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“Annie?” Nick watched with wide eyes as she stepped into his room and pulled the curtain closed , then leaned her back against the wall and took in a few shaky breaths, tears glistening in her eyes. He furrowed his brows in concern. “You okay?”

She faked a smile. “I’m fine. I just need to hide for a minute, okay?”

“Okay....” He watched as she blinked rapidly, then hunched over with her hands on her knees, breathing deeply. “Are you sure? Because you don’t look okay. There was a really big commotion out there a while ago. The code blue? That’s what it’s called when someone’s......” He lowered his voice. “Dying, right?” Annie closed her eyes and nodded. Nick continued on. “So, did they? Die, I mean?”

She sighed and wiped a stray tear from her cheek with her fingers. “Yeah. One of them. There’s a helicopter on the way to take another one to a larger hospital. One with a neurosurgeon. He might not make it either.”

“I guess you’re pretty used to that kind of thing, aren’t you? I mean, working in an ER and all....”

She looked down at the floor and shook her head. “I’ll never get used to it,” she whispered shakily.

“C’mere.” He motioned for her with his finger then patted the mattress beside him. Reluctantly, she walked over to him and stood beside his bed. He moved his hand up and laced his fingers loosely in hers. It was then that he realized her left ring finger was still bare, and he unintentionally took in a sharp breath. “Sit down.” He motioned to the mattress with a nod of his head.

“Nick, what are you doing?” She tried to pull her hand away, but he only gripped it harder.

He looked at her pointedly. “I’m holding your hand. When someone’s hurting, it always helps if you hold their hand. You’re a doctor. I’m sure you know that” Annie relented and sank down onto the bed beside him. She couldn’t really argue with that logic. “You want to talk about it?”

“No. Not really.”

“Suit yourself.” They fell into a comfortable silence.

“So, how’s your stomach?”

“Sore. Still a little queasy. I tried eating some ice chips, but...” He shrugged helplessly. “At least now, there’s not really anything left to come back up.”

She patted his knee reassuringly. “Eventually, they’ll stay down. Just keep trying. One or two at a time if you have to. The soreness is normal. Not exactly the kind of ab workout you were looking for I’m sure, but that’s essentially what you got.”

“Well, at least something good came out of it. Well, that....and you.” He gave her a little half smile and squeezed her hand.

She bit her bottom lip nervously and stood up. “I’m going to order another set of labs on you, okay?”

He nodded in agreement. “And then?”

“Let’s just see how your labs look.” Then she waltzed out. This time, it was a lab technician instead of Annie who came in to draw his blood

Nick ended up falling asleep again, and when he woke up, he found Annie sitting in a chair in his room in her street clothes. “Hey,” he said with a yawn. “Is your shift over?”

“Yeah. It just ended. How are you feeling?”

“Pretty weak,” he admitted tiredly.

“That’s understandable.” She stood up and poured him a small glass of water from a pitcher that had appeared on his bedside tray table. “Margo said you managed to keep down some ice chips before you fell asleep. That’s good. Now, I want you to try this.”

Nick groaned and placed a hand gingerly over his aching stomach. He wasn’t thirsty, which he hoped meant the IV fluids were doing their job. He wasn’t particularly nauseous either, and he wanted to stay that way. “I know you’re afraid to,” Annie empathized. “But if you want to get out of here any time soon, you’re going to have to.”

Begrudgingly, he took the paper cup from her and took a sip. “So, how were my labs?”

She sighed. “Better, but not great. Your electrolytes have normalized, so that’s good. Your white count and serum creatinine are down some, but still not where I would like them to be. Have you peed yet?”

“No,” he moaned.

“I’m sorry, Nick, but letting you go right now would be against my better judgement. I really think you should stay the night. Your driver’s out in the waiting room by the way. Tom, I think?”

“Yeah, Tom. What do I need to tell him? I’m supposed to do a show in...” He glanced up at the clock on the wall. It was four-thirty. “Twenty seven hours. Twenty-three, actually, if you count the sound check. And Toronto’s, what? Ten or fifteen hours from here? I need to get out of here in the next few hours if there’s any chance of me performing tomorrow night.” He was getting visibly frustrated.

“Nick....” She sat down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m going to be straight with you. You’re looking better, you are, but ’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to perform tomorrow night at all. If you continue to improve, which I’m thinking you will, you’re still going to be pretty weak, and I’m afraid you’ll overdo it. That being said, I understand that this is really important to you.”

“I love to perform,” he told her softly.

“I know you do, but Nick, you’re sick. I didn’t really want to toss this term around in front of you, but what I’m writing in your chart is ‘acute renal failure.’ You haven’t urinated in 24 hours, and your serum creatinine, which is an indicator of kidney function, is 2.4. Normal is less than one. Your white blood cell count, which is an indicator of infection, is 14. Normal is ten or less. And they were both even higher when you got here. Nick, I can’t just unhook your IV fluids and send you on your way when we don’t even know if your kidneys are working and you’re still barely able to keep anything down.”

