Author Babble: Okay so it has been years since I've seen this movie, and years since I worked on this story, but somebody requested I finish it. I took a look at the fic, and went why not, I think I know how to tie this up. But apologize in advance for errors, as regard to flow and grammar. I did go through it, and I did read a summary, and watched a couple of clips, so hopefully it's good.

Chapter Seven

Nick opened his eyes and looked up to see his mom tightly clinging to his blanket. He could see the overwhelming stress, relief, and tiredness that made her eyes red. Her usually perfect hair, had strands poking out everywhere, the elegant golden barrette was sloppily fallen to one side, and her clothes were rumpled. She looked so exhaustingly relieved.

"Hi," He called.

She rushed to his side, "Nicky, Nicky, oh my God," She put her head on his chest crying. Then she lift her head and wiped her eyes. She pressed the button for the nurse who popped her head in and said, "Get Dr. Michealis, he is awake."

"Mom, I'm okay." He grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"Yeah…" Her voice cracked, "good."

The doctor came in, "Well, everything looks good, you made it through kiddo." He was going through his chart, and then he scanned checked over Nick, "The nurse says your vitals looked good, nothing out of the ordinary."

"Can I, will I be able to walk?" Nick looked up hopefully.

"Well, have to see, the surgery was a success, but you have to have some rehab and well see then. Nothing is a guarantee, but I mean… I'm afraid you still won't ever be able to compete for the Olympics." He teased a little bit, "but I have faith you will be able to move fairly well."

"Really," He pulled himself up in surprise.

"Nick," his mother scolded lightly. "Be careful you're still recovering." She gently pushed him back down.

"Your mother is right. First, you need some rest, and in few days will have Shirley come back to work with you on more physical therapy." He looked at Miss Powell, "And I think you need to…. I have another bed here. I won't tell you to go home." He smiled softly.

Her eyes gazed up and her smile was sad but wide, "Thank you." He just nodded and went to his other patients. She looked back over Nicky. "You do what the doctor says."

"Is...can," He knew his mom still felt unsure about Annie. "Can you call Annie please?"

She sighed, "Alright, after I take a nap, okay."

"Thanks."

She was worried about Nick and-focus, it was so far away from her now. She wondered if he was alright. He just disappeared last night, leaving her with an ache she did not know she could feel. She thought she become numb to most of the pain in her life, but Nick he was bringing it all back to her. Some of her wished he had just left her, but then she sees that look in his eyes that has hope for her, or she sees Brian smile with slight pride, or she sees Victor and he gives her a big hug, she finally understood that the pain it was...is worth it. But still...she clutched the chain in her hand, and she wondered what she would do if he does not make it?

"Annie, we need to finish these questions," the lawyer straighten out her skirt and jacket. Annie looked up, breaking thought, as Mrs. Concord stood up to begin questioning again, but then the phone rang. "Yes," Annie watched as she nodded her head, "I see, that's good news. Oh well yes I know he will, he is," She snorted, "No surprise there. Well thank you, oh yes, I will have her do that." She turned to look directly at her and there was a small smile on her face, "Nick made it."

"Also, they want you to call the hospital, but I still have to advise you that I think having contact with Nick is not advisable, it will look to some people that you might be influencing him."

"I know," She replied, but they both knew-because Mrs. Concord took a deep breath in slight annoyance—she was going to contact him regardless.

"And oh, before I forget, I have a meeting with Chevall this afternoon. He wants to lay a deal on the table, so I'll see what that is." She shook her head and Annie knew she had little hope that anything will come out of it.

Mrs. Powell stepped out for a minute to get Nick the best food she could find at the cafeteria. That was when Annie slipped in. She technically was not supposed to be visiting him anymore, but seeing as the Nurses really did not pay attention to every person that came by the desk, it was enough to slip by them.

"Hey," She waved her hand.

"Hey," He pulled himself up.

She felt a little panic and quicken to his side, "Hey, don't push yourself so hard." He gave her a half- hearted smile.

"I don't know what else to do. All my life I followed my mom and never did anything for me. So I'm trying to get there, so I could find what I want. I know I still want to take that trip to London."

"Yeah, well," She sat down, "I went for what I want but didn't go for what I really want." She adjusting the sock cap she was wearing. Then she let her hands rest for a moment in her lap, "Do you know what I mean," She looked at him, hopefully.

"That you always go for what you want in the moment, material things, but never thought about what you wanted for your future." Her mouth widened slightly in surprise.

"Yeah I guess that's why you're the smart one." She teased lightly, not even laughing but a tiny smile appeared on her face. "Because that's exactly it."

"Yeah...so how is everything going with the preparation for the trial?"

"You know, yeah it's okay, just a lot odd questions I'm not prepare for that Mrs. Concord thinks the other lawyer will ask. And of course, the usual advice that I stay away from you."

Before Nick could speak Diana walked in the room, face stern, "I'm not sure that is such bad advice."

"Mom," he looked somewhat pleading.

"It's not just because I don't like her Nicholas, but it doesn't it look good on her either."

