Recommended music: Grateful and Ride the Ride by the Bangles

Speed listened to the song as it played out and heaved a soft sigh. It was kind of depressing, the song, yet somehow it cheered him up a little. His thoughts had been on Trixie lately and he hadn't been able to think of anyone else.

Robert had picked up on that, though how, Speed hadn't been able to figure out. He just knew that his roommate had been very selective in what he played when it came to music. Nothing truly sad yet nothing truly uplifting. Most of the songs Robert played on his Walkman were songs Speed had never heard before but he liked them nonetheless. Idly, he wondered what he was going to do once Robert was released from the hospital. Having the older man's company comforted him for reasons he could barely identify.

"It's getting late, gentlemen," a female voice announced from the doorway. "Time to put everything up and go to sleep."

"Easier said than done," Speed murmured to himself as the lights went out and the music died out. Slowly, he closed his eyes . . .

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His entire body ached. Why did his body ache? He tried opening his eyes but to no avail. They wouldn't open. He tried raising a hand to his head but he had no strength to even manage something so simple. There were voices all around him, voices that were growing faint with each passing moment.

'What's going on?'

"We're losing him!"

Losing him? What did they mean? He was right here, where he was supposed to be. Next to Torie in the truck. Where else would he be?

'Torie . . . Oh, god, the accident . . . Please God, let her be all right . . . I love her.'

"Call it."

A weary voice sighed.

"All right. I'll call it . . ."

He didn't catch the rest of what they were saying. It became unimportant as a vision appeared before his eyes, a vision of a young woman holding a child whose face he couldn't see but knew was his. She looked radiant and she smiled warmly at him, tears filling her eyes.

"I love you, Ryan O'Connell. Don't you ever forget that. Ever."

"Don't worry, Torie. I won't. And I'll be watching over you and our son. Always and forever watching. I love you both. And you be sure to tell her that, Speed Racer."

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The song crooned in the background as Rex watched Torie turn and walk away, tears filling her eyes. He couldn't help but feel guilty and sad as he watched her head into her kitchen. Guilty because he believed he could just walk into her life a mere two weeks after she lost her fiancé and sad because of the burden he knew that she bore and would bear by herself.

"Torie . . ."

She turned to face him but didn't walk back. Carefully, he approached her.

"I just want you to know that I'm not going to give up on the possibility between us."

"You think that there is?" she whispered.

"I believe that time can make all things possible," he nodded. "And I'm willing to wait for you, no matter how long it takes."

"Don't make a promise like that, Rex. Time changes things and I wouldn't want to be the reason for you missing the love of your life."

"And how do you know I haven't already found her?"

Torie smiled through her tears.

"Because you'll know, Rex. It'll just feel right in every way possible, not just in your heart but your mind as well. And you'll just be so happy that you want the world to see it."

"And you're sure that I haven't found that in you."

"I'm sure," she nodded.

Rex stared at her for a moment, at a loss for words. He wondered what he could do to prove to her that he wanted her and no one else but knew it was far too soon. As she had just told him, she was on the rebound and it wouldn't be fair to either of them if they got involved. She still loved Ryan far too much to get involved with anyone right away.

"Well, I guess there's only one way to find out."

"What do you mean?" she gave him a questioning look.

"You'll see," he said enigmatically, turning for the door.

"You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you're not going to give up your life to prove something to me, are you? Because if you are, I'll kick your ass," she stated. Rex blinked at the ferocity of her words. She sincerely meant it.

"What do I have to do to prove myself to you, Torie?"

"Prove yourself to me? Gods, would you listen to yourself! You're obsessed with proving things to people and you don't have to!" she nearly shouted, her tears vanishing instantly. "How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"I think I could stand to hear it again," he grinned.

"Men," she muttered. He started chuckling.

'At least she's not crying anymore.'

"Hey, Torie . . ."

"Yeah?" she gazed at him, a fire smoldering in her brown eyes.

"Would you really kick my ass if I gave up my life for you?" Rex inquired.

"Yes. I would," she answered.

"Did you ever tell Ryan anything like that?"

"Nope."

"Why not?" Now it was his turn to give her a puzzled look.

"Just . . . never had to," she shrugged. "Despite our different backgrounds, we were very much one person and we were both whole when we meant. Very secure in who we were and in what we wanted out of life. We weren't two halves making that whole."

"And now?"

"I feel as if someone ripped my heart out and tossed it in the Atlantic," she confessed, "but I will survive. I always have. It makes a different when you're whole, Rex. A very big difference. You're more able to survive than if you're half and expecting someone else to make up the other part of you."

A knock on the door interrupted what he was about to say next. Torie frowned as she looked at the door. She glanced at him and he shrugged. He hadn't told anyone he'd be here and he knew from the way Torie talked that all of her friends were either sleeping or at work.

