Emily: "Tristan...?"

She watched in confusion as Tristan's eyes fluttered open, focusing in on her own.

Tristan: "What time is it?"
Emily: "Nearly 1 AM."

Clearly she'd finally lost her mind- there was no way this was actually happening. Tristan wasn't talking to her, and he certainly wasn't sitting up in bed.

Mary: "I'm not the only one seeing this, right?"
Markus: "No."
Mary: "Good. At least you're all going insane with me."
Markus: "Right."
Mary: "Someone should go find James."
Markus: "Good idea."

Only no one made a move. Tristan stood up and looked at them all with utter confusion.

Tristan: "Are you guys alright?"

Emily's tears finally won- she broke into uncontrollable sobbing, still trying to come to terms with what was unfolding before her, afraid to question any of it in case the illusion would be shattered.

Tristan: "Emily, I'm so sorry! It's ok- I'm fine, honestly! It's over now."

A sudden rush of guilt came over Emily- she didn't expect to feel as strongly as she did. She stepped back and took a deep, shuddering breath.

Emily: "We thought you were dead."
Tristan: "I'm pretty sure I was."
Mary: "How was it, by the way? Being dead, I mean."
Tristan: "Um, rather dark, actually."

Suddenly Markus was across the room, grabbing Tristan in a bear-hug of epic proportions. The shock of it all was finally starting to wear off- seeing his friend alive and well again was somehow less strange to Markus than him getting sick and dying in the first place.

Tristan: "Um, Markus... if you don't let go I'm going to stop breathing again."
Markus: "Sorry..."

James: "Markus, can you move your car? It's behind-"

James stopped dead in his tracks, blinking as if to clear the vision before him. He'd been completely obliterated by Tristan's death- this friend he'd had for so long had been taken away from him, torn from his life. It hadn't even sunk in yet, he hadn't even had time to wonder how he was supposed to go on without the one person he'd always been able to count on being there through the years. Now he was back, and while there were no words for how James felt he also couldn't shake this underlying feeling of mortality. He needed time alone, away from everything, and he knew that Tristan would understand.

Tristan: "James... I'm really sorry."
James: "Yeah, I know. Markus?"
Markus: "Give me a just second"

James turned and left then, not looking back.

Markus: "Tristan, I'm going to stay here tonight- I called Serge earlier, when we thought you were dead, and he's on his way over now."
Tristan: "Thank you, Markus- for everything."

Markus smiled and hugged his friend once again before running to catch up with James. Mary had watched the exchange before her in silence. All she felt now was tired. And sick, though she'd never admit that.

Mary: "Wow, I can't believe what a jerk James was just now."
Tristan: "No, Mary. It's alright- he just needs some time to sort this out. I understand."
Mary: "Well good, because I don't. I'm just tired."
Tristan: "If you need to lay down for a while you're more than welcome to one of the guest beds."
Mary: "Show me."