AN: You guys are just...AMAZING! Every single review brought a huge smile to my face. I can't tell you this enough times but THANK YOUUU =] To the guest reviews that I cant PM Thank Youuu! I was gonna start writing an update for another fic but I promised reviews would speed me up on this one so here's another chapter wayyy earlier than I intended. It's pretty long and there's a lot of dialogue. Please Enjoy!

***It's dark out as you walk this paved walkway. Your heart is racing as you look around for any signs of her. A bit farther down the path on the ground is small blood droplets. They appear to make a trail so you follow it. A mantra of "Please be ok. Please be ok. Please be ok" repeats over and over in your mind. To this day you never believed in god but at this moment in time you find yourself praying and asking him for help. The walkway ends and turns into this gravel road. It's uneven and you trip every couple of steps as you walk over it. The farther you go the less you see of the blood trail. It starts becoming more and sparser till it completely stops. You finally peel your eyes from the ground and take a look at your surroundings. You're in the middle of nowhere. The trees are dull with no leaves on them. A bunch of dead flowers are scattered around the field. Small dead animals are lined along the side. It's as if any sign of life here has gone. You look in every direction to see where to go and you find yourself being drawn to keep going straight. Your feet move on their own as if you aren't even in control of your body anymore. After what feels like hours to you, knowing it's only a few minutes, you walk into another field with grass so high you can barely see over it. You see it though. All the way at the other side of this field is an old abandoned shack like house. You strain your eyes to make out a silhouette right by the door. Many people wouldn't be able to tell who it is but you know right away. You can tell by the way it walks, the way it presents itself. A figure that has haunted you your whole life. That's when it dawns on you; you didn't bring anything with you. No gun or knife. You look back and there's no way you would be able to find this place again so you start moving forward. You know she's there and terrified for her life, she's in your head telling you to run the other way. To escape. That its ok to leave her. That she's sorry. You ignore her. She always did say you were stubborn. Adrenaline kicks in and you're running now. You know you're running into your demise and you think to yourself that's ok. It's your time to go. You're ready to take that final hit for her.***

"Brendan? Brendan wake up." Ste shakes Brendan's shoulders trying to wake him up. Ste woke up just a couple seconds ago when he started feeling movement next to him. When he opened his eyes and looked over at Brendan he saw he was moving ever so slightly. He was mouthing something to himself. Ste was able to get that he was saying "Please be ok" but it didn't make sense. He looked down and saw Brendan had his hands clenched into fists. "Wake up! Brendan!" Ste shouts inches from his ear and Brendan's jumps and finally opens his eyes.

"What the fuck Steven?! You trying to make me deaf!" Brendan moves off the bed and covers his face with his hands.

"Sorry you were having a nightmare."

"I don't have nightmares."

"It sure looked like it. You were saying please be-"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Brendan leans on the bed and just shuts his eyes as he starts counting quietly to himself. Ste knows from his days in anger management that he is trying to calm himself down. "What time do you have?"

"6:37 PM."

"I gotta go."

"Oh why?"

"I have other patients beside you Steven. Do you always expect me to be with you every second of the day?"

"No I was just asking. Why are you being this way?"

"Being what way?"

"All agitated over nothing."

"I'm not. Stop acting like a little girl. You're too sensitive."

"Oh I'm the girl? Really? This coming from the man who just had a nightmare!"

"You just don't know anything Steven ok."

"Oh I don't know!"

"NO!" Brendan rushes out the door and hits it so forcefully on his way out that Ste thinks the hinges almost came off. He looks around and he's dumbfounded as to what just happened. They were perfectly fine a couple hours ago, and now they just had a row. Ste can't do anything about it though so he just lays back and hopes that when he wakes up it was all a dream.

