A/T: Ah, the last chapter for my AU csilabrats challenge. This has been so much fun to write, and I’m glad you’ve enjoyed reading it! This last installment’s going to be the most complicated, so make sure you understand this: there are two David's. One’s the spirit and one’s the actual guy laying in the hospital in a coma. There’s going to be a scene where both David's are together; one will be talking, of course, so don’t get confused. Read slowly and you’re sure to get it. Also, this chapter’s a little different from the movie, but it’s Nick/Dave, so no complaining, y’hear? Onwards!

White Light Lie
Part 5

Nick had never experienced abject terror before, but he was sure that’s what he felt when he woke the next morning –still wearing his day clothes- without David there. He’d sat up so fast that he experienced a serious head rush, but ignored it as he stumbled out the door and towards the bathroom, the kitchen, the hall, constantly thinking Where is he? He doesn’t need to be in these places while calling out his name. He ended up tumbling through the back door, up the stairs, and onto the roof just in time to see David turn from watching the traffic and lights and sunrise.

Nick wanted to cry.

“Hey,” he whispered, exhaling with relief as he approached the other man. He felt as though he should try making his voice a bit more even, hiding his alarm behind calm tones and words. Then again, David already knew how Nick felt about him and what he was willing to risk, so an uneasy sigh wasn’t really so bad, right? “You weren’t there when I woke up.”

David smiled in return, although it lacked its usual vivacity. “I went out, got drunk, got laid, gambled a little-’’

“Shut up, you,” Nick playfully growled, enjoying the cool breeze rolling in from the desert. “You know what I mean.”

“I do,” he conceded. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”

“Are you apologizing?”

“Let’s call it the regretful and verbal acknowledgement of misconduct.”

“The regretful…? Jeez. You’re a hell of a trip, I’ll give you that.”

Conversation faded into silence as Nick simply stood beside David, trying to hide his fear. He wanted to be strong; David was surely more scared than Nick could ever be and he had no right to freak out when David was calm and rational. Maybe he just had to accept that David was going away. Maybe this was some sort of lesson, maybe he could learn something from it.

Maybe that was crap.

Nick sighed. It was five hours and counting until the doctors pulled the plug, and neither man had been struck with any brilliant scheme to stop it. Nick's initial plan was to stay up all night to think of something, but he was so damn tired that he’d conked out. What a superhero he was. His strategies were nonexistent, his bravery was missing, and now he could barely stand up straight without some coffee. He had the funny inclination to ask David if he’d like some eggs or orange juice, but then again, David couldn’t actually eat anything. When life became normal again, Nick planned on cooking the man a feast, because it was just plain weird to live with someone and always eat in front of them.

“Aren’t you hungry?” David asked, beginning towards the door. “I’d make pancakes, but my best recipe right now is air.”

“Air? Sounds like the breakfast of champions to me,” Nick replied, heartened when David laughed.

“My water soup is exceptional too,” came the reply, and they were both smiling a little foolishly by the time they reached the kitchen. Nick instantly began gathering the items for coffee while David simply watched, content to have someone to talk to.

“I got a question,” Nick finally announced as he measured out the grounds. “Do you actually sleep? ‘Cause I know I dozed off last night, and I guess it never occurred to ask.”

“I can sleep,” David answered. “I just don’t need to.”

“Really? Well, I hope you didn’t feel like you had to stay or anything. You could’ve gone gallivanting if you wanted to, maybe walk around town some. How long did you stay in bed?”

David shrugged and busied himself with looking out the window. “Don’t know.”

“David.”

“What? It’s not like I was watching the clock.”

“David.”

“Fine. You’re a persistent bastard.”

“David.”

“All night! I was comfortable," came the defensive reply. "And I didn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

“Hurt myself how?” Nick asked, furrowing his brows.

“You were having some pretty freaky dreams. You woke up about every hour, but I guess you don’t remember that.”

Nick paused as he was opening the cabinet to get a mug. He was torn: between having such a normal conversation five hours before David was scheduled to be taken off life support and the images of last night’s dream flooding his mind, he felt off-balance and a little dizzy. He tried to shake off the ticking clock –constantly obsessing over it would never help- and focus on his strange dream from before. He hadn’t had it once or twice; he had it several times. He’d wake up and then go back to sleep, only to have it play through his head again.

“Want to share with the class?” David continued, raising a pointed eyebrow. Nick quickly returned to reality; David might as well know what was going on, even though a crack dream wasn’t going to help their situation any.

“Ryan’s body was missing,” Nick explained, finally grabbing an old Texas A&M mug from the second shelf. “Alexx, our coroner at Miami-Dade, just kept smiling and telling me over and over again. The funny thing was that she was so damn happy that he was gone.”

“That sounds pretty creepy, Nick. You need to hang around more living people.”

“Hush. Anyway, it was just the same thing every time. Alexx, morgue drawer, no Ryan.”

“Maybe you should run it past Greg. I’m sure it has some deep and meaningful explanation, like the Miami lab needs better security measures.”

“David.”

“I’m just saying.”

“It’s weird,” Nick agreed, “But I can’t imagine why anyone’s body would go missing.”

“Stolen.”

Nick blinked and looked up as he poured the coffee from the pot, nearly scalding his hand with the blistering liquid. He normally would’ve stuck his hand beneath cold water as soon as possible, but things hadn’t been normal for quite a while. Why should today be any different? He ignored the pain and gave David his full attention. “Beg your pardon?”

The other man merely shrugged. “I work in a lab too, you know. We had a case where someone stole a body from right beneath the coroner’s nose. It wasn’t pretty.”

But Nick no longer cared about the specifics of any case David might have seen. He didn’t care that his hand was a bit burnt or that he hadn’t slept well. All he’d really heard was “stolen” and his mind instantly jolted back to the dream, to why Alexx was so happy, as if she was trying to tell him something. Maybe the dream wasn’t as random and odd as Nick first suspected.

“David.”

