If you want to know about James Ulster, he's in jail. I took him down after he abducted you and the clues, some of which you left, led me to him. He turned out to be the man who killed my mother. You know he killed people from our foster home too. He didn't kill my dog Betty, you saved Betty before your abduction. Thank you for that, Angie. I hunted James Ulster down, I arrested him. He tried to commit suicide, but he didn't succeed. Doctors are keeping him alive so he can go to trial. I still need some answers from him, but that doesn't matter right now. Just please know, the man who hurt you has been arrested. You can relax.
I need you to wake up, Angie. Open your eyes. Give me a sign here. Any sign. Wiggle your big toe.
What are you thinking about as you lie there, Angie? Are you worried about Lenny Broussard, the sicko who hurt you long ago and again recently, the sociopath whom you killed a few days ago? Don't be worried, Angie. Your partner Michael assured me that the situation with Lenny Broussard will work out. Michael said you and he will make sure of that. He didn't give me further detail when I asked. Perhaps you can? Or perhaps not. It doesn't matter. The review board is waiting for you to wake up and speak with them before passing judgement. They will wait as long as it takes. I will wait too. You know I will, and that I will be on your side in the trial when it comes, no matter what. You know I'm always on your side, Angie. I'm always on your side. I know you will tell the review board the truth, Angie, and they will accept it.
You've had a few visitors besides me. First, that woman you told me was seeing Lenny Broussard, and her daughter, the people you didn't want Lenny Broussard to hurt anymore. They left you those flowers over there, and a card that says 'thank you'. You hear that, Angie? 'Thank you'. They appreciate that you took the monster Lenny Broussard out of this world. They agree with you, as do I, that he was a monster. You are a hero for taking him down, Angie. Never doubt that, never doubt what you are.
Michael came by too, with his family. So did several other people from your Atlanta Police Department and my Georgia Bureau of Investigation. They all left flowers, kind words, thoughts, and prayers. We're all pulling for you, Angie. Michael, my partner Faith, my boss Amanda, me, your captain, all of us. They all came by and left kind words. Betty can't come in the hospital, but she sends kind words too.
Some surprising people have come by also. Ava Green, for example. You remember Ava, that photographer I almost wanted to date instead of you for a while? You called her the little shoplifter girl. She came by here. She said she wanted to see the woman I picked over her. I told her all I could about you. She said she approves of you. She wants me to tell you some other stuff, things that make me a little uncomfortable. I'll get to them later, I guess.
Another surprising visitor was this bigshot celebrity attorney from New York, Jennifer Walters. She does criminal defense for heroes. You know her? She said if you need her, she'll be ready to help you pro bono. Walters said she has another attorney also ready to defend you, a man named Matt Murdock. She said she and Murdock were recommended for your case by another attorney named Julia Braverman-Graham, someone who Walters said knows you very well. I didn't recognize the name, still don't. Did you just blink at that name? I guess not.
Various people stopped by, said you'd helped them. They all signed that card over there, they all signed it. They're sending thoughts and prayers. I don't recognize more than half the names. One name I should point out is the woman who brought the card, a psychologist named Dr. Coleman. She said she'll be ready to talk with you when you wake up, Angie, if you want to talk to her. She told me to record this tape for you, leave it by your bed.
You've suffered a lot in your life, Angie. What James Ulster did to you, what Lenny Broussard did, what your drug-addicted mother did to you long before we met. What other people have done too. You know I've been with you through it all, Angie, or at least most of it. As much as I have been able to be there with you, as much as you've allowed me to be. Why have I done this, Angie? Why have I stayed with you, even after all the times you pushed me away? All the times you told me to go? All the times you tried to separate yourself from me?
The answer is simple, Angie. I love you.
Some people say our relationship is toxic to both of us. They don't get you or me. We're both damaged people, Angie. We've both suffered much. People have hurt us, misguided fools and monsters. I'm not going to waste time sorting out who was what, you and I already know most of the answers. Let me just sum it all up by telling you something that psychologist Dr. Coleman told me. We can stop getting hurt, Angie. We can rise above the pain. But first we must learn to put aside our denial, anger, grief, and bargaining. We must learn to accept that we are hurt, and that we must heal. Then we can do what it takes to start healing. First thing is to remember the people who love us, whom we also love. Then we must stay with those people, if it is best for us.
Is it best we get back together and stay together, Angie? I think it might be. But I need you to tell me if I am right.
We can damage ourselves and the people we love further if we stay with the people we love. I know you've told me that. When I mentioned it to her, Dr. Coleman agreed with you on it somewhat. However, she also said that people who love each other can help each other heal. You know that, right? Dr. Coleman said you should know it. She said your scars may never heal. I know that. But I want to keep soothing you, Angie. Keep getting the chance to soothe you, help you, ease your pain.
I know you still love me, Angie, despite all the pain between us. I still love you too. You know that, right?
I want you to come back to me, Angie. To open your eyes. To wiggle your big toe. Or maybe another toe. Can you wiggle any of your toes?
"Keep your eye on the ball, Will." That's what you always tell me. You always tell me I take my sweet time too. You sure are taking your sweet time now, before you wake up. I hope you will wake up soon.
Something else that Dr. Coleman told me, before she had to leave. She said sometimes the surest way to wake someone up is to stoke their inner fires. Well, let me try to do that with you, Angie. I hope I don't make you angry by trying this, Angie. It's why I'm here so late, when no one else is around.
