AD25

Chapter 25: Someone To Watch Over Me

A couple of hours later, Nick and Kayla walked into Brian�s room, hand in hand.
Brian was laying in bed, an IV attached to his arm, monitors beeping steadily in the background. He turned his head to see who the new comers were, his eyes widening when he saw who it was.

�Hey Frick,� Nick said softly.

�Hey Frack, Kayla,� Brian responded, his eyes narrowing in question.

�How are you feeling Brian?� Kayla asked.

�Like I�ve been hit by a Mack truck,� he said quite simply.

�Actually, I think it was a Chevy,� Nick joked.

Brian laughed lightly before turning serious again.

�How are the girls?� he asked.

Nick and Kayla exchanged weary glances.

�No one�s told you?� Nick questioned.

�You guys are the first people to see me and I swear the doctors around here are useless,� Brian replied. When neither Nick or Kayla responded, Brian began to get nervous. �You guys, how are they? Tell me. Please,� he pleaded.

�Not too good Bri,� Nick said, refusing to meet his friends worried gaze.

�And how is �not too good�? You have to tell me,� Brian panicked.

Nick hesitated before he responded.

�Neither of them are awake. They haven�t been since the accident.�

Brian�s face paled even more then it already was.

�They�re going to be okay Brian,� Kayla tried to comfort him.

�This is all my fault,� Brian moaned.

�Do not even go there Brian,� Kayla chided. �I�ve already been and believe me, it�s not a fun place.�

�But I was driving!� Brian yelled.

�Yeah, but not the car that was doing something wrong. There was nothing you could have done,� Kayla said.

�I�m sure if I had just-�

�There was nothing you could have done,� Kayla repeated sterner, effectively shutting Brian up.

�They�re tough girls, Brian. They�ll make it through this,� Nick said.

Sadly, Brian shook his head.

�I don�t know about that Nick. Juliet should be able to fight it, but what about Eve? The way we�ve been tearing her down lately, I�m not sure she has much fight left in her.�

Kayla shook her head defiantly.

�She will make it Brian. She will.�

�I hope so Kayla. I truly, truly hope so.�

********************

The room was silent except for the methodical beep of the respirator. Her chest rose and fell with each labored breath. Her color was pale and her skin was cool to the touch.

I wonder if this is what I looked like, Brian thought as he took Juliet�s small hand into his own.

The whole time Brian had been awake, he had been over powered by a strong sense of de ja vous. After his heart surgery, he never wanted to step foot into another hospital for as long as he lived. This whole experience was starting to take it�s toll on him.

He looked down at his girlfriend�s ghostly appearance. He was sure there was something he should say, but words seemed to fail him. The only thing he could think to do was to place a small kiss on her forehead. His face lingered just above hers and he felt something tickle his cheek. Pulling his head back he saw Juliet�s eyes flutter slightly. His breath caught in his throat and he gripped her hand tighter.

�Come on Jules. Open your eyes,� he encouraged.

They fluttered once more and then slowly opened.

Juliet gazed around before focusing on Brian. A small smile played on the corner of her lips.

�Hi,� she said gently.

�Hi,� he replied.

The two just stared at each other before Brian but his arms around Juliet.

�I was so afraid I was going to lose you,� he said.

�You�ll never lose me Brian,� Juliet whispered. �Not ever.�

********************

Kevin walked back into the waiting room to find AJ in the exact same position as when he left him. Giving a sigh, he went and sat down next to the younger man.

�Everyone�s gone to see Eve. Don�t you think you ought to?�

�What�s the point?� AJ snapped. �It�s not like she�s awake to know I�m there.�

�She may not actually know you�re there, but talking to her will make a difference,� Kevin said.

AJ just snorted at the comment.

�Damn it AJ, she�s barely hanging in there,� Kevin yelled. �As much as we all tell her we love her and as much as we tell her we want her to get better, she needs to hear it from you. The one person that can pull her out of this and he doesn�t have the balls to do it! I hope you realize she�s lying in that bed thinking you don�t love her. She thinks that the one person she truly cares about couldn�t give two shits about her!�

�Do you think I don�t realize that!� AJ erupted. �God, Kevin! The only thing I can think about is how one of the last things I said to her was that I made a mistake by loving her. I said it was a mistake, Kevin. A mistake! And now all I can think about is how she could die not knowing how I really feel.�

�Then go tell her AJ!� Kevin yelled.

