Chapter 27


A week had passed, a week of fear, tears and anguish as the friends watched
Shane sleep. He went into a deep Coma after coming back to life. He lay
still, motionless, Andrea holding his hand. She never left his side, hoping
he would wake up.  Bryan nervously paced and tended to her, he took the
responsibility as Mark and Kian tended to Sidney and Emily. He made sure
Andrea ate, he made sure that she slept on the cot that was provided and he
kept her company in the long hours of night. Alex was Bryan's support. She
was either at the hospital with him or calling him as much as she could,
in-between her job at the club and her teaching dance class. She had missed a
few of her own dance classes to be with Bryan. It seemed that whenever he was
thinking about her or when he needed or wanted her to be with him, there she
was. Bryan was convinced that Alex could read his every thought.  It was a
long week, perhaps the longest week in the history of Sligo.

Andrea stepped out of the room, sitting down on the bench in front of the
room. She leaned her back against the wall, closing her eyes. She rubbed her
stomach, wishing this were a happier time for her baby. For Shane's baby.
There was so much she wanted to tell Shane. The harsh words still echoed in
her mind, him slamming the door to the garage and then Bryan's call. How she
wanted it to be a dream, more of a nightmare but at least she would be able
to wake up. Wake up and find that everything was fine and see the smile of
Shane's again.
"Why don't you get some sleep?" Bryan said quietly standing in front of her.
"I can't." Andrea said opening one eye.
"If he wakes up, I will call you." Bryan took Andrea's hand, squeezing it.
"Bryan, please...just let me be by myself. I know that you are just trying to
be understanding..."
"I'll just be down the hall." Bryan dropped her hand and began walking.
"Bryan, you are good friend." Andrea said. Bryan kept walking, rounding the
corner out of her sight. He stopped, leaned against the wall. He put his
hands in his pocket, his head down. The week of no sleep, being strong for
Andrea and the others was starting to take its toll. He crouched down,
putting his head in his hands, tears freely coming. The tears turned into
sobbing, getting louder and louder, his shoulders shaking in the action. He
suddenly felt a warm hand on his back, rubbing his shoulders.
"Bryan." Alex softly spoke. Bryan looked up at her, his face red from the
emotion. He started to stand up.
"No, don't. You need to cry, you need to get it out." Alex gently said,
taking his hand. Bryan gave her a faint smile. Alex took him in her arms, he
completely surrendered to her. The sobbing began again, Alex stroking his
hair.  Simply letting him release everything.



Sidney slowly walked up to Andrea, careful not to frighten her. She softly
sat down next to her, placing her hand on her leg. Andrea opened her eyes,
turning her head with a smile.
"Hey, Sid."
"Hey, Andrea. How are you?" Sidney said smiling. "But I guess that is a dumb
question."
"Shane is still asleep. His vitals are very good and the doctors said that
there is brain movement but he doesn't know why he is still in a coma."
Andrea leaned forward, stretching.
"I asked how you were." Sidney squeezed her leg.
"Tired." Andrea stood up.
"Have you eaten yet?"
"Bryan got me something an hour ago. I still can't keep anything down."
Andrea began pacing.
"I was the same way with Bailey. Anything and everything made me sick."
Sidney smiled.
"I remember. You spent most of your time peeing and throwing up." Andrea
laughed.
"But it was worth it. I got a wonderful son." She pulled out a piece of paper
and handed it to her. "He made you something." Andrea looked at it, turning
it in different directions. "It's you, Shane and your future baby." Sidney
said smiling, proud of her son's creation.
"I hope that I am not the big green creature." Andrea laughed, visioning
Bailey drawing the picture. He no doubt had a story to go with it as he drew.
"I think you are the red one." Sidney was so proud of Bailey. Every night
when he went to bed, he prayed for his Uncle Shane. One morning he told his
Mommy about talking to his Daddy. Sidney tried to explain to Bailey that it
was a dream but Bailey insisted that he spoke to Michael when he was awake,
at school.
"Tell Bailey thank you. I am going to get me something to drink. Want
anything?" Andrea asked.
"No, I'll just check on Shane. Go.... get some fresh air." Sidney stood up
and hugged Andrea. "Don't worry about Shane for a few minutes." Andrea walked
to the cafeteria; Sidney went into Shane's room.



