Chapter Two

“Doc Perry called you a hero.”

Julie snorted and looked away from Luke, one of the nurses in the emergency department. She had known Luke for a long time. She attended nursing school with him and after graduation, they had both ended up getting jobs at the same hospital. They hadn’t been friends in school but they had bonded over being the new kids. Luke, a huge tattooed man, intimidated a lot of the older patients. Julie, however, knew him for what he was. He was a kind, caring man and a loyal friend. He was so loyal that he was spending a rare break sitting next to Julie in the employee lounge trying to calm her nerves.

“I panicked, Luke. I could’ve screwed up majorly. I was so scared...”

Luke lifted a shoulder at her in a shrug, “The dude’s alive, isn’t he? Thanks to you. You’re not an EMT, you weren’t working and it was the only time you’ve ever been the first on a scene like that. You did good, Jules.”

Julie sighed and nervously shoved strands of red hair behind her ears. She was exhausted and covered in blood, both Brian’s and her own. One of the nurses had gotten her feet bandaged up but they still throbbed with pain. She had also had to get stitches in her chin where a piece of glass had cut into her. Julie hadn’t even felt the wound. The adrenaline had long since worn off though and she was ready to crash. She wanted nothing more than a hot shower, clean clothes and her soft, king sized mattress. It would have to wait though. The hospital was having difficulties contacting Brian’s wife and she couldn’t just leave him alone. He wasn’t a stranger and Julie knew that she would feel guilty if she left. Brian had never thought much of Julie and she wasn’t sure just how much he would appreciate her being there, but she just couldn’t bring herself to walk out.

Dr. Perry had assured her earlier that Brian Littrell was going to be just fine. It would take him a month or two to recover, and he’d probably be left with a few scars, but he would recover with no lasting effects. It had been relieving to hear. Not only for Brian’s sake but also because she hadn’t spoken to AJ or any of the guys in years, and she’d hate for their reunion to be because of bad news. She did wonder what Brian would say to her if she was still the only one there when he woke up. She was nervous about his reaction.


“Is it money that you want?”
Julie’s forehead creased in confusion as she stared at Brian, “I’m sorry?”
“Why are you here?”
From where she sat, Brian towered over her and the hostility radiating from him was a little nerve-wracking. “I came to see AJ. You know? My best friend?”
“He doesn’t want to see you, Julie. And you already know how the rest of us feel. You’re not welcomed here and need to leave.”


“Hey, Jules?” A short, older woman stuck her head inside the break room and interrupted Julie’s thoughts. Julie smiled warmly at the older nurse, one of her mentors. It was lucky that Brian had been brought to the same hospital that she worked at, the familiar environment and friends helped to ease her mind. “Littrell’s awake. Doc asked me to come and get you.”

“Is his wife here yet?” Julie asked, looking at her with a flicker of hope. Maybe Leighanne Littrell had already arrived and she could just leave quietly and avoid the whole impending meeting.

Nurse Carol shook her head, “They still haven’t been able to get in touch with her. She doesn’t even know yet. They did reach someone else listed as an alternative emergency contact.. Nick somebody.. he said he would try to reach her as well. He apparently knows you too.”

“Carter... Nick Carter,” Julie replied, her voice stiff. She jerked her eyes up to the clock. She had to get out of there. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she just wasn’t prepared to see any of them again. Of all people, it had to be Brian. It could’ve been anyone at that intersection but it had been him. Julie felt like God was laughing at her. She had moved on from the damned Backstreet Boys years ago and she didn’t want to go back down that road.

Carol was staring her down though, and Julie knew she wasn’t going to have a choice. There was no use in arguing with her. “Perry says to come now. The police are in with him too.”

Julie clumsily rose from the sofa with Luke’s help. The nurses had tried to get her to use a wheelchair but she had scoffed at it. So her feet were cut up, nothing was broken and she could walk just fine. It was painful though, and Julie wished she hadn’t been so stubborn about it. Carol led the way to Brian’s room and Julie lumbered behind her, feeling as if she was being so noisy that she would disturb the other patients. No one said anything though. Outside of Brian’s room, Nurse Carol didn’t hesitate and shoved the door open. Julie, however, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The logical side of her was screaming at her, saying she had nothing to be nervous about. If Brian reacted poorly to her presence, it would only serve to make him look bad. The emotional side was the one winning out though, the side that made her feel as if it was 10 years ago and she was still the lost young woman that had desperately wanted Brian's approval.

“There she is, just the woman we were looking for.” Julie opened her eyes and forced a smile towards Dr. Paul Perry, a young doctor that she worked with often. She glanced inside the room and found several pairs of eyes staring back at her. There was Dr. Perry, Nurse Carol, two police officers that she didn’t recognize and lying in the hospital bed was Brian. He looked at her at first without recognition, but after a few seconds his face seemed to register who he was looking at. He didn’t look pleased to see her. She glanced down at her bandaged feet and her blood stained clothes. She wondered what he was thinking.

“We were just filling Mr. Littrell here in on what happened. He doesn’t seem to remember anything after he left his home,” Dr. Perry started, ushering her inside and closing the door firmly behind them. “We were hoping since you were there, you might be able to help us fill in the details.”

“You?” Brian said, speaking for the first time since she arrived. His voice was weak but the disdain was clear. Julie sighed, he obviously hadn’t changed a bit in the five years since she had last seen him. She suddenly regretted her choice to stay, this was not going to be fun.

Dr. Perry cleared his throat and shot a questioning look at Julie before continuing, “Mr. Littrell, you were going north on Monroe when a drunk driver plowed into you from the driver’s side of your car. You are extremely lucky to be alive.”

“I’ve never seen someone survive an accident like that,” one of the police officers added but Brian didn’t respond. He was staring at her with such a contemptuous look that it made Julie uncomfortable.

“Drunk driving? Are you serious?” Brian asked, his unwavering stare still directed at her. Julie raised an eyebrow in confusion and glanced at Carol, who shrugged her shoulders. “Julie Young,” Brian continued with a sarcastic laugh. “Such a coincidence, huh?” The dry laughter stopped and he looked at her in anger. “I have a son now. Did you know that? You were always so selfish and reckless, not caring about anyone but yourself.”

It was then that Julie understood what Brian was thinking. He hadn’t been told the whole story yet and had probably only heard exactly what Julie had just heard. And Brian saw her, heard the words “drunk driver” and assumed that it had been her that hit him. He thought that the reason she had been at the scene, like Dr. Perry had referred to, was because she was the one that had almost killed him. Her own injuries and blood covered clothing didn’t help, she could definitely pass as a person who had been involved in an accident.

“Mr. Littrell, I think you--”

“Get her out of my room,” Brian interrupted. He spoke with such venom that tears formed in Julie’s eyes. He really did think she was a truly awful human being.

“Mr. Littrell, perhaps you’d better hear the rest of the story.”

Julie held up her hand to stop Dr. Perry. She noted all the shocked faces in the room as she walked out without a word, closing the door silently behind her. She heard the click of the door being fully shut and then the tears started to fall. It was too much for her. First the accident, then her self criticism and second guessing, the waiting for Brian to wake up and now this. She wanted to go home. She turned around and limped out of the emergency department doors without another word or glance to anyone.