The light was bright and hurt his eyes, so he tried to stop himself from fully opening them. He ached, from head to toe. He felt like he'd been dragged around by a bull. He licked his dry lips, and groaned softly. He knew he needed to get up and get moving. Hannah would be so worried.

Hannah Joy

Thinking of her made him want to try and rise up and walk, but he knew he couldn't. He opened his eyes, and knew he must be delusional because her face was right there in front of him. He could even smell the soft scent of her perfume.

"Hey, there." She said softly, her voice thick with emotion, and tears already streaming down her face.

"I'm dead?" He asked, trying to reconcile the reality of her being there.

"Nope. Still living." She reached out and touched his face with her soft fingers, and it sent shivers through him. She was here.

"I must be dead." He repeated and she started to rise up, searching for a nurse, fearful that he'd become irrational. "I got an angel right here in front of me."

She blushed then, understanding. "Well, I'm not sure about the angel part. I've been told I got a bit of the devil in me too."

"Don't I know it." His eyes were fully open and he could see he was in a hospital bed. He felt terrible. He felt wonderful. She leaned in closer, kissing his forehead, and on each side of his face.

"You in pain?" She asked and her voice sounded funny, as she choked back tears.

"Some." He said. "Don't take this the wrong way girl, but you look terrible."

She laughed then. "You don't look so great yourself." And then she began to sob, giant tears that she couldn't hold back.

"Hey, hey, now. Shhh." He said wanting to pull her into his arms, but knowing he couldn't. He moved to at least touch her face with his hand, but felt a horrible pain. "I'm alright, Hannah. Don't cry, baby. It's okay. Shh." He felt unbelievably frustrated. "Lay your head on my chest. It's alright. It doesn't hurt." She lay her head gently on his chest, trying to avoid fully putting her weight on him. After a while, she regained control, and then she could hear the steady beating of his heart. She sighed deeply so relieved feeling as though her own heart, which had been slowed with fear and anguish, had finally restarted. She moved to sit up, pausing first to kiss him, holding his face in her hands.

She inched her face away from his so that she could see his eyes, still holding his face in her hands. She traced the line of his cheekbones with her fingers. She opened her mouth to speak but found words impossible. She began to cry all over again.

"I'm okay, hon. I'm okay. I'm really sorry I was so stupid. I should've listened to you and just gone back to bed. That whole day long, beginning to end, I was just stupid and every choice I made the wrong one." His throat hurt, and the pain was beginning to take over, but he wanted to make this one thing right. "I'm so sorry."

"Well," She said wiping her face with the back of her hand and taking in a deep steadying breath. "I'll forgive you, but only because you came back to me." She started to say something to tease him, but found she couldn't manage it just then. Instead in a voice tinged with panic she said, "Adam, don't ever, ever leave me. I couldn't . . ." She covered her face with her hands.

"Hannah, don't. Stop crying, honey. I can't . . ." He tried to move again, but found the pain was just too intense. "Damn it, honey, I want to put my arms around you, but I can't!" He sighed frustrated. "Hannah Joy, look at me."

She moved her hands away from her face and he said, "Lean in close so I can give you a kiss." She complied and he kissed her very gently. "That's better, then." He said looking at her, his face was stressed with pain.

"I'll get the nurse." She said turning to move.

"Not just yet." He said. "I just want to look at you some more." She sat back down on the bed, her fingers running through his hair. "I take it back. You don't look terrible at all. You are the most beautiful girl on the whole damn planet."

"You know they gave you a ton of drugs, right?" She said managing a grin at last.

"Oh! You keep smiling at me like that girl, and I'll be healed in five minutes." He tried to grin back but winced in pain again.

"I'm getting the nurse." She said. She moved two steps from him, to open the door and could see Crane leaning against the wall beside it.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"Can you get the nurse?" She asked him, but smiled. "He's awake just now, but I think he's in a lot of pain."

"I'll take care of it." He turned and fairly ran to the nurse station. She ducked back in the room, sitting down again beside him. She leaned over, kissing his forehead again.

"You smell good." He said his brow wrinkled. "I'm just gonna close my eyes. The light is real bright and it makes my head hurt. But you stay close so I know you're there. I wish I could hold onto your hand. I wish I could wipe away those tears you are trying not to cry." He said.

"Hush, Adam. Rest." She said to him as she rubbed his cheek with the back of her hand. "Here comes the nurse, she's gonna give you some more pain medication. You are gonna feel better real soon."

"I don't want to fall asleep again. I'm afraid you'll disappear girl." He said his voice already slowed as the medication began to kick in.

"I'm not leaving you. I'll be right here. Shh, you go to sleep, Adam." She moved closer so that she could whisper in his ear. "I love you, Adam. I'll be right here, when you wake up. I love you."

"Love . . . you . . . girl." He said groggily as drifted back into a pain-free sleep. Hannah kissed his forehead, and straightened the covers over him. And all the while she kept thinking, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you."

***7***

The Brotherhood stepped into the room later to check on her, and to see if she might consider going home for a little bit and sleeping. They stepped quietly in the room, Brian who entered first almost stopped them all, but smiled instead knowing that every one of them would find comfort in what they saw, just as he did.

Hannah lay curled on the hospital bed next to Adam. They were both sound asleep. They stood in a silent semi-circle around the bed, and Ford found a blanket and covered Hannah who was asleep on top of the covers. They smiled at one another, and then just as silently filed back out into the hallway, Guthrie paused just long enough to brush a light kiss on Hannah's cheek.

They stood in the hallway unsure of what to do or say. They simply looked at one another saying nothing. Brian glanced around at his younger brothers filled with love and hope. He looked down at Guthrie and was surprised to see tears running down his face. The boy made no sound at all as he cried. Brian smiled at Guthrie flooded with ten thousand memories of him - and even though he was twelve, going on thirteen, he reached down and lifted Guthrie up into his arms. His feet dangled awkwardly, but Guthrie clung tightly to Brian, crying into his older brother's shoulder.

"It's okay partner. It's okay." He said his voice breaking the silence. "Adam's okay." He kissed the side of Guthrie's face. "Dad's okay. Don't you worry. Sometimes the story has a happy ending." He said to Guthrie, but he was looking at Crane.

"Yeah." Crane said nodding his head and wrapping his arm around Daniel, who stood beside him. "Sometimes, everything works out just fine." They all fell into a fierce hug then and anyone walking past at that moment would have been surprised to see a tight huddle of brothers blocking the hallway as they wept together; this time weeping for joy.