Chapter 11

 

Kevin sucked in a deep breath. Doctor Vandez spoke first.

 

“Nickolas Carter was shot in his right side and left arm. Now, the injury to his side was not too critical. Lucky for Nickolas it didn’t affect any organs, or cause any internal bleeding. It wasn’t easy removing the bullet though. We had some complications,” doctor Vandez paused for a moment, waiting for any kind of response from Kevin. He then continued. “He will lose use of his arm for a while. It will require a lot of therapy."

 

“He will be okay though? God, please tell me he will be!”

 

“Yes, we expect Mr. Carter to make a full recovery.”

 

Kevin closed his eyes briefly. “Howie? Brian?”

 

 “Yes, Howard Dorough was shot in the shoulder and his left leg. We were able to remove both bullets with out any complications. He will be in some pain. To regain use of his leg again, it will require therapy just the same as Nick’s. Mr. Dorough, in fact did better then we expected. He was in bad shape when he got here. The paramedics did the best they could to control the bleeding, but he too lost a lot of blood.” Doctor Vandez reassured Kevin immediately that Howie would make a full recovery just the same.

 

“Brian?”

 

“Yes, Brian Littrell is my patient,” doctor Roberts stated as he stepped over next to Kevin’s bed.

Kevin felt Kristen’s grip on his hand tighten.

 

“Brian was shot in the stomach and to the left of his collar bone, right above the breast bone. Of course the bullet struck his stomach, which led to internal bleeding. Brian, just like all five of you suffers from heat stroke. You all are malnourished too. We have you all hooked up to an IV for that. All five of you also have very severe lacerations on your backs. Brian also has a concussion. Both of his injuries were very critical. He was very tricky to operate on. We are very worried that he is slipping into a coma. We are concerned that his concussion is more severe then we originally thought. If…when Brian wakes up we will run some tests to determine the extent of his head injury.”

 

Tears then began streaming down his face. “This can’t be happening!”

 

“Shh…shh…it’s okay baby,” Kristen soothed. Consoling Kevin until he drifted off to sleep.

 

 

 

Nick awoke with the most terrible pain he had ever experienced. His side and arm throbbed. He moaned in pain before opening his eyes. His mother’s hand was clenched tightly to his. On the other side of him was dad, smiling down at him. Nick glanced over to see all of his sisters and Aaron. His mother’s face was tear stained, and her eyes puffy.

 

“Oh baby, we…we thought we’d lost you,” Jane cried leaning over to give her son a hug.

 

“What happened to me?”

 

“Sweetheart, you were shot in the arm and right here,” Jane said, motioning to Nick’s right side.

 

“Ouch!”

 

“Sorry, sorry honey.”

 

Nick smiled weakly, then winced slightly, as a pain shot through his arm. “Can I have something for the pain mom, please?” Nick didn’t let his mother reply; all to quickly everything came back to him. The enormity of it all took his breath away. “Oh God! Kevin, Howie, A.J., Brian…what happened to them? They were shot…the stairs…oh God Howie was bleeding and Bri…A.J. they fell down the stairs! Rob he…he…”

 

Jane tried to calm him down; his blood pressure was rising quickly. “Baby? Nick, it’s okay, it’s okay. It’s all over now.” Nick’s breathing slowed and he relaxed.

 

“Please…please tell me what happened? I need to know!”

 

“Okay, okay.”

 

Bob ran out to find a doctor.

 

“Nicky? Kevin’s okay, I know that. I spoke with Ann. I am not sure about the other’s but I know that…that they aren’t in to good of shape.” With that Nick broke down in sobs.

 

Nick’s doctor explained Kevin’s, Howie’s, Brian’s, and A.J’s conditions. Nick then spoke after taking all the information in. “Can I please see them?”

 

“Nick, I don’t know…”

 

“Please?”

 

“Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt to let you see Brian, he’s right in the next room.”

 

Nick’s bed was wheeled next to Brian’s. His side was too delicate to use a wheel chair and they didn’t want him to be in any pain, and he desperately needed to see one of his friends.

 

As Nick was wheeled into the room, he saw Leighanne, Brian’s parents, Harold and his wife Tracy. They all looked terrible. Leighanne gave him a tearful smile and walked over to his side. All of Brian’s family came to greet him, asking him how he was doing and told him that everything would be okay. They left the room, to give Nick some time alone with him.

 

Nick’s bed was then placed right next to Brian’s. He bit his lip, as he watched intently, Brian’s chest rise and fall. Nick had never seen Brian look so bad. His face was incredibly pale and he had a bandage from his navel going up to his chest. An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth and there were so many machines hooked up to him. “Hey Brian…look man, you’ve gotta wake up for us. We need you more then you could ever imagine. I can’t imagine life without you, and I’m sure none of the other guys can either.”

 

Nick then squeezed Brian’s hand and began sobbing, not able to finish what he wanted to tell his friend. Leighanne, who had been across the hall heard and ran in. She hit the nurse call button and broke down with Nick, their heart wrenching sobs echoing throughout the halls.