“You really need to stop saying my name like that, Nick.”

“I have a plan.”

“A plan? I hope it has something to do with ice and that hand of yours.”

“Forget the hand. Today’s the day, right? We both know they’re pulling the plug and there’s no point in ignoring it. But I’m not going to let that happen, okay?”

David stilled. He didn’t want to think about it, but at the same time, there was no avoiding the issue. The thought of “officially dying” had consumed him the night before; his only comfort had been Nick’s even breathing and the way their hands touched even though they couldn’t really touch at all.

“And how’s that?” David asked, giving him a surprisingly sad smile. “Steal my body?”

The resulting silence didn’t mean anything to David until a few moments later. He had expected Nick to roll his eyes and explain a much more diplomatic scheme, something that only the most honest and noble of men would be able to dream up. What he hadn't been expecting was the consequential hush coupled with Nick’s “well, you caught me” expression. David froze, eyes wide, and then shook his head in a frantic motion.

“Nick, that’s insane. You can’t just walk into the hospital and then wheel me out.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll go to jail!”

“So? You think I’ll care where I’ll be if something happens to you?”

David never thought he’d feel such appreciation and admiration for another person; Nick was willing to risk everything just for him. No one had ever given him a second look, and now this beautiful man was ready and willing to barge right into Desert Palms and try to somehow rescue David from an inevitable fate. As much as he was tempted to allow him to do this, as much as he wanted to live… he knew he couldn’t. Nick shouldn’t have to give up his life to save David’s.

“I want to, Nick. I want to grow old and see Jacqui and do everything I can think of, but I can’t let you do this.”

“This could be our only chance, David. It’ll buy us some more time.”

“Nick-’’

“We have to.”

“Nick, I still-’’

“You said you want to grow old. I want you to grow old, too. As a matter of fact, I want you to grow old with me, and that can’t happen if you’re six feet under. You’ve been to that hospital a million times before. What do I need to do?”

David didn’t know what to say. He wanted to follow Nick’s headstrong path, but at the same time, he was cautious. He soothed himself by saying that Nick would do this anyway, even if David disagreed. He might as well help, right?

“Well," he hesitantly began, sending a prayer up to whoever might be tuning in. "You’re going to need a van. And someone with no morals.”

…

“So where're we going again?” Jim asked as his left hand squeezed his knee in silent terror while his right hand gripped the van’s door handle so hard his knuckles were white. Quite frankly, he was holding on for dear life. Nick wasn’t usually a reckless driver, but time was of the essence and he’d wasted two hours tracking down a van, a whole other hour convincing Jim to join him, and by the time they’d set out, he and David only had an hour left to spare. Things weren’t looking good for the home team, that was for sure, and it wasn’t helping that Jim was a constant flow of questions.

“You didn’t tell him?” David asked, snapping his head in Nick’s direction. “Not that I’m one to talk, but communication is pretty essential here.”

“To the hospital,” Nick hurriedly replied, answering Jim’s question while watching as the green light turned yellow. Under most circumstances, he would’ve stopped, but these weren’t most circumstances. He flew right under it. “They’re having a sale on hospital beds. I’ve always wanted one.”

“You’ve always wanted a hospital bed?” Jim echoed, incredulous. “Why?”

“Heard they’re comfy.”

“So what’s the rush?”

“One day sale. First come, first serve.”

“You have to tell him,” David said, shaking his head at the suspicious look Jim shot in Nick’s direction. Did Nick expect Jim to help when they got there? Besides, it was obvious that there wouldn’t be any sale. Sales required banners and advertisements, neither of which Jim had seen. Did hospitals even give away beds? And who would want one? “You can’t honestly expect him to go along without some answers. If anything, he’ll be a liability.”

“Not yet,” Nick muttered. Jim glanced at him once more and David had to admit that if he were a shrink, he’d label Nick as crazy within a moment.

“Not yet what?” he asked. The Texan tried to give him an easy smile, but it was more strained than anything else, especially when a red sports car swerved right in front of them. Nick unapologetically slammed the van's horn with his palm, letting the driver know just what Nick thought of him. Didn’t people understand road etiquette anymore?

“We’re not there yet,” he responded. There was a long pause that followed; Nick heard David groan from his place in the backseat while Jim gave him yet another skeptical stare. Nick understood David’s point of view, but then again, there was no way Jim would have agreed to come if he knew the truth. Maybe he’d be able to explain it when they got there. That was his hope, anyway, but it was clear David didn’t believe in it.

“Okay Nick, be honest with me. Has your invisible friend come out to play?”

“What? No, of course not. I’m totally over that.”

“Sure you are. Tell me truthfully, Nick.”

“You should believe me. I’m your patient.”

“I think we’re breaching a normal doctor/patient relationship here. And would you slow down?”

Nick decreased his speed by a whole three miles; Jim scrupulously checked the door windows and made sure no cops were in view. David tried to get his thoughts in order as he did so. There was an incredibly strong possibility that their plan was going to fail, but they had to try. God, he didn’t want to die. He knew now that there was far too much worth staying for, such as the man who was currently experiencing a Jeff Gordon moment. David looked into the rearview mirror and met Nick’s gaze. The Texan tried to smile, but it didn’t quite work; he understood how shaky their strategy was.

Amazingly enough, they reached the hospital in one piece. It had been surprisingly easy to get into the hospital and even easier to gain access to the supply room. It only required walking into Desert Palms, riding the elevator to the third floor, and taking a somewhat shady left turn down the hall (instead of a right, which was where visitors were supposed to go). Nick, though, was sure that was where their luck was about to end. For one, he had no idea how to proceed when it came to actually removing David’s bed from the hospital. Secondly, what the hell was he supposed to use? There had to be a hundred different medical equipment pieces shoved onto the supply shelves; they all looked expensive and complicated, not to mention useless. How did he choose?

