Author's note: Okay just so you all know this is not beta checked. Once I hear back I will rewrite if need be but I didn't want to let you guys have to wait any longer. Now that my brother is home and getting use to the wheelchair, I should be able to write more often. enjoy.

Chapter Thirteen

You Are My Survival Instinct

Tyler slowly pushed his way down the street, he was heading to pick up his sister and he was in a pretty good mood considering he had already hit his leg twice and he was only half way there.

"Ow!" Tyler hissed in pain as he once again ran into a street pole, he was not getting use to the way to control the wheelchair, "Okay that's it!" he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and put the foot rest down so that both his legs were down completely. "Okay, much better." He finally managed to get to the door he was heading for, though once there he realized he wouldn't be able to get up the stairs. He ran a hand through his hair, he sighed and reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and hit number two on the speed dial.

"Hey Tyler," the cheerful voice of his sister was on the other line.

"Hey Maestro, are you ready?" Tyler asked pulling his fingers into the sleeves of his coat as he waited.

"Ready and waiting," Caroline said, Tyler could hear the smile in her voice.

"Well, I'm here but…" Tyler cleared his throat, "But I think you are going to have to come out to me, I can't make it up the steps."

Caroline was silent, but Tyler could tell that she was biting her lip, trying not to laugh.

"Okay, go ahead and laugh, I know you want to," Tyler said with a smile.

The other line was filled with laughter, "Okay, I'm sorry but you have to admit that it is kind of funny."

Tyler rolled his eyes, "Okay kiddo, I'm waiting."

Caroline laughed harder, "Alright mister impatient, I'll grab my coat, see you in minute."

Tyler's mouth fell open, "Impatient?" But Caroline had already hung up.

….

When Caroline came out she found Tyler waiting at the end of the stairs, he had put his leg up again while waiting for her and was surprised when she finally came into his line of vision.

"Hi!" Caroline said making her brother jump; she hid a laugh behind her hand, "Now I know that you didn't put your leg down while you were on your way over here."

Tyler bit his lip, "Nooo, why would I do that?"

"Liar," Caroline said with a smile.

Tyler sighed, "Oh alright, I admit it, but come on I hit almost every post I came across."

Caroline shook her head, "You know what? I'll push you to the shop, that way you won't kill yourself on the way."

"Hey-I wouldn't kill myself-hurt maybe-but not kill," Tyler said as Caroline grabbed the handles to the back of his chair before he could stop her.

"Breaks please," Caroline said smiling as Tyler looked up at her.

Tyler shook his head and laughed, "Alright Maestro, whatever you say." And with that Tyler pulled up the breaks on his wheels and put his leg a little higher on the foot rest as Caroline began to push him down the street.

…..

"Tyler, what about this one?" Caroline asked putting another ring on her finger and showing it to her brother.

Tyler looked at the ring; it had to have been at least the fiftieth he'd looked at in the past two hours. It was pretty; it had a large diamond in the middle and was surrounded by smaller diamonds around the outside. Tyler shook his head, "it's pretty Maestro, but it's just not Ally."

"You said that about all the ones we've looked at, come on Tyler, we've been looking for two hours, there has to be a ring here that says Ally." Caroline said with a laugh, and then her eyes drifted to the side of the counter, another sparkle caught her eye. She turned back to the shop owner, "Can we see that one please?" She asked pointing at the ring in question.

The man nodded and pulled out the ring that was nearly hidden in the corner of the display case. Tyler's eyes widened, he never would have seen it. Caroline held out her left hand and the owner gently slipped it onto her finger. She turned back to her brother, "What about this one Tyler?"

Tyler gripped the wheels of his chair and wheeled a little closer. The moment he got closer his mouth dropped open. The ring was simple; it had a small heart shaped diamond that was surrounded by small sapphires on a solid gold ring. This was it; this was Ally's engagement ring.

"Maestro, it's perfect," Tyler said with a smile, Caroline smiled back and took the ring off and put it in Tyler's hand so he could get a closer look.

"I see what you were looking for now Tyler, this ring screams Ally," Caroline said with a smile.

"So do you like it?"Tyler asked he wanted to be sure he was getting the right thing.

"I think it's beautiful, Ally is going to love it." Caroline said still smiling.

