After another week in the hospital, Dr. Shane Cole took her young love home. Cara was recovering well, and anxious to get back to the apartment, knowing Shane's tender loving care would help her recover even quicker. Even as they left the hospial, Shane's love and devotion were evident. As they got to the front door, a large, white limousine with a bouquet of white roses on the back seat, was waiting there ready to take them home. Hospital staff, who knew Dr. Cole well, as well as other visitors, watched anxiously to see who would get in the car. The nurse escorting them locked the wheels on the wheelchair, and as Cara carefully stood, the driver opened the backdoor of the limousine to reveal the roses. "Let's go home, my love.", Shane whispered to her. Staring at the car, and then at Shane, Cara said, "This is for us?" "For you, my girl." The driver handed the incredible bouquet to Cara and helped her into the backseat of the really big car. Then, Shane stepped in also and around to her other side and carefully sat close to her. The driver placed Cara's personal items and things from the hospital in a secure spot on the opposite seat as they both waved to and thanked the staff seeing them off, closed the door and got behind the wheel. "I can't believe you did all of this." Shane leaned closer and kissed her cheek. "This is the best day of my life. We're going home together."

That evening, they shared a small, quiet dinner together and then sat on the couch in front of the fire, Cara wrapped in the soft blanket from her bed, and laying back against a very happy Shane. "Do you ever think about how different this all would've been if I hadn't come into your exam room that day?" "You mean if your friend, Amanda, had actually been responsible?" Cara laughed softly, "Yes." "No, I don't. I only know how very happy I am now.", and she kissed Cara's head again. "I was never more scared in my life than that evening when I first saw you in the OR." "I'm sorry, Shane. I should've told you about the pain. I just thought it would go away when my period ended." "I forgive you, baby girl.", Shane softly laughed. "I think you've been through enough. Besides our little breakdown in communication was really my fault." "Still, I should've told you. I never felt anything so incredibly painful. I think I just passed out." "Yes, you did. All they knew when you were brought into the ER is that you doubled over and passed out at the coffee house. They did a CT of your abdomen right away and then called Dr. Evans." "And he called you." "Yes. But he didn't know about you and I. Not until he saw my face anyway.", she laughed again. Cara looked up and they kissed a soft, long kiss. "Let's go to bed.", said Shane. "Oh, yeah.", answered a hopeful Cara. Shane helped her stand, still wrapped in the blanket, and reminded her, "Not for awhile yet, Cara." "Fuck." "Hey, language my girl." "No. I mean that's what I really want!" They laughed together, Shane's arm around Cara, as they headed for the bedroom.

But just two days later, Shane awoke with her arm resting on Cara's back. Right away the doctor realized her patient was a little too warm again. Half sitting up, she put her hand on Cara's head. "Hi. What are you doing?" "You're running a little fever I think. I'll be right back." Shane slid out of the other side of the bed, and returned quickly with a thermometer and her stethoscope. Helping Cara turn onto her back, Shane shook down the old thermometer. "This old thing just has to go under your tongue, baby. I don't carry an electronic one." Cara obliged. "I'm going to listen to your heart and lungs." Shane pulled back the covers and slipped her hand with the steth up under Cara's nightshirt, moving it from spot to spot as she listened very intently. "Turn that way just a little.", she whispered. Now moving the steth around her back, "Take a deep breath. As best you can. Okay." Cara turned back to Shane and the doctor removed the thermometer from her mouth. "100.2. You do have a fever. I want to look at your belly." And she lifted the shirt and looked closely at Cara's incision. "Ummm. It's a little red and swollen on one side. There maybe some infection there." She touched it gently. Cara jumped. "Oh, sorry. Gosh, I didn't know it was sore. Hasn't bothered me." "I think we're going to treat it like the incision has a little infection under there. Do you have to go to the bathroom first? I want you to stay in bed mostly today." Cara got out of bed, gingerly, and went into the bathroom. The good doctor got into her bag again and prepared an injection of penicillin for her, as well as a warm cloth to put on the wound.

