Trapped in the burning house, Jason tries to find another way out. The roof collapsed just like he knew it would, blocking off the window, and the only exit he could think of. The other rooms are engulfed in flames, not giving him much options at this point.

As he walks through the house, trying his hardest to find a way out, Jason can't help but think back over the years. All the things he's done wrong. All the times he should have been there for his children, but wasn't. What he wouldn't give to have a chance to do it over again.

"What is that?" Jason squints at a bright light that's shining in his eyes.

Raising one hand to shield his eyes from the bright light, Jason walks towards it, not feeling any heat from it. As he's walking through, his legs are getting heavier, his body weaker, something's wrong. He could feel it. He couldn't be dead, could he? He's heard of stuff like that, but he never really believed it. The whole white light thing and all.

Not knowing what else to do, Jason kept pushing through. He felt like it was something he had to do. That if he kept pushing through, kept going in spite of the fatigue, he'd come out the other side and survive everything. So he ignores the pain and fatigue, continuing to push through the bright light.

The further he got into the bright light, the colder the world around him became. He could see the way out, but its getting harder and harder to get there. Refusing to give up, Jason keeps pushing through. Dragging himself to the opening, hoping that he made the right choice by going through it. Needing the chance to see his kids again. To make it right.

"Jason?" a voice calls out to him, he knows that voice. Doesn't he? "Jason, please, you have to come back to me. I can't do this without you."

The cold is setting in, he's no longer able to feel the heat of the fire that was just blazing. Gone is the smell of burnt belongings and in its place is the smell he hated more than others. The smell of a hospital. He's starting to hear the faint beeping of the machines, he could feel the IV needle in his hand, he could feel everything.

Someone's holding his hand. He's trying to open his eyes, but its so hard. He feels so weak. Then the voice spoke again. He should know that voice, but its so grumbled he can hardly make anything out. They're talking, a lot, and he wishes he could hear them.

He wishes he can make out what they're saying because they sound so sad. So heartbroken. But he can't. Its like he has earmuffs on and nothing is coherent enough for him to understand. So he lays there, hooked up to the machines, begging himself to reach the light. To get there and to find out who's sitting beside him in tears.

Focus. He's searching for something to focus on. Something to pull him all the way back. He feels the hand in his, its the strongest pull he has on reality and he holds onto it. He uses it as his anchor to pull him back to reality, to pull him out of whatever state he's in to figure out what's going on.

Then he heard the voice again, clearer than before, more coherent and then it clicked. It was her. She was there beside him, begging him to come back, begging him to live. For her. For their children. For the life she wants with him. A part of him felt like he was dreaming. She couldn't really be saying all the things she was saying. Could she?

"I know all the reasons we've stayed apart is still valid, but that doesn't give you the right to check out." she says angrily, gripping his hand tightly. "If I can't give up on my life, you sure as hell can't!"

He'd be smiling if he could, having her threatening him and all.

"Dammit Jason, I need you!" she says through the tears. "Its been three months! The doctors want us to lose hope of you recovering, but I refuse to. You have to make it back to us...to me. Please."

The rest of his body is reacting, he could feel her pain seeping into his heart and he was ready to beat himself up for hurting her like this. Even if it wasn't his fault, technically, he still wants to beat himself up for putting that hurt in her voice.

"I love you! I know I've said it a million times since they've brought you to the facility, but I don't care! I'm going to say it as many times as it takes for you to come back to me." she sighs, the hurt evident in her voice and it was killing him to hear it. "Please Jason...I don't know what else to do. I can't give up, I won't. So come back to us and prove that I'm not crazy for believing in you. For believing you would go through hell to come back to us. Please, Jason, I'm begging here. I need you...we need you."

"I...will always...love you." Jason says, his voice hoarse, a small smile touching his lips when he hears her gasp in shock.

"You're back." she says, her voice soft now. "I knew you'd come back. I just knew it."

"You're so beautiful." Jason says, reaching up, though his arm is weak, touching her face softly.

"Say it again." Elizabeth holds his hand in both of hers, embracing it over her heart. "Please."

"I will always love you." Jason says, a little easier to speak than before. "I'll never stop."

"I will always love you, too." Elizabeth swears, kissing his hand before leaning over and kissing his forehead. "Thank you...thank you for fighting your way back to me."

Though he doesn't want to, Jason lets her go get the doctor. He would've said more if he wasn't stunned into silence by the sight of her very pregnant stomach. She said three months had past, she couldn't be that pregnant with Johnny's child, could she? Everything is confusing, but he doesn't think much on it. Not when she's like this. Admitting she loves him and thanking him. He'll figure it out, just not now. No. Now he's going to be thankful that he's alive.

