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Four Weeks Later
"Hello?" I answered my phone, tying on my shoes.

"Hey there good lookin'" Nick's voice on the other end replied.

"Hey you, how are you?"

"Tired, it's been a week and I'm exhausted."

"Where are you now?"

"California."

"Nick its like four am there!"

"I know but I knew you'd be up."

"You're just getting in aren't you?"

"Maybe," Nick said and I could almost see him smiling.

"Party?"

"Yeah just a small one."

"Hellooo?" a voice came from the front.

"Come in Bryce!"

"Ahh, your ride is there I hear." Bryce has been a close friend of Nick's for years now and before Nick left he had Bryce promise him he'd look after me.

"Yeah. You go get some sleep, call me tonight after your show."

"Okay, good luck at therapy."

"Love you."

"Love you Hails." Nick hung up and Bryce was behind me.

"Love you too!" Bryce spun me around and kissed me.

"Ew dog breath!" I joked.

"You love me. You ready girl? I thought after therapy today we could go to the beach?"

"Didn't you just come from there?" I asked as I wheeled to the front door.

"Yes but when is the last time you've been to the beach?"

"I told you, the water freaks me out!"

"Well, it wont when I get done with you. Let's go and get you moving!" Bryce helped me into his car and made our way to physical therapy.

"So you really think you'll be able to walk in time for Nick's birthday?"

"That's my goal. I have no choice the party is already set up and ready to go in three weeks. I can stand and today we're trying to walk."

"Yeah, I don't like this Dave guy."

"Bryce you tell me that every time you bring me. I'm goin to start having Karen bring me."

"I don't know why you can't drive. You can move your feet."

"Safety, insurance thing. Now, no comments. Are you staying or going?"

Bryce put the car in park.

"Oh, I'm staying, like I said; I don't like this Dave character." I shook my head and Bryce got out my wheel chair and brought it to the passanger side. I slid myself over and he pushed me inside.

~*~*~*~An hour later~*~*~*~Bryce's POV
"Okay Hailey, your movement is improving tremendously. You should be very proud of yourself," Dave told her with his hand on her shoulder and one on her thigh.

"I am and I'm in like no pain!"

"That's great. I'd like to get over to those bars over there and try walking some more today. Your goal is to be walking in three weeks, correct?"

"Preferably without crutches."

"We'll see. Okay I'll wheel you over there." I watched as he picked her up and put her into her wheel chair and push over to the parallel bars.

"Bars were not my favorite event," Hailey joked as she put an arm around DAVE and stood up.

"Oh yeah? What was your best?"

"Well, beam was my best but my favorite was floor. So, are you going to help me all the way?"

"Of course, I'll keep my hands around your waist, you keep your hands on the bars and we'll just move nice and slow."

"Sounds good."

"Isn't that harness supposed to help her, not your hands?" I asked walking up to the two.

"Bryce," Hailey warned.

"It is but Hailey is much more advanced in her movement. If she wasn't then I would have her use it. Okay Hails, one foot at a time." I watched as she took a deep breath in and let it out slowly as she moved her left leg. Her right leg followed but I watched her face cringe a little.

"You're doing great Hailey."

"Something doesn't feel right," she said, keeping her eyes looking down at her feet as she moved her left leg again.

"Maybe she needs a break," I said

"No, you need to keep going its the only way you're going to reach your goal." Dave said. "You were in a competitive sport for years, you know how to be pushed."

Hailey nodded her head, looked at me briefly and continued to walk. She made it almost half way when I watched as her right leg gave out and cried out.

"I have ya, you're okay," Dave said with his arms under hers. I had stepped forward when I saw her fall.

"My right knee just isn't moving the way it should be it feels."

"Let's just finish up, we'll get you down all the way and call it a day."

"Did you not hear her? I think she should stop now," I said my voice rising.

"I think you need to go to the waiting room. I'm her physical theripst, I know what's best. Hailey how are you feeling?"

"Umm, I guess I can continue. As long as I'm not hurting myself, right?"

"No, you're doing just fine hon." Hailey stood all the way up, she brought her right leg up to her chest and back down trying to loosen her knee. It took her about five minutes but she was able to make it to the end of the bars.

"Rice could you bring her chair over please," Dave asked me.

"It's Bryce," I mumbled and pushed her chair over as she sat down.

"I think we should do the pool tomorrow so bring your suit."

"Okay thanks."

"If you start to get sore, ice/cold therapy girl. Good work today." He nodded at me and I did my best not to knock him out right there.

"You ready babe?" I asked and she nodded her head. I pushed her out to the car and opened her door. I watched she struggled to lift herself up and bring her legs in, I helped her and closed the door.

"You didn't have to be so rude to Dave,"she said as I got in.

"The guy is an idiot. I'm surprised Nick has stuck with him for this long."

"You're not coming tomorrow."

"Hell I'm not, especially if you're going to be in a swim suit around the creep." Hailey shook her head. "Look,I'll try to be more laid back, you're like a sister to me."

"I know I'm sorry. I just wish Nick were here."

"I imagine its hard after being with him 24/7."

"Well, soon enough. How about a rain check to the beach. You look like your ass has been kicked." Hailey laughed.

"If you don't mind."

"Not at all lil' lady."
"I don't get why he has to be in the pool with you, or why we can't do this at Nick's together."

"Bryce, how about in case I start to drown."

"Did you have to wear a two piece though?"

