Jason hesitantly stepped into the dark hospital room. As he approached Zach, he forced himself to not really see the battered person before him. Instead, Jason chose to avoid gazing directly at his friend. Such avoidance allowed him the luxury of thinking of Zach as he had last seen him rather than as a bruised and crushed young man trapped in the confines of sleep.

Pulling the stool over to the side of the bed, Jason focused on his own hands as he began, "I don't think I've ever been dressed and out of the house this early in the morning."

Jason nervously tapped his feet on the floor. "It would be cool if you'd just wake up. I could use a little advice." Narrowing his eyes with doubt, Jason joked, "Of course, you're probably the last guy I need to ask about actual relationships. Now, don't get me wrong. If I needed pointers on attracting women, you'd be my man. But, since you . . . since you've been in here, a few things have changed. Now, I need advice on getting a girl and keeping her."

"Yeah," continued Jason. "I'm really considering a commitment." In an effort to explain the changes that had recently taken place, Jason said, "Right after your car accident, Jeremy and Mimi broke up. So, for over a week now, I've been trying to decide what I want to do. And, I think I might actually . . ." Jason took a deep breath before making his confession. "Ask Mimi out on a date."

The room fell silent as Jason was torn by conflicting emotions. The idea of approaching Mimi was as terrifying as it was exciting. Yet, he felt almost guilty for seeking pleasure when his best friend had nearly died and might never really live again.

"I really could use your input." Tugging at his blue dress shirt, Jason added, "You're way more a pretty boy than me, so it would be great if you'd wake up and give me your opinion on this shirt." No movement. "Yeah, I didn't think that fashion would wake you up."

For the first time since his arrival in the room, Jason truly looked at Zach. He didn't like what he saw.

"You're lucky I'm on my way to school and you are already injured, because I could knock the hell out of you for this stunt. I know you have this thing about getting all the attention, but I've had enough. Sinclair, Craig, Belle, and everyone else have had enough of it, too."

Rising from the metal stool, Jason continued, "I'm going to go to school now. If you want to lie here all day and miss the fun, fine. But, when you do decide to wake up, I'm really going to be pissed at you." Nodding his head with false anger, Jason concluded, "I'm expecting you to wake up really soon, Zach. You better be listening to me."

No response.

Jason picked up the stool and carried it back to where he had gotten it. He had hoped his visit with Zach would somehow calm him. It had not. In fact, he felt even more agitated.

After taking a glance at his friend, Jason quietly stepped out of the room. As he entered the hallway he collided with Craig Wesley. "Sorry, Dr. Wesley."

Offering the younger man a gentle smile, Craig responded, "You know, I think I've seen you more this last week than I have my own wife."

Jason's initial urge was to say that Craig should be thankful for not seeing much of Nancy because she was a real shrew. However, he managed to keep the comment to himself. "I just wanted to check in on Zach before I went to school."

"Can I be honest with you, Jason?"

Taken aback by Craig's comment, Jason hesitantly answered, "I guess."

"When I first met you, I really didn't like you. In fact, I despised you and thought you were nothing but a punk who needed a dose of discipline."

Jason's face scrunched with offense. "Gee, thanks."

"But," continued Craig as though Jason had not spoken. "My opinion of you has really changed recently. You may have treated my stepdaughter horribly, but she seems to have forgiven you. And, I can't deny that you've been a great friend to my brother. So, what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad Zach and Chloe have you in their lives. I may not always approve of you - or trust you - but I'm getting closer."

"Okay. That's good. I guess."

Craig chuckled and threw an arm around Jason's shoulder. "Jason, I tell you all this because I have an order for you. It's the same order I'm going to be giving my sister when I see her. I know you are both worried about Zach, but if I find out either of you are here more than once a day or for more than an hour when you do visit, I will have you escorted out of the building."

"What?" Jason incredulously asked. "Are you serious?"

"Yes, I am. You and Sinclair each seem to think that the nurses are too foolish to see you sneaking in Zach's room at all hours of the day and night. The truth is that I've okayed your visits in the past because I know you're concerned about my brother. But, those visits need to stop. Zach wouldn't want to see his sister and his best friend locking themselves in a hospital for hours at a time."

Looking away from Craig, Jason muttered, "Fine. I'll make sure I only come during normal visiting hours."

