Chapter 8

March 16th 2008

I sit here in a small room, in a chair across from her bed.  It’s been about 6 hours since I found out she was alive.  Chelsea is alive…  She’s sleeping, finally, in front of me.  So many things are going through my head.  New questions, old ones being answered, I start thinking about what it was like for her, and then I start thinking about what he might of done too her.  I feel like my fucking head is going to explode.  I still have my shows to do, I still have a concert with the guys tomorrow.  My life has been completely flipped upside down and I don’t know where my future is at now.  It’s weird yesterday I was pissed because of Rachel and now, well I don’t know, more new questions that I don’t know when I’m going to get the answer too.  I hate this uncertainty, the not knowing part, maybe that’s the part that always gets me into trouble.  Well fuck not this time.  I have been given a second chance that not too many people get and I’m going to take it.  No matter how much it changes me.

AJ looked up from his journal when he heard a whimper and looked over at Chelsea.  She was curled up on her side facing him, the look on her face made him wonder if she was having a bad dream.  He put his pen in the middle of the book and closed it as he put it back in his backpack.  Leaning over in his chair a little, he reached out and brushed the hair from her face.  Chelsea mumbled a little as her eyes fluttered open.

“Hi.” AJ said with a light smile on his face but her reaction was not what he was expecting.  Her face fell in horror and she pulled away from him.  “Chels?” He said confused as he reached for her.

“No!” She shouted as she jumped out of the bed. 

“Chelsea, what’s wrong?” AJ asked her as he got up and walked over to her.

“Get away!” She shouted again as she grabbed the chair and pushed it at him.

“Whoa Chels.” AJ said confused as he grabbed the chair stopping it from slamming into him.

“Get away!” She screamed as she ran into the wall.  Her body began to shake and she started crying hysterically as the door to her room flew open and Dr. Coupe and a couple of nurses came running in.  “Let me go, don’t touch me!” Chelsea shouted as the nurses, both males picked her up.  She was trying to kick them, trying to free herself and AJ just stood there scared.  Scared that he had done something to her and scared for her, not knowing what was wrong with her.

“What are you doing?” AJ asked the doctor as she walked passed him with a needle.  He felt himself get a little light headed at the sight.

“It’s just a sedative.” Doctor Coupe said as she pushed on the bottom of the needle and a little liquid squirted out. 

“Alex?” Kevin said from behind him.  AJ turned around as Kevin took his arm.

“What’s going on? What did I do?” AJ asked as Kevin took him out of the room.  He looked back at Chelsea still crying and he saw the Doctor put the needle in her arm.  “Oh.” AJ said looking away quickly as the door closed.

“You didn’t do anything.” Kevin said as AJ sat down.  “It’s called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.”  AJ looked at his friend as he sat down in the chair beside him.  “Things can set her off, send her back to something that happened with her dad.”

“But I didn’t do anything.”

“I know.” Kevin said as he put his hand on AJ’s shoulder.  Just then the door opened and the Doctor came out.

“Is she ok?” AJ asked as he stood up.  “If I did something to do that too her.”

“No, no you didn’t do anything.” The Doctor said with a light smile.

“I told you.” Kevin said rolling his eyes a little.

“She was sleeping before it hit correct?” Dr. Coupe asked.

“Yeah, she was tossing and mumbling a bit.” AJ said to her.

“She was most likely dreaming and when she woke up, it trigged the episode.” The Doctor said as he closed her clip board.  “She’s been sedated; she’ll sleep it off in an hour or two.”

Kevin thanked the Doctor as AJ put his head in his hands and sighed.  His heart was racing a mile a minute and was now slowly coming to a normal pace.  AJ looked up when he felt someone standing over top of him and saw Kevin looking at him.

“Are you..” He was cut off by the sound of many feet shuffling down the hall.  They both looked in the direction the noise was coming from and a second later saw the guys come around the corner with Jerald.  AJ had forgotten about them with everything else going on.

“Kevin?” Brian said as they walked up too them.  “What’s going on? And why did he have to come here last night?”  Kevin looked at AJ.

“I’m going back into the room.” AJ said to Kevin as he stood up.  Kevin nodded at him and he headed to the door. 

“What’s going on?” He heard Brian say as he opened the door and walked in.  Closing the door behind him he looked at her sleeping.  Her hair was a mess, her face still damp from the sweat as she laid curled up on her side.  He bit his lip as he stared at her, his heart was breaking.  Taking a deep breath he sighed as he sat back down in the chair beside her bed.  He reached for her hand and then thought against it.  With a sigh he put his hands on his stomach and stretched his legs out.

“Alex?” Chelsea said her voice was weak and strained.  He looked over at her a little surprised to see her awake.  She was lying on her side, her eyes barely open but he saw a tear drip from the corner of her left eye.  “I’m sorry.” She tiredly whispered.

Aj turned his chair and brought it up to the side of the bed.  He gently took her hand and wiped away her tears with the other.  “It’s ok darlin’, not your fault.” He said as he brought her hand up to his lips and gently kissed it.  “Get some rest ok?”  She slowly nodded as her eyes fluttered close and AJ sat there, holding her hand, watching her fall asleep.

The door to her room opened and AJ looked up, he saw Kevin and the guys walking in quietly.  Brian was balling his eyes out as he looked at Chelsea sleeping.  The rest just looked like they had seen a ghost. 

“What’s up?” He asked as he pushed his chair away.

“They wanted to come in and see her, she sleeping?” Kevin asked.

“Yeah” AJ nodded.

“Good” Kevin nodded. 

“So are we doing this concert tonight?” Nick asked as he looked around.

“I think it would be a good idea to cancel we’ll come back.” Howie said with a nod.

“No” AJ said shaking his head lightly.  The other guys looked at him.  “We cancel people will want to know why.” He explained.  “I love them to death, but if the army get’s wind of this they’ll be all up in her face.”

“True.” Nick said with a nod.

“The less attention the better, it’s our last show before the break, we can do it.” AJ said nodding.

“Are you sure, wouldn’t you rather be here?” Nick asked.

“It’s all been a lot to take in; I think I need a break anyways.” AJ said as his band mates looked at him.

“We should get too the hotel in Mexico City and get checked in.” Howie said as he looked around.

“Yeah I need a shower.” AJ said as he looked back at Chelsea.  Everyone walked out of the room, AJ grabbed his bags as he walked out too.  They stood around in the hallway, everyone was quiet, not sure what to say. 

“Did you call Aunt Anne yet?” Brian asked as he clamed himself.

“No, we’re waiting until Tim gets there.” Kevin said.

“Does he know?” Brian asked.

“Yeah.” Kevin nodded.

The guys headed outside of the building, a van sat in the driveway, and as AJ’s lungs hit the open air he realized he hadn’t had a smoke in a while.  Then the craving hit him, so he reached into his pocket and pulled out his smokes as the driver took his bags.

“I will give you a call later.” Kevin said as he stood by AJ.

“My cell will be on.”  AJ said with a nod.  “Tell her I’ll be back tonight.”

“Tonight?” Nick said as he walked by.  “After the concert?”

“Yeah I’ll fly home tomorrow or something.”  AJ said with a shrug.

“Alright man.” Kevin said with a smile.  AJ smiled back as he butted out his cigarette and hopped into the van.