Roy pushed Helen into Johnny's room. Johnny appeared to be asleep.

"Give us a little time alone?" Helen asked as Roy parked the chair next to Johnny's bed.

Johnny had finally been put in a regular bed and the therapists were now working on sitting Johnny up daily. Each day they would let him sit for a few more minutes, making sure that the blood kept flowing. It was a slow process.

Roy slipped quietly out of the room. Helen studied Johnny closely.

"I know you're not asleep. I used to fake people out like that all the time," Helen told him.

"Whoever you are, please leave me alone," Johnny muttered, keeping his eyes closed.

"I can't do that," Helen informed him. "Your friend pushed me in here, and I can't push myself out."

Johnny opened his eyes and glanced first at the wheelchair and then at Helen's face. "Sorry, I can't push you either."

"So I've heard."

"I know you," Johnny said as he looked at Helen closely.

Helen nodded. "You rescued me a few weeks ago. My daughter and I were in a car accident."

"You wanted to set me up with her," Johnny remembered. Helen nodded. "Good thing that didn't work out, or she would have been stuck with a cripple," Johnny mumbled bitterly.

"She's been stuck with a cripple for 20 years, she's used to it," Helen said matter-of-factly.

"What are you doing here?" Johnny growled.

"I heard about your accident," Helen explained.

"It wasn't an accident," Johnny declared. "The guy looked right at me and then he shot me." He stopped, realizing what he just said. "The guy looked at me, and then he shot me! It wasn't Roy, it was him! I've got to tell him!"

He tried to move, but his head was the only part of his body that followed his commands. Johnny slammed his head back on the pillow in frustration. "Damn!"

"It takes a long time to get used to nothing moving when you want it to," Helen sympathized.

"I don't have to get used to it," Johnny snapped. "I won't be like this for long."

"You're lucky. But what are you going to do until you can get back on your feet?" she questioned him. "Just lay there like a lump?"

"What else can I do?"

"Why don't you get that cute butt of yours into a wheelchair, get back out into the world a little?" she suggested.

"And have everyone stare at me like some freak?" Johnny sneered. "No, thank you."

"Their ignorance is not your problem," Helen told him.

"I can't stand that 'Poor Johnny' look they give me when they come in here," admitted Johnny. "I don't need them feeling sorry for me."

"If you weren't feeling so sorry for yourself, they might not feel so sorry for you," Helen said gently.

"I know, I'm supposed to just accept this, right?" he asked angrily.

"I didn't say that."

"How did you handle it?" Johnny wanted to know. "Back when it first happened."

"I wanted every day to end quickly," she recalled. "I didn't want anyone around me. I was the meanest person you'd ever met. In fact, I just gave up."

I wish you all would leave me alone so I could do that.

Helen read his thoughts. "I was like you, wishing everyone around me would leave me alone with my misery," she confessed. "Paula and the rest of my family didn't give up on me, though. I think, deep down, I knew they wouldn't, but I had to test them. And I had to face my weakness."

"Weakness?" queried Johnny. "What do you mean?" His face was curious, but Johnny kept his eyes focused on the window, not letting Helen see his interest.

"I had to give permission to myself to be weak," she explained. "My life was going to be different. Did I have the strength to accept this weakness?" she nodded down at her wheelchair.

"And?"

"And, one moment after another, it became my new life. It's like I told you the day we met. I'm watching my daughter grow into a beautiful woman; I get to see those Dodgers games and beautiful sunsets that my husband is missing. Sure, I miss some things. I wish I could take your hand right now and hold it tight and somehow make this better for you." A tear rolled down her cheek. "But maybe it will be enough to tell you that you will survive this."

"How?"

"Don't look too far ahead, Johnny. Just live!"

Johnny's tears came again. He tried to blink them away.

"You have to learn to live with those tears, not fight them," Helen said gently. "All your life you've had your body to protect those emotions. You could run off and do something to forget about them. You don't have that outlet now, and you have to learn how to handle that."

"Am I strong enough?" Johnny whispered.

"I've seen how this hospital staff treats you, Johnny. I've watched and listened to Roy. You could have no greater family," she stated simply.

Johnny took a deep breath. He looked at Helen and became addicted to her resolve and honesty. He wanted to be honest with her. "I need your help," he admitted. "What do I do now?"

Helen smiled.