Boss and Friend

Knowing Eli was there for her meant so much to Scarlet and feeling his arm tighten a little as he stroked her hair made her feel so good. Knowing her tears would no scare Eli away, would not make him think any different.

As Eli brings his hand to Scarlet's face she leans her head into his hand just letting his rough but soft skin be felt on her face. She liked the way his hands felt. Than following him to the living room and giving a sniff Scarlet rests her head on Eli's chest once again as they sit down on the couch.

The tears start to slow again, and though she was a bit surprised about the news of Jimmy telling Eli about everything Scalet only moves her head a little to look up at Eli. Studying his face she couldn't help the the warm fuzzy feeling inside that he new the past, and she was still here. The softness she had seen inside Eli really was there, and he was willing to show it to her.

Part of Scarlet was happy Jimmy told Eli yet another part was upset she hadn't told him herself. She shouldn't have waited so long to say anything.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but...I'm happy you know now. Now you know the hidden me, all that I am. You know me more than anyone else has in a long time."

Standing outside Reese's office door Hope holds a bunch of paper work. She had just finished at the dr's and she had learned a lot more than she expected. Tears wanted to come but the shock was still to great to let them. This was not what she had expected.

Now she stood here, Reese was not only her boss who needed to know but she considered him a friend as well. One of the few she had right now and she needed someone. She couldn't do this alone. Everything was going to change.

Knocking on the door Hope waits for an answer before entering. She trys to give the best smile she can though she still felt so sick. She hoped the meds the dr had given her for now would start to kick in and make her feel a little better.

"Hey Reese. I just got back from the dr's and I was hoping maybe I could talk to you about something. I could really use a friend."

Hearing it would be ok Hope sits down in one of the chairs across the desk from Reese. Drawing silent for a long moment and catching her breath Hope finally looks up at him.

"First I was to ask that you respect me enough that what I am going to tell you I don't want Scott to know yet. He doesn't need this weighing on his mind with everything else he is dealing with. If you need to tell anyone else thats fine just not him, not till he is better."

Setting her medical papers down on his desk of different charts, reads and tests Hope had them copied so she could give them to Rick seeing as he was the Dr here. It would be good he had them in case Hope ever needed his help.

"I went to the Dr's today as you know because this morning I was still feeling so sick. They ran some minor tests and relized my breathing seemed a little off, and than they ran a few more tests on my lungs."

Hope chocks on her words for a moment fiddling with the zipper on the jacket she wore just a sign this was hard for her.

"They found some abnormality and they have ruled it as lung cancer. I'm going to have to go back in for more tests to see how bad it is and what not but...they are sure and hoping they caught it in time and it had done little damage so I wont have to go through much to get rid of it."

Looking up at Reese it was easy to see the pain in her eyes and how hard this was for her. She was always the strong one helping people and now she was the one that needed to be helped.

"I'd still like to work here on good days when I can. Just to keep my mind off everything thats going on with me so I don't sit at home and go crazy. But I though you should know as my boss and my friend."