Chapter 13
Nick had been in the coma for over a month now and AJ was getting restless. He came to visit Nick every day and had done everything to try and wake him, but he was unresponsive. He usually spent the first hour of his visit calling his name and begging him to wake up, then sat next to the hospital bed and just talked. He talked to Nick about everything...how the group was doing, his plans for a solo record...his girlfriend. Even though Nick was basically a vegetable, AJ treated Nick as if he were still awake.
"So Kevin told me your dogs chewed up his couch yesterday...it was pretty funny." AJ laughed, squeezing Nick's hand like he always did as he talked. Nick remained motionless, his chest rising slowly in reply as he breathed.
"I think I might take them after today. Kevin has enough going on with his kid..." he said thoughtfully. He smoothed the blanket covering Nick and fixed his pillow for him and sat down once more.
"Nick...you are in there somewhere...I told that damn doctor you are. You gotta find your way back to us. I'm sorry for that fight we had the night of your accident. I was an idiot..." AJ said softly, feeling his eyes water again. He was tired of crying, tired of feeling the guilt that Nick was in this hospital bed when it was his fault he landed in it.
"It's not your fault, Jay." Brian said suddenly, appearing next to him and placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes it is, Rok. I let go.....he told me not to let go..." AJ whispered.
"He slipped. There was no way you would have held him forever. We just need to hope he will come out of this and be the same Nick again."
"Why wouldn't he be Nick?"
"Sometimes after a coma....never mind that. Nick will be okay. Keep calling out to him, I think he can hear us." Brian told him, and AJ smiled as Kevin came into the room.
"How is he doing today?" Kevin asked.
"Why do you care? All you want to do is pull the plug." AJ snapped. Kevin looked away, hurt.
"Jay...I don't want him to die." Kevin snapped back. AJ let go of Nick's hand and stood up to face him.
"That's why you were going to let them take Nicky off life support, right?" he demanded, his eyes narrowed.
"Taking Nick off of life support is not my decision, if the doctor orders it, nothing I can do. I'm not his guardian, its up to his parents." Kevin explained. AJ felt so angry towards Kevin. Nick's family had not been present at all during this coma, in fact the only people to visit were Aaron and some of Nick's sisters. Nick's parents were in the middle of a divorce.
"You can tell the doctor. Nick is trying to wake up, he is trying to come back....we have to help him find us!" AJ shouted.
"I'm sorry, AJ. We already delayed this once. The doctor is coming Thursday to take him off of the life support and see if he responds. I want Nick back too, but for now we can only wait." Kevin answered, holding Nick's hand and squeezing it a little, stroking it with his thumb.
"We can't just give up." Brian said suddenly.
"I don't want to either. Nick's mother put in the order. There is nothing we can do." Kevin explained softly, tears in his green eyes. Nick moaned softly, causing Kevin to jump. AJ wasn't in the room, he had gone out for a cigarette.
"Did you hear that?" Kevin exclaimed, noticing the look on his cousin's face.
"I did. He made a noise." Brian said. The two of them cheered and watched Nick intently for some kind of movement.
"Come on, Nick...." Brian begged, silently praying in his head. Nick's eyelids fluttered and he remained still once more. Kevin shook his head in protest.
"No...no...." he whispered as the tears fell. Brian was crying too as the two of them watched Nick lay in the bed, limp and silent.
"He is trying to come back." Brian said, wiping his eyes
"I know....I really thought this would be it." Kevin agreed. The two of them decided they couldn't take any more and left the room when AJ returned. Neither of them decided to tell him about the noises Nick made, it would only get his hopes up.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Well, I'm back with a new chapter of Incomplete. I know upodates are few and far between for this story, and I've been posting this one for a year now. Hopefully it will be done someday. Thanks for reading!!!
