Hushed voices fill my throbbing head as consciousness floats back. My body is aching like hell though. I can't even bring myself to wiggle my toes. What if you're paralyzed? The thought makes an uncomfortable cringe roll through me.

"Guys, I think she's comin' back!" announces a voice that sounds like Wes's.

"Thanks for the heads up, Sherlock," replies quite like Mr. Punk's, I put my money that I'm not hallucinating.

"How about we hush up? She's probably feeling woozy; she needs breathing air," pipes a female voice that is vaguely familiar but I can't put any face to, "Why don't we give her that room?" she suggests, "Come with me Dominick, we can fix your aunt some food or-"

"No! I wanna stay with my auntie! I don't like you, Maria!" whines my favorite little man. So...we finally meet.

The room goes completely silent…for, like a second, "Dominick, that's extremely rude!" gasps the kid's mother, "Apologize this instant or you're going to spending the rest of the day in your room!" she reprimands and I hear another unfamiliar chuckle.

"Okay, okay, out you guys go," speaks up Punk and for that, I am thankful, "Maria don't take it to the heart. The kid doesn't know how much of a fruit you are."

Maria sniffles, "Yeah, I know. I…I am going to freshen up."

Feet shuffle out of the room. When the door clicks, I open my eyes and allow myself to giggle freely. I thought I was alone but once I'm done with my giggle fit, I see a bewildered Micks and Dom.

"Auntie, you're alive!" breaks the silence. My nephew jumps onto my bed and squeezes the life out of me.

Between giggles, "He takes after you, Wonderbread," I comment. Mackenzie's eyes water, fucking pregnancy hormones. I almost roll my eyes but desist, "No need for them tears, I was tryin' to be the funny girl," I send her a lazy smile which leads up to her endless ramble about how guilty ridden she is, "Abigail, just get over here and accept a much need hug," soon enough she's ramming into me. "It's a damned good thing that I'm already on this bed," I breathe out.

A soft scoff comes from the other side of my room. I lift my head to have a look at the unknown intruder. My eyes widen. Phil live and in the flesh with his rugged smile and face full of shadow. Had I been standing, I would've been out again.

"Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty," a slight blush creeps onto my cheeks, "How're you feeling," he shuffles to me, "Don't say anything like 'peachy' 'cus you look like hell and probably feel the part," I can't help but smack him lightly.

"You're a charmer. I feel okay…just peachy," I give him shit-eating smile.

He sticks his tongue out and rearranges my loose strand of newly cut bangs, "I'm diggin' the red," he comments. At least someone noticed the new color. I smile and we just stare each other. I should feel guilty or something because of what I've read but his eyes…damn them.

Wonderbread coughs up a storm to silence the crickets, "Philly, why don't you check up on Maria? I'll keep Mar company," she suggests. She has something up her sleeve, I can tell.

Raising my brow, I send her a look as Phil obliges, rolling his eyes in the process, and scoops up a fussing Dom, "I shall come back," he struggles against the kid that he has dangling, "Champ, you still have to apologize…stop," he leaves.

Shortly after the door clicks, my attention returns to the baby incubator, "Your motives?"

Sounding confused, "What? What ever do you mean?" her hands fiddle around with the seam of her sweater. I merely raise a brow and blink. She's bound to cave. And she does, "Mar, babes, I wanted to let you know how genuinely sorry," she takes a deep breath, "deeply, truly sorry I am," she sits down beside me, "That shit took me back to the old days. You'd always ask me to keep quiet…I couldn't," she closes her eyes and whispers, "Not anymore, at least," a single tear rolls down her rosy cheek, "I am awfully sorry about all those things I threw at you. I should've taken in consideration…I should've stood by you."

Out of instinct, I squeeze her hand, "Hey, hey…look at me," I coax, "At first, I was hella mad. Being cooped up by myself opened my mind to all the shit that has slowly been eating me away," a ghost of a smile appears on my face, "Shit like my guilt over what Fannie did…I let it go. You know how long I've been keeping that with me?" she shakes her head, "Too long. That would've never happened if not for you. Thank you."

"But…but you yelled and told me about bills and-"

"I got that covered, trust me," she questioningly glares at me, "Don't worry…" before it escapes me, I make it a point to mention the notebooks.

She swallows visibly, "I know what they said, I went through them like they were Agatha Christie novels. I knew he was tripping back home. I'm an observant person, I know you guys had chem. You seemed stuck in a state of déjà vu."

"Your point?"

"I felt like it was my duty to enlighten you," she shrugs

Sagging back onto the backboard, "Well gee, now I feel like shit. Low and dirty," I turn away, "I fucked around with Mike while waiting on him," I whisper. My pregnant best friend rounds the bed and sinks in beside me, "You think he remembers?"

Her muscles tense up and I know the answer is going to be ugly, "My brother wasn't ever one to forget. If you read details about him and Mike…let's just say it's been a good eight years since they last uttered an insult to each other." I mention his parting speech, "I'm not going to sugarcoat, babes, but he never forgets. He came home in '02 and even then, he asked about you. I decided to pair him and you up for Elle's wedding…he refused, remember? He sent Colt as a quick replacement."