He turned to David, helpless when it came to selecting the correct items. David bit his lip and began looking around. He’d spent more than enough time with Albert to know what was needed in certain medical situations. As a matter of fact, David often found himself in the emergency room while the emergency was taking place, collecting clothes, shoes, and personal items, all of which were used in the investigation to follow. He wasn’t called out for things like heart attacks or broken legs, of course, but assault, domestic abuse, and rape were a priority to the lab, and thus a priority to him. He bit his lip harder. He’d seen dozens of coma patients being transported with Albert at the helm. All he needed was to remember what they’d used.

“Okay, grab a cart,” he began, his mind beginning to do him a favor and actually work. “You need a blood pressure cuff and a portable ventilator.”

Nick swiftly grabbed the things David pointed out. They felt odd in his hand and he hoped to God David knew how to use them, because Nick tried to put together a bookshelf from Target once. Guess what? It was a disaster, and a man who couldn’t assemble a bookshelf should never be allowed to handle anything lifesaving. Regardless, he collected each piece even as he felt Jim’s bewildered gaze hit his back.

“Nick,” Jim objected, taking Nick’s wrist in a firm grip. “Nick, this isn’t a sale. What’s going on?”

Nick knew there was no way he could continue lying. This was a point where the truth had to be exposed, and he hoped that Jim would help since they were already at the hospital. He took a glance at his watch: only thirty-two minutes left until noon. They had to get a move on. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” he began, tearing his eyes away from the timepiece and looking towards his friend.

“I’m not going to like this, am I?” Jim asked, heaving a tired sigh and covering his face with his right hand. “I knew it. What have you done?”

“Well, you know my imaginary friend? The one I saw when I first moved into my apartment?”

“Nick-

“He isn’t imaginary, Jim. He’s a coma patient upstairs and he’s gonna be taken off life support in about half an hour,” came the desperate and rushed reply. Nick clenched his fists and took a few calming breaths, hoping to quell the panic that was growing inside. He couldn’t do this alone and he couldn’t lose David. Jim was their only chance.

However, the older man wasn’t nearly as keen to the idea as Nick had hoped. The psychiatrist took a deep breath and a small step back. When he spoke, it almost sounded as though he were pleading. He couldn’t bear to see Nick taken away. “You’re kidding. Tell me you’re joking, Nick.”

“You have to help me.”

“Help you? Good God, are you insane?” came the explosive question as he threw his hands up and began pacing back and forth, irritation evident in his tone. He spent time with law enforcement and knew the consequences people went through. He heard wild stories from his patients, many similar to the one Nick was telling. There was no way he could agree to it and jeopardize everything he’d worked for. “The idea is all types of illegal, Nick. You can’t even begin to understand the penalties you’ll face if you’re caught, which you will be.”

“Jim, please. We really need help.”

“I’ll say! There’s a psych ward two floors up. They can help you with whatever apparitions you might be seeing.”

“I don’t need another head doctor, Jim! We have half an hour! Do you understand? That’s thirty minutes before they pull the plug, and I need… I need him, okay? I need him to stay here.”

Nick didn’t dare look in David’s direction as he said those words, but he felt David look at him. He was sure those blue eyes were analyzing him with an insatiable scientific curiosity, one that wondered Why is he risking all of this? But David knew –or, at least, Nick hoped he knew- that this wasn’t being done out of anything else but love. Love and the avid desire to protect him, to make sure he was okay, because David had done the same thing for him. Not in the same way, of course, but he’d stayed even when times were complicated. It would’ve been easier to escape the apartment on more than one occasion; David hadn’t been very social when he was fully alive, so he could have easily adjusted to the lack of communication with other people in his spirit form. But he never ran out, just as Nick never ran out either. They were both in it together.

Now all they needed was for Jim to sign on and they’d be set.

“I can prove he’s here,” Nick continued, aware that Jim was tense and likely two seconds away from bolting and calling hospital security. “Just stand where you are and David’ll stand behind you.”

David quickly moved to his requested position while Nick hoped it wouldn’t take long. They certainly didn’t have all day. They didn’t even have all hour.

“Now do rock, paper, or scissors.”

Jim cast Nick a look, as though perhaps the Texan really had lost his marbles, but did as he was asked. He stuck his right hand behind his back and then balled up his fist.

“Rock,” David immediately informed.

“Rock,” Nick echoed. Jim’s expression didn’t change; he merely changed his sign by extending his index and middle finger.

“Scissors.”

“Scissors.”

He began looking unnerved, but chose to change his sign yet again. He flatted his hand.

“Paper.”

“Paper,” Nick instantly echoed. Jim’s eyebrows rose as he turned to make sure there was nothing reflective behind him, nothing that might be giving Nick the answer. He was unsettled to discover it was all plastic and plaster, which meant only one thing: it was possible Nick might not be as crazy as Jim first assumed. He turned back to the man in front of him and balled his fist again.

“Rock again,” David said.

“Rock again,” Nick repeated. Jim, frustrated, stuck out his middle finger. David quirked an eyebrow, slightly amused.

“He’s flipping me off.”

“Are you flipping him off?” Nick asked, giving Jim a hard frown. “Man, you don’t treat people like that! It’s rude. Besides, didn’t you take some sort of ethics class to become a shrink?”

Nick seriously hoped not; this was definitely the worst time for Jim to finally discover the joy of morals.

“Okay Nick, fine. Someone’s here with us, I believe you, but do you have any idea what you’re risking for this guy?”

“Of course I do!” came the hot reply. “But we can’t risk anything while we’re standing around here, now can we?”

Jim leaned his head back and gave another sigh. His professional life was flashing before his eyes. Agreeing to this would be the most stupidest, reckless, illegal move of his career.

“I’m in,” he muttered, shaking his head as Nick gave him a thankful smile. He took the white coat that the Texan offered, and although it was a bit tight, it did make him look like a medical professional. Whether his personality would blend in was a question for another day, because seconds were ticking away and they were running low on time. They had to start.

