With a half empty container of chinese takeout sitting in the center of her desk Sloan Parker contemplated her converstion with Atwood. Frowning she tossed the chopsticks back into the box. She knew Kelly would never have taken those disks.

At least not under her own free will.

She had always assumed Kelly and Ed had some kind of romantic relationship. Sloan had just never known how serious it was. She knew Ed was devasted by her death. Sloan had tried to convince him that Kelly’s death wasn’t his fault,but he wouldn’t hear of it.

As if he had been waiting for the perfect cue a slightly haggarded looking Ed Tate stepped through her office door. Sloan quickly rose to her feet when she saw his face,”Ed?! What happened?”

Ed caught her hand as he turned his face away from her,”Its not as bad as it looks.”

Sloan shook her head as she ushered him over to a nearby chair forcing him to take a seat,”Are you going to tell me what happened or am I going to have to play twenty questions?”

Ed watched as she went back behind her desk to remove a first aid kit from one of the lower drawers. He knew he should tell her that Daniels was back in town,but for some reason he just couldn’t bring himself to do it.

“It was just my own stupid fault,Sloan.”Ed replied softly as he gingerly touched the large cut above his left eye,”I forgot to leave a light on in my apartment when I took a nap this afternoon. So when I got up I tripped over my own feet,then over a pair of shoes before slamming into the corner of my dresser.”

Sloan moistened a cotton swab with iodine while shaking her head,”Nice try, Ed, but dressers don’t give you black eyes. You want to try telling me the truth this time?”

Ed winced as the iodine seeped into the cut,”Someone jumped me as soon as I stepped into my apartment.”

Sloan looked at him in shock,”Why didn’t you call me as soon as it happened?”

Ed gave her a pointed look before glancing down at her stomach.

Sloan glared at him,”Get your mind back to the 90’s Ed. I may be pregnant but I’m not an invalid! I could have helped and you know it.”

Tate tenderly captured her hand as she went to reapply the iodine,”I didn’t know how many more of them there were,Sloan. I could not and would not put you or the baby in any danger.”

Sloan placed a bandage across the cut before quietly putting the first aid kit away. She stood behind her desk looking at her friend before sinking into her chair,”This day just keeps getting better and better.”

Ed scooted the chair forward,”What?”

Sloan shook her head sadly,”I had an interesting conversation with Atwood earlier this afternoon and you’re not going to like what he had to say.”

Ed grinned,”So what else is knew.Just tell me.”

Sloan sighed before recanting her meeting with Atwood.