What you need to know: JT and Mia are taking a break since JT has been confused regarding his feelings. JT and Emma have been hanging out a lot more than portrayed on the show. Emma did not get back together with Sean. They decided to leave their romantic relationship in the past.

An Introduction of Sorts

Third Person POV

"I'm just so confused, Toby," JT nearly shouted. Luckily they were on the porch and not in the middle of the party.

"Just pick," Toby replied. His friend was seriously cramping his tries to get a girl.

"It's complicated. I like Mia. She's great, but I sometimes wonder if I'm drawn to her because she can give me what I missed out on with Liberty. Liberty. I know I loved her. I think I still love her. I don't know if I ever have or ever will forgive her. I don't know if I can. It doesn't end there," JT said when Toby made to answer. "I seem to have developed-well redeveloped-feelings for my best friend. Way to end that friendship, huh?"

"Hmm...Here's what I'm getting from you," Toby began. "Mia seems to represent the something new in your life. She's different and exciting but still safe. Only problem is you're not sure if what you feel is for her or for the fact that she provides the dream you had with Liberty.

"Liberty is someone you loved for a long time. The two of you were happy, but then everything got screwed up. Both of you made mistakes. Part of you still loves her, but part of you thinks that you won't ever be able to forgive her for all of the things that she's done that have hurt you.

"Emma is unexpected. She's the one girl that has always been there for you. She is also the same girl that you had a crush on when you were ten. She's been there for you while letting you be there for her, but you're scared that being with her will screw up your friendship.

"Does that help?" Toby finished.

"You're absolutely right, Tobes. I know what I need to do," JT grinned. With a blink of an eye, JT had disappeared into the house.

"What did I do?" Toby asked himself.

Incoming Panic Attack

Sean quickly escaped out into the cool night air, nodding to Jimmy and Ellie as he walked down the steps to take a walk. Manny sure knew how to throw a party. He was certain that he had heard JT ending things for good with Liberty on the dance floor. Strange since he knew that JT and Mia were taking a break because JT didn't think he was over Liberty. Combined with the unexpected hook-ups and fights, things were...intense.

As he turned to go up the driveway, he noticed a body leaning up again a car. It was sitting in a small, rapidly growing pool of blood. Looking closer he realized it was JT. "Call an ambulance! JT's hurt!" Sean yelled at Jimmy. He missed Jimmy reaching into his pocket for his cell. He was so focused on getting to his friend.

"Don't die on me, JT. C'mon, c'mon. Please don't die," Sean pleaded. He carefully checked JT's breathing before attempting to put pressure on the wound without moving him too much. Where was the ambulance?

Waiting Room Chairs Were Invented By an Evil Genius

Emma POV

JT was stabbed by my house almost two weeks ago. I stayed in the hospital for nearly thirty-six hours while I waited for news on my best friend in the entire world. Manny and I had something close, but I've only been friends with her since kindergarten. JT and I have known each other forever. I can remember going to his grandma's house when we were three.

After waiting on those friggin' chairs for thirty-six hours, I knew two things. 1. The chairs were absolute evil. Didn't they understand that people might have to sit in them for hours while they waited to hear about loved ones? 2. If JT didn't survive this, there was almost no way I would. He was my best friend, and I hoped he was on his way to becoming something more. Up until now I never had to face life without knowing someone would be there for me. Now, I was facing what could be the death of a friend without my strength there to save me.

After the long wait that included pleas from just about everyone to go home and come back (except Toby, we stayed there together for the entire time), we found out JT was in a coma. His body had sustained some serious damage that they had mostly managed to fix, but it also had shut down to a degree as a defense mechanism. They knew he would survive, but they didn't know if he would ever wake up.

I don't know if I can do this. Especially without him here to help me.

Worrying is All I Can Do

Manny POV

One of my oldest friends has been unconscious on a hospital bed for two weeks. My best friend has practically lived at the hospital as she visits him. They don't deserve this. He doesn't deserve this. I'm so worried about both of them. I don't know if Emma will get through this if JT doesn't wake up.