"That may be true, but were both consenting adults so this our decision." His voice was slightly raised and he flinched because he did not want to argue with his mother.

"Yes well, you have proven that you don't give damn what I think so I don't know why I even bother." She threw hands in the air.

Annie looked on quietly, not saying a word until for a moment. "I…." She stared at Diana, "probably should go."

"I...maybe but you will I see you again. Yeah um...I stop by again if I can. I'm not actually supposed to be in here you know."

"Hey what's one small crime between friends?" He teased.

"It started small," She noted standing in the doorway.

"What?" She turned back to face him.

"Crime, and then it just grew to be part of who I was. I don't want to be a criminal anymore, but what am I then?"

"I think you are a woman with a second chance." Diana said.

Annie had gone home...home. She started to feel at home. It was strange, she never thought she would find that again, but just in a few short weeks was all it took. Janie brought home dinner, Brian, it was still strange that live together. Anyway, Brian would come home late and sometimes, they would watch movies, just hang out like they were friends or something. "So how was your day?" Janie asked.

"Okay," She answered. She rarely said much, though Janie was nice, Annie did not have much to say to anyone.

"Is that all?" She took another bite of her tortellini. "Nothing going on…?" She dragged it out, as if she already knew what was going on.

"I saw Nick," she admitted. Janie let out a big exasperated sigh.

"Of course you did, you know Brian is not going to be too happy about that."

"I know, nobody is, but I just...I want to be a better person...and he gives me...he believes in me."

"You know there are ways to help you be a better person." She looked at her pointedly. "I can recommend a good therapist."

"Therapy, I don't know. I don't think they aren't going to give me advice I don't already know." Annie shrugged.

"Well," She put her chin on the flat of her right hand, and laid her left elbow on the table. "Could it do any harm?"

Annie slacked back in her chair, "Fine, I suppose that Brian is going to insist when you bring the idea up." Janie smiled, because they both knew who was in charge of the household.

So two weeks later she saw a therapist regularly on Wednesdays.

It had been a couple months since Pete last saw has his friend. Pete had no plans on ever visiting Nick, he had no plans on ever allowing himself to get better. He had several more attempts, and ended up in the hospital three times since then. He finally spoke to a therapist, he was kind of different.

He told about him David, how he wished he was like the guy, brave enough to finally off himself. David death had just hit the obits a few days ago.

"Oh really? You think that was brave that the guy could not even face his victims."

"She was dead," Pete answered flatly, he started to make a sport of making different therapist see what hopeless case he was. The fastest was two days.

"And what about her family, didn't they deserve to confront him?" Pete had let his arms fall slack, in realization that the guy was right, "You do realize that you have been making all the decisions for Nick in regards to his relationship with you. You feel so guilty but you absolutely refuse to face the person you hurt. It is not fair to him, don't you think he has a right to decide what he does or does not want from you. But you rather act like a coward and hide, and pretend you are overwhelmed by the guilt. You ever thought about letting him decide what he thinks, huh. Don't you think he has the right to his own feelings instead you putting words and thoughts in his head." It was harsh, but it was what he needed.

He ended up going to visit him at the hospital. He stood at the doorway a minute, before he walked in, making sure Nick's mom was not there.

"Hi Nick," he waved slowly like the idiot he was.

"Hey man, where you been?" Nick's voice, it does not sound angry, but nor happy but truly confused.

"I...I'm so sorry," He breaks down falling to his knees near his friends bed. "I thought you would be gone. I know it doesn't make up for it, but I thought you were on a plane."

"I know Pete, I know." He shook his head, "I forgive you okay. If I can forgive Annie, I can forgive you."

"Annie, Nick you can't she tried to kill you." Pete stood up abruptly in confused fear.

"I...its complicate Pete and you have no right to tell me who to forgive or not. I may forgive you, but it's still hard, Annie and I were not friends, you and I were and you betrayed that. So in a way, you hurt me more than she could and she saved me okay."

"I still don't see how you could trust her." He could not help the feeling of betrayal and that made him feeling guilty, because he knew he had no right to feel that way.

"Like I said its complicated, okay. She's not the same person she was before. I'm not the same person either."

"Nick I don't know what to do. I didn't really come here seeking forgiveness, just felt like it was not fair to you, if I hide in my guilt." He admitted.

"It wasn't and I don't know what to do either. I'm just trying to move on, okay. I suggest you leave before my mom gets here."

"Yeah," he agreed. He felt...it was guilt, worried, relieved, and angry, it was all storm of mix of different emotions.

Mrs. Concord slammed her desk. She had been making such progress too and now this. She looked at the footage again. It was Annie pounding the crap out of another girl. Ms. Concord was pissed. How could Annie not tell her, and not only that Rick Chevall would not settle less than life with no chance of parole now, and he had extra information that he tried to get allowed in court. She had already had her paralegal start doing the research and draw up the proper paperwork to counteract the situation. But it was not going to make the situation easier or faster, the trial originally was set for just a couple of days. Now it was going to be weeks of getting different kinds of court orders.