"I don't own a one piece suit! Relax."

"I can't help it, the guy is so touchy feely."

"He is a little but that's his job, think about it. Now, you go read your Sports Illustrated and I'll do my therapy and we'll do lunch and go to the beach."

"I told Nick I'd call him."

"It's like seven am there."

"He has an interview at a radio show."

"I want to talk, that's not fair."

"You guys talk every night."

"You don't tell him my progress do you?"

"I just tell him that you're at the same place where you were when he left but you're still working hard and doing well."

"Okay good. Now, go behave. Send my love."

"Yeah yeah." Bryce walked away and Dave entered the room wearing his swim trunks.

"How are we today?" Dave smiled.

"A little sore but it feels good to be sore like this."

"So, it's a more, 'I've been using my muscles' kind of sore."

"Yeah."

"Excellent. Well, we'll just do like twenty minutes of pool time, I want to take a look at that knee a little better today and see whats up." I nodded my head and Dave pushed me over to the chair lift. He helped me get into the lift and he got into the water. He pressed a button and it lowered me into the water. Once there he instructed me to put my hands on his shoulders as we went out into the water.

"Relax, you're tensing."

"Just a little nervous being in the water for some reason."

"You're doing just fine. I won't let go." We did some exercies, with kicking my legs and using a railing that was put into the pool and actually walking on the shallow end. "Not so bad is it?" Dave asked.

"Actually not at all. I'm surprised I could move around this much in the water."

"Water is great therapy. Especially on the days where you feel sore. How about a little water treading?"

"In the deep end?"

"Yes, I'll be close by as soon as you feel you can't do any more. I'd like to make a chart and see how much you can progress."

"Sounds good. So, I should swim out a little ways and you'll time me?"

"That's it." He flashed his smile and pushed a button on his watch. I let go of the side of the pool and swam out to the deep end. I had pretty strong arms from gymnastics and working out already and from having to only use my arms the last few months have only made them stronger. I wasn't nervous.

"Okay and go!" Dave called as he pulled himself out of the pool and sat on the ledge.

"How long do you think I can do today?"

"It's up to you. Your mind and body are two seperate things that want two different things. If you want to tread for ten minutes, then tell yourself that and it will often over power your body."

"I can see how that is true. But a lot of times I'll want more than what my body can handle."

"Mind over body." I continued to tread using mostly my arms but my legs here and there. "Come on Hailey use your legs more. We need to get them stronger! You're at eleven minutes, keep pushing."

"I'm getting tired and its humid in here."

"Let's shoot for five more, you can do it. So, tell me about how Nick is doing. Is it hard with him away on tour?"

"It's...not too...bad. I...miss him. He's doing ....well though." My head was now struggling to keep above water and I kept spitting out water.

"Four more minutes."

"I-I can't."

"You CAN! NOW KICK!" he yelled and I kicked my legs hard for about ten seconds and felt my body slip under the warm water. My lungs began to tighten and I tried to swim to the top but knew my body was too weak.


~*~*~*~*~*~
"You're alright there, just breathe," Dave had pulled me up and was now carrying me out of the pool.

"You son-of a bitch! Are you trying to kill her?!" I heard Bryce's voice but my eyes didn't want to stay open. "She's having an asthma attack! Hailey where is your inhaler?"

"My...purse..." Bryce stood up and ran out of the pool, within seconds came back with my in haler.

"Deep, slow breaths, you're doing just fine. Tweleve minutes Hails great work! Next time we'll go for sixteen."

"Sit her up," Bryce said.

"I know what to do in this case."

"You obviously didn't see her struggling for AIR. Here you go Hails," Bryce gave me my inhaler and I took two puffs of it.

After a few moments, I sat up on my own.

"I'm fine." I pulled a small smile.

"Let me take of that knee before you head home." Dave took my right leg and began moving it in weird positions that did not feel comfortable.
"This is what I'd like to do. I'd like to get an MRI on it, see if maybe any damage was done to it that they didn't catch. And we can go from there. I'll call your doctor this afternoon."

"Okay, I can go now?"

"Yes,I'll see you in the day after tomorrow." Dave got up and left Bryce and I there.

"You okay kiddo?" he asked helping me up.

"About the beach today?"

"I know, lets go watch a movie and relax." He put me in my chair.

"Was Nick busy when you got off the phone?"

"Never for you." Bryce brought me to my stuff and I slipped a shirt over my head and pulled on a pair of pants and sandals. Bryce had gotten out his phone while I got my things on.

"Hey Nick, yeah I know. Your girl here wanted to talk to you. It's been a rough day...here she is." Bryce handed me the phone and soon as I put it to my ear, I wanted to cry.

"Hi," I whispered.

"What's going on baby girl?"

"Umm, just wanted to hear your voice. I miss you."

"I miss you too. Bryce said you had a rough session? Everything okay?"

"I'm...I'm fine." I lied, not wanting to worry Nick. I could feel Bryce's eyes on me as he pushed me to the car.

"Are you sure? Babe all you have to do is say the words and I'm there. I promised you when this first happened that I wouldn't let you do this alone. And now..."

"Now, I'm doing it with my personal body guard," I patted Bryce's hand.

"I will call you a little later tonight but we were just doing a sound check."

"Okay."

"I love you, stay strong for me."

"I will."

"Bye baby." Nick hung up and Bryce picked me up and put me into the car, for I was too exhausted to lift myself.