He awoke in a hospital bed, several tubes in his arms. The dizziness had ended, and the nausea has almost completely gone. On the television, the news was playing, showing mugshots and sketches of the asylum escapee.

"Pretty girl, too bad she's such a nut," he overheared a doctor telling a nurse. "I'd bang her in an instant."

Nathan's heart monitor began to excelerate, beconing the doctor in his room.

"You're awa-"

Nathan threw a punch into th doctor's face.

"Oops," he muttered, rubbing the blood off his fist onto the hospital sheets. "You startled me doctor."

The doctor picked himself off the floor, wiping the blood from under his nose, before stumbling out into the hall.

"Which one of you morons gave the man in 408 an adrenaline shot?"

Nathan brandished his fist proudly. Images of Lady continued to flash on screen, and he could only hope that she was safe.

Officer Reuben made his way through the door, an all too unhappy expression on his face.

"Because of you and your little virus, Lady Hill remains a free woman."

Nathan coughed.

"It's not my fault they've replaced the force with morons that can't find their way out of a paper bag."

Reuben's face went red with fury, but before he could protest, a nurse pushed him out, ushering in a tray of food.

"Eat." the woman commanded.

"I'm not hungry," he protested. "Thank you though."

"You don't understand, sir, you have to eat."

"I'm too nauseous. Can you bring it in later?"

"Sir, just eat. I'll force feed you if you don't."

Nathan groaned, lifting the cover off the tray, and preparing himself for the worst. Instead of a poorly prepared meal, there was an envelope. Nathan took it, glancing up at the nurse. The nurse beamed brightly.

"Is the meal to your liking? I'm friends with the chef, I could order you more."

Nathan opened the letter with a slight smile.

Dear Nathan,

Bored as fuck. Not telling anyone, even you where I am in fear that the pigs will find me by following you. Otherwise I'd tell you. So yeah. Miss you already. Have no fear, I'm somewhere they'll never look.

Mucho Amour,

Lady

Nothing could be more blunt than the way she explained things. He tucked the note away in his jeans, which hung over the back of a chair. He nodded a thank you to the nurse and watched as she left, allowing Reuben back in.

"If you have any information about where that crazy bitch is-"

"I'll be sure to let you know, sir." he replied, instead of giving him the "F-U" he so desperately deserved.

Reuben glared at him, before exiting. Nathan let out a compressed sigh.He could feel the juices from the iv's flowing into his veins, flopping back. He managed to keep his heart rate steady throughout the conversation. He suddnly panicked, feeling for the chain around his neck. It was gone. He slammed his fist into the call button, cracking it, frantic now. His heart rate was skyrocketing, his eyes wide with panic. The nurse swung in, chain in hand.

"I found this in the hall, I wondered who it belonged to."

Nathan reached out for it, snatching it and clipping it back around his neck.

"I've never seen a man so attatched to a piece of jewelry before," she spoke, an odd defiance in her voice, but what was there to defy?

"Do you have an idea where the cook is? I'd like to speak to them about the service."

"'Fraid the cook's gone on holiday. Sorry."

Nathan frowned. He wanted his was worse than hell. She was out there somewhere, safe, and he wasn't allowed to know where she was.

"The Cook did happen to mention the next time he would be in to serve you, maybe you could talk to him then?"

Nathan held out a pen and notebook that had been left on his bedside table.

"The nurse quickly scribbled everything down, before shoving a thermometer into his mouth, taking it out again quickly.

"Everything seems normal. I'll inform the doctor that you're able enough to move around, just not yet leave," she said. "Food poisoning is a bitch, isn't it?"

Nathan nodded, examining the piece of paper. Only a day away from her, but to Nathan it felt like forever. Luckily he had the time, just not the stomach. He swung over the bed, running into the bathroom, hugging the toilet.

The day dragged by like cold molasses down a sign pole. He mainly stayed in bed,flipping through the news and old war movies, eventually deciding on a familiar movie about giant ants. When came the time, he slipped out of the room, dragging the iv along with him, walking into a loading dock where medical supplies were delivered. He rested against the smooth brick wall, grinning brightly at the sight of her, disguised in scrubs. She did not seem quite as happy.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed, "You need to go back to bed!"

Nathan swept her into his arms, pulling the surgical mask away and kissed her briefly. She grinned that same insane grin she had on when they had met now.

"You missed me already," she said, "how sweet."

Nathan held her a little tighter.

"Apparantly it's been a week," he mumbled. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

Lady pressed her hands to his cheeks.

"I'd love to take you with me," she sniffled, "I really do."

Nathan thumbed away her tears, his face hardening into a scowl. He twisted her arms behind her back and pressed her into a wall. Reuben, who was hiding around the corner, slapped the hand cuffs around her wrists.

"I underestimated you, lieutenant," he beamed. "for a minute I thought you were on her side."

Lady stared at Nathan, horrified.

