"I'm sorry I don't understand," Keesha remarked as she tried to make
sense of what Tony just said.

"Neither do I," Jason added tersely. "Why didn't you just tell AJ Keesha
isn't his wife?"

"Yes Tony, why didn't you?" Monica wondered.

"Because it's not that simple for him," Tony explained.

"It is that simple," Jason barked. "She's not his wife."

"Look, AJ has suffered a terrible blow to his brain and everything is all
scrambled up for him. He can't understand the things he's feeling he just
feels them. Telling him his feelings for Keesha or wrong or misplaced
would only be more confusing for him because he wouldn't understand why he
shouldn't be feeling this way. I know this is confusing, but imagine what
it must be like for him."

"How do you think we should handle this?" Alan asked.

"Well, everyone is a stranger to him right now, but Keesha is probably the
only one of you he might be receptive to. That being the case she can help
him in getting to know you all again while he's trying to learn about
himself. I'm not saying tell AJ Keesha is his wife, I'm just asking that you
not tell him she isn't. When he's formed a stronger bond with you all then
you can tell him the truth. "

"Right, when he's had a chance to get more attached to her. I don't think
so," Jason fumed.

"Invariably the decision is yours Keesha," Tony told her.

"There's no decision to be made," Jason vehemently asserted. "AJ needs to
know the truth now. Keesha is not his wife, and she never will be."

"We'll be right back," Keesha told the others as she took Jason's hand and
led him away from the small grouping. "I know you're not crazy about this,
I'm still trying to take it all in myself, but if it can help AJ why not go
along with it? It's not like we're going to keep the truth from him forever,
just until he's better."

"How long is that going to be?" he asked.

"For however long it takes," she answered.

Jason lowered his gaze to the floor.

Lifting his chin, Keesha raised his lowered head. "Jason what is it?"

"I don't like the way this feels," he told her. "Tony said the AJ in there
is not the AJ we knew, but one thing hasn't changed, he's still got his eyes
on you."

"Jason I was there when he woke up, and he has amnesia. You shouldn't read
into that."

"I can't help but read into it," he remarked testily. "He's always wanted
you and now everybody wants me to sit back and just let him believe that
you're his when you're mine."

"Yes I am yours which is why you have nothing to worry about. I love you
Jason, you, okay. AJ needs me right now and if doing this can help him, I
have to do it."

"Regardless of what of it does to us?"

"It's not going to do anything to us," Keesha fiercely intoned as she
squeezed his hand.

"You say that with such conviction," Jason remarked, wanting to believe her
words but his head and heart somehow knowing better. "Things have already
changed Keesha, how is doing this going to make it better?"

Monica approached the twosome before Keesha had a chance to respond. "We're
about to go in and see AJ, are you two coming?" she asked them, anxious to
know if Keesha had made a decision on the situation.

Jason's eyes never leaving Keesha, "Well?" he said.

"Yes we are," Keesha answered.

Monica withdrew a breath of relief. "Thank you Keesha."

"You don't have to thank me Monica," Keesha returned. "I'll do whatever I
can to help AJ," she finished glancing over at Jason.

Jason sighed loudly as he brushed his fingers through his hair in
frustration.
"I know you're not happy about this," Monica said stroking Jason's arm, "but
if it can help your brother in any way we have to do it. Jason this won't
touch you and Keesha and it won't be for long, just until AJ gets to know us
again. He has to know his family is here for him. I think we've let him
down enough over the years, we can't do that anymore."

Still sighing Jason shakes his head in disbelief before walking around the
corner and resting against the wall as he stared up at the ceiling.

"We'll be right over, but could you give us a minute alone first?" Keesha
asked of the older woman.

"Sure," Monica nodded.

Walking around the corner Keesha joined Jason against the wall. "Jason look
at me," she said as he continued to stare at the ceiling. "Jason," she
repeated, gently stroking his handsome face.

He released a soft growl. How he missed her touch Jason thought as he turned
to face her. Extending his arm he stroked her cheek. "Keesha I'm not trying
to be the bad guy here and I'm not just being the jealous boyfriend. This
situation bothers me. I don't understand how everyone just expects me to
sit back and allow another man, brother or not, to believe the woman I love
is his. How am I supposed to do that?" he asked searching her eyes for
answers.

"By knowing that it's not going to last forever," she answered, covering the
hand that stroked her chin. This will just be for a short time, until AJ
can"
"Can what? What Keesha?" he wondered. "We don't know that AJ will make a
full recovery. He might be the way he is now for the rest of his life. Does
that mean this pretense will go on for that long?" Brushing his hands
through her soft curly hair, "I love you Keesha and I don't want to lose you,
but it feels like you're slipping away from me already," he confessed,
resting his hands on her shoulders. "This AJ, whoever he is now, wants you
as much as the old one did. That tells me, if given the chance, he will be
more than happy to take your hand and pull you the rest of the way from me.
I'm not going to let that happen."

"It won't happen," she said cupping his face in her hands. "It won't," she
promised meeting his lips in a spine tingling kiss.

Jason's tongue sought out Keesha's as the kiss increased in its fervor. His
hands roamed her body and his loins stirred with his desire for her. Keesha
felt her knees grow week as his growing arousal throbbed against her thigh.
She loved Jason, why couldn't he get rid of that silly notion that AJ could
somehow change that. Feeling things get out of hand in the hospital
corridor she unlaced her fingers from his hair and with great pains pulled
away from the kiss.

Jason moaned his disapproval. "Keesha please," he said nibbling her neck.
"I want you so much. Sweetheart it's been so long."

