Mike took Davy's advice and decided to stay away from the hospital for the rest of the day. Davy stayed true to his word and contacted the Texan that evening to inform him that there had been "no change" with Micky's condition. Mike was still going out of his mind with worry, although the fact that Micky had made it this far did manage to bring him a little comfort.

But Mike was unable to stay away from the hospital, and the next day he couldn't stop himself from visiting to see for himself how Micky was getting on.

When Mike arrived at Micky's room, he was once again greeted by the sight of Micky's mother sitting by the bed. Mike had no intention of disturbing her, so he waited patiently outside the room for a couple of hours before Janelle showed signs of leaving.

Janelle stood up and that was when Mike decided to hide himself away. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her, he just really didn't want to see to anyone. So Mike hid behind a vending machine close-by as Janelle left her son's room.

Mike overheard Micky's mother talking to a nurse just outside Micky's room, and he heard her tell the nurse that she was "going home for a little while" and would "be back later on". Once Janelle and the nurse had headed off down the corridor, Mike crept out from behind the vending machine and approached Micky's room.

Mike was nervous as he opened the door. It was stupid that he felt like he was doing something wrong by being there, especially as Mike believed he had just as much right to be there as anyone else. But when Mike entered Micky's room he felt completely overcome with horror at seeing his boy in such a mess. Although Mike had seen Micky through the window, seeing him clearly with no obstructions caused the Texan's stomach to churn.

Micky still looked exceptionally peaceful, but seeing his boy strapped up to machines made Mike want to vomit. The room was totally quiet apart from the beeping sounds coming from the machines that were monitoring Micky's heartbeat and god-knows what else.

Mike went to the window and closed the blinds so nobody could see him before approaching the bed slowly and staring at Micky through eyes filled with sorrow.

"Hey Mick." Mike finally whispered, standing at Micky's bedside. "Are you gonna wake up for us?"

There was obviously no reply, and Mike couldn't help but feel stupid for speaking to someone who wasn't even conscious.

Mike noticed that Micky's curly hair was looking a little lifeless, and Mike knew how much Micky hated it when his curls went flat. Mike looked behind him to make sure the coast was clear before bending over Micky and gently fluffing up his hair, attempting to put a little bounce back into those delicious curls.

"There ya go," Mike said gently, standing back to admire his work. "That's better. I know you hate it when your hair go all flat."

Mike stood over Micky as if he was expecting some sort of response, but when Micky remained as he was - lying there asleep - Mike slowly sat down on the chair that Janelle had been sitting in a few moments before.

"You should wake up." Mike said quietly after a short silence. "If you can't wake up for me, then you should wake up for that daughter of yours."

Mike continued to watch Micky closely, and he carefully took hold of Micky's hand that was lying limply down at his side.

"I met Ami for the first time yesterday," Mike told him as he gently stroked Micky's hand. "My god, she is beautiful. It ain't surprising though, not with Samantha for a mom... and you for a dad."

Mike bit his lip, looking down at Micky's hand in his. "Please wake up." He pleaded.

Mike looked behind him before leaning forward and stroking Micky's hair gently. "I need you to wake up, my darling." He whispered. "Please, Mick... please wake up."

There was still nothing.

"Please, Micky..." Mike whispered desperately, carefully caressing Micky's cheek with his thumb. "Please, angel. Please wake up."

"Oh my god."

Mike pulled away from Micky and instantly turned around to see a horrified looking Samantha standing in the doorway.

"It's you."

Mike quickly rose to his feet, reaching his hands out to Samantha and shaking his head. "N-No." He gasped, although he was unsure why he bothered trying to deny it - Samantha had clearly seen and heard enough.

Samantha hurried out of the room, and Mike reluctantly left Micky to rush after her. When Mike reached Micky's ex-girlfriend he grabbed her arm gently.

"Samantha, wait." Mike said in a hushed tone.

Samantha turned around and looked at Mike in dismay. "He told me I didn't know who it was."

Mike shook his head slowly. "Please don't hate him." He said desperately while trying to keep his voice low in case anyone overheard them.

Samantha pulled her arm out of Mike's grasp and clutched the back of her head. "I can't believe this." She said. "I can't believe it."

Mike looked around and noticed a relative's room just down the corridor. "We can't do this here." He told her.

Mike put his hand to Samantha's back and gently ushered her in the direction of the relative's room, which thankfully for the two of them had no one else inside.

Mike closed the door behind them and turned to a distressed looking Samantha. "I'm so sorry." He whispered. "You shouldn't have found out like that."

