Nick's POV
"Do you want to explain what is going on between you and Hailey?" I asked Brian.
"Not your concern." He said upset.
"My girlfriend is in a fight with my best friend, whom I must add both had a fling for each other." I heard my voice raise and Brian's eyes finally met mine.
"I'm sorry Nick. I guess it's just hard because she was there right after Leigh Anne and I broke things off and I haven't had Bailey in a while."
"I understand man but I think you need to take care of yourself for this divorce. Hailey wants to be there for you."
"I know..."
"Let her in and let me in."
"I'll try, I'm sorry."
"It's okay, let's go eat. I think Kevin finished the burgers."
"Sounds good. I'll go up stairs and have her come eat and make things up."
"Good." I patted Brian's shoulder and watched as he went up stairs.
~*~Brian's POV~*~
I carefully went into the bedroom where Hailey was sleeping and went up to the bed. Her face looked peaceful but her breathing was bit shallow. I sat on the edge and put my hand on her shoulder. "Hails wake up, dinner is ready." I shook her gently and leaned over her. "Hailey," I said again.
"Hmm?" She murmured and rolled over a little.
"Hey you, dinner is ready."
"I'm not hungry."
"Hail's I'm sorry."
"It's okay Brian," she smiled and sat up a little. I watched as she brought her hand to her head.
"You alright?"
"I don't feel right."
"Maybe you need to eat."
"Maybe," she pushed the covers away from her and slowly sat up all the way. She held onto the bed post with one hand and her other hand went to her chest. "I'm fine," she pulled a fake smile and we walked down stairs together. Everyone was out on the deck already sitting down and eating.
"There they are," Kevin smiled. "Turkey burger?" He offered Hailey and she nodded and took a sea next to Nick. I watched as Nick pulled her face to his and kissed her forehead. His eyes narrowed at her eyes and then put his hand on her forehead. I wondered if she had a fever. She pushed Nick's hand away and reached for the glass of water that sat in front of her.
"I'd like to make a toast," Howie said holding his glass of wine up. "Here is to Backstreet's Back!"
"ALRIGHT!" The four of us chimed in together and we broke out to a laugh. Maybe this was going to be good for me, especially having Kevin back. It felt like a whole. We made small talk around the meal, sharing stories and excitement for the new album and what kind of sound we wanted to make made the next two hours fly by. We all helped clean up the kitchen and I walked up to Hailey who was washing some of the dishes.
"Are we good?" I asked.
"Of course, you're stubborn and Nick's friend. We're good Bri," she smiled and leaned and kissed my cheek. "You're my best friend."
"Ditto," I told her.
"Is that a basketball court across the street?" Howie asked eagerly.
"Yeah, I have a ball in the garage if you guys want to go play. They have lights on the court too, it's nice."
"Let's go!" I made her drop the glass she was drying and pulled her away from the sink.
"Let me put sneakers on," she told me with a smile and I went to find Nick.
"We're going to play some ball, and well, you're going to be ref." I told Nick.
"Man that sucks," he whined.
"I'm not the one with the broken leg." I told him.
"I know, I'll be kicking your ass on the court soon enough. You'll need all the practice you can get." Nick jabbed back at me. The large group of us made our way outside and across the street to the court.
~*~*Nick's POV*~*~
I watched as Kevin and Brian got ready for the tip off. Because of the height difference, Kevin won easily to the tip off I had thrown the ball up in the air. I moved off to the side and watched as Hailey got into the game. I loved to watch her toned legs move, showing off her tanned muscles. She got the ball and passed it to Katie who then passed it to Howie. He ran and did a lay up making two points.
Kevin then got the ball and dribbled to the center line and pushed through Brian. He jumped and made a three pointer. When did he become so good I thought.
"Come on old man," Kevin threatened his cousin.
"Me? You're way older than I! I believe that's grey in your hair!" Brian dribbled the ball and did a jump shot.
"Hailey!" Brian passed the ball to Hailey and she got the ball. She passed it to Howie then once she was open he passed it back to her. I watched as she ran and dribbled the ball; just as she reached the net both her knees went from under her and she hit the pavement hard. I quickly made my way to her; the rest of the group was surrounding her already. I assumed her knee just gave out on her and pushed through.
"Call 911!" Brian yelled and my stomach sank as I watched him perform CPR.
~*~*~*~
"Come back to us Hails," Brian yelled giving her chest compressions and Kevin gave her mouth to mouth.
"W-what's wrong?" I asked now sitting on the ground. I felt Katie's hands on my shoulders and saw how pale Hailey was.
