Chloe was putting her stuff in her locker before her shift when Faye entered and stopped in her tracks at the sight of her.

"I thought today was your day off?" she asked as she stared at Chloe.

It was supposed to be Chloe's day off, but she didn't want to sit at home and dwell on the fact that Valentine had been in town for almost a week and hadn't attempted to contact her, so when another nurse called asking her to cover her, she agreed.

"It was, but Eileen was sick, so she asked if I would cover for her," Chloe responded with a concerned look at Faye. Faye was the easiest person to read, and Chloe could tell that she wasn't happy to see her at work.

"Why, is there something going on that I'm not supposed to know about?" Chloe reached for her stethoscope and hung it around her neck.

Faye took a deep breath and walked toward her locker.

"Faye?" Chloe asked.

"Silas is bringing Valentine in for a tour of the hospital today. He knew it was your day off, so they thought it would be best if he did it today. You're not supposed to be here." Faye looked at her, biting her lip.

Chloe did her best not to flinch, but she couldn't control her sudden pallor. Did Valentine think she was going to throw herself at him if she did see him? Chloe pushed away the hurt and anger. It wasn't Faye's fault, and she could tell that Faye was torn about if she should tell Silas or not.

"What's going on?" Lia asked as she joined them, throwing her bag in her locker and turning to face them.

"Today was supposed to be my day off, but Eileen asked me to cover for her, and because it is supposed to be my day off, Silas is bringing Valentine in to tour the hospital," Chloe explained.

"Ouch," Lia said, looking at Faye. "And now Faye doesn't know if she should warn Silas or give you a chance to see Valentine."

"Is that what's going on?" Chloe looked at Faye.

Faye nodded.

"Look, I'm not going to search Valentine out. He knows where to find me if he wants to see me." Chloe assured Faye before turning back to her locker.

"Did you meet him?" Lia asked Faye, watching Chloe's back.

Faye nodded as she also watched her friend.

"What's he like?" Lia asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"He's intimidating and intense; he never smiles." Faye looked uncomfortable.

"But you'll get to meet him today, Lia, when Silas brings him." Chloe closed her locker and turned to face the women.

"Look, you might as well let Silas bring Valentine and get it over with. If neither one of them realizes I'm here, it will all be fine. Give me a heads up when he arrives, and if I'm able, I'll take my lunch break and go to the cafeteria for a little while. You can text me when he leaves." Chloe's plan had plenty of flaws, but it appeared to make Faye feel better.

"You shouldn't have to run away, Chloe. This is your job. He is making a choice to come here." Lia crossed her arms.

"Yes, Lia, I agree, but I don't want to make things uncomfortable for Faye and Silas." Chloe patted her friend's arm as she passed.

The morning flew by. Chloe was so busy that she hardly had time to worry about Silas or Valentine. They were on full diversion by one o'clock, and there were no beds to be had anywhere in the hospital.

Chloe was checking the vitals on a patient when Lia stuck her head in the door. "Chloe, go to lunch," she said before leaving just as quickly as she had appeared.

Chloe finished charting the information and made the patient as comfortable as possible. Then with her head down, she made her way to the elevator, and as she turned around and pushed the button to go up, her eyes connected with Valentine's before the door closed between them.

It had only been a moment, but it had been enough to steal her breath from her lungs and make her heart jump.

When she reached the cafeteria, she grabbed a container of yogurt and a banana and then made her way to a table out on the patio. She sunk into a seat and lifted her face to the sun, closing her eyes. She could hear the people around her having quiet conversations, and she let the noise of the ER fade away.

Chloe reached for the banana and peeled it with a sigh, taking a bite. She didn't want it, but she knew she needed to eat something she was only halfway through her shift. The voices around her suddenly stopped, and she looked over her shoulder to see why. Valentine was standing behind her, and everyone was staring at him.

Ignoring everyone, he moved toward Chloe's table. "May I?" he asked in Russian as he motioned for the chair.

Chloe nodded and had to force herself to swallow the bite of banana in her mouth.

They watched one another like wary animals.

"I thought today was your day off?" he asked in Russian. The probability that those around them didn't speak Russian was high.

