Note: I wanted to thank you all for your lovely reviews. I hope you guys enjoy what's coming with this story. And, as before breaks are gonna look like this – !BREAK!

Two weeks of sitting and waiting were taking a toll on him. Everyday he came to sit by her bedside. He would hold her hand and hope that today would be the day that she'd open her eyes. Those soft and knowing eyes that reflected his image back at him – in those eyes he'd been a better man. He hadn't been able to live up to that man, at least not yet, but there was chance now. Emily was free of Sonny Corinthos, and while his world had turned upside, all she had to do was open her eyes and Nikolas knew it would right itself. All he needed – all they really needed – was Emily.

Glancing down at his watch he realized that it was time to get back to Spencer. Nikolas didn't want to leave though. What if Emily woke up while he was gone? What if she was alone she did? That last fear was pointless he knew. Emily was rarely alone. Someone was always sitting with her – her family, Elizabeth, or Sonny. Hell, even some of the hospital staff came by.

Selfishly he wanted to be the one in the room with her when she awoke from the coma. He wanted to be the reason she came back to them, like before with the cancer. Sighing, Nikolas squeezed her hand, "I'll be by tomorrow," he promised.

He was beginning to stand when he saw her eyes flutter. Nikolas paused and stared. Fluttering wasn't unusual but hope built in his heart. "Emily," he said softly.

Her eyes fluttered again, then to his astonishment and relief they opened. Her dark eyes were clouded, but they were open and alert. A huge grin spread across his face. "Em, you're back."

She heard someone talking her. Telling her she was back. Back from where? she wondered. The room around was unfamiliar and she hurt all over. Trying to focus beyond the pain she looked over towards the voice. It belonged to a guy – he seemed tall and had dark eyes and hair. Excitement was written all over his face, which was as unfamiliar to her as room around her.

"Emily," he said the name with reverence as he reached for her. Confused by his tone she recoiled from his touch.

"Em?" he questioned looking just as confused as she felt. "Em are you all right?"

Em. Emily. Why was he calling her that? Why was he reaching for her? Expecting something from her? To answer the stranger's question she shook her head. That meant no she knew. Okay, how do I know that but not who this guy is, or why he's calling me Emily? she pondered fighting against the building panic she felt.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'll fix this," he assured her before rushing to the door and calling for a doctor Drake. Fix this? she thought. She was a person. How the hell did he expect to fix her? The stranger waited by the door. She could feel the impatience rolling off of him and it made it difficult for her to think. Pain, ugly room, and the need for a doctor – she was in a hospital, but why?

Finally another form rushed into the doorway. He was taller and leaner then the stranger. He was also wearing a lab coat. The doctor. As he came closer she noted that he was younger then she expected. Following behind him was the dark haired stranger who eyed her with entitlement. "Emily," the doctor said that name again, but unlike the stranger there was no possessiveness in his voice.

"What's with this Emily thing?" she finally spoke looking at the two men. They exchanged a worried glace and she felt her frustration bubble. "Doc can we do this without an audience?" she requested.

"Whatever you want," he replied. She could see the concern on his face, but it didn't chafe at her. He was her doctor after all. Memory loss, at least that was the only she could think of to explain the fact that she had no idea who she was, should damn well concern him.

It took him a few minutes to extricate the other man. All the "I should be here" and "Emily would want me here" protests pissed her off. If she was Emily, she sure has hell didn't want him in the room. Apparently her wishes didn't matter to the man, but her doctor didn't back down and for that she was grateful. When Nikolas, the name her doctor had bestowed on the stranger, was finally out of the room and the doctor's attention was fully back on her she asked, "So you know me?"

"You're a medical student and intern here," he answered. His voice and stance completely professional, but there was fondness in his hazel eyes.

"So we're colleagues?" she inquired.

"Friendly colleagues," he clarified.

"Really?" that knowledge piqued her interest. "Just how friendly?" she found herself asking. Dr. Patrick Drake, as he name tag declared him, was a handsome man.

"Not that friendly," he answered with grin. She like how he didn't shy away from the question. He was honest and direct with her and she desperately needed that now. Still the urge to question and learn, not to mention flirt – was she an outrageous flirt? – got the better of her. "Why not? And please tell me it's not because of that guy with a stick up his ass."

"Ah … no," Patrick answered with a laugh. "But you did just get out of a relationship."

Well that was news to her. Perhaps she had dumped the entitled one and he was hoping to use her … she didn't know what and at the moment she didn't really want to deal with her lack of knowledge so she continued to flirt. "Okay, so why aren't we friendly then?"

She watched as he fought a sputter. And she was impressed when he managed to get his response out, "I don't do relationships."

"So?"

"You don't do causal," Patrick informed her.