"Good," replied Craig though he doubted Jason's sincerity. "Now, I'm going to check on Zach." As Jason walked away, Craig added, "Have a good day at school."

With careful steps Belle Black walked down the main corridor of Salem High. It was still rather early so she did not have to worry about crowds of teenagers bumping into her as they rushed to class. Her mother had not wanted Belle to return to school for another day or two, but Belle had finally drawn her into a compromise. Belle would return to school Monday but would allow her mother to pick her up before lunch so she could go home and rest.

Walking down the nearly empty hallway, Belle wrapped both arms around her binder. She carefully searched her surroundings for Shawn Brady. She had called him the previous night to request an early meeting with him. There were some things that she simply could not say in a casual phone conversation.

"Belle," greeted the young man just as Belle reached her locker. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay." Belle immediately knew that the answer sounded weak, but she hardly had the energy to care. "I'm really glad you could meet me."

"I'd do anything for you, Belle. You know that."

"Yea, I suppose I do."

Belle's reserved mannerisms were quickly making Shawn uncomfortable. Even under the worst of circumstances Belle was Shawn's ray of hope. However, as she solemnly stared at him, Shawn felt hope actually slipping away. "Why did you want to see me, Belle?"

Belle sincerely tried to offer Shawn a smile, but the gesture was a failure. "Shawn, you are such an important part of my life. You always have been."

"But?"

"But, I'm not sure we should have tried to rush into a relationship. I'm just not sure I'm ready for that."

Shawn nodded his head, distrusting his voice to make a steady response. Though he and Belle had hardly been involved in a long-term relationship, Shawn felt as though he had spent his entire life waiting to be with her. Now, he was losing her before they had ever really began their journey as a couple.

Sensing that Shawn's despair rivaled her own, Belle continued, "Shawn, I'm not saying that I never want to be with you. I really do care about you. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to not care about you. I'm only saying that I can't handle anything serious right now. We went from being just friends to an instant couple - that was too much too soon. I can see that now."

Saving the pair from the angst and discomfort of their own adolescent feelings, Jason appeared in the otherwise deserted hallway. With quick steps, he was soon standing with Shawn and Belle near the lockers.

Belle immediately took note of Jason's gray slacks and the rather formal blue dress shirt he wore under his newest Gap jacket. "Do you have a presentation or something today?"

Suddenly appearing more than a little self-conscious, Jason merely replied, "No."

As Belle tossed Jason a quizzical look, Shawn quietly stated, "I think I left something in my truck. I'll see you guys in class."

Before Jason could even ask what was wrong with Shawn, Belle offered the information. "I told him that I didn't think we should be dating right now."

Falling back into his unfortunate habit of asking questions that were none of his concern, Jason prodded, "Because of you have problems with Shawn - or with Zach?"

"Right now, you are the one I have a problem with," Belle angrily spat. Not having the energy to enter a verbal war with Jason, she muttered, "I'm getting tired. I'll wait in the classroom for the bell to ring."

Brady killed the engine as he pulled into the parking lot at Salem High School. Taking note of the action, Chloe paused before getting out of the Jeep.

"Brady, is everything okay?"

A sense of unwanted guilt washed over Brady. The recent chaos had given him an excuse to keep to himself the information he had received about Chloe's paternity. However, with no change in sight for Zach and no misunderstandings with Shawn Brady to complicate matters, Brady knew it was time to finally tell his wife the truth.

Offering Chloe a weak smile, Brady replied, "Yeah, everything's great. I was just thinking that there are probably a few things we need to talk about when you get home this afternoon."

"Brady, you stayed up all night working on that business plan for your class. After working your morning hours for your dad, are you really going to feel like discussing whatever this is?" Though Chloe really was concerned for Brady, she was also delaying the conversation for herself. She feared that Brady was still angered about her kiss with Shawn or even worse was already tired of being saddled with a young, inexperienced wife.

Forcing himself to hold back his yawn, Brady answered, "Nah, I'll be fine. We really need to talk."

Chloe nodded her head as she pushed open the door of the jeep. "Okay, then, I guess I'll see you when I get home from school."

"See you then."

As she shut the jeep door and Brady started the engine, Chloe realized that she did not want to lose Brady - ever. And, if she wanted to keep him, it might be time to take drastic actions.

