The CCU had a different feel. It was brightly lit and all the doors could be quickly seen and accessed by the staff on the floor that night. It had been a busy weekend. But every weekend was busy there. Two burn victims, Pneumonia, Stroke, a car accident victim, someone having complications from a surgery performed at another hospital and a young man who had just been beaten within an inch of his life.

"So, were there any witnesses?" Ellie asked.

"None," George told her as they stood in the hallway just outside this Critical Care Unit, whispering to each other.

"But you heard them fighting before?"

"Yelling," he told her. "I've heard him yelling at her before but never any fighting. Not like this."

"You didn't think it was important to tell me?"

"Young couples fight all the time," George explained. "I didn't realize it was anything so extreme."

"Well I hope she's going to be alright. At least she's not like this," Ellie said.

"You think she did it?" George said.

"I don't know, honestly. But unless we're right about her; there's no chance she could have done this." Ellie looked toward the room Brian was in. She shook her head slightly.

"Yeah," George agreed, "Anyone else would have to be trained to fight like that. Almost all his vital organs were attacked with pressure point precision, leaving just enough function to keep him alive. If they weren't doping him up, he'd be in excruciating pain."

"I don't think she could randomly do that. Even if I'm right about her," Ellie said.

They stood there quiet for a minute, thinking.

"Well," she told him, "You better go get some rest."

"Yeah; I need to call Mr. Brainard," he said.

"He'll be happy about this one," Ellie said sarcastically.

"Well we haven't had to call him in awhile. But it'll be a bitch to fix that apartment up."

"I wouldn't worry about that. It will beawhile before she's ready to come home," Ellie told him. "I thinkI'll go check on her before I leave."