“Hey Kevin, how are you holding up?” The all too familiar voice of Nick wafted into Julie’s ears.  She could feel the bed beneath her and was starting to come around but no matter how hard she tried she could not will her eyes to open.

“I just…” Kevin started but did not finish the statement.  Julie wanted him to finish, he just what?

“She’ll pull through, Charles and Howie are working double time on the cure for her, and it won’t be long.” Nick responded.  She could just imagine Kevin glaring at him, it was, after all, his fault she needed a cure from Charles in the first place.

“I’m sorry about all of this,” Nick said and it was quiet for awhile.

“Nick, about Zoe. I can never apologize enough for what happened; I never wanted her to die.”

“Kevin, don’t worry about it.  You have nothing to be sorry for really.” Nick sounded so different. Where was the angry Nick that hated them both for Zoe being dead, for his love to be taken from him?

Silence filled the room. Julie tried to open her eyes again but they would not open. She tried to move anything and nothing. ‘Oh God, I’m in a coma too’ she thought.  She lay there in silence, a million thoughts running through her mind. 

“Kevin,” Nick’s voice cut through the her thoughts.  His voice continued in a voice barely above a whisper.  “She chose you; you’ll have no more problems from me.”

Did they really feel the need to talk about her while she was just lying there?  Didn’t they know that people say people in comas can hear people talking around them?   Did her hand just tingle? Julie wiggled her fingers and smiled to herself she could move maybe she wasn’t in an coma after all maybe she just needed to will herself to move.

“I appreciate you saying that Nick.” Kevin responded.  “Thank you for saving us, for saving me.” He added.

“No problem,” Nick replied. It was at this point that the commands to her eyes to open finally paid off and her eyes shot open and then closed quickly at the bright light in the room.   She tried again and blinked them open to see Nick and Kevin both looking down at her.

“What happened?” She turned to Kevin to ask.

“Charles said that when he severed the connection the virus multiplied faster.  He hadn’t anticipated that.  It seems without the connection to Nick the virus was attaching itself to more of your cells.  You passed out.”  Kevin kissed her forehead.  “Welcome back.” He smiled.

“I’m awake, does that mean I’m…”

“Cured? Yes.” Kevin finished the sentence for her.  He pulled a chair closer and took a seat, Julie watched as Nick started to sneak out of the room. 

“Stay, Nick. Please” She called out. 

He turned, his face showing the barest of smiles on his face as he returned to her side.  She smiled at him then returned her gaze to Kevin.   “How is Brian?”

Kevin looked up at Nick and shifted in his seat.  “He woke up.”

“That’s great!” Julie smiled and moved to sit up, Nick started to move forward to help her but stopped himself and let Kevin help her the rest of the way.  She thought she’d feel dizzy as she sat up but she felt surprisingly good.  Something about the looks between Nick and Kevin told her there was something more about Brian though.

“What aren’t you telling me?” She looked at Nick, somehow knowing he would be the one to tell her.

“He can’t walk.” Nick mumbled looking away from Kevin’s harsh gaze.

Julie gasped and clutched her chest. “It’s my fault.”

“No,” Nick looked her straight on.  “It was definitely not your fault it happened.” Julie nodded in response; he was so sure of his statement.  She couldn’t help but feel guilty but something in how Nick spoke reassured her that there wasn’t anything she could have done to prevent the fall in the first place.

Julie ripped the heart monitors off of her chest and carefully removed the IV. Careful when she stood she looked at the two men.  “Help me to my room? I don’t want to be in this room, I’ve spent too much time in one of these in the past year.” 

Kevin and Nick both agreed and stood on either side of her, her arms draped across their shoulders they started walking out of the room.   “Nick, thank you and I’m sorry.” She said.

He nodded to her, smiled as they kept walking down the hall. 

Halfway back to her room Justin and Tessa rounded a corner and froze staring not at Kevin and Julie but at Nick.  

“Tessa, don’t be so freaked out.  I’ll explain how Nick lived later.” She laughed thinking her friend was scared that she saw a ghost or something.

“Julie, I don't think she's afraid because she thought I was dead.” Nick laughed. “It really is you.” He said as he stepped closer to the duo. Justin stepping in front of Tessa between her and Nick.

“But how?” Nick asked looking around Justin.

“I don't know what you are talking about.” Tessa said backing slowly away from everyone, her hand on Justin's shoulder allowed him to know she was moving and he backed away slowly with her.

“Nick?” Julie questioned the blond man.

“When I saw them in New York, when I swore it wasn't them that was behind this...”

“Because you knew it was AJ,” Julie interrupted him.

“That was only part of it. Justin here used to work for me.” Nick confessed. Justin narrowed his eyes and was slowly shaking his head at Nick.

“Your inside man?” Kevin asked.

Julie watched as the duo backing away from them started to fiddle with their devices, she knew they were going to jump if Nick and Kevin didn't stop debating and did something.

“No, he disappeared before Zoe died, and,” he turned to Tessa. “Julie, I'd like you to meet Zoe.”

Julie looked at Nick and then Tessa confused. Before anyone had time to react to Nick's information, Justin grabbed hold of Tessa, Zoe, who was standing there looking like a deer in headlights, and jumped away from the project.