After about a half hour, Matt had determined he couldn't find anything that indicated signs of a struggle. He decided to meet back up with Dana.
He found her in the parking lot, staring at a ring she was wearing. He didn't pay much attention to it.
"Did you find anything?" Dana asked. She couldn't help but notice how attractive the heavily muscled police officer was. She thought he was sure to be even more handsome as he aged through his career.
"I'm sorry Dana, I couldn't find anything of use," Matt said. "I -- "
Suddenly Matt -- a pack-a-day smoker -- broke into a huge coughing fit and collapsed to the ground.
"MATT! Omigod are you OK?" Dana rushed to his side.
"I'm sorry *cough*cough* It was like I just inhaled a year's worth of cigarettes!" 26-year-old Matt said, barely able to breathe.
"Oh god, maybe we should take you to the doctor," Dana exclaimed.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," Matt replied. "I just need *cough* to rest a minute."
Dana led the 27-year-old to a bench to sit down. He stopped coughing briefly.
"There," he said. "All bett--*COUGH*"
"OK that's it, I'm taking you somewhere," Dana said. "There's a walk-in health clinic around the corner, let's go there, please?"
"Fine," Matt said. "You worry too much, like a mother *cough*cough* but I'll let you take me."
24-year-old Dana thought it would be a long time until she was a mother, as she unconsciously touched the ring. She helped 28-year-old Matt up and to the car. She noticed something that bothered her.
"Your uniform looks a bit tight Matt," she said, "How can you even breathe with that on?"
"Maybe you're right," he grumbled in a slightly lower voice. "I haven't ordered a new one since I was a rookie."
"While we're at the doctor, they may tell you to stop smoking AND eat better," she said. Especially if you've gained this much weight in only a year."
"Four years," he replied. "I joined the force at 25."
"Um, Matt, you ARE 25," Dana said. "You're one year older than me."
"Dana I'm 29. FOUR years older than you," Matt said.
As Dana sat down in the car, they both looked at each other like they were crazy.