Nick stared at the nurse that entered his hospital room; surgical mask covering her identity. She was quick to notice her patient's puzzled gaze.

"Hi, my names Katie, I'm your afternoon nurse."

"Oh....hi," Nick murmured back, voice void of interest as he watched her hang fresh sets of IV bags onto the pole.

"Since you're awake, I'll check your vitals now instead of waiting for the orderly to do them--"

"Awake? I've been awake."

Katie grinned. "No you haven't you've been asleep since I came on my shift three hours ago, if I remember correctly, you've been sleeping since eleven. I'll order you a tray when I'm finished."

"You can skip the tray, I'm not hungry."

"You need to eat, Mr. Car---"

"Nick, please just call me Nick," he interrupted.

"Okay Nick, you still need to eat, you have to keep up your strength."

Nick chuckled. "For what? I'm sure I won't be getting up and running the marathon anytime soon."

Katie pulled an ear theromometer from her pocket, Nick instantly started to fidget. "Hold still so I can check your temp."

"Geeze, you're a little bossy," he muttered.

Katie placed a gloved hand on Nick's forehead to hold him still as she placed the device into his ear. "Yup," she breathed as she waited for the signal to sound off. "One hundred two point four," she announced as she scribbled the numbers onto a slip of paper.

"Normal for me," Nick quipped. "Does that mean I can leave?"

"You're asking the wrong person," Katie replied as she placed her stephoscope onto her patient's chest.

"So when do you think I can---"

"S-h-h-h, I'm trying to listen to your lungs," the young nurse admonished. Nick obeyed the woman's request, fighting the urge to continue his conversation, waiting patiently for her to finish her task. Once the nurse pulled the instrument from her ears and slung them over her shoulders, he plunged into his questioning again.

"So when do you think Dr. Andersen will let me go home?"

Katie patted Nick softly on his shoulder. "You'd have to ask Dr. Andersen when you see her. Did you need me to get you anything?"

Nick thought for a moment. "Yeah, could you see if my friend AJ would like to come down and see me please?"

"You've got your vices and I got mine," AJ snarled as he sat heavily onto an empty chair across from Howie.

"Well I would imagine since Nicky's got cancer you'd be more thoughtful about what causes cancer---"

"You'd be more thoughtful to shut the ever fucking hell up!" AJ breathed through gritted teeth.

Kevin pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried to block out the bickering. Everyone's patience was wearing thin and he originally thought it would have been better if they had left the hopsital and waited back at Nick's, now he was wishing he had heeded his own advice.

"I'm just sayin' that we should all be more thoughtful--"

"You never know when to stop, do you D?"

"Guys........guys! stop the bickering," Kevin sighed. "That would be even more thoughtful than anything else, don't you think? How about we just go back to Nick's house? I'm sure we can come back and see him later when he's feeling up to some company."

"Yeah, I guess you're right, we're getting a little cagey," Howie agreed as he stood up.

"I suppose so, that way I can smoke without the lobby sentinal monitoring my every move," AJ snorted.

Just as the men were making their way to leave, Katie stopped them in the doorway. "Mr. Carter said he'd like to see AJ, follow me and I'll show you where you go to gown up."

Wordlessly, AJ followed the young nurse. He couldn't help but smirk as she held open the yellow disposable gown for him to slip his arms through. He was compliant as she instructed him to put the paper booties over his sneakers and didn't utter a word when she slipped the surgical mask in front of his chest.

"Here's the surgical cap, you have to wear this as well," Katie stated as she held out the object.

"How the heck will the boy be able to recognize me?" AJ wondered outloud.

"Trust me, I'm sure he'll know you as soon as you set your foot in his room. He's gotten pretty good at this already."

"How is he doing?"

"I guess he's feeling as good as can be expected. Follow me, his room is just down the hall."

AJ followed the nurse down the quiet, antiseptic hallway. His thoughts became preoccupied with what to say to Nick as he approached the room.

"You can walk in, you don't have to wait," the nurse said, quickly grabbing the tattooed rebel by the arm. "Don't forget, you have to put the mask on, he doesn't need to catch anything."

AJ nodded absently as he slipped the cloth mask over his face. He quickly realized that by his mistake he could introduce some type of germ to Nick's 'clean and sterile' environment. A germ that could prove fatal to his friend's taxed immune system.

Clearing his throat as he pushed on the door, AJ entered Nick's room, forcing a smile on his face. "Hey Kaos!"

