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"They're late," AJ repeated yet again as he glanced at his watch yet again. The youngest couple still hadn't arrived to the party, which made him think the worst when he remembered the look on Nick's face when he saw Stacia in her dress. "I warned that little shithead--"

"Sweetheart, they'll be here soon. Maybe they got stuck in traffic," Holly tried to assuage her lover's anxiety, placing a hand on his arm.

"Maybe Nick played that stupid trick of the car being broke down on some side of an empty road," AJ grunted while they passed through the crowds of people toward their designated table of the evening. Howie and his fiancee were currently touring the dance floor while Brian and Leighanne waited at the table. The older blonde was mesmerized by her reflection in the compact mirror. Brian, looking up from his plate of untouched food, caught AJ's smoldering glare before looking to the entrance of the club. No sign of them.

"Stace doesn't fall for that old routine. They'll be here soon," Holly repeated as they sat down at the table. She took a sip from her glass of water. They were running late, but it wasn't anything to worry about. Stacia was always a few minutes late.

"Nick picked her up from your house and didn't think to just hitch a ride with you guys?" Brian questioned softly, looking to them with concern. He hadn't spoken to Stacia since the disaster at the designer's, but he still worried. Even with Leighanne towering over his actions, he worried about the one woman in the world who cared for him.

"No... you know how Nick is with his entrances--"

"Have you tried calling her cell phone?"

"Several times," AJ assured, watching Leighanne slip away from the table to a small collection of men.

"And she doesn't answer?"

"Nope. It goes straight to voicemail."

"Voicemail? She always has her phone on..."

"I told you, Nick is fucking her senseless--"

"ALEX! Enough of that, please!"

"Why?" AJ stressed, looking to Holly to avoid Brian's pained expression. "It's true."

"You have no idea if that's true or not. You ever think that Stacia was just trying to get a rise out of you?"

"She--"

"Wouldn't have sex with Nick. No matter how pissed she was with me," Brian stressed.

"Exactly," Holly immediately replied.

"Besides, they're just friends..."

"They were acting like more than friends tonight, Brian."

"Alex, that does not mean they're having sex and if you keep talking about it, I swear to God..."

"What do you mean?" Brian questioned.

"Bri-Rok, it's nothing. Alex just looks into things too much--"

"Holly, be honest..."

"It's just... she..." Holly sighed heavily, giving AJ a look. Being at the party with Leighanne was hard enough for Brian. "They were being pretty affectionate..."

"...Affectionate?"

"Hugging... a few kisses--"

"She mentioned wanting to settle down with him," AJ answered softly, knowing that Brian had a right to know the details. She may have joked about it, but the seriousness in her emerald eyes had taken all the laughter away.

"Alex, she didn't mean that!" Holly burst as she watched Brian's posture slack even more.

"He needs to know, Sweetheart."

"Stacia is never going to settle down with Nick and telling him this is just going to make things worse."

"She deserves to be happy," Brian murmured softly before the couple could engage in a heated discussion. Leaning against the back of his chair, he released a pained sigh and covered his face with his hands. He could hear Leighanne's laughter floating from somewhere within the center of the party and knew that she didn't need him. She never had. But Stacia...

"Brian, she'll never persue any kind of future with Nick," Holly disagreed.

"Why not? He's absolutely infatuated with her."

"She's not infatuated with him. That's the difference."

"She's infatuated with you," AJ grunted toward Brian.

"AJ..."

"What? You know she is. The whole damn world knows she is and you're still with that bitch who doesn't care two shits about you."

"It's not that simple."

"Why? Don't you love Stacia?"

"Of course I do--"

"Then why don't you leave Leighanne? What is holding you back?"

"A lot of things."

"What? God-damnit, Brian, tell me what!"

"I can't!"

"Why the Hell not?!"

"Would you two please keep your voices down?" Holly stressed, feeling the incessant buzzing of her cell phone. Slipping a hand into her small purse, she retrieved the phone and called for calmness.

"As soon as he fucking tells me what--"

"Is this Ms. Baker?"

"Yes, this is she," Holly placed a hand against AJ's mouth as she pressed the phone close to her ear. "Who may I ask is calling?"

"This is the Los Angeles Emergency Center--"

"Emergency Center? What are... Oh God, is Stacia alright?!"

"Stacia Lord came into our Emergency Department awhile ago, Ma'am. Looking at her wallet, we noticed that you were to be notified in case of an emergency. She's had a car accident--"

"I'll be right there. Thank you," Holly closed her phone, grabbed her purse and stood up. "We need to go. Now."

"Go where?" AJ questioned in confusion, yelping when he was yanked out of his chair.

"Stacia and Nick have been in an accident. That's why they were late," Holly turned to Brian, whose face had turned pale. "Sweetheart, come on!"

