Part 6: Eye-Opener.

Gabriel reached for the phone, and dialed the front desk. "Could I get more towels for Room 334, please?"

After the commotion that he and Evelyn caused in the parking lot, Gabriel headed home in pursuit of Evelyn. Once he got home, though, he realized he didn't have any of his keys, and Evelyn wasn't picking up the phone nor was she answering the door.

He realized soon afterwards that it was the Marriott or the hospital again, so he booked himself a room after buying clothes in the gift shop.

As far as he knew, Evelyn was at home, thinking of the next way to punish him.

-----

"You know that feeling," Joseph began, as he walked into David's room, "that feeling you get when you're apologizing to someone? I hate that. I feel like I'm giving all of myself, and the other person's in control.

"I hate it when the other person's in control.

"And then, you know that feeling you get when you tell someone you love them? You tell them first, and then... then, there's that instance of uncertainty and insecurity that you feel for fear of them not saying back. You're giving them everything, you're telling them you love them, and there you are sitting not knowing how they'll react, whether they want to smack you or kiss you or tell you you're just friends.

"Does it make me selfish, David, that I want to tell you I love you, and not expect you to say anything because you can't hear a word I say?

"I love you, you know. And it's okay if you don't want to say anything because I know you love me too. Maybe not in the same way I love you, but I know. But you know, it makes me feel kinda better that you can't register any of this right now because, really, this is some of the cheesiest shit I've ever said.

"Besides that, though, I really do love you."

-----

Leah and Mike grabbed their stuff from camp -- the place actually looked like it wasn't even touched after they cleaned up -- and headed to Leah's apartment, both in dire needs of real food and a nice, warm shower.

In Leah's car, Mike fell asleep as he tried to count the number of petals that had fallen from the sunflower in the flower holder. He slept soundly, as Leah listened to the Beatles strum and sing about Eleanor Rigby picking up rice from the steps of the church again.

She never realized how peacefully Mike slept before, and how the light played on his face and made him seem like he was smiling as he dreamt.

-----

Nate couldn't believe it. It was his fault, like the cop said, and it was on his mind that the death of a man he didn't even know was his responsibility.

It started to give him a giant headache, and so he reached for his sleeping pills and took four. Sleep was the only thing that was going to save him now -- deal with it later, he thought, not now, not when I'm trying to get better.

Officer Rogan left his business card on the nightstand, next to Nate's medication, a constant reminder of his guilt and sudden foray into manslaughter and imminent jailtime.

It wasn't his fault entirely -- the car in front of him should have let him pass -- but the truck's appearance, and the circumstances, would land him in deep trouble.

He knew he was lying when he answered Officer Rogan's question of being on anything mind-altering while he was driving. He had rolled himself a joint at Leah's place, taking a quick "cigarette break" in the middle of the treatment meeting, and getting angry on the way back, realizing while high that Evelyn was playing him.

But that didn't matter right now, since the sleep was starting to kick in, about to send him to somewhere where he didn't care that much, and where he could escape this ridiculousness that was County General.

-----

Leah and Mike arrived at her apartment, exhausted, wrung of sleep and deprived of anything of substance for days. As soon as they stepped past the threshold of the door, they both instinctively headed towards the kitchen, made themselves quick sandwiches, and sat on the futon.

After scarfing down her sandwich, Leah took a long shower. Mike continued to catch up on his sleep on the futon, playing some Chopin to lull himself to sleep.

When the c.d. played itself out, Mike woke up, and sat up on the futon. Leah, as far as he could tell, was still in the shower.

He let himself wake up, staying on the futon, as he heard the water in the shower shut off. Leah stepped out of the bathroom, clad only in a towel, and went to check on how Mike was doing.

She saw that Mike was up, and smiled. "You're all caught up?"

Mike smiled. "In you."