Another surprising factoid. Here she was fresh from who knew what, with no idea who she was and flirting like a pro. If she didn't do causal was her flirting a defense mechanism or something? Whether it was or not she was definitely attracted to her handsome doctor. Still, now didn't exactly seem like a good time to contemplate a relationship of any kind. "If you say so," she remarked putting an end to the topic and starting another one. "Is my name really Emily?"

!BREAK!

"Jason, Emily is awake." Those had been the words he waited two weeks to hear. Impatient for them he done everything he could to fill up time. From supporting Sam, to consoling Elizabeth, to triple checking the books he knew Bernie had probably already double checked. He rode his motorcycle and listened to the supportive words Carly offered in between insulting Sonny and complaining about how he was interfering with her relationship with Jax. It was all a distraction, something to keep him of thinking of Emily, his little sister, laying pale in a hospital bed.

It was hard visiting her. She was such an animated person. Always moving, or feeling, or giving – that was his sister. All heart and smiles, and strength. He'd forgotten about that strength for awhile. He hadn't been there for her when she needed him most and Jason realized that was one of the reasons he'd pushed so hard to keep Emily from Sonny. To compensate for that. He hadn't been there to help her through her heartache, so he'd been dead set on preventing a new one.

His attempt failed. Horribly. Instead of helping his sister he alienated her, Sonny and Sam. He was managing to put his relationship with Sonny and Emily back together, but now he and Sam were further apart then ever and Emily …

Two weeks of darkness. Time stolen from her. Time she'd never get back. That anger him, but the feeling was overshadowed by the tone in Monica's voice when she called. Her words had been simple, direct – the way she knew he preferred them. But, her voice trembled, as if awake wasn't the celebratory state they'd been waiting on.

Riding up the elevator Jason couldn't help but wonder if the accident had caused any problems they hadn't been able to asset while Emily was in the coma. He thought of her back injury and her struggle to learn to walk. Would she have to face that again? he wondered. Jason knew it was pointless to speculate. Thinking about what-ifs didn't help because you could only deal with what you had. Right now he didn't have any facts, only the news for which he'd been praying. His sister was awake. He concentrated on that thought because it was a happy one.

Exiting the elevator he saw Patrick Drake, Emily's doctor, surrounded by the Quartermaines. "What are our options?" "What forms of treatment do you think would be best?" "Do you think it's permanent?" They fired questions rapidly, talking over each other so it was difficult to figure out exactly what was being asked and who was asking.

Shaking his head Jason decided to bypass the Quartermaine craziness. He felt trepidation walking down the hall. He knew by their questions that something was wrong with Emily, but what? Stepping into her open doorway he saw her sitting up in bed. The television in the room was on low and a 24-hour news station was reporting the latest Hollywood gossip.

It looked like Emily was only half paying attention to this as she studied a spot on the ceiling. He remembered being bored in the hospital as well. Looking at her she seemed fine. Healthy even. As he entered the room she finally took notice of him and her legs shifted. She didn't wince at the movement so that was one worry down. Smiling for the first time in days he made his way over to her side.

When tall, built and gorgeous stepped into her room Emily, as she was forcing to think of herself, had the urge to lick her lips. Lord I'm surround by good looking me, she thought watching the stranger; waiting for him to say something. She hoped for some clue as to how she knew him and should act around him. Though if he started spouting off like the Prince – a real Prince, she was still scoffing over that but Dr. Drake had assured her it was true – his handsome face wouldn't keep her from booting him out.

Instead of speaking though he walked over to her bed, a relieved smiled on his face, and took a hold of her hand. Oddly enough she didn't object to the bold move and she even welcomed his touched. It was the complete opposite of the reaction she had with Nikolas. She hadn't wanted him to touch her and he was as much as stranger to her as Blondie here.

Was it intent? she pondered, looking up at him with questioning eyes. As she gazed at him searching for answers, she saw fondness slip from his face. It was replaced first by confusion, then almost an understanding and sadness, before anger clouded his features. Even though she had watched the stages of his emotions play on his face, his sudden jerky movement startled her. He was almost out the door before she managed to call out: "Wait! Where are you going?"

His intense blue eyes fell on her. "To kill the guy who did this to you."

The words sent a shudder through her. He meant them, she knew he did. And somehow she knew he would carry through with his … threat? No, she thought. His promise. This caused Emily to gulp and she watched wide-eyed as he left her room. He was going to kill someone. Why wasn't she horrified by the thought? A normal person would be. No, it wasn't the thought of violence that had her scrambling out of her hospital bed to follow him, rather it was the thought of it being done in her name. A name she was still deciding if she even liked or not.

There is something seriously wrong with me. That thought floated through her mind as exited her room. Emily almost groaned when she saw that he was practically halfway down the hall. His strides were long and she was feeling weak and woozy. Who wouldn't be standing up right for the first time in two weeks?

It was difficult but she managed to gain a bit of ground before calling out to get his attention. "You. Hey YOU? Wait would you?" Getting no response she tried a different tactic. "Hello, my ass is hanging out and I'm dragging an IV! Could you slow down? Yo! Tall, built and gorgeous," she hollered in desperation.