"Are they okay?" Brian questioned softly, immediately grabbing his jacket wrapped around the back of his chair. He stumbled for a moment, but quickly regained his footing to follow Holly. His heart suddenly ached at the thought of Stacia being--

"Just where do you think you're going?" Leighanne had broken away from her little group of men to see her husband leaving and had no doubt it had something to do with Stacia.

Feeling a hand tighten around the neck of his tie and yank him backward, Brian choked suddenly, "The hospital--"

"You're not going anywhere!"

"The Hell I'm not! Nick and Stacia have been in an accident--"

"Then the little whore got what she deserves!" Leighanne growled, tightening her grip.

"Let go of me, Leigh," Brian grunted with determination.

"I don't fucking think so--"

"Now, Leighanne," Brian growled, grabbing her hand and practically crushing her wrist. She yelped suddenly and released the back of his shirt. Pushing her away, he continued through the door.

"You're going to get it once your ass is home!" He heard her screech after him as he reached Holly and AJ's car.

"Just go," he breathed painfully when he climbed into the backseat.

"What the Hell happened?" Holly turned in her seat as AJ revved the engine and sped out of the parking lot.

"Leighanne didn't want me to leave."

"You're out of breath, what did she do to you?"

"Bitched at me," Brian murmured, pushing on the back of AJ's carseat. He rubbed his wet face on the sleeve of his dress shirt, feeling his entire body trembling. Not from the encounter with Leighanne, but the pain of knowing Stacia was hurt. "Can you please hurry to the hospital?"

"I'm going as fast as I can, bro. We'll be there soon," AJ manuevered the vehicle in and out of traffic, his foot almost pressed down to the floor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Brian wasn't sure that he waited for AJ to park the car when he lept from it. Hitting the concerete somewhat hard, he stumbled, but continued his pursuit into the Emergency Room. His entire body was powered by the rush of fear and adrenaline. His heart throbbing painfully within his chest while his lungs worked to supply oxygen to his burning muscles. He worried that it was too late. He had wasted so much time playing with Stacia's emotions and now she was... Well, she could be...

"Brian! Wait!" Holly called after him as she and AJ rushed inside the building as well. She was just as worried about Stacia, but she knew if Brian began rambling like a maniac to the nurses, nothing would get accomplished nor would they hear any news.

"Jesus Christ, when did he turn into Hercules?" AJ gasped, reaching out to sink a hand on Brian's shoulder and haul him backward. The man struggled underneath the weight, but AJ worked to pin him quickly. "Calm down, Brian!"

"I need to know... I need to know... Stacia!" Brian muttered, trying to escape from AJ's hold.

"Brian. Brian!" Holly cupped the older man's flushed face. "Sweetheart, calm down. I'm going to talk to the nurses and find out what's going on. I need you to stay here, okay?"

"I don't want her to die, Holly," Brian whimpered painfully, rubbing his teary face in attempts to stop the flow.

"I'll be damned if that happens. Just stay here and wait for me, alright? Be strong for Stacia; she's going to need it," Holly pressed a kiss to his forehead and stood up, walking over to the nurses station.

"You've got a nasty bruise forming on your neck, 'Rok," AJ announced quietly, loosening his hold slightly when Brian slumped within his arms. Leading him toward the waiting room, he settled the man in a hard plastic chair before taking a seat himself.

"I ran into something. Not a big deal," Brian mumbed, running a hand through his sweaty, gelled curls.

AJ frowned and looked at the way the bruising wrapped around the man's neck. Having unbuttoned his dress shirt and loosened the tie, the markings were entirely too visible. "Maybe we should have you get looked at too--"

"J, please... we're here for Stacia. I'm fine," Brian insisted.

"But you're struggling to breathe--"

"I'm having a panic attack--"

"Stace's strong."

"I know she is, but... if something happened and I wasn't able to... if she didn't know... I..."

"You're feeling guilty..."

"Wouldn't you? I haven't been exactly honest with my feelings for her..." Brian reached back to rub his neck, but the pain flared and he winced, hoping AJ wouldn't notice.

"And what are your feelings?"

"I love her. God, I love her more than my own life..."

"What's keeping you from loving her like you want to? Why don't you just leave Leighanne?"

"Because leaving Leigh would cause such an uproar," Brian sighed, rounding his shoulders forward with the utmost regret. "She hates Stacia so much and to know... I mean... She already... I'm afraid she would try to hurt Staci if she knew... I can't risk it..."


"So you're just going to stay with Leighanne? Allow her to spend your money, yell at your son and beat the shit out of you?"

"If that keeps Stacia safe--"

"But what about you? Who will keep you safe?"

"I can protect myself and she doesn't beat me--"

"The Hell she doesn't."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I know enough to realize that you're not stupid enough to trip over one of Baylee's toys and fall down the stairs. You always yell at the kid for leaving his toys on the stairs, so he doesn't do anymore."

"He's only four, he can't remember all the time--"

"How long are you going to keep lying, B?"

"I'm not lying--"

"One day she's going to go too far. And you won't do anything, because you were taught to never--"

"Nothing is going to happen!"

