Everything was blurry. And bright. Very bright.
He opened his eyes to find that all of his surroundings were unrecognizable. why wasn't he in his bed? Or in some hotel room? Suddenly, he began to feel sharp pains in his head, threatening to pull him back into a deep sleep. He moved his stiff arm to bring it up to his head only to find that he was hooked to an IV.
"What in the hell?" He whispered out loud, finding his voice to be raspier than it ever was before. And sore. His throat hurt like hell and the burn left from talking had brought tears to his eyes.
Almost immediately, AJ found Lori in his field of view. She seemed upset, yet, relieved that he was awake. He could see her lips moving, but he couldn't make out what she was saying. There was a loud ringing in his ears that made all of Lori's words mix together. He closed his eyes tight, trying to stop all of the noise invading his ears and the pain in his body.
"ALEX!" He heard Lori scream quietly. Her voice sounded so lost, so desperate and...she was crying. What had he done to make her cry? AJ opened his eyes again and tried to lift his other hand to hers. His body relaxed when she recognized his gesture and took his hand into hers. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her. The first being why the hell he was even there and why his head was hurting so damn badly.
"What...what happened, Lori?" AJ asked, weaklu, licking his dry lips. Noticing this, Lori stood and put a small cup of water to his lips.
"Here, drink some of this, baby. The doctor will be here in a minute." She soothed, caressing his tired face and moving down to his arm, offering him a gentle smile.
The way she was acting made AJ nervous. Although he didn't want to freak her out, he was about to lose it. "Where...where are the other guys?"
Lori bit her lip and AJ could see that the question was visibly upsetting to her. What had happened to them? Where was everyone? Why was he in the damn hospital?! His heart monitor started to beep at a quicker pace.
"Alex, baby, please calm down." Lori stood beside him now, leaning down to kiss his face, still holding his hand.
"Tell me what the fuck is going on, LORI! WHERE ARE THEY?!" For some reason, he had a feeling that this all had to do with him being a Backstreet Boy. If he was going to find out anything, he decided, he would have to find out himself. Taking no heed to any of his possible injuries, AJ lunged forward to sit up on his bed.
As soon as he took this action, he was sent flying back into his pillow, screaming out in pain. That's when he began to remember.
That bitch had shot him. Rick...Rick had tried to kill him.
"Oh God..." AJ shook his hand free of Lori. He felt the bandaging on his chest and then reached up to feel that his head was completely wrapped as well. "How...how long has it been?"
"You've been asleep for around 5 days, baby." Lori watched her husband, worry for him floating on the surface of the tears in her eyes. "It's ok. You're okay now..."
AJ wasn't listening though. Again, he saw her lips moving but he couldn't make any sense of the words. It wasn't a ringing that blocked her voice now. It was the voices of two of his best friends.
"Hang on for us, buddy. We're going to get you some help." Brian's southern drawl was tangled with a distinct sound of fear.
"Don't die, AJ. Please...Please stay with us." It was Nick now. And he was crying.
The voices made AJ hurt even worse, both physically and emotionally. Where were they now? They had to be alright. Yes, someone had found the bus and saved all of them. Rick and Kara were locked up again. That would explain where Keivn and Howie were, they were visiting the others.
"How...how are the others?" AJ asked, looking back at Lori with such a strong home she had never seen before. She didn't want to tell him the truth.
"Well, they..." She paused, taking grip on his hand again. "Maybe you should rest, J. We'll talk about this later."
"Damn it Lori! I've been asleep for five fucking days! Tell me!" He raised his voice a bit, much to the disliking of his throat and head. He shook her hand a bit for emphasis. A sick feeling was beginning to rise in his chest.
"We can't find them. When they got you off of the bus, everyone else was already gone but..."
Before Lori could explain anything else, AJ lost it. He shook his hand free of hers again and swept everything off his bedside table, cursing while he did so. "THOSE MOTHER
FUCKERS! They...they..." He suddenly realized that he didn't remember what he was going to say and, in a fit of anger at himself and everyone else, AJ began to try and rip the IV out of his hand.
His reaction scared Lori terribly and she silently thanked God when AJ's doctor and nurse came walking in.
"Whats going on?" The doctor asked Lori.