Bryan finally gained control of himself, Alex wiping his tears away with a
gentle touch of her fingers. He touched her fingers with his own and stared
at her with searching, loving eyes. He stood up, straightening his shirt.
Alex gave him one of her smiles as he stood staring at her. She was so
beautiful. He could not believe that she was there for him. That she cared
for him, that she took time out for him.
"How is it that you know when I need you?" Bryan asked.
Alex shrugged her shoulders. "Don't know, I just know." She smiled and
returned his loving look. She rubbed his cheek with her thumb and planted a
sweet, feathery kiss on his lips.
At that moment, Bryan knew what it felt to be in-love. He felt it so strong
for Sidney; he fell hard and fast for her. But with Alex, it was different.
Different in the way that she loved him back.  It was the little things that
she did...a smile, her touch; how everything that she said was honest and
tinged with a little sarcasm...that made him realize that she made him crazy
for her.
"Bryan, what is it?" Alex asked stroking his hand.
"Alex, I...I just wanted..." Bryan looked down, suddenly getting shy. His
heart was beating fast and hard.
"Yesssss? You wanted to what?" " Alex rubbed his arm, trying to give him
comfort in her own unique way.
"Alex...what is Alex short for?" Bryan asked looking into her green eyes.
"Alexandria." She said with a twinkle in her eye.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl." Bryan leaned down and kissed her
lips hard.  "Alex, I love you. But I don't just love you...." Bryan stopped,
the words would not come. He had so much to say but no words would leave his
mouth. Alex saw his frustration; she could see that he wanted to say
something.
"Bryan, I know what you mean." She said, pulling him closer. "I know because
I feel the same because I can't find the words to tell you how I feel.  I
don't know if the words exist. You are like no other man I know. With you, I
can truly be myself. No hiding, no pretending."
"Alexandria, I know what it is like to love someone. I once loved someone, I
know the joy and the peace but I have never been loved back before." Bryan
softly stroked her face, tracing her lips.
"I love you back." Alex said. "Whew! That was easier then I thought." Alex
said smiling.
"What did you say?" Bryan asked.
"I said I love you." Alex began playing with his hair.
"I heard you, I just wanted to hear it again." Bryan laughed.
"I will love you back. I will love you back in every way as I can." A tear
began to fall down Alex's face as Bryan gently wiped them away. "I have never
felt like this before." She whispered through choked back tears.
"Tell me about it." Bryan slid his arms around her waist and pulled her tight
against him. She kissed him with an intensity that he had never felt before.
So this is what it was like to kiss someone who loved you just as much as you
loved them. It was so filled with passion and happiness despite the
depressing situation they found themselves in. They lost themselves
completely in the kiss until they had a slight interruption.
"Bryan." Said a familiar scratchy voice. Bryan looked to his right to find
Nicky standing before him. His blue eyes smiling, his blonde hair whisked to
one side a stray hair softly in his eyes.
"Nicky, what the hell?" Bryan said reaching his hand out to him.
"I heard about Shane and came as soon as I could." Nicky said shaking Bryan's
hand.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You remember Alexandria, my most amazing girlfriend." Bryan
smiled at Alex, putting his arm around her.
"I use to have the most amazing girlfriend." Nicky said smiling. "Hold on to
yours."  Alex gave him a small smile but began sizing him up. He was
handsome, his smile was very inviting but she wanted Sidney and Mark
together.
"Let me show you to Shane's room." Bryan led Nicky down the hall, holding
Alex's hand, sharing the latest news with him about Shane.


Sidney stepped out of Shane's room, her head down, wiping a tear. It was just
so hard to see him, lifeless. Breathing but lifeless. She wished that Mark
were at the hospital. He had been her strength in the last week. He spent
every night on the couch at her house. Sidney raised her head to the
footsteps coming towards her. She blinked her eyes, focusing on the blonde
figure before her. Nicky smiled at her, his blue eyes sparkling in her
presence. He was more handsome than she remembered, his hair longer but the
way it brushed behind his ears gave her a quick ember. Ember of him.
"Look who I found?" Bryan said smiling at Sidney. Alex quickly made her way
next to Sidney.
"Sidney." Nicky said, approaching her.
"Nicky Byrnes, what on earth." Sidney said. Nicky reached out to her as Alex
quickly stepped between the two of them.
"Isn't it sweet how Nicky came all this way to see Shane. Let me show you his
room." Alex said staring at Nicky.
"Alex, why don't you take Bryan to get something to drink." Sidney said
looking at Bryan for help.
"Bryan isn't thirsty. So, Nik, do you have a girlfriend? I bet the babes in
Manchester..."
"Come on, Alex." Bryan gently took her arm.
"I want to visit..."
"Now Alexandria." Bryan said sternly. Alex gave him a look but begrudgingly
followed him.
"I see that you have a watch dog." Nicky said smiling. Sidney quickly got
lost in his smile.
"Alex is just Alex.  She is just a little protective. So how did you..."
"You look so beautiful, Sid." Nicky said taking Sidney in his arms. He
smelled so good. For weeks after Nicky left, Sidney lingered in the smell of
him on her clothes. And now to be in his arms...
"Let me take you to Shane." Sidney said pulling away. She looked down from
his handsome face.
"That is why I came." Nicky took her hand as she led him to the room. "And by
the way, I don't have a girlfriend." Nicky said stepping in front of her,
walking into the room. Sidney couldn't speak, the words would not come. She
was already spoken for, her heart already belonged to someone else but the
words would not come, just the touch of Nicky was on Sidney's mind.

Chapter 28

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