Nick looked up at her and gulped hard. “I’m in kidney failure?” Now, he was terrified. How could something as simple as a an upset stomach cause kidney failure?

Annie, recognizing his fear, leaned towards him and stroked his hair with her fingers in an attempt to comfort him. “Technically, yes. I think it’s just because of the dehydration and that it’s temporary. It will probably reverse itself once you get completely rehydrated, but I want to see that happen before we let you go, okay?”

Nick closed his eyes and nodded slowly, then opened them and gazed into hers seriously. “Do I need to cancel the show?”

Annie pursed her lips . “No. Call whoever you need to call and tell them it’s a possibility, but let’s see how you are in the morning, and we’ll see if there are any flights out of Lexington or Knoxville that will get you to Toronto in time tomorrow. You just have to promise me you won’t over do it, okay?”

“Deal.” Nick held out his hand so Annie could shake it.

She took his hand in hers and gave it a firm shake. “Good. Now, I’m going to go write orders to admit you to observation so you can stop taking up space in my ER. Tell your driver to go ahead and get the bus to Toronto. He can bring in an overnight bag for you.” She stood up and reached for her purse. “I need to go pick up Drew, but is there anything I can get for you before I go?”

He shook his head. “Nope. I’m good. Well, as good as I can be, I guess.”

“I’ll be in early tomorrow to check on you, and I’ll even scope out the flight situation when I get home tonight.”

Nick smiled. “Thanks, Annie. For everything. I don’t know what I would have done without you today.”

“Oh, Nick. It’s my job,” she insisted.

He reached for her hand and pulled her back towards him. “No, Annie. You went above and beyond and you know it. Thank you,” he told her seriously, staring into her eyes a little longer than what was comfortable for her.

“You’re welcome. Now, aside from getting some more rest and trying to drink some more, I need you to do one really big thing before I see you again.”

“What’s that?” Nick asked as he released her hand.

“Pee.”

He laughed. “I’ll do my best.”
_________________________________________________________________________

“Guess what!” Nick said excitedly as Annie entered his room early the next morning. He noticed he hadn’t yet changed into her scrubs and instead wore a pair of khaki pants, a denim jacket, and a flowing, colorful scarf. Her hair was straight and parted on the left side, which made it look much longer than her usually curly style. She looked beautiful.

“What?”

“I peed! Twice!”

“Nick, that’s awesome! I see they turned down your fluid rate, too. That’s really good. Have you tried eating anything?”

“Orange jello. It was disgusting, and I still didn’t throw it up. I haven’t done that at all in like, ten hours or so?”

“Sounds great. Any diarrhea?”

He blushed and cleared his throat. “Um...no.”

“Sorry, but it’s kind of important to know. Helps us to determine your hydration status and fluid deficit. I looked at your labs before I came in, and they look better. Still not normal, but I think it’s safe to discharge you as long as you promise to get medical attention if you have any problems at all. They’ll discuss all that with you when you sign your discharge papers.”

“Great. Now, can we stop talking about my bodily fluids?”

She laughed. “Absolutely, but expect another lecture short on your ‘bodily fluids’ before you leave. There is this one other little issue, though....”

“What’s that?”

“There aren’t any flights going out of Lexington or Knoxville that will get you to Toronto in time,” she lamented.

“You’re kidding.”

“Afraid not, but-”

“Well this sucks.” Nick crossed his arms over his chest and fell back against the bed, pouting.

“But-- there’s a direct flight out of Nashville leaving at 12:00 central time. Nashville’s a little less than four hours from here. Lucky for you, I have a meeting in Nashville today,” Annie told him, her eyes sparkling in amusement.

Nick grinned back at her from his hospital bed. “Annie, you rock. So, why do you have a meeting in Nashville?”

“Oh, I’m just meeting with Brian and the record company. They want to make ‘I Turn to You’ Brian’s first single off the his new album,” she replied nonchalantly.

“Annie, that’s awesome. So, have they tried to sign you, yet?”

His question caught Annie off guard. “Um...no.”

“Liar.”

“How would you know something like that? Have you been talking to Brian?”

“No, Annie. You’re just that good. Are you going to do it?”

She sighed. “I don’t know Nick. It’s complicated.” Nick dropped it and Annie had a nurse come in and remove his IV, then she helped to facilitate his discharge while he showered and changed. Within an hour, they were on the road.

“So, are you coming all the way back here tonight after your meeting?” Nick asked from the passenger seat of her Tahoe.

“No. I’m actually meeting with Brian today, then by myself with the record executives tomorrow morning. They want to show me a potential contract,” she answered with an eye roll.

“What’s with the eye roll?”

“This is all your fault, you know.”

“How is it my fault? Besides, this is a good thing, right?” Nick asked, confused.

She drummed her fingers along the dark leather of the steering wheel while she waited at a traffic light. “Like I said before, it’s complicated. It’s your fault because Brian let them listen to the recordings you did of me warming up and stuff. You know, the recordings you didn’t tell me about.” She narrowed her eyes at him as the light turned green, then turned her attention back to the road as she accelerated.

