"Where is she?" Beth asked frantically as she entered the waiting room, "Is she okay?"

AJ was pacing back a forth, wearing a hole in the carpet, "I don't know.  No one will tell me anything.  Family only policy."

Beth huffed and immediately stormed to the nurse's station, "Hi, yeah, I'm looking for Katherine Sullivan."

"I can't disclose any information to non-family members."

"I'm the closest thing she's got.  No parents, no siblings.  Just me.  Her roommate and best friend, and I'd appreciate an update on her condition," Beth spat out at the nurse.

The nurse looked up at her over her glasses and lifted the phone on the desk, "One moment miss."

Words were exchanged over the phone and the nurse looked back at Beth, "The doctor is with her right now.  You will be permitted to see her when the doctor is finished."

"How will I know when the doctor is finished?"

The nurse rolled her eyes and sighed, "Someone will let you know."

Beth wanted to put a curse on the evil nurse, but instead she just threw her an "I hate you" look and walked away.

"She's with a doctor.  Evil nurse said I could see her when the doctor was done."

A few minutes later another nurse came into the waiting room, "Is someone here waiting for...Katherine Sullivan?"

AJ and Beth jumped up and rushed to her, "Yes, we are."

"The doctor is finished with her now.  He wants to keep her overnight, but it looks like she'll be just fine.  She's pretty banged up, she's got some bandages and such on.  They're moving her to room...312.  If you go on up to the third floor, the nurses can point you in the right direction."

"Can we both see her?" Beth asked.

"Yes, though I'm not sure what time visiting hours end, so you may not be able to stay long."

"Thank you so much," AJ smiled at her and the two dashed towards the elevator.

They made it to the nurses' station on the third floor, and were directed to Katie's room.  When they walked in Katie was sitting up in the bed, her legs pulled up to her chest, her arms wrapped tightly around them.

"Hey hon," Beth said softly as she walked towards the bed.  AJ didn't say anything; he more stood back and watched.

Katie forced a half smile and looked over at AJ.  She wanted him to come closer, wanted to hold his hand, wanted to touch him.

"Are you okay?" Beth asked, pulling Katie back to earth.

She shook her head, "No, but I'll live."

She didn't look okay, and that's what scared AJ the most.  Her left wrist was bandaged up-it had been lightly sprained; ugly purple bruises dotted her arms, and probably her legs, too.  Her lip was swollen and looked like it had been bleeding at some point, though it had been cleaned up.  There was a nice bruise on her cheek as well, right were her previous bruise had been, making it look even uglier.  He couldn't see the full extent of her injuries because of her clothes, but the pain was evident in her eyes.

"I'm going to go...I don't...I'll see you later..." AJ was having trouble standing in the hospital room with Katie as she was.

"Alex, please don't go.  I want you to stay," Katie called out to him, "You saved my life."

"I didn't save anything.  I should've gone up there with you."

Beth stepped back and watched as the two exchanged words.  She'd been in the waiting room with AJ and she'd had no idea what was going through his mind.

"It would've happened anyways...maybe worse.  You stopped him," Katie tried to reason with him.  He was pacing again and he was going to drive Beth crazy.

"He would've hurt you, too, if you'd've gone up there with her.  You caught him off guard," Beth tried to stop the pacing.

"Please stay here with me," Katie reached out on of her hands towards him.  Slowly his guilty conscience shrunk and he slipped his hand into Katie's.

After a few moments of silence, Katie finally asked the question she'd wanted to ask, "Where is he?"

She hadn't remembered anything between falling to the floor and waking up in the emergency room.  AJ had been there, so he'd been the one forced to relay the story.  He told her how he found her, about pulling Dane off of her and her neighbor coming in, and the police.

"He's in jail."

AJ was sitting in a chair he'd pulled up to Katie's bed and Beth was on the other side, leaning back and laughing.  They were telling stories of their childish antics in their time living together, trying to keep the mood in the room light.  It had gotten dark and they all knew that they would be forced to leave.

"Speak of the devil," Beth grinned as a nurse walked into the room, "Here to kick us out?"

"Afraid so," the nurse apologetically smiled.

Tears welled up in Katie's eyes.  She didn't want to be left here alone.  She was scared, she couldn't be alone.

"Please can he stay?" she begged the nurse.

AJ stopped mid-squat.  He'd been getting up from his chair, but immediately plopped back down into it, "You want me to stay?"

"I'm really only supposed to let family stay outside of visiting hours."

"Please," Katie begged, "I can't be alone tonight.  Please can he stay?"

The nurse looked back and forth between AJ and Katie, taking Katie's puppy dog look into account and relented, "Fine, but no silly antics.  This girl needs her rest."

"Oh thank you, thank you!" Katie gave her first real smile that night.

Beth hugged her, gently, good-bye and left the room.

"I didn't even ask you if you wanted to stay..." Katie realized.

"If it makes you happy I want to.  Why didn't you ask Beth to stay instead though?"

"She doesn't make me feel safe like you do."

Later that night a cot was brought into the room for AJ to sleep on.  Uncomfortable as it was, AJ managed to fall asleep.  Katie didn't, though.  Every time she closed her eyes she would see him, so she just didn't close them.  She watched AJ sleep, making out his form in the dim light from the television that was on but not being watched.

She did feel safe with him.  He was the first man that ever made her feel like that, and it was a scary, yet oddly comforting feeling.  If it hadn't have been for him, Katie wasn't sure she'd have gotten out of Dane's grasp, or if she'd even still be alive.