Pete woke with a start; something wasn't right.

He was still half asleep, but he did remember the jumbled up nightmare he had experienced earlier that night. Usually, his nightmares consisted of reliving horrifying events in exact detail. Those were bad enough, but tonight's had been different. He was still in the Reed's backyard facing off Tony while he held Jimmy hostage, however, Tony was accompanied by Matt Moench, the man who killed Andy Baxter. He knew for a fact that the man had died instantly by Pete's shot to the heart. So why was he in the dream?

The dream ended with a wounded Pete, cradling Jimmy and Jim, who had been shot by Moench, before he too, escaped the backyard.

Sally, bless her, had known what to do. She didn't wake him, but slid over in the bed, until she was pressed against his back, whispering things that gradually brought him out of his hellish dream. He was drenched, his clothes soaked in sweat as he told her the worst part of his nightmare. Sally pulled his top off, rubbed a towel over his chest and gave him some water. Once she was sure that the dream wasn't coming back Sally nuzzled up to him, arm across his chest coaxing him back to sleep. Now, in the darkness, Pete, needing to know for sure that everything was okay, reached out to touch Sally.

She wasn't there.

O~O~O

Bare-chested, Pete stopped only long enough to put on an old pair of sweatpants. He was careful not to make any noise as he made his way to the spare bedroom, for he knew that he would find Sally there. It was where she disappeared to when upset. Pete stood in the doorway, watching as Sally rearranged the cabinet that held all the medicines and supplies, she used to take care of him since he left the hospital. He didn't have to see her to know that she was crying.

Silently, he came up behind Sally to slip his arms about her. Pete rested his chin on her shoulder. "I'm sorry".

"For what?", she sniffed. "You can't control your dreams." Pete felt her body trembling as she leaned back against his chest; still not ready to face him.

Tenderly, he got her to turn towards him. It tore him apart inside to see the tears sliding down her cheeks. "I scared you again, not that I meant to."

"Again? I haven't stopped being scared. Damn it Pete!" She burst into tears, one fist thumping on his shoulder. "Do you always have to push so hard?"

He held Sally tight as she cried herself out. Once she quieted, he wiped her tears with his hand, then led her to sit on the spare bed.

"It's been six months and I'm only going to a check-up tomorrow. You know that."

"I spoke to Jean the other day. She told me how happy Jim is because he's sure that you will convince the doctor to let you return to duty. That's crazy, you are still having pain." Her eyes, still moist with tears, dared him to deny it.

Sighing, he took Sally's small hands into his; he couldn't totally deny it. "I would prefer if Dr. Franks cleared me for restricted duty, but not for the reason you think." He held up a hand to forestall her from commenting. "I need to be on, at least, restricted duty to be eligible to take the Sergeant's exam."

"So, you can eventually go back on patrol, right?"

"No. It's because I'm still a cop inside and if I can't return to patrol, I want to remain on the force. Jim doesn't understand, but I think the best I can hope for is to become an instructor at the Academy. I want to earn those sergeant stripes, not be given them because I joined the Academy staff."

They sat in silence for a few minutes while Sally considered what Pete had told her; wondering if he really believed it.

"Why haven't you said anything about teaching at the academy before now"?

"Because, until now, I didn't dare hope that it would be possible."

"But you do now?" Sally saw it as an answer to a prayer. She didn't want him to go back on patrol; hadn't he tempted fate too many times? Still, she wouldn't be one of those wives who force their husbands to change their jobs.

"Val Moore called me yesterday. Apparently, the Academy Commander asked him to see if I was receptive to the idea." Pete paused a moment to give Sally a chance to process that possibility. "It's not like I don't have experience instructing rookies."

"Y..you….um, think they will promote you?" Sally was trying not to get too excited, but she couldn't hide the hope he saw in her eyes.

"So, I'm told. It seems that surviving the kind of stunt I pulled in Reed's backyard has its perks", Pete sighed, "although, not all of them are desirable." He could deal with being on restricted duty and teaching at the Academy, it was the Medal of Valor the department seemed hell bent on awarding him, that wasn't sitting well with Pete.

"Are you going to tell Jim?"

A/N: Finding time to write has been difficult, but I thought I would post the first chapter to let you know that I am still working. Thank you for your patience.

~J~