew

there was no reason to see her before discharge but she couldn't resist one last

chance to spend a few minutes in the beautiful cop's presence. She wished

things could've turned out differently between them, that they'd met in another

place and time. In a few hours she'll be gone and you can go back to your

pathetic life, Riley sighed to herself. She'd watched Kim and Jess together and

couldn't help wondering if that was what she was giving up a chance of having

with Sam. Sam stirred feelings in her she'd never felt before. Her thoughts were

interrupted by a deep male voice asking for Sam McKenna's room number. She

looked up into familiar blue eyes and couldn't hold back a gasp of surprise.

Standing across the counter from her was the male version of Sam and

Jess. Damn did their parents have some kind of weird copy machine

somewhere? It's just spooky how much alike they look. Riley watched as one

eyebrow rose and the man smiled at her. She realized with embarrassment that

she'd been staring open mouthed at him. Mentally shaking herself, she

addressed the man.

"Let me guess you're Sam's brother." It wasn't a question. That little half smirk she'd seen grace both sisters' faces appeared on their brothers'.

"Yeah, that's me." The big man held out his hand to Riley. Her hand disappeared

in his huge paw. He put an arm around a petite blond that had come up next to

him. "Nice to meet you Riley, this is my wife Cheryl."

Riley was momentarily taken aback by the man's use of her first name. How

does he know who I am? She wondered. Her surprise must've shown on her

face.

"Sorry Dr. Connolly." She jabbed her husband in the side before continuing.

"Jess described you perfectly."

Riley blushed as she stood up to greet the small blond. She was very similar in

height and build to Riley. Her blond hair was shoulder length and pulled back

into a ponytail. Her sparking hazel eyes met Riley's in frank appraisal.

"Nice to meet you both." Riley said as she stepped around the desk. She craned

her neck to meet Frank's eyes. He was even taller and bulkier than Sam and

Jess. "Follow me and I'll take you to your sister's room. I was just completing her

discharge papers."

Riley stepped into Sam's room with Frank and Cheryl in tow. Sam's head turned

as the door swung open. She saw Riley and her expression hardened. Riley met

Sam's eyes hesitantly and flinched when she read the anger in them.

Sam slowly rose from her chair totally ignoring Riley. Her face lit up when she

saw her brother and Cheryl. They both quickly stepped over to Sam and

wrapped her in a hug. Riley watched with something akin to envy as Sam

wrapped her arms around first her brother then Cheryl.

"So you ready to blow this joint?" Frank asked Sam teasingly. She'd come back

into his arms after hugging Cheryl. He could sense the tension in the room and

Sam was trembling slightly. He didn't have a clue what was going on between

Sam and the beautiful doctor. Kim and Jess had filled him in and he'd thought

now that Sam was being discharged things might work out between the two.

Except Sam was acting strangely refusing to even look at the little redhead.

Sam still in her brother's arms finally looked over at Riley. "Was there something

else you wanted Dr. Connolly?" She asked coldly. Presenting an angry front to

Riley was her only choice. It was taking every bit of her willpower to keep from

rushing across the room and sweeping the doctor into her arms.

Riley stood rooted to her spot by the door. She wanted so badly to connect with

Sam, explain again how sorry she was. It was obvious Sam had no interest in

anything she had to say. Riley just couldn't let it go she had to see and touch her

one last time and damn the consequences.

She cleared her throat trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Yes, I need to do

a final check on your incision before I release you."

Sam looked like she was going to refuse then her shoulders slumped and she

gave in.

"Okay," she agreed unwilling to meet Riley's eyes.

Riley turned to Frank and Cheryl. "Could you wait outside please? This won't

take long."

Frank met Sam's eyes making sure she was okay with this before taking

Cheryl's hand and leaving the room. "I'll be right outside if you need me Sis." He glanced sharply at Riley before leaving. He couldn't help wondering what'd

happened between the two women. All his protective instincts had come

charging forward when he'd felt Sam trembling slightly in his arms.

The silence in the room was deafening. Though they stood only 10 feet apart, it

might have been 10 miles. Riley finally broke the silence.

"If you'll get on the bed please and lower your sweats I'll check your incision and

then you can go." Riley said with a slight quaver in her voice.

Sam slowly made her way over to the bed. Once she was lying down, she lifted

up her hips and slowly lowered her sweats to her knees. Riley gulped and felt

the wetness pooling between her legs as she watched Sam lower her pants.

She tried to force herself back into her professional persona. The upper incision

was covered by Sam's boxer shorts. When she reached out to lower them Riley

stopped her placing a restraining hand on her wrist. She knew if Sam lowered

the boxers, she'd do something totally inappropriate.