Nick looked over toward the door and quickly burst into laughter. "You really look like a dork!"

AJ feigned a hurt look on his face. "I thought I looked pretty professional."

"I sure as hell wouldn't let you touch me!"

"Dr. McLean, brain surgeon," AJ tested the title outloud.

"Dr. McLean, undertaker would be more like it," Nick grinned.

"Jealous?"

Nick thought for a moment and shook his head. "I wouldn't want a job where I had to come to this place every day of my life."

AJ pondered the statement as he looked his friend over. Nick's normally pale complexion was flushed with fever, his blue eyes were glassy and pale. "How are you feeling?"

Nick wavered his hand. "So-so, the norm for me I guess."

"Oh."

The silence in the room was deafening. AJ's eyes trailed from Nick to the IVs hanging on a pole next to the bed and then to the monitors that were situated at the head of the bed. Nick's eyes followed AJ's.

"Gets pretty old after awhile."

AJ shivered involuntarily. "No, it doesn't get old Nick, it gets scarier."

Sensing his friend's discomfort on the subject, Nick quickly tried to get AJ to cheer up. "C'mon, don't go all weird on me."

Blinking back the tears, AJ forced a smile on his masked face.

Nick fiddled with the IV tubing absently as he tried to think of something to get AJ to stop standing there feeling sorry for him.

"Hey, don't pick at that!"

Nick instantly let go of the thin, clear plastic tube. "Geesh, you're starting to sound like Kevin."

"Oh man, those are fighting words!"

"C'mon, show me what you got," Nick kidded.

"If I wasn't afraid someone would walk in and catch me beating your ass, I would Carter!"

"So what's really stopping you?" Nick asked, his hands balled into light fists.

"Dammit Nick, you know what's stopping me, quit kidding around!"

Nick suddenly went from feeling playful to angry. "Don't do that!"

"Huh? Do what?"

"Stop treating me like I'm some type of helpless wuss---"

"Nick you know damn well I can't start beating up on you!"

Nick growled as he pulled his blankets closer to his neck. "I'm so sick and tired of people treating me like this!"

"Jesus Nick, would you knock it the fuck off? I'll leave, I swear I'll leave," AJ threatened.

Instantly, Nick realized that he had pushed AJ too far. His attitude softened. "I'm sorry Bone, I didn't mean to be like that. I guess I just get tired of everyone treating me different, lets just back up and start over, okay? I'm really sorry."

"S'okay kid, I think I know where you're coming from."

"Jay?"

"Grab a chair and sit down, I won't bite."

AJ shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "I dunno if that's a good idea."

"Judas Jay, you won't make me any sicker sitting beside me," Nick chuckled.

AJ tentatively sat down in the hard plastic chair that was situated in the corner of the hospital room.

"You know you can pull the chair up next to me so I can actually see your stupid ass."

AJ laughed nervously as he stood up and noisily scratched the chair across the room. Once he was settled back down next to Nick he saw Nick's relaxed expression. AJ reciprocated with a tight smile.

"Hey Jay?"

"Yes Nick?"

"Could you do me a favor since I'm not allowed a phone in here?"

"Anything, just name it."

"Um, could you call Aaron and tell him I'd like to see him?"

AJ felt a chill run up his spine.

"Hey, don't worry it's not cause I'm gonna die on you or anything, I guess I really want to see the little squirrel. I miss him."

"I wasn't thinking that!" AJ quickly explained.

Nick tucked an arm underneath his head. "I could see it in your eyes, I just wanna see him."

"Do you want me to call him right now?"

Nick shook his head. "No, not right now. Could you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

AJ reached over and squeezed his band brother's leg. "You know I will...."

"Thanks Jay, do you mind watching cartoons? I'm getting pretty tired of the talk shows."

Turning his chair around to face the television, AJ sank back into the hard plastic seat, resting his feet against the bed frame.

Nick noticed the disposable shoe covers on AJ's sneakers. "Nice shoes."

"Thanks, it's a fashion trend, you like?"

Nick grinned. "Love it."

"I'll make sure to grab you a pair before I leave."

"Don't bother."

"Sorry."

"Jay!"

AJ knew exactly what Nick meant. He wanted to be treated as 'normal.' "Oops, I meant to say, go to sleep!"

Nick closed his eyes. "Thanks, thats what I thought you said."