"Who is it?"

"Trixie Prescott . . . May I come in?"

Torie's eyes widened as did his. He didn't know Trixie had gotten married but he did know that she knew him as Racer X. As Torie strode towards the door, he ducked into the bathroom, where he had taken off his mask. He yanked it on and stepped just as Trixie stepped inside.

"Racer X!" she exclaimed. "I didn't know you were here."

"He's been mooching," Torie stated, winking at him as she glanced at him.

"Actually, Trixie, Speed's roommate is Robert Johnson, a friend of Torie's," he explained, smiling a little. "I just came by to see how Torie was doing since she'd been in the accident and all."

"Ah . . . how did you manage to walk away from that accident, Torie?" Trixie's gaze fell on the golden-haired minx.

"Shit house luck," she muttered. "And what brings you by, Mrs. Prescott?"

"I came to ask you why you despise my husband so much. What did he ever do to you?"

Rex groaned to himself. This did not bode well. He knew both women were forces to be reckoned with and he did not want to get caught in the middle.

'But if I have to, I will. I'd be more mortified if something happened to Torie and her baby than to Trixie.'

"Trixie . . ."

"No, she needs to know, Re . . . Racer X. She needs to know what a scumbag Taylor is."

"Scumbag?" Trixie echoed.

"Yes. Scumbag," Torie stated, the anger no longer smoldering but burning bright. "He's tried to make my life a living hell since I've moved here and he did his damndest to break me and Ryan up after we started dating."

"That's in the past," Trixie pointed out.

"Doesn't matter. There are some things I don't forgive so easily, Mrs. Prescott. And I will never forgive Taylor for everything he's ever done to my friends."

"He's done nothing to them."

By now, both women were in defensive stances and Rex moved to stand between them. It proved to be pointless. Torie's stance changed as did her tactics.

"You're right. He's done nothing to them. All of them, that is. He did, however, do his best to hurt Ryan and Robert. Especially Robert. My friends mean the world to me, Mrs. Prescott. They're my family away from family. You mess with them, you mess with me. I don't take kindly to that. Surely, you're the same way, right?"

"I am," Trixie nodded hesitantly. Torie's sudden change had her nervous. Rex saw it. It had him nervous, too.

"Then let's just leave it at that, okay? You appear to be very happy with Taylor and I don't want to be the one to ruin that," Torie stated softly. "As much as I despise him, I wouldn't wish any ill on him or you. Can you leave it be?"

Trixie nodded once more.

"Okay . . . would you like something to drink while you're here?"

"Sure . . ."

"Have a seat, both of you."

Torie walked into the kitchen as Trixie sat on the couch. He sat next to her.

"How's Speed doing?" she asked after a moment had passed in silence. She kept folding her hands over and over again.

"Doing good," Rex nodded. "Taking things slowly but he's doing all right."

"Has he . . ."

"Asked about you? No. Just thinks about you. I can tell by the look in his eyes. He still loves you, you know."

"I know and I still love him. But what's done is done. There is no going back. Not for me, anyway," she gave him a wane smile.

"You sure about that, Trixie?"

"Very sure, Racer X. Very sure."

A phone rang somewhere as they sat there. The next thing Rex knew, Torie had grabbed her jacket and was out the door, muttering something about being right back.

"What's that all about?" Trixie asked.

"I don't know," he said as the door closed. He had a sinking feeling that it wasn't good.

"Maybe we should follow her, make sure she'll be all right," Trixie suggested. "She didn't look too happy."

He nodded and they exited the apartment.

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"Speed, you need to calm down. You're not doing yourself any good by working yourself up," the nurse stated firmly. Mrs. Racer watched as the nursing staff worked with her son. He had not gone to physical therapy, stating he didn't want to go anywhere until he had talked to Torie Cronkhite. When the staff had initially refused to call her on the grounds that they didn't have her phone number and that she could be at work, Speed had become agitated and had not calmed down since.

"I want to talk to Torie," he stated, his breath coming in short spurts.

"Maybe you should call her," Mrs. Racer suggested. "At least leave a message for her to stop by." Her concern for her son had grown and it was clear to her that he would not calm down until he talked to the older woman.

"We don't have her number," the nurse informed her.

"But his roommate does," Mrs. Racer pointed out.

"And he isn't in here. Mrs. Racer, please. We're trying to calm down your son . . ."

Mrs. Racer narrowed her eyes at the young woman then slipped out. She didn't particularly care for the woman's tone, especially since she couldn't get it into her head as to what would calm her son down.

'Better talk to Dr. Richmond.'

