| Chapter 22 Leighanne and A.J. stood outside Brian's room watching the doctor check him over through the window. Brian was in and out of consciousness and wasn't able to tell them anything that had happened. Nick and Howie were down the hall with Kevin and Tara who had still not regained consciousness themselves. Leighanne grabbed A.J.'s hand when she saw the doctor put an oxygen mask on Brian. "Lee, he'll be OK," A.J. said trying to comfort her. "I hope so," she said. The doctor turned and made his way out of the room. "How is he?" Leighanne asked with tears in her eyes. "He's not doing very well," the doctor said. "We had to replace his stitches, but his wound isn't what concerns me. Apparently he got enough of the poison in his system that along with the infection he already had is causing his breathing to become suppressed. We've put him on oxygen for now, but I'm afraid that we will have to bring in a respirator soon." "Doc, is there anything you can give him to help?" A.J. asked. "I'm afraid not, this seems to be the same combination of poisons he had the last time, all we can do is treat the symptoms," the doctor said. Leighanne turned to look at Brian through the window, tears running down her face. "I'll be back in a little while to check on him," the doctor said as he turned and walked down the hall. A.J. walked up to Leighanne and put his arm around her, "Why don't you go sit with him, and I'll go tell Nick and Howie what's going on." Leighanne looked at A.J., "I just don't understand how any of this could've happened." A.J. pulled her into a hug and whispered, "Neither do I, but we'll get through it, all of us." A.J. let her go and headed down the hall, Leighanne turned and walked into Brian's room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Nick was sitting next to the bed playing with a strand of Tara's hair. He had been by her side since she had been brought into the room. She had several stitches in her forehead, and there were odd burns on each of her palms. The doctors couldn't explain them, but Kevin had them too. Nick wished he knew what had happened, the only thing Brian said was that it was Kevin who was trying to hurt him. How could that be, they're family. They love each other more than anything, how could Kevin do something like this? Nick suddenly felt as though he was being watched. He turned to see Tara staring at him. "Hey, how are you feeling?" he asked with a smile. "Like someone hit me with a Mac truck," Tara said, "God, my head hurts!" "Well it should, you've got nine stitches and a pretty nasty concussion," Nick said. Tara lifted her hand to touch her forehead and noticed the bandages, she looked at Nick confused. "You have burns on your palms, do you remember how you got them?" he asked. Tara shook her head no. "Do you remember anything?" Nick asked. Tara thought for a moment. "Oh God, Brian!" she said almost jumping out of the bed. Nick held his arm out to keep her from getting up, "He'll be OK." Tara looked at him, not believing what he was saying, "I need to see him," she said. "Tara, Leighanne is with him, he's OK." Nick said calmly. "Tara, can you tell me what happened in there with you and Kevin?" Nick asked, needing to know. Tara closed her eyes and let out a big sigh, "Where's Kevin?" "He's down the hall, Tara please," Nick begged. She looked Nick in the eyes, "I really can't remember. I know that it wasn't Kevin though." This threw Nick, "What do you mean it wasn't Kevin, Brian said that's who did this?" "It was Kevin's body, but the person in it wasn't Kevin." Tara said. Nick instantly knew what she was talking about. Tara put her hand on Nick's, "Will you take me to see him?" "Who, Kevin?" Nick asked. "Yeah, I need to talk to him," Tara said. "I don't think you should be up yet," Nick said, not wanting to go near Kevin's room. Tara caught Nick in a stare, "Nick please!" He didn't want to, but he agreed. "I'll go get a wheelchair, be back in a minute," he said reluctantly. "Thank you," Tara whispered. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Howie was sitting in the room with Kevin. He was still unconscious. The doctor's had treated the burns on his hands, and placed him in restraints. Howie couldn't stand to see him like this. He had offered to sit with Kevin because he knew if A.J. did, when Kevin woke up, A.J. would punch his lights out. They had no clue as to what happened, and everyone that did was unable to say anything. Howie looked up as A.J. came in the door. "How's Brian?" Howie asked. "Not good, the poisons doing a number with his breathing," A.J. replied staring at Kevin. "I just don't get it," A.J. said, "How do you build a relationship like we all have, and be family even, and then go and pull some messed up shit like this?" "I don't know," Howie said, "But I'm sure there's some sort of reason." A.J. looked at Howie with an icy stare, "D, what kind of damn reason would that be?" "I dunno, but I believe that there is a reason for everything. We may not know what it is for a long time, but I'm sure there is one." Howie answered. A.J. was just about to say something, when Nick came through the door pushing Tara in a wheelchair. "Tara, how are you?" Howie asked getting up. "I'm OK I guess," Tara said. "Guys, Tara wants to talk to Kevin alone," Nick said. "He's still out," A.J. replied. Tara looked up at them, "Guys, can I have a few minutes alone with him anyway?" Howie and A.J. looked at Nick for some sort of answer, Nick just shrugged his shoulders. "Um, I guess. We'll be right outside if you need us," Howie said. "Thanks guys," Tara said as she got out of the wheelchair and walked over to the side of the bed. She watched as the guys left the room and shut the door. Tara looked down at Kevin. His arms and legs were in restraints, and he had the same bandages on his hands as she did. Tara touched the side of Kevin's face, "Kevin, it's time to wake up now." Kevin slowly opened his eyes. He looked up and saw Tara sitting next to him. "Hi," he said. Tara smiled down at him, "Kevin, do you remember what happened?" she asked. Kevin looked at her for a moment, then a tear made its way down his face. He reached up to wipe it away and realized he was in restraints. "What are these for?" he asked. "They are to make sure you don't hurt yourself," Tara answered. "Kev, do you?" Tara persisted. He looked at her, tears flowing, "Yes I do." "Do you remember everything, even after Brian left the room?" Tara asked. "Yes I do." Kevin said through his tears. Then it hit him, the magnitude of what really took place, "Tara, are you some kind of ......" Tara placed her hand over Kevin's mouth, "Shhh, you don't need to worry about that right now," she whispered. "What do I have to worry about?" Kevin asked. "You need to worry about how we are going to keep you from going to jail, and how we are going to mend your relationship with the guys, and Brian." she said. "We?" he asked. Tara smiled, "That's why I'm here, to help." Chapter 23 |