"Still no heart beat?" A.J. asked with his cell phone to his ear.
"NO!" Brian yelled. My head felt light, I didn't know what was going on.
"An ambulance is on their way!" A.J. yelled. "Give them room," A.J. and Howie helped me to my feet and I stumbled backwards.
"It's beating!" Brian yelled. "Hails can you hear me? Open your eyes!" I had three pairs of hands on me still as I watched the love of my life on the ground.
"Is-she breathing?" I choked out, all of my weight was on my crutches and I was thankful for A.J. and Howie on either side of me.
"She is," Kevin said breathlessly. He must've been exhausted from doing CPR. He felt for her pulse again. "It's faint but it's beating."
Everyone stood in shock and the only thing to break the silence was the ambulance pulling up and two men running with a gurney to us. Kevin explained what happened and a oxygen mask was put over her face, and IV hooked to her arm and they put a board under her body.
"Nick!"
"What?" My attention went to Brian.
"The EMT asked you what medicine is she on?"
"Um, I- her heart medicine."
"We'll need you to get it and bring it to the hospital." One EMT told me and they pushed her to the ambulance.
"Brian go with her please. I can't because of my crutches and I have to get her meds."
"Of course, I'll call you as soon as we get there. She'll be okay," he pulled me in for a hug and he ran off in he direction of the ambulance and climbed in. Did this all really just happen? We were having such a great day.
"Come on, let's get back to the house so we can meet them there." Howie squeezed my shoulder and guided me back to the town house. I wanted to sprint to the house to get to the hospital but there was no way on the crutches. Once in side, I packed three perscription bottles in a plastic bag, grabbed a large hoody of mine and we packed into two cars to go to the hospital. I sat up front with Kevin who kept stealing glances at me. I kept glancing at the speedometer, wanting him to go faster but also knew we had to get there in one piece.
We another ten minute drive when my phone went off and I picked it up.
"Brian how is she?"
"She's stable right now, they have her hooked up to a bunch of monitors. But they're trying to get a donor Nick." I closed my eyes, I knew her heart was bad but she told me she wouldn't need one for a another couple of years.
"How long?" I asked my eyes still shut tight.
"Nick wait till you get here-"
"HOW LONG BRIAN?!" I yelled and tears began to spill from my eyes.
"Forty-eight hours." I let the phone drop from my hands and put my face into them.
"Nick?" I heard Kevin ask and he reached for the phone on the ground. "Brian?" He held the phone to his ear. "I see, we'll be there soon." He closed my phone and I heard the engine speed up. Kevin pulled into the parking lot and I slowly got out of the car. I felt extremely weak and Kevin had his arm around my waist. I knew I needed to be stronger than this for Hailey but I could barely pick up my feet and with a broken leg that was hard.
"Katie can you get a wheel chair, I don't think he's going to make it all the way inside," he whispered to her as we got to the side walk. "Nick just hang tight for a sec." He told me still holding onto me. Katie rushed inside and came back out. They both helped me sit, Katie took my crutches and Kevin pushed me inside. We went to where Brian was, in the corner of the waiting room pacing back and forth.
"I need to see her," I told Brian. He had obviously been crying himself and he knelt down.
"Nick they're going to have to put her in a coma, the doctors were waiting for you until they did." I didn't ask why, I guess it was partly because of the amount of pain she was in and that it would be less stress on her heart.
"They'll take her out of it when she gets the heart?" I asked.
"Yeah buddy, come on," Brian stood up and and took Kevin's place and pushed me down the hall. We went through a curtain and up to a bed that looked like it was from a different time period. There were so many machines. "Nick there's a chance she won't..." I held my hand up to stop Brian from finishing his sentence. I stood up and hobbled closer to her bed and sat ever so gently on the edge. I took her hand into mine and kissed it. Brian walked out of the room and I then leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
"Baby, it's me. I'm here." I told her, doing my best to keep my composure. "Can you hear me?" I squeezed her hand lightly and she watched as her eyes fluttered open. The only color in the whole room seemed to be her blue eyes. At that moment, more tears fell from my cheeks and I smiled greatful she was with me still. "Hey you," I brushed her cheek with my thumb.
"Hey," her voice was faint and I could really only make out he shapes of her lips as she said the word.
"I'm so sorry," I kissed her hand again and she took her finger and brought it to my lips.
"Shh."
"I love you so much baby. You need to stay strong for a little while longer until the Doctor's can get your new heart in."
"I love you," she smiled and a single tear rolled from the corner of her eye.
