"Hello sweetie." His mom was beside the bed, stroking his hair.

"Where am I?" he asked, looking around. Everything was white.

His dad moved over to the side of the bed. "You were in an accident Nick, a bad one."

Scenes flashed through his head. Tires squealing, screaming, Elisha....

"Elisha! Where's Elisha?" He tried to sit up and his mom pushed him down.

"Nick, don't get excited, the doctor needs to check you over."

He pushed her hands away. "Where is she?" he demanded. "Is she hurt? I need to see her!"

His mother looked shocked and turned away. "Nick, she was hurt." his dad said softly. "She was hurt very badly and is still unconscious."

Nick tried to stand, he started to sway and his father helped him sit back down.

"Nick you were knocked about too, let the doctor look you over first okay? You can go down and be with Elisha right after."

Nick sat impatiently and waited for the doctor to finish checking his injuries.

"You have a large bump on the left side of your head, and a deep gash above your left eye. We've already stitched that up. Just take it easy and you should be fine."

"Can I go see her now?" He looked pleadingly at his father.

"I really think you should rest, honey." his mom said.

Nick ignored her and looked at the doctor. "She's my fiancee, my world, I'm all she has here. I need to be with her."

The doctor nodded his head and escorted Nick down the hall to Elisha's room.

"Oh my God!" Nick rushed to her side, she looked so pale and fragile.

There were all sorts of tubes in and around her and machines beeping and flashing. Small cuts and bruises covered her face and arms. He held her hand tightly and, looking down, realized for the first time that he was just as bruised as she was.

"Is she gonna be alright?" He turned his tear-stained face to the doctor, his voice frightened.

The doctor didn't answer for a moment and then he replied gently, placing his hand on Nick's shoulder. "She has mostly surface cuts and bruises, similar to yours. However, the passenger side of the car was totalled. The rescue crew had to use the Jaws of Life to get her out. Her legs were caught up in the twisted metal." Nick looked at him horrified and began to shake his head. "Our tests show there was severe trauma to her spinal column, how severe we're not quite sure yet. More tests will be run when she wakes up. We think she may be paralyzed from the waist down."

"No!" Nick let out an anguished scream. "She's a dancer,she can't be paralyzed!"

The doctor looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry, we'll do all we can for her." He left the room, closing the door behind him quietly.

Nick grasped Elisha's hand. "I'm so sorry honey, I feel so helpless!" Tears ran from his eyes and spotted the bedspread. Nick only turned away from her when he felt an arm around his shoulder.

"How is she, Frack?" It was Brian.

Nick sat numbly. "They think she's paralyzed. Brian, it's gonna kill her, finding out. I don't...." He burst into a fresh round of tears.

Brian hugged him tightly and Nick unshamedly buried his head in Brians neck.

"I love her Bri, I proposed tonight." Sobs wracked his body. "It's all my fault, I didn't protect her."

Brian tried to comfort him. "It's not your fault, buddy. The police have witnesses. They think it was done on purpose."

Nick pulled away and looked at him, dumbfounded. "Who would want to hurt us?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mandy pulled into her driveway and pushed the remote to open the garage door. She had driven around for awhile, staying on quiet streets, trying to calm herself. She got out of the car and surveyed the damage. The front end was totalled. It was a miracle she had been able to continue driving. She would have to wait awhile before taking it in to be repaired, wait for the heat to die down. It was so perfect, Nick would never expect her to do something like this. As far as he knew, it was a hit and run. She checked herself over for injuries and found none. Mandy wondered if Nick was okay, she prayed he was. It wasn't him she wanted to hurt, just that bitch with him.