“Oh.” He grinned sheepishly. “I had a lot of fun recording you Annie. You know how photographers tell photogenic people that the camera loves them? Well, the studio loves you. For what it’s worth, I think you should do it. I’d buy your album, and not just because I think you’re cute.”

She rolled her eyes. “I don’t really want to talk about it any more. Besides, you should rest up for your concert tonight.”

Nick groaned. “I’m pretty sure I slept about 18 out of the last 24 hours. I couldn’t sleep right now if I tried. Besides, I’d like to keep you company while you drive. I at least owe you that after all you’ve done for me since yesterday.”

“Okay, fine. Change the subject, then.”

“Um...” Nick racked his brain for something to talk about. “How’s Drew?” Moms loved to talk about their kids, right? “Is he staying with Kevin’s brother and sister-in-law while you’re in Nashville?”

“Actually, he’s staying with my brother and sister-in-law in Lexington. Josh and Katie are on the fence about having kids, and I’m worried that after two days with Drew, they’ll be off the fence and running in the other direction.”

Nick laughed. “Maybe so, but Drew’s a good kid. Kinda makes me wish I had one of my own...” He trailed off and propped his chin up on his fist, then gazed out the window watching the bluegrass covered hills roll by. He did eventually fall back asleep about an hour outside of Nashville, but that was after he and Annie had spent most of the trip talking. She told him about her family and he told her funny stories about his travels with the Backstreet Boys, being sure to give her plenty of ammunition to blackmail Brian with. When they got to the airport, she insisted on parking her car and walking in with him to make sure he made his flight without any issues, although he had suggested she just drop him off at the curb. Secretly, he was glad she was with him for a little while longer.

“Now, you have to promise me you’ll get plenty of rest. Bring a stool or something onstage tonight so you can sit down if you need to and drink lots of water. Also, try to be sure you eat something, even if it’s just soup and crackers. You need your strength. You have your Zofran pills, just in case?” Annie looked up at Nick expectantly.

“Yup.” Nick patted the duffel bag hanging from his shoulder. Annie had written him a prescription for anti-nausea medication and gotten it filled at the hospital’s outpatient pharmacy before they left town.

“If you feel the least bit nauseous, don’t hesitate to go ahead and take one. Actually, you should probably take one before you get on the plane. Even if you’re not prone to motion sickness, your stomach’s probably still a little weak. We can’t afford to have you throwing up and getting dehydrated again.” Nick’s heart fluttered a little at the way she said “we.” “I gave you a few refills, and the prescription’s good for a year, so you’ll have them if something like this happens again, and hopefully, you won’t get in the shape you were in yesterday.”

Nick nodded in appreciation. “Thanks.” She kept talking.

“How long are you touring in Canada?”

“Just a few days. I’m actually going to Japan in a couple of weeks.”

Annie straightened his jacket and patted him on the chest with both hands. “Well, I want you to see a doctor before you head overseas. He...or she, will need to order a BMP. That’s a basic metabolic panel. Specifically, they will want to look at your BUN and serum creatinine to evaluate your kidney function. As long as you’re still peeing like normal, I don’t think there’s going to be any problem. Just remember to drink plenty of clear fluids. Coffee and caffeinated pop don’t count. It’ll be a week or two before you’re eating normally again and feeling one-hundred percent, so please take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will.” Nick couldn’t help but stifle a laugh. “You’re such a mother hen, you know that?”

“So, I’ve been told.” Annie replied with a little smirk. “Hand me your phone.” She held her palm out to him.

“Why?”

“Just give it to me.”

“Okay....” Nick pulled his cell phone out of his jeans pocket and handed it to her.

She tapped out her number on the screen and saved it, then handed the phone back to him. “That’s my number. Please call me if you have any questions at all or if anything feels a little ‘off.’ I don’t care what time it is.” As he slid his phone back into his pocket, Nick started grinning like the Cheshire cat. “What?” she asked, confused.

“Oh, nothing.”

“Yeah right.” She crossed her arms and waited for him to give her an answer.

Nick shifted back and forth on his tennis shoe clad feet like an impatient child and kept grinning. “It’s just that....you just gave me your number.”

She shook her head incredulously. “Don’t abuse it,” she warned while she shook her finger at him exaggeratedly.

“I won’t,” he promised, but then made a show of showing her the fingers that he had crossed behind his back.

She rolled her eyes at him and glanced down at her watch. “We better both get going. Have a safe flight, and take care, okay? I’ll see you in about a month.”

“You will?”

“Yes, Nick. On the cruise,” she answered matter-of-factly.

His cheeks were literally starting to hurt from smiling so much. He leaned down and brushed his lips against her cheek lightly. He’d considered giving her a quick peck on the lips, but just in case stomach thing wasn’t food poisoning and was actually contagious, he didn’t want her odds of getting sick from him to be any worse than they already were. “Thanks again for everything. See you on the cruise.” He boarded the plane with a little extra spring in his step.