The next day in the early afternoon Ashley felt someone trying to nudge her awake as she lay asleep in Nick’s bed with her head rested comfortably upon his chest. Feeling sleepy and groggy, she opened one eye and peered at the person with her face still hidden in Nick’s chest and discovered that it was Angel.


“What?” she asked sleepily.


“Hey…I’m sorry to wake you up and everything, but I just thought I would warn you that my mom heard about what’s happened to me and Nick…and she’s coming to see us. She will be here in fifteen minutes.” Ashley sat upright very quickly upon hearing this news, and she looked at Angel with slight anxiety in her eyes. She’s never met Jane before and Nick has showed no signs whatsoever in ever planning on introducing them. She always understood why and a small part of her had been intimidated by the thought so she didn’t push him. But now here she finds out she doesn’t have a choice? Well crap…


Angel picked up on the fear in Ashley’s eyes at once and gently squeezed her hand.


“She doesn’t bite I promise.”


“Much,” She heard Aaron mutter somewhere nearby.


“The way Nick acts whenever she is mentioned, you can see how one would worry about that though right?”


“She and Nick have their problems…but she isn’t that bad…” BJ insisted in a slightly protective way.


“I’ve got nothing against your mom I promise,” Ashley insisted. “I’m just saying he never wanted me to meet her so the thought of doing so now kind of makes me a little nervous. Especially because you know she’s the mother of the love of my life…that’s kind of a big deal.” and if it weren’t for me, Nick wouldn’t even be in this situation in the first place… she thought inwardly to herself.


“I can always take you home for a bit honey,” AJ spoke up in a slightly pleading tone. “You can go home and take a shower, get the kids bathed and relax for a bit…then I will bring you back when she leaves.” Ashley looked at Nick then, who lay next to her still unchanged from the night before and she reached out and swept his hair to the side and caressed the side of his face with her fingers lovingly. The thought of leaving Nick for even just a moment is terrifying to her. She can feel her insides twist at the very thought of it. And though she won’t share this with Aaron, Angel, BJ, and Leslie, her gut feeling is telling her that she needs to be here with Nick while Jane is. She has this very strong urge to protect him and she doesn’t know why. This feeling is completely ridiculous right? It has to be…she is his mother what harm could she possibly do to him? But then Nick strongly disapproves of her…that has to mean something…and the very strong foreboding feeling that she is getting is coming from the place she always feels Nick when he is trying to communicate with her via their connection. That very special place in her heart where he belongs. What could that mean?


“After Jane has come and gone,” she answered after a long moment.


“Ashley please you’ve been---“


“--I’m staying Alex. I feel the very strong need to be here…I can’t explain it and if I tried you wouldn’t understand anyway. You never do.”


“What is that supposed to mean?”


“Just…never mind,” Ashley insisted and she shook her head.


“I could try to understand if you would just talk to me.” Ashley ignored him and she lay back down resting her head against Nick’s chest.


“She’s tried to, over and over again” Angel spoke up immediately understanding what she is talking about by the look on her face. “And you don’t take it very seriously so it’s just something you are going to have to realize on your own and on your own terms.” Ashley looked at Angel curiously and Angel slid her hand into hers and squeezed it before giving her a look that clearly says she understands.


“And you do understand?” AJ asked Angel curiously though he still has no idea what they’re talking about.


“I understand Nick. I understand that he loves her more than anything and vice versa and there is nothing that can keep the two of them apart. Not even something as serious as a coma. It’s not possible” Angel explained while looking at Ashley again hoping her words will reassure her. AJ was beginning to catch on then.


“Yeah, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want her to deprive herself of sleeping and showering and such, he would want her to go home and be as comfortable as possible and I am sure he is agreeing with me right now in that connection of hers.”


“He needs me here right now Alex,” Ashley insisted firmly. “I will go home later when Jane leaves.” She waited and when AJ let it drop she changed the subject. “Where are the girls?”