"He's remembering stuff and he..he just got so angry..." She sat back down, afraid any move or sound from her would set AJ off again. She knew it wasnt her taht had made him so upset but, the sight of him being like this. It scared her and broke her heart all at the same time.
"Mr. Mclean, please calm down, sir." The nurse was injecting a sedative into his IV as AJ began to try and untangle himself for the white sheets. Just as he got free from teh confines of the better, Lori saw his muscles relax and her husband's arms dropped to his sides. The nurse quietly covered him back up as the helpless man watched her.
"This is normal after the experience Alex has had, Mrs. Mclean." The doctor came back over to Lori after taking AJ's vitals. "He seems to be as good as can be expected for right now. We'll run some more tests on brain activity and other things once he's well rested and comfortable in this environment. Just try to keep as calm as possible. With such a wound to his chest, it's dangerous for him to become so excited."
Lori nodded in understanding, unconsciously bringing her hand down to her swelling stomach. She wondered if AJ would even remember. When the two were alone again,
AJ's wife noticed taht he wasn't moving anymore. Nor was he saying a word. He was simply staring at the wall oppisite of where she was standing.
"Alex..." She whispered. "We can talk about it if you want. They're all going to be fine. We just have to pray."
It was silent in the room now except for the small sounds of the machines attached to the fragile man. She waited for any sign that he was listening. Any sign that he was still with her. And, when she received it, her heart broke into a million more pieces.
AJ turned his head to look at her, but it was not her AJ that she saw. This man's face was gaunt and unshaven. His eyes were lost, like that of a small child. And, pouring out of those eyes, were a pool of unstoppable tears. "My heart hurts." He whispered.
"Well, we can get you some medication to fix that and..." Lori began, thinking of any way to try and help him.
"No..." he started, his eyes drooping shut, making no attempt to wipe away the tears. "this can't be fixed until...until they come home."
AJ stirred a bit beneath his sheets, his eyes reverting to Lori every now and ten, who was watching him, searching for anything to say. he didn't want her to say anything though.
Nothing cuold make this okay. Even though he knew he was lucky to be alive, he felt guilty.
The confusion and pain took over again, and AJ knew that he would never have a peaceful sleep again.
****
Nick's eyes fluttered open to find himself back to where he had started. The cold concrete against his back made him shift uncomfortably onto his side. His whole body had started to ache, making him wonder if anything had been done to him while he was 'gone'. His eyes, too, were still swollen from all of the tears he had cried hours ago.
Jenn. As the blonde remembered crying, he also remembered his reasons. The reason that had been wrapped tightly in his arms.
“Jenn…” He felt the panic rising in his chest, hoping to God that they hadn’t taken her way from him again. Nick wasn’t sure he could muster enough strength, or courage, to go on that adventure again. But he would if he had to, if it meant having her with him.
Nick let out a breath of relief when he found his wife’s body lying just a few inches away from his own. It worried him how still she was though and, her face being turned away from him, the man wasn’t even sure if she was conscious, “Baby…”
He began his crawl towards her and once he made it, Nick sat up, crossing his legs Indian style. Gently, he slipped his hands beneath Jenn and brought her up into his lap, reveling in the familiarity of having her in his arms. His arms seemed to naturally fit every curve of her body and he held her close for the second time that day. …Or was it night?
Nick slowly bent his neck down to kiss her forehead and became concerned with the warmness seeping from her skin. “Oh, my sweet Jennifer…” He sighed, bringing her head to rest on his shoulder. “I’m sorry for all of this. It’s my fault any of this is happening to you.” Nick began rocking his body back and forth with Jenn still tight in his grasp.
He had reached the breaking point, he was beginning to lose his sanity. “You’re gonna be alright, you’re gonna be alright.” He repeated over and over quietly into her ear as he cried openly.
***
Howie began to become aware of his senses once again. This time though, he knew the pain would come. He took deep slow breaths as he let himself adjust to the level of pain. Once it had leveled out, he finally opened his eyes.
The room was slowly beginning to come into focus, and so did his hearing. He knew that cry, it was Nick. His heart felt like it was about to break at the sight that greeted him. He watched with tears in his eyes for about 2 minutes as he just watched Nick rock back and forth with his wife in his arms.