"Why didn't he tell me the truth?" Samantha asked desperately.

"He was- he was trying to protect me." Mike replied, his voice trembling. "I didn't even know you knew until after the accident."

Samantha stared at Mike with a confused frown. "Then how did you find out I knew?"

Mike realised he'd dug himself a hole, and he closed his eyes as he hung his head. "Davy told me." He admitted.

"Wait, so Davy knew about you?" Samantha asked in horror. Mike couldn't even look at her, and all he could do was nod his head. "Well who else knows?!"

Mike looked up. "Nobody." He said. "And it doesn't matter anyway. You- you already knew that Micky had been involved with a man. You knew it and accepted it. Knowin' that it's me changes nothing. I'm just a face and a name. I ain't important."

"Not important?" Samantha asked, completely dismayed. "You're in a band together." She said, trying hard not to raise her voice. "It's bad enough that Micky is famous, but with you being famous too... what the hell would happen if it got out that two members of the same band were-"

"It won't get out." Mike said, stepping forward and staring Samantha straight in the eye. "It makes no difference if I'm me or if I'm Mr Nobody down the street."

"You're married." Samantha said, tears shimmering in her eyes. "You have kids. And you got back with Phyllis like everything was fine and normal?"

"Don't talk to me about my kids or my marriage." Mike snapped. "That ain't none of your damn business."

Samantha took a step back, looking slightly threatened but not letting it affect her too much. "Micky's the father of my child. I'd say all of this is my business."

"But I ain't." Mike said firmly. "I ain't your business. I told ya - I ain't important. The only person that's important is Micky. I don't matter. You knowing that it was me he was seein' changes nothing."

Samantha put her hands to her face and Mike could see that she was trembling.

"I'm sorry," Mike whispered sincerely, much kinder than before. "And I know Micky is sorry too. I- I don't know why he didn't tell you the whole truth, but it was probably to protect me. He hated lyin'. He's always hated lyin'. And I always put pressure on him and told him nobody could ever find out."

Samantha pulled her hands away from her tear-filled eyes so she could look at the Texan.

Mike stepped forward again and looked down at Samantha in desperation. "If you want to blame anyone, blame me." He said. "This ain't Micky's fault. If things were different he would've told you the truth, I know he would. Please don't let this change anything."

Samantha breathed shakily. "I don't know how much more I can take." She sniffed. "I don't know how many more revelations I have to hear about him."

"This is it now," Mike assured her. "You know everythin'."

"But if this got out..." Samantha said, shaking her head. "If this was a few years ago when you were the biggest band in the world, my god..."

"We weren't together then." Mike stressed. "And as long as you keep your mouth shut nobody will ever have to find out about this."

Samantha rubbed her eyes and turned away as she tried to compose herself. She looked to the ceiling and sighed, and Mike couldn't help but feel terrible for the amount of stress this poor woman had been put under over the past several months due to Micky and his relationship - even if she didn't know all the details until now.

"He's still Micky," Mike said after a short silence. "And he's still a good dad, ain't he?"

Samantha nodded. "The best." She sniffed.

"Then nothin' else matters." Mike told her. "You knew all the important facts already; I'm just a minor detail. I'm irrelevant."

Samantha sighed deeply before blowing out a shaky breath. "When I first met him I had a feeling he was the kind of guy who was always full of surprises," She said. "But I never could've expected everything I've learnt over the past few months."

Mike nodded slowly. "I know. And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you found out this way." He said. "But... but if Micky- when Micky wakes up, you can't- you can't tell him you know about this. Not right away, anyway. He won't- he won't need that kinda stress."

Samantha stared at Mike.

"Please..." Mike said.

More tears filled Samantha's eyes. "We don't even know for sure that he will wake up." She sniffed.

"Of course he'll wake up." Mike said in an attempt to comfort them both. "He's made it this far, hasn't he?"

Samantha closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she sniffed hard.

"He don't deserve any of this," Mike said quietly. "Please don't think less of him because of me. Please."

Samantha wiped her eyes. "What if I wasn't the one who walked into that room just now? What if it had have been Janelle or someone else?" She asked.

Mike's eyes fell to the ground - he had absolutely no answer for that.

"I think you should leave." Samantha said firmly.

Mike nodded his head slowly before making a swift exit. He didn't want to leave - if Mike had his way then he would spend every waking moment at Micky's bedside until the curly haired man woke up. But Mike knew he'd caused enough trouble for one day and decided it really would be best for him to leave.

