Joey showed up promptly at six o'clock with take-out from Ray's and Brian Kerrigan. A large duffel bag hung off one of Brian's shoulders and a messenger bag hung off the other.

"Hey, guys." Robert greeted them as they walked into the room.

"Hey. What's going on?" Joey nervously greeted them. He gave Robert a quick hug, shook John's hand, placed the take-out containers on Jessie's tray-table, kissed her chastely on the lips and hugged her. "God, I miss you." He whispered in her ear.

"Relax," Jessie whispered back. She could feel the muscles in his back tense up the minute she put her arms around him. "John's okay."

He nodded against her and straightened up. "I uh...I brought Chicken Parm and grilled Salmon...you can pick one or have some of both and I got cheesecake for dessert..."

"Cheesecake too? Damn, you really did miss me huh?"

He pushed hair from her face and kissed her again. "Yes...I did." He said softly, totally aware that Robert, John, and Brian were watching them, and it made him uncomfortable to have an audience.

"Thanks." She winked at him.

Brian put the duffel bag in the closet and then joined the others. He held his hand out to John, who reciprocated. "It's good to see you up and around. They cut you loose, huh?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry, I forgot your name..." John said apologetically.

"That's okay...it's understandable. When we met you were in pretty bad shape and there was a lot going on. Brian Kerrigan, I'm a family friend and I worked for Patrick."

"Nice to meet you. Thanks...uh...for your help at the warehouse."

Brian shook his head. "There's no need for that...the thanks, I mean. Like I said, I'm a family friend." He stepped closer to Jessie and hugged her. "Hey, Jess." He pulled back from her and smiled. "Well, I gotta say, you look a hell of a lot better than you did the last time I saw you."

"Thanks...I think."

"You scared us half to death, kid...I think I have about a hundred more grey hairs." He set the messenger bag down on the bed and opened it up. "I thought you could use this..." He said handing her a portable DVD player. "There's not much on daytime T.V. after Jerry Springer. I grabbed a bunch of DVDs from the penthouse...if there's something you want to see that's not there, let me know and I'll bring it by tomorrow."

"The Tick VS Season One?"

Brian pulled the DVD from the bag. "Got it."

"Nice." She said a huge grin on her face. "Good job, Brian."

"SPOON!" Brian yelled loudly in his best 'Tick' voice. They both laughed.

"What did I just miss?" John whispered to Robert.

"They're huge Tick fans," Robert whispered back.

"Tick?"

"It was a cartoon...you'll see, she'll be watching it all night."

Brian leaned over and hugged her again. "I gotta go, kiddo...I have a problem I need to take care of, but I'll be back tomorrow. I'll get a pizza and some Sherbert and we'll have ourselves a Tick marathon, okay?"

"Sounds good. Thanks for bringing the DVD player and movies."

He nodded. "You're welcome, hon. Be good and keep getting better... you'll be out of here in no time." Brian turned to Robert. "I'm gonna go see Chang and see what his story is...if I don't like it, I'm gonna shut him down right there on the spot. He's had plenty of time to get out of the hole he dug for himself, I'm tired of the guy's excuses. Pat did everything he could to help the guy out and when he saw him start to flounder, he tried to give him a way out...Chang's a moron, plain and simple."

"I went with Patrick last month to see Chang...he had one excuse after another for why he couldn't get his shit together. I thought Patrick was gonna close him down then, but he let him go...said he had one more month to sink or swim." Joey added.

"Call me after you've seen him and let me know what you decided to do. I'll have to draw up some papers if you shut him down...I think I know someone who may be interested in taking it over. I'm good with whatever you decide, Brian." Robert told him.

They continued to talk for several minutes about the situation. Jessie looked on, listening intently as they talked. She started to feel funny. Her stomach started to roll and under their voices, she could swear, she heard her own heartbeat. It took her a minute to realize what it was she was feeling. It was anger. Deep seeded anger she never felt before. She hated hearing Patrick being spoken about in the past tense, so freely. He'd barely been gone for ten days and it was already business as usual. How could they do that? How could they just forget him like that? She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on her slow rolling stomach if she didn't get it under control, it was going to empty out all over the bed. She was talking it down in her head, willing herself to not lose it, to not listen to what they were saying. 'Forget it. It's nothing. It's not what you think.' She told herself over and over again.

