Catalina Richardson is both dedicated nurse and off-beat black sheep of Mercy Hospital where, in the chaos of the infamous Ward Two, she is torn between the demands of being a nurturing caregiver and being choked by hospital politics. With little sanity left in her packed days, and with only the sanctuary of a cramped linen closed to sustain her, Cat is slowly losing her patience and her mind. That is, until an intriguing police detective investigating the brutal beating of a celebrated artist brings a ray of hope into Cat's frantic and lonely existence. Before romance, however, comes the care of the patients who pull her back from burnout to compassion:

CROSS—the famous young artist whose psychopath boyfriend nearly kills her. He tries again, only to have Catalina get in his way

CORKY—the All American teen from a happy family, except Corky has attempted suicide and will do it again before telling anyone the nightmarish truth behind it

PROFESSOR DEAN—a victim of AIDS whose gentle courage and love of life bring the fight home to Cat

STELLA—95 years old and full of piss and vinegar, but her determination to keep a 45 year old bloody tragedy hidden is slowly beginning to wane

WALKER—A San Francisco bartender and father of the precocious 8 year-old Zoe, is dying from cancer. He refuses to let go until he finds the answers to what his life was all about