"I can't go back!" she screamed. "You can't make me go! I was working in self defense!"

Nathan slipped something into her pocket before handing her off to the sergeant without a word. He could feel Lady's hatred for him burning into his skin.

"Mr. DeLacour, will you be at the hearing?" Reuben asked, turning to him.

Nathan glanced at him, then back at his feet, giving a nod.

"I don't want him there!" Lady screamed. "Fuck him! Kill him! Make him stop being there!"

Nathan bit back a pained gasp.

"I'm sorry." he muttered, regaining his composure and pulling the iv's out of his arms.

"You sure you should be doing that boy?" Reuben questioned, scratching his head with his free hand. Nathan shot a crippling glare at him in response. Reuben quickly turned, leading Lady out of the hospital. Nathan walked as normally as possibley back into the hospital room, dressing himself in his vomit stained clothes, and walking out. He flagged down a taxi eding up at his apartment.

It was the day of the trial, a week after the arrest. Nathan wasn't goint to miss this. He grabbed his pistol from the eading dresser loading it and concealing it in the back of his pants, hiding a few more rounds in a satchel, concealing the satchel under his shirt. He looked at himself in the mirror on the way out. He was pale, he had rings under his stoney eyes. There was no way he could disguise or hide his trembling illness. This virus wasn't letting up. He would just have to fight through it. He took hold of a bottle of cold medicine, taking a swig before heading out into the parking garage, climbing into the driver's seat. His knuckles went white, gripping the wheel, and he took off onto the road. There was something odd about this whole situation, but Nathan was too dizzy to think about it. He took his spot in the parking lot of the courthouse, evidence in a briefcase at his side. He would set her free at any cost. Lady was wrapped in a straightjacket, a muzzle around her mouth strapped to a dolly and surrounded by guards, though her sight was on Nathan, glaring daggers at the man. Nathan took a deep breath, taking one of the front pues. He could tell Lady wanted to scream, by the way she shook, by the way she struggled to keep herself from thrashing.

"Fuck you," she mouthed to him. Nathan stared her in the eyes for only a moment before turning to her lawyer, whispering something into his ear. The lawyer, a man called Douglas, scooted over, making room for Nathan. Reuben was still in the courtroom, his white hair tied in a pony tail in a failed effort to look classy in front of the judge. One of the guards wheeled Lady next to Nathan, where he could feel the full extent of her anger towards him.

"Don't worry, Miss Hill," he assured, "we will prove your innocence and get you out of here." The trial began with the opening statements from the lawyers, both seeming to last hours before Nathan was allowed to present the evidence, two audible security videos showing the abuse she was forced to take from the nurse, proving both physical and verbal, showing she was working in self defense. The second video occured during the escape, where a large, six foot three, two hundred sixty pound man attempted to tackle her, in which she took the scalpel off the nearby surgical tray, the asylum, being extremely close to a hospital, and stabbed him in the throat in fear of being crushed. Nevertheless, Lady was convicted. The hearing would have happened the next month if Nathan had not pulled the gun, firing multiple shots into the air, taking few shots from the guards before they had to duck down from the ricocheing bullets. He untied the straps that bound her to the dolly before ripping her arems and legs free of the straight jacket, grabbing her bthe hand and running her out into the hummer.

"I still hate you," she said when they were finally on the road.

"I thought I could clear your name," he explained.

"Didn't think hard enough," she mumbled in response.

Nathan pulled over when they reached the county line, unbuckling the muzzle and leaning in to kiss her. Lady pushed him back.

"I told you I hate you, you got upside down hearing or something?"

Nathan reclined back against the seat, pulling back onto the road. He could feel a wet warmth dripping down his skin from his shoulder, soaking into his clothes.

"Stop the car!" Lady cried out, forcing Nathan to slam on the brakes.

"What is it?"

"You're bleeding! You were shot!"

Nathan shrugged.

"Worth it."

Lady stared at him, before pressing her hand against the open wound.

"They got you a couple of times." she said, her voice suddenly soft.

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked.

"Fine."

"Then everything's fine."

Lady layed her head on his shoulder the slightest bit, closing her eyes. She entwined her fingers in his, gripping his freezing hand.

Nathan pulled acros the county line and onto the country road, picking up speed. He pulled into the a crowded mall parking lot, withdrawing all of his money from an ATM and dropping the credit card in front of it, watching as some one snatched it up, walking off with it, before slipping back into the SUV and driving off, handing half the money to Lady.

"If we end up getting seperated, you need to support yourself."

Lady climbed over the consol, wrapping herself around Nathan like a scarf, kissing his lips.

"I forgive you," she said in a breath, before shifting farther into him, nibbling his jawline.

Nathan pushed her back into her seat, climbing over the consol himself, kissing at her neck relentlessly.

"Nathan, we gotta go!" Lady said, panicking at the sight of the passing police car. Nathan hopped back ino his seat, buckled, and drove out of the hellish lot of moving cars.