So Mike drove away from the hospital and kept on driving. Mike's mind was spinning, and he couldn't help but think about what Samantha had said to him; what if it had have been someone else who walked in on Mike hovering over Micky's bed, stroking his hair and pleading for him to wake up? Mike was fairly confident he'd be able to somehow talk himself out of it - Mike was a master con-man, after all - but he knew that even if he managed to convince someone that what they had seen was innocent, the seed of doubt would well and truly have already been planted.

But at that moment in time, Mike didn't really care about anyone finding out - not for himself, anyway. The main reason Mike decided to stay away from the hospital was to protect Micky, as the last thing he wanted was for his boy to have to deal with stress and drama when he eventually woke up.

If he eventually woke up.

Mike eventually returned home. He was due to have his children this weekend, but he called his soon-to-be ex-wife and told her he couldn't have the kids as he "was sick" and wasn't in a fit state to look after them. In Mike's eyes, it was half true; he was in no mental position to take care of his children at the moment, and there was no way he wanted his sons around if he got the dreaded call to tell him the worst had happened to Micky.

So Mike remained on his own, sitting in silence and waiting for news of Micky. Eventually Mike became rather numb, and he wandered about his house like a zombie as all sense of time seemed to leave him. He felt like he was in his own little world, lost in his mind and trying to process everything that had happened over the past couple of days.

Mike stayed this way until the following afternoon when he finally heard from Davy.

"Hello?" Mike asked, mono-tone.

"Micky's awake." Davy's voice replied. "He's okay."

Mike's tired eyes opened to the size of saucers. "W-What? He's okay?!"

"Yeah! He woke up a couple of hours ago, I just spoke to his mum." Davy replied.

Mike gasped with relief, the weight of worry that had been lying so heavily on his shoulders immediately lifting. "A-And he's alright?"

"She said he was a bit groggy, but that's to be expected." Davy said, he too sounding totally relieved. "But he's fine. He's okay and it doesn't look like there's going to be any lasting effects."

Mike closed his eyes and tilted his head back, silently thanking the heavens above for protecting his boy. He took a deep breath. "I need to see him." He said.

"Mike, you can't." Davy told him. "Now's not the time."

"But I need to see him." Mike stressed.

"Not now you don't." Davy said. "He's only just woken up; he needs to be with his family."

"I'm his family." Mike thought.

"I have to talk to him." Mike said. "I need to see for myself that he's alright."

"No, the only thing you need to do is stay away." Davy said seriously. "I'm staying clear until tomorrow at least. This isn't about you, Mike. And thanks for dropping me in it with Samantha, by the way. She had a right go at me yesterday. You could've warned me that she knew about you and that I knew about you, too."

Mike sighed. "Well you didn't call yesterday." He said bluntly.

"Yeah, well." Davy said, clearly irked. "I told you this would happen if you kept hanging around the hospital."

Mike was silent for a moment. "Was she really mad at you?" He asked a little guiltily.

"At first she was," Davy replied. "But once I explained that it wasn't my place to tell her the truth I think she got it. I think she wanted to blow off steam, to be honest. The poor cow has had a lot to deal with."

"So have I." Mike hit back.

Davy sighed dramatically.

"I'm sorry." Mike said reluctantly, almost wincing as the words left his lips. "I didn't mean for her to find out, but I needed to see him."

"Well it's done now, isn't it?" Davy said. "What matters right now is that Micky is okay."

Once again Mike found himself sighing with relief, the sound of the words "Micky is okay" feeling like music to Mike's ears.

"Just give him some space, yeah?" Davy told him. "He almost died. Just give him some time to be with his family and daughter."

Mike was annoyed that Davy had a point. "Fine." He sighed.

The following afternoon Micky had been awake for 24 hours and found himself in surprisingly high spirits. Learning that he'd nearly died made Micky feel exceptionally lucky to still be alive, and he was touched to learn of everyone's concern and support.

That's not to say Micky was feeling wonderful, as physically he felt pretty terrible, although he was trying to keep a brave face for the sake of his family. His mother in particular had been fussing around him since he'd woken up the day before, and while he was appreciative and understanding of his mother's concern, he couldn't help but feel relieved when she decided to go home for a couple of hours when Davy came to visit.

"Alright, mate?" Davy asked as Janelle left the room.

"Well I'm still alive, if that's what you mean." Micky replied, letting out a small laugh.

