They were quiet on their way back to Jesse's. Colt hated it. Were they going to fall back into their old routine or could he get back a little of last night?

Especially, when she had put her arms around him and kissed him. That was a mistake. He knew she was just feeling sorry for him and was trying to make him feel better. Luckily, he was able to stop it before it went too far.

Was that what she was miffed about? That she had kissed him and he had kissed her back like he did? It was probably meant to be kiss of friendship and he took advantage and...

"Well, thanks," Dana said, opening her door as he pulled the car to a stop in front of Jesse's house. She got out and slammed the door shut.

"Hey, Dane," He called, rolling down his window.

"Yeah?" she asked, turning around as she was trying to make a fast getaway to her car.

"Listen, I've got an appointment now. But in a few hours, I was planning on going to Danny's football game. Do you wanna go with me?"

Dana looked at him in amazement. After he boinked this Karen girl, he expected to turn around and sit with her at a football game?! Where did he get off not thinking anything about their kiss? Hadn't he felt what she felt?

"Sorry, I've got things to do today," She said coolly.

"Alright. Some other time then."

"Bye."

"Bye, Dana," Colt said confused and drove away.

*******************************

"Hey, sweetie. How you doing?" Karen asked as he walked into her office.

He threw himself on the couch and sighed.

"That good?" she asked, coming from around her desk, her large belly squeezing by a large plant.

He grinned. "You look ready to pop," he said, gesturing to her very pregnant stomach.

"So, do you," Karen told him and sat down in the chair next to him. She raised an eyebrow, looking at him expectantly.

"Quit smoking," he told her, picking at a thread on one of the couch throw pillows.

"Well, good for you! It's about damn time!" She grinned.

"Can't drink," he muttered. "Don't want to drink like my old man did. But sometimes..."

"Smoking and drinking aren't going to make your problems go away, Colt. You should know that more than anyone."

"I do. Believe me, I do," he answered, rubbing his chest absently.

"So, you want to tell me why you were so desperate to see me today?"

"I think I'm falling in love," he said staring at the pillow. "Or maybe I already am."

"And?" she prodded.

"And I can't handle it," he squeezed the pillow.

"Why not?" she asked gently.

"I don't want to hurt her," Colt answered, smoothing out a wrinkle he made in the fabric of the pillow.

"What makes you think you'll hurt her?" Karen demanded.

Colt looked up at her tone. "Because..." he said and looked away. "You know why."

"Come on, you have to say it, honey, or it's just going to fester inside of you," she said, touching his arm.

"Because my father would beat and rape my mother. He killed her. He tried to kill me," he answered as he answered many times before, but it still hurt as much as it did the first time he had said it.

"You're not your father, Colt."

"I know that," Colt said, taking a deep breath. He did. Deep down he knew he was better.

"Do you think you're capable of hurting her? Like your father hurt your mother?"

Colt sighed. "God, no," he answered, rubbing his eyes to get the images out. "Never."

"Then what?"

"I'm scared. I'm just so damn scared," he answered, rubbing his whole face.

"Honey, believe me, everyone is scared when getting into a relationship. But that's the whole process. It's a wonderful, but yes, a scary journey. But if you want it, you need to do it. And you'll find out that in the end, it's totally worth it."

"She's worth it," Colt said firmly.

"Well, good, honey. What's the problem then?"

"I can't breathe. I don't know. It's not like the attacks, really. I don't think. It's been different. My chest hurts. And it's happening more and more often. Like every other day. It's stronger too. And it happens out of nowhere. There's nothing triggering me to have the panic attack but I still can't breathe."

"Mind if I have a listen?" she asked. She got up and picked a stethoscope off the top of her file cabinet.

He shrugged as she returned and pulled off his shirt. She set the cold instrument on his chest. He breathed in the way he was used to for his lungs to he examined. He had done it often enough to know how to breathe for an examination.

Karen looked up at him in concern. "Colt, when was the last time you had your lungs checked out?"

"A couple years ago, I guess. Why?" he asked with a frown.

"Honey, I think you should go see that lung doctor of yours. Have him take a listen at this," Karen said gently.

"Is there a problem?"

"I don't want to say the wrong thing, sweetie. But try to get in right away, okay?"

"You serious?!" he sat up straight.

"Colt, I've known you a long time, so I'm going to be honest with you. This could be something related to your injuries and not to your panic attacks at all."

"Oh, boy," he said, running a hand through his hair with a sigh.

"Call Dr. Wong," she told him, patting his shoulder. "He'll know what to do."

He nodded. "Yeah, I will."