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*hope you guys are enjoying this one because I want my half of a star back!! :( lol*


MINE


The next few days were kind of a blur to me. I barely remembered being awake for more then ten minutes at a time. Always someone was in the room with me, holding my hand. Whether it be my mother, father, Harold or one of the guys, they never left me alone.

I was plagued with the strangest dreams during that time. Dreams of me running away from a faceless monster, growling behind me "You're all mine now" it would say. I would feel its claws coming close to me, feeling the heat of it's breath on my neck as I would open my eyes. To feel the warm embrace of a loved one by my side. Thanking God it was only a nightmare.

On the third day I woke up feeling much better then I had. No headache at all, no stiff neck and no blurry vision. I couldn't believe that I had been in the hospital for about a week. It felt like only a few hours.

Derek Jones paid me no visits this time around, of which I was thankful. With the security guards on constant watch he wouldn't be able to get in if he wanted to. I was safe and thankfully so was Nick.

The dreams I had always involved him as well. He would be running behind me trying to keep up. The two of us laughing and messing around just like always. Whenever those monsters started to chase me he would disappear and I would be grateful for it every time.

This day I awoke to find AJ sitting by my side, reading a magazine or pretending to at least. He looked occupied. Occupied and tired. Had any of them slept since this happened I wondered?

"Hey AJ" He looked up from his magazine and smiled at me, "Rok good morning to you buddy"

"Is it morning?"

"Well a rock stars morning" He laughed, "It's about 2 in the afternoon"

I moved to sit up and was happily surprised to see it didn't hurt. "Oh, wow I have been getting my fair share of sleep recently haven't I?"

"Yup, you've been a lazy bum"

"Hey AJ, did those cops ever run that name I gave them through their system?" He bit his lip.

"Yeah they said nothing came up but they're still checking on things"

"Oh okay, how is Nick?"

"He's doing much better Rok" It was all relative to me since I didn't know how bad off he was to begin with. Much better meant that he was running around his floor giving the doctors and nurses grief. I couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" AJ asked smiling at me.

"Just picturing Nick giving the nurses a hard time. He must be getting anxious being in the same room cooped up all day"

AJ smiled back but this time it was forced, "Yeah...I bet"

"Do you think they'll let me go see him today?"

"I don't know...maybe" The mood change in AJ made me a little sick to my stomach.

"AJ how bad off is he? I mean is it that bad? Why doesn't anybody want me to see him?"

"Rok the guy was a sicko, I just don't think any of us want you to relive that. Kevin and Howie are up there with Nick now"

"Is he asking about me at all?" Now I had to make sure that Nick wasn't mad at me. Maybe blaming me for everything.

"He hasn't said anything Rok. He's been in a coma"

"But...I thought you said he's doing a lot better" Those words had hit me hard. Felt like another hit to the back of my head with a bat.

"He is, he's breathing on his own now and his vital signs are better whatever the hell that means"

"He wasn't breathing on his own?" I don't know why I was so shocked. I mean hadn't they all said he was in bad shape?

"NO...we thought we were going to lose him Brian" He called me Brian. That never happened.

"Oh" I laid back on my pillow suddenly losing the energy I thought I had built up.

Another uncharacteristic move was AJ grabbing my hand, "I am so sorry you guys went through hell man. I wish I was there with you"

"No you don't Bone"

"They'll catch the son of a bitch and when they do they better keep him the hell away from me that's all I’m saying" AJ showed his love for us in small ways like the statement he had just made. He was protective, had a very nurturing personality but he was never going to admit that. EVER!

"So they still haven't taken anyone into custody yet?" He shook his head.

"What more do they need? I even gave them his name!"

AJ let go of my hand and pulled his chair closer to me, "I have good news for you though"

"Yeah?" I could've used some good news about now. "What is it?"

"The doctors are talking about letting you go home soon"

"Really?"

AJ nodded, "They said you seem to be doing much better so they are going to have you walk around a bit today and tomorrow then maybe by Friday you'll be a free man"

"If they are going to let me walk, then that means maybe they'll let me go see Nick" Again AJ smiled but would not look me in the face.

"Was he hit with a baseball bat like me?" Now I just needed to know as much as possible. I had been very patient letting them skirt around the questions I had asked and then for a while too tired to stay awake and hear the answers. Now I just needed to know as much as possible.

"Rok, he was hit...yes"

"So, it wasn't what hurt him seriously then?"

"I'm sure it didn't help, but the police seem to think the last thing the guy did was hit him with the bat"

"Last thing?" AJ looked away. Suddenly I wasn't sure if I wanted to know anymore. Last thing meant that there was so much more that happened to my little brother. So much more that I couldn't do anything about.

"Rok" AJ cleared his throat, sounded like he was getting emotional.

"The guy was just a monster...you don't want to know believe me. I wish I didn't know"

"When you guys found him in the hotel room, you said there was a lot of blood..."

AJ nodded again. I could see that he was mentally going back to that place. "We thought he was dead"

"Where was he when you found him AJ? I mean I think I remember it was you that found him"

"He was right outside of the tub"

"The tub?"

