AD24

Chapter 24: I�ll Always Be Right There

�Hi, I�m John Norris with an MTV News Special Report. This morning, after running a red light, a truck collided with the passenger side of a car carrying Backstreet Boy Brian Littrell and Eternity members Juliet Moore and Eve Johns. The trio was headed to the airport after having finished the second leg of their Into The Millennium tour in Charlotte, North Carolina last night. It has been reported that Eve and Juliet are in critical condition while Brian is classified to be in serious condition. For more information log onto MTV.com or tune into MTV news, ten to the hour, every hour, right here on MTV.�

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The tension in the waiting room was so thick you could almost see it. No one knew what to say. No one knew what was going on. The call reporting the accident had come as a total shock. Kevin and Nick had been the only ones still at the hotel when the call was made. AJ, Howie, Kass and Kayla had just left for the airport. Hastily, Kevin called AJ�s cell phone, informing him of the accident. Everyone rushed to the hospital immediately, only to be greeted with no news on their friends.

�You�d think that, with so many doctors running around, we�d know something by now,� AJ remarked, fiddling nervously with his sunglasses.

The impact of what had happened hadn�t fully hit them yet.

And it wouldn�t until someone told them their friends conditions.

The minutes ticked by endlessly. The silence of the waiting room almost deafening. No one knew what to say, and if they did, they didn�t know how. A nervous twitch passed through the group every time someone in a white jacket passed.

Still, no one came.

It wasn�t until nearly three hours later when a man with stark white hair and glasses addressed them. The group stared at him anxiously, his expression impossible to decipher.

�Are you all here in regards to Mr. Littrell, Miss Moore and Miss Johns?� he asked.

Everyone nodded their heads solemnly, too nervous to speak.

�I am Dr. Turner and I have been looking over your friends� procedures since they arrived,� he said.

�How are they doctor?� Kevin asked, rather tentatively.

Dr. Turner looked down at his clipboard and his face took on a grim expression. Kassandra had to put her hand over her mouth to choke back a sob. Howie took her free hand into his own and gripped it tightly. Nick clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides.

�I�m afraid to say not too good. The impact of the collision was of great magnitude, considering the rate of speed of both vehicles,� he looked down at his clipboard again before continuing. �Out of the three, Mr. Littrell was the one least affected since he was not on the side of the car that was impacted,� Dr. Turner explained, waiting for approving nods before going on. �He is suffering from a broken wrist and a gash on the left side of his head that required seven stitches from having hit the window. He has been drifting in and out of consciousness since he arrived. The next time he wakes up you may go up to see him.�

Everyone relaxed a little, knowing that Brian would be alright. They waited patiently for the doctor to continue.

He didn�t.

AJ removed his sunglasses and looked Dr. Turner square in the eyes.

�What about the girls?� he asked, his voice faltering. �What about Eve? Juliet?�

Dr. Turner met AJ�s intense stare before turning back to his clipboard.

�I regret to say that Miss Johns and Miss Moore were not as lucky as Mr. Littrell,� he replied.

AJ abruptly turned away from the doctor, his eyes glistening. Kassandra was unable to hold back anymore and sobbed openly. Kayla put an arm around her friend, a tear making it�s way down her cheek.

Dutifully, Dr. Turner carried on.

�Both girls sustained major injuries that required surgery upon arrival. Miss Moore suffered serious head trauma and needed surgery to decrease a swelling behind her frontal lobe. Her right ankle and two of her ribs have been broken. Aside from that, she has minor scrapes and abrasions. Miss Johns also suffered from head trauma, but not as severe as Miss Moore�s. She had to have surgery, however, to repair the punctured lung she received from one of the three broken ribs. Her right shoulder has been dislocated and she received minor scrapes and abrasions. Both girls surgery was successful, yet neither have awaken since the accident,� he concluded. �As I said, when Mr. Littrell wakes up I will permit two people at a time to visit. One person at a time may visit the girls.� With one last look at the group, Dr. Turner left the room.