He was right about that Keesha thought, and she had every intention of
rectifying that problem tonight.
Keesha looked up into his blue eyes that were shining with complete love and
desire for her. "You're right honey, it's been too long and I'm sorry, I
guess I have been keeping you at arms length, but not anymore." Taking his
hands in hers she brings them to her lips. "I want you in the worst way,
and I need you, I need you so much."

"Then Keesha let's go. Please, let me make love to you," he urged as he
nuzzled her neck.

"That's all I want Jason but we can't leave right now, we have to go see AJ
first."

Pulling away from her neck, "You're not still going along with this?" he
asked.

"Yes I am, and you know why I have to. This will not come between us. If
you have any doubts I promise tonight I will dispel every single one of them
for you," she said giving him a kiss loaded with burning passion.

"Alright," Jason said after catching his breath. "I'll go along with this
Keesha, I just hope you know what
you're doing."

After sharing one more kiss the two joined Alan, Monica and Tony before
proceeding to AJ's room.

AJ's face lit up immediately upon seeing Keesha walk through the door, his
reaction not getting by Jason's watchful gaze.

"Keesha hi, I've been staying," shaking his head, "I've been waiting for
you," he smiled broadly, pushing himself more upright in the bed. "Where
have you seen? Been?" he corrected, his frustration at not being able to
express himself beginning to fester.

"I was with your family," Keesha answered gazing at Jason for fleeting
seconds before walking up to the bed.

"Family?" he questioned, looking into her brown eyes before glancing at the
faces of the three strangers that accompanied her and Dr. Jones into the
room.
"Yes," Keesha explained. "These are your parents, Alan and Monica and your
brother, Jason."

"How are you feeling son?" Alan asked, strolling up to the bed.

"Fine," AJ answered.

Monica wanted to rush over and wrap her arms around him, but instead she
walked over to the bed and clothed her son's right hand with hers. "Oh AJ
I'm so glad you're awake."

"AJ?" he repeated looking down at the woman's hand as it gently stroked his.

"Yes, that's your name," Monica told him. "Alan, Jr."

"Oh," AJ mumbled starting to feel even more uneasy with the unfamiliar eyes
that watched him so intently, especially that guy Jason.

"You didn't know that?" Alan questioned.

"No," AJ answered.

"Well there's no need to push yourself. You'll learn everything you need to
in time," his father assured him.

"I guess," AJ said looking up at Jason as the younger man's eyes stayed fixed
on him.

AJ was definitely different Jason thought but some things hadn't changed.
The way he reacted to seeing Keesha was a prime example. "Dad's right,
everything will happen in time, but you have to want to recover AJ, that's
the only way you'll see any real results," Jason said as he continued to
study the new version of his brother.

"I know that," AJ replied to Jason, not quite understanding the strange vibe
he got from him.

"Tell me AJ, does anything seem familiar to you? A voice, a face?" Tony
asked.

"No," he answered shaking his head, "no." Suddenly feeling caged-in, he
reached out for the one person who made him feel safe. "Keesha," he
whispered holding his hand out for her.

Her eye's meeting Jason's for a brief moment, Keesha took AJ's outstretched
hand.

With AJ's frustration becoming more palpable Tony decided that now was a good
time for the family to leave. "I think the patient is getting tired so I
think you should all come back tomorrow," he suggested.

Not wanting to leave but also not wanting to push AJ too far too soon, Monica
and Alan gave AJ a kiss, said their good-byes and left for home.

"I'll see you tomorrow AJ," Jason said walking to the bed. "I for one want
to see you get well as soon as possible." Turning to Keesha, "Can I give you
a lift?" he offered, trying to be subtle in AJ's presence.

"Yes, thanks," she returned.

"You going?" AJ asked not wanting to see her leave.

"Yes, you need to get your rest, but I'll be back tomorrow, okay," she
assured him.

"You will?"

"Yes, of course. Have a good night," she said squeezing his hand and brushing
a kiss on his forehead.

"You too," AJ smiled, his heart aflutter from her show of affection. He
watched intently as Keesha walked out the door with the guy that was his
brother following suit. Suddenly he began to shift uncomfortably on the
bed.

"Are you okay?" Tony asked.

"Head," AJ replied. "Mixed up."

"Well that's to be expected. Soon things will become clearer for you, it's
just going to take some time," he said with a pat to AJ's shoulder. "I'm
going to leave you alone now and I'll see you in the morning."

"Okay."

Soon after Tony left a peaceful slumber befell AJ. Of all the faces he'd
seen today the one that stayed on his mind belonged to the beautiful woman he
saw when he first opened his eyes, Keesha. She was the one person that
didn't confuse him, and seeing her face everyday would make whatever he had
to deal with easier to bear.

"I really don't know about this," Jason said to Keesha as they waited for the
elevator. "Old AJ or new AJ he's still playing the role of victim and that
won't bode well for you, or us."

"AJ needs somebody he can trust right now, and that person is me. While
he's putting his trust in me I need you to do the same thing," she said
wrapping her arms around him.

Easing his arms around her, he brought her closer to him. "Keesha you know I
trust you with my life."

"Then trust me. I'm not going to delude AJ, I'm just going to be there for
him. If he asks me the extent of my relationship with him, I'll tell him
I'm his friend but that I'm in love with you." Staring into his dreamy blue
pools, "Now does that make you feel better?" she asked.

"Yes it does," he smiled, "but I can think of something else that will make
me feel a whole lot better."

"Do tell," she cooed.

"I think I'd rather show you instead." Escorting Keesha into the empty
elevator Jason captured her lips in a dizzying kiss, while struggling
mightily to erase the nagging uncertainty that still lingered in the back of
his mind.