Burton is sitting in the waiting room his head in his hands. He feels something brush his shoulder and he looks up.
"Burton."
"Laurie what are you doing here?"
"I have friends at the hospital who have kept me somewhat informed about Nick. What happened I heard he is back in surgery and that it's very serious, I thought they were moving him out of intensive care today?"
"The surgery is something to do with his leg. Compartment Syndrome or something, but he has a serious lung infection, he felt so hot!"
"What did the doctor say?"
"It's touch and go. Laurie they already had to resuscitate him."
Laurie sits down next to him and puts a hand to her mouth
"I can't believe this. Have you told Lulu?"
"I haven't told anyone until you."
"she has a right to know Burton, she will want to be here."
Burton reacts angrily
"No she doesn't. She tossed him aside already. He has never said anything but I know she hurt him badly."
"She still cares for him, she is the mother of his child. You should tell her."
Burton stands up abruptly and moves to the window.
"No there's no need. He's not going to die."
He turns and looks at Laurie
"My son is not going to die!"
He turns back. Laurie can hear the catch in his voice
"He's strong. He's pulled himself up from the bottom before he will do it again. He has too."
Burton breaks down. Laurie moves to his side and rubs his back.
"I know he will be fighting, he has his little girl to fight for, but he needs help too and the more people he knows are pulling for him the better. You Fallin men are all the same, thinking you can do everything by yourself."
"What will I do if he doesn't make it. These past few months we have been much closer, I feel like I am only just getting to know him. I wasted so much time and now it may be too late."
"Nick has found how to be happy with himself. He always put such high expectations on himself and still does but now he understands that his best is not always going to be good enough. That somethings are just out of his power to fix. I think that's what LSP has taught him. He always gives his best for his clients and most of the time he still doesn't win and he has come to discover that it is not his fault."
"He has been so angry with me for sending him away. I know that's what caused him to turn to drugs."
"He also came back when you asked him too. He loves you Burton and he always has."
"And I rejected him when he needed me the most."
"He has forgiven you, you need to forgive yourself. He won't want you doing this to yourself."
"You like him don't you Laurie?"
"Yes, I consider him a friend."
Laurie can't restrain a chuckle
"When I think back to the first time I met him, he was so obnoxious and arrogant. I thought all of his future clients were doomed and that Judge Stanton had been out of his mind assigning such vulnerable children to someone like Nick. But even that first case Nick fought with everything he had to do what he thought was best for Hunter. It blew up in his face but it made me think. Then I realised that Nick was as vulnerable as the children he served and I have had the privilege of watching a child grow into a man."
Pride has formed on Burton's face
"He can still be obnoxious and arrogant."
"But he uses it for good now."
Burton laughs
"You make him sound like a superhero."
"It did a bit. Though there are a lot of children out there who almost view him as one."
Burton sighs and turns to look out at the sky.
"He can't die Laurie, surely God won't allow him to die."
Laurie places a hand on his back
"It's in his hands now."
"Can you call Lulu, I-I-don't think I can say the words."
"Of course."
Burton is still staring out the window when the doctor emerges through the doors. He turns and moves towards the gestured chair.
"Mr. Fallin, the surgery on your Son's leg has gone well and it should recover nicely. Nick has come through much better than I thought he would. You have a strong boy there. He is still in a very grave condition. His temperature is very high, his white blood cell count is still going up. We can only wait and see."
"Can I see him."
"We are moving him back up to ICU and he is going into a private room where you can stay with him all the time. Plus if there is anyone else you feel should see him, two visitors at a time are allowed in. He is going to be out of it for a while so there is no fear of tiring him out. The visitor conditions will change depending on his condition."
The implications of these changes are not lost on Burton and he struggles to keep his composure in front of the doctor. The doctor looks at him sympathetically
"We are doing all we can, but it's up to other forces now and I have seen miracles Mr. Fallin."
Burton and Laurie enter Nick's room. Laurie has called Lulu and she will be there as soon as she can after Anne has woken up from her nap. This is the first time Laurie has seen Nick and is shocked by his appearance. His face is drawn and flushed which brings out the grey around his eyes. He looks like he has been battling the whole world singlehandedly and is losing. She wills him to keep fighting. Burton sits beside the bed and takes Nick hand and bows his head all he can think to do is pray."