�I want to Kevin, I want to more then anything, but you know what? I�m afraid. I�m afraid that I�m going to go in there and tell her how much I love her and it won�t be enough. That telling her I�m sorry won�t make a difference. That she�ll die before I get to explain.�

�You have to take that chance,� Kevin said. �If you really do love her, you�ll take that chance.�

********************

The hallway stretched ominously in front of them. Step by step they made it to the end. One hand reached for the door knob, hesitated, then pulled back.

�I can�t do this.�

�You have to.�

�Damn it Kevin, don�t you realize how hard this is for me?�

�And how much harder is it going to be for you if she dies, AJ?�

AJ knew he was right. He had to do this.

Tentatively, he opened the door and eased inside, quietly shutting the door behind him. He walked over to the bed and sat in the chair next to it. He knew what he had to say, but he had no idea how to say it.

After a moment he reached down and took my hand in his.

�You know, I have Kevin a whole list of things I was going to say to you, but it all seems so trivial now,� he paused long enough to pull out a tattered piece of paper from his wallet. �You have this effect on me. I never knew how to express it to you until one day it all flowed out. I wrote this song and carried it around with me, waiting for the right moment to tell you how you make me feel. I guess now is a pretty good time. It�s called Shiver.� He unfolded the paper and started to sing.

Don�t know how you do it, like there�s nothing to it,
You just look my way.
Move a little closer, I lose my composure, don�t know what to say.
I�m overwhelmed, you smile, I melt, and somewhere inside, oh baby, I
Shiver, tremble, I never, no I never once, felt so much.
It shakes me, how you take me, deeper then I�ve every been it�s too the core under my skin, I shiver.
I love the way your whisper, slowly, softly, lingers, in my ear.
You move a little lower, the world starts spinning slower, then it disappears.
Your lips so close, we kiss almost, just barely touch, but that�s enough to make me
Shiver, tremble, I never, no I never once felt so much.
It shakes me, how you take me. Deeper then I�ve ever been, it�s to the core under
my skin, I shiver.*

He finished the song, his voice trailing off.

�That�s where you take me, Eve. Deep into my heart.�

He sat in silence for a moment before a change in the background noise caught his attention. It took half a second to realize what it was.

The respirator.

It was flat-lining.

********************

AJ�s heart froze. It was his worst nightmare come true. Frantically, he grabbed at my hand.

�No! No, Eve, you can�t do this! Please, you have to stay with me,� he cried. �I love you!�

Suddenly a whirl of white jackets swarmed the room.

�Watch out sir!� someone yelled as AJ was shoved to the back of the crowd.

He stood frozen against the wall, not knowing what was going on. He heard someone yell clear, followed by a dull thud. This pattern repeated three more times and then was greeted by silence.

AJ�s heart skipped a beat.

And then he heard it. It was faint, but there all the same.

The steady beep of the respirator.

And then, to everyone�s surprise, coughing.

I was dimly aware of what was going on, but I did know I couldn�t get enough air into my lungs. I coughed a few more times before I felt my lungs fully expand.

The next thing I became aware of was the large group of people surrounding me. Frantically, I searched the faces. I knew he was there. I had heard him.

�AJ!� I tried to call, but my voice was no more then a whisper.

The doctor next to me placed a hand on my shoulder.

�Lie back down. You need your rest.�

I struggled against him.

�No! I have to find AJ,� I cried, my voice growing stronger.

Suddenly, the group parted and AJ ran to my side.

�I�m right here, baby. I�m right here,� he cooed, putting his arms around my, gently rocking me back and forth.

I pulled back a little to look him in the eyes, my vision blurred with tears.

�Is it true, AJ? Please, please tell me it�s true.�

�Is what true Eve?�

�What you said. That you...that you love me?�

He paused and I felt myself start to slip.

�AJ? Please?� I begged, the tears streaming down my face.

He reached down and took both my hands in his, then looked me straight in the eyes.

�With all my heart, Eve,� he said. �With all my heart and then some.�

*Shiver, by Jamie O�Neal