"We thought you were a goner for a while there, man." Davy sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"Pretty shit, to be honest." Micky replied frankly, wincing as he shifted his position in an attempt to get comfortable. "I've just taken some more pain meds so they should kick in soon. They're really groovy, they kinda make me feel like I've been smoking weed."

Davy laughed, sitting himself down next to Micky's bed. "You don't look too bad though. I've seen you look worse, to be fair."

Micky couldn't help but laugh. "Thanks. I think." He chuckled. "I feel really bad that everyone has been so worried about me."

"Well we did think you might die, mate." Davy told him. "We were hardly going to be doing cartwheels, were we?"

"I guess not." Micky said with a pained smile. "It's really weird... Everything feels really weird. I don't even remember waking up, I just sort of- I just sort of suddenly realised I was here. Does that make sense?"

Davy shrugged. "I've never been unconscious for three days." He said.

Micky was thoughtful. "It's a pretty surreal feeling to be told you nearly died." He said quietly, staring at nothing in particular. "It's pretty hard to take in."

"Yeah, I bet." Davy nodded. "Do you er, do you remember anything about the accident?"

Micky shook his head. "Not really."

"That might be for the best." Davy added.

"Maybe." Micky said thoughtfully. "But there's nothing like having your life flash before you eyes to put things into perspective."

Davy looked fascinated. "Is that really what happened? Did your life really flash before your eyes?" He asked in wonder.

Micky laughed. "No, I'm just messing with you." He said. "It really wasn't that exciting. Sorry. It would've been kinda cool though, if that is what happened."

"Yeah." Davy nodded. Now it was his turn to look thoughtful.

Micky looked at his friend through tired eyes. "You can ask, you know." He said.

Davy looked up. "Ask what?"

"What everyone else has been asking me." Micky replied while Davy continued to look at him blankly. Micky sighed. "You want to know if I was drunk when I had the accident."

Davy pulled a face. "Well were you?"

"No," Micky shook his head. "I'd been drunk the night before, and I had had a couple of beers before I went out on my bike which probably wasn't the best idea... but I wasn't drunk. Far from it."

Davy looked relieved. "When they said they found alcohol in your system-"

"-You couldn't help but think the worst." Micky finished. Davy cringed guiltily. "It's okay, Davy." Micky assured him. "I don't blame you for thinking that, especially with the way I've been lately. It's not like I haven't driven drunk before."

"Sorry," Davy sighed. "I just couldn't help but think there was more I could've done to stop it. If you were drunk when you crashed, that is."

Micky tilted his head to the side. "Even if I was drunk, you're not responsible for me, Davy." He said sympathetically.

"You've been miserable lately though." Davy said awkwardly.

"I'm going to try to change that." Micky said firmly. "And the drinking... I mean, I've been in here for four days without a drink and I haven't dropped down dead, have I? Though I could do with a scotch on the rocks right now, to be honest."

Davy looked at Micky in concern.

"Relax, I'm kidding!" Micky reassured Davy.

Davy smiled sarcastically. "Well ha-bloody-ha." He said, letting out a small laugh himself.

Micky sighed, gently rubbing the skin around the wound on his stomach through his hospital gown. "I saw Sammy and Ami earlier." He said. "I'm sure Ami was looking at me weird. I hate that I can't hold her yet. I really miss her."

"Well I'm sure in a couple of days you'll be able to hold her again." Davy said. He picked at his fingernail. "How er, how was Sammy?"

"She was alright, but now you mention it she did seem a little off with me." Micky said with a frown. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason." Davy said quickly. "She's just been really worried about you, that's all. I mean, we all have."

Just then, a nurse opened the door after tapping on it quietly. "Micky, you've got another visitor." She said.

Micky looked up as the nurse stepped aside and his stomach twisted when he saw Mike step into the room. Micky's mouth fell open slightly upon seeing the Texan, totally stunned that Mike was even there. Mike wore a look of slight discomfort that most certainly intensified when he noticed Davy was in the room with them.

"Hi..." Mike finally said after the short but painful silence.

"Hi..." Micky replied, his eyes still wide as he gazed up at the Texan.

Micky wondered if he was imagining things. Maybe he really had died and Mike was here to greet him into heaven... or something. Micky couldn't make sense of it. Although Micky had come face-to-face with Mike once since they had broken up - that night Mike saw him with Tony - Micky's memories of that night were distorted to the point where he could hardly believe it was real and Mike had actually really been there, so this felt like the first time Micky had seen his ex-partner since they had broken up in September.

