So people flocked to the fic and gave it major hits, thank you so much. I've been hesitant in posting this chapter for many reasons but here it is. Enjoy xxx

Alexandria, Virginia

Three months later

Nicole turned off the Pilates DVD and Jess took a seat. It had been months since they spent time together as friends as something was always in the way. Jess and Tano were on an unofficial hiatus meaning that she couldn't stop loving him, stay away from him or fully leave him either. "…and that's why I've decided to take all my leave at once."

Nicole's eyebrows danced as Jess gave her the unabridged version of what happened the week before. Part of her was impressed at how well Jess had concealed Tano's habit and another part was scared at what else he was capable of. "But…where are you going?"

"Mom and Doug are in Annaba and I haven't seen them in a long time; I want to clear my head."

"I hope this has nothing to do with Desirée's pregnancy."

"I don't have the energy to care about them anymore. The truth is I'm tired of all this."

"You don't have to run away from Tano, you can face him."

"I have faced him and it didn't do me any good."

"How so?"

"Well, all my 'serious' talk lost its meaning when we had sex. He has an addictive personality. Maybe I fell in love with him because I knew I couldn't have him completely; there had to be something wrong. But I'm not trying to change him. I just want to go."

"And do what? Try to forget about him? Because you won't, I know you, and he'll still we here when you come back."

"Nic, I don't know what to do next and I don't know where I stand but something has to change and I've realised that's me. If this is what happens when you let them get close to you, I was better off at the mall." She laughed feebly. "I'm telling you as a friend because I know you'll have to sign me off as an A.D."

"If that's what you want I'll do it. But only you know if you're better off alone and I think you should stay here. I'll miss you."

"Not that I've been the best friend. How's your mom?"

"Not good. Clarice called me last night; I don't know why she wants to know me all of a sudden. Maybe it dawned on her that she's gonna be alone and that does strange things to a person."

"What did she say?"

"She said when it happens I should call her."

"But you can't stand each other."

"I'm starting to think I don't have a choice."

Ionia Maximum Correctional Facility, Ionia, Michigan

Colin looked across at the sullen face he could only see through bullet and shatterproof glass. The phones he thought were ridiculous were the only way his brother could hear his voice. "You got my letters?"

"Yeah." Colin hated seeing his fraternal twin chained up like a dog. "I tried to bring pictures of the wedding but they wouldn't let me, she looked so beautiful."

"I know, you wrote about her. And Ryan, he must be getting big."

"Yeah. One day I'm gonna tell him all about you."

"Don't. Just teach him well and let him lead the way. I got a radio."

"Cool."

"It's better than nothing. What are you having this time?"

"I don't know yet, I missed the appointment to be here."

"Damn."

"She understands."

"Sounds like a gem, don't fuck around on her. I mean it."

"I won't. She sends her love and Mom would too."

"But she's still on the bottle. I bet your girl's a good mom."

"The best."

"Yeah, well she ain't yours."

"I know."

"You gonna keep writing to me?" Colin nodded. "I need them letters, man. And you can send me pictures, five per letter; I couldn't take it if they sent them back. Timeout's coming."

"Alright. I love you and I won't stop writing not ever and I am gonna tell them about you one day. About how we got caught up and turned away and how you being here made me who I am. Next time." Colin fought to hold back the tears.

"I love you and keep the letters coming. Next time." The guard moved closer and Leon stood up like a trained dog and put the phone down. Leon used their replacement phrase for 'goodbye' because he needed hope to keep him sane. He needed something to look forward to and believe in and with that, Colin left with his freedom, something they couldn't share.

Waldorf, Maryland

"Are you sure she won't mind us stopping in?"

"Toussaint left last week and she's probably watching Conchita give birth or something." Nicole opened the door with her key and Antonio loaded the fridge. "Call an ambulance!" Nicole yelled from the bedroom. Nina was slumped against the wall clutching her chest and gasping for air. Antonio ran in with a phone to find Nicole's face panic-stricken.

"I called them but we can drive to the hospital if you want. Nicole?"

"Yeah, yeah." She patted the clamminess off her mother's face not hearing anything he had to say.

"They'll be here soon."

"Sure," Nicole said for the sake of saying anything. The volume of life faded out and Nicole couldn't hear anyone, not even the paramedics or the machines in the back of the van. She could hear only the sounds of Nina breathing even when assisted by a gas tank. The colours blurred into a light grey and she couldn't think or see clearly; there was just confusion. In Antonio arms her knees buckled and the long wait, coffee runs and despair lay ahead. A doctor's arrival was greeted with her desperation for answers but the news he was an anaesthetist made Antonio hold her back from swinging at him. She could only recognise herself in her anger, because it was a safe, familiar, adrenaline-inducing feeling. Pollock arrived in less than an hour and with him and Antonio sitting either side of her Nicole was physically propped up when she felt her spine would snap from her fragility.

Bethesda, Maryland

Desire was still wiping sand out of Ryan's mouth by the time they got back to the apartment. "Do you think if I give him stickers he won't eat everything he sees?" She asked Colin, who was watching the Top 20 funniest sports injuries to distract himself.

"I guess." She squirted water at his mouth while leaning him over the sink. "How'd it go?" he asked over the presenter's voice.

"He was skinny."

"That bad?"

"It wasn't bad, it was…"

"Sour?"

"Yeah. I miss him."

"I know."

"He asked about you and Ryan."

"Because he needs family. I can write too."

"And say what?"

"And say he better think of names for his new nephew by the next visit."

Hyattsville, Maryland

Jess loaded the last of her bags to the taxi when Tano arrived. He was still wearing a white coat. "Africa Jess? Africa?"