“Brian and everybody took them to breakfast. He wanted to wake you and ask you if you wanted to go but I told him to let you sleep.”


“And Bells?”


“Mom has her. She took her with her to warm up a bottle.”


“Kay,” Ashley replied and she lay there quietly as she waited for Jane to show up and she lightly drew imaginary lines along Nick’s chest with her finger quietly; wishing that they could somehow slip into an alternate world where fairytales do exist. That way Nick could be the sleeping beauty and she would come to his rescue and kiss him out of his coma. If only…she thought inwardly to herself. If their bond is this powerful that she can still feel him reaching out to her even when he is in a coma then why can’t he come back to her? Does he not know how is that it? If that’s the case…then what does she have to do to help him out? She’ll do anything…whatever it takes.


“Alex?” she spoke softly after a long while and AJ immediately picked up on the fragileness in her voice.


“Yeah honey?”


“Is my house still standing? Did anybody think to check?”


“Yeah, Scott took Kori and Spencer there earlier and made her shower and stuff. Its fine, your house is in a safe area.” AJ watched his sister carefully then wondering if the thought of losing the only connection to her parents was what was making her so vulnerable right now and when the look on her face didn’t go away the confirmation that it was not the reason became very clear. Just then there was a light knock on the door and Ashley immediately sat up right in the bed and looked toward it as BJ got up and went to answer it.


“Hey mom…”


“Hi honey, are you all right?” Jane asked in a concerned tone and Ashley watched as a woman with short blonde slightly curly hair came into view and pulled BJ into a hug and she hugged her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knee as she watched nervously in silence.


“I’m all right.”


“Are you sure? I heard you were in the building with that man too…and Leslie? Where is Leslie?”


“I’m right here mom, I’m okay” Leslie spoke up as she sat in a chair next to Nick’s bed. “BJ and I weren’t hurt…” Jane looked at Leslie as she spoke and when she noticed Angel sitting in the bed next to Ashley she let go of BJ and immediately went to her youngest daughter and wrapped her in her arms for a hug and Angel returned it.


“I’m okay too mom…the doctors just told me to take it easy and I would be just fine.”


“You were buried in the ground Angel, you could’ve died” Jane insisted tearfully and Angel hugged her a little tighter in attempt to sooth her and Ashley’s heart went out to Jane. She seems to really genuinely care about her daughters…just as any mother would. She is beginning to wonder if Nick was overreacting about her.


“Yeah well, I was very lucky to have been found. Really mom I’m fine…it’s Nick you should be worried about…” Jane looked at her eldest son for the first time then since she entered the room and Ashley watched her reaction carefully.


“Leslie told me he’s been in a coma all night from head trauma and too much blood loss…has there been even the slightest bit of change?” She asked in what sounded like a normal concerned tone. Nick this isn’t the woman you’ve been describing to me all of these months… Ashley thought inwardly. Angel looked at Ashley then questioningly, causing Jane to finally do so as well.


“Ashley has been with him more than anybody in this room…she would know.”


“No, there’s been no change” Ashley answered softly while rubbing at her watery eyes. “I stayed up talking to him all night…and got nothing.”


“Oh that’s right…” Jane replied. “You’re that child from the Orphanage he’s been dating that I’ve seen all over the media…”


“She’s eighteen,” Aaron corrected in a very protective tone that Ashley did not miss and Ashley noticed in the corner of her eye that the younger boy who looks so much like Nick was in the middle of giving his mother a warning look.


“But she wasn’t before right?”


“What does that have to do with the well being of your son, Jane?” AJ spoke up while moving onto the bed and sitting behind his sister.


“Oh, we won’t go there,” Jane insisted in a very sugary sweet tone that hinted just the tiniest bit of sarcasm in it.


“You are right we won’t,” AJ replied seriously. “Because Nick is what is important right now. Though he is clearly in a coma he can still hear us just fine and if there are any problems going on around his bedside, I will kindly get rid of it.” Jane stared at him for a long moment in silence before responding and Ashley leaned back against AJ causing him to slide his arms around her waist and rest his chin on her shoulder and he stared back at Jane in equal silence.