But Micky was feeling a mixture of emotions upon seeing his former lover, and his mind spun with thoughts of why Mike could possibly be there in the first place.

Micky stared at Mike as if he thought he was going to evaporate into thin air, although Mike was unable to look at the curly-haired man in his hospital bed. Instead, Mike's gaze was fixed on the floor until he shot an awkward glance towards Davy who was still sitting beside Micky's bed with a look that suggested he was sitting on broken glass.

Micky's puzzled mind was distracted by the sound of Davy clearing his throat.

"Right, so I think I'm gonna take off." Davy said in a chipper tone that defied the atmosphere in the room and the initial look on his face.

Micky tore his eyes off of Mike to look at his friend. "Y-You don't have to." He said gently. "You've only been here ten minutes."

"Nah, it's alright," Davy said, waving his hand dismissively as he rose to his feet. "You know me; things to do, people to see."

Micky had no idea whether he was relieved or scared that Davy was going to leave him and Mike alone together.

Davy glanced at Mike for a second before looking back to Micky. "I'll probably come see you tomorrow or something." He said.

Micky nodded slowly. "Okay." He said. "Thanks for coming, Davy."

"No worries." Davy smiled.

When Davy turned around to face Mike, Micky could hear the Englishman mutter something to the Texan - although Davy was speaking too quietly for Micky to catch what he said. Davy then headed to the door, looking back upon the room one last time before walking out and shutting the door behind him.

Now Mike and Micky were alone for the very first time in over six months, and the tension in the room was palpable.

Mike's eyes were still fixed on the floor, but Micky was back staring at the Texan again.

"What are you doing here?" Micky asked gently.

Mike looked up. "I've been here a lot over the past few days." He replied.

"Really..?" Micky asked in surprise, his voice high as he spoke.

Mike nodded. "I had to see how you were doin'." He said.

Micky smiled weakly. "Well here I am." He said, relaxing a little.

Mike took a step closer to the bed. "I'm sure you're sick of bein' asked this, but... how are you feelin'?"

"Like I crashed my motorcycle into a tree." Micky replied with a little laugh - although Mike didn't look amused. "But I'm okay. I mean, I'm not, obviously, but I'll survive."

Mike nodded slowly, his gaze falling. "You gave us quite a scare."

"Yeah well you can't get rid of me that easily." Micky said, a small smile hitting his lips.

Mike looked up. The two men locked eyes for a moment until they both looked away at the exact same time. Micky felt heat fill his face but he knew there was no way he should read too much into Mike being there; just because Mike cared it didn't mean he wanted anything more from Micky than just knowing he was alright, and Micky realised he needed to start accepting that fact.

Mike looked so uncomfortable with the atmosphere in the room that he almost looked to be in physical pain. Micky was starting to get a little frustrated by the Texan's awkwardness.

"Why are you here?" Micky asked, a question that clearly surprised Mike.

"I told ya; I wanted to make sure you were alright." Mike replied.

Micky played with his hands awkwardly as another silence filled the room.

"How did it er, how did it happen? The accident, that is." Mike wondered.

Micky wore a pained smiled. "It's pretty stupid, really." He replied, scratching his head. "It was totally my fault. You know me, always going too fast... Well I went round a bend and there was a bird in the road. When it didn't fly away I instinctively swerved and the next thing I knew I had completely lost control of the bike. Everything after that is a total blank, although I really don't know how I didn't just fall off right away... It probably would've been better if I did."

Micky didn't think Mike could look any more uneasy, but when he finished telling him about how his accident had happened he realised he was wrong; now Mike looked dreadful.

"Um..." Mike shifted awkwardly on his feet as he tried to regain some confidence. "I heard that you'd er, that you'd been... that you'd been drinkin' before you crashed..."

"I wasn't drunk." Micky said, frustrated that he had to keep explaining himself. "I just explained this to Davy. I had a couple of beers but that was it. It might not have helped, but it's not the reason why I crashed - I was going too fast and a stupid bird got in my way. That's it."

"Sorry." Mike said quietly, his eyes fixed on the floor again.

"It's okay." Micky sighed. "I know I've got form for drunk driving so I can't blame anyone for questioning me about it."

Mike looked up and smiled sympathetically.

"How did you know about that anyway?" Micky asked.

"Samantha told me." Mike replied. "I er, I met Ami for the first time on Friday."

Micky was surprised. "Did you?" He asked.

"Yeah," Mike smiled. "She's somethin' else, Mick. She's absolutely beautiful."