Tuesday 6:40 PM

Brendan walks down the hallway avoiding eye contact with everyone. He purchases a bottle of water from the vending machine and goes back to the break room. He walks in and the room is crowded. They all turn to look at him and a few smile at him. He ignores them and goes to his locker to get something out of his jacket. Everyone is talking over each other and Brendan can't take it. He feels like the walls are closing in on him. He struggles to maintain his breathing at a normal pace. His shaking hands fumble around as he finally finds what he's looking for. He quickly rushes out of the room and can't help but notice all the looks everyone gives him as he leaves. Brendan makes his way to the North wing at a quick pace but goes into a room right before the entrance. A couple months ago he discovered this room that was supposed to have medical supplies in it but no one ever came in here. It was in an awkward location and didn't really have all the proper supplies. In all those months only 2 other nurses ever actually went into the room and they both walked out a second later. So now Brendan uses it as a place to get away from people. He takes a seat behind a wall just in case anyone does walk in they won't be able to see him. He takes out the 3 pills he got from his jacket and swallows them, then takes a small sip of water. There's a phone on the other side of the room and Brendan gets up and dials a number he knows by heart.

"Hello?"

"It's me sis."

"Are you ok?" Cheryl sounds panicked and Brendan can hear movement in the background. He hears keys fumbling around.

"I'm fine Chez you don't have to come over here." He hears the keys being placed on a counter or table.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just wanted-needed- I had to hear your voice-make sure you're still here."

There's a pause and Brendan knows she's thinking about the past.

"I'm safe Brendan. I'll always be here. Till the end remember?" The same 11 words get said every day. Nothing changes. No words get moved around. No word is ever left out. No word is ever put in.

"Thanks."

"You gonna be ok?"

"Yeah I think I'm fine now. I had to take my dose early so is it ok if I do 4 doses today?"

"How many did you take right now?"

"3."

"Hold off on the 8 PM one and don't take it unless you really need it. And at the most only take 2 pills ok."

"Ok. Sorry about this."

"You never need to apologize to me Brendan. Never. You hear me."

"Yeah. I should go now I'm late with one of my patient's therapy."

"Oh which one?"

"The bitch."

Cheryl burst out laughing and Brendan joins her. "Don't let her hear you call her that. She would go ballistic on you."

"She has!"

"Oh god I remember that! The funniest thing I ever seen."

"Glad you got your laugh while I was being chased by that lunatic. I really gotta go she's gonna go off on me the second I get in there."

"Be good. Well as good as you can be. Wait why are you calling me from the hospitals number?"

"Oh see what had happened was-"

"You broke it didn't you?"

"Yep."

"Come over tomorrow morning I think I got a spare one."

"Thanks sis. Going now. Talk to you later."

"Call me when you get out. Bye."

Tuesday 8:30 PM

Ste can't fall asleep he's been trying for 2 hours. His mind won't shut off so he just lays there staring at the ceiling. Amy text him a little while ago saying she was going to try to visit tomorrow or Thursday so that cheered him up. But as soon as they hung up he went back to feeling alone. He's deep in thought that he doesn't even notice someone walked in.

"Got you some food. You haven't eaten all day."

Ste knows its Brendan from the voice. He doesn't look at him though just keeps staring at the ceiling.

"Umm fried chicken and macaroni and cheese. And a Pepsi." Brendan places the tray on the table and sits down on the chair. "Did you want me to help you again or no?"

Ste doesn't respond and still avoids eye contact.

"Can you at least look at me? Please." Brendan gets up and stands next to the bed. He tilts his head to look at Ste but he turns his head to the side and looks out the window. "Steven I'm not leaving till you say something."

"Fuck off Brendan."

"I'll take that." Brendan sits back down on the chair he has grown accustomed to.

"Get out."

"Make me."

"I physically can't."

"Guess you're stuck with me then."

They sit in the room in silence. Ste staring out the window and Brendan staring at the floor. The only thing that breaks the silence is the footsteps of people walking outside in the hall. Nurses are laughing and talking amongst each other; discussing what events are going to take place at the hospital. Apparently someone is retiring and they are throwing him a going away party. It's mind numbing torture.

"Every night I get this recurring dream. Something that happened in the past that I can't forget. I see it over and over again. It haunts me."

Ste finally looks at him and he looks so small and vulnerable. He's about to ask about this dream when he gets cut off.

"Just forget about it. I'm sorry about earlier by the way."

"Forgiven."

"Just like that huh?"

"Just like that."

"You forgive to easily Steven."

"I don't. It's only because it's you." Ste wishes he could take that back but it's too late. Brendan doesn't react to it. "Don't expect to always be forgiven that easily though."

"I'm sure I would find a way to make you forgive me."

