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<br><br>
"Seriously, Jess, we've got a little over three weeks before I have to start doing rehearsals again. You better make your mind up now where you want to go!" Nick asked as he laid the travel brochures down on the glass coffee table.
<br><br>
Jess glanced at all the brochures Nick had selected. "Busch Gardens? Honestly Nick!"
<br><br>
Nick smiled. "Hey now! I was getting desperate here."
<br><br>
He sat down on the white leather couch next to Jess. "Any place you want to go, I'll go there, just ask."
<br><br>
"Nick, you've been all over the world, certainly there's a place you like the best," Jess argued.
<br><br>
"But I want it to be your choice, not mine," Nick insisted.
<br><br>
"Tell me your most favorite place in the world that you've been to," Jess asked.
<br><br>
Nick leaned back into the couch and thought for a moment. There were so many different places he had seen, each were special in some sort of way. "I guess London, England was pretty sweet."
<br><br>
"Then we'll go there, you know the sites so it will be easier to plan this out," Jess replied as she tossed a brochure of England at Nick.
<br><br>
Just as Jessica placed her hand on the phone to call the travel agent, it began to ring. Nick was starting to tell her to let the machine pick it up, but Jess already picked the receiver up.
<br><br>
"Hello?.....oh, hi Howie!.....what?.......oh my god....no, this can't be true......we're on our way....bye."
<Br><br>
Nick could instantly tell it was bad news that Jess had just received from Howie. Her face had gone pale and her voice was trembling after she started talking to Howie. She quietly turned and faced Nick.
<br><br>
"That was Howie," Jess started out. She paused and swallowed hard. Nick searched her face for some type of clue as to the news she was about to deliver. "It's Brian, we need to go to Orlando immediately.
<br><br>
"What's wrong?" Nick asked as he followed Jess out the door into the garage.
<br><br>
Jess stopped and turned to face Nick. "They think he had a stroke."
<br><br>
A stoke.
<br><br>
The words cut through Nick like a knife. "How?"
<br><br>
"Nick, I don't know, we'll find out more when we get there, okay? You want me to drive or are you okay to drive?"
<br><br>
Taking the keys out of her hand, Nick simply stated, "I'm fine."
<br><br><center>*~*~*~*~*~*~*</center><br><br>

The anguished face of Kevin’s pretty much assured Nick that
the situation was not looking very good for Brian. Howie and
AJ were sitting in the private waiting room as well, AJ
pacing back and forth and Howie looking completely lost.
<br><br>
“How is he?” Jess managed to ask Kevin as she hugged him.
<br><br>
The tears slipped down Kevin’s cheeks and all he could
manage was shake his head no.
<br><Br>
“Don’t you know anything yet?” Nick yelled out of
frustration.
<br><br>
“Nick, calm down, this won’t change matters,” Howie softly
spoke, trying to soothe Nick.
<br><br>
“But why? How?” Nick questioned.
<br><br>
“All we know is that Leighanne found Brian on the floor in
the kitchen this morning, unconscious. They’re not coming
back and telling us anything yet. Leighanne is in with Brian
and his parents have been called in,” Howie stated quietly.
<br><br>
“When are they going to come and tell us something?” Nick
persisted.
<br><br>
“Nick we’re not family, so I doubt they will talk to us,”
Howie replied.
<br><br>
“Yes we are, Brian’s my brother,” Nick argued.
<br><br>
“Not a relative,” AJ snapped.
<br><br>
As Nick was preparing to respond to AJ, a short, blonde
haired nurse entered the waiting room.
<br><br>
“Normal hospital policies state only two visitors at a time
to a patient’s room, but because of the circumstances, you
are all permitted to go to Mr. Littrell’s room. Please
follow me,” the nurse stated.
<br><br>
The group followed the nurse down the long, white-tiled
hallway. She stood in the doorway to NICU room number 12 and
gestured for them to enter.
