She sniffed indelicately and wondered for the hundredth time why she couldn't cry like Faith. "It won't be the same. That car was special."

It was obvious he hadn't the first clue how to respond to her, but he still hated to see her cry, which was cute. He probably thought she did have a head injury and was even now plotting his immediate escape.

"I understand. I had a car like that. Well, it was a truck actually. A 1968 Ford short bed. Was the ugliest shade of green you'll ever see. I called it the Green Machine. I rebuilt it myself from a rusty old shell I got from a junkyard. Took me a year but I was driving it to school by my senior year. Man, I loved that truck."

"What happened to it?"

His lips twitched and turned down into a frown. "What usually happens to a man's pride and joy. A woman."

She laughed at the look of disgust on his face. "Girlfriend?"

"Sister. She went a round with one of the local bulls, and needless to say she and the truck came out the loser."

"A bull? Are you serious?"

"Yeah, got out of a downed fence. Ambled across the road about the time my sister rounded a corner. She was forever getting the gas and the brake mixed up when she got flustered. She hit the gas and hit the bull like a brick wall. She broke her collarbone and her wrist. Damn lucky she didn't kill herself. My truck was a complete and utter write-off. I had a funeral for it and everything."

She grinned, knowing just how he felt. "Maybe we can give my piece of scrap metal a proper send-off to the junkyard."

"It's a date," he said solemnly.

They were interrupted by the nurse's arrival. She walked to the head of the bed holding a capped syringe. "The good news is the doc gave me the go-ahead on the pain meds, which means you're just fine. He'll be in to make it official, but we had a trauma patient come in a few minutes ago, so he'll be there for a little bit. In the meantime I'll give you this to make you more comfortable."

Julie smiled up at her. "Thanks. I appreciate that."

"Slight burn when the medicine hits your bloodstream. It should go away about the time it hits your shoulder. Then you'll be feeling no pain."

"Sounds good," Julie said faintly as she felt the slight discomfort of the medicine. Then, as the nurse predicted, she traced the sensation to just below her shoulder and a warm hum settled in.

"Nice," she murmured.

The nurse chuckled. "That's what they all say. Get some rest. I'll be back to check on you in a few."

"Nathan?"

"Right here, honey."

"You can go, you know," she said, amused by how her words slurred. "You don't have to stay with me."

She thought he frowned at her but couldn't be sure. The ceiling and his face were doing this interesting sort of swirly thing.

"You're stuck with me, so deal with it."

She laughed. "You're cute when you get all grumpy."

"Is that why you try to drive me insane? Because you think I look cute?"

"I don't think," she said dreamily. "I know. A man shouldn't be that good-looking. Makes him too cocky."

"So now you're adding cocky to my lists of attributes."

There was a thread of amusement in his voice. Was he laughing at her?

"You have a nice cock too."

"Thank you ... I think. Maybe we should talk about something else."

"Did you like having sex with me?"

He took her hand and pressed his other hand gently to her mouth.

"Well?" she asked huffily.

"Yes," he said in a resigned voice. "I enjoyed it very much. Why the hell can't I get you to talk about this stuff when you're sober?"

Was he talking to her or to himself?

"Do you and Micah have sex together often?"

"Julie!" His voice came out in a strangled, hoarse whisper. "No, the hell we don't have sex together. We had sex with you. Not with each other. Jesus Christ, woman. You're a danger to society when you're under the influence."

"That's what I meant," she huffed. "Do you two fuck the same chick together very often?"

"Julie, honey, as much as it pains me to say this, we really need to talk about this another time. Preferably when you know what the hell you're saying. Ask me these questions when you're not three sheets to the wind and I'll gladly answer them for you complete with visual aids and an in-depth description."

"Nathan?"

He sighed. "Yes?"

"I'm gonna go to sleep now."

He leaned down and carefully pushed her hair away from her face. "That's a very good idea, honey."

She literally felt her eyeballs roll back into her head as the room went black around her.

Julie next opened her eyes she had the sensation of having cotton balls stuffed underneath her lids. They positively scratched across her eyes. Her mouth hadn't been spared the cotton ball treatment either.

"Oh, you're awake."

"Serena?" she croaked, turning her head toward her friend's voice.

"Yes, sweetie, it's me. How are you? Oh my God, you had me so worried."

Serena sat in a chair pulled up next to the bed, her hand curled around Julie's arm. Luminous blue eyes shone with concern, and Serena's forehead was creased with worry.

"I'm okay. Promise. Just a little stiff."

"Is there anything I can get for you, Julie?"

Julie turned to see Damon standing to the side, his eyes also mirroring his concern. It was damn nice to have friends. Good friends. People who dropped things at a moments notice when one of their friends were in need.

Damn it, she wasn't going to get all weepy again. Must be the freaking medication.

"I'd love some water," she said around her scratchy throat.

Damon pulled one of the paper cups from a canister by the sink and poured it half full with water. He went around to the opposite side of where Serena sat and carefully slid his free hand underneath Julie.

"Let me help you. Don't try to do too much at once," he murmured.

Grateful for his strength, she leaned forward and sipped hungrily at the water. When she was done, he eased her back down.

"Better?"

"A lot. Thank you so much."

He smiled at her. "No problem, Julie. Serena and I came as soon as Nathan called us."

Her forehead crinkled. "Where is Nathan, anyway?"

"Pop and Connor brought his truck, and he went down to grab something to eat with them."

She frowned. "Have I been out that long?"

Serena smiled and squeezed her hand. "Yep, several hours. Doc was by, said you were doing just fine and you could go home when you came around as long as you were feeling up to it. Scans came back okay."

"Oh, that's nice. Bed." She sighed at the thought of curling up with a soft pillow.

"You're coming home with me and Damon," Serena said firmly.

"I am?"

"You are," Damon said with a smile. "Or so Serena assures me. She's informed me you have no choice in the matter, and truly, we have plenty of room. My staff will fuss over you and spoil you endlessly. Think of it as a holiday."

"I hope you weren't trying to talk me out of it with that speech," Julie said with a tired grin. "Sounds far too marvelous to pass up."

The nurse sailed in, a middle aged doctor on her heels. "Oh good, you're awake. Have a nice nap?"