The sun shone brightly through the faded hospital curtains as Taylor stared into the light. Her body felt like dead weight but her mind was racing a thousand miles a minute. Everything physical seemed to move in slow motion compared to her thoughts. The questions flew by but the answers refused to come out of hiding. Why couldn't she just let go? She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. As she exhaled, she said to herself, I'm tired, I give up, and fell back into a deep dreamless sleep.

Nick stirred as Jamie and Kevin tried to wake him. He stretched and pulled away from the bed to look up at them. "Hey guys. . . " he said.

Jamie tousled his hair, "Hey Nicky. How's she doing?"

"She's fine I guess. She slept through the night for the most part," he replied with a yawn.

Kevin tapped Nick on the shoulder and handed him a large cup of coffee, "Here, you look like you could use this." Nick nodded his thanks and took the cup, immediately bringing it to his lips to drink.

Sighing, Nick leaned back in the chair and ran his hand across his face and through his hair. He turned to look at Taylor. "She looks so peaceful right now, doesn't she?" he whispered.

"Yeah, she does," Jamie said, placing a hand on Nick's shoulder. "Let's just hope she stays that way."

Taylor woke up a short while later. Jamie, Kevin and Nick were surprised at how calm she seemed. It wasn't a relaxed calm though, it was an eerie complacency that bordered on apathy. When she looked at them, it was almost as if she were looking through them.

Dr. Leyland had stopped by earlier to check on her. Nothing had changed as far as he was concerned and he stated that Taylor could be released in a few days when she felt up to it.

While Nick and Kevin had left to get more coffee and to let Nick clean up a bit, Jamie took the opportunity to talk to Taylor alone.

"So," she asked nonchalantly, "where do you want to go when they release you?" Taylor turned away from Jamie and looked out the window once again.

Her response was monotone. "Wherever. It doesn't really matter anymore, does it?"

"Taylor, of course it matters. We all want you to be safe, and we want you to be happy," said Jamie, surprised by her attitude. "It's why we're here, to make sure you'll be okay, and that this doesn't happen again."

"Whatever. And wherever is fine with me. I don't much care." Jamie was shocked by Taylor's cold tone. "I need to make some phone calls, could you excuse me for a few minutes?" Jamie couldn't do more than just nod. Taylor turned away from the window and without even looking at Jamie, she reached for the phone and began dialing. Jamie watched her for a moment, then turned sadly and left the room. She went out to the waiting room, and sat down.

She had been sitting there a few minutes when she heard Kevin and Nick's voices from around the corner. They both stopped abruptly when they saw her in the waiting room. "Did something happen? Is something wrong with her, Jamie?" Nick asked with a worried look on his face.

She shook her head. "No, nothing's wrong, at least I don't think so. She just. . . said she needed to make some phone calls and asked me to leave for a few minutes." Kevin sat down next to Jamie and took her in his arms. She settled in his embrace gratefully, and he dropped a kiss on the top of her head, silently encouraging her to go on.

"I'm really worried about her, she seemed so cold and distant just now. That's not like her, at least not with me." Kevin and Nick glanced at one another before Jamie continued. "I asked her where she wanted to go when she gets released and she said it didn't matter. I think if I had told her she should stay with Mike, she would have said fine."

Nick knelt down in front of Jamie and took one of her hands. "No, she's overwhelmed by it all. It'll be okay Jamie, she's probably just tired. . . of everything. She needs us, she may not like it, but she does." Jamie smiled at that, knowing how hard it was for Taylor to depend on other people. "We're going to make her let us take care of her, okay? Even if it kills us." Jamie's grin widened and all three stood up to go back into Taylor's room.

Taylor was again staring out the window when Kevin, Nick and Jamie returned. Nick walked over to her and leaned down to kiss her forehead. As he did, he felt her stiffen up. He straightened back up without finishing the movement, and sat down in the chair he had spent the previous night in, a sad expression on his face.

Taylor's voice, although cold and sharp, broke the tension in the room. "I need you all to do me a favor." The three looked at her but didn't speak. "I need some things from the house." She still hadn't turned away from the window, but she kept talking. "I'm not sure where Mike is so I called the chief and he said he'd send a patrol car with you."

Jamie spoke first. "Sure Tayl, we'll get whatever you need."

Taylor reached over to the night stand and picked up a piece of paper, motioning for Jamie to take it. "Here's a list of things I need right now, the rest can wait until Saturday." Jamie took the paper, and Taylor drew her hand back, recoiling from any possible contact between them.

Jamie, Nick and Kevin all gave her quizzical looks. "I've arranged to have movers there on Saturday to pick up the rest of my things." Taylor's statements were sterile, technical, as if she were explaining some mathematical formula. Her voice was void of any emotion as she proceeded. "I've also spoken to the partners in the firm and they are reassigning my cases."

Nick took her hand in his. "Does this mean that you're coming home with us?" He could feel her start to pull away, but he simply refused to let go. Her hand remained in his, as if it weren't worth the struggle.

Her reply was still cold, but quiet. "Yes, Nick. It's over, I'm going with you."

Reluctantly, Nick went with Jamie and Kevin to pick up Taylor's things. Although he was curious to see if Mike was home, he was still worried about leaving her alone at the hospital.

