October 20th 1997

"Well, well, well. Look who's up all bright an' early." I smiled as Malcolm and Linda walked into my room. "We planned to surprise ya' when you woke up but I guess we're too late."

Linda set her purse down on the table and kneeled down to hug me. "How long has it been since I've seen you last? A year?"

"Pretty close," I answered. "Little less maybe."

"Ellen's on her way," Angus said from the doorway. "Wants to see you again before somethin' worse happens."

"Oh, an' Phil, Cliff, and Johnno should be here in a few days, they have to find time to come down here. An' with Georganne an' her ultrasound..." Malcolm shrugged. "It's just crazy."

"Oh goodness, I forgot. Has she had that yet? How's that going?" Linda asked. Malcolm smiled.

"I'm not really the one to ask about such things but from what I hear it's good. Yeah, they got that done on the seventh. Didn't call or tell me anythin'... 'bout that." He tapped his fingers on his pants.

"Well they better spill soon, I've got a baby shower to throw."

"They've said nothing about the gender?" Angus asked frowning.

"Well I mean, doctor said it might be too early to tell an' then-"

"It's a girl," I interrupted. Everyone turned to look at me.

"A girl?" Linda asked. I nodded.

"If they couldn't tell yet, it's most likely a girl." Linda broke out a smile.

"This is great, now I've got a starting point." About thirty minutes went by as we talked until Ellen showed up. A get well card was clutched in her hands and laid on the table. Linda moved her purse to make room.

"There you are, out of the fryin' pan you go, huh?" She laughed and gave me a hug. "Must have been terrifying, I hate fire. When it's not where it should be anyway."

"Pretty brave of you though," Linda commented. "I would have grabbed a 'how to put out a fire' book." Ellen laughed.

"Throw it on the fire... Hey, this doesn't work!" Both women laughed and Angus came up behind them.

"What's all this? I was in that fire too, ya' know."

"You want to be coddled Angus?" Malcolm asked.

"Well Angus, you can sit yourself down in a bed, I don't see you that hurt," Ellen joked. Angus shook his head and smiled.

"Gotta break my own leg to get attention 'round here."

October 23rd 1997

My hand shook as the pencil scribbled over the stationary. The drawer next to me offered only a few small note sheets and a capless pen. Tears were threatening to spill over if I didn't keep my focus. The lights in my room were shut off for the night so I used the window next to my bed to see. My knees began to hurt from the tile floor. The stationary was running out of room. A voice like sunshine laughed in the hallway right outside my door. I punctuated my final sentence as my door swung open.

"Hey...where did she...oh! There you are." I stood up as he approached me. The smile on his face disappeared. "Whatcha doin' on the floor, you okay?" My eyes welled up when his hands gripped my shoulders. Swallowing my heartache, I nodded and smiled.

"Yeah uh, just writing something." He glanced down at the stationary.

"You want a light or somethin'?" He shrugged when I shook my head. "Come on, let's get ya' back in bed." I hugged myself as I walked back to the bed and sat down. Angus pulled the sheets over me and smoothed my hair out. "You sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, just tired," I lied.

"You're tired, then you should be asleep," he nodded firmly, pressing his forehead against mine. "Got good news. Wanna hear it?" I nodded. "Everybody else is comin' tomorrow. They can all see ya'." A smile seemed impossible to give at the moment. Even with his lighting up the room, I just didn't have it in me. Of course Angus noticed. He moved away and tilted my head up. "Look at me." I reluctantly did so. "You're not okay, what's wrong? Don't tell me you're tired."

"'m fine," I whispered looking down. Angus took my face in his hands.

"Look at me. Can't you tell me?" My fingers lightly crumpled the stationary in my hand. Angus glanced down. His name was written at the top of the paper, followed by a solemn goodbye. His eyes met mine in realization resulting in a misty sadness. "Oh..." he responded rubbing his face. "That's-that's not good." I shook my head in response. "You're not gonna...ya' know, see 'em tomorrow then, huh?" Another head shake. "Oh God..." he sighed. He made his way into my bed next to me and pulled the blankets over both of us. "I'm stayin' here then, not leavin' ya' here alone."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Don't be sorry I just-wasn't expectin' ya' to leave." Angus rubbed his eyes before continuing. "Eager for you to come home, 'specially since most of the tour was over. Don't get to settle down much. Quite lookin' forward to it."

"Maybe it's another false alarm," I suggested in fruitless attempt to console him. He shook his head.

"I don't know. You've been here a year now, ya' know it might be...your time as it were." I leaned my head on his shoulder and listened to his breathing turn heavy with remorse. Angus laughed without humor. "Not happy about it. Not happy a bit."

"I feel terrible. You were so happy and my family was coming and-" I felt Angus tense up when I said the word family. It was true, this band of nutjobs had become my other family and I wasn't looking forward to leaving forever. His attention turned to me.

"Your family?" I nodded slowly. "That earns a kiss," he said kissing my head. I smiled but it didn't last long. Angus wrapped an arm around my waist and laid us both back on the bed, looping his other arm in front of me. "This is a sleepin' position," he noted. "Probably shouldn't stay like this, don't want ya' fallin' aseep-fallin' asleep." I laughed a little when he slapped himself as he messed up. "You laughin' at me?"

"Yes." He smiled and tickled the back of my neck.

"Slip of the tongue is all that was. Though with me it's usually a somersault." My arms reached out to wrap around his neck and I buried my face next to his. Angus turned to face me and pulled me closer. The note in my hand was passed to his before he stuck it in his pocket and restored his position. "You're a small one, ain't ya'?"

"You're one to talk."

"No, no. I'm jus' sayin'. Your hands are even smaller than mine. Not a problem, jus' sayin'."

"Still taller."

"Don't get cheeky." We sat there in silence and relished it, for it would be the last time. I closed my eyes and listened to his breathing, like waves on a shore. I almost thought he was asleep until he kissed me on the nose. "Don't want you gone, I can't do that anymore," he whispered.

"I don't want to go either." I felt the tears pick up again. Angus must have noticed because he took up the talking.

"Bon was right I guess. It's gonna hurt a lot more now that you're leaving. But it would be hell if I came here tomorrow to see you gone." He buried his face in my hair. "No thank you." After a few seconds I felt something wet on my head. They weren't my tears, but they incited mine to fall. Together we lay there, silently mourning the coming events. I don't know how long.

I wiped my eyes as best I could with my sleeve and snuggled closer. Angus rubbed my back a little, calming me down. "I'll tell them," he said. "Tomorrow when...they come over, I'll-tell them."

"Was happy to see everyone again," I admitted.

"As were they. On the bright side, you'll be out of the hospital. And you'll see your family and friends and..." He sighed. "And I'll never see you again." My eyes fluttered shut as he continued to talk to me. His voice and the circular motion of his hand on my back lulled me to a sleepy state. The leftover tears had dried on my face and hair as well as Angus' shirt. He noticed I was falling asleep and eventually stopped talking. I felt him kiss me on the head a few times then finally my cheek. He spoke in my ear, his voice barely above a whisper. "I love you, Hannah."