She felt a flush on her cheeks. She and the man she'd been following were now near the nurses station and there was a large party around Dr. Drake. She had heard them arguing as she made her way down the hall, but they all stopped and stared at her. Thankfully they weren't the only ones looking at her. She had the full attention of said tall, built and gorgeous.

Puffing slightly she asked the object of her frantic rush through the corridor: "What's your name?"

"Jason," he replied his voice monotone. She was surprised that he managed to keep the rage, so evident in his eyes, out of his voice.

"Well Jason could you do me a favor?" He nodded and she made her request, "Catch me."

"What?" he asked clearly startled.

"Catch me," she pleaded feeling her knees give way. Emily had to give him credit. The Jason guy sure could moved fast. No sooner had she started to crumple then she felt his arms around her, bracing her for a moment before scooping her up into his arms.

Without paying attention to the chaos erupting behind them he started back down the hall towards her room. Holding her and steering the IV without difficulty. His style was another point for him, but before she decided whether or not she liked him they had one very important thing to clear up. "Could we like, talk, before you go off to kill in my name?"

!BREAK!

"No headache?" Patrick inquired as she followed his finger with her eyes. "Nope," she answered feeling silly. "I was just a little lightheaded."

"That can be expected with head injuries," he assured her. "What about any nausea?"

Emily made face. "I had a spell, but I think it's from the sludge that they try to pass off as food here."

"It is pretty awful," he agreed with a laugh. "But if you have anymore episodes I need know."

"Sure," she agreed as he scribble in her chart. "So, I created a big hullabaloo out there didn't I?"

"Yeah you did. It was kind of priceless actually," Patrick remarked. "It's not often that the Quartermaines are speechless."

"I got that impression earlier when they were in here bickering," she replied. "I guess it's nice that they care and all, but man are they loud. And obnoxious. Would I have say that before?"

"Before what? Their show out there?" he asked knowing full well that's not what she meant. Patrick wanted to give her an honest answer, but he wasn't sure how to respond. They had never discussed her family in great detailed. And after seeing her shrink away when Edward started listing her wonderful qualities; telling her how much like Lila she was, who he learned was the heart and soul of the Quartermaines, he didn't want to tell Emily who she was or how she was suppose to be. It was clear that she didn't appreciate it. If she asked it was one thing, but people trying to inflict their version of Emily on her – like Nikolas and Edward had – was not the way to go.

"You know that's not what I meant," she said clearly aggravated with him.

"I know. I shouldn't have been glib," he stated. "It's just that I don't know the answer to that one. I could give you a few recommendations to who could though. If you wanted that is."

Emily considered this for a moment. She'd already gotten an earful from the Quartermaines today and she didn't know how she'd handle another round of that. "Maybe tomorrow. So is everything all right? Besides my obvious lack of memory."

"Physically you're doing well," he relayed. "You suffered a number of superficial cuts and buries in the accident, but they're all but gone. Other then that hard of yours being conked and addled I'd say you're fairly good."

She snorted at his assessment and asked, "Do you think my being addled is permanent?"

"I didn't see anything in your test that would explain your memory loss Emily, so no, I don't think it's permanent. However—"

"There is always a but isn't there?"

"Medicine for all its tests, procedures and drugs is still an art not a science. At least that's how I've always seen it," Patrick confided. "Every patient is different. People respond to drugs differently – for one person it could the thing that works while for someone else it could make their condition worse. Some things are just trial and error, which is why we'll be running another CT scan tomorrow."

"I doubt the picture will have changed, but thanks for the honesty and optimism Doc."

"You're welcome," he said with a smile, "and the name is Patrick."

"Right." She returned his smile and inquired, "So are visitors allowed?"

"If you like," he answered.

"Good because I need to talk to that Jason guy," she told him.

"Tall, built and gorgeous?" he asked causing her to blush.

"That would be the one," she confirmed.

"I'll send him in," Patrick promised before exiting the room. Emily could see through the closing door that the Quartermaines were waiting for him. They began peppering him with questions and she heard Patrick's raised voice through the door; telling them to: "Settle down people. I'm not answering any questions here." There were more protests, over which she heard him shout: "Emily would like to see you Jason."

The door to her room opened and she caught sight of Patrick trying to make his way down the hall encircled by the Quartermaines. "Quite a family I have there," she remarked.

"Quite a family we have," Jason replied. It wasn't often he claimed the Quartermaines as family, but he didn't want to cause any confusion for Emily. She needed to know the basics. Once she had that down though he wasn't going to provide her with any other information. He remembered how much he hated everyone telling him who he was suppose to be. He wouldn't do that to Emily.

"Oh," she sighed, her cheeks pinking with embarrassment. "So, you're my brother?" she questioned.