Micky couldn't help but feel a little moved by Mike's words, especially when he saw the genuine smile the Texan wore when he spoke about her. "She is," Micky said proudly. "I'm lucky she takes after her mom."

Mike smiled gently before looking down again.

"How are your boys?" Micky asked, prompting Mike to lift his head.

"They're good." Mike nodded. "Growing up fast, you know how it is."

"Yeah, I bet." Micky smiled. "Ami's only been here a couple of months but already the time seems to be whizzing by. It's totally mad."

Mike nodded again, and Micky wondered whether he should ask about Phyllis. As intrigued as he was about the demise of Mike's marriage, he didn't want to appear too interested and make the Texan feel uncomfortable.

"So do you know how long you've got to stay in here for?" Mike asked.

"They said about a week, give or take." Micky sighed. "Because I had a heavy blow to the head they have to do these tests to make sure my brain is functioning properly, but I told them that it was hardly functioning properly before the accident, let alone now." He joked.

Mike looked hideously uncomfortable and didn't find Micky's joke in the least bit funny, which Micky clearly picked up on.

"But I'm hoping they'll let me out sooner than that," Micky said in an attempt to lighten the mood. "I'm bored in here already."

"Yeah... You always hated bein' stuck inside." Mike said.

Micky smiled weakly. He wracked his brain trying to think of what to say next, but ended up with absolutely nothing.

Mike opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by the door coming open again. In walked a nurse who approached Micky's bed with a clipboard.

"Oh Cindy, back again so soon?" Micky asked the nurse in a playful manner as she had a look at the machines by Micky's bed.

"You know we have to monitor you closely, Micky." The nurse - Cindy - replied with a glint in her eye.

"Ah, that's what you say. But I know it's just an excuse for you to come and see me." Micky grinned.

Cindy laughed. She tutted as she shook her head. "I knew from the moment I first took your blood that you were going to be one of those patients." She laughed.

"One of what patients?" Micky asked, tilting his head to the side. "You mean one of your favourite patients..?"

Cindy laughed some more. "No, I knew you were going to be trouble!" She said as she tried to make some notes without Micky distracting her.

"Don't pretend seeing me isn't the highlight of your day." Micky flirted, gazing up at the pretty nurse playfully.

Cindy tried to contain her smile but failed miserably, and she ended up grinning at Micky. "You're so naughty." She giggled.

"Ah, you didn't deny it!" Micky said, pointing a knowing finger at her.

Cindy shook her head as she giggled. "Shh, I'm trying to do my job. We need to keep an eye on you, you know."

"Is it because I nearly died?" Micky said, poking his lip out in a mock-sad fashion. "Because I'm still here. I'm still alive. I defied all the odds and came out the other end with nothing but a- well, a pretty big hole in my stomach and a nasty bump on the head, but I'm still here! That must mean I'm Superman, right?"

Cindy slapped her hand against her head as she shook it. "You should try resting that mouth of yours." She laughed.

"But you love it." Micky grinned.

As amused as the nurse clearly was, Cindy decided to concentrate on her job and read over Micky's notes carefully, trying not to get distracted by Micky looking up at her with a goofy smile on his face.

"Well everything seems to be as it should be." Cindy finally said.

"Does that mean I get to go home soon..?" Micky asked hopefully.

Cindy looked at him sympathetically. "Not quite yet. But you're doing really well." She told him.

Micky smiled. "Thanks, babe." He said. "I guess I'll see you a little later when you pretend to need to check my notes again."

Cindy tilted her head back and laughed to the ceiling before turning to look at Mike. "I bet he's always like this, isn't he?" She asked.

Micky turned his attention to Mike and noticed the Texan standing there like a lost sheep.

Mike forced a smile and nodded his head. "Pretty much." He said.

Cindy laughed before turning to Micky again. "That's all for now. Those pain meds we gave you earlier should be kicking in now."

"They certainly have kicked in. Haven't you noticed?" Micky asked with a little giggle - the medication was making him feel a little high.

Cindy tutted. "Well as long as you're not in so much pain, that's the main thing."

"I'm feeling as good as new now." Micky smiled.

Cindy shook her head in amusement before swiftly leaving the room.

Micky turned to Mike who continued to stand there awkwardly.

"It's er, it's good to see you in such high spirits." Mike finally said.

"This medication helps." Micky said, seriously feeling the impact of the drugs now. "It's miracle stuff. I was feeling like shit about a half hour ago, but a couple of pain killers and bam! Not long later I feel really good again. Well, not really good, but it makes the pain much better."

