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She couldn’t believe that everything had changed in a blink of an eye. She held AJ’s hand running her finger over his soft skin holding his limp hand in her own.
“ Our son needs you. The boys need you.” Katherine sat there looking from AJ to Nick. She had seen them earlier in the evening, both enjoying each others company discussing Nick’s second solo album and AJ’s first.

*** Flash Back 3 days before ***


Katherine walked threw the large house and smiled. She could hear AJ and Nick discussing up coming albums. She walked into the den with a tray of ice tea and some sandwiches.
“ I thought maybe you boys would be hungry.” She said setting the tray on the small table. AJ reached up and pulled her slender form into his lap.
“ That is wonderful babe.” AJ said his soft lips kissing her neck.
“ Your welcome you both have been working so hard I thought you could use a break.” Katherine said feeling AJ’s hands slid up under her shirt. The shrill cry of their son ruined any moment they had. Katherine giggled and kissed his cheek.
“ He’s probably hungry, it’s about that time again.” Katherine said hurrying from the room. AJ smiled and looked at Nick.
“ Man I cant believe how happy you are.” Nick said shaking his head.
“ Neither can I. I never thought I would ever find a woman like Kathy, she’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman. And always willing to be there for me.”
“ She’s perfect man. I’ve never seen your eyes light up like that. And I’ve seen you with a lot of women over the years. And one that is supportive of all of us. I like her.” Nick said smiling brightly.
“ Yeah but that’s my wife.” AJ laughed smacking his friend playfully.
Katherine stood in the hallway holding her small son in her arms, listening to AJ and Nick laugh and fuss over things. Brandon must have heard AJ’s voice cause he began to fuss. Katherine walked into the room and smiled.
“ I think your son wants to see his daddy.” Katherine said holding Brandon out.
“ Can I?” Nick asked standing.
“ Sure Nick.” AJ said stepping aside. Nick took the small baby from Katherine and sat back down. AJ pulled Katherine into his lap and watched his friend.
“ He’ll make a great father some day.” AJ said kissing her cheek.
“ Yeah he will. But for right now he’s a perfect Uncle Nick.” Katherine said resting her head on AJ’s shoulder. AJ ran his fingers threw Katherine’s long red hair. Katherine loved the feel of AJ’s fingers running threw her hair and smiled as his fingers slowly moved over her cheek.
“ You know I love you.” AJ whispered in her ear. Katherine smiled and looked into his soft brown eyes.
“ Yeah I know. And I love you.” Katherine said kissing his lips softly. She ran her fingers threw his hair, moving it out of his eyes.
“ This is cute.” Nick said looking at the couple.
“ Thanks.” AJ said putting his arms around Katherine and looking towards Nick.
“ Sounds like he’s happy.” Katherine said leaning back against AJ again.
“ He’s a very happy little boy.” Nick said kissing the top of Brandon’s head.
“ I am going to let you two get back to work. Don’t work as late tonight.” Katherine said standing and taking Brandon from Nick. Nick smiled and nodded as she left the room.

The next few days seemed to go by quickly as the two friends worked on what was going to happen with the new group album. Nick had decided that they needed to go to the studio the night of the accident. They went there to lay down a few tracks for AJ’s solo. The evening had gone well but it was Nick that had noticed that it had gotten late and they needed to get home before Katherine sent out a search party for them.

