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"What the hell do you think this was all about?" AJ was muttering as he stood his ground in the waiting room. "I'm kinda confused. What exactly is happening?" Howie frowned as he wathced the doors swing shut behind Derek. "Hey Kev, Bri." He finally geeted, and was pulled into a quick hug by both men as a make shift greeting, his brown eyes darting around as he waited for an answer. "So, what is this all about Jay?"
"I dunno. I guess the medicine had something to do with Nick's collapse." AJ mumbled, motioning for Howie to sit down and then falling into the seat next to him.
"So now what? I mean do you think that's it?"
"Who knows! But someone would have to know about all those negative side affects! You can't be that dumb..." AJ was pratically hissing as he watched Kevin pace before himself, Howie and Brian, who had taken a seat next to AJ. "I swear to god if I find out that Nick's doctor cleared the medication knowing about any of this I'll fuckin-"

"Stop it AJ." Brian reprimanded softly, his blue eyes on the floor in front of him. "We can't jump to any allegations yet."
"Are you kidding me Rok? Dude, that guy Derek said-"
"Sshhhh!" Brian hushed, clamping a hand over AJ's mouth as he looked around. The now, older woman at the receptionist desk was shooting them strange looks and he flashed her a large smile, watching as she half returned it before going back to her paperwork. "Keep your voice down!" AJ shoved Brian's hand off of him, narrowing his eyes as he glared, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Look, we can't raise attention to this just yet. If we bring it up, it sounds like something that could cost Derek his job. Plus, I mean, the guy looks nice but we don't know him."
"He's a paramedic Bri," Howie began with a small frown. "You can't possibly think he's trying to pull anything."
"I don't know what to think anymore Howie." The younger man let out. "I'm so tired right now and so worried, I don't want to think. I just want to see Nicky."

"Alright listen," Kevin sighed, sinking down into one of the chairs. "We'll keep everything Derek said in mind AJ but for now, we keep quiet on it. At least until we find out what exatly happened to Nick. Okay?"
"Whatever." AJ shrugged, glancing at the clock. "Why is this taking so long?"
"We've only been here about 20 minutes or so Jay." Howie supplied, a small smile breaking onto his face. "These things can take time."
"If there's something really wrong, yeah." The rebel retorted, crossing his arms over his chest.
"AJ, drop the attitude, okay? It's not helping matters."
"I don't have a-" Kevin simply shot a look at the younger man, causing him to fall silent as he rolled his eyes. Silence overwhelmed the four men, the slowly ticking of the clock echoing throughout the empty waiting room. AJ was bouncing his leg up and down, his chocolate gaze shooting from the wall clock to his wrist watch, wishing he could push time along and make it go faster. Twenty minutes had turned into 40, which had transformed into 70 and AJ was almost to his breaking point. Kevin's head was bowed, his own eyes on the floor, his mind racing as he tried to keep composure. He hated waiting like this. Hated not knowing what was happening. Howie has scooped up a random magazine, not taking in a word of the article as he simply stared at the pages blankly, his mind wandering.

Brian was barely sitting still, his thoughts running through his head, a mile a minute. He felt like screaming, like yelling at the top of his lungs. Anything to help relieve the tension that was building around his heart and holding him captive. This was torture. "I've got to get some air or something." The Kentuckian breathed, rising to his feet. "I'll be back in a bit. Call my cell if you hear anything, yeah?"
"Where are you gonna go?" Brian shrugged at Kevin's question, running a hand over his face tiredly. "I just need to get out of this room. I'm gonna go crazy."
"Alright. Don't go far." The younger man nodded at his cousin, moving to walk out of the room before stopping briefly at the receptionist desk. "Um, excuse me," He drawled out slowly, pressing a small smile onto his face. "Is there a chapel here?"
"Three floors up, down the first hallway on your right." She directed without even glancing up. "Thanks." She glanced at him and nodded curtly before going back to her paperwork.
"You're welcome."

