AN/ Another day another chapter!

You didn't think I was gonna kill her last chapter did you? I hope if anyone was worried they have a bit of relief. Ava is here...at least for now. (I can't spoil anything!) ;)

Wow chapter 20! Insane! The fact people keep reading means the world. I mean some of you have read all 20! Love that! Hope you've liked it so far! Got lots more planned and hope to see you at chapter 30, 40, and even 50!

Also I am not sure if i'll be able to write much this weekend. Might be only one update. Might not be any. Might be normal. I am not sure but I thought i'd let you know they are not guaranteed updates for the next 2 days.

/ end of AN /

The words made sense to him, all in his vocabulary. But it didn't make sense otherwise. How could this be happening? He knows he should be grateful she's not dead and he is. But this felt so unfair. It should be him. He let Valentin into their lives, he made them both targets. She was already upset and then terrified and now nothing. People in comas could feel feelings, could they? He pushed the ridiculous thought away, wondering if Ava would almost enjoy the break from her emotions.

"Well when is she gonna wait up?" He asks.

"Coma's don't have set dates," Lucas says. "She could wake up tomorrow, she could wake up in a month, she could stay asleep. No way of knowing."

Nikolas didn't wanna hear that. No, he wanted to hear good news. Sure he knew this was better news than he worried about, then other people have received in similar situations. He felt selfish and greedy, like a true Cassadine. The recognition of that scaring him a bit. He knew he came back with a full dark side, and he hoped over the past months he'd managed to lean away from that. He thought wrong but he found solace in the fact his greed and selfishness were for wanting something good for someone else.

She was still here. Sorta, at least. He knows he needs to be with her, he's wanted to be with her since earlier when they stopped him from checking on her. Maybe if he had ignored them he could have stopped this. He doesn't wanna play the 'What if' game, knowing it could go on for hours. He ended up not going in the end because he thought that was best for her, so he can't beat himself up too much. How could he have known?

"When can I see her?" Nikolas asks, waiting for someone to tell him that yes he can see her again.

"She's still being settled into a room from surgery," Lucas explains. "You can see her in a few hours, I will find you myself if theres any updates or send someone to let you know when she's ready for visitors if not."

Hours. They'd feel like days. He just missed her. Sure he had just seen her, but missed the her who wasn't mad at him. The woman who thought she was his wife. The woman he believed was despite what anyone or any law said.

"Thank you, Lucas." Liz says for the both of them, speaking up first, not sure if Nik was ready to speak.

Lucas gives a sympathetic smile and a wave with his clipboard as he walked back to the nurses station to talk to one of the nurses.

Liz knows the boys want to come over and ask a million questions. She shoots them a look though, telling them to not come over to them yet. She'd probably have to fill them in herself, Nikolas in no state to. Why was he like this? She hasn't seen him like this in a long time.

She understands it's obvious a big deal. It happened in his house. It was Valentin, his enemy who did it. Ava wasn't his real wife though. Even before she found out about the marriage being illegitimate it never was. An agreement from the two holding nothing a real marriage holds. Two people who she didn't think were really even friends. She's never fully known what they were.

She's upset as an outsider. She believes anyone would be in her position. But she hasn't shed a tear yet. She hasn't lost her cool. And yes, Nikolas would care more than her. Wife or housemate, they spent a lot of time together and anyone you are with a lot your bound to have some level of care for. This still seemed a bit extreme for anyone who saw Ava the way she thought he did.

Maybe Nikolas was just like this now. What did the time away do to him? Filled him with lots of anger she knew personally. Maybe it filled him with a lot of anxiety too. A lot of fear. Maybe he almost lost so much he will cling to anything and everything. Maybe sudden change is too much to handle. Seems feasible for her. At least for now.

"That's not bad news." She offers him, looking into his eyes, hoping the uncertain pain that clouded them are replaced with some hope. Hesitant hope, maybe, but hope nonetheless.

"That's not good news." He spoke softly. She's shocked he spoke at all.

"I'm gonna go fill in Franco and Julian," She explains. "Then I am so sorry but I have to go. I have an early shift and it's nearly 2 a.m."

She feels awful having to bail but she really did have an early shift. And she was exhausted. If being pregnant in heels - albeit small ones- wasn't enough her long evening was. A party turned into an emergency that she had to handle, to a hospital trip. Her and the baby needed rest and she wasn't sure she could do much more for Nikolas at the moment.

"I'm gonna talk to Epiphany though, and i'm gonna ask to be assigned to Ava so I can monitor her personally." She assures him.

Nikolas nods briefly before pulling her in for a hug. "Thank you." He says against her hair which is in his face. He holding her tight, he needs this hug. He won't admit it though. He probably doesn't need to, it's probably obvious. He knows Liz will never make him admit it, and that's why she's his best friend.

He gives her a small kiss on the head as he reluctantly lets go of her embrace, missing the comfort immediately. Who else was gonna hug him or make him feel like maybe thing aren't doomed? Franco? Julian? Ha. No way, he would't want them anyways.

Liz walks over to the boys and fills them in. They both go through the motions. Relief she's alive, then scared she's in a coma. She expected as much from them.

She asks Franco if he wants to come home with her and Hayden- Where did she disappear to anyways? He's hesitant, wondering if leaving makes him a bad friend. No. She'd tell him to go home. Tell him he has an amazing family and that sitting in a chair in the hospital is just stupid when she's not even gonna wake up. Yet- he adds. Not gonna wake up yet.

Julian decides to stay. He sees Nik. He sees he appears genuinely upset. But he doesn't trust it. Doesn't trust him. He's seen someone else genuinely upset before. His sister after Nikolas made her think she was going crazy. His protective side takes over and he knows he won't leave Ava with no one but Nikolas.

As Franco and Liz say goodbye to him and head to the elevators Franco whispers to Liz. "One second."

She waits by the elevators watching him curiously as he goes over to Nikolas.

"Your mom was back on Spoon Island helping Jordan with things," He explains. "She doesn't know how long she is gonna be tied up there, but I called her to let her know you'd be here all night. She's gonna try and get here when she can."

It was a small gesture on Franco's part. He just felt so helpless sitting in the waiting area. It wasn't even a gesture to Ava, but to her husband who Franco always thought wasn't good enough for her.

He'd be lying if he just called for Nikolas's sake and Ava's by extension- knowing Ava would for some reason call Laura herself if she could. He called to check on Valentin. He needed to know he was at the PCPD and that he wasn't getting out. Laura assured him so, but it had doubt behind it. The same worry and doubt Franco had. Because Valentin always managed to get out of everything he did, and this was the last straw. He was going to pay. He and a few others would make sure of it.