Mike nodded awkwardly as Micky laid his head back on the pillow. Not only did the painkillers make him feel like he was stoned, but they also made him sleepy.

"I'm glad you're doing okay..." Mike said as he looked over Micky.

"Thanks." Micky smiled, his eyes getting heavy. "I think I'm doing pretty good considering I almost died a few days ago."

Mike hearing Micky say the words; "I almost died a few days ago" made him look like he'd been punched in the stomach, but Micky was becoming too drowsy to really pick up on anything anymore.

"I uh, I should leave you to rest." Mike said quietly.

"Thanks for coming." Micky yawned.

"I hope you can get out of here soon." Mike told him with an awkward smile.

"Me too..." Mike said sleepily.

Mike looked over Micky for a moment before turning to leave the room. As soon as the door was closed behind him, Micky drifted off to sleep.

After Mike had closed Micky's door he leaned up against it, closing his eyes and tilting his head back as he sighed deeply. Mike had no idea exactly what he wanted to talk to Micky about, and he had no idea what he had expected from seeing Micky face-to-face after all this time. But Mike couldn't help but feel dissatisfied by how things had gone, and he run his fingers through his hair as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"Alright?"

Mike flinched, startled out of his self-pitying moment to discover Davy was suddenly standing right next to him. The Englishman seemed to have appeared from nowhere, and he was looking up at Mike with intrigue.

"Jesus..." Mike muttered, rubbing his brow in shock before gathering himself. "I thought you said you were leaving?" He asked in an annoyed tone.

"Well I just said that to get out of your hair, didn't I?" Davy asked. "I thought I better stick around in case you upset him or something."

Mike stared at Davy in disbelief. "Upset him? What do you take me for?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?" Davy asked, raising an eyebrow.

Mike sighed as he glanced to the ceiling.

"How did it go?" Davy asked. "Did you say you wanted him back?"

Mike glared at Davy. "That ain't none of your business, and I sure as hell ain't talkin' to you about this here." He said in a hushed yet aggravated tone, looking around to make sure nobody was paying them any attention.

"Alright, keep your hair on." Davy said. "I just wanted to know how it went."

"Well it went fine." Mike hit back, still speaking quietly. "He's asleep now."

Davy frowned. "Asleep?"

"Yeah. He probably wore himself out flirtin' with the pretty nurse." Mike said with a hint of bitterness.

"He flirted with a nurse?" Davy questioned.

"Yes." Mike said bluntly. "Apparently his pain meds have quite an effect on him."

"Oh yeah, he said something about that earlier." Davy said, scratching his head. "His mum mentioned it to me as well. Apparently they get him high as a kite and then he goes all sleepy."

"That sounds about right." Mike muttered as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"So it pissed you off, did it? Seeing him flirt with the nurse?" Davy asked on the quiet. "It made you jealous?"

Mike glared at Davy, taking a step closer to the much shorter man. "That has nothin' to do with you." He snapped.

"God, calm down." Davy said, raising his hands defensively. "I was just gonna tell you not to take it too seriously. I mean, it's Micky; he's always been a massive flirt. I've seen him flirt with trees before."

Although Mike knew Davy had a point, he still couldn't help but feel worked up at having seen Micky openly flirt with someone right under his nose.

"I ain't talkin' to you about this." Mike hissed before stomping off down the corridor.

"Hang on, wait up." Davy said, hot on Mike's heels.

Mike closed his eyes as he stopped in his tracks and allowed Davy to catch up with him. He turned around to face the Englishman once more. "What now?" He asked bluntly.

"I just wanted to know what your next move is." Davy asked, looking around to make sure they weren't being overheard.

Mike looked at Davy blankly.

"You know," Davy asked, glancing around again before lowering his voice to little more than a whisper. "Are you gonna ask for him back?"

Mike felt highly uncomfortable at not only being questioned about his intentions, but being questioned in a public place. "I told you," Mike said in a slightly threatening tone. "I ain't talkin' to you about this. This ain't your business and I don't need to explain myself to you. It's between me and Micky."

"So there is still a 'you and Micky', then?" Davy asked.

Mike was beginning to feel infuriated by the Englishman's relentlessness. When Mike realised they were standing right outside the men's restrooms, Mike grabbed Davy by the arm and shoved him inside. Once Mike had surveyed the bathroom to ensure they were alone, he turned to face Davy again and glared at him.

