Julie stood over the bed in the hospital ward of the project.  She held the hand of the man who lay there hooked up to machines helping him breath and monitoring his heart.

“This is all my fault,” She whispered to the sleeping form.  She reached over and touched the man’s sleeping cheek. He looked so peaceful just lying there.   She sat in the chair next to the bed and continued to hold the man’s hands. Tears were forming in her eyes, she couldn’t help but feel responsible, if it hadn’t had been for her he’d be up and moving around. 

“Brian, I’m so sorry.”

“Julie I’m sure he doesn’t blame you,” Kevin added.  He stood on the other side of the bed holding Brian’s other hand.  He’d been lying here in a coma since Steph had the sense of mind to search out the area Julie described and look for him.  She would have had a tough climb back to the top of the small ravine but thankfully, she only had to hold tight and jump straight to the project.  Howie was close by and took Brian into the medical ward while others took Steph into custody. 

Julie demanded that Steph be set free, insisting that she’d aided them.  Howie did not agree until Charles also demanded she be set free. Howie listened to him and Steph was allowed to leave.   She jumped away shortly after and not even Nick had any idea where she might have gone.

It was like he knew Julie was thinking about him, the door to the room opened and Nick and Charles came walking in.  Her eyes fell on Nick and he seemed different to her.  He still looked at her the same way but she no longer felt the urge to go him and hold him close.

“Success!” Charles exclaimed holding onto Nick’s shoulders and shaking him.   “It was as I predicted, I was almost there but being here with all my prior research and tests I was able to make it work.” He smiled and patted Nick again before moving towards the bed.   Julie hadn’t noticed until now, but Howie had entered with the other two, Brian’s room was now getting crowded.

“Will his wife and son be able to come visit him?” Julie asked.

“Not here, unfortunately.” Howie piped up.  “We do have plans to move him to a general hospital so they can sit with him.  I think it would be best for everyone.  I can continue to be his doctor on the outside.”  Howie spoke but avoided making eye contact with either Julie or Kevin. 

The room was silent except for the machine’s that were keeping Brian sleeping peacefully.  “Does anyone know when he might wake?” Julie broke the silence to ask.

Howie and Charles looked at each other and back to Brian.  “It could be soon, it could be longer.  We are holding out hope that he will wake before we have to move him.  I’ve almost repaired the damage that was done, his arm is broken and he has several cracked ribs and…” Howie started to say something but Charles cut him off.

“The important thing is we have him home, where he belongs. Jessica should never have sent him out into the field.  He is too important for field work.”

Silence filled the room as Julie wondered what else Howie was going to say about Brian’s condition.  She felt tears filling her eyes again; it was her fault he was laying there.  

She felt a hand on her shoulder and took hold of it with her own. She looked up expecting to see Kevin standing next to her but it was Howie instead.  She wanted to drop his hand but she forgave him instantly when she saw the pain in his eyes.

“Julie,” he looked down at her, “Kevin,” he continued looking at him.  “I cannot apologize enough for what I did.  I can’t believe I fell for Jessica’s words, that I let her convince me to believe that you two would do anything against the project.”

Julie wanted to speak up, she’d forgiven him but that didn’t mean she didn’t want to give him a piece of her mind about the whole situation.  Kevin spoke up first.

“Howie, you are a trusting person. It is one of your best qualities; you see the good in everyone.  Jessica knew that she would have to get you on her side in order for others to fall to her side.  You probably never imagined that Jessica would trick you like that.”  Kevin smiled at his friend.

“But to believe her meant that I thought you were capable of doing something I knew you wouldn’t,” Howie moved away from Julie and towards Kevin. They embraced quickly and Julie knew all was forgiven between the two.

“Julie?” Howie asked looking towards her.

“Howie, I always knew you would come to your senses.” She smiled and stood so that he could embrace her as well.

“I still can’t believe that after all the trouble she went through to throw the blame on Kevin and Julie that she would just give up and take her own life like that.” Howie stated aloud.

Julie could hardly believe it either, after hearing the gunshot go off she was sick with worry that Kevin or Nick was hit.  Her first thoughts flew to checking both men.  Kevin kept her face averted from Jessica’s desk and let her check him for any signs of an entry wound.  When she didn’t find one on either men she started to wonder and pulled away from Kevin and turned to see Jessica slumped forward on her desk. The wall behind her caked with blood and brain matter.

She shuddered when she remembered that image.  She’d been distraught, if Jessica was dead how would others know they were innocent that they hadn’t set the entire thing up and killed her?  It had been her final plot Julie realized then and there.

“Julie,” Nick’s voice had brought her around, her eyes moving off of the wall covered with Jessica’s brain.  

“It was her plan, we look…” She started to speak but Nick held her shoulders and forced her to look at him. 

“No,” He said simply and pulled something out of his pocket.  He hit a few buttons and soon Julie was listening to Jessica’s admission of guilt.  She could have kissed him at that moment and was still feeling a strong desire to do so despite Kevin standing mere inches away.  Instead she hugged him tightly before turning to Kevin and hugging him just as tightly. 

“Thank you Nick for thinking of that,” Kevin stuck out his hand and waited for Nick to take it and shake it.  A huge smile spread across his face, not a bragging smile but one of genuine happiness.

Julie looked around at everyone in the room.  If Brian wasn’t in a coma it would be perfect, everyone talking and laughing, even Nick.   She still caught looks Nick would give her; his eyes carried the same look he gave her before going back to save Kevin.  Despite their connection being severed she knew that his feelings towards her had not gone away.  Though she no longer felt physically pulled to him she had to admit they shared a connection that would not easily be severed.

She stood watching everyone when a feeling of nausea swept through her. Julie shook her head unable to understand why she was suddenly feeling sick.  She looked at Howie and Charles with pleading eyes before the world around her got dark.