Stuffing his hands into his pocket as he walked, Brian made his way to the elevators, punching the up button, rocking slowly back and forth on the balls of his feet as he waited for the lift to arrive. The doors slid open to reveal an empty car and he briefly smiled before stepping in, hitting the button for the 4th floor. Reaching his destination only a few seconds later, he disembarked, slowly making his way down the correct hallway, his eyes wandering over the various signs as he looked for the chapel. Recgonition dawned on him as he walked through the hallways, noticing the more so somber atmosphere of the floor. He was in the ICU unit.

"What a very fitting place for a chapel." He sighed, finally finding the place he was looking for and tugging one of the double doors open slowly. The chapel was empty and small, 10 short rows of candles placed immediately to the left of the doors, with only about 5 or 6 of them still burning. Walking over to them, he grabbed a match, gazing at them sadly before striking the match. "For you Frack." Brian whispered, lighting the candle as he closed his eyes momentarily. Opening his eyes, he moved to sit in one of the pews, looking ahead at the stained glass pictures decorating the walls and the cross before him. "Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdome come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us, our trespasses, as we forgive those, who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen." The southener prayed, dropping his head as he knelt forwards, resting his forhead on his clasped hands. "Father, I beg of you, please don't take Nicky away from us. Leave him here, with those he loves. Help him in his hours of need, give him the strength we can not. Dry his tears when he cries, carry him when he is weak. I pray to You now, in one of my hours of need, knowing You will hear me. My trust I put forth in You, my faith, my love, my comfort. Give Nick the faith he needs to make it through this test You have given him. All this I ask in Your name. In the name of the Father, The Son, The Holy Spirt, Amen." Brian slowly made the sign of the cross, sitting back in his seat. "Please..."

~~~~~~~~~

Nick felt as though he was floating, his world turned upside down as he looked around. Nothing seemed right. "What the hell is going on?" He whispered, his grey-blue eyes darting around. The last thing he remembered was talking to AJ, then a sudden pain in his chest and now he seemed to be in a place he had never seen before. Realization suddenly hit him and he let out a gasp, reeling backwards as though he had been hit. "Oh shit...oh SHIT!" Nick gasped, "Oh god, don't tell me..." He spun around, eyes wide, trying to search for a confirmation of what he was thinking. Desperately praying he was wrong. "Kevin?! Brian?? AJ? Howie? Can anyone hear me?" A frown took shape on his features as his cries fell unnoticed and he moved forward a few steps, a sudden rushing sound filling his ears. Warmth suddenly overtook his body and he felt as though he would never be sad again, a smile breaking onto his face. "Guys?? Are you this way?" The youth breathed, taking a few more steps ahead. "You have to be this way...it feels so right...." His sentence trailed off as he continued to walk forward, a bright light suddenly appearing and he raised his arm up, trying to shield his eyes. "Frick? Kevin? Anyone there?"

Shrugging, he walked closer, stopping in his tracks as something finally hit him. "Oh god..." Nick choked out, taking a faltering step back. "This can't be...not THE light....NO! I'm don't wanna leave yet!" He flew backwards at the notion, almost tripping as he recoiled, his heart racing. "I wanna go back! I wanna go BACK!" The blonde was screaming into nothing, his gaze shooting everywhere. "I WANT TO GO BACK!"
"Then go." He heard a voice whisper. Nick spun around at the sound, still finding himself completely alone. "Go back to them." Eyes wide with fright, Nick nodded slowly, heading in the opposite direction of where he had been going, darkness looming in on him. He felt his breath catch in his throat, barely able to see the tip of his nose as he continued on, feeling suffocated by the darkness.

"I don't like this..." He mumbled to himself, pushing himself to keep going. Thoughts of Kevin, Brian, Howie and AJ flashed before him, a determined look flashing onto his face. Pain slowly began to dance around him the further he walked and he gasped for a breath, finding it hard to breathe. With each step he took, he felt the as though weight was dropping onto his shoulders, agony cutting through him. "I can't...." Nick cried, stumbling and falling to his knees. Trying to get back to his feet, he swayed, moving only a few inches before tumbling back down again with a heartfelt cry. "Help me please..." He begged, his eyes welling with tears as he sat alone in the pitch black atmosphere, wave after wave of pain hitting him, making him whimper, "Please...someone help me.....Brian please...."