No one could speak. The only sound was the muffled sobbing Kass made with her hands over her face. AJ had put his sunglasses back on to mask the tears threatening to overtake him. Silently, Kayla glanced at each somber face, finally making eye contact with Nick. Both pairs of eyes flickered then abruptly turned away. Without a word, Kayla got up and fled from the room.

Without even thinking, Nick got up to go after her. She had looked so upset and all he wanted to do was put his arms around her and tell her everything would be alright.

He was halfway across the room when an arm shot out and prevented him from going any farther. He followed the arm back up to it�s owner.

AJ stood, peering at him over the top of his sunglasses.

�I�ll go talk to her,� he said quietly.

�AJ, I just want to go-� Nick started, anxious to go check on Kayla.

�Nick, let me talk to her,� AJ cut in. �Please,� he added when Nick tried to move around his arm.

Nick looked into AJ�s pleading eyes. He desperately wanted to comfort Kayla, but he also didn�t want to worsen the situation. Surrendering, he took a step back.

Slowly, AJ put his arm back down. He looked at the younger man and forced a half smile.

�I won�t take long,� he said. �I promise.� Patting Nick on the shoulder, he left the room.

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�Want some company?�

Kayla looked up from her spot on the floor to find AJ standing over her. Without saying anything, she scooted over. It was an invitation for AJ to sit down which he readily took.

�How ya holding up?�

Kayla turned to face AJ. Her red, puffy eyes and tear stained face were indications of just how well she was holding up.

�That good huh?�

A tear trickled down her cheek in response. AJ brought his hand to her face and brushed it away with his thumb.

�I know this must be real hard for you, especially since Anya was just in the hospital,� AJ said, sympathetically.

Kayla didn�t answer. Absently, she brushed away the silent tears that had fallen down her cheeks.

AJ put his arm around her shoulders as she continued to cry. He understood her need for silence and didn�t say another word.

They sat in the hall together, each being the others support.

After a few moments, Kayla finally spoke.

�This is all my fault,� she whispered.

Not quite sure he had heard her right, AJ said, �Excuse me?�

�This is all my fault,� she repeated, louder this time.

�How do you figure that?� AJ asked, perplexed.

�Because I didn�t listen to her. I was upset and being stubborn and refused to hear what she had to say. She tried to tell me a hundred times what she and Nick did was an mistake and all I did was push her away. Maybe if I hadn�t, none of this would�ve happened,� Kayla choked out.

�Kayla, you reaction was perfectly normal. Eve did a pretty stupid thing,� AJ reasoned.

�Well, that�s Eve for you. She does moronic things all the time, but never intentionally. I should�ve known she never meant to hurt me. I mean, she�s my sister and she loves me and I love her too,� she sobbed. Taking a deep breath she continued. �I guess it�s a good thing you don�t love her anymore, otherwise you�d be a wreck like me.�

�Yeah. Good thing,� AJ replied, although the words didn�t settle right with him. �You know,� he added, smiling ruefully, �I think there�s someone in there that would just love to be able to talk to you right now.�

Kayla looked up at him with eyes as wide as saucers.

�Oh god! Nick! He must be going crazy,� she exclaimed.

�Yeah, he�s shaken pretty badly. I think he�s more concerned about you, though. The second you left the waiting room, he jumped up to follow you,� AJ said.

�Oh, he didn�t,� Kayla said, painfully aware of how much she shut Nick out.

AJ nodded his head in affirmation.

�I need to go talk to him,� she said, jumping up.

�I think he�d like that.�

�Thank you AJ. You�ve been a big help,� she reached up to give him a hug.
He returned the hug and led her into the waiting room. When they walked in, Nick was sitting in a chair in the corner, his head in his hands. The new presence in the room caught his attention, however, and he looked up to see Kayla making her way towards him. Hastily, he jumped out of his chair. When Kayla reached Nick she launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

�Kayla,� Nick started, but she cut him off.

�Just hold me, Nick,� she cried, her voice muffled in his neck. �Just hold me.�
Without another word, Nick wrapped his arms around her waist, not wanting to let her go ever again.