"Yeah I think the son of a bitch tried to drown him in the tub" Before either of us could respond to that Kevin walked into the room. I think AJ was grateful for the reprieve because he jumped out of his chair the second my cousin entered. "Hey Kevin...Rok i'm going to go for a little walk. You want anything? I can sneak you in some Mac and cheese from the cafeteria if you want"

"No thanks AJ, I’m good" AJ smiled at me as he made his way out the door.

"Did I interrupt something?" Kevin said probably feeling the tension in the room.

"No, we were just saying that I was anxious to see Nick"

"Oh"

We sat in silence for a few minutes, Me letting what AJ said about Nick's condition sink in. "Kevin will you take me up there to see him?" Kevin looked at me with sleep filled eyes.

"Brian I don't know..."

"I know he's in bad shape. AJ told me...I just need to see him"

"Okay...I’ll go ask if it'll be alright"

"Thanks" He stood up and left my room. I closed my eyes for a minute. Just a minute...

"What makes you think I wanted you?" I felt him against me as he had me pushed against the wall.

"Please don't hurt me" I begged my legs felt like Jell-O underneath me.

"It's him I want. He's mine" He was wearing that stupid name tag again in a white lab coat. Derek Jones but this time the picture was different. It was more sinister somehow. He was pointing at Nick who for some reason was sitting on my bed reading a comic book. It looked like A Spiderman one.

"Please leave us alone...you can have my money anything you want, but leave us alone"

He let me drop to the floor; Nick looked my way when I fell but then quickly went back to reading his comic. Derek pulled out a knife from his pocket. It was small but had a very sharp jagged edge. He was going to slit my throat. Not strangle me like I had thought he was going to do. I felt the blade go into my skin right above my breast bone. It felt like I was being burned.

"Mine!" He laughed as he cut.


"NO!" I screamed opening my eyes as my cousin walked back into my room. I quickly moved my hand across my chest just to make sure I was only dreaming.

"Are you okay?" He asked me walking over and scanning my body.

"Yeah, I was just dreaming"

"Oh...nightmare?" I nodded.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No"

"The doctor said I can take you to see Nicky as long as you are in a wheelchair and promise not to stay that long" I looked over at the wheelchair sitting by the door. I hadn't noticed him bring it in.

"Okay good"

"Are you sure Brian?" For just a brief second I almost said no, but I had to see him. No matter how bad it might be.

"Yes, let's go" He brought the chair to me and I moved to get in. A nurse came in to make sure I would handle the transition okay and asked if we wanted her to escort me. I said it was okay. Kevin could handle things from now on. I didn't want her in there.

As we moved into the elevator and headed towards the ICU Kevin placed a hand on my shoulder, "Brian he doesn't look good. I just want to warn you, I can't even stand to see him"

"I need to see him Kevin" We were both so sad. Kevin sounded so defeated.

The elevator dinged and immediately the smell of death hit my nostrils. The crying people around the reception desk. The beeping of ventilators and heart monitors. I already couldn't stand it. I remembered being attached to those machines and the fear that lived inside of me because of it. I think somehow it was easier being the one sick than witnessing someone you loved go through it.

I remember Kevin saying that to me as I lay in my hospital bed. It was easier for me than him. I didn't believe him but now as we approached Nick's room... I did.

One of the Carter girls was at the end of the hall talking to someone who I couldn't see. I was hoping the parents were nowhere around because I couldn't deal with seeing them.

Howie walked out of the door just as we were about to go in, "Hi" He said giving me a nod. "How are you holding up?" He asked me even though I felt I should have asked him that question. He looked like hell.

"I'll be better once I see him" Kevin and Howie exchanged worried glances and then finally I was pushed into the room.

It was out of a nightmare. At first you couldn't really see him because there was a privacy curtain around him. Probably to keep gawkers away. ICU was less private then the room I was in. The security guard was sitting in a corner of the room reading a magazine. It was easier to look at him though because just by the beeping sounds I didn't want to look at Nick.

I finally forced myself to. He was lying there in the middle of the bed lifeless and pale. He had an oxygen mask covering his mouth and he was attached to a ton of wires and various drip bags.

"My God" I gasped as Kevin rolled me closer to him.

He had gauze bandages all over his arms and wrapped around his head. "What did he do to you Nicky?" I asked in a whisper. I went to grab his hand but stopped, afraid I would hurt him.

"It's okay B, you can take his hand. I do it all the time" Howie confessed now moving to the other side of the bed. I moved for his hand. It felt so cold to the touch.

"Why is he all bandaged up?" I asked but still not able to take my eyes away from my best friend.

When no one answered me I continued, "Was he burned? Is that what all the bandages are for?" Still no answer.

"Dammit answer me!" I said growing impatient and causing the guard to look my way.

"No Brian he wasn't burned he was stabbed"

"Oh my God" I pictured the knife I had dreamed about. Felt the burning as it cut through my flesh.

"He was stabbed all over the place?" I asked scanning my little brother's body seeing how many bandages I saw.

"Kind of, not really stabbed, but..." Kevin paused to regain his composure, "more like carved"

"What?" I started breathing fast now, almost hyperventilating.

"The guy carved the word MINE all over Nick's body"

I lost it then. I moved my hand away from Nick and placed it over my mouth as I started to sob uncontrollably. Kevin and Howie came to my side but I ignored them only looking at Nick.