“Christ, thanks Jim. We’re really, really grateful,” Nick breathed, shoving his arms into his own coat and then hanging a stethoscope around his neck for an added touch. “You have no idea.”

“I’m not doing this for you,” the older man groused.

“Then why are you doing it at all?”

“Because one day, trust me, I’m gonna need help moving a body of my own. When that day comes, I don’t wanna hear any shit from you,” came the rumbling response. Nick figured this was fair enough as they grabbed a gurney and headed out, trying to act as though they had some clue to what they were doing. Nick took a deep breath as they emerged from the closet, hoping they weren’t out of place. They kept their walk swift but professional. Nick easily found David’s room and the moment they shut the door behind them, their casual pace disappeared as they switched to warp speed.

“This him?” Jim gruffly asked as they began removing some of the equipment David was connected to and hooking up the portable machines in their place.

“Yeah,” Nick replied, smiling despite the circumstances. “Isn’t he something?”

“Whatever you say. I gotta admit he looks familiar, though.”

“How’s that?” Nick asked as they continued to work.

“Don’t know. Maybe he’s one of those guys who’re so bland they just remind you of everyone.”

“I’m in the room, you know,” David announced, shooting Jim a dark look before turning to Nick. “Pick it up, Texas. And just so you know, Jim and I are going to have a stern talk after I’m magically resurrected. And when I say ‘stern talk’, I mean you’re going to kick his ass for me. I’m not bland.”

“Someone’s a little self-conscious,” Nick teased. “Now quit being ridiculous. Ain’t there a nurse who stops and checks on patients?”

“About every half an hour,” David confirmed. “Shake a leg, Nick, and tell Jim I’m only forgiving him because he’s saving my life.”

“You got it.”

Jim, ignoring Nick’s seemingly one-sided conversation, grabbed the coma David’s shoulders and Nick grabbed his legs. With a quick “one, two three”, they lifted David from his hospital bed and onto the gurney with ease. Nick kept waiting for security to bolt in, but no one seemed to notice their plot. Nurses didn’t appear suspicious and the doctors were concerned with their own patients.

“I remember now,” Jim huffed as they began adjusting David so that he looked natural, not hurriedly piled on. “I saw him in a picture at Jacqui’s place.”

“Jacqui knows this pig?” David asked, wrinkling his nose at Jim. “I thought I taught her better than that.”

“You know Jacqui Franco?” Nick asked, surprised by Jim’s news. “Really? She’s David’s best friend.”

“Never woulda’ guessed. It’s pretty crazy that a girl like her would be hanging out with a guy like-’’

“Jim,” Nick warned, frowning in his friend’s direction. “Need I remind you that I love this guy?”

“I'm aware of it.”

“We’ll snark later,” Nick announced, peering out the door’s window to see who was passing by at the moment. It was clear so far, but that didn’t mean someone wasn’t coming. With this in mind, Nick opened the door a few inches and peered out. What he saw made his heart drop.

“Shit,” he hissed. “Doctor Robbins is coming! He’s early!”

“You serious?” Jim asked, alarm also evident in his voice. “What the hell are we supposed to-’’

“Go go go,” the Texan ordered, yanking the gurney out and towards the elevator. To his great relief, a nurse had stopped to ask Doctor Robbins a question; his attention was momentarily diverted, but it was soon to return. “Someone's talking to him. We gotta move, Jim!”

The two men quickly exited the room and stealthily closed the door behind them, trying not to make too much noise, and quick footed it towards the elevators. Jim pushed from the back while Nick bolted forth and slammed the elevator button with his palm, praying it wouldn’t be a long wait while thankful that their backs were to Al instead of having to pass him from the front.

“Sirs?”

Nick’s stomach lurched as he heard the hesitant question, instantly recognizing the voice. He knew Albert had caught sight of them; Nick winced and held his breath, silently urging the elevator doors to slide open. He could almost feel Albert approaching them from twenty yards away and closing.

“C’mon c’mon,” Nick chanted beneath his breath. “Open up, damn it.”

“Sirs?” Albert called again, hardening his voice. “I don’t have a patient transport scheduled for today. I need to see an ID.”

“Turn,” Nick murmured; Jim complied as they swiftly began down the hallway, abandoning the hope for an elevator. Of course, Nick had no idea what their move was going to accomplish, but at least it got them going.

“We need a brilliant plan, Nick,” Jim muttered. “And we need one right now. What’s your dead friend got to suggest?”

“For one, go faster,” David replied. “Don’t jostle, but go really fast. Two, don’t panic.”

“Anything else?” Nick begged as they increased their pace. They were now sprinting towards another set of elevators down the hall and towards the right; people were watching with confused expressions and, even worse, Albert was chasing them while calling for security on his cell phone. Nick and Jim were able to keep ahead of him while turning each direction David told them to go, but Nick wasn’t stupid; he knew security was going to be there within the moment.

“We’re screwed,” Jim surmised as they took another quick turn. Were they even going anywhere? They hoped to find a destination, sure, but there had to be an easier way. They needed some luck or a sign or-

“Hold the elevator!” Nick bellowed as he saw a pair of silver doors open the next hall down. The woman who emerged jumped at his harsh tone but stuck her arm out, stopping the elevator from closing. She turned to see just who was bolting towards them and Nick felt himself grow sick in the stomach.

It was Jacqui.

“Nick?” she asked, alarmed as they hastily approached her. Her cheeks had tear tracks, her mascara was smeared, and she had circles beneath her eyes, not to mention her clothes were wrinkled and her hair was rather flat. He knew she had to be feeling the same nauseating sadness he was; neither could lose David, but neither, it seemed, could stop it from happening. “Nick,” she repeated, eyes widening in shock as she took in the way he looked and what it was he was doing. “What the hell are you-’’

“Stop him! STOP HIM!” came another bellowing voice. It was Doctor Robbins, trying to catch up even with his bad leg. David’s thoughts were swarming with people: Nick, Jacqui, even Doctor Robbins, who was chasing someone to protect David’s comatose body. Both David and Albert himself knew he couldn’t run, but he was trying nonetheless.