John was also listening to the three men talk. He was able to follow some of what they were saying and he thought about asking more about it, but being a cop, he thought. 'What if, what they're talking about isn't exactly legal?' So he decided he shouldn't know...or more to the point, he didn't want to know. He let it go. He stood there listening, more out of politeness than anything else, because they seemed to want to include him, but he was only half listening. He glanced over at Jessie. Sitting up and swaying slightly, she had a pained look on her face. 'No. Scratch that, that's not pain...that's anger.' Her jaw was clenched, her eyes were closed, and her lips were moving, as she talked silently to herself. He stepped away from the conversation and moved closer to Jessie's bed. He reached down and put his hand over hers. She opened her eyes the minute he made contact and he flinched, slightly, at the dark look, she shot him. Then it was gone.

"Uh...you okay?" John asked slowly, not knowing what to expect.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. I just...I have a headache...but it's not too bad."

"You seemed..." He didn't know how to bring it up. "You sure it's just a headache?...and that you're okay?"

"I'm fine, John. I'm a little tired and I'm hungry, but that's it...it's just a headache." She knew she was telling him what he wanted to hear. "You worry too much."

"Not when it comes to you..."

She smiled but wasn't so sure she was happy about his comment or the way he said it. After all, she could take care of herself. She wasn't a drooling idiot, who needed constant care. Where did that come from? She could feel anger wanting to bubble up to the surface again and she forced it back down. Brian, thankfully, but unknowingly, caused a distraction when he announced, again, that he was leaving. Jessie and John both looked in his direction.

"Okay folks, I'm outta here. Robert, I'll call you later...Joey, I'll see you later...John, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, have a good night...Jessie, I will definitely see you tomorrow. Me, you and The Tick...all afternoon." He smiled when she laughed. "G'nite kid."

"Thanks, Brian," Jessie said as he left the room.

"Well, I'm sure you guys want to get to your dinner," Robert said eyeing the take-out containers on Jessie's tray-table. He wasn't looking forward to eating in the hospital cafeteria. "C'mon John, let's go see what they have to eat downstairs."

"There's plenty of food," Joey told them. "You could eat with us." He didn't really want them to stay, but it was the polite thing to do.

"No, but thanks anyway. You guys eat and spend some time together...you could both use it. Ready John?"

John gave Robert a sideways glance. 'Jesus, did he really have to say that last part?' "Uh...yeah."

Jessie saw the look John had given Robert. 'What the hell?' She couldn't stop a bubble of anger from breaking the surface. "What John? Do you think we're gonna get naked the minute you leave and screw like rabbits? We're in a friggin' hospital for Christ's sake..."

Joey's face turned bright red and he stared at the floor, finding the hospital's choice of tile very interesting. Robert, who thought Jessie was just torturing the two of them, turned away with his shoulders shaking from the laughter that he was trying to hold in. And John just stood there, opening and closing his mouth, like a fish out of water. He knew. He knew the outburst had not been meant as a joke but was serious. He saw the storm flash in her eyes and he heard the slight tremor in her voice as she fought, unsuccessfully, to control herself.

Robert turned back around. One hand was holding his side, while the other wiped tears from his eyes. A huge smile spread out across his face. "Jessie, give your old buddy a warning next time, huh? I don't know what hurts more...my face or my side." He slapped Joey on the back, playfully. "Your face turned a lovely shade of red my friend."

"Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it." Joey said bitterly. He was annoyed with Jessie for what she had said and angry at himself for being embarrassed by it.

"Take it easy, buddy, it's okay. It's not a big deal." Robert told him. Joey nodded and he squeezed his shoulder to reassure him. "Alright, then, you guys enjoy your dinner and chill out for a while...me and John are gonna disappear for a few hours."