"It's okay." She told Sam softly. "I can see fine with them on." She lightly squeezed Sam's wrist before releasing it. Riley carefully examined the incision

line below the boxers before gently pushing them up to expose the rest of the

incision. She rotated Sam's leg to check the second incision. She ran her fingers

over the incision lines in an almost light caress. Sam couldn't help it she groaned

as Riley's fingers ran lightly over the inside of her thigh. Riley's head popped up

at the sound. She met Sam's passion filled eyes and swallowed loudly. Their

gazes locked. Riley didn't even notice her hand was still on Sam stroking high

up on her inner thigh. Before she realized what was happening Sam had pulled

her down so she was sitting on the bed facing her. They continued to stare at

each other in a contest of wills. Riley gave in first, licking her lips, and breaking

Sam's gaze leaning toward her slightly. Sam sat up and leaned down her lips

inches from Riley's. She pulled back at the last second trying to read Riley's

expression. Riley couldn't stand it anymore. She leaned those last inches and

met Sam's soft lips. The kiss was electric. This time Riley pushed for entrance

into Sam's mouth. As she swept her tongue into Sam's mouth and began to

explore she forgot everything. She didn't care Sam was a patient or that they

were sitting on her hospital bed with Sam's sweats bunched up at her knees. All

that mattered was the incredible sensation racing through her body. They

continued to kiss passionately for several minutes. Riley was panting for air

when they finally broke apart. Sam clutched her to her chest in a tight hug. Riley

had to have more; she lifted her head and went back to Sam's lips again kissing

her deeply. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they slowly slid off

Sam's back and around to her front. Riley felt Sam gasp in her mouth when she

began to knead both of her breasts through her t-shirt. Sam's hands came up

and returned the favor.

Riley would wonder later just how far things would've gone had they not been

interrupted. A sudden banging on the door was like a bucket of ice water being

dumped on Riley's over-heated libido. She jerked away from Sam and jumped

off the bed trying to block Sam from whoever was about to barge in. By the time

Riley called admittance and the door swung open Sam had managed to

rearrange her clothes and stood next to Riley.

It was one of the floor nurses. "Dr. Connolly one of your patients is asking for

you."

"Thanks I'll be right there." The woman left closing the door on her way out. Sam immediately reached for Riley. Riley stepped back away from Sam. She had to

get out of there. This woman was dangerous she made her forget everything,

who she was, what she believed in. Riley was terrified of the feelings coursing

through her body. Sam stepped forward again trying to take Riley back into her

arms.

Riley met her eyes; they'd turned the most amazing silvery blue. "I can't, I'm

sorry I just can't do this." She tried to explain.

"Why?" Sam demanded. "I know you feel something, you can't deny that!"

Riley felt the tears gathering behind her eyes. "You're my patient; I can't be

involved with you. It's unethical."

"Ethics be damned! I'm not your patient anymore." Sam shouted in frustration

snatching up the discharge papers off the table and waving them at Riley.

Riley felt the tears start to flow down her cheeks. She slowly backed away from

Sam. "I'm so sorry." She said reaching for the door handle.

"Riley wait!" Sam watched in disbelief as Riley ran from the room. She'd done it

to her again, kissed her senseless then insisted they couldn't be involved. I can't

believe it! That's the second time she's run out on me. What kind of game is she

playing? She slumped back down to sit on the side of the bed. I will not cry, I will not cry, she chanted to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Frank stepped forward when the door started to open. He'd heard Sam's raised

voice but couldn't make out what was being said. Riley ran right into him. He

grabbed her by the shoulders trying to keep her from falling. That's when he saw

the tears trailing down her cheeks. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

Riley pulled away from him and ran down the hall.

"What the hell?" He rushed into Sam's room to find her sitting on the side of the bed her shoulders slumped and looking like she'd just lost her best friend. He

approached her and sat down on the side of the bed putting an arm around her

shoulders. She crumpled throwing herself against his chest and began to cry.

Frank looked at Cheryl helplessly, not knowing what was going on or what to do.

Cheryl sat down on Sam's other side. She didn't know Sam as well as Kim did.

Living in San Francisco, they didn't get to see as much of Sam as Kim and Jess

did; nevertheless, she cared for her sister-in-law and wanted to help.

"Sam... do you want to tell us what happened?" Sam shook her head never

lifting it from her brother's chest. "Do you want to go home?"

Sam nodded yes. Cheryl gathered up Sam's belongings and the three slowly

made their way out of the hospital. Sam never spoke a single word all the way

home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riley wearily made her way home at the end of the day grateful she wasn't on

call tonight. She had struggled through the day haunted by her final glimpse of

Sam McKenna. She'd hidden in a patient's doorway and watched as an angry

Frank pushed Sam's wheelchair down the hall. Sam's face had been a blank

mask. Several nurses had said goodbye and wished her luck. She'd barely

acknowledged them. She looked so defeated it tore at Riley's heart knowing she

was the cause. She'd tried all day to convince herself it was for the best. She

threw herself down on the bed as the tears she'd been suppressing all day