These people cared so much for him, all in different ways.

He took another look at the almost-lifeless body that lay on the gurney. He wished he could simply reconnect himself again or somehow glue his spirit back into himself, but as Greg said, such a thing was impossible, and it was too late anyway. After all, he saw something that everyone else missed in the flurry. It made his hopes fall beyond any known level.

“Nick?”

Nick glanced up at the question; David’s voice sounded so small and unsure, which Nick could definitely relate to.

“Yeah?” the Texan panted in response.

“My breathing tube’s gone.”

Nick’s brown eyes widened before he whipped his head towards David’s body. David was right; his breathing tube was missing, which meant his body couldn’t get any oxygen. Jacqui began crying for help as the doctor caught up with them and security came bolting through the hall, having had to make their way from the second floor.

“What? No! What do I do?” Nick asked, feeling a hot stinging behind his eyes. “David, I don’t know how to help.”

“You can’t.”

“You can’t just disappear, damn it!” Nick bellowed as he felt a guard grab hold of his arms and force them behind his back. Nick struggled as David’s spirit began to fade right in front of him; he wanted to reach out and touch, but the guards hands were even stronger than his own.

“It’s like it’s pulling me away,” David frantically tried to explain. “I can’t stop it!”

“David, no!”

“Nick-’’

“Keep trying!” he insisted as another guard joined the first; they began dragging a thrashing Nick towards them and away from Jacqui and David’s body.

“Give me a sedative,” Albert barked to a nearby nurse, whose mouth hung open in shock. Nick knew it was for him; everyone thought he was crazy, but he didn’t need a sedative or any kind of medicine. What he needed was for David to come back. “Give me five of Haldol!”

“No sedatives!” Nick persisted. “You don’t understand, he’s not dead! You can’t kill him!”

He tried yanking himself from those who held him, but David was fading faster and faster, helpless to stop it. Their eyes met, a feverish desolation between them as Nick mentally pleaded with God or whatever entity was tuning in. Please don’t do this. I need him. I love him. Please bring him back.

And then he completely vanished.

Nick felt the tears in his eyes, but didn’t care whether they fell. The guardsmen were rough on his arms, their fingers grasping him so hard that there were sure to be bruises, but all Nick could do was stare straight ahead. He stopped struggling the moment David melted away into thin air. Doctor Robbins had the sedative needle poised over Nick’s shoulder, but was uncertain about their necessity; Nick was now a statue, completely reverse of what he’d been merely seconds ago. It hardly even looked like the Texan was breathing.

“Nick,” Jacqui began, staggering towards the gurney where David’s still body lay. “What’ve you done? What were you…”

Her voice trailed off into nothingness. No one spoke for a moment, suspecting that she was surrendering to her tears as well. Who could blame her? Certainly not Nick. As a matter of fact, he felt dizzy and sick, but he mostly felt sad, as though a large part of his heart had been cut out. He knew how much trouble he was in, but he didn’t care where he went. Nick had failed, David was gone, and life had returned to the black hole it was before. He was just… empty.

“David?”

Nick’s eyes looked up to where Jacqui stood over the gurney. The question was so uncertain, so hopeful, but Nick didn’t allow his own hopes to rise. They'd be squashed too many times before.

“Honey, it’s me Jacqui,” she breathed, uncertainly touching his face. Robbins spun towards where she stood, forgetting Nick for a moment. Even the guardsmen who held Nick captive allowed their grips to loosen, because it wasn’t every day you were allowed to witness a miracle.

It was hypnotic, really; David’s eyes weren’t open yet, and he hadn’t moved his arms, but his chest was rising and falling.

“Jacqui,” he repeated. His voice was raspy and unsure, but it was his bright blue eyes that were now open, concentrating on her face, trying to grasp where he was and who he was with. Nick swallowed hard. He was sure David’s voice was the most beautiful thing he’d ever heard. People could see him, people could hear him. He wasn’t a spirit any longer. Quite frankly, he was alive; fully, officially alive.

“David!” he exclaimed, a huge smile forming on his face. The two security men tightened their grips again, but Nick didn’t care. David was looking at him now; even with the poorly washed hair and slight stubble, he was beautiful. “It worked! We did it!”

But David didn’t join him in celebration. As a matter of fact, he merely frowned, pursing his lips in confusion. It was as though he didn’t recognize the man in front of him at all, but that couldn’t be.

“I can’t believe we almost let you go,” Jacqui whispered, taking his hand in her own. “How are you feeling? Do you remember me?”

David quietly nodded before looking at Nick again. “And do you know Nick?” she continued, wiping her tears with her free hand. David blinked before struggling to sit up, obviously wanting to gain some semblance of normalcy.

“The apartment?” Nick prompted, wondering if his heart would make it through the day. Between rising and falling on hopes –rising at the thought of rescue, falling when David disappeared, rising when he regained consciousness- he was amazed it was still working. “And the old store? And Greg?”

Let him remember.

“You don’t remember him at all?” Jacqui murmured, frowning and furrowing her brow in disappointment. Of course, whatever disappointment she might have felt was nothing compared to what Nick was experiencing.

David merely shook his head.

He didn’t have the slightest clue as to who Nick was.

…

One week later.

David Hodges wasn’t quite sure what to do with himself.

Ever since he’d woken from his coma, things had been moving so quickly; he felt as though the world around him was only a blur and he was being left behind. He tried finding something solid within the hustle and bustle, but besides Jacqui, nothing was keeping him grounded. Albert meant well, but David couldn’t manage to fit one more medical fact in his head. All he remembered was the accident, waking up, and then a hurricane of activity afterwards. Al had been relieved to see David hadn’t suffered any memory loss; David remembered his name, job, Jacqui, Al, where he lived, the year, everything. It was as though he’d simply woke from a normal night’s sleep instead of a three-month coma.