"If Stacia knew--"

"She's doesn't know. She never will know. And there isn't anything TO know!"

"I'll tell her if you don't--"

"There's nothing to tell!"

AJ opened his mouth to object, but the sound of Nick's voice caught him. Turning, he watched the lanky blonde moved from the depths of the Emergency Room hallway. He shuffled with pain, but AJ was relieved to see that he was upright. "Hey guys," he murmured, playing with the strap of the sling wrapped over his left arm. "Have you heard about Stacia?"

"What the Hell happened, man? You were supposed to go straight to the party--"

"We were heading straight to the party," Nick objected, wilting into the nearby seat and watching as Holly spoke in depth with a man dressed in a white lab coat. Turning slightly, he avoided the dark glare in Brian's eyes and focused on AJ. "We were talking about the party and some asshole blinded me with his headlights--"

"Why didn't you tell him to go around?" Brian interrupted.

"I did, but he sped up and was riding my ass--"

"Are you sure you didn't flip him off?" AJ accused.

"Fuck J, I'm alright, y'know. I could have died when the fucking vehicle flipped down a damn embankment. But hey, let's just focus on the fact that it was my fault!" Nick growled with annoyance, motioning toward the cuts and bruising littering his handsome face. Despite the bruising, the only other remanants of an accident was the sling. He was lucky.

"You do stupid shit when people piss you off on the road, I had to ask!"

"I didn't do a fucking thing to that crazy bastard!"

"Then why would he run you off the road?"

"I don't know, okay?!"

Wanting a clearer answer, Brian had hoped to press his younger friend but Holly came rushing back from speaking with the doctor. Taking a moment to embrace the young man and offer her own relief that he wasn't terribly hurt, she then looked to AJ with the utmost worry. Her dark blue-gray eyes were misty with unshed tears and she sniffled when AJ wrapped her in a comforting embrace. "She's getting out of surgery now. She always sits with her legs tucked underneath her and when the car flipped... She did some really serious damage to her knee. And they said she has a really bad concussion and probably won't wake up until tomorrow--"

"Can we see her soon?" Brian immediately asked, forgetting about Nick for a moment as he studied Holly.

"They said when she gets out of recovery that we can see her for a few minutes in her room. But they don't want us there for long... But if she wakes up by herself... Someone has to spend the night--"

"Brian, why don't you stay?" AJ suggested.

"What?"

"It will give Leighanne a chance to cool down, Baylee's with Kevin for the night, Nick needs to go home and rest--"

"I can stay with her if he doesn't want to," Holly interupted, shooting Brian a disappointed glance.

"No, of course I want to. I just immediately assumed Holly would say she--"

"She's going to want you at her side, whether or not you mistreat her emotions."

"I... Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright. I'll stay with her tonight."

"If you don't want to just say--"

"If I didn't want to, why would I agree to stay?"

"Because you feel pressured--"

"Brian needs to stay with her," AJ objected softly, curbing his lover's accusations. He rubbed her back soothingly, hating that she was trembling so. "...I think you need to tell her what you told me."

"If we have a chance to talk," Brian took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I will."

"You don't even act like you want to stay," Nick suddenly grunted, looking to Brian before catching AJ and Holly. "Maybe I should stay?"

"No, you're going home to rest," Holly replied before Brian could even speak. "They need to talk, if she is coherent enough and time without you around would be the best time."

Nick groaned, "They're not going to get together, Holly--"

"Nicker, for once, just don't. Okay?"

"Don't what, Holly? Stacia has been dating me for weeks and you're just going to let Brian go in there? Don't I have any say in it?" Nick growled with contempt, shooting Brian a dark glare. "All he does is break her heart. She didn't even want to see him at the party."

"Because of the trouble Leighanne would start," Holly growled right back, staring Nick down. "I have the say in who stays with Stacia, not you. Brian will be staying with her tonight."

"She wants me," Nick stressed, looking pointedly to Brian. "She told me to ask her out."

"I am not going to tell you again," Holly stood up, her posture defiant and strong. "You are going home. Brian is staying here. You don't have a choice."

"She's just going to call me when she wakes up," Nick continued to fight, though he snatched his bag of belongings from the seat.

"If she chooses to, that's fine. But she'll say I did the right thing in making you go home and rest. The last thing you need is to sleep in these awful hospital chairs after an accident."

"We'll call you later, Nick," AJ promised, nodding his head toward the doors. Nick, defeated, muttered a sharp string of curses and stormed from the hospital. Releasing a hard breath, he looked to Brian who sat silently within his chair. "Are you going to stay?"

"Why do you keep asking me? I said I would and before you ask me again, yes it's because I want to," Brian finally spoke, rubbing the back of his neck while avoiding the bruises.

"You're scared," AJ murmured softly. "But you need to tell her that you love her, B."

"I know... I know I do."

"We're lucky she wasn't hurt worse--"

"Believe me, I know that better than anyone and I am thanking God."