Consuela Rubirosa was having a complete loss of faith in humanity. She contemplated this as she sat in a hospital chair. Michael was in surgery, after having defended her from Mr. Campbell. Connie shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if Michael hadn't come to save her. And what made the whole thing worse for Connie is that when he saved her, he had come to apologize.

Frankly, she felt like this whole entire thing was her fault.

She held the rose he brought for her as tears spilled down her face. She looked at the rose. It was shriveling and turning from red to black. Connie thought the rose mad a accurate metaphor for how she was feeling.

Connie put her head in her hands. Jack walked over to her and sat down beside her.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I've seen better days," said Connie, sniffling. "What's the word on Campbell?"

"Locked up at the 33rd precinct," said Jack. "I'm going to prosecute him myself, that bastard. Attempted murder and attempted rape."

"Don't you think that's a little ambitious?" said Connie.

"My nickname is Hang 'Em High," said Jack. I think I can manage." He leaned in closer to Connie. "You know, only someone who really loves you would have done that for you."

Connie sighed. "I know, and that's why I feel so terrible. And I guess I kind of feel the same way."

Jack smiled, "Your affections are well placed." He got up and left.

Connie resolved to tell Mike exactly how she felt about him when he woke up. If he woke up.

Connie returned her eyes to the wall. She felt tears coming and made no effort to suppress them.

"Ms. Rubirosa?" said a nurse who approached Connie.

"Yes?" said Connie, suddenly anxious.

"Mr. Cutter is out of surgery and in to recovery," said the nurse. "You can see him now, but he won't be awake."

Connie exhaled a sigh of relief and followed the nurse to Mike's room. She could see him through the window, all covered in bandages with an IV sticking out of his arm. It was so hard to see Mike, normally such a strong man, looking so small. She inhaled, and stepped inside. There was a chair beside his bed. She sat down in it. As soon as she touched his arm, all the emotion inside her welled back up to the surface.

"Oh Mike," she said, "I'm really sorry about today. I was so mad, and I shouldn't have left, I should have let apologize, and then you came and defended me from that creep. And now you're here and it's all my fault. I'm so sorry…" she said, and paused before she continued, "And I love you."



She sighed and stroked Mike's hand. She just sat there for what seemed like hours, just staring at him. Eventually, a nurse came and suggested she leave, but she just sat in that chair. She wasn't leaving Michael alone. Eventually she fell asleep.

Connie was woken up by someone tapping her leg.

"Muh?" she said, looking over and seeing that Mike was awake. "Thank god," she said, and kissed him on the forehead.

"Connie," said Mike, "It's three in the morning. What the heck are you still doing here?"

"Well," Connie said, "It's just something you do when you care about someone."

"But you still have to work tomorrow, don't you?" said Mike, as he propped himself up with some difficulty.

"I can deal with Jack," said Connie. "But for some funny reason, I think he'll be okay with it."

"Yeah." Said Mike. There was a pause. "Connie," he said, "I heard everything you said to me. But you probably thought I was asleep. That was what pulled me through."

Connie felt the tears come again. "Jack… he told you, didn't he?"

"No," said Mike, "not exactly. But he did help me realize my feelings, because I had been ignoring them."

Connie smiled. "So do you love me?"

"Would I have jumped in front of your would-be rapist if I didn't?"

"I need the satisfaction of hearing you say it." Connie smiled. This was the Mike Cutter she was used to.

"Okay," said Mike, "Connie Rubirosa, I love you." He went back to sleep.

Connie smiled at him. Then she saw something red at the foot of his bed. She thought it was blood, but upon closer examination, it was the rose Michael had brought for her.

It was no longer shriveled and black. It was as bright red as it was when Mike would have bought it.

Connie smiled. That's the healing power of love for you, she thought. And for the first time in what seemed like an eternity, Connie thought everything was going to be just fine.