But if his memory was so sharp, then why couldn’t he remember the other man in the hospital?

Even though he’d been a bit out of it, the remembrance of Jacqui’s voice echoed through David’s mind. Her voice had been loud and high when security tried to drag the guy –Nick Stokes- away. She had grabbed onto Nick and Jim’s arms and refused to let anyone do anything along the lines of going to jail, threatening all sorts of lawful rebuttal. The hospital had dropped all potential charges, and although Jim had been shaking when they left, Nick’s eyes had stayed on David. His expression had been so… sad.

Don’t you remember him, Dave?

David wished he could. After all, the man had saved his life. He felt that he owed him something, like a thanks or a visit or maybe money. Jacqui explained that Nick had been living in David’s apartment during the past nine weeks or so, and David could tell. Every room was a bit different than he remembered. It wasn’t exactly a bad thing; sure, David wasn’t thrilled when he found the beer in the fridge or frozen dinners in the freezer, but he was fairly certain he could teach Nick some healthy eating habits. However, Nick seemed to have some taste: the horrendous brown pillows had been shoved in the closet, the books had been organized, there were some plants on the roof, and he’d even bought some new magnets for the fridge. Beneath one of them was the business card Jacqui had written her new address on. It had a coffee splatter on it and the handwriting was barely legible, but David remembered finding her new digs eventually. He couldn’t say he approved of her neighbors, though; he was sure the man living across from her was cheating on his wife.

Remnants of Nick stayed behind. A photo. A sketchbook. There was even a wedding video that had been in the VCR, which made David wonder which team Nick batted for. If he allowed his imagination to wander, he had to admit Nick was very handsome and seemed like a nice person. Still, David didn’t even know the man and there was no way he was going to stop by his place for a quick hello and a “thanks for saving my life.”

David had a system, after all. It consisted of him and Jacqui and work. That’s how it had always been.

With a sigh, David found himself flipping through Nick’s sketchbook again. There were pencil and watercolor images, mostly of gardens and different color combinations with a few reminders written in the corners, ones that went along the lines of “call Jim” or telephone numbers without any names. David didn’t know what to do with it; he couldn’t throw it away, but he couldn’t bring himself to return it either, even though Jacqui had given him Nick’s address.

He felt lonely and he didn’t know why.

He wasn’t sure where the feeling was coming from. He used to be alone all the time and it never bothered him, and now it was as though he were waiting for another person to march in and say I know exactly what you need.

He glanced at the clock; how long was the lab going to make him take sick leave? If anything, he needed to get back to work. All the extra thinking time was irritating and only incensed him further. It allowed him to dwell on foggy echoes and dream-like memories that were so hard to recall. Most of the time, he was sure he was going insane, but then he’d smell something –coffee, maybe- or hear a song -Building the Perfect Beast, perhaps- and an image would flash through his mind as bright and quick as lightning. A bookstore. A bar. A shop of some kind. They couldn’t be his imagination, could they? Why did they keep happening? Was it an after effect of his coma?

David gave an irritated huff, unable to deal with the silence of his apartment paired with his wandering thoughts. He was calling in tomorrow and demanding the right to go back to work. He’d go insane otherwise! He tossed the sketchbook onto the other side of the couch before standing and grabbing his keys and jacket. If he wasn’t allowed to go back to the lab, then at least he’d enjoy his time off. He could take a walk. He could visit the park. He could grab lunch. He could do something other than be stuck in the same place while quietly losing his mind.

He locked the door behind him before heading down the hallway. He passed the other doors without much attention; he didn’t really know his neighbors, considering he constantly worked, but they were probably very nice people. He took the stairs to the first floor two at a time, always so quick to get somewhere. He breezed down the hallway, bypassing the other apartments as well. The first one belonged to a woman named Wendy, who (although incredibly sweet) was a bit too young and lively for his taste. Archie was such a geek and David P. was a mousy man who hid his charm behind his glasses, not to mention-

David froze in his tracks and clenched his fists in frustration. He didn’t remember ever meeting these people! Maybe he met them all at a Christmas party? No, he never attended the complex’s functions. Maybe they knew each other through elevator meetings or…

He bit his tongue to refrain from growling as he passed the Hopkins residence. He hadn’t bumped into her either, but for some reason, he already felt a strong dislike. She was just so- so-

It was a relief to reach the building’s entrance. He burst onto the sidewalk, hoping to leave his judgments behind. He never met the Hopkins woman, so there was no way he could ever conclude anything. David briefly wondered if he forgot he met them; then again, that didn’t make much sense. He remembered everything else about his life, even the night of his car accident. Why would his mind block out the time spent with his neighbors?

He shoved his hands in his pockets and began down the street. It was great to get the exercise and stretch his limbs. After being in bed for three months, he felt lethargic and slightly but constantly disoriented. Despite this, he was glad to be out. He never freely admitted it, but the smaller, historical parts of Vegas were so much better than the casinos and hotels; the buildings were made of brick, the sidewalks were uneven, and it had character. Nothing about it was modern or Made in China. It was art, music, flower gardens, mom and pop stores, and a mix of all kinds of people. As a matter of fact, the high rollers that made Vegas so famous almost never came down here. The real citizens did, though, and there seemed to be an agreed desire to keep this last sanctuary away from the bulldozers and stockholders.

The first few shops appeared in the horizon. He wasn’t in search of anything particular, but he supposed he could make the time pass with a few purchases. He needed some new clothes (he’d been too lazy to buy them before the accident) and he still hadn’t seen anything Jacqui might want for her birthday. She was hard to shop for; she spent most of her time with the guys at work, but she could be pretty girly when she wanted. During last year’s police ball, she bought a new dress, had her hair and nails done, and even wore what she claimed was the most expensive tube of lip-gloss Target had to offer. She wanted to be a woman, but when you worked in a male dominated field (on the graveyard shift, no less) it was hard to be Tyra Banks or Cindy Crawford. You were just “one of the guys”, so David had it in mind to buy her something she would never get herself, like a new pair of earrings or a spa treatment. She deserved the best.