"I'm not going to leave your side. I'm right here okay?" She nodded her head and closed her eyes again. "I had Katie call your brother, but the doctor's can't wait for him to come. He's on his way though. Everyone is the waiting room. Worrying about you." I laughed lightly. "We need to stop doing these hospital visits. Between you and I, we've spent a year here."
Her eyes then opened again and she squeezed my hand softly. "Nick if I don't-" she coughed a little then started again. "If I don't make it. Please don't hold on. I know the chances of finding a new heart and..." her voice trailed and her eyes closed. I could tell she was in pain and all I wanted to do wa hold her.
"Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine. And when you get out of here, I want you to spend the rest of your life with me and be my wife."
"Are you asking...me...to marry you Carter?"
"I am. Hailey will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?"
"Yes," she nodded her head and more tears spilled from her eyes. I leaned forward and kissed her lips.
"I'm sorry Mr. Carter but we need you step out of the room while we do this." A doctor told me and I knew they meant put her into the coma. I looked at the doctor and nodded.
"I will be right back as soon as you're sleeping baby. And I'll be here when you open those beautiful eyes again."
"Tell everyone I love them please," and it broke my heart to see more tears fall as she said those words.
"I will and they love you. I'll see you soon okay?" She nodded her head as I pressed my forehead to hers. I kissed her lips one more time, perhaps for the last time ever. "I love you Mrs. Carter." I whispered in her ear.
"I love you..." she held onto my hand and I stood up and sat back in the wheel chair. Brian had come back in and walked up to the bed.
"I'll see you when you wake up. God is with you, we're all with you. I love you," Brian kissed her cheek and then pushed me out of the room. I then completely lost it and broke into a loud hysterics. Brian didn't go further down the hall but stopped and came around in front of me. His arms embraced me in a brotherly hug and held tight. "God please guide Hailey through this and send her an angel to watch over her and protect her." I heard him say softly.
**********You whispered that you were getting tired
Got a look in your eye
Looks a lot like goodbye.
Hold on to your secrets tonight.
Don't want to know I'm ok with this silence
It's truth that i don't want to hear
You're hiding regret in your smile
There's a storm in your eyes I've seen coming for awhile
Hold on to the past tense tonight
Don't say a word
I'm ok with the quiet.
The truth is gonna change everything.
So lie to me and tell me that it's gonna be alright
So lie to me and tell me that we'll make it through the night
I don't mind if you wait before you tear me apart
Look me in the eye
Lie lie lie.
Lie lie lie.
I know that there's no turning back.
If we put too much light on this we'll see through all the cracks.
Let's stay in the dark one more night.
Don't want to know i'm ok with the silence.
It's truth that i don't want to hear.
So lie to me and tell me that it's gonna be alright
So lie to me and tell me that we'll make it through the night
I don't mind if you wait before you tear me apart
So look me in the eye
And lie lie lie.
Don't want to believe in this ending
Let the cameras roll on
Keep pretending
Tomorrow's all wrong if you walk away
Just stay
So lie to me and tell me that it's gonna be alright
So lie to me and tell me that we'll make it through the night
I don't mind if you wait before you tear me apart
Look me in the eye
And lie lie lie.
So lie to me and tell me that we're gonna be ok
So lie to me and tell me that we'll make it through the day
I don't mind if you wait before you tear me apart
Look me in the eye
And lie lie lie.
*******David Cook "Lie"
Another minute passed and I felt more arms around me, someone squeezing my hands and someone kissing the top of my head. A.J., Howie, Kevin and Katie were all there. I'm not sure how long we stood like that, I'm sure it was a sight to see as we all said our own personal prayers and thoughts for Hailey. I then heard a familiar sound.
"Nick?" The voice broke the group hug apart and everyone backed away a little, not a dry eye from one.
"Nathan," my voice broke and he came closer. Brian explained everything again and Katie wrapped her arms around Nathan as he took the news one more time.
"So, she's in a coma now?"
"Until they get her new heart," Katie said as quick as she could.
"It was a matter of time," he said shaking his head. "I need to see her."
"Right through there," Brian showed him and let him go in by himself.
"So, guys, Nick asked Hailey to marry him, she said yes." Brian said trying to brighten up the mood.
"Congrats man!" A.J. pulled me in for another hug. I felt numb and at the moment I wanted to be alone, I wanted to be with Hailey but knew Nathan needed his time. He didn't get to say his goodbye like I did. The next two days would be the longest days of my life and that's only if she had a heart and was awake after the surgery.
Author's Chapter Notes:
Feed back please...it's taken me a while to write this chapter.