“Nick…” Howie called our. He grew worried when Nick didn’t even glance in his direction, he just continued on with his mantra. Howie then glanced to the other side of the room where he saw Kevin leaning up against the wall, his eyes closed. “Kev…” He called out this time, hoping he would awaken.
Howie lucked out when Kevin let out a low groan immediately. “Kevin, please…wake up…” Howie pleaded out loud.
Kevin’s eyes blinked open after a brief moment, he squinted against the light. Although the light was dim, it was still too bright for him. “Oh God, D…are you alright?”
Howie breathed a sigh of relief when the older man acknowledged him. “No, but I need you to get over to Nicky. I think he’s lost it.”
Kevin tried to focus across the room, but everything was still a bit blurry. “I think…I can get up.” Kevin pushed himself up off the ground, he fell the first try, but was now standing upright. He dropped down to Howie’s side once he reached him.
“You need to help Nicky first, not me.” Howie said as he looked once again over at his younger friend. He hadn’t seemed to notice any of the movement going on in the room.
“I’m gonna take you over there, I may need your help a bit.” Kevin said as he tried to figure out how to move him without hurting him too badly.
Within a few minutes, Kevin had managed to move Howie over to the wall just a few inches away from Nick. The pain in his leg had now dulled to the point of being numb, and that scared him. But right now, his main priority was Nick.
Kevin gave one last glance to Howie before he approached Nick. He brought a hand our to place it on his friends shoulder. “Hey, Nick I…”
“DON’T TOUCH ME, LEAVE US ALONE!!!!” Nick bellowed out pulling Jenn tighter into his hold.
Kevin quickly retracted his hand, this was not his friends voice. He couldn’t help but wonder what had occurred to them these past few days, he was afraid to even know. He decided to just try to talk to Nick. “Hey buddy, I’m here now. I’m gonna try my damnedest to be sure they don’t hurt you. Can you at least look at me Nick?”
Nick still continued rocking, not even looking or acting like he heard Kevin’s words. His grasp on Jenn still deathly tight.
That’s what was worrying Kevin, Nick seemed to be holding Jenn so tight that she was hardly breathing. He needed to get Nick to let her go, but he knew that was going to be difficult.
“Nick, let me check Jenn out for you. I can take care of her for a bit, or how about Howie? Then you and I can talk, or whatever. Just let me help her.” Kevin said, hoping for it to work.
“You can’t have her! I’m not leaving her!” Nick said as more tears spilled over his cheeks.
“You won’t be leaving her,” Kevin’s voice held a sadness, Nick was terrified. “She will be right here, just let us check her over.”
That’s when Nick’s eyes finally met Kevin’s, “You promise?” His bottom lip held a bit of a quiver. Reminding Kevin so much of the thirteen year old that he had first met.
“Yea baby, I promise.” Kevin then slowly reached his arms out to take Jenn from Nick. Nick slowly handed her to Kevin as he body began to shake. Kevin set Jenn down comfortably next to Howie and moved back over to Nick, taking him in his embrace.
Howie took in Jenn’s appearance, and knew that what would be occurring to all of them over these next few hours…hell days…who knows…it could very well mean the end of one or many of their lives. He pulled Jenn close to him, knowing that Nick was counting on them to take care of her now. He just had to help her…and himself hang on.
Kevin held Nick as his body continued to shake with sobs, “Why…Why are you here?” Nick said in between hiccups.
Kevin took in a deep sigh, “I hope I’m here to help everyone, you had us so scared…so scared.” He finished that sentence more to himself.
It took Nick a few seconds to answer Kevin back, but these next few words put the weight of the world on his shoulders. “You always help me, so I know that’s why you’re here, to save us.” Kevin just continued to hold him as he let those words run in his vains.
He needed to save them all.
AN: ok...so we only have 2 more chapters done after this...but...we are working on figuring out whats going to happen next...please send in a few reviews kickin Sara in the ass for not writting her part...ive been waiting about 4 months now...lol...The next update will not be till after the 20th...due to the fact that i will be on a ship with Howie...WOOO...So yea...i will be preoccupied...please let us know what you think!! love always....Jenn and Sara
Author's Chapter Notes:
Missing Part!! I found it...wooo!!! Read this chapter to see it!!...its after the AJ part...