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Sparky had been standing outside with Robert, Pops, and Inspector Detector as they smoked their cigarettes when a silver-grey pick-up truck pulled into the parking lot and immediately found a parking spot, music thumping loudly. He marveled at how well the driver had taken the turn at a slightly faster speed than recommended.

'Driver's got some skill . . . and that truck looks familiar . . .'

"Torie's here," Robert announced, crushing out his cigarette.

"How can you tell?" Pops asked, looking at him.

"The music. She's in a Bangles mood. Always plays their music whenever she's sad or pissed off or just in a mood to listen to them. Calms her down, cheers her up, you name it," Robert explained. "Big fan."

"Ah."

Within a couple of minutes, Torie walked up to them, Racer X and Trixie right behind them. Sparky watched as Torie nodded in hello then breezed right by them. Racer X and Trixie stopped.

'That's one determined woman,' he mused.

"I know that look," Pops commented. "I feel sorry for whoever crosses her path."

"You have no idea," Robert stated.

"What's she doing here?" Sparky asked. "Do you think the hospital finally called her?"

"Nope," Robert answered, pulling out another cigarette and lighting it. "I called her and told her to get here before they decide they need to sedate him."

"You think they'll do that?" Sparky couldn't help but feel a little scared for his friend. He knew Speed. Once he got riled up, it took him a while to calm down.

"They nearly sedated Torie after the accident and she wasn't even that hysterical so yeah, I think they would. Haldol is a very nasty drug."

Sparky's eyes followed the length of the building until it reached the floor where his best friend stayed.

'Just when things were starting to get a little better.'

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"Leave me . . . alone," Speed panted. The nurse just stared impassively at him. He couldn't read her name tag but he knew that it wasn't Val. Val had a kinder, sweeter persona about her and would have called Torie by now. Why couldn't they just call Torie, like he had asked? He wouldn't have gotten worked up if they had. It was important, after all, that he talk to her right away. The message simply would not keep until she came to visit Robert.

"Young man, you need to calm down," she stated.

"So . . . you keep . . . saying . . ."

"I think I can help him do that," a female voice stated. "Would you mind giving us some privacy?"

The nurse turned and looked but Speed knew it was Torie. He'd heard her voice enough lately to know she was there without having to look. A sigh of relief escaped him.

"Excuse me, miss, but . . ."

"But what? You gonna deny him the right to a visitor? Especially if that visitor can help calm him down without the use of drugs? I do believe that's against the law. Now please leave and give us some privacy before I locate your supervisor and inform her of what's going on."

The nurse huffed and stormed out. Speed smiled at Torie as she sat next to him.

"Thanks," he breathed.

"No problem," she smiled. "Now what's gotten you all worked up that you had to see me?"

"I had a dream about you last night . . ."

"A dream?" she blinked.

"Yes . . . It was weird because it wasn't me with you. I know it wasn't me." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I heard people around me but their voices were faint. All I could think about was you being safe. Then I saw you. You were a vision to behold and you were holding a child and I felt such love that it permeated everything."

Speed paused for a moment, his entire body shaking. He could only imagine what Torie had to be thinking at that moment.

'Must think I'm a lunatic but I've gotta tell her. I just gotta.'

"Is that all that happened in your dream?"

"No . . . You said something, something that told me that it wasn't me. . . You said I love you, Ryan O'Connell and that I was to never forget it. I said that I never would and that I would be watching over you and our son. Always and forever watching and that I loved you. He told me to tell you that and that's when I woke up."

He took a deep breath then managed to twist his head so he could look at her. He half-expected to see an angry expression on her face, especially at the mention of her deceased fiancé. Instead, he saw an expression of sadness and disbelief.

"Torie? Are you all right?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "Did Robert tell you?"

"Did Robert tell me what?" he asked, confused.

She gazed at him, as if gauging something. Then she nodded.

"No. He didn't tell you . . . Ryan really did come to you and tell you that."

"You're not . . . mad?"

"No," she shook her head. "I'm not mad. I have no reason to be. You said things that I mainly knew . . . except about the baby . . ."

"The baby? You mean . . .?"

"Am I pregnant? Yes," she nodded. "I just didn't know what I was going to have and I was going to wait until the delivery to find out. I'm having a little boy . . . Gerald and Mitsu will be happy to hear that."

"Who are they?"

"Ryan's parents," she answered. "I made the announcement of my pregnancy at Ryan's funeral. I needed to give them something to hold onto, something more than just memories, y'know?"

"Yeah. I know."

"So, because of this dream, you got yourself all worked up and sent everyone into a tizzy. Shame on you," she chided, smiling a little.

"I didn't want to wait for you to come and visit Robert," he grinned back. They fell silent for a few moments, his hand somehow finding hers.

"Thank you, Speed. You don't know how much that means to me."

"You're welcome."