The classroom was painfully quiet as the tardy bell rang throughout the halls of Salem High. Though she kept her gaze lowered to her closed textbook, Belle could feel the eyes of her classmates upon her. A week and a half after the car accident, it was clear that her fellow students had not lost their fascination with the gruesome event.

Every seat in the classroom was filled - except one. The seat, normally occupied by Zachary Wesley, seemed to be the focal point of the room. Even Jason could not keep his gaze from falling there whenever he made an attempt to look at the front of the classroom.

After what was surely the longest class period in the history of their academic lives, the bell rang and the teens were free from the gloom of first period psychology. As he exited the classroom, Jason pondered the irony of his once favorite class now being his least.

Brazenly initiating contact, Mimi gently tugged on the sleeve of Jason's shirt. "You're awfully dressed up today. Is something going on?"

As his other friends joined him and Mimi in the hallway, Jason answered, "Not really." Completely losing his nerve but still wanting to spend time with Mimi, Jason asked, "You guys want to come over to my house to watch a movie tonight? Apparently Salem Place is having some midnight madness sale, so I'll be home alone until Mom and Erin get back from Christmas shopping."

"Sounds like fun," instinctively answered Philip before he stopped to analyze the situation and Jason's strangely nervous behavior.

"Yeah," agreed Mimi with her delightful exuberance. "Count me in."

"Eh, actually," corrected Philip. "Count me out. I just remembered that I have a family thing tonight."

"Me, too," lamely fibbed Shawn.

Using the truth to her advantage, Belle quietly remarked, "My mom really doesn't want me going out yet."

"Chloe?" prompted Mimi.

"Sorry. But, I have plans with Brady."

Giving a genuinely happy smile for the first time in over a week, Jason proclaimed, "Well, Meems, I guess that means it'll be just the two of us."

Sinclair came to an abrupt stop when she saw that Craig was not alone in his office. Completely ignoring her sister-in-law, Sinclair merely grumbled, "I'll just come back a later."

"No," countered Craig as he jumped to his feet. "Don't go. I need to speak with you."

With clear indifference, Sinclair obliged by stepping into the spacious office. As she shut the door, she asked, "About what?"

Craig frowned as he realized that Sinclair had slipped back into a role of forced apathy. A mere day or two earlier, she had appeared to be doing much better. When she had returned to the hospital Thanksgiving night, Craig had been pleasantly surprised by Sinclair's almost positive attitude.

Now, whatever had caused the almost miraculous change in outlook had apparently parted from Sinclair. She had clearly put up her defenses once again.

As Sinclair remained standing behind the empty chair beside Nancy, Craig finally answered, "About several things, actually." Sitting back down in his executive-style chair, Craig continued, "First, I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Zach's friend Jason Masters. Limit your visits."

"Excuse me?"

Craig knew that Sinclair would most likely prefer for Nancy to leave the room before he drew her into a deeply personal conversation, but he felt that it was imperative for both women to recognize the other as family. And, family did not just get up and leave the room when things became a little uncomfortable.

"After your first visit with Zach following the accident, I know that you purposely stayed away from the hospital because you weren't yet ready to deal with what had happened. But, in these last few days, you have tried to make yourself an almost permanent fixture in his hospital room. Zach wouldn't want you doing this to yourself."

"He's my brother. Where else am I supposed to be?" Sinclair demanded as her feigned indifference was replaced with anger. "Fine, I'll admit that I wasn't really here for Zach at first, but that doesn't give you the right to keep me from seeing him now."

Craig's frown deepened as he listened to Sinclair's unexpected outburst. Though Sinclair surely had a temper when provoked, she had also inherited the unique Wesley ability to charm others so that it was seldom necessary for that fiery temper to make an appearance. Zach and Sinclair, even more so than Craig, had learned at an early age to harness their powers of charm. Therefore, Sinclair's total lack of charisma was a bit shocking and upsetting to Craig.

His voice soft with concern, Craig responded, "I'm not trying to punish you. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm just worried that you are pushing yourself too hard. From now on, I don't want you to visit your brother more than once a day - for more than an hour or two per visit." Forcing his lips to curl upwards in an expression that could almost pass as a smile, he added, "More than anything else on earth, Zach would want you to be happy. Well, he'd want a new car first, and then, I'm sure your happiness would be a very close second."