I used to be jealous of the friendship between JT and Emma. They had known each other longer and could do more together. Then I realized that they let me in. In time, I would be a part of that magic. It was overwhelming, and something I cherished above everything else until junior high when everything started to fall apart. Now, I'm making up for my mistakes.

I hear Mia cry and complain. She's questioning what she's supposed to do without JT. She's so sad that he can't be here with her, that he can't help her. Doesn't she realize that he's missing out on his life?

It may be sad that we can't talk to him, but it is sadder that he's missing out on living his life. He might not get a chance to graduate. He might not get a chance to get together with Emma which is something I totally saw coming back in junior high. JT might never get to find his happily ever after. That is the sad thing. We might be denied his company or ideas, but if he doesn't wake up, JT has been denied the chance to live.

Hospital Food Leaves Something to be Desired

Toby POV

It's the middle of the night, and I've been sitting in this chair for the past four hours. Emma is across from me on the other side of the hospital bed. Visiting hours are long over. We were supposed to leave, but when the nurse told us that, Emma's eyebrows lowered a fraction of an inch as she followed her out of the room. I don't know what she said or did, but suddenly we both were allowed to stay past visiting hours. Not to mention more than two people were allowed in the room at a time.

All Emma has done is sit and watch JT. Sometimes she'll hold his hand or reach out to touch him, but mostly she just watches. I know the others think she does it to see if he shows any signs of waking up. That might be one reason, but really it's so she can watch him breathe. Just like I do. If JT is breathing, that means he's alive.

I take my eyes off JT to look at Emma. She's fallen asleep. Thank God. She is going to crack under the stress soon. I don't know if anyone besides Manny and I ever knew just how much JT and Emma mean to each other even when they don't spend a lot of time with another. Well, maybe Sean does, but no one else ever seems to notice.

They were meant to be. The people that are best friends forever that decide to date when they get a little older. Most people don't see it coming and think it won't last very long, but they turn out to be one of the happiest couples at all the reunions. For awhile I thought that Emma and I could be those people. Then I realized that it wasn't meant to be. JT and Emma have a nearly unbreakable bond. I used to be jealous. I outgrew that too.

She's lost weight during the past two weeks. Emma doesn't enjoy the hospital food seeing as it leaves something to be desired, and our friends and family only bring us one meal a day most of the time. She's wasting away almost as fast as JT has. Not good considering her recent and possibly on-going battle with anorexia. I'm worried about her. Everyone is worried about her. Sean has been pretty frantic. They may have given up on a romance, but Emma is still the first person to have given Sean a chance. That makes her one of the most important people in his life.

Mia and Liberty are beginning to worry me. Liberty has been acting like she's trying to stake her territory or something, and Mia has been in hysterics over her boyfriend of all of three and a half weeks? If JT's actions are any indication of his intentions, he picked Emma. He broke up with Liberty for good at the party. I witnessed that scene when I went to use the bathroom. As for Mia, I just don't think JT would have picked her. Don't get me wrong, Mia's a great girl. It's just that I don't think that JT was really all that committed to her.

Trapped Like a Rat

JT POV

I've been stuck here for a long time. I can't seem to do anything. Everything is like a mist. Sometimes it's like I'm asleep. I'm pretty sure that I'm not dead, but I don't know for sure. I just want to get out of here. I want to get back to my spectacularly screwed up life so that I can fix it. I think I finally know what I want again. It just royally sucks that I had to get stabbed right after I decided.

Every once in awhile I hear things. People talking, crying, and moving. It doesn't happen too often which is why I'm surprised when I hear Toby's whisper.

"You have to wake up man. If not for yourself or me or your friends, do it for Emma. She needs you."

I'm trying Toby. Really, I'm trying.

Giving Up is Not an Option

Emma POV

Toby finally left to go take a shower. I'm so freakin' relieved. It's not that I don't like him. I just want some time alone with JT. I haven't really gotten any time to talk to him without someone hear to overhear. Earlier I had an argument with Liberty and Mia, and I swear his hand moved.

