A/N: This fic continues where At The Line left off.
"Somebody grab a few bottles of water," Marcie called as the Love Crew worked on the constriction site. Michael came up from behind her, handing her a bottle. She smiled. "Michael," she said. "What are you doing here?"
"Just thought I'd bring some news on Mark," he said. "I just came from the hospital so I figured..."
"How's he doing?" Marcie asked. "Has there been any change?"
Michael sighed. "He comes in and out. We haven't really gotten much of a conversation out of him. He looks like... he's gonna have some kind of motor impairment, if nothing else." Michael paused. "Having Nick there everyday seems to be helping though."
Marcie looked at him questioningly. "Nick?" she said "What are you talking about?"
"Nick Messina," Michael said. "He sits with him everyday since he was brought in. What's it been, two weeks now?" Marcie nodded, watching Shannon leave the site. Michael followed Marcie's gaze. "One second, Marc, OK?" he said. He headed off in the same direction as Shannon. He saw her getting a few more bottles of water. "Shannon," he said "Can I talk to you a minute?"
"Oh not right now, Michael" she said. "We're kinda busy."
"This is important" Michael took the water from her. "We need to talk, Shannon. You've been putting me off for weeks."
"That's because I know what you're gonna say and I don't want to hear it. At all."
"Just listen to me," Michael said. "I have nothing against Ron."
"Then that's that," Shannon said. "Can I get back to work now?"
"Shannon, I just think that there's gotta be maybe somebody at the University..."
"Oh my God," Shannon said "Michael, I am not a little kid. This is none of your business."
"I'm not saying that Ron's a bad guy. He's not." Shannon rolled her eyes. "All I'm saying is..."
"Michael," Shannon said. "Just stop, OK. Nothing you say is going to change anything. God, just leave this alone. You're not my mom!" Shannon grabbed the water from Michael's hand, storming away from him, back to work.
>>>>>>
"Hi Nick," the nurse at intensive care said as Nick walked in. He had become pretty well known there since Mark's bashing, spending hours at a time each day there. "You're gonna have to wait a little bit before going in today."
"Why, are they doing tests or..."
"You know" she said "Just the normal routine stuff."
Nick sighed, taking a seat waiting for the doctors to leave Mark's room. He slowly made his way to the room looking at Mark. The doctors had removed some of the wires and tubing, but not all of it. The bruises had faded, but still Mark hardly opened his eyes, if he did at all.
Nick took a seat beside the bed. "Hey" he said "You know, Mark... it would be so much easier if you could just tell me who did this to you. Why they did it... It would be so much easier." he paused. "Doctors say you're doing a lot better. All we have to work on now is getting you to keep your eyes open, get you talking again..."
"Oh..." a woman stood in the doorway. "I didn't know anyone was in here."
"No it's... OK" Nick said. The woman was in her early fifties with brown-blonde hair cut to her shoulders. "I'm Nick Messina. I'm a friend of Mark's."
She smiled down at the boy lying in the bed, running her hand through his hair gently, tears in her eyes. "Helen. Helen Solomon," She paused. "Mark's mother."