<br><br>
Nick scanned the room as he walked in. His heart sank when
he saw Brian. He laid in the bed, hooked up to machines and
had tubes going into his mouth. Leighanne was holding the
only hand that didn’t have an IV in it, tears running down
her cheeks. When she looked up and their eyes met, Nick
immediately started asking questions.
<br><br>
“How did this happen? What’s wrong with him?”
<br><br>
Leighanne took in a deep breath before she answered Nick’s
questions.
<br><br>
“Brian had a stroke,” Leighanne replied.
<br><br>
“I know that, but how?” Nick persisted.
<br><br>
“They think it’s from that large clot Brian had from when he
had that surgery after the accident. They think part of it
broke off and went to his brain,” as Lee answered, her voice
was shaking.
<br><br>
“But he’s gonna be okay, right?” Nick hopefully asked.
<br><br>
Leighanne broke down into sobs.
<br><br>
“Lee, he’s gonna be okay, right?” Nick repeated.
<br><br>
Leighanne looked at each of their faces and then at Brian.
“Brian’s gone.”
<br><Br>
Nick looked at her in disbelief. He could hear the heart
monitor keeping a steady beat of Brian’s heart.
<br><br>
“No, he’s not, what are you talking about?” Nick demanded.
<br><br>
“Brian’s brain dead,” Lee replied, no emotion in her voice.
<br><br>
“He can’t be, you’re wrong!” Nick shouted at her.
<br><br>
“They’re waiting for his parents to come so Brian can be
taken off of life support,” Leighanne stated, her voice
shaky and uneven toned.
<br><br>
“NO!”
<br><br>
Nick suddenly felt sick to his stomach. He wanted to run out
of that room. He wanted to find someone that could help
Brian, someone that wouldn’t give up on him. He opted to
stay where he was, staring at Brian’s lifeless body in that
bed.
<br><br>
Nick looked at everyone in the room. “So that’s it? You’re
giving up just like that? His heart is still beating, he is
alive dammit!”
<br><br>
Jess softly touched Nick’s arm. “That was the strongest part
of Brian, Nick. His heart was what made Brian Brian. It
would never give up, it just hasn’t been told to quit.
<br><br><center>*~*~*~*~*~*</center><br><br>

Brian’s parents arrived at the hospital a few hours later.
They had signed the necessary paperwork to have Brian
removed from life support. They had decided to allow each of
the guys a few minutes to be alone with Brian before the
life support was terminated.
<br><br>
Nick was the last of them to go into the room. He walked in
slowly, looking at the machines, especially the one that
kept track of Brian’s heartbeat.
<br><br>
At first, all Nick did was stare at Brian’s face. It
appeared to be peaceful. If it weren’t for the tubes in his
mouth, Nick could have sworn that Brian had just laid down
to take a nap.
<br><br>
Then the memories started to flood Nick’s mind. The first
time they met.......all the concert tours they played
at.....the practical jokes Brian played on him and the jokes
he played on Brian......the basketball games and how often
he accused Brian of cheating....Brian’s laugh.....his
smile......how he was always there for Nick.
<br><br>
Nick took Brian’s hand into his. Taking a deep breath, Nick
finally spoke to him, pouring his heart out.
<br><br>
“Brian,” Nick started, his voice choked with emotion. “I
know you’re still here somewhere in this room and you can
hear me. You’ve been like a brother to me. You always took
my side and defended me from day one. Hell, if you hadn’t
done that stupid stunt in trying to save my damn life that
night, you would be okay and not laying in this bed waiting
to check out. You’ve given your life for me and you will
still be giving your life through everything that you will
be donating.” Nick chocked back a sob.
<br><br>
“God, Brian, you were so damn perfect. You always said that
God only takes the best, but I’m selfish and I want him to
leave you here with us, we still need you.”
<br><br>
Nick broke down into heart breaking sobs. He put his head on
Brian’s chest and cried. After several minutes had passed,
Nick reached out and tried to hug Brian the best he could
and kissed his cheek.
<br><br>
“I love you, buddy, I always have. I’m going to miss you.”
<br><br><center>