"Well look who's beat the odds yet again." Robin says as she walks inside. "I told Patrick he was an idiot for doubting you."

"I thought Liz said she was getting my doctor." Jason looks at her curiously. "Not that I'm not glad to see you."

"Right." Robin laughs softly, walking over to check his vitals. "Long story short, I'm your primary doctor. Don't ask."

"Okay." Jason looks at the door when he feels her presence. "I have enough to think about anyway."

"I bet." Robin glances between the two before focusing on Jason. "Your vitals are strengthening and you're body is returning to normal. I'd have to run a few tests, but its safe to say you're just fine."

"Thanks." Jason says gratefully.

"Anytime." Robin smiles brightly. "I'll send an orderly up to wheel you down for those tests in a couple hours...unless Elizabeth would like to do it?"

"I'm on it." Elizabeth assures. "Thanks, Robin."

"Anything for friends." Robin says, walking to the door before turning around. "I'm really glad you're back, Jason."

"Me, too." Jason watches her leave before focusing on Elizabeth. "Where's Johnny?"

"Johnny?" Elizabeth looks at him curiously. "Zacchara?"

"Yeah." Jason looks at her intently.

"Why would I know where Johnny Zacchara is?" Elizabeth looks at him confusedly. "I mean, I could ask Lulu, if you really want to see him."

"Wha..." Jason can see by the look on her face that she was really confused by his question, which made another question pop into his head. "What year is it?"

"2009." Elizabeth says, looking at him intently. "Maybe we should take you down for those tests now."

"2009?" Jason couldn't wrap his head around it. "Are you sure?"

"Its April of 2009...all month long." Elizabeth says with conviction. "Do you remember what happened?"

"Everything's kind of jumbled." Jason shakes his head. "Can you tell me?"

"You and Sam were caught in an explosion when you were saving Jake from the Russians." Elizabeth sits down on the bed beside him, holding his hand in hers. "Sam was able to get Jake out, but you hit your head pretty hard because you were closer to the bomb. After she got Jake to safety, she went back for you, but you lost a lot of blood by then. We were all afraid you wouldn't make it."

"So it was all a dream?" Jason's eyebrows scrunch up, trying to piece together the pieces. "You were never with Johnny? I didn't lose time with the kids? Sam...I never married Sam?"

"I have no idea what you're saying." Elizabeth reaches up to caress his cheek softly. "What am I supposed to say to that?"

"Nothing." Jason shakes his head. "I guess I just need time to face this reality."

"Your brain was active the entire time you were in a coma. It was one of the reasons Patrick said you might not wake up...since you were like in a world of your own." Elizabeth remembers the scans. "Are you saying you were living another life?"

"Maybe." Jason says, taking a deep breath. "Its a long story."

"I've got time." Elizabeth says simply. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You haven no idea how good it is to hear you say that."

He didn't want to, but he knew he had to. So, Jason sat up, with her help, and told her all about the world he lived in. About him and Sam, about the daughter they shared, about everything she and the boys went through - and yes, even about Johnny.

Elizabeth couldn't believe what she was hearing. The parts about him staying with Sam she could understand, but the rest of it was pretty out there. Mostly her falling in love with Johnny...yeah, that wasn't going to be easy to swallow.

By the time Jason was done explaining, she felt like her head would explode. Not only was she with someone else, but she was dying from breast cancer. The same disease that almost took his sister away. Staring into his eyes, she could see that he truly believe that reality. That all of it had happened and that he hurt his children.

"So...does this mean I'm having a girl?" Elizabeth questions teasingly, trying to lighten the mood.

"Maybe, I don't know." Jason shrugs, sliding his hand over her stomach. "I'm just glad none of it was real...that I still have chance to be a father to our children...a real father."

"What does this mean exactly?" Elizabeth looks at him with tears in her eyes. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"I'm saying...marry me." Jason reaches up, caressing her cheek as he caresses her stomach. "And I mean it this time...no backing out. Never again."

"I don't know what to say." Elizabeth takes a deep breath to steady her nerves.

"You can say yes." Jason stares at her with bated breath.

"No." Elizabeth shakes her head.

"No?"

"I'm just kidding." Elizabeth laughs softly at his expression. "Of course its yes. It'll always be yes."

"Don't scare me like that." Jason says seriously. "Not after what I lived through."

"I love you!" Elizabeth leans in, kissing him soundly. "I can't wait to marry you."

"Imagine how I feel."

A/N: Thanks for reviews.

Let me know what you think.

-ROCkER