Returning to the bedroom, Shane helped Cara get back into bed. "Roll onto your side, baby. I want to give you a shot of penicillin." "In my butt?" "Yesss. Now don't be a baby, baby! You're lucky I didn't have a rectal thermometer with me too!", she said laughing. "I've really missed seeing and touching your little bottom!" "Well, you know what you can do about that?!", Cara answered. "Yep. Give you a big old shot in the butt!" She rubbed a spot on Cara's left buttock with an alcohol wipe, and then, "OUCH!" Shane slowly injected the drug into Cara's butt, then wiped it again with the alcohol, and put a small bandaid on the spot. "There. You have Wonder Woman on your butt now." "Goody!" She carefully rolled back onto her back. "Now, this is a warm cloth which I will change several times today.", Shane said as she lifted the covers again. Cara was only wearing a nightshirt, no panties, while she healed more. Shane gently laid the cloth on the infected incision, covering it with a dry warm towel. "Are you comfortable?" "I am, but I need someone beside me now." "I'll be close all day, you know that." "Yeah, I sure do. My gosh, I'm so lucky." Shane leaned down and kissed Cara again, lightly stroking her face as she did. "What about some breakfast?" "Oh, yeah! Can I have pancakes with strawberry syrup?" "Sure.", and as Shane walked away, Cara knew she was going to get toast, fresh fruit and hot tea. But by the next day, all signs of an infection in Cara's incision were gone. And her apetite for eggrolls, fried rice, pasta, sweet desserts and even tuna casserole was back with a vengeance. Dr. Cole was very, very happy.

They hid away in the apartment for a couple more days, ordering their favorite delivery food, with Cara's appetite improving even more each day much to the doctor's delight. They spent quiet time, each reading or in their own thoughts, watched a movie now and then, listened to music introducing each other to their favorite types and artists, and talked, sharing the past and future hopes and dreams. "I've decided to cut back in my practice." "What? Because of me?" "Yes, my girl. But not just you. I have felt somewhat burnt out for awhile. I just didn't have anything to make a change for. Now I do." When Shane looked up from the catalog she was scanning, Cara's eyes were already overflowing, tears running silently down her cheeks. "Oh, Cara." She reached out and took Cara's hands in her own. "Don't you think I should, sweetie?" They both were quiet for a few moments until Cara whispered, "Nobody ever gave up or changed anything for me." Sliding very close to her, Shane enfolded her in her arms. "I'm not giving up anything. I've been so blessed by being given you, Cara." This made Cara cry even more. So to make her stop, Shane kissed her. And kissed her again. Then more passionately. It worked. They now were kissing very intensely, mouths and tongues covering each others. Cara's hand touched Shane's breast through her shirt, fondling and squeezing. Then dropped to the inside of her thigh and slid upward. Their faces parted slightly and they looked into each others eyes. "Can you be very careful and not get overly excited?", the doctor asked. "Sure.", Cara answered. They both stood and walked toward the bedroom hand in hand. "I mean it!" "Fuck!!" And they laughed together again.

Cara's recovery went by quickly and smoothly, for the most part, from then on. Until she discovered, that, primarily because of her doctor spoiling her, she had gained nearly ten pounds. "No more fat foods!", she vowed. Both women were going back to their schedules soon, so they would probably be eating a lot of tuna casserole, Shane reminded her. But, Dr. Cole had already begun to interview new doctors to take over parts of her practice. "What are you going to do with your extra time when I'm in classes?" Thanks to Shane, Cara no longer had to work at the coffee shop or other parttime jobs. They wanted a normal life, but one which included as much time together as possible. "I've been thinking of writing a book." "Really? A medical book?" "No. One about us. Or about couples like us." "Really?", a surprised Cara said again. "Yes. You know how we've talked about how and why we fell in love? And that maybe we had always been together? Since forever? Well, I started researching women devoted to each other through history. What if some of those incredible women were us, my love?" Cara's expression had not changed. It was a combination of amazement, excitement and absolute adoration! "It would be fiction, of course." "Or not!!", Cara shouted. "What is it you always say to me?" Dr. Shane Cole laughed. "Gra anois agus go deo!" And they both said together "Love now and forever."