Thomas Evans, a 17 year-old from school

"I'm TJ..." you muttered, your hands feeling the sides of your face as you continued to look at the reflection in the mirror.

Pam clasped your hands tightly. "I know, Steve, I can still hardly believe it's true. The boy - Thomas - was only 17. They said he just collapsed yesterday - an aneurysm. I guess. The timing was perfect for you, though - a healthy body suddenly becoming available."

"But I've never heard of anything like this," you protested. "How is it even possible?"

Pam frowned slightly. "Well, from what I understand, this 'Doctor Kerry' went a little far. He'd been experimenting with but didn't have approval for this kind of surgery. It put the hospital - and us - in a complictated position."

You blinked in confusion. "Complicated? What's going on, Pam?" you asked.

"You're fine!" she rushed to assure you. "Physically you're doing great. The doctors don't plan to keep you here long. It's all the other stuff." She looked away for a momment and closed her eyes, then turned back to face you. "You see, first of all, they couldn't get ahold of TJ's mother, Tanya, in time before they had to make the call..." she paused for a moment, "...well, the hospital declared Steve Meadows dead. All the records show that you're now Thomas Evans." Her face reddened in shame. "And I let them convince me to go along with it."

"What?" you almost shouted. "Why? How could you do that?"

She stiffened. "Honestly Steve, I didn't have much choice. You were supposedly dead. I could have tried to raise a stink - but the only way to do that would have brought ALOT of attention. Would you want to spend the rest of our lives as tabloid news? Or even worse, as some kind of 'lab rat' for medical study?" She shook her head. "I didn't like it but they were right. The safest option was to agree that Steve died but Thomas lived."

Her explanation only mollified you a little - but the more you thought about it, the more you could see her point.

"And Steve, I did pressure them some. They agreed to a settlement - almost 4 million dollars! Supposedly it's for some questions regarding your treatment."

You laugh bitterly and turned away. "Well, that's actually true, I guess."

She gently grabbed your head and turned it back to face her. "Steve, this is alot to take in. But you're alive! And believe me, that's a miracle. I saw you when they brought you in. I ...I just knew that I had lost you," she said, breaking into sobs.

Her tears immediately calmed you. You pulled her into an embrace, saying "Shh....I'm okay now, it's fine. You're right, I'm alive and healthy and that's what's important. Everything else will sort itself out."

The two of you held each other for a long time until you were interrupted by Doctor Saunders. He introduced himself and gave you a once over. Seemingly satisified with your condition, he gave you a chance to ask him questions. Basically he just reiterated what your wife had already told you, adding in more medical jargon.

He paused when you finished your questions. "Uh, I assume your wife has explained the legal circumstances?" he asked hesitatingly.

"Yes," you sighed in resignation. "Apparently 'I' am dead, right? So what's supposed to happen now? Who am I? Thomas? What about his family?"

His eyes nervously shift back and forth between you and Pam. "Well, legally you ARE Thomas Evans, there's no question about that. You would be living as if you were always him, including at his home and with his family, friends...everything about TJ you are now."

You stared at him. "Surely you don't expect me to just give up my home and my wife?" you asked in a rising tone.

"I'm afraid that's the only option. Would you rather have died?" he said bluntly, taking the wind out of your sails.

You hung your head. "No, of course not," you answered sullenly. But what about Pam?"

Pam gave your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'll be okay, you know how things are with me. I'll work out the details with you later on but I've met Tanya in the hallway, she's a very lovely woman. Single mother, raising 3 kids, and you know TJ, right, from school?" When you nodded, she continued. "She's a strong woman but she's relied on him to be the man of the household since her last baby-daddy split on her, leaving her with two younger daughters and TJ. TJ's stepped it up bigtime, the girls all look to him. Very well-mannered, intelligent, sharp as a tack..."

"...and now I'm him?"

Pam nodded sadly and gave you another squeeze. "Tanya's at work right now but I'll let her know you're now awake. She knows about your operation and, well, she's understandably sad about all of this but she will need you now. TJ's sisters will need you too." What she left unsaid was whether Pam would need you as well. "Can you do that?"

You paused for a moment and laughed gently. "S'pose I don't really have a choice now, do I?"