"What part of it's none of your business don't you understand?" Mike snapped, his tone angry but quiet.

"I was the one who helped get him back on his feet, remember?" Davy hit back with attitude. "So I'd say it is my business, seeing as I'm one of the only people who truly understands his hang-ups. Actually, I'm the only person who understands the length of what he's been through, so if anything is going to fuck him up again I think I have a right to know about it."

Mike narrowed his eyes. "I ain't gonna fuck him up again." He said, leaning in to the shorter man.

"Well you better not." Davy warned. "He was speaking pretty positively earlier, and as horrible as this accident has been I think it actually might've done him some good and knocked some sense into him. But he doesn't need you turning up out of the blue for meaningless chit-chats. He doesn't need you giving him false hope. So if you're going to get back with him then just do it. You can't keep hanging around if you have no intention of making things right."

"You don't get to tell me what to do." Mike snapped. "You think it's all simple, do ya? Because it ain't. But I don't need to explain myself to you. I don't need to explain myself to no-one."

"But you do need to explain yourself to Micky." Davy told him. "Otherwise just stay out of his way."

Mike was infuriated that Davy was trying to tell him what to do - even though Mike knew Davy was actually absolutely right.

The Texan turned around and run his fingers through his hair - he was feeling totally flustered. "Just get off my case, Davy." He said. "I don't need you hasslin' me and questionin' me. I'll decide what I wanna do and I'll decide it in my own time. I ain't gonna do anythin' to hurt him, but I also can't have a serious conversation with him here when he's strung-up on pain meds and we have people walkin' in and interrupting us every two seconds."

As if on cue, a man walked into the bathroom and was a little taken aback to find two other men - Mike and Davy - just standing there having a heated discussion.

"Er, sorry." The man said awkwardly before rushing off to a cubical and shutting the door.

Mike stared at Davy. "Just stay out of it." He whispered so the man in the bathroom stall wouldn't hear. "And don't say anything to him about any of this. I don't want you mentioning me, alright?"

Davy nodded his head in reluctant agreement. "Alright." He sighed.

Mike knew he had a lot to think about. Seeing Micky in person after all this time had totally thrown him; he didn't know what to expect and he hadn't been sure how Micky was going to react, but Mike couldn't help but feel more lost than ever now he'd actually spoken to Micky one-on-one after all these months.

As tempting as it had been to pour his heart out to Micky there and then, a strong part of Mike had always realised that it wasn't the right time. Mike didn't want to overwhelm Micky; after all, he'd only woken up the day before and the last thing Mike wanted to do was smother his former partner when he was in pain lying in a hospital bed.

Mike had been surprised by Micky's high spirits. Although he was aware that the pain medication Micky was on was obviously a factor in just how high Micky's spirits were, Mike could tell that Micky was actually feeling pretty good about life without the drugs in his system. But seeing Micky flirt with the nurse right under his nose had been a deeply unsettling and uncomfortable moment for Mike. Mike wondered if Micky was simply being Micky; a natural flirt. Or was it because he was feeling the effects of the drugs? Or was it all just to rattle Mike?

Mike couldn't help but feel arrogant for wondering if Micky had flirted with the nurse for his benefit, but the Texan also knew he didn't have a right to blame Micky if that was the case.

But Mike couldn't help but feel panic bubble in his stomach. What if the accident had knocked some sense into Micky and at long last he was actually beginning to get over Mike the way Mike had always hoped he would? The accident had shown Mike he really couldn't live a life without Micky, but what if it had also shown Micky that he could live a life without Mike?

Mike's head was spinning, and he was back to feeling absolutely conflicted all over again. The bottom line always went back to the same thing; what is going to be best for Micky?

Could Mike really make him happy? Was Micky still in that place? If Mike asked for Micky back, would Micky say yes?

The thought of putting himself out there only to get knocked back was something that caused Mike a great deal of emotional discomfort. Mike had never been one for laying his heart on the line or even making the first move - it wasn't something that came naturally to him, but Micky was the only person who had even gotten Mike to expose himself emotionally. Mike wondered if he would be able to bring himself to ask for Micky back; not just for fear of hurting himself, but mostly for fear of hurting Micky too. What if Micky was beginning to get over him and Mike confessing his feelings after all this time ended up taking Micky right back to square one again?

Mike knew he had to weigh up his options, and he also knew he had to put his own feelings aside and once again figure out what was going to be right for Micky. At the end of the day, for Mike it always boiled down to what was going to be best for the man he loved - and that wasn't about to change now.