They followed the patrol car to the house and an officer joined them as they approached the front door. Jamie noticed Mike's car in the driveway and tightened her grip on Kevin's hand. "Looks like he's home," she said nervously as she thought about facing the monster that had practically killed Taylor.

"Don't worry baby, we'll be in and out of there." Kevin said as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "He won't give us any trouble." She closed her eyes and nodded, but she was still wary.

"I hope you're right Kev," she whispered back, "I hope you're right."

Jamie lightly knocked on the door and almost instantly it opened to reveal Mike standing in the doorway. He snarled at Jamie and she reared back slightly.

"We're just here to pick up some things for Taylor," she said quietly but firmly. Mike looked as though he were about to say something when he looked behind Jamie and noticed the policeman. He shrugged his shoulders and stepped aside and the four walked inside. Nick glared at him as he walked past and Mike looked up and glared right back.

The officer stood close to the door watching Mike closely as Jamie and Kevin told Nick they would go up and get the things Taylor wanted.

Nick sat on the couch and looked at Mike, eyeing him fixedly. Physically, Nick noticed that he and Mike couldn't be more different. Mike was shorter, about five foot seven, with very short jet black hair and a goatee. He wasn't heavy but he wasn't skinny either, just average and not too muscular. Nick tried to figure out what it was about this seemingly average guy that had captured Taylor's heart in one moment and then had destroyed it in the next.

Mike was apparently giving Nick the same once-over, albeit with more malice. Standing with his arms crossed defensively over his chest, he stared back at Nick. "So, you're the little faggot that she's been cheating on me with huh?"

Ignoring him without losing eye contact, Nick leaned back on the couch and slowly ran his hand over the pillows laying beside him.

"I asked you a question, pretty boy," Mike laughed harshly as the officer continued to watch him. Mike made his way over to the bar against the wall and poured himself a drink. "What's the matter, Nick, is it? You can sing but you can't talk? Or is it that you don't really sing like they say?" He continued to laugh at his own jokes as Nick slowly stood up and walked over to Mike.

Standing directly behind Mike, Nick spoke softly but with an icy tone. "Did you know that she was carrying your baby when you beat the shit out of her?"

Knocking the glass over as he spun around to face Nick, Mike shouted at him, "You're lying, you little son of a bitch."

It was Nick's turn to snicker, "Guess you didn't know then, did you. Probably wouldn't have stopped you though." Nick turned away from Mike but kept talking. "Does it get you off to beat her up? Is it just Taylor? Or do you just like hitting women in general? Picking on those who can't or won't fight back?"

That was it for Mike. He moved to punch Nick but the officer, who had heard everything, was already there to grab his arms and pull them tightly behind his back. Mike wrestled with the officer trying to break free as Nick's laugh continued to taunt him.

The officer was getting tired of Mike's struggle and threw him on the floor face down. "Please, just give me a reason to throw you in jail. Even the scum down there don't like wife beaters."

Nick leaned down to Mike's level. "Yeah, Mike, is it?" he said mockingly. "I'm sure jail would do wonders for a 'pretty boy' like you." It was all Nick could do not to kick him in the face. He thought back to all the stories Taylor had relayed and the look on her face when she woke up in the hospital the day before. He stood back up when he heard Kevin and Jamie coming back down the stairs.

The officer let Mike go and they both stood up. Jamie and Kevin, both guessing exactly what had transpired between Mike and Nick, didn't even bother asking as they walked directly to the front door and out to the car. The officer followed them to the door while Mike and Nick still stood in close proximity. Before he got to the door the officer turned back and spoke to Nick. "If anyone asks, I didn't see a thing Mr. Carter."

Picking up exactly what the officer meant, Nick reared back and punched Mike right in the face just as the officer walked out the door. Mike went down as soon as Nick's fist connected. Shaking his hand out and looking at Mike on the floor, Nick got one more shot before he left. Pulling Mike up by the hair to look at him, he spoke softly but sternly. "As much as I hate that Taylor lost the baby, I'm just glad she doesn't have to have your child." And with that Nick walked out to the car, slamming the front door.

Taylor winced as she reached over to pick up the ringing phone. "Hello?" she said weakly.

"Taylor, baby, are you all right?" Mike asked sweetly, but got no response. "Is it true Taylor? Were you carrying our baby?" His voice was soft and she almost thought she heard remorse in it. She considered answering him but her strength to fight him and her strength to love him had both left a long time ago. Silent tears fell from her eyes and it took all she had left in order for her to say "Goodbye, Mike" and hang up the phone.

The ride back to the hospital was very tense. Jamie was still nervous about seeing Mike. That man struck fear in her although he had never made a move toward her. Kevin was worried about Jamie and held her hand tightly as he drove. Nick was the only one close to being content, but that wasn't the right word for it.

Nick finally broke the silence with a timid question. "Hey Jamie, do you know what Mike does for a living? Taylor never told me."

Jamie turned slightly back to look at Nick. "He's also a lawyer. Why?"

Nick shook his head, "No reason, just curious." It figures, he thought to himself. Even though he got some shots at Mike it didn't change what had happened to Taylor. Nothing Nick did could ever change that.