************* End Flash Back ***************

Howie watched Katherine threw the window, he looked towards Linda and held his hand out to her.
“ She refuses to leave his side. Brandon and Gretchen will be coming to stay with us.” Howie said to her.
“ Howie it’s been six months. She can’t live her life like this.”
“ She doesn’t want to live it at all without him.” Howie said looking into Linda’s eyes.
“ She has a son to think of.”
“ She doesn’t want to think of the baby. Brandon is learning to walk soon. Baby I promised AJ once that I would care for his family if something ever happened to him.”
“ How can we make that kind of promise? I am pregnant with our first child and we are going to care for someone else’s?” Linda asked
“ Because he’s my best friend. I made a promise. A promise that I will not go back on.” Howie said hoping his wife would understand. Linda looked into the room and tipped her head slightly wondering what was going on within the small room. She turned when she noticed several nurses and a doctor hurrying into the room Nick had been moved into.
“ He’s awake.” Jane said rushing from the room. Brian hurried down the hall when he heard Jane speak of his friend. Howie walked into the room and smiled.
“ Welcome back kid.” Howie said looking at Nick. Nick turned his eyes towards his older friend and gave a weak smile. “ Don’t worry about talking we will wait till your voice returns.” Howie said. He closed his eyes and prayed that this was a sign of things getting better and that maybe AJ would open his eyes and return to them. Katherine walked out of the room where AJ was and stepped into the hall.
“ What’s going on?” She asked holding Brandon close.
“ Nick woke up.” Howie said smiling at her. He hadn’t noticed she had her son. Brandon smiled and reached his hands out to Howie.
“ Did you bring Brandon’s walker?” Katherine asked.
“ I did honey.” Denise said setting the small walker on the floor. Katherine set her son in it and smiled down at him.
“ He’s getting so big. Alex is missing everything.” Katherine said a few tears running down her cheeks.
“ Do you want us to take Brandon home with us?” Howie asked her.
“ No.” Katherine said looking at Howie. Howie nodded and smiled. He was happy that Katherine was taking an interest in Brandon and still able to handle being there to see AJ.
“ Alright hon, if you ever decide that you want us to take him. Just let us know.” Howie said.
“ I know.” Katherine said.
“ Nick wants to talk to you.” Jane said coming from Nick’s room.
“ Who?” Howie asked looking towards Jane.
“ Nick wants to talk to Kathy.” Jane said looking towards Katherine. Katherine nodded and looked down at Brandon.
“ We will watch him. Go on see what Nick wants.” Howie said to her. Katherine walked into Nick’s room and looked at the floor as she stood at the end of his bed.
“ Kathy, look at me.” Nick’s horse voice said. Katherine looked up at Nick, her eyes red from crying.
“ Come here.” Nick said extending his hand to her. Katherine took his hand and sat down on the edge of his bed.
“ He’s still in a coma.” She said looking at him.
“ I know, mom told me. I am so sorry Kathy.” Nick said as he began to cry himself.
“ Don’t cry Nick and this wasn’t your fault.”
“ It was my fault. I was the one that kept AJ out late. It was my fault.” Nick said sniffling trying to control the tears that where rolling down his cheeks.
“ Six months of hell for me. He nearly died twice. We nearly lost you both.” Katherine said as she began to cry. Nick lifted his arm and pulled her close.
“ Alex will wake up soon.” Nick said listening to her cry. Nick looked up towards the door to see Kevin standing in the doorway.
“ What’s wrong?” Nick asked him.
“ He’s awake.” Kevin said, his green eyes glissening with tears. Katherine lifted up from where she was and looked at Kevin.
“ He’s awake?” Katherine said, her voice full of hope.
“ Yeah come on lets go see him.” Kevin said. Katherine stood and looked down at Nick.
“ I’ll come back. Nick it’s great to see you awake.” She said kissing his cheek.
“ Go be with your husband. Tell J I love him.” Nick said watching her leave the room. Nick closed his eyes and let the tears roll down his cheeks. He blamed himself for then accident that night, it was his idea to stop at the coffee shop on the way home.

*********** Flash back the night of the accident. **********

“ Nick we have to get home.” AJ said looking at his young friend.
“ Let’s stop for coffee, man we’ve been at this for hours and your tired I see it in your eyes.” Nick said looking into his friends brown eyes.
“ Alright fine.” AJ said shaking his head as he pulled the truck to a stop in a parking spot. Getting out they both went inside. Once they had ordered their coffee and sat and talked.
“ So are you ever getting a girl man?” AJ asked looking at his younger friend.
“ Yeah I would love to find someone like Kathy.” Nick said with a huge smile.
“ Funny dude.”
“ I mean it. Kathy is the one person that I think everyone woman should be. I know I will never find anyone like her. She’s a lucky woman you found her man.” Nick said
“ Yeah I’m a lucky man for finding her. She means everything to me. And now we’ve got Brandon.” AJ said smiling.
“ That is the cutest baby. I love that kid.” Nick said giggling a bit.
“ You and me both bud.” AJ said sipping his coffee. AJ looked over at his friend and shook his head he could see that Nick was very tired.
“ Come on let’s get home.” AJ said placing some money on the table and standing. Nick nodded and followed his friend from the coffee shop. Nick sat in the passengers seat looking out the side window, watching the dark city go passed. He looked up at AJ as they came to a stop at the last light before they where turn to Nick’s street. AJ pulled away from the corner and looked out the side window just in time to see the headlights of the on coming truck. AJ slammed on the breaks but it didn’t help as the truck hit hard on AJ’s side of the truck. Nick hit his head against the side window as the truck flipped several times before coming to rest against a telephone poll


*************** End Flash Back ************

“ Baby?” Katherine said walking into the room where AJ lay. AJ’s head turned towards Katherine, a weak smile played on his face.
“ Kathy.” AJ said, his voice very horse. The doctor stood checking the monitors.
“ He will be very weak for a while, but waking up is a good sign.”
“ Is there any perminate damage?” Katherine asked holding AJ’s hand.
“ We need to run a few tests.” The doctor said looking at them both. Katherine sat down and placed her hand on AJ’s leg. AJ looked down at her hand as she moved it up and down his leg.
“ Baby what are you doing?” AJ asked.
“ Oh sorry was that bothering your?” Katherine asked, blushing a bit.
“ It probably would if I could feel it.” AJ said looking at her wide-eyed.
“ What?” Katherine said looking at him and then at the doctor.
“ I didn’t feel that.” AJ said again. The doctor moved to the end of the bed and pulled his pen from his pocket and lifted the sheets a bit and moved the top of the pen over the bottom of AJ’s foot waiting for a response. AJ never moved, he just looked at the doctor strangely.
“ Did you feel that?” The doctor asked.
“ Nope. What did you do?” AJ asked.
“ We need to run a few tests. But I am believing that you are paralyzed.” The doctor said looking at AJ.
“ What? No.” AJ said starting to cry. Katherine put her arms around him and held him as they both cried. It couldn’t be possible that AJ was paralyzed.