After he finally stopped laughing like a hyena, he leaned down and kissed her full red lips. One of the many features that he loved was her lips; she rarely wore make up and never lipstick. They were naturally, a vibrant, intense red.

Gazing into his deep brown eyes, she understood immediately just how close she came to dying, his pain and grief were apparent. Her memory was fuzzy; one of the last images was of her and Brice flying over the cliff. Then only bits and pieces, what had happened?

Only one question came to her. Squeezing Johnny's hand, she exclaims, "Brice...how's Brice? He made it right? He didn't...." She tried to sit up, only to be instantly reminded of how much pain she was in.

"No, relax...he's going to be just fine. You saved his life." For a moment he felt angry with her. "You should have stayed with the Squad....you could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Would 'you' have done anything less, for Roy?" She already knew the answer to that question.

"No....you know I was all set to be really angry with you....now you go and make sense!" He hated it to admit it but she was right. He would give his life for Roy, for any of his guys, she was no different. If there was one thing the last few days had taught him it was to never take her or the time they have together for granted.

"Johnny....I can't remember too much of anything....how long have I been in the hospital?" Judging by the circles under his eyes, it was more than one day.

"A.J. it's been almost five days since the accident." He was leery about telling her too much; maybe it was better if she didn't remember.

"WHAT! Oh no, that means Joe had to have called my parents! Are they here?" She hated the idea of worrying them.

"Yes, so are both of your grandparents. They all came out here, when Joe called them, Honey.....you died..." The horrible scene of Dr. Brackett calling time of death was replaying in his mind, as a grimace appeared on his face.

"Died? You mean literally....died?" The look she caught on his broad, haggard face gave it away.

"Your heart stopped for the fourth time, since we found you in the canyon, they couldn't get it started again. Then I was holding you...to say goodbye...and you came back to us...." Fears tears streamed down his sculpted cheek bones.

"Different times, when everyone was talking to me...I could hear you, all of you. It was so unnerving, I could hear what people were saying but I couldn't move or think straight. I heard you calling for me...you brought me back." She gently wiped away his tears. "You're stuck with me, Waste (love)!"

In the days following her miraculous recovery, everyone under the sun came into visit with her. The one thing that they each had in common was the look on their faces, like they were seeing a ghost or something.

Her grandparents once they had a chance to visit with her, left to go to her house. They took over from Mrs. Nettles; she was a neighbor that had been taking care of her animals. Her mom and day stayed longer, although they seemed to be having a great deal of pleasure in bonding with Johnny.

She felt like a teenager, hoping that her parents approved of her Prom date. She knew they would love him, actually she had been rather anxious for him to meet them, especially her dad. He had a strength that she also saw in Johnny.

The pain was subsiding some, mostly due to that lovely medication...morphine. Although she wanted off of the stuff as soon as possible. It gave her hallucinations, about the oddest things. After all she had tried to convince Johnny that 'they' were stealing her blood to sell on the black market!

She was also more than ready to start physical therapy. The faster she was out of the hospital bed and hospital itself, the better! Then one day lying in the bed, she had the most ridiculous thoughts run through her mind.

All she could think about was the permanent marks, scars that would be all over body. The two 'bullet holes' from the chest tubes, the incision where Dr. B had taken part of her liver, and the incision where they repaired her hip. She was alive and would make a full recovery that is what should have been occupying her thoughts, not this shallow stuff! She couldn't believe that she was feeling subconscious about any of it.

As if one cue, Johnny walked into the room. "How is my Tehila today?"

He took one look at her and seemly read her mind. Then he sat down, with a naughty expression written on his face, he slid his hand under the sheets and her gown and used his fingers to find and trace her scars. He knew full well what his touch would do to her, which was completely unfair!

"You wanna know what one of the many silver linings is in this whole thing?" She had seen that look many times before.

"What's that?" What is he getting at now?

"Chicks with scars turn me on." His expression was both serious and full of mischief. His point was taken; he was letting her know that she had absolutely nothing to worry about.

Still smiling he said, "Is there anything else I can do for you?" He could barely stand imagining what he would do with her, when she was all healed up.

Sobering her expression she responds, "Yes, you can. I need to go back there...take me back to the canyon."