It was happening again, I could feel warm hands caressing me, stroking my face and my body. The heat of someone pressed against my side, kisses on my neck. Sweet tasting soft pecks to my lips, my hair being feathered through by delicate fingers. It all felt so good, but there was no one there, and I couldn't open my eyes. If I actually opened my eyes perhaps it would stop, I wasn't sure if I couldn't open my eyes because I didn't want it to stop or if I just couldn't open them.

Gradually the touching decreased, I could hear whispers in my room, some felt so close as if scented breezes were bringing the words directly to my ears yet I couldn't understand them. Sometimes I felt as if I recognised the odd word here and there, my name, "safe", "love". Random words that didn't connect with me.

I drifted into a black void of dreamless sleep until the hands came again. Slow this time, hardly moving just holding me. The warm body pressed against me whispering directly to me this time, "wake", "time", "not". I was happy lulled by this loving presence it came to me so often I felt it was almost ever present. I felt warmth press against my eyelids and heat as if a body were hovering above me, breathing gently against my face as it kissed my eyes. I was so tempted to open my eyes, to see this gentle spirit, my eyes fluttered but remained closed. Would I see anything at all, that would really freak me out, more than if there were an apparition I think. More words, louder this time "fluttered!", "can't", "No!".

The presence was back pressed against me more real somehow, holding me tight. I was happy. The blackness came back swallowing me into nothingness.

Noises buzzed around me, what on earth was going on this was no way to be woken from my slumber, where was my ethereal angel to guide me gently back? I felt the room warm against my skin, funny but I had not registered temperature much on it's other visits. Everything was different, my limbs felt strange, especially without the gentle touch of my... what was it? Ghost, my imagination?...

I started to become aware of voices more clearly than before, had my friend brought other's to tease me. I was scared now, perhaps my friend wasn't an angel. I really should open my eyes. Then like a cacophony of discordant instruments the voices hit me properly. I understood them for the first time! Dan? And someone else.

"No! For the hundredth time you can't switch him off, he's coming back to me I can feel it". "Daniel!, with the damage your..err friend sustained I really don't think there's any hope. We've done test after test at your and his families request and the responses have been minimal.". Dan's voice like steel but crestfallen "No, I don't care whether I have to pay privately, you will never switch him off. I will wait here forever if I have to, if he doesn't come back we'll go together properly, when the time is right"

"Da"... "NO! Not another word" just like Dan to be sassing a doctor, inwardly I smiled "how much will it cost to keep him like this, I'm sure I can raise the funds to provide all the equipment he needs as well as cover the care, so we are not tying it up for someone else who needs it"

"Dan!" I shouted, but no sound would come. Something clanked I was trying so hard to speak, so hard to move, now I knew who my angel was. "Dan!" God I'd missed him, I couldn't leave him, I have to get back.

"Did you hear something Jeff?" I presumed Jeff was the doctor, how long had I been here for them to be on first name terms?!

"No I don't think so"

"Yes! I heard it again, a clank"

"There's all kinds of equipment in here Dan, it could have been anything"

"but there's no one else in here to move it but us and Phil, and we didn't move it!"

There was silence for a moment, then another clank, I was trying so hard really I was.

"God, yes I heard it that time!"

Footsteps, warm hands, muttering, soft fingers brushing my face.

"Phil? Phily?, if you can hear us do it again, or something else if you're not strong enough."

"You can't doubt me now Jeff, you heard it with your own ears, and see how his little finger is hooked around the IV line and how the stand has moved a tiny bit. It wasn't resting against the safety rails of the bed before"

"I have to admit you're right Dan, it looks as if Mr. Lester here has a long road ahead of him"

I felt moisture on my face, and the warmth and what I now knew were lips. My eyes fluttered, I had to see my angel, it was safe for me to open my eyes now. I didn't have anything to fear anymore, the worst day of my life when the safety bar on the roller coaster gave way was long behind me. My eyes fluttered under Dan's lips again, and slowly, so heavily they opened. Blurry as hell without my glasses and long disuse but Dan was so close! I looked straight into deep amber eyes shining with all the tears of the world. I was home. Dan's tears fell like stars from the sky soaking my face. You have a long road ahead Phil but it's one we're going to walk together.