Jessie watched them go. Robert was shaking his head, still laughing about what she had said. John followed him out, saying nothing. He didn't even acknowledge Robert talking to him.

"John!" She called out to him, feeling guilty.

John stopped and turned, but didn't say anything.

"I just...I wanted to..." She stammered. His silence was like a slap in the face and it stung. "I didn't mean...never mind." She said defeatedly. She was thinking John was mad at her and she couldn't concentrate on what she wanted to say.

John knew he couldn't leave her like that, looking like a puppy that had just been kicked. He walked back in the room, went to her side and hugged her. She sighed and her body sank into him as relief washed over her. He hugged her tight and kissed the top of her head as he pulled away.

"It's okay...we're okay...I'm not mad." He smiled. "Enjoy your dinner." He looked at Joey. "Makes sure she eats...and not just the cheesecake...and save me a piece...I'll needs something good to wash down the cafeteria food." He winked at her as he walked away. "See you guys in a little while."

Robert was waiting for him in the doorway. "What was that all about?" He asked quietly.

"I'll explain downstairs." John ushered Robert out into the hall. "I'm worried about Jessie."

A nurse came in as John and Robert walked out. She smiled as Joey opened the take-out containers.

''That definitely looks and smells better than anything we have here." She walked over to Jessie's I.V. pole and checked the bag. "Well, this is finished." She took the empty bag from the pole, disconnected the tubing from the port on Jessie's hand and threw it all in the wastebasket. "That's it until 4:30...you'll get another regimen of antibiotics and they'll take some blood for a work up. Can I get you two anything? How 'bout another tray-table so you're not so crowded on that one?"

"That'll be good. Thank you." Joey answered.

"Okay. I'll be right back."

"You want to eat over by the window? With the two tray-tables, we could sit in the chairs." She nodded and he started to roll the table away from the bed.

Jessie reached out and held his forearm. "I'm sorry."

He sat down on the edge of the bed. Her hand was still on his forearm, moving it, he held it in his. "Why? Why would you say that? You know how it's been for me...how it's been for us. He's your brother, Jessie...he doesn't know me, but he knows what I do...who I worked for...what's he gonna think? I mean, I know what I'd think if I were him..."

"I don't know...I don't know why I said it...it just happened...all I can say is I'm sorry...please, don't be mad...I'm sorry...I'm-"

Joey pulled her into a hug before she could tell him she was sorry again, but heard it again, anyway, muffled against his shoulder. "I know...I'm sorry too...It's okay." He pulled back from her and played with the curls that fell on her shoulder. Leaning forward he kissed her gently on the lips, pulling back again, he searched her eyes for permission to better the kiss. He got his answer when she pulled him back and covered his mouth with hers. The kiss deepened as their tongues danced together, stopping only long enough to take in some air, the dance lasted several minutes. They heard something being rolled across the floor and they pulled apart, breathing heavily, as the nurse pushed another tray-table through Jessie's doorway.

"Sorry," Joey said before he could stop himself. He wasn't sure if the nurse was smiling because she saw them or because she was just happy.

"Don't worry about it, honey...you weren't doing anything I wouldn't do if I were in your situation." She laughed when Joey blushed. "See you at 4:30, Jessie." She said and left them alone.

"Robert was right, you do turn a lovely shade of red." Jessie laughed as she ran a finger over his cheek.

"Ha ha."

"It's good she came in when she did, ya know...her walking in on us making out, is a lot better than John walking in on us getting naked and screwing like rabbits..."

"Oh, you are just too funny..." He pushed her, gently, down on to the pillows. "You should be a comedian." He leaned down and claimed her mouth with his. The kiss was short but deep. "C'mon," He said pulling her up. "Let's eat, I'm starving."

"But...you definitely should not kiss me like that and expect me to think about food."

"Uh-huh...you just want to get me in trouble." He smiled. "C'mon, I really am hungry."

"You're such a tease...I'll remember this, ya know."


Tbc...