"You don't have to keep apologizing," she said as she nodded in thanks to the attendant at the coat closet. She pulled her coat tighter around her as she stepped into the elevator and waited as the doors closed. "I understand, honestly. I'm a CEO too, remember? Stuff happens. I get it. I'll see you at home, okay?" The cell phone fell easily into her purse as she smiled at the young couple who stepped into he elevator beside. She tried not to feel a twinge of jealousy as she watched the man pull the young women closer and lightly brush his lips against her temple. Nick hadn't intended to stand her up. The last minute work meeting was something he couldn't have helped and still a part of her wished he'd blown it off instead of her. "Merry Christmas," she muttered as the couple walked ahead of her into the parking garage, their hands clasped tightly together.

She walked over to her car, her heels clicking on the cold cement. The biting, winter wind gave her every reason to quicken her steps as she pressed the button on her key fob and waited to hear the familiar click of the automatic locks. Suddenly the world tilted and her entire body went sideways. She braced herself, fully expecting the pain and impact to follow. Instead she felt arms around her – warm arms, arms that felt familiar. She took a deep breath, the smell of his cologne told her everything she needed to know and the sound of his voice was everything she'd been missing without even knowing it.

"You okay?" Billy said softly, his arms gently lifting her up and helping her stand beside him.

"Yeah," she sighed. "I'm fine. I'm not sure what happened there. I haven't even had anything to drink tonight. Can't even blame the wine." She tried to joke. She had to do something to get her mind off the overwhelming warmth that now flooded her entire body.

"Maybe blame the heels?" he offered. He smiled at her.

It was the smile she loved, the one that could have gotten the man off a murder charge. "I don't think so," she giggled, "these aren't even my most impressive ones. It's like there was ice or something, but …" She looked down on the ground, her eyes certainly falling on the puddle near her feet. "Look," she said.

Billy stooped down. "Looks like your car's leaking something." He dipped his finger into the fluid. "Probably coolant," he muttered.

She felt her heart flip inside her chest. She'd tried to be the rational one, the one that kept everyone off the ledge. When Sharon, Nikki, and Victoria were all convinced that they were in grave danger, she was the voice of reason. She was the one that was always certain everything would be fine. There was no boogey man coming after them. This was all a nightmare they'd created in their heads. The torture they were experiencing was, in large part, of their own creation. But this … this wasn't something she'd imagined. This was real. Too real. If she hadn't slipped. She would have been in that car.

The look on his face confirmed her worse fears.

"Oh my God," Billy said as his eyes met hers. He held his hand closer to his face as he rubbed a bit of the fluid between his fingertips. "That's brake fluid, Phyllis. Thank God you didn't make it to the car. If you'd driven out of here tonight …"

"I know," she managed, her voice trembling at the thought. "If I'd gotten in that car tonight, I could have …"

"Hey," He reached for her again, his arm wrapping around her shoulder and pulling her closer towards him. "It didn't happen okay? You're fine. You're okay."

"Yeah." She held her breath for a moment and then slowly let it out. The feeling of his arm around her felt right, more right than anything had for quite some time. Her mind suddenly snapped to attention and she remembered where she was and who she was with. "What are you doing here anyway? How did you even find me?"

"I was having dinner with Jack," Billy answered. "Just happened to be in the right place at the right time, I guess." He smiled at her as she looked into his eyes. He'd felt the change in her body the moment she'd checked back into reality. For a few blissful seconds, they had been lost in each other again and nothing had changed, but that wasn't possible for them … not anymore. "What about you?" he said. "What are you doing in the middle of a parking garage alone? That's not the safest thing in the world. Where's Nick? What's he thinking letting you walk in here alone."

"Don't start," she muttered though not angrily. "Nick had something come up at work and he had to take care of it. I was supposed to meet him here for dinner, but he called and said he couldn't make it, so I was just gonna meet him at the house later, but now …"

"Let me take you home," Billy said.

"I don't …"

"You think I'm gonna let you hang out here by yourself and wait for a car?" He smiled as he watched her roll her eyes slightly. "I can take you home and then Nick can call a tow for your car when he gets home. That way I'm not stepping on his He-man toes." His heart soared as he heard the sound of her reluctant laughter.

"He would hate that," she smirked. "Don't ever let him hear you say that."

"I'll put it on his Christmas card," Billy grinned. "Seriously. You've got to let me drive you home. I can't leave you here."

"Alright," she relented. "I'd appreciate it. You saved me life as it turns out. I guess the least I can do is let you drive me home."

Billy nodded and offered her his arm in an exaggerated gesture of chivalry. "After you m'lady." He watched as she stepped out and almost immediately winced.

"Oww," she hissed. "Damn!"

"What's wrong?" His face immediately changed to reflect his concern as he looked down at her hand that was wrapped tightly around her ankle.

"My ankle," she sighed. "I didn't realize it until I tried to step down on it, but … I guess when I fell I must have twisted it or something."

"Not a problem," Billy assured her as his arm wrapped around her waist. Though he'd never want to see her in pain, he couldn't pretend he didn't relish this opportunity. Any chance he had to be close to her, to take care of her, to prove to her that he could and would still put her first was incredibly precious to him. "I've got you," he whispered. "I promise. I won't let anything happen to you."