"And what ways are those?" Ste feels his cheeks turning red and thinks the heat must have been turned up.

"You'll see." Brendan gives him a quick smile and then points at the tray on the table. "You gonna eat this or not?"

"Hell yes! I'm bloody starving me! Gonna need your help tho."

"Is that your way of asking me to feed you?"

"Bren do your job and feed your favorite patient."

"Cheeky git."

Tuesday 10 PM

"No to the left. My left."

"Steven there's nothing."

"I'm telling you a rat went behind there!"

"Did you just make up this story so you had a reason to call me back here?"

"Don't flatter yourself. I'm blaming you if I wake up tomorrow with rat bites all over me."

"Does my patient need me to stay overnight?"

"Hmm. Maybe."

"No chance kid. But seriously though I don't see anything." Brendan looks back at him after looking one last time and shrugs his shoulders.

Ste made up the story. After Ste had ate Brendan left to go check up on his patient in the recovery ward and then said he had paperwork to do. After about 30 minutes Ste missed his sarcastic remarks but pushed it aside. Knowing Brendan's shift was about to end he decided to call for him. When he pressed the button he realized he had no actual reason too and had to think of something. The best Ste could come up with was a rat. And it seemed like Brendan caught on to it pretty quickly. As Ste explained his situation Brendan had a look of 'I know you're lying but I'm not gonna call you out on it' so they both went with it.

"Sorry to have made you walk all the way back here."

"No bother. I was just outside at the counter finishing up your charts."

"Anything new?"

"Nope. But you're gonna get an MRI tomorrow or Thursday. See if there's any more damage they may have missed. Now do you actually need something or can I go?"

"Restroom and then you're free for the night."

Ste finishes and Brendan helps him back to the bed. Ste trips right before he gets to the bed, not on purpose of course, so Brendan grabs him and flips him over so that he won't land on top of an injured person. Ste ends up falling on top on him and his whole body weight lands on Brendan. He keeps his arms around Brendan's neck as Brendan's arms wrap tightly around his hips. They stare at each other for what seems like a lifetime, in reality it's only a couple seconds. Brendan loosens his hold and slowly moves Ste off him onto the bed.

"Idiot."

"What? I tripped."

"Sure you did. Well now that you messed up my back do you need anything else?"

"I'm good ta."

"Ok I'm gonna get going. Button calls for Noah or Lynsey I don't know which one is on call now. I'll see you tomorrow." Brendan doesn't wave just walks out.

"Bye." Ste says to himself.

About 15 minutes later Ste looks up to see Brendan coming back in his room. Ste sees him and his jaw hits the floor. Brendan walks in and is wearing a black pea coat that has a hood on it, which Brendan has up. Under that he has on a red collared shirt with a couple buttons opened at the top. He has on slim black trousers and a leather belt on.

"Can I borrow your phone?"

"Myyy...ummm...what? Oh oh phone. Yeah. Yeah. Umm...yeah."

"You ok?" Brendan looks at him like he's suddenly gone crazy.

"Fine." Ste curses himself internally as his voice comes out all high pitched. He hands over his phone to Brendan.

"Thanks gotta give Cheryl a call real quick." Brendan dials a number and paces around as he waits for her to pick up. "It's me-calling on Stes phone-I was gonna check up on him before I left so save me the trip of going back to the break room and using the phone-your hilarious sis!-I'm sure he doesn't-how do you know- nope I hadn't noticed anything- that's true huh I'm pretty oblivious to things- ill start paying more attention, look I don't want to waste his minutes so was just calling to let you know I'm on the way- yep see you in a bit-alright." Brendan hangs up and hands it back to Ste.

"You live with your sister?"

"No got my own house. But I needed to go in the morning to her place to get a replacement phone so she just insisted I might as well stay the night. Anyway have a goodnight." Brendan walks over to the door before he is stopped by Ste.

"Oh Brendan you look different without the scrubs."

"Different good or different bad?"

"Different bad." Ste laughs.

"I gotta teach you how to lie better."

"What makes you think I'm lying?"

"Well your expression gave it away." Brendan turns and walks out leaving Ste with the biggest smile on his face.

How was it? Spent all day on this and kept adding more and more to it. And just in case, the first part was a dream. Again reviews will make me type in record speed =)