Epilogue
"I still say that Ginger would kill Mary Ann," Miguel insisted.
"No way! Never underestimate the power of a Mid-Western girl!" Tim said.
"Psssh…whatever Tim," Ben said.
"I don't care who wins as long as I'm there to see it," Jason replied.
Lucas sat silently, not a part of the conversation. He hadn't been himself lately, not since Kat had gone into the coma. Only he knew the things that had been said to her, though he had filled in the others as to what had happened and why. He hadn't been able to go and see her. It nearly killed him to see her lying there so still, just like Sam had when the VR experiment had malfunctioned.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I'm gonna go you guys."
None of them said a word. They understood his sullen silence and watched him walk away.
Lucas sat at the terminal in Mammal Engineering, just staring at the screen. Burying his face in his hands, he sighed. He couldn't even think. He should go and see her, no matter how painful it was.
"No need," he heard a soft, familiar voice say from the doorway.
He looked up slowly, staring in front of him. He turned his head to the side in disbelief. There stood Katya, smiling at him, leaning against the doorway.
"Kat? But I thought…are you…"
She looked down at herself. "No, I don't think so."
He stood up quickly and walked to where she stood. "When did you wake up?"
"This morning. I wanted to come and see you, and I finally wouldn't take no for an answer."
"You don't know how glad I am to see you. You beat it Kat."
She nodded. "I'm glad to see that you are alright. It was you I was worried about. I didn't know what it had done to you."
"I saw it, I saw everything."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Please, tell me you know that it was all lies…"
"I did know, but I heard you tell me too."
He gave her a soft, sad smile. "Let's get you back; I know you shouldn't be up yet."