AJ spent the next hour with his son while the doctor and nurses got Alissa settled in a room. He couldn’t believe that one moment could be the best and the worst at the same time. All he wanted was for Alissa to wake up and come back to him.

Everyone had stayed with AJ and the baby, waiting for word about Alissa. The guys had taken turns sitting with AJ and pacing around.  All the wives had been called and they had agreed to take shifts at the hospital. Leigh was the first one to be there.

After what seemed like an eternity, the doctor showed up to take AJ to Alissa. The baby could go back to the nursery and get some sleep and AJ told everyone else to do the same.

“No way J! We’re staying here until we she wakes up!” Nick exclaimed.

AJ shook his head. “You heard what the doctor said Nicky. No one knows when she’s going to wake up….” He trailed off knowing that he would start crying again if he had to think that she might not ever wake up.

“I’m not leaving.” Denise said forcefully. “I can sleep here in the waiting room but I am not going anywhere.”

“Mom, please…”

“No AJ. I am not leaving you here by yourself.”

AJ turned towards the doctor. “Can my mother come with me?”

The doctor thought about it for a minute. “I guess it won’t make much of a difference but I have to put my foot down about anyone else staying.”

“But we want…”

AJ put his hand on Nick’s shoulder. “I love you guys, you’re my family, but I have to spend some time with her. You can’t stay here all night and I promise to have my mom call you with any news, ok?”

“Are you sure?” Howie asked.

AJ nodded. He hugged everyone and left with his mother and the doctor to see Alissa.

No one made a move to leave. Leigh finally asked the guys to explain what had happened exactly and she was horrified.

“I thought the doctors sent her home because she was ok.” Leigh said with tears in her eyes.

“I guess it can go away and return around the time of labor. It’s really hard to understand.” Brian said.

Leigh wiped at her eyes. “She is going to wake up right?”

Kevin shrugged his shoulders. “None of us know. From what J said, it was really bad. She actually flat lined in the OR. We originally thought the doctor had come out to tell J she didn’t make it.”

“She has to make it.” Nick said quietly. “For J’s sake, she has to be ok.”