David’s eyes caught something sparkling from a store window and he stopped to get a better look. It was a box of vintage brooches; he vaguely recalled Jacqui informing him that brooches were “in”, and yet he never saw her wear one. If they were indeed fashionable, then these had to be better than anything Wal-Mart could sell, right?

He quickly entered the store. It seemed to be some sort of vintage costume shop; old dresses hung on mannequins while trinkets and jewelry pieces made the shelves glitter in the sun. An older man stood at the counter and greeted David with a nod.

“Hi,” David began, indicating the window with a jerk of his head. “How much for the box of brooches?”

“The whole box?” the man asked, raising his eyebrows. His accent was pronounced, but at least he spoke English. They’d be able to communicate okay, and even if they couldn’t, money would certainly speak for them. Bills and coins seemed to be a universal language. “Fifty dollars. Is that fine?”

“Absolutely,” David replied, reaching for his wallet. “Thanks.”

“I’m glad you buy them. People don’t seem to like old things no more,” he said as he walked towards the window to retrieve the box of twinkling jewelry. David took the moment to glance around. Something about the place seemed familiar, although he couldn’t trust himself with those suspicions. What he thought he knew was something he didn’t, and what he did know didn’t seem to be enough. He was sure his mind was simply making things up as it went along.

“Here we go,” the man broke in. “Would you like the box?”

“Sure, that would be great,” David accepted. He handed him fifty dollars plus tax. “Thanks again. This is a really nice place.”

“I work hard to keep it in order. I just had cameras installed! No more thievery!”

David’s initial reaction to the comment was to agree that security cameras were a great investment and then blaze a trail out of there, but the tugging sensation that he’d been there before wouldn't leave. Not only that, but burglary seemed familiar as well. What the hell was going on?

“Good luck with that,” David managed to respond. He took the box and walked out, somewhat dizzy with sensory overload. Was this deja-vu? It had to be. What other explanation was there? The door closed behind him; he was back on the sidewalk, but he wasn’t really moving anyplace. He held onto the package as he took a doubtful look around. He wasn’t as mentally healthy as he used to be, that was for sure.

A diner was across from him, a gardening store to the right and a stationary shop to the left. There wasn’t anything striking about that. Behind him was the vintage place, of course, but nothing in there brought back a particular memory.

“So… you granted three wishes for a living?”

“It’s the hat.”

“The hat? Isn’t that a turban or something?”

David ground his teeth. The place where he stood was important, but he wasn’t sure how. Think.

“Jacqui made me wear it when I lost the races.”

“Jacqui? Who is she, your wife?”

David slowly turned around, beginning to feel like a complete idiot. He’d seen the brooches not five minutes ago, went inside, bought them, left, never even having seen the mannequin display. Of course, the pins had been on the bottom, so his attention hadn’t been focused on the entire exhibit. It was all elementary now, because David’s attention was absolutely focused on the answers the window revealed: genie attire complete with an antique vest, poofy pants, curl-toe shoes, a lamp, and most importantly… a swami hat.

“No, we worked together. At a crime lab. I worked trace!”

“Trace-?”

“And she worked with prints! I may have been an anti-social, home wrecking manwhore, but I still did something.”

“David-’’

“Come on, I know where it is.”

“One minute you can’t remember your occupation and now you’re giving me an address?”

“Are you complaining?”

“No, not exactly, but-’’

David was off like a shot.

…

Nick had taken the first place Catherine could find.

He was proud of himself, all things considered. He was sure Catherine had been dreading another house-hunt with him; she liked him as a person, but knew how picky he could be when it came to a living space. He imagined she had prepared herself for a long haul, one that spanned at least three weeks, if not more. Now that she had an idea what he liked, of course, her hope was that things might be easier the second time around. No yoga-like lofts. No artsy apartments. No high roller suites. Just something sweet and simple, like Nick himself. (At least, that’s what she claimed.)

But Nick hadn’t been in the mood to search high and low. He was tired, heart broken, and getting low on funds; he couldn’t afford anymore hotels, much less a large house. He accepted the first apartment she showed him. It was affordable (cheap), cozy (small), and located in an eccentric building (he was sure the resident gypsies made a habit of vandalizing doors at night). Catherine hadn’t been impressed with it, but Nick took a look around and nodded. “It’ll do,” he said. “How much is rent?”

Even now, Catherine’s “you’ve got to be kidding me” expression made him laugh. She had stared at him from over her wire rim glasses, looking like a fashion model in the middle of the living room. Her surprise was clear; after all, she had been expecting a full inspection, an argument, and then a couch test. Instead, Nick made sure the floors were secure, flushed the toilet to check the plumbing, and knocked on the walls to make certain they weren’t paper-thin. It was the lazy man’s home examination, but Nick didn’t care. He just wanted a place to live. Everything else was put on the back burner.

“Nick, do you like living in dumps?” she asked. “I know you can afford something better than this. There’s a great house down by-''

“Cath, listen, the roof ain’t falling in. Nothin’s broken. It’s close to work. I’ll take it, okay?”

That was a week ago, and Nick was beginning to seriously wish that all homes came with a complimentary spirit. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he was incredibly lonely without David’s company; he even reverted back to his old ways of drinking and falling asleep in front of the TV while still wearing his day clothes. The only difference was that the wedding video was still in David’s VHS player and there was no way Nick could get it back. Hell, that was probably the one healthy thing that resulted from the past three months. Forced detachment. What a great consolation prize.

Those were Nick’s thoughts as he stared up at his bedroom ceiling, watching the fan turn lazy circles. He just got off the bus from work, but before he left, Sara had noted how much more effort Nick was putting into each garden he designed. Not that it was a bad thing, but was he sure he didn’t want to talk? Likewise, Archie and Bobby had offered to take him out for drinks (he declined, figuring alcohol was the last thing he needed) while Gil offered up some obscure, philosophical advice that left Nick more confused than soothed. Oh, well. Gil tried, and that was all that mattered.

