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***RECAP: She sat up suddenly, as she heard the doctor's voice. She glanced quickly at her watch and saw that it was now three thirty in the morning....but the doctor had news for them all.***
"....and we haven't got results back from his tests yet, but he's awake now, and he's in his room...you can all see him, but try to go in only a couple at a time," the doctor finished, as she glanced at her clipboard.
It was the break of dawn already, and Nick's mother and father were still there, along with the guys and Lauren. Nick's siblings had long since left, and Lou, who had also been by, had left hours ago.
Nick's parents ventured into the room, and the door shut closely behind them. "Oh God," she muttered out loud, as she grabbed Kevin's hand and squeezed it tight. "Just don't say anything," warned Kevin to the rest of the guys, "nothing about the tests, and nothing about the results."
After five minutes or so, Nick's parents wandered out of the room, looking teary-eyed and exhausted. "We're going home to get some rest," Jane, Nick's mom said to the group, "after you see him I advise you all to do the same....otherwise it's gonna be a long night."
Howie was the first one to enter the room, closely followed by Lauren, Kevin, AJ and Brian. "Hey buddy," Howie said quietly, as he tried not to act too upset. However, Lauren couldn't hold back what she was feeling. Not only was she feeling a sense of deja vu, she felt incredible remorse. He lay there with a tube stuck in his vein connected to a machine, and he looked so weak and pale. He also looked so helpless.
"Hey guys," he said in a barely audible voice. Lauren smiled sadly at him, but wished she could help him. It took great willpower not to mention anything, so she kept her mouth pretty much shut during their entire visit.
"You need a ride home?" asked AJ, as the tired group made their way out of the hospital. Lauren nodded. "You know what? It's pointless for you to go back to your hotel now....why don't you stay at my house?" he asked, glancing at his watch which read ten minutes to four.
Lauren gave him an exhausted smile and nodded. "Sure," she said, as they both got into his car and made their way to his house, and in less than ten minutes they were there.
"You can borrow some clothes of mine to sleep in," AJ said, as he tossed his car keys onto the table in the front hall, "that way you don't have to sleep in what you're wearing.......cute picture, huh?" he added, as he glanced over at Lauren and caught her looking at a picture of him and his dad. Their dad.
"Uh, yeah," she said, trying not to let on too much, "when was this taken?"
"A couple years ago," he answered, "I think that was the only time I saw him that year....I rarely ever do."
Lauren nodded, as her eyes blurred with tears for the millionth time that day. "AJ, I...." she started, as she looked away as not to let on she was upset.
"Yeah?" he asked, "what is it?"
"I, um, I'm kinda tired now....I think we better get to bed," she answered, chickening out at the last minute. AJ nodded and led her upstairs, gave her a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt, and showed her to her room. "You gonna be okay?" he asked, "if you need anything, I'm right down the hall."
"Okay, thanks a lot," she replied, feeling this moment of awkwardness between them. "Hey, c'mere," he said smiling sadly, as he held out his arms for a hug.
She hugged him, and felt that same moment of sadness again. "It'll be okay," he said, brushing a strand of hair from her face, "Nick'll be fine....he's a trooper."
Lauren nodded, as AJ's face moved closer to hers. 'Oh no!' she thought, as it hit her like a brick, 'he's gonna try to kiss me!' He moved his face closer and closer but Lauren just backed away. "I-I'm really tired...goodnight AJ," she stuttered on the brink of tears, as she walked into her room and left him standing outside the door, confused and rejected.
'What the hell just happened?' he asked himself, as he stared, dumbfounded, at the shut door.
Lauren collapsed onto her bed as the tears began to flow. "No..." she cried out loud, "this isn't supposed to happen..."
She cried and cried until she finally fell asleep. She awoke at around ten the next morning, and peeked outside her door, to see that AJ's door was still shut, meaning he was still asleep. She scribbled a quick note and grabbed her stuff and headed out the door before AJ woke up.
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"Lauren?" AJ called through an empty house, "Lauren? Where are you?"
He walked into the kitchen and immediately saw the note on the counter. "AJ- Thank you very much for letting me stay over....talk to you soon. Love Lauren" He stood, staring at it for a couple minutes. "She's gone," he said to an empty room, "I shouldn't have tried to put the moves on her...what the hell was I thinking?! She's been through so much today..."
As he plopped down the couch, he let out a huge sigh. He couldn't help thinking that he had scared her away for good.
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