Thanks again for all the great reviews, it's nice to be back. Updates may be a bit sporadic over the next few days due to work but I'll do my best to update as often as I can.

Eric had lost track of time, at some point he had fallen asleep in the uncomfortable chair and was only woken by a soft groaning noise emanating from the bed. Sitting up straighter he leaned closer to the dazed figure, "Hey man, you awake?" he asked, careful not to use his friend's name.

He tried to speak but found his mouth dry and uncooperative, after a few dry coughs Eric caught his meaning and placed a cup and straw to his mouth. "Where's Calleigh?" Horatio asked in a sleep-roughened voice, blinking several times as he came back to awareness.

Eric felt a jolt of pain go through him, unreasonably jealous that Calleigh was the first person he asked for. Had all of their years as friends and brothers meant nothing to him? "She's gone home for some rest; she's been here night and day looking after you." His tone was harsher than he intended, unable to keep the hurt from his voice.

If Horatio noticed he didn't say anything, he just took a couple of deep breaths and willed his head to stop spinning. Eventually he turned to Eric, "I need to speak to Andy."

He wasn't quite sure how to react; he had left the stubborn older man in his Hummer hours ago. In all likelihood he had probably got a taxi back to his motel and booked a seat on the first plane back to New York. "He, uh, he had some things to do." He knew it was a lame response but he hoped Horatio was still too doped up and out of it to care too much. He was caught by surprise at the strength of his friend's grip as he took a fistful of Eric's shirt and brought him closer.

"I have to see him, I have to explain." His voice was insistent as his heart rate began to increase.

Eric gently took hold of the hand gripping him and eased it away before placing it back on the bed, "Whatever it is, I'm sure he understands."

"No! He hates me and I have to know why. I have to tell him that I didn't have a choice."

"Then why don't you explain it to me." The gritty tones of Andy Sipowicz travelled across the room as he stood imposingly in the doorway.

Eric glanced at Horatio, the relief on his face was evident and he too was glad that Andy had had a change of mind, perhaps his harsh words in the Hummer had sunk in.

"Andy, you have to hear me out," the red head began as he tried to pull himself up in the bed, seeing his struggle Eric found the controls and adjusted the headrest. "I don't know what I've done to make you hate me, I can't remember what happened." He looked at his old partner with pleading eyes.

Andy was having none of it, "I like this little 'amnesia' thing you've got going on here. We both know you're full of shit, John. These fools might believe whatever crap you've been spinning them but I don't."

"You have to believe me! My memories are all over the place, it's just bits and pieces and I can't make any sense of it," he blew out a frustrated breath as his brain refused to recall the events of his past. "I've been dreaming about it."

He folded his arms of his chest, "Really? You dreamt your memories back?" he asked, clearly amused. "I'll give you credit for that one, John. Full marks for originality."

"I remembered the attack, you coming to visit me in the hospital," he began, "It was the Malucci's they wanted me on their payroll."

Flashback. New York 1994:

Andy Sipowicz pulled his car into the hospital parking lot intending to visit his partner. It had been five days since the attack and they were no closer to finding any suspects in the case. John had been out of it for most of that time, between the concussion and pain medication he had made little to no sense each time he had tried to talk to him. Lt Fancy had told him to swing by Lennox Hill and visit his partner again in the hopes that he might have remembered something.

He knocked on the door and opened it, happy to see John sitting up in the bed with a car magazine in his hands. He was still bruised and swollen but he looked a hell of a lot better than the night the EMTs had brought him in. Placing the magazine on his lap he smiled at his partner, "Hey, Andy. It's good to see you; shouldn't you be at the precinct?"

Closing the door he walked closer to the bed, "Fancy asked me to come by and see you."

He looked genuinely disappointed, "And here I was thinking you'd come to see me."

Realising his words had come out wrong Andy tried again, "Yeah that too," he said awkwardly, never comfortable talking about his feelings to anyone. "We're getting nowhere fast with tracking down your attackers. Are you sure you didn't see anything?"

He realised it would be all too easy to tell the truth, let Andy know that it was the Malucci thugs that had put him in here. He felt terrible for lying to his colleagues at the precinct and even worse about lying to Andy. He had made a deal though and he was forced to stick with it, "Nothing. They tackled me from behind. I didn't see any faces, just boots." He lied, only half-telling the truth.

"And they didn't say anything to you?" John shook his head, hoping Andy wouldn't continue to grill him. "We know it wasn't a mugging, you still had your watch and wallet when they found you." The older man paced the room as he considered the facts, suddenly it dawned on him. "Were you sleeping with someone's wife?"

He couldn't hide the look of shock on his face; he had embarked on a relationship with Robin. He was many things but a cheat wasn't one of them but he realised that Andy might have just provided him with the perfect reason to get the precinct off his back. Hating himself for it he gave his partner the best smug smile he could manage.

"Ah, I get it now. You got caught dipping your wick in another man's wax."

He winced at the crude analogy but knew it was in everyone's best interests if he gave Andy the impression that he was right. "You got me Andy; I got caught where I shouldn't have been. The lady's old man didn't take too kindly to me being in his bed so he sent some heavies round to teach me a lesson." He hung his head in shame but not for the reasons Andy thought he had, "Look, this is embarrassing. I'd rather not have it getting out; can you just close the case and move on? I don't want to press charges anyway."

Andy walked up to his partner and placed his hand heavily on the other man's shoulder who winced at the contact. "Well, John. I hope you've learnt a valuable lesson." He chuckled to himself as he left the room.

When he was sure Andy had gone he let out a long breath knowing that he had just told the first in a long line of lies that he knew were to come.