In spite of herself, Sinclair gave a weak smile.

"When Zach wakes up, he is going to have a lot to deal with. If he finds out that you literally stopped living your own life, that'll only add guilt to his problems. It's okay to be concerned, but you can't give up on everything. Zach wouldn't want that. You know I'm telling you the truth."

"I know," Sinclair lowly responded, her face directed downward and her gaze locked on Craig's beige carpet. "But, that doesn't make any of this easier."

"How about I make you a deal?" Craig asked as he once again rose from his chair. Walking around the desk so that he was standing only a few feet from his younger sister, Craig suggested, "Until Zach wakes up, I'll be the family member to stay at his bedside. I'll take care of all his medical needs. And, when he does wake up, that will be when you can become the one to stay with him - taking care of his emotional needs."

With a wry laugh, Sinclair responded, "Me? Take care of someone's emotional needs? Do you really think that will actually help Zach?"

"I think that you will be able to help Zach more than anyone else in his life. When he wakes up, he's really going to need you. But, you won't be of much use to him if you've allowed yourself to fall apart with worry. Zach isn't going to need some shell of a person. When it's time for him to get back to living, he's going to need the influence of an expert. And, until this past week, that was you."

"Craig, I love you, but I swear sometimes you are so full of crap."

Openly laughing, Craig replied, "Maybe. But, deep down you know that I'm right about this. Things are not going to be easy for Zach when he wakes up. He's going to need someone there who loves him but also someone who knows how to live. Zach isn't likely to take advice on fun from me, but coming from you, it'll be expert testimony." His expression darkening just a little, Craig added, "Zach will probably have a great deal of emotional damage to complicate the damage to his body. It can only hurt Zach if you mope around bitterly. He'll have his own problems and won't be able to deal with yours, too. What Zach is going to need is someone who challenges him and amuses him. When he asks what you've been doing while he was hospitalized, do you really think it will make him feel better to find out you did nothing but cry and split a bedside vigil with Jason Masters?"

Sinclair found herself absolutely speechless. She struggled to control the tears that she could feel trying to get free from her eyes. Only barely able to control her emotions, Sinclair replied, "Okay. I'll limit my visits with Zach."

"And?"

Flashing her gaze upward to avoid allowing her unshed tears an escape, Sinclair answered, "And, I'm going to do my best to live my life just as I normally would - for Zach."

"Good," Craig responded,

With a roll of her eyes, Nancy grumbled, "So, we should expect you to be coming home at four in morning with alcohol on your breath and a half dressed boy on your arm? Would that qualify as your normal life?"

Before Craig could truly process what was happening, Sinclair was lunging past him, her hands longing to circle around Nancy's throat. As Craig hurriedly wrapped his arms around Sinclair's waist, Nancy wisely chose to jump out of her seat and dash across the room.

Her eyes locking in a steely gaze with Nancy's, Sinclair cryptically warned, "Don't push me, Nancy. You won't like the consequences."

Breaking free of her brother, Sinclair tossed Nancy a final glare before walking toward the door. As she opened the door to exit, Sinclair turned and looked back at her brother. Plastering a smile on her face, she declared, "I'm going to go find something fun to do. I'll see you at home, Craig."

As soon as the door slammed shirt, Craig turned his full attention to Nancy. "If you ever speak to my sister like that again, I won't hold her back. And, I won't be coming home."

Sincere shock flickered across Nancy's face. As she did all too often, she had made a rash, hateful comment that she viewed to be little more than a statement of truth.

Before his wife could make her rebuttal, Craig continued, "Nancy, you have the potential to be an amazing person - an amazing mother, but you continuously toss aside consideration for anyone but yourself. It may not bother you that Sinclair absolutely despises you, but it should bother you that Chloe feels almost as strongly."

"That is absurd," argued Nancy. As her cheeks flushed pink with indignation, she continued, "My daughter does not despise me. Chloe and I may have a few problems, but you make it sound as if she hates me."

"She chose to lie to you so that she could get married at seventeen. Rather than spend less than a year staying at home with you, she opted to rush into a marriage that would give her an escape."

Nancy attempted to ignore the clear logic in Craig's words. However, with the truth staring her in the face, it was quite difficult to maintain her delusions. "I love Chloe."

Picking up a stack of medical files, Craig simply responded, "Then, start acting like it."