"I don't know why you refuse to leave, Emma. It's not like he's the most important person in your life," Liberty tried to rationalize rather coldly.

"Emma might need to back off, but you shouldn't even be here! He hated you. JT wanted nothing to do with you, Liberty!" Mia yelled.

I counted to five before I spoke. "Believe it or not, Liberty, he is. He's my best friend in the entire world, and he has been since I was three. I couldn't leave him here alone if I tried. You two are the ones that need to back off. It's great that you care and you visit him, but he was upset with both of you before the...incident..." I trailed off.

"It wouldn't be a good idea for you to be here when he wakes. JT doesn't hate either of you, but you both certainly aren't his favorite people," Toby finished my thoughts.

They both scoffed before leaving with a huff.

The Evolution of Friendship

Third Person POV

"JT?...I need you to come back. Remember when we were little and I told you I would never need the help of a boy because girl were so much better? I lied. I was always afraid to admit that I needed somebody, but you helped me realize that it doesn't mean you're weak. It means that you're smart," Emma began. She took a deep breath before she continued.

"You've saved me so many times that I almost made you a T-shirt. I'm not joking. It was going to say "Emma Nelson's Life Saver" on the front and "Get Your Own Hero" on the back. When you wake up, we'll talk about color schemes and pictures," Emma sighed with a shaky breath. "What I am trying so hard not to say is that I love you. I've loved you since we were little, but this is different. I didn't think about it really until you started going out with Mia. I was jealous, and I couldn't figure out why. I know now.

"Ever since your...incident, I've had to face the harsh reality that you might not make it. Well to quote one of your least favorite movies 'If you jump, I jump.' I can't do this living thing without you," Emma paused to wipe a tear with a trembling hand. "All I've wanted to do for the past two weeks is go home. My home isn't my house. As cliche and corny as it sounds, my home is you. When I'm with you I feel safe and loved and like everything will be okay. I know that as long as you live, I will never be alone. That is why I love you, James Tiberius Yorke, and it is why I'll love you until my dying breath and beyond."

Emma gasped as the hand she held moved, and JT's eyes began to flutter.

The Hardest Simple Thing I've Ever Done

JT POV

I'm pretty sure that I hate wherever this is, and I am redoubling my efforts to get out of here. I heard Emma fighting with some girls (I think Liberty and Mia) earlier, and I tried to move but couldn't hardly at all.

"JT?" It was Emma. She gave me this heart-wrenching speech. She called me her home, and she said she loves me! I gave a big push in my mind, and I felt something burst. All of a sudden my eyes were closed, and I was laying down. Someone was holding my hand. I tried to grip it back, but it was harder than I remembered. I focused all of my attention to opening my eyes. Maybe I was finally back with Emma.

All that seemed to be happening was my eyelid were...twitching or something. A few seconds later, they opened only to be greeted by the less than tasteful decorating of a hospital room. I turned my head slowly and saw Emma looking back at me in what must have been shock.

"JT! You're awake!" She released my hand and retrieved a glass of water from a side table even as my eyes followed her every movement. "This will be good for your throat since you haven't had anything to drink in two weeks." Here she helped me slurp some water. With her so close, I noticed that she had tears in her eyes.

"D-don't cry, Em," I rasped. My voice was off from not using it. Her eyes flew up to meet mine. "I love you, and it hurts me to see you cry." I reached for her hand. "Will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" There was a long pause before I spoke again. "Please tell me that your speech about me with the T-shirts and you loving me wasn't just me dreaming while I was unconscious because I don't know that I could take."

She glanced down for a moment. "It wasn't, but I didn't think you could hear me. I was just kinda surprised," Emma replied. She squeezed my hand a little tighter. "I love you, too." She smiled at me.

"Soooooooo...what's your answer to my first question?" I grinned at her in a hopefully dashing way.

Emma blushed. "Oh...yes. I would love to be your girlfriend." She leaned over, and we kissed what was hopefully the first of many spine-tingling kisses. Most of which would desiredly be outside of the hospital. It wasn't the most romantic of settings.

R&R I'm considering writing short chapters that explain what happens next.