Looking back, he sort of wished he accepted one of their offers. They truly cared about him and his life (or lack thereof, sometimes) and why refuse when all you ended up doing was being alone? He supposed he could do with a decent meal and some sleep, but cooking required moving and sleeping almost always brought dreams. He glanced towards his bed stand that held nothing but a lamp and a phone. He could order in, right? It wasn’t healthy, but then again, Nick didn’t care. Chinese sounded good to him.

He was halfway through dialing the number for Happy China when someone pounded on his door. This in itself was odd, considering he didn’t know anyone in his building. Of course, there could always be some sort of emergency, and the internal debate of whether answering was worth the trouble of getting up was pretty easy to decide. If, say, there was a fire raging downstairs, then who was he to ignore the guy trying to warn him? Nick was up in an instant.

He hurried towards the door and threw it open, hoping he didn’t look like the mess he actually was.

One second later, he didn’t care what he looked like.

Because David Hodges was standing on the other side, appearing frazzled and nervous and tired and holding onto an old box with one hand while stuffing his other hand in his pocket. Nick had to admit that he imagined this scene many times, but all the smooth words he was supposed to say disappeared, leaving them both to stare at each other from opposite sides of the entrance.

Nick felt a smile grow anyway. “Hi,” he greeted, aware that such a welcome wasn’t exactly dazzling. Could he be blamed? Probably not. He was struck with awe, amazed with the fact that David was actually there.

“Hi,” David managed to reply. There was a stretched silence between them, and Nick realized the other man wanted to say more than just that.

“Would you like to come in?” Nick asked, his smile widening. Why wasn't he nervous? He felt as though he should be, but being with David was more natural than anything. “I’d offer you a drink, but I don’t think I have anything your health-conscious mind can handle.”

“Yes, well, not all of us can consume a hundred carbs in beer daily,” came the dry reply, and Nick was hit with such relief. This was what he missed. The talking, the banter, the humor, and the subtle attraction that made life far easier to wake up to every morning.

“What can I say? Fast metabolism.”

It was small talk. They both recognized what they were doing, but Nick knew David needed time to get it together and he didn’t want to push. Well, maybe he did. A little.

“So you’re here,” he observed, silently slapping his forehead and shouting d’oh!. Of course David was there; any idiot could see that. It was meant to be a prompt of sorts, something that David could work from, but he never intended to sound so stupid.

David quirked an eyebrow, obviously thinking the same thing. He graciously declined comment and Nick felt relieved; he wasn't sure how much sarcasm he could take at the moment.

“I'm here," he agreed, a mixture of both nervousness and teasing in his tone. "I guess I just wanted to say that I remember everything. Meeting you, the bar, Greg, the vintage shop. My singing’s a particularly horrifying memory.”

“You remember all that?” Nick asked, his optimism easily heard in his voice. What had triggered the memories to return? He was grateful, of course, but a little wary. Could the past three months just pop up out of nowhere?

David wanted to laugh at Nick’s expression, but at the same time, he’d have to laugh at himself as well. Just seeing Nick reminded him of why he felt like some part of himself had gotten lost in all the drama. “I was at this costume shop downtown,” he replied, recalling the rush he’d felt when he saw the window display. “And it kind of… occurred to me, I guess you’d say.”

“The swami hat,” came the accented guess.

David smiled and nodded again. “The hat. Jacqui would be so damn proud.” He looked at his shoes and clutched the box so hard that his fingers hurt. There was a point to this visit, but he’d been avoiding it as best he could. They were still standing in the doorway, so it wasn’t even an ideal place, but nothing about their situation had been ideal. Why should their location be any different?

He took a deep breath. He could do this.

“You told Kristy you loved me,” David began, hoping Nick would understand what he was trying to discover. He never meant for it to sound so unsure and defensive, but he was a worst-case scenario kind of guy. In his head, Nick would laugh in his face and then slam the door. In his head, Nick’s declaration of love was in the heat of the moment. In his head, it all went downhill.

“I did.”

“And?”

“And I meant it.”

“You meant it?”

“Y’know,” Nick said, leaning against the doorframe as his expression eased into one of tender affection. “When we first met, you were ready to kick my ass. I’m not so sure I like this new you. You’re far too uncertain for my taste.”

“Uncertain?” David repeated, incensed. “I get in a car accident, I go into a coma, we meet, I almost die, I wake up without remembering you, and now all you can say is that I’m uncertain? You would be too, you prick. Here’s an idea: why don’t I throw something blunt and heavy at your skull and we’ll see how you like going through that mess.”

Nick merely laughed. David had an odd way of showing affection, but it did come through eventually. “You’d like throwing things at me, wouldn’t you?”

“You can bet your ass I would. I say we try it out right now. Got a bowling ball?”

Nick simply smiled and shook his head before reaching out to touch David’s cheek. The other man barely flinched, although it was easy to tell how tense he was. He forced his blue eyes to meet Nick’s brown ones. He might have been apprehensive, but he refused to show it.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m gonna kiss you.”

“Out here in your hallway?”

“Aren’t you tired of waiting?”

David blinked. Actually, he was tired of waiting. Three months was a long time to postpone a first kiss, so when Nick leaned in and their lips finally met, David didn’t fight it. As a matter of fact, he pressed back, relishing how warm and solid Nick was against him. It was all heightened by the fact that they couldn’t touch before this, and the possibility for a real relationship was laid out in front of them with no limitations; he didn’t care if they were in the hallway or who approved of them being together. They found each other by some damn weird circumstances, and there was no way anyone was going to stop them now.

“We can touch,” he murmured against Nick’s lips, feeling the Texan break into a smile.

“We can touch,” Nick confirmed before taking David's hand and leading him inside.

FIN.