"It was," Chloe confirmed in Russian in a soft voice. "A friend was sick and asked me to cover for her. How is my father?" She cleared her throat.

"He is busy but well." Valentine tilted his head slightly. "You knew I would be here that I was in town?" he asked.

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief. She knew deep down that her father was alright because Valentine would tell her if something had happened to him, no matter their relationship.

"Yes, Silas mentioned that you were coming some time ago, but I didn't realize that you would be here today. Faye only told me when she saw me working this morning."

He watched her, and in the heavy silence, Chloe continued.

"I told Faye and Lia to tell me when you arrived so that I could disappear. I know you have no wish to see me." Chloe stood, picking up her banana and yogurt, preparing to leave, but he reached out and placed his hand on her arm, stopping her.

Chloe closed her eyes at the small connection.

"I do want to see you, but I needed time," he said as she lowered herself back into her chair.

"Time for what?" she asked, really looking at him for the first time. He looked powerful and wealthy in his suit, but he also looked exhausted.

"To decompress, to figure out what to say to you, how to explain..." he removed his hand from her arm.

"It's fine, Valentine. I'm not going anywhere. Take all the time that you need." This time when she stood, she moved quickly, and he was forced to follow her. Chole threw her stuff in the trashcan and then pushed through the metal doors to the stairwell with Valentine on her heels. As soon as the metal door closed behind her, he grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Do you mean that, or was it just a quick way to get out of an uncomfortable conversation?" he asked as he pushed her against the wall.

"I mean it. I haven't waited twelve years only to give up now." Chloe hissed.

He placed his hand behind her neck and brought his forehead to hers as he let go of a deep sigh. "I've waited for you too, Chloe." His eyes opened and were right in front of hers.

"W-w-what do you mean?" she whispered.

"There has been no one for me for twelve years. If I ever had a chance to be near you to have you again, I wanted to be worthy of you. I know you, Chloe, better than anyone, and I knew that you meant it when you said you would wait for me." He lifted his head to look down at her.

"Are you saying that you have been celibate for twelve years?" She swallowed hard at the thought.

"Yes, no one, only the thought of you." His voice was hoarse.

Chloe swallowed hard as she looked at the sincerity in his eyes. He had waited for her too.

Before she knew what happened, she was up on her tiptoes, kissing him for all she was worth. He pulled her against him with a small groan and kissed her back.

The sound of the door below banging shut made him drawback, but he didn't step away as he shielded her with his body.

"Valentine, are you ready?" Silas asked from below them. He had only come up the stairs enough to see Valentine. Then he had retreated back down.

"Yes," he said. "Did you know your nurse speaks excellent Russian, better than you? Perhaps she should accompany us," Valentine said, stepping away from Chloe and motioning with his hand for her to proceed with him.

Silas didn't look pleased when they joined him.

"If you like," Silas said as the door behind him opened once more, and a few nurses entered. They looked wide-eyed at Valentine as they passed.

"Lead the way," Valentine said as he let Chloe move in front of him, placing a hand in the small of her back.

As they entered the ER once more, all eyes turned to them.

"Shall we begin here?" Silas asked. They took the tour, and Valentine stood close to her the entire time as the three of them spoke Russian peppered with the occasional English.

It seemed that each time they passed the nurses' station, there were more and more nurses hovering, watching, their eyes glued to Valentine.

"Thank you, Chloe," Silas said as the tour ended, and he escorted Valentine back to his office.

Chloe nodded, and with a quick glance at Valentine, she moved back to the nurses' station.

"How many languages do you speak?" Robin asked in a catty voice. Robin didn't work on their floor, but she was always visiting because she had a friend who worked there.

"Five," Chloe said as she sat down at the computer and looked through her patients' notes before beginning another round.

Robin scowled and then walked off, leaving Lia, Faye, and Chloe alone.

"Chloe, wha-,"

"Not now, Lia," she begged. "I need some time."

Both Faye and Lia looked at her with concern, but neither one pressed her for more information.

Chloe blinked at the screen in front of her. He had said that he had waited for her too. Those words went a long way in healing her heart.