Tyler looked back to the shop owner, "Do you have layaway?"

….

"Are you sure you want to leave the ring at the shop that long?" Caroline asked as she pushed her brother towards the diner.

"Well I can't have it in the apartment, Ally might find it, then I would be totally screwed," Tyler said lowering the leg rest slightly.

"Why don't you just ask her now?" Caroline asked as she opened the door so Tyler could wheel himself in.

"I want to be able to do it right Maestro, I can't do that when I'm in this chair," Tyler said as he wheeled himself up to a table and locked his wheels.

Caroline smiled, "Ohhh, you want to do the whole on one knee thing, ohh Tyler, I can't wait."

Tyler looked at her, "Not a word Care, not even to mom and dad, not yet."

Caroline laughed and nodded, "Don't worry Tyler, your secret is safe with me."

Tyler smiled and nodded, "I know it is Maestro."

They ordered, Tyler sighed once their food arrived, he was ready to go into the conversation he really wanted to have with his sister.

"Tyler?" Tyler looked to his sister and realized he had zoned out, "Are you alright?"

Tyler sighed again and nodded, "I'm fine Maestro; it's just…well."

"What-what is it?" Caroline asked, she was beginning to worry about her brother.

"It's not bad Maestro, it's just-I just wanted to talk to you about-what happened-that day-to me." Tyler said biting his lip, not sure if he really should be talking to a twelve year old about this but knew that she really needed to know what was going through his head.

"You mean, why you weren't in dad's office at the time of the attack?" Caroline asked, she had been wondering that along with the rest of their family.

"Yeah-," Tyler sighed and took another drink of water before continuing, "Now this is going to sound really crazy, and maybe it was all in my head but it did happen."

Caroline nodded, "Its okay Tyler, whatever it is, I'll believe you."

"You might want to hold that thought," Tyler said, "I wasn't in dad's office, because-because someone told me to leave."

Caroline blinked, "You mean-someone knew that it was going to happen?"

Tyler bit his lip, how was he going to explain this, "Well-yes and no."

Caroline looked confused.

"It was Michael, Maestro-his voice, I hear his voice. He yelled at me to get out." Tyler said he knew how crazy he was sounding and his sister's wide eyes proved it.

"But-that's-," Caroline began.

"Impossible." Tyler finished for her, "I know, but I heard him Care, it was him who got me to leave the building."

"But-why did you take the stairs?" Caroline asked remembering how her brother had been found in the building.

"That was him too, I started to take the elevator, but his voice stopped me, it was his voice that told me to take the stairs. Not ten minutes later that elevator was a ball of fire. I would have died anyway," Tyler said watching his sister closely to make sure she wasn't ready to bolt for the door.

Caroline just looked excited, "Did you ever see him? Michael I mean."

Tyler nodded and went into the whole story, Brian finding him, the building collapsing around him, the stories they told to keep themselves awake. Being in the coma and talking to Michael, and what Michael finally helped him figure out that was holding him back.

Caroline shook her head, trying to let it sink in, "So let me get this straight, you were fighting for me the whole time?"

Tyler blinked, "That's it? No Tyler its okay we'll get you some help?"

Caroline laughed and shook her head, "I believe you Tyler, I know you got out of there somehow who's to say it wasn't Michael, but I would just keep this story between you and me. Mom and dad would take you to a doctor."

Tyler smiled, "Thanks Care."

Caroline nodded, "So are you going to answer my question? You where really fighting for me the whole time?"

Tyler smiled and nodded, "I was fighting for my life, don't get me wrong, but the who I was fighting for was you."

"What about Ally?" Caroline asked still confused.

"Her too, but for a different reason, the main reason I was fighting was for you, you needed a brother Maestro, I wasn't about to leave you. Not without a fight." Tyler said with a smile.

"I still don't get it," Caroline said, "How did you have a choice in the matter?"

Tyler laughed, "Care, you always have a choice, it wasn't my time yet, but I couldn't just wake up. I had to find my survival instinct."

"Your survival instinct, what's that?" Caroline asked looking at her brother more intently.

"You Caroline," Tyler said making Caroline's eyes widen as she nearly dumped her water into her lap, "You are my survival instinct."