Alrighty here's the next chapter. Thanks for sticking with the story and thanks for the reviews. Here we go.

Chapter 4: I hurt myself so you can't.

The room is dark, but I can see Roger clearly. I move towards him, but he steps back. I take another step forward, he steps back. I start to chase after him, that's when it happens. Roger's clear figure slowly fades away.

I wake up in a cold sweat. It was just a dream. Looking around the room I notice how empty it is. Well, so much for hoping. He's probably out with Mimi. My head turns to the door when it opens. An elderly lady walks over to my machine and resets it. "Well Mr. Cohen, I'm Elsie and I shall be your nurse today." Elsie, where have I heard that name? "Your boyfriend must really care about you."

"Boyfriend?" I inquire in a raspy voice.

"Why that young man, Roger, he was here all night by your bedside holding your hand everything." Roger Davis? Here last night? This woman must be delusional.

"Are you sure his name was Roger?"

"Yes, oh your voice sounds horrible. Let me get you a glass of water." She walks into the bathroom, still talking. "I remember him telling me his name. He even tried to lie and say he was your brother. But I knew better. People come in here every day lying so they can be with their friends." She comes back in bearing a glass of water with a straw in it. "I think that whole immediate family only rule is ignorant. Friendship is thicker than…"

"…Blood." I finished for her. She smiles and hands me my drink. I sit up and take a sip. "I have to tell you, he's not my boyfriend. He is just my best friend." Although I wish he was more.

"But you wish he was more." My god is this woman reading my mind? "It's obvious that you two love each other." Wait, you two? Roger doesn't love me. He can't. Dr. Hahn walks in. "Tell him." Elsie says patting my leg. She scurries out.

"Good morning Mark. How are you feeling?"

"Eh, I'm alive." He laughs a little and takes a seat.

"That's good. Listen, the last thing you probably want is some shrink coming in here counseling you. So, I thought you might like to talk to the psychiatrist now instead of later." I nod and tell him that sounds like a good idea. "Ok, hold on." He gets up and walks out. A few seconds later he comes back with a short asian man in tow. Then he leaves, closing the door behind him.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Huang. How are you feeling?" I tell him I'm fine. "Fucked up Insecure Neurotic and Emotional?" I laugh, he's good. "I'm just going to start with a few questions about your childhood." Wow, he doesn't waste any time.

An hour later. –

Over the course of an hour I have told him about my early days, high school, how I met Benny, and my life now. "Wow, it's been an hour already. You're quite the talker Mark." I blush. "I must say it seems as though you have great support amongst your friends. Including Benny, even if he doesn't show it a lot. Well, my work here is done. It was nice talking to you. If you ever need anything just call." He hands me his card. "Bye Mark."

"Bye." He leaves just as Maureen and Collins walk in. Once I see Maureen I remember where I heard the name Elsie. "The cow!" I practically shout. They both give me a confused look. "The cow from your protest, her name was Elsie."

"Yeah, that's right. Marky what kind of medicine do they have you on?" I sigh and tell her about my nurse and how that's her name too. "Really? That's cool!" She says excitedly.

"So where's Joanne?" I ask.

"At work, but don't worry she'll be by soon."

"And Roger?" I inquire hesitantly.

Collins gives me a sympathetic look. "We're not sure. Sorry Mark." I look down at my sheets. Then something occurs to me.

"Why is Mimi back so soon?"

Collins and Maureen both take a seat on each side of my bed. "She came back to tell us that she's getting married next month to some guy named Clive." I giggle at that. Clive? Poor Roger. I hope he's okay. "And she is clean. Which is really good. We're all invited to the wedding." After a few minutes, Collins and I get into a heated discussion about Actual Reality. We don't even notice when Maureen leaves. I am in the middle of a sentence when I notice she's gone.

"Where's Maureen?" I ask confused.

"I don't know, she must've gotten bored and went to look around. Mark, last night I was cleaning around the loft."

"Getting rid of all the sharp objects?" He smiles and mutters something about how I'm too smart for my own good.

"Anyway I found something under your mattress…" He trails off. The only thing under my mattress was my poetry. FUCK.

"Did you read it?" I ask him, praying the answer is no.

"No don't worry I didn't." I sigh in relief. "But I want too. Who knows, maybe it'll help me understand you and this whole ordeal." I weigh my options Do I really want him reading my personal thoughts and poetry? What could it hurt? He's Collins, I trust him.

"Ok Thomas, you can read it. But you have to promise to not let anyone read it. No one, ok?"

"I promise. Thank you." Just then Maureen walks in with her hands behind her back. "Where have you been Mo?"

She just smiles. "I got bored so I went down to the gift shop and got Marky this." She pulls a stuffed cow from behind her back. She hands it to me. I gratefully take it and study the cow. "Well Pookie," I cringe at the nickname. "What are you going to name it?"

Hmm…what should I call this beauty? Oh I know! "I'll call her Esel."

"Esel?" Maureen asks.

"Yes, it's a mix between Angel and Elsie." Collins and Maureen laugh. My door bursts open and Joanne walks in. She kisses Maureen on the lips.

"Hey Mark, how are you?"

"I'm good Jo."

We sit around and talk about nonspecific things until visiting hours are over. Elsie walks in to remind them that their time is up. They say their goodbyes and leave me to sleep. Alone at last. I close my eyes and just think about everything. I'm not sure how long I've been lying here just thinking and not sleeping. It couldn't have been more than an hour. My door creaks open and a figure walks in.

"Mark?" Roger.

The END! (Of the chapter.)

R&R!