Streaming droplets of blood escaped the gaping wound engrained in your head.  Sirens were blaring, lights were flashing.  Amidst the commotion, you could only distinguish <i>his</i> presence.  You felt him there by your side.

You were alive, but not awake.  You were dead, but not yet delivered.  You felt yourself ascend, floating in an ethereal state.  The shell of your crumpled body remained, while your essence, all that embodied Justin Taylor, took flight.

You were hovering, peering down on the disturbing scene below.  You could see yourself lying there, limp in his arms.  Blood was pooling on the ground beneath you.  He was distraught, and you longed to reach out and comfort him, but you couldn't.

A white light beamed down on you, encasing you in its brilliance.  Soaking in the luminous rays, you felt liberated and serene.  You thought to yourself,  "Is this what it's like to die?"  

The bright beacon of light beckoned you to follow it.  You felt compelled to walk through the narrow tunnel.  At the end, you came upon a huge picture window.  You could feel someone watching you as you gazed through the framed glass.  Visions of the current drama were unfolding before you.  You surmised that you were being granted access to these events for a reason.

A small crowd had gathered, enthralled with the tragic sight.  He was still cradling you when the paramedics approached.  He leaned in and whispered something to you.  His lips gingerly touching yours, before allowing them to attend to you, and do their job.

Brian stood there, clutching the white scarf he had placed around your neck earlier.  It was tarnished with your fresh, crimson blood.  Someone asked him if he was okay, but he didn't respond.  Red stains marked his neck and lips, marring his flawless features.  They lifted you onto a stretcher, and secured you in the ambulance.  You thought you were hearing things when he insisted on riding with you, telling them he was your boyfriend.  Now you <i>knew</i> you were dying.  

He sat by your side, holding your pale, lifeless hand in his.  He squeezed tightly, as if to infuse you with his strength.  You'd never seen him look so distressed and desperate.  He was almost pleading with you when he said, "Hold on Sunshine, hold on."  

His handsome face blanched when you flatlined, and alarms started to go off.  He watched helplessly as they used the defibrillator to jumpstart your heart.  He let out a sigh of relief when they detected a faint pulse.  As he reclaimed his place beside you, the gravity of the situation registered on his angst ridden face. The palm of his hand skimmed over your chest, in an effort to reassure himself that you were still alive.

Within minutes, the ambulance arrived at the hospital.  Somehow you were transported to the lobby of the emergency room, enabling you to shadow his every move.  He provided them with your personal information to contact your family, and listed every medication he could think of that you had an allergy to. After phoning Michael, he rushed over to you as they were wheeling you into the operating room.  He bent down, and this time, with his voice breaking, he begged, "Please don't leave me...I need you."  You wanted to scream, to tell him that you were right there, and you would never leave him, but he couldn't hear you.

His eyes followed you until the gurney moved out of his line of sight.  The emotional weariness hitting him as he slumped into a chair in the waiting room.   He looked dazed, and you noticed tears trickling down his cheeks and his shoulders heaving. Witnessing his silent sobs, you were astounded by the depth of his grief.  Clarity dawned on you, as you realized, "He must really love me."

You were summoned back to the window by the powers that be, where you could observe your bruised body in a somber sleep. The doctor reported that you had pulled through the surgery, but the next couple of days would be critical.  Your mother and Debbie hugged, trying to console each other.  Brian dropped his head in his hands, and ran his fingers through his hair.

Only your mother was given permission to visit you, while the rest of the gang kept vigil in the waiting area.  Brian managed to inconspicuously enter your room shortly after she departed.  Monitoring your breathing for a few moments, he laced his fingers through yours, as he laid his head on the white sheet draped over your immobile form.  He closed his eyes and wistfully listened to the beating of your heart.  His mask uncovered, his emotions lay bare.  You were able to read his thoughts, and it made you want to weep.   

At that very moment, a voice sanctioned you. Turning towards it, you spotted a celestial being gliding towards you.  He was enchanting, and he spoke to you in a calm, tranquil manner.  He informed you that it wasn't time for you to die.  You had another purpose, a task to achieve.  He further explained that Brian Kinney was a troubled man, who had already tried to take his own life once.  You needed to rescue him by showing him what it means to love, and be loved.  Lastly, he advised, that this would test your faith, because Brian was going to fight you every step of the way.  But, if you stayed true to yourself, you could help him, and become his salvation.