"Algeria, Tano. There are countries you know. As you can see, I have a flight to catch."

"We need to talk. You think you can leave without hearing what I have to say."

"You can say whatever you want Tano, and if you're lucky I'll listen, but I'm getting on that plane."

"Fine. I'm getting in that taxi." He sat down and slammed the door shut.

"You know this is ridiculous, right?"

"No. I would do anything to prove how much I love you and I'm not letting you go. Driver? Take her to the airport."

"You don't have a visa; you can't come with me."

"I can go to the airport and convince you otherwise."

"What do you want from me?"

"What I've been asking for since I met you."

"You almost had all of me but as always; I don't pick the right ones."

"I am the right one. I'm just like you; I've never had this much fun or known anyone the way I know you. Do you think I would have left mid-shift and left my wallet in my car if this wasn't important?"

"How do you know what's important?"

"You're important to me. That's all I need to know."

"That's not enough. I need to feel secure. I need to know you can be there."

Bethesda North Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland

"Nic," Antonio said gently. "We can see her now."

She shook her head to get a clearer picture of where they were. "Is she still alive?"

"Yeah."

"But she's unconscious." Pollock added. "And they put a tube through her nose, down her windpipe."

"Okay. How did you get here so fast?"

"I had her file marked, as soon as it got a hit like this…"

"Poof, you appeared. Do you mind waiting out here sir?"

"Not at all."

Antonio squeezed her hand and followed the doctor's directions to Nina's bed. She sat on the nearest chair. "Tell me something. Explain all this."

He knew how much a technical account would relax her because it couldn't play with her emotions. "Pulmonary toxoplasmosis; when toxoplasma gondii cells spread to the lungs, it causes the symptoms she's had for months; coughing blood, chest wall pain, coughing, fever, chills, shortness of breath…"

"Like when we found her."

He flicked through her file at the end of the bed, "the doctor is checking the amounts of oxygen, CO2, and acid in her blood at regular intervals."

"Will she be okay?"

"She might…and she might not. They gave her steroids for the inflammation but they weaken breathing muscles."

"I've been thinking about this every day since she told me. What our last words would be, how I'd feel, what she'd look like."

"She's still here. She could recover."

"The end would be the same."

Bethesda, Maryland

"I can leave if you want, this is awkward." Calvin whispered to Janice as she put some pizza in the oven.

"So what if they're back early? You make the salad and watch and learn. They won't take you seriously if you're scared of them."

"He looked worried."

"I'm used to it. John has emergencies at work all the time."

"Lucky for us, it didn't happen a few hours ago."

"True." They clinked wine glasses. "You really cut into my study time."

Michael cleared his throat. "Chloe wants to watch the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants marathon, stop her."

"I might. Calvin's a Bears fan too. He saw them win the Super Bowl in 1986." Michael nodded in approval.

"I have some tickets for the Wizards vs. Grizzlies game next Thursday. I can't make it but I thought you could take Joshua or a friend."

Janice gave him the 'be nice' stare. "Thanks." He replied emotionlessly.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Arlington County, Virginia

"So you're really going?"

"So say the ticket, passport and malaria tablets. Mom and Doug are waiting for me."

"What about the language?"

"I have some Arabic CDs from work and high-school French to fall back on. Don't worry."

"I've tried giving up but I don't feel like myself."

"I'll call you."

"And think about me?"

"…and think about you."

He held her face and kissed her desperately, attempting to make her stay. "Be safe."

"I will."

"I'll wait for you. I love you."

"I'll call you." She kissed him one last time before checking-in and rushing through security to the business lounge. There she could be alone and think about what she had to come home to and whether she would at all.

Potomac Park, Washington, D.C.

"I've never felt a baby kick before."

"You can put it in your next letter."

"What happened to the one I started?"

"Ryan's juice. I know they send back letters with any marks on them."

"They read all of them too. Can you believe that?"

"He's up for parole soon. Be thankful."

"He's spent ten years in jail. There's not much to be grateful for in that."

"He killed someone, and before you say it, so have you, so have I and so has the great Lieutenant Colonel Marcel Perrault, but I know if that boy was Ryan you'd want them to serve the sentence."

"He's my brother and he didn't mean to kill him."

"And you're right to love him unconditionally."

"But?"

"But he did kill him. You made a change and you have to realise you're not in that cell."

"That's not how it feels when I visit. Then I feel like a 15-year-old with three strikes waiting for the judge to throw the book at my ass."

"You got a second chance, never forget that. You chose who you are. You were there for me and I didn't have to ask."

"Do you ever? I just want my family together, whatever it takes. That's why I'm getting him all the help I can for this parole hearing. And you don't have to worry about money when our son's much more important."

"You can't do this all on your own."

"I won't have to." Desirée spotted that glimmer in his eye and shuddered.

Bethesda North Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland

"Her lungs weren't receiving enough oxygen through her blood which caused respiratory failure and HIV weakened her immune system making it harder to fight off the toxoplasma gondii cells in her lungs."

"So what now?" Nicole asked looking at her mother's porcelain still face.

"This could happen again, and without immediate attention she may not recover if it does. We've tried to drain her lungs but there's no cure to severe toxoplasmosis."

Nicole leaned against the wall. "Well, I know how this ends. I don't want her to die gasping for air. She wants to die with dignity."

"As the next-of-kin…"

"I know all that. She told me and she was right; this ain't living."

"The ventilator is helpful to most people until their lungs can function again."

"Will hers?"

"I can't say. She's an HIV patient, anaemic, there are competing factors here. It's best for her to stay on the ventilator, let's see if she recovers."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then she passed away peacefully and you did all you could."