“Where are my granddaughters?” She asked, still not paying any more attention to Nick then she had earlier when she asked if there was any change. Okay Nick, maybe she is exactly how you described… Ashley thought using their connection. AJ opened his mouth to respond when Detective Tutuola walked into the room with another man at his side that Ashley has never seen or met before and beat her to it.


“Out with Brian, why?”


“Bradley what are you doing here?” Kevin who had been sitting there listening to everybody’s conversations while quietly coloring with Ellie spoke up as he eyed the man with Detective Tutuola curiously.


“Nick has asked me to be here,” was all Bradley said.


“Who are you?” Ashley spoke up while reaching over and gently grabbing Nick’s hand protectively.


“I am his lawyer.”


“Well Jane? Why did you ask?” Detective Tutuola continued.


“They’re my son’s girls, and that makes them my grandchildren. I have a right to know.”


“Really Mom?” Aaron spoke up again. “Since when have you ever considered yourself their Grandmother? Kota hardly knows you, she’s seen you maybe once her whole life and Sarah has never even met you at all.”


“That’s because Nick wouldn’t let her” Leslie spoke up suddenly giving her brother a look. “Be reasonable Aaron.”


“For a good reason. Kota will call Denise Grandma before she ever calls mom Grandma and you know it Les.”


“If Nick would let her have the chance to get to know her, maybe that would be different wouldn’t it?”


“The thing is Leslie she’s never shown interest in wanting to get to know them until now when suddenly Nick is in a coma. You have to admit that’s kind of suspicious” AJ spoke up.


“I think that would be obvious,” Jane replied. “He is in a coma…those kids are going to need their Grandmother…if I could just--”


“—The kids already have somebody taking care of them,” Ashley spoke up for the first time. “Brian and me…they’re fine.”


“You’re not their mother.”


“She may as well be,” Angel insisted.


“Well, she’s not.”


“Oh no? Why don’t you ask Dakota who her mommy is?” Ashley suggested in a slightly snappy tone as she was slowly beginning to lose her cool with this woman.


“It doesn’t matter what Dakota thinks, she’s four years old. Until you are married to Nick honey – which you are not, you are not their mother and that makes you unfit to be taking care of them when they have their grandmother for that” Jane shot back icily. Ashley fought back her tears and managed with great difficulty as Jane’s cutting words hit her hard. She wants to be married to Nick…so bad that it hurts.


“It may not matter what Dakota thinks but it does matter what Nick thinks,” Bradley cut in before anything else was said.


“Well since Nick is incapable of telling us what he thinks then it’s only obvious that his mother shoul—“


“—Nick did a very smart thing by being prepared incase anything like this should happen,” Bradley interrupted. “He came and spoke to me and told me exactly what he wants to happen to his girls.”


“And what is that?” Jane asked and she felt her face going warm.


“He wants Ashley and Brian to take care of them and he made it very clear that he doesn’t want you anywhere near them.” Jane scoffed.


“But that’s ridiculous I am their Grandmother!”


“It is not ridiculous Mrs. Carter, I have a copy of his will right here would you like to have a look at it?”


“Yes please,” Jane answered hotly and she held her hand out for the copy of the will in Bradley’s hand. He handed it over to her and everybody watched her face change from one expression to the next as she quietly read through it.


“His money?!?” Jane exclaimed. “He’s left her in control of all of his money?!?”


“And all of his personal belongings” Bradley added and Jane looked up from the will and at Ashley with a dangerous glare and AJ tightened his arms around her protectively.


“I bet you saw that one coming didn’t you?”


“That is enough Jane,” AJ warned.


“You stupid money craving whore! That is the only reason you were with him huh? You knew that sick bastard would kill him and you would end up with everything didn’t you?!?”

“No – I – I didn’t!” Ashley stammered tearfully. “I never wanted – I never expected…I love him.”