Tears fall down. Tears of every emotion on the spectrum. Micks cradles me to her, whispering all the motivational crap she can to soothe me. A knock on the door quiets me on point and in comes the man of the hour, Punk. Wipe those damn tears! My chest constricts by just a glance. Micks abandons ship mouthing, I'll leave you two alone. My fucking lungs a seconds I way from collapsing; I'm holding my breath so I won't hyperventilate. I'm not nearly as jolly as I was when he left.

"Don't be an ass now, Phillip," whispers his baby sis.

ΔΔΔΔ

Breaking a try-hard smile, I manage to hold myself as he sets down a chair. Funny how a couple of weeks can change a person, I mean, the guy left and came back a different one. His bleached hair is now a sleek shade of black and he sports scruff. Tired, not to forget that but it goes along with his rugged charm. His Pikachu fitted tee pleases me, nostalgic novelty.

My eyes travel back up to his face which holds a slight smirk, "Like what you see, beautiful," he wags his brows for extra effect.

Now that air is breathable, I force myself to chill, "Fuck you and now that you ask, I'm liking the Jesus look…not many can pull it off," I reply in his typical smart ass manner.

He laughs, "Brings all the women to the yard, if I do say so myself," he says flatly. I roll my eyes, "You don't look half-bad, better than a newborn chimp," I gasp and swat him, "Kidding, goddamn. You look good. As I said, the hair, I dig. It brings out your eyes, are they grey or…?" Woah, he must be staring hard, girl…

Gulping, "How's the tat?" I know, I'm rather smooth but it's really anything that can that distract what I so much wanna blurt out.

"Huh?"

"The tattoo, how's it doing?"

He blinks a couple times, "Oh," he lifts his shirt and angles himself so I can get a view of it. I blush as my eyes travel south of the border. The ink looks great, by the way, "Amazing, as ever. Maria loves it, I love it…"

Mentioning his arm candy dampens my mood but I keep a smile, "Nice to hear. How is she, you know, after the little man's words…didn't sound so chipper…"

Astonished, "You were up for that?" I smile sheepishly and nod, "Oh god, the girl was bawling her eyes out," he chuckles, "She's a bit over sensitive…"

"I see. Who else was here in the room, there was a stranger…?"

"My main man, Scott but we call him 'Colt'," he settles back into the chair.

"Ooh, when do I get the pleasure of meeting this Colt guy? He seems rather familiar," he is, I need a view for confirmation.

"Once you look half-way presentable. If you ask me, I'm the better looking one of the duo," he grins smugly.

"Eh, I dunno, Jesus." He frowns, "Can't comment a whole deal…you're taken and I'm sure Maria wouldn't enjoy hearing my opinion." I state with my own hint of smugness

"How respectful..." he scrunches up his face and puts his arms on the side of my bed, "In all seriousness now, how are you after the whole four day lockdown?"

Not knowing where this new subject is heading, I just stare straight ahead, "Relieved," he replies something gracious but his eyes tell a different story. He knows more than he leads on. That the shit I don't like, "What else did your sister tell you?" I ask full of skepticism, this was supposed to be between me, her, and Wes.

"Nothing, just that."

Searching his eyes for clues, "You're hiding something," I lean in, "Tell me," I whisper harshly.

The man ruffles my hair and urges me to put away my claws. He then drops the bomb – more like the atomic bomb, my best friend has disgraced me once again. She told him about my "extracurricular activities". Of course he didn't sew the words so together but I paraphrase.

"That bitch…" I mutter, this is fucked up!

"Don't get all offensive now, sweetheart. While you were away, I was her confidant," he mentions.

From the strain I've put on my hair, a strand has come out, "That was my business!"

"You know that with all the drama you raised she could've miscarried, right?" he sneers.

"I do!" I shout and I hope for all that is holy that the guests are miles away from here, "I do, or did what I did, for this family, honey. It was the only way I could manage to drift by! So, yeah, I'm sorry but that doesn't make it something to just blurt out!"

Tension is rising, he grips my bedspread with such force, "I left my apartment key with you and told you to collect rent from it…hell, you could've kicked the guy out! I would've lost a friend than hear about how my – you fucked the whole damn block for a few measly dollars," his voice escalates with each vowel spewed.

"Pop ain't ever need a second hand…I already did and you saw how it worked for me," I spit, "I'll be damned if I let myself need anybody else."

"Why do you always have to be difficult," he mutters.

"Why do you care, it's my body?" I lash out.

"Okay, what kind of example are you setting to all those assholes that beat and make them out as worthless and inferior? What about my nephew, huh? He's going to grow up looking up to an aunt that is a fucking wh-"

His sentence remains unfinished, fuck that. I slapped the venom out of his mouth. I know what I am. I get up and march to the door, "I am a whore but rest assured, Dominick will never know of that, Jack," with that I slam the door on my way out. Inside the room, I hear an object being chucked at the wall. I hope it won't leave a dent 'cus I'm too broke for repairs.

It doesn't hit me till I'm in the half-bathroom that the only thing saving my grace is the Misfit tee that was probably slipped on when I was out and my trustee boyshorts. My fury amplifies and I repeatedly slam the bathroom door until I fall in a heap and force myself not to cry.

A/N- Damn... Mar's just met Maria and Colt, made up with Micks, and fought with Punk...welcome back!