*July 2nd, 2006, Sunday. Late evening. A hospital somewhere in Seattle, Washington...*

*Every square inch of him hurt... his face most of all. Broken nose, busted lip, swollen eye, a few less teeth, bruises, gashes, and cuts oh my! He'd insisted that he'd be fine, that he just needed to go home and sleep it off, but a passing mirror left him feeling lightheaded and when he woke up it was in the clean, crisp, confines of a hospital room. The one eye that wasn't covered over in bandages looked around the room as he listened to the rhythmic beeping of his vital sign monitor. He didn't really think the machine was necessary. Aside from the pain he felt just fine... it was just a rough night. He'd heal and then move on with his life.*

*Of course he wasn't really sure if he could move on as he'd prophesized not so long ago. The beating he'd taken at Bryce's hands was humiliating and surprising to say the least. And so he felt a need to redeem himself... to balance the scales once more and perhaps even tip them in his favor. This night had taught him an invaluable lesson... never turn your back on a desperate and hateful man. Lee's moment of compassion and concern had now turned into an extended stay at the hospital in constant pain. All because of her...*

*That "her" in question being one Erika D'laney... fiancé to one Bryce Knight and key component in the destruction of Lee's face for a second time. And while Lee stewed in his hospital room over the turn of events that night Erika D'laney moved towards his door hesitantly.*

*She'd left Bryce in the capable hands of the physicians to tend to him. The rage induced attack he'd unleashed upon Lee hadn't left him completely unscathed... his hands had become unwilling recipients of that rage and were currently being bandaged. And while she wasn't sure strolling in Lee's room was a bright idea... she felt the need to thank him. When she'd first come to she thought he was trying to attack her, but President Sable had explained the situation to her. A part of her felt awful about what happened to Lee, but only a part...*

*Her hand gripped the door knob and taking a deep breath she pushed through... it only took Lee a moment to recognize her...*

November: Shit...

*He tried to sit up, grunted in pain, and decided the horizontal position worked just fine.*

Erika D'laney: I'm so sorry. Maybe I shouldn't be here.

*She turns to leave, but while her mind wanted her to move, her feet stayed firm to the ground.*

November: Why are you here? Didn't get a good enough look tonight?

*He grunted at D'laney while watching her wearily with his one eye.*

*Without turning around, she begins to speak. A tremble in her voice.*

Erika D'laney: I understand your anger, and I don't blame you. But I came here to tell you something.

*She turns to face him*

Erika D'laney: The question is, will you allow me to come any closer to you in order to do it?

*The question catches Kyle off guard so he buys himself some time.*

November: Where's your boyfriend? Because, you know, the last time I got close to you he kind of... well he kind of tried to kill me.

*He grimaces in pain. Yup, speaking hurt too.*

November: So you'll excuse me if I'm just a wee bit weary of the both of you right now.

*She takes a few steps forward. Still a little leery of how close she should approach. Stopping a good five to six feet from the side of the bed, she lets a few more words slip out.*

Erika D'laney: He is also getting some medical attention. And while he is being attended to, I thought I would take a brief moment to not only see how you were doing, but...

*Her voice drifts off. Knowing what transpired between the two, she once again thinks twice before proceeding. Should she be here, or should she be back at her fiancé's side?*

Erika D'laney: To also say I'm sorry.

*She did it. A mixture of emotions shoot through her. Relief. Anxiety. And also, she feels a bit nauseous.*

*His hands had balled tighter and tighter into fist, and his body had tensed with each step she'd taken towards him. Expecting the worse he was suddenly left speechless at her words...*

November: Uh... what?

*Seeing the surprised expression on his face brought her a little more at ease of the situation. Another step forward...followed by another...and another. She exhales.*

Erika D'laney: This never should have escalated the way it did. I feel just awful about not only what I did, but what Bryce did to you. Completely unnecessary.

*Her emotions begin to overtake her a bit. You can see her eyes swelling up with tears. But she stays strong...for now. Although looking down at the broken man before her, that could change at any moment.*

*His body relaxed, his hands unclenched, but still a confused look persisted on his face as he looked up at her for a long moment in silence. This had been the last thing he'd been expecting, but he still wasn't all together positive that Bryce wasn't waiting in his bathroom with a bedpan ready to finish him off.*

November: I, uh... well...

*He still wasn't sure how to respond... how to react. Hours ago her boyfriend had tried to kill him and now here she was just inches away, and she was apologizing. He felt like shoving it back in her face... like making her hurt, but then he noticed the tears swelling in her eyes and then the decent man that he was at his core took over.*

November: No... no listen don't... don't cry.

*He sighs... he's still confused. He can't stop being the hero.*

November: What are you doing with him? Don't you see what he is now? You need to get away from him before it's too late.

*Looking away from him a moment, she takes her right index finger and wipes away a single tear from her left eye...and as she did that, the right eye let loose with a tear that fell straight down to the floor. She was in a very uncomfortable position, but for whatever reason, knew she had to be. And with that thought, she looks down upon him once more. She does her best to compose herself.*

Erika D'laney: That wasn't...isn't him at all. He is not that man anymore. I wish I could explain what happened, but I can't. All I can tell you is that I'm sorry for what happened, and that I love him with all my heart, no matter what.

*Another tear. A hard swallow.*

Erika D'laney: Listen, I need to go...he's probably wondering where I am.

*Lee reaches out and grabs her by the wrist. Not a cruel and painful grasp, in fact his fingers barely touch the skin, but a touch that asks her to stay. Asks her to listen...*

November: You... you need to be careful. I may not know him well, but I know what he can do. I've felt what he can do.

*He had to pause as a wave of pain hit him. He really didn't know what he wanted to say to her, but at least he wasn't alone.*

November: You seem like a good person, and you have a wicked chair shot...

*He tries to smile and fails...*

November: But if Bryce goes to that "place" like he did tonight... none of that will help you. Just please... be careful.

*She tries to smile, but the sides of her mouth barely curl upward.*

Erika D'laney: I appreciate your concern Kyle, but you don't need to worry about either one of us. I feel completely safe in his arms and have had no reason what-so-ever to think otherwise.

*Visions of the evening flash back through her mind. She fights them off and gives him a calming look.*

Erika D'laney: Tonight wasn't a moment I'm proud of, and I have to believe deep down, it wasn't a moment he was proud of either. I refuse to believe after all of this time continues to pass, he will look back on that moment with pleasure. It's done. It's over. It is time to move past all of this nonsense.

*There was a hint of anger in her voice. A deep breath. That was all she needed. One deep breath.*

*He slowly releases her wrist and lets his hand sink back to his bed. His gaze left her face. He was trying to play hero to someone who didn't want to be saved. Angelica use to tell him that all the time. Finally he looked back up to her.*

November: I really wish it was.

*He shouldn't feel so torn, he shouldn't care, but he does.*

November: But it's not.

*Part of her wants to stay awhile longer. Although there was everything to talk about...there was also nothing to talk about. She needed to get back to where she belonged. His arms. His heart.*

Erika D'laney: This will end. I will not allow what took place last night to ever happen again. That is not him. That is not him at all.

*Her head turns to the side just so enough of her face can be seen by him.*

Erika D'laney: And that is not you. And you have to want this to end as well.

*Faced forward, she slowly begins moving toward the door. He opens his mouth to say something, but decides against it as he instead just watches her move through the door.*

November: Yeah...

*To Be Continued...*