“Mom, STOP it!” Angel demanded and she grabbed onto Ashley’s hand protectively.


“Liar! That is what they all say! You should be kicked to the curb for what you’ve done to my son! You killed him, it’s all your fault that he is in this situation and now you are going to just rob him of his money and kids! You should be ashamed of yourself” Jane snapped and Ashley burst into sobs at her venomous words as she’d been trying so hard not to think that if it weren’t for her he wouldn’t be in this hospital and in this coma in the first place.


“All right Jane that is it!” AJ said furiously and he got to his feet, grabbed Jane by the arm and began dragging her to the door. “You are out of here. If you can’t treat my sister with respect then you are not going to be in here. She’s gone through enough already without you making things harder for her” he added and when they reached the door he pushed her out into the hall before shutting the door and locking it behind her. He turned around and looked at his sister to find her lying on top of Nick and sobbing into his chest. AJ sighed heavily and walked over and sat down on the bed before wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin on her shoulder as she remained lying on Nick and he hugged her affectionately.


“Don’t listen to her sweetie…she’s a bitch. Nothing she says is true…you hear me? Nothing.”


“No Alex…it is. I k-k-killed Nicky…it’s…my entire fault that he is even in this position.”


“That is ridiculous,” AJ insisted while rubbing his hand over her back soothingly and he kissed her shoulder softly. “Did you point a gun at Nick and shoot him several times, beat him up, and give him a brain injury honey? Were you the one who did that to him?”


“No but--”


“--Then how can you say it’s your fault when you are the one who fought so hard to get him out of there? Sean is the one who shot him it is his fault alone that he is in here. Not yours.”


“I am not a money craving whore,” Ashley sniffled. “I never wanted Nick for his money Alex.”


“I know that sweetie…we all know that. Nobody here believes that for a single second. Nick gave you his money because he trusts you with it and Jane reacted that way because she is jealous. That is all she cares about is getting his money and he gave it to you.”


“He gave it to you knowing perfectly well that she would come after it,” Detective Tutuola added gently. “He gave you his children, he gave you all of his personal belongings, and he gave you his money because he knew that no matter what you would protect it with all of your heart and do the right thing. He gave it to you because he believed that you would use it to get the girls everything that they will ever need to get by in life. He loves you and there is nobody in the world that he trusts more than you.” AJ hugged his sister even closer then and kissed the back of her head softly.


“All I wanted…” Ashley sniffled softly as she lay there looking at Nick. “Was to marry him and spend the rest of my life loving him and being loved by him…was that too much to ask for? I finally find something in my life that makes me happy and something to hold onto and live for…and of course it has to be taken away from me just like everything else. I can’t win Alex…can I?”


“You haven’t lost yet you know,” Leslie insisted gently. “He’s still here…he’s still fighting to come back to you.”


“And if I know my brother at all,” Angel added. “Which I do…he is not going to give up. Because I stand by what I said before…there is nothing that can keep him away from you. He wants to marry you too…you just need to hold on okay?” Ashley nodded quietly and reached up and rubbed at her watery eyes before gently cradling Nick’s face in his hands and she leaned down and began to place feathery light kisses on various parts of his face. While everybody sat there quietly watching her with heavy hearts Kevin quietly motioned Detective Tutuola over and whispered quietly thinking Ashley couldn’t hear.


“What’s going on with Sean and Trevor?”


“Because of the emotional dilemma Ashley is going through right now, Olivia managed to put their trial on hold until we know whether or not Nick is going to pull through this,” Detective Tutuola whispered back. Ashley kissed Nick’s jaw lightly before resting her head against his shoulder and she lay there delicately caressing the side of his face. She knows she made a promise to Ellie, but how is she supposed to fight for the life of someone who may have taken Nick’s life from him? But then a huge part of Ellie would be taken from this world if she doesn’t and it’s just all so hard. She wishes Nick were conscious so he could